Ornament 2012

Happy December Everyone,

Several weeks ago I mentioned I wanted to start making some beaded ornaments for family and friends.  I had the bulbs and I have a good selection of beads to play with.  All I needed was a pattern.

It didn't occur to me that hey, Christmas is only 5 weeks away when Thanksgiving happened.  Boy, how the time flies. Recently I was looking at a calendar and that's when it hit me, I still had to figure out what my ornament was going to be. And make them.  I am hoping that this year I might actually finish a project that I started instead of having to abandon my original idea and go purchase a small gift.  Don't you think that a hand made item, is just so much more. Well, when you have time to do so right?

Well, I started searching the Internet for a pattern that was inexpensive and easy to follow and of course was pretty.  As I sat here looking at the computer monitor I got to thinking, "I think I already have some of these patterns here in my home.  Why buy them again if I already have them?"  Patterns were selling for about $4 and the magazine cost about $6 to begin with.

So with the few ornament designs that I liked in mind, I pulled out all my bead magazines that I owned and started my search for "Ornament 2012".  Now that I have found a few of the patterns, the hard part is choosing which cool ornament to make. I better get my beading needles in gear, only 24 days left and counting.  

With that in mind, today's tip is to catalog your library of magazines.  That way you don't purchase a pattern that you already have on hand. :) The possible patterns that I was considering mentioned what magazine and what issue it was from.  And while I was entering information, I discovered I actually had duplicates on a couple magazines.  Oops.

A collection of my holiday themed magazines
complete with  patterns.

I made a list of all the different magazines that I already owned.  The information that I included was the magazine title, Issue # and any notes that I might want to know for future use such as;  a project that you wanted to try or a gift idea.  After I was done logging the information, I then put each magazine title in it's own pile and put them all away in an organized fashion.  So now, I will be able to look up quickly if I already have the pattern in question.

Once I decide which ornament pattern to use I may have to stop by Beadin' Mon! in Flint, MI and pick up coordinating beads to go with my projects.  If you can't stop by the shop, remember you can always shop virtually at the Beadin' Mon's online shop at www.shop.beadinmon.com.

Well, I hope this tip was helpful.  I know it definitely helped me.  Not only did I find a few of the ornament patterns I was looking for, I also found a pattern for a festive bracelet that I wouldn't mind trying.  On that note, I must retire for the night.  Have a fabulous week and as usual Happy beadin' :)