Wednesday, January 07, 2015

.@VickiBatman - Kathryn Jane a handy beading craft. Is she hearing Voices? #MFRWorg #RLFblog #Romanticsuspense

Hello everyone, and thanks, Vicki for having me here!


First of all, I’m a haphazard crafter.  I tend to play at it, and don’t follow rules. Or read instructions. I see something I like and try to make the same. I’m impatient.


My beading endeavors, like everything else I do, grew organically.


It began when I saw metal bookmarks with pretty dangling beads at a craft event, and fell in love. Unable to afford more than one, I agonized over the choices. They were all so dang pretty. Long story short, I thought, why not make my own, and use them as gifts with my books.


Off to Michaels I went, then on to Jo-Ann’s, and eventually Amazon. In just a short few weeks, I’d amassed a lovely collection of beads and things. What fun I had creating and expanding from bookmarks to bracelets, key-rings, zipper pulls, and then my own invention, the senior’s set.


First a bit of a story for explanation. My mom lives in an independent living facility with a large dining room. When residents go for meals, they leave their walkers outside in the hallway because a nice lady or gentleman walks them to their tables, and back out afterward.


Here’s where it gets complicated when a 90 year old woman says, “My walker is the blue one.” Um, there are lots of blue ones, and red ones, and black ones. Some have a luggage tag with a name, some have a pom pom, or a little stuffed animal. But most have very little to tell them apart.


This is why I created the senior’s (walker) set. It consists of one long elastic string of pretty beads with a loop and hook so it can be wrapped around the bar of any walker, a matching key-ring, and a zipper pull, bookmark or bracelet.


Anyone assisting the 90 year old lady can look at her key-ring, zipper pull, or bracelet and find the matching beads on one of the dozens of walkers parked in the hallway.







Best of all, they’re pretty!






My mom loves having something pretty instead of what she calls an ugly or boring luggage tag. Also, if she drops her keys, the staff will be able to match them up with her because of the beads on her walker.


 She's desperate to stop a killer, 
he wants his wife back.

Find Kathryn at: http://kathrynjane.com/ 

Find Voices at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q06XLAY 

14 comments:

Unknown said...

What a creative and thoughtful thing to do. It lets them feel special to have something pretty that's just theirs and unique to them. Kudos to you on embracing your reckless creativity😍

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

I thought what a wonderful thing to make too. I used to bead a lot and loved making new and unique things. Congratulations on the book.

Shirla said...

What a wonderful and considerate thing to make. I know exactly how hard it is to find those things as I have had to use a walker for the past year...esp. if I go out of the house. Then if one walks away from his/her walker to look at something, there is usually someone else with the same walker where he/she left theirs. Talk about confusion!

Kat said...

Good morning, and thanks for having me here on your blog, Vicki!


Kat said...

Thanks Karla, I just love "embracing your reckless creativity" It describes me to a T.

Kat said...

Thanks Shirla!
And by the way, if you'd like a chance to win a set (or anything else in my bag of books and other goodies) just pop over to my website and sign up for the newsletter :D

D'Ann said...

That's so nice! I wore a cheap beaded bracelet all summer-- to the pool, everywhere. It broke and I tried to make a new one, but it looked homemade. I need more time to practice.

Kat said...

LOL, if you're like me D'Ann, once you get started you won't be able to stop :)

Anonymous said...

Wow Kathryn, is there anything you're not good at :) Love this idea, especially as it helps seniors not feel confused and upset. Brilliant, my friend!

Melissa Keir said...

What a great idea! I think that's so smart! I know that many women find the use of walkers not as much fun because they aren't fashionable! And you've found a way around that!!

Kat said...

LOL, Thanks, Jacquie ... I'm not necessarily good at everything, but I love to dabble in all kinds of stuff :)

Kat said...

Thanks, Melissa, it was fun to come up with something pretty :)

Vicki Batman, sassy writer said...

Look how popular your project is, Kathryn! thank you so much for being with me.

Kat said...

Thank you Vicki, it was a pleasure interacting with your visitors and finding out that I'm not the only one who thinks the Senior's Set is a good idea :)