Saturday, May 22, 2010

Reviewing My Own Stuff

Hmmm... I never thought I would be writing a review of my own product. I mean, isn't someone else supposed to do this? Well, maybe they are, but not this time. If I sold a product to be used in a review, or gave it on a rare occasion, it would not have been this bracelet. Why? I love it too much. This is my bracelet. Sorry folks, y'all will get the one with the rustic looking sterling silver clasp, I'm keepin' the one you have to tie. I just like it that much.

This bracelet wraps around my wrist twice and depending on how tight I tie it, it doesn't move much. I wore it all day today and it was comfortable, even with the leather tails sticking out. Which reminds me, I need to cut those so they're not so long. There are 58 6mm moss agate beads strung onto the leather. Since I didn't use thread to string the beads, they do move a bit, but it's not uncomfortable. Even though I have to tie it, this bracelet is not difficult to secure. Not including the "tails," this bracelet is 15 inches long. The beads have a kind of waxy feel to them, not the glassy feel of some of the agates with more quartz inclusions in them. You can get moss agate like that, but this isn't that kind. Since this is mine, I have no desire to put any silver on it.

I've seen these bracelets, or similar ones, made with thread instead of thin leather. These do tend to be more uniform in the way the beads face because the thread passes through each one at least twice. On this bracelet, the 0.5mm leather passes through each bead once. I did glue the knots. I'm not ashamed to say it. Yes, there are ends out there that have prongs that bite into the leather, but I am of the mind that even those will fail. Leather is flesh, and flesh tears. Simple. Even if I one day use these sharp ends on my leather, I will still use glue just in case. On this particular bracelet, you have to be looking to see the glue. Most people don't look that close. I will be attempting to hide the knots as good as I can on the second one that will have the clasp. There will be pictures. I know the clasp left Orlando today, but so far I don't know where it is on it's way to me. Could be in Timbuktu for all I know, though I hope not since that's a bit out of the way.

I'm really hoping this clasp is as great as I think it will be. It is hand cast silver from an Etsy shop, as is the ring it will hook onto and the slider bead I will be using the secure the ends around the loop. If it is, I will most likely be going to that shop again. It's the best clasp I've found for this since I don't particularly care for the button clasp.

When this bracelet sells, or if there is a demand for it, I will most likely have several of them up with different stones and different colors of leather. I do want to do one with turquoise and maybe some charms and silver beads, but with the price of turquoise that will be one pricey bracelet. It would only be a single wrap bracelet, though, unless custom. I also think malachite and amethyst would be great candidates for this kind of thing. As would onyx, but I would need turquoise or metallic leather for the onyx. It wouldn't go well with the brown, I don't think.

Anyway, after wearing this all day and sweating on it (I'm in south Texas, if you don't sweat down here, something's wrong) I have decided I like it too much to give it up. So if you like it, but don't like the stone, just make a request. I can and will do custom orders happily and as speedily as possible.

No comments:

Post a Comment