| So I was at a local department store with a girlfriend | | | | bead store. |
| of mine (I won't say which one, but it's typically a | | | | It's actually a lot easier, and a lot cheaper, than you |
| classier alternative to Wal-Mart), when we happened | | | | would think. Let's say you want to make an elastic, |
| into the jewelry aisle. I say jewelry but what I mean | | | | beaded bracelet, with chunky (and funky), |
| is costume jewelry: the large, plastic, glass and | | | | multi-colored glass beads. You start out with a role of |
| metal-beaded bracelets, earrings and necklaces that | | | | elastic bead cord. Because it's elastic you don't even |
| women buy and then lose, break or forget about in a | | | | need clasps, just tie it in a knot (which will be hidden |
| matter of months. | | | | by a bead). Then, if you're lucky to have a bead |
| There's something about that jewelry that's addictive. | | | | store close by like I do that sells loose beads, go |
| It could be the old-world beauty of turquoise beads | | | | crazy getting all the funky colored, |
| and chip mixed with antiqued silver beads, or maybe | | | | weird-material-made beads you can find. |
| the warm look of amber roundels mixed with the | | | | For my part I'm into making jewelry with an old-world |
| glass lampwork beads. In any case I know many | | | | look. I'll get a few African Trade Beads, that have a |
| women who are "hooked." | | | | cool multi-colored and frosted/beat-up appearance, a |
| Anyway, as we tried on the various baubles and | | | | few bone beads, some wooden beads and a few |
| charms, I was shocked to see my friend place a | | | | antiqued silver beads. Then I just thread them on |
| handful in her shopping basket. "You're not really | | | | about 4-5 inches of elastic, tie it off and, done! I'm |
| buying those?" I asked in amazed disbelief. | | | | positive that the bracelet I just made for under |
| "Of course, why wouldn't I? They're on sale, only 3 | | | | about five bucks goes for at least $25.00 or more at |
| for $25.00" She replied. | | | | the not-to-be-revealed expensive department store |
| And such is the problem when looking at costume | | | | we were shopping at. |
| jewelry: sure it's trendy and maybe it's only made to | | | | And it's not just the price. Because costume jewelry |
| last a little more than a couple of months, but it's | | | | isn't like fine jewelry: you don't just buy one piece |
| marked up an average of 500%! Even with the | | | | and wear that one forever. You buy a bunch of |
| "discount" my friend was in great danger of getting | | | | pieces to match different outfits, wear them for a |
| royally ripped off. | | | | few months until they go out of style, and then buy |
| And I would know, because I've been making my | | | | more. |
| own, current and trendy costume jewelry since I | | | | It's a never ending cycle of accessorizing! A cycle like |
| was a freshman in high school. My family didn't have | | | | that can break a girl. Trust me on this: go out to |
| a lot of money so my mom showed me ways to | | | | your local bead store, or find one online, take 10 |
| look fabulous on a budget. One of those ways to | | | | minutes to pick out a bunch of cool beads, and just |
| cruise the expensive department store catalogs | | | | make one piece yourself. You'll be hooked. But at |
| (think Neiman Marcus), and then replicate the looks of | | | | least this time it won't break you! |
| the jewelry with inexpensive beads from the local | | | | |