I came across this bracelet I had bought years ago while trying to organize a particularly ornery closet.  It was silver curled into the shape of four butterflies. I found several other pieces I had long forgotten about, but this particular piece tickled my creative antennas. Knowing I wanted to start making jewelry, I set it aside for latter contemplation. When I got back to it latter that night, I sat down and just held it in my hands. I visualized what kind of bead work would best compliment the silver butterflies. I planned it all out in my head, then I took out a sketch pad and some color pencils and sketched it out. It was perfect. Floating on my excitement and enthusiasm, I went to my local hobby store to find my beads and findings. My perfectly visualized beads were nowhere to be found and the store had nothing that came even close. Humph. I was stumped and starting to get frustrated when I found some really interesting beads that were the right color but the wrong shape. Okay, I thought, I can work with this. I went home with new beads in hand and determination to make the square pegs fit in the round holes! Well as you can imagine, it didn't work out that way.  So I stopped trying to force the issue. I put the bracelet in the center of my desk and leaned back with my hands behind my head. I guess you could say I meditated on the piece. As my thoughts started to calm a little light bulb turned on above my right eyeball. I went into my bedroom and retrieved the other items I had found in the same closet. I placed the pieces on the desk around the butterfly bracelet. One piece immediately jumped out at me. It was piece of costume jewelry - a acrylic amethyst bracelet given to me years ago that was too small. The beads were the perfect oval shape and a beautiful rich violet color that sparkled against the silver of the bracelet. I deconstructed the bracelet and placed three of the amethysts in between each of the four butterflies. A match made in heaven. Thus was my first handcrafted endeavor and my first lesson that things don't always go as planned. Be open to the possibilities and creative improvisations as they come - and they will.