Morse Code Bracelets

Morse Code Jewelry is my new favorite thing to make. I'm obsessed. How fun is this? Do you know that morse code is short and long sounds (represented in print as dots and dashes) assigned to each letter of the alphabet and sent over a telegraph system so someone listening can understand (if you know the code) the message being sent? Yes it's much more detailed than that, but that's all we need to know to make these bracelets!

Using a code chart I found online, I made these bracelets for my sister spelling out secret words and messages that are special between us - most are from silly old stories we have that by just saying the catchphrase of the story brings back the memory of the event. For instance - we were all at one of Dave's pro/celebrity races where celebrities and drivers are all hanging out together in a big tent waiting, just sitting around. Minnie Driver was sitting at a table all by herself, not doing a thing - not on her phone, not reading a book, just sitting there. My sister and nieces approached her and asked for an autograph and Minnie looks at them and goes "later. definitely later". Seriously? If not then, when? Good grief. We haven't liked that actress since then! Anyway - anytime someone says "later" we answer "definitely later", so that is something I beaded onto the bracelet.

I ended up making 10 strands because I was having so much fun and kept thinking of other
funny or sentimental things to bead. Small round beads represent the dots, and long narrow beads represent the dashes - so going by the chart I laid out the beads to spell my messages, then strung them onto stretchy cord. My first thought was to put a clasp on each one of them individually, but when I realized I had 10 of them that seemed a little awkward to put on. So I attached them all together to a big jump ring, then attached a clasp to that - now all 10 are together with one clasp. It's a little big but I love that the entire thing is made up of messages to her. 

Because we aren't going to remember what each bracelet says without a cheat sheet, I typed up what each bracelet says and looks like with the morse code symbol underneath...as long as she has that she'll know which bracelet is which.

Do you love this as much as I do? I keep thinking who else I can make a morse code bracelet with a secret message on it for - maybe even for myself with positive affirmations and all that. Obsessed.

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one year ago: caprese salad (tomato mozzarella salad)
two years ago: chocolate peanut butter layered dessert

Beaded Stretch Bracelets with Charms

Happy Birthday to my niece Paige! She made a comment a couple months ago about liking big beaded stretchy bracelets right now and wished she had more - I filed that away for a little thing to make her for her birthday. These are really simple and quick to make - I made some before (click here for that post) but those were out of smaller beads and included words so these are a little different.

Cut 11 inches of stretchy cord (it comes on a spool, clear like fishing line but thicker and really stretchy. don't use old cord, for some reason it gets brittle after being stored in your craft room for a long time but you won't realize it until you've made your bracelet and then when putting it on it snaps and beads go flying everywhere. yeah, ask me how I know). Tie a knot in one end, string your beads and charms, knot both ends together tightly. Add a drop of glue to the knot so it'll hold and then trim the tails off. Done. Easy!

tie a lose knot in one end or the beads will
fall off while you are stringing!

Note - I used 6mm and 8mm beads for these bracelets. The charms needed to be attached to a jump ring before adding to the string so they were able to move better, otherwise they stayed stuck in place on the bracelet. When attaching a jump ring you need to open it up by twisting the ends towards and away from you - don't pull them apart or it's hard to get them lined back up again.

opening a jump ring to attach a charm

added a drop of glue to the knots, waiting for
it to dry before cutting off the excess tails. 

one year ago today: my favorite homemade citrus pesto - oh man this is SO good!

Beaded Bracelets with Words

I was online surfing and came across these stretchy bead bracelets with words and sayings - and they wanted $20 apiece for them! Seriously, I own the same exact beads and of course thought to myself "I can make that". It took less than an hour to make all three of these - and cost nowhere near $20 to make all three let alone just one...I have made bunches of these in the past but they sort of seemed out of style for awhile - but after seeing them for sale in an adult online store (and for that price) I'm totally making them again!

I made them 6.5" long, measure your wrist to determine how long you want yours - before starting to string the beads I lay out how long the word/words are and then roughly figure how many beads I'll need to make 6.5", divide that number in half. Tie a knot in the end of a 10" piece of stretchy cord, string the larger middle bead on first then follow with half of the beads you are using, followed by the word beads. I put a small accent bead on either side of the word, and a longer small bead between the words to separate them. Then add the rest of the beads making sure the whole thing is how long you want it. Note if you realize the bracelet is too big or too small I adjust by removing the knot and larger middle bead and remove or add from that end - that way you don't have to remove them all and then have to restring them, you'll only need to remove the middle bead to add or detract. You want the same number of beads on either side of the middle bead and the words in order for the bracelet to by symmetrical...if you don't care if it's balanced or not then don't worry about that step and put them on however you want! When you have the correct number of beads strung tie the two ends together - pull the cord pretty tight but don't reef on it or it might snap - then put a dot of clear craft glue on the knot. Then slide the larger middle bead over the knot to hide it if possible.

you'll need stretchy cord, word beads, other filler beads, one larger middle bead,
a couple small accent beads, and a dot of clear glue. 

tie a knot in one end and add the larger middle bead, then string half of the filler beads before adding the
word beads, accent beads, and then the remaining filler beads. 

measure how long your words on so you can center them in the middle of the bracelet

when you are done stringing beads tie the two ends together and add a drop of glue on the knot.
then put the larger middle bead overtop of the knot to hide it. 

These are so easy and quick to make, good gifts, and it'd be a great kid craft - other than cutting the 10" piece of cord everything else is harmless (unless they swallow the beads I guess, use your judgement!).