A little beaded

Sometimes I get something in my head that I want to create or do.  Simple things.  Not over the top weird things.  But, it's happened more than once or twice, that I have been completely denied.  Every time it happens, I just want to bang my head against a wall.  Why do simple things need to be so frustrating?

My son has been working on learning his numbers for about a year.  He can now count to 200 before he loses his way.  He's learning about simple addition and subtraction using his fingers.  I love watching his face light up when he figures out that 2+3=5. 

I've been wanting to help him as he learns, so I buy him workbooks and guide him in his writing of letters.  He uses his fingers a lot, so I wanted to help him even more by making Montessori-esque counting beads. 

I stopped by Daiso (the ¥100 shop) and the local craft store before asking the moms where I could buy pony beads.  I got a couple suggestions, but they were online.  I try not to do online shopping because it requires a lot of help. 

So, I shopped.  I went to ToysRus.  I stopped by Home Center (like a Fred Meyer).  My husband did some research online to see what stores might carry these common plastic beads.  He found two possibilities, but they were not in Nerima.  I was getting frustrated.

A couple days later, we were in Ikebukuro where they have a Tokyu Hands - a superstore of all sorts of fun things.  The 7th floor was crafts and sewing.  We headed up and found the beads right away.  I have bought several huge containers over the years.  I usually pay less than $5.00 for 500 or so beads.  The beads at Tokyu Hands were ¥150 for 30 beads.  Since I needed 660 beads for my project, it cost almost ¥3564!!!  (Over $32!!!)  With a heavy sigh and a slow hand, I paid the cashier for the beads. 

At home, I grabbed some pipe cleaners from my son's craft supply box and got busy.  I wrapped up beads in groups of 1, 2, 3,4, 5,6,7,8,9, and 10. 

As soon as I showed him the beads, he was so excited and we started working on adding.  He loved it.  And that made the hassle and expense worth it. 

It didn't feel like a big request to want to buy some beads.  But different cultures have different craft supplies, I guess.  I'm still learning that I can't have everything that I want over here.  I'm used to not having good Mexican food near me, or Greek, or, well lots of things.  But beads?  Agh.  Frustrates me to no end.