Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

EnsemblePieces — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:32:19 GMT

I never really liked charm bracelets--too much bother and they catch on everything--so when i received a sterling bracelet w a few starter charms, I was a bit dismayed. Then I realized I could take one of each of my most coveted strand of beads that I'm hoarding--for what ever potential fantastic project I come up with--and decorate it, and then feel better about making something w the strands bc I'd always have one! And I made another with wrapped loops instead of chain: http://picasaweb.google.com/ensemblepieces/SemiPreciousBraceletsAnklets#5259333427169971826

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

smokey@3 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:39:38 GMT

I've made a charm necklace. I was prompted to use my lost earrings that I loved and didn't want to get rid of the one left. Since that time, I/ve added charms and other found loves. I starts many a wonderful conversation. So, if you don't like braclets becacuse the get in the way, at work? then make yourself a wonderful necklace.

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

Sara Richardson — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:37:50 GMT

Wow, some really nice stories on here. Thank you for sharing them! (Sorry for my delay in responding, I was actually off on Friday when this was published!) Keep 'em coming. I'm happy that I wrote on a topic which touched and inspired so many of you! Thanks, Sara P.S. Hi back to Joyce! Happy to see another WNYer on here! :)

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

Sharon Mc — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:41:35 GMT

When I was a teenager my mother started collecting silver charms for me. My parents began travelling a lot together and they would bring me a charm from some of their exotic (and not so exotic locations). I have charms from the Bahamas, Alaska, New Zealand, Fiji, Australia. But one of my favorite charms is one they got me from Colorado--a pinecone. As I got older charm bracelets gave way to charm necklaces, so I put them all on a necklace. After reading this article I would love to make several charm bracelets with themes and beads. I can't wait to start!

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

JoseyG — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 04:49:31 GMT

I too love charm bracelets. My mother started my first charm bracelet when I was sixteen, graduation charm, an airplane for my first flight, a license when I got my Drivers license. It was so special to me, I started another when I married and had my three children. This bracelet has a head charm with name and birth date for each of my children and of course back then kids received a picture charm with school photos so I added them, then there is all the activities, basketball, baseball, cheerleading etc. My husband thought it would be great to start one for ourselves and we started a third. The bracelets are so very important to me since my mother and husband both passed away so I now have a bracelet of beautiful memories. I have now inherited my mothers charm bracelets which is another bracelet of memories. I am still building more but for grandchildren now.

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

empjcmp — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 02:24:15 GMT

I , too, still have my charm bracelet but don't often wear jewelry. I started making shepherd hook bookmarks but could only use 2 or 3 charms. This made for a lot of bookmarks. Then I got the idea of adding 3 lengths of chain to the bookmark. Now when ever I get a charm, I just add it to my bookmark.

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

Jjezewski — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:17:30 GMT

Sara, A fellow Buffalonian! Thanks for the inspiration in your article. I recently sold my one and only watch charm bracelet and your article reminded me to make a little something for myself. Perhaps something with beach glass and seashells. :) Joyce from Buffalo

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

Carly@6 — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:14:00 GMT

This is encouraging me to get out my charm bracelet my god-mother started for me as a child. It is gold with a charm w/ my birthdate, a 4-leaf clover, a x-mas tree with gems for bulbs...now I'm curious what the other charm is that I can't remember!! She never did finish it....guess gold got too expensive!! I started a charm necklace for my daughter when she was a child. That's what was in style in her "time"

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

Sugar Punk Studio — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:55:25 GMT

I think my bracelets would say i was a little eccentric and sometimes strange...they would be right LOL!

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

merrielyn — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:06:41 GMT

Love my bracelet. It keeps going in and out of fashion, and when it is in again, I pick up a couple new charms to reflect my current interests. What a chronicle of my life! I really enjoy charms that move. Wheels that turn, a toaster that pops up, a loader on a little tractir that lifts. What fun

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

Roxane@5 — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:01:37 GMT

I, too, love charm bracelets. I just counted the other day & have 40 charms! Mom started it for me in 4th grade when she & Dad took me to see the Metropolitan Opera in far away Minnesota. We picked out a harp, my favorite instrument. I grew up out West and Mom would get a charm for any cool place we visited. The last ones she purchased were an engagement ring (with a place for the date) & double wine glasses for my marriage. I picked it up from there. I love a little bear from Yellowstone, who even has foot prints. I've since colleted a piano for my musical kid, a bulldog for my USMC kid and a swimmer for #3 son. I think the flattened penny idea is a good one, something I've also thought of doing on a different bracelet. Mom went with sterling as gold was pricy in the 60s, as it is now! It's a very special thing she did for me, one out of 5 kids. I'll always treasure it.

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

SarahF@51 — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:13:14 GMT

I also created a charm bracelet made up of different small necklace pendants and earings, where I had lost one of the earings. I just love it! My husband bought be all of the pendants, so now I get to wear them all at once.

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

MonicaS@32 — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:48:30 GMT

I have never had a charm bracelet as mother said I would loose it. So now I may create one in beads as I am not adding wire work to my hobbies. I have a few charms that I use for other media such as cats, wine fruits and birds and would love to find an RV, cooking utensils and sewing machine. When we travel I make a journal of the trip and often add small charms or recycled items that have something to do with the region visited.

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

MissCat — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:30:59 GMT

I have a charm bracelet given to me by my mother and step-father my 16th Christmas. It has my Senior key (added a year and a half later when I graduated high school), a Santa Claus, a mortarboard and a sweet 16 charm. It needs some repair and cleaning (it's older than the hills...actually almost 30 years old) and I would like to add some new charms...ones to represent my grandson and granddaughter, my 3 sons, maybe an elf and leprechaun (my husband is a little person and we dress up as elves and leprechauns at Christmas and St. Patty's Day) and definitely a charm from Lake Tahoe, CA. where we got married this past June!

re: Make Your Own Summer Memories Charm Bracelet

Iluvperles — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:07:41 GMT

I too am very happy that charm bracelets are back in style. I've had one since I was a kid that was given to me as a gift and I've added charms over the years. A few of my charms include: diplomas with graduation dates, stop lights for when I got my drivers license, a wise owl given to me by my shorthand teacher for achieving 60 words per minute, a typewriter from a typing teacher for achieving 80 words per minute (of course that was on a manual typewriter); the Disney castle from a trip to Disney in Florida; a Lhasa Apso charm representing a family pet; a camera for my love of photography. Most of my charms are sterling silver as that is what was popular when I got them and I do tend to keep to that way. It might be interesting to start a new bracelet though and my local bead shop recently got in a product that allows you to attach or transfer a picture to metal so it might be cool to make one of those.