Guest post with Artsy-Fartsy Mama

Who is ready for another Guest Post?  Well, I am SO EXCITED to introduce you all to Lindsay from Artsy-Fartsy Mama! 

Hello friends & Christy's Cuties readers! I'm Lindsay, the author of Artsy-Fartsy Mama. I'm so excited to be here today, thanks Christy for inviting me! On my blog you can find tutorials for all kinds of crafty things, recipes and more. I love finding ways to be creative while saving money.

Today I'm going to share a tutorial for a safety pin bracelet!

That's right... I said safety pins!!

What you'll need:

100+ medium safety pins

(make sure pins have both top & bottom holes - see photo of pins below)

1 package Seed Bead mix, or a few if you want to mix colors

Elastic cord or clear Stretch Magic

Pliers

Pour beads into a bowl & lay out the safety pins.

Since the beads are so small, the easiest way I found to get them on the pins is to scoop the pin through the bowl of beads and they put themselves on. If you want them in a specific pattern, though, you'll have to put them on by hand.

When the pin is full, close the pin and set it aside. I would say make about 100 for an adult bracelet. You may need more or less depending on the size of your wrist.

Once you have all your pins put together, take the pliers and pinch the safety pin closed so it won't accidentally come open while you're wearing it.

Next, measure your wrist and cut the elastic a little larger than your measurement. Don't make it too tight, otherwise it won't be comfortable and will be difficult to put on. I originally made this for my daughter, but couldn't get her to hold still long enough to get a measurement. So, I used one of her "bracelets" (aka hair elastic) as a guide.
**If you do it this way, make sure to measure the inside of the elastic... not the outside... It makes a big difference.

Thread your elastic through the top and bottom holes of the safety pins, laying the pins in opposite directions but keeping the beads on the outside. I noticed that some of the top holes of the safety pins were too small/bent so I couldn't get the thread through. You won't be able to use these, so either check before putting the beads on, or take the beads off and use another pin that will work. Make sure to set the defective ones aside so you don't keep having to fix pins.

Tie top elastic cords & the bottom elastic cords together to finish the bracelet.

Tie it tight, double knot - do what you have to to make sure it won't come undone.

Like I mentioned earlier, my measurements were just a little bit off...

But, don't worry:

It fits me perfectly!! :)

Hopefully I've inspired you all to be a little crafty! Stop by Artsy-Fartsy Mama anytime & say hi!
I love meeting new people & would love to see your bracelet if you make one.

Thanks again, Christy, for having me on your blog! Hope you all have a great week!

What a great bracelet, Lindsay!!  Thanks so much for sharing it with us.  Now, not only is Lindsay the writer behind Artsy-Fartsy Mama, but she is also a graphic designer!  That's right, she created the header and button for Christy's Cuties.  She is great to work with, so if you ever need anything you can check out her design blog at Happy Potamus Designs.