Precious Presents
Beaded Story Bracelets
23rd Psalm
Bracelet
Salvation
Bracelet
Cancer Survivor
Bracelet
Wedding
Bracelet
I love Beaded Story Bracelets because they DO tell a story.
These are just a few example of story bracelets but let your imagination run and come up with your own. bracelets stories are told below.  I like to give the bracelets tied to a card with their description or poem on the card.
Guide to the 23rd Psalm Bracelet
The Lord is my shepherd (white  bead) I shall not be in want
He makes me lie down in green pastures (green bead)
He leads me beside quiet waters, (blue bead) He restores my soul
He guides me in the paths of righteousness (clear bead) for His name's sake
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death (black Bead)
I will fear no evil for you are with me
Thy rod and thy staff (brown bead) they comfort me
You prepare a table (brown bead)before me in the presence of my enemies
(you can use one brown bead to represent the rod, staff and table or use 2 or 3)
You anoint my head with oil (yellow bead)
my cup (wine bead) overflows
Surely goodness and love  (pink bead) will follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord (gold bead) forever
Click here for printable 23rd Psalm Poem
Print out on card stock and punch two holes approx. 1" appart in the upper left hand corner of the card.  Slip a length of ribbon through the holes and tie your bracelt to the card with a bow for a lovely gift presentation.
General instructions for bracelets-
Collect the colored beads that you need for the the colored portion of the bracelet and then select the beads for the rest of the bracelet.  You can use pearls, clear smooth or faceted beads but be careful not to use something that will distract from the rest of the bracelet.  Add a charm or two like a cross and a heart or something meaningful to you.  Use enough extra beads to comfortably fit around your wrist plus about 1/2" (more if using a 2 part closure).
Easy instructions - Use elastic bracelet cording and cut approx. 8" longer than you need it to be.  Trust me it is better to have too much cord as opposed to too little.  Loosely tie one end to a safety pin or bead so your beads don't go sliding off the end.  Thread your beads on and add your charm while threading where you would like it to appear. check the length to make sure you are OK.  Knot off the cords with a triple knot and put a dot of glue on the knot to secure. Trim ends back to approx. 1/16 of an inch. Slip the knot into one of the beads if it will slide in easily.  Print out the poem on card stock.  Punch 2 holes approx. 1" apart on the card and run ribbon through the holes and tie the bracelet to the front of the card with a bow.  I prefer chiffon ribbon for the look it gives.
        If you prefer the two part metal closure, tie each end of the elastic cord to the eye of one closure.  Knot very well and dot with glue.  Magnetic closures are available too and can be attached in the same way.

More difficult instructions- Use bracelet wire to string your beads and charms on as described above, once again leaving approx. 4" on each end for the closure. At the end, after the last bead, slip the wire through a jewelry crimp bead, through the closure eye and back through the crimp bead.  Trim the end to approx. 2" and slip the end into the remaining beads to secure the end.  Gently crimp the crimp bead with small pliers or heavy tweezers.  Repeat at the other end making sure the beads are snug but not extremely tight.  Attach to card as described above.

Note: These are simple and basic directions for making bracelets but if this is your first time you may wish to experiment or take a beading class.
Description for Salvation Bracelet
(black bead) We are dead to our sins
(red bead) Until Christ shed his blood for us
(blue bead) And through the water of baptism
(white bead) We were washed as clean as snow
(green bead) Now we can have eternal life
(gold bead)  With our Father in Heaven
For the wedding bracelet - The first two colored beads represent the bride's father and mother's birthstone.  The center two colored stones represent the bride and groom's birthstones with two small rings representing their wedding rings and a heart charm representing their love and then the remaining two colored stones are the groom's parents birthstones.  This bracelet can easily become a family heirloom when they add their children's birthstones in between the bride and groom's as they have children.   
For Cancer Survivor Bracelet or any "awareness" Bracelet-
Purple is traditionally the color to represent a cancer survivor and pink to represent breast cancer survivorship although many causes have their own colors to represent them and charms as well.  Using certain colors and charms you can create your own bracelet to represent your cause or the gift you wish to give.
Click here for printable Salvation Poem
Print off on card stock or heavy paper, punch two holes in the upper left hand corner approx. 1" apart, slip a length of ribbon through both holes and tie the bracelet on with a bow for perfect gift presentation.
A Mother's Bracelet is a beautiful gift for Mother's Day, Birthday or the birth of a child.  Add the birthstone bead for each of her children to the center of the bracelet and add as many charms as you want to.  You could just add a simple heart charm or add one boy or girl charm per birthstone bead added.  Use your own creativity to come up with bead/charm combinations.  You could even add the mother and father beads on the bracelet with a heart charm with them.  Have fun creating and giving this gift.  Perfect idea for a young "beader"
to create a gift for Mom or Grandma.
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For an Anniversary Bracelet add a bead for each year or each of the five years the couple has been married. (Look up the bead that represents each year or landmark year) Add charms such as hearts or number of years married.