This weekend was one of those rare completely-open-calendar ones. This coincided nicely with the fact that it was clear, sunny, and almost 80 degrees.

We are close to ushering in summer. Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of lazy afternoons on the beach, bobbing in the sea on a pink float, late nights singing by a bonfire, top-back Jeep excursions, burgers and dogs, and shaking off the cobwebs that gather during the gray months.

Inspired by a neon manicure, some Milagro tequila and a sun-drenched afternoon, I revisited the fun pastime of whipping up friendship bracelets out of embroidery floss. I plan on jazzing them up and making them more refined with some studs, rhinestones, and other odds and ends I pick up at the craft store.

I forgot how relaxing the repetitive action of making those brightly-colored knots can be, and how satisfying it is to start with some threads and end with a finished product.