This project encourages beginning and intermediate beaders not to stray from the instructions in a tutorial. That doesn't mean that there's no room for experimentation!

After your practice project, consider what color changes will do to the look of the piece.

(don't forget these color tools on the web:
http://www.jewelrylessons.com/jewel/node/21010)

Or vary the materials within the scope of the pattern (use round druk beads instead of crystals or vice versa, for example).