Colorful Dog Collar Craft

A bell puts a little jingle in this
bright collar.

• 1/8-inch-wide suede shoelace
• Scissors
• Wood beads, round and square
• 6x9mm plastic pony beads
• Small bell
• Paintbrush
• Acrylic paints in light colors
• Black marker
• Ruler
• Lanyard hook and a 16mm (5/8-inch) ring

1. Cut the shoelace to fit comfortably around your pet's neck plus about 3 inches. Plan the words you want on the collar -- your pet's name or something like "My pal" or "Pet me."

2. Line up the wood beads and the bell along the shoelace with a pony bead between the big pieces, but don't string them on the lace yet. Paint the wood beads. Let them dry. Write the same letter on the four solid sides of each cube so they'll appear right side up on the collar.

3. String all the beads on the shoelace. Wrap one end of the shoelace around the lanyard hook and push it into the nearest bead. Attach the ring in the same way at the other end.