Rosary

Since last presenting I have altered my project a bit. I am now focusing specifically on the rosary and directions of action. I felt that the directions and object aspects of my project were to disconnected, and have since found a way to incorporate them with each other.I plan to make several of these rosaries. Each will have an embroidered pouch containing many small pouches tied shut. You unwrap them and pull out a small piece of paper resembling a fortune. Each one contains either a small message for consideration or a recommendation for an action. 

I first tested this on my friend Grace. When I handed her the necklace she instinctively wrapped it around her hand. She said she thought the pom-pom's were "exciting." The first piece of paper directed her to paint her face. She did so, adding pink circles to her cheeks. When I asked her if she felt she would do this in actuality she said yes, "it's refreshing to be goofy." The next piece she pulled out read "gravity-it's not just a good idea. It's the law," which she found quite amusing. 

Her main problem with the rosary was the pom-poms. She said she really liked the feel of them,but felt that they ultimately looked too crafty. 

Next I gave the rosary to two friends of a friend visiting from England named Will and Katie. I gave them the rosaries and explained what to do with them. Will examined the object, and took out one of the small pouches. He passed the rosary to Katie, waiting until she got one to open his. I was really pleased with how instinctively the opening became kind of an event, like opening presents. Will received direction to pick a stranger at a coffee shop to observe, then write a story about them and give it to them. He said he didn't know if he'd actually want to give a stranger a story he made up from watching them, saying "it's a little bit creepy." He did, however, ultimately like the idea of focused people watching. Katie pulled out an exert from the Tom Robbins book "Still Life with Woodpecker." She thought it was very beautiful and asked if she could keep it. 

Will made a good point when he asked if these were just for girls. He said he felt that men would never wear a necklace, even a playful one like this. I asked him if he might carry it with him, or maybe wrap it around his wrist and he said maybe, but it would likely just get left at home. 

They both found the excitement of reaching in and unwrapping the directions the most compelling aspect of it.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a material that's a little higher quality than pom-pom's but still has a soft texture?

Do you feel men would like this product? Is there a way to make it a bit more masculine?