Much like a magpie, our daughter E cannot resist a bit of bling and over the years she has built a pretty impressive collection of trinkets, all of which she safely treasures in her beloved jewellery box.
We were recently sent the Craft Box ‘Fairy Charm Jewellery Set’ to review and to share. From the moment that she laid eyes upon this rather charming delivery, E was desperate to get her hands on the goods and to craft her very own bracelets and necklaces to add to her jewellery collection.
Whats Included?
Suitable for children four-years and over, the Craft Box Fairy Charm Jewellery set includes the following items:
- 160 x Opaque Beads (4 colours)
- 80 x Bicone Beads (2 colours)
- 40 x Round Facetted Beads (2 colours)
- 20 x Pearl Effect Beads (2 colours)
- 10 x Pink Heart Beads
- 10 x Purple Star Beads
- 10 x Purple Butterfly Beads
- 12 x Metal Fairy Charms
- 12 x Charm Split Rings
- 1 x 4m Stretch Jewellery Cord
- 5 x Clasps
- 10 x Small Beads
- 1 x Instruction Booklet
Jewellery Making
We began by removing the beads from the packaging and putting them into a bowl which was a little sturdier than the plastic packaging and easier to access the beads and charms required during working with the set.
The packaging is a little large and flimsy for keeping to use as a container for the contents. I would therefore suggest using a Tupperware container or box to hold onto the set contents for future use.
We then measured an appropriate length of thread to go around E’s wrist and cut the thread to the correct length.
E then took her time selecting a charm to use for her bracelet. Each of the twelve charms included are made from metal, all of which are equally as beautiful. It was a tough decision but after what felt like forever, E finally choose to use a fairy charm which we then placed upon a split ring.
Rather than tying knots at the end of the thread to prevent beads from coming loose I simply tied the thread to the split ring and E then selected beads which she placed onto the cord to make her bracelet from.
This was the point when mathematics suddenly merged with craft to create a rather educational experience for my little lady. We discussed symmetry and pattern, exploring which beads should be added to the bracelet and in what order they should be placed.
After carefully picking and placing her beads upon the thread E was ready to complete her bracelet. Rather than the using the clasps included we decided to save these for future projects such as necklaces. As the cord is fairly stretchy I tied it to the other end of the split ring and Voila, we had made our first charm bracelet.
E was over the moon with her new bracelet and was rather insistent upon having her photograph taken wearing her newly made jewellery. Sadly after only ten minutes of wear, the bracelet suddenly snapped and beads went bouncing into the living room rug.
After digging around in the carpet to find each of the beads I placed them back into the bowl and we started over. Whether I hadn’t tied the thread strongly enough or whether it should have been doubled to make a thicker cord I’m not sure. It hardly mattered as it didn’t take too long to remake, only this time we ensured that the cord was doubled over resulting in a stronger bracelet.
E was really happy with the finished product and we have since created a plethora of jewellery and accessories all of which look lovely when worn. E has proudly placed her creations within her jewellery box and will no doubt wear them to accessorise her many outfits which she has far more of than her Mummy!
Purchasing & Pricing Information
The Craft Box Fairy Charm Jewellery set is available for £9.99 from a wide range of high street and online retailers including Amazon and John Lewis.
Since reviewing the Craft Box Fairy Charm Jewellery Set I have found that Craft Box produce a range of other sets including ‘Snowflake Jewellery‘ and ‘Mermaid Charms‘ both of which I will be sure to be purchasing as presents for friends and family in the near future.
Final Thoughts
Both E and I really enjoyed sitting down together and getting crafty with the ‘Craft Box Fairy Charm Jewellery Set’. It was really nice to watch my daughter concentrating and working hands on with jewellery to create a finished product. It’s a real accomplishment to make something from scratch especially for little ones!
We were having that much fun together crafting that we lost track of time and were a little late heading out to the School run Ooops!Â
It just goes to show though how good this set is as it captivates both adults and children alike through a practical, engaging and enticing activity which helps children to learn the art of patience, builds their dexterity and results in a beautiful piece of jewellery which they can wear time and time again.
I would definitely recommend the Craft Box Fairy Charm Jewellery Set to family, friends and to my many readers. It has provided both E and myself with hours of entertainment, it was certainly a hit with our little magpie as E has since requested further sets which I will be sure to add to her birthday list.
For further information upon the Craft Box Fairy Charm Jewellery Set and other sets in the Craft Box range visit www.interplayuk.com
Disclosure: We were sent the above product for the purpose of this post however all opinions are my daughters and my own.
3 comments
I think my 5 year old twins would love this. I’ll keep an eye out for them #TuesdayTreasures
They are fab!
This looks lovely and I know that my two granddaughters would love it