So many people swear by essential oils nowadays, so I think this month’s Handmade Christmas gift idea is perfect. Make one of these bracelets for the friend who loves her oils and another for the friend who could use a boost but hasn’t tried oils yet. I made this first bracelet for a friend who has been struggling with hormonal emotions. We’d been talking about essential oils, and she said that she hasn’t remembered to use them lately. I thought this might help. The key is using a few lava beads that absorb the essential oil and diffuse the scent throughout the day.
When it comes to beads, it can be rather overwhelming. I wasn’t sure what size to get, so I used a beaded bracelet from my jewelry box as a guide and decided that I wanted 6 mm beads. With a basic knowledge of gemstones, I searched Amazon for beads I liked. (I think I searched for “6 mm (and also 6mm) beads for jewelry making.”) I had seen black lava beads before, but I found these lava beads in a pastel rainbow and thought they were too pretty to pass up. For the main beads, I chose three strands to mix and match: red and gray jasper, pinkish moonstone, and gray-green agate, all with a matte finish. Of course, the photos are representative of what you’ll actually get, so it’s a bit of a gamble. I also picked up a spool of Crystal String elastic beading thread. (Update: I don’t recommend this string. The lava beads shredded the string too quickly. Something like this might work better.)
To string my beads onto the elastic, I dipped into my stash of Oral-B Superfloss that I use for adding beads to my knitting. You could use a beading needle, fine-gauge wire, or even stiff thread. First, I strung a somewhat random mix of beads onto the floss. I guessed that my friend’s wrist was a little bigger than mine, maybe around 7”. I used 28 gemstone beads and 3 lava beads. I debated whether to string the lava beads next to one another or to space them out. I ended up spacing them out.
One end of the floss is a bit rigid, so it passes through the beads easily. Once I’d strung all the beads onto the floss, I slipped the stiff end of the floss back through the nearest beads, leaving a small loop. I caught the end of the Crystal String in the loop and transferred the beads over the loop and onto the elastic. After double-checking the length against my own wrist, I tied a couple of surgeon’s knots and was done. This video made me feel confident that the knot in the elastic wouldn’t fail. I didn’t even use glue.
To use the bracelet, add a drop of your favorite essential oil to each bead and let it soak in. Wear the bracelet and let the scent envelop you. Sniff your wrist when you need an extra boost. Refresh the oil as needed. Keep in mind that some oils may irritate the skin if applied straight from the bottle. Use proper dilution in a carrier oil if necessary.
This project is so quick and easy and sure to please any gal pal. I’d love to see your Handmade Christmas gifts! Tag me on Instagram. I’m bronwyndp!