One of the earliest crafts I can remember doing has been with beads. They’re very easy to get creative with and come in so many different colors and varieties. I used to collect them and put them into containers when I was in elementary school. I had no idea what to do with them at the time, but I eventually made a few bracelets here and there. I mostly kept them because they were just plain pretty.

Now I’ve seen so many different ways to use beads, I’m amazed! The creativity people have is amazing. My old bead collection is long gone, but these tutorials are having me consider starting up some bead experimentation.

I used to think beads were just for bracelets and maybe a necklace or two, but I’ve seen them creatively incorporated into clothing. There are also unique ways to give beads a more contemporary look. It’s easy to do with the right metals.

Want to try working with beads but don’t know where to start? Here are a few of my favorite DIY bead finds:

1. Create a delicate seed bead necklace. So many colorful possibilities!
2. Replicate an Express necklace with this easy tutorial.
3. Do something unique and create a fun headband with bead accents for the summer.
4. My personal favorite… Create a spiral necklace, bracelet, or earrings with a favorite bead. These will definitely get comments!

Have you ever worked or crafted with beads before? Or were you like me and simply found yourself collecting them?

I grew up preferring silver over gold accessories, because gold was just too mature for me. This lasted until I got my engagement ring early this year, which is gold, and started trading in my silver jewelry for gold.

Within a few months I now prefer gold jewelry and rarely wear my silver. The funny thing is that I feel like I should have been wearing gold all along, because it works better with my skin tone!

I guess I’m one of those girls who hates to mix metals. I prefer to go one way or the other. If I wear my silver necklace, my bag has to have silver zippers and clips. I just can’t mix metals without feeling mismatched. However, I have seen the look pulled off a few times.

What’s your take on mixed metals? Do or don’t?

We have a high-end store here in Orlando called Juicy Couture. Does anyone else have one of these in their area? They sell clothes, jewelry, and other items at designer prices. They cater to teens and young adults, and I have a huge thing for their jewelry. I only buy their jewelry on clearance at our outlet mall — I have a strawberry necklace and crowned heart earrings.

But there’s one thing I absolutely hate about Juicy Couture. The clothing is not made well and the jewelry is not even real, but they sell everything at ridiculous prices. Both of the items I bought for about $20 on clearance at the outlet mall originally retailed at around $100.

It just makes me mad, because people are literally buying a name and not a product when they buy this stuff at original prices. Last time I went into the shop the cashier told someone she would have to take care of the armful of jewelry she was purchasing, “Because, you know, none of it is real or anything. So you have to take care of it in that respect.” The girl with the jewelry was shocked, put all the jewelry back, and walked out of the store without a word.

While I understand buying designer quality, it’s outrageous that some designers try to sell people crap for a fortune. I accidentally wore my crowned heart earrings to sleep last night. How did I realize this? Because my earlobes were itching from the cheap material being in my ears for too long. I can’t imagine that some people actually paid up to $100 for these earrings. To me they’re worth the $20, and barely even that.

So be careful what you purchase. In this case you’re better off buying from Forever 21, where you can buy similar items of the same exact quality for $5 each.