Crafty Distractions: Graduation accessories

Well, my youngest is going to be graduating from elementary school at the end of the month. Grade eight graduation is a big deal. Naturally she wants to look perfect. She has had her dress for a while, and her shoes as well. She dyes a streak of bluey-teal in her hair every few months and plans to have a bright, fresh one for the ceremony.
She needed a necklace.
I happen to know how to make necklaces! She chose the design she wanted (which just happens to be my absolute favourite, I have made three for myself!) and her bead colours as well. For the main accent bead, she chose a colour close to the colour of the streak in her hair. If you want to make one for yourself, the free, downloadable PDF pattern can be found here. I am so happy that the designer, Jann Christiansen, shared it and that I stumbled across this pattern years ago because I love it.

The beads have a blue or green hue depending on the light. Awesome!

Against a white background.

Against a black background.

The original pattern calls for using a button for a closure. I didn't like that so I covered a bead with more beads to make a ball instead. I learned how to do that using these free instructions.

Apparently 14-year-old girls like clutches this year. My daughter mentioned in passing that so-and-so was getting a clutch. I asked if she required one. Her answer was "no, but it would be nice to have somewhere to put my camera and phone". I found a tutorial for a very cute one. I felt that it had to have a zipper closure. We can't have a snap popping open while she is on the dance floor! That really limited my options. I used the tutorial found here if you want to make one yourself!
Her dress is black and I managed to find some pretty taffeta that is blue or green depending on how you look at it. Perfect!

I was trying to show the different colours in the bow. It looks way better in person.

I placed the necklace inside and presented it to my daughter when she got home from a school camping trip. She knew I was making her a necklace (obviously, since she chose her colours), but the clutch was a surprise.