Northern Mama: Handmade Sunday--Mexican Insired Cardholders!

Those of you who are crafty, creative, or just love unique home decor will appreciate this post! I love handmade items! I think handmade gifts say so much more than those pre-fab items you find in a store. They are unique and if you make them yourself they become a "labour of love". I admit I truly enjoy spending every extra moment I can scrounge producing some handicraft or another. I also enjoy buying handmade items from small business owners like those on Etsy.com. It is truly amazing the amount of talent there is in the world and Etsy represents just some of this untapped artistry.
Even if you are not an expert crafter or undiscovered artist you can produce this fabulous Mexican inspired cardholder in minutes! I must give credit to my mom. She is a retired kindergarten teacher and is more creative than she would ever care to admit. After admiring a friend's greeting card holder purchased in Mexico my mom decided to create her own. I received one as a gift this Christmas and started making them as gifts for my friends and family! Uh oh...now I've spoiled the surprise!

You can find what you will need at local dollar stores and craft shops. My mom found all her supplies at Dollarama and around the house. I found my clips at Dollarama and the beads at a local craft warehouse. The green wire I purchased from Michaels in the jewelery making section but I later realized my husband had some wire of the same gauge in the garage!!

What you will need:

*Approx. 192 small hand painted wooden beads

(You will need less beads if you use larger beads or a mixture of large and small beads. You may also need more or less depending on how many clips you choose to use)

*12 or 13 medium sized Decorative clothes pins (there are smaller ones also available or you may choose to use large ones and decorate them yourself)

*approx. 1.65-1.7m (5 ft. 5 inches) of 18 gauge multi-purpose or craft wire.

(check your hardware store or your local craft shop)

*A wire cutter and pliers

*Two picture hanging hooks

Here's How:

1. Cut your length of wire. The craft store may have coloured wire if you wish.
2. Form a loop on one end of your wire by wrapping it around the end of small pliers two or three times. The loop should be just big enough to hook onto the end of your picture hanging hooks.

3. Start threading the wooden beads onto the other end of your wire. You can use all the same sized beads or vary the bead size which looks fantastic too! The numbers here are based on small wooden beads so you may wish to decrease by 1-3 if you are varying the sizes. String on 6 small wooden beads then string on your first clothes pin. The wire should be fed through the side hole of the metal clamp which holds the clothespin together. Make sure that the clip end faces down.

Note: I found that some clips are made to face the wrong direction with the clip end up. Do not use any that will look upside-down if the clip end is at the bottom....clear as mud?? Basically, the cards must hang below the cardholder. They will just flop over if you try to clip them above it.

4. After the first clothespin string on 15 small beads (approx. 12 beads if you are varying big and small beads) and then another clothespin. Repeat with 15 small beads between each clothespin until you have string on 12 to 13 clothespins. After the final clothespin is strung, string on the final 6 beads (to match the number you began the strand with).
Note: You may choose to make a longer cardholder with more clothespins but you must remember to cut a longer wire accordingly.

5. With the remaining wire form a loop similar to the one you made on the other end of your wire. Again form the loop by wrapping it around the end of your pliers or even a pencil 2-3 times. Make sure the loop is tight up against the last bead so the beads and clips ca

nnot slip and slide. Remove any excess wire with the wire cutters.