Teams need to have the backing of
fans – both for encouragement and for financial reasons. Money is needed to
supply the team with uniforms, travel expenses, food and the like. To raise
funds, a team can charge an entrance fee at the gate for each game, sell food at
the games or sell merchandise that promotes the team. Jewelry is always a
favorite with the women. Bracelets, earrings, necklaces are a fun way for them
to show their team support. They can wear it to the games as well as to everyday
events. T shirts can’t be worn everywhere; so many men prefer to show their
team support by using key chains. It is something they can carry with them all
the time and it is always appropriate.
Not all teams have licensed
mascots. For the teams who don’t have a licensed mascot, you can use generic
charms and then personalize the jewelry for your team. For example, use the
school colors along with letters to promote your favorite team. There are many
schools and teams that use the Bear for a mascot, sometimes the team is known as
the Bears; other times the team might be referred to as the Bruins, Golden
Bears, Golden Grizzlies, Grizzlies, Koalas, Polar Bears or Sugar Bears. Let’s
use Baylor University as our example; the Baylor Bears colors are green and
gold.
The easiest thing to do would be
to attach a bear charm directly to a silver plated link bracelet. But why stop
there, when you can add some color. Start with a chain link bracelet. Thread a
green glass bead onto a 1” eye pin. Using needle nose pliers trim off excess
and make a loop at the end. Attach a bear charm to the loop, and then attach
the other end of the dangle onto one of the links of the bracelet using a split
ring or a jump ring. By using the ring, the dangle will swing more freely..
String or buy a green beaded
bracelet. Thread a yellow glass bead onto an eye pin. Using needle nose
pliers trim off excess and make a loop at the end. Repeat 6 more times. Attach
the initials B, A, Y, L, O, R and a bear charm to one end of each of the loops.
Connect the loops to the bracelet using split rings or jump rings. Space the
charms out evenly around the bracelet..
There are post earring findings,
ear wire finding (or French earring findings) and clip on earring findings.
Earring findings for pierced ears consist of a front and a back. Pierced
earrings need an ear stud (or post) and a nut (or back). Ear wires do not
necessarily need a back, but plastic or rubber ear nuts will keep the wires from
falling out of your ears. To add a little color, thread a green glass bead onto
a 1” eye pin. Using needle nose pliers trim off excess and make a loop at the
end. Attach a bear charm to the loop, and then attach the other end of the
dangle to the earring back.
To make fancier earrings use
yellow and green beads for dangle earrings. Put one silver bead, one green bead
and another silver bead on a 1” eye pin. Make a dangle using needle nose pliers
and attach a tiny heart charm to one end. Make another dangle, by putting two
silver beads and one yellow bead on a 1” eye pin. Using needle nose pliers trim
off excess and make a loop at the end. Attach a tiny heart charm to the loop
closest to the green bead. Make a third dangle; put one silver bead, one
yellow bead and one green bead on a 1” eye pin. Using needle nose pliers trim
off excess and make a loop at the end. Attach a bear charm to the loop closest
to the green bead. Using a split ring or a jump ring attach the dangles to the
earring finding. Keep the bear charm as the middle dangle.
If you are
selling the jewelry, you will need to make some kind of card to sell your
jewelry on. Many label makers such as Avery make precut labels that are readily
accessible from office supply and drug stores. Choose a heavy card stock that
can be printed from your computer. Using the label makers template, print the
name of the team at the top of the card and. If you have a web site where
customers can order your product, put it on the bottom right of the card. Hole
punches or T pins allow you to make holes in the cards at the proper places.
