Other Hobbies

Like most other jewelry makers, I have other crafty hobbies (several other crafty hobbies).  Over the holidays, knitting was my thing.

My niece is very much into Harry Potter, so I made her a Harry Pottery scarf.  Unfortunately, it took me until a month after Christmas to finish it. 

The lighting is not very good because I was trying to package it up quickly after finishing it or I was afraid it would never go out in the mail. 

With this scarf, I liked that there was no front and back.  It is a great thick scarf for the cold winter.  But if you are making it for a kid, I would suggest casting on less stitches.  Here's the pattern:  http://www.sumoftheirstories.com/2013/10/harry-potter-scarf-pattern.html

In the fall, I also filled the request of my youngest kid, for a minecraft hat: 

The pattern is a purchased download in Ravelry:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/minecraft-inspired-steve-hat

And how many times has it been worn?  Not very often, because it soon got replaced with a Target-purchased Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle hat.  And that is why I have a love/hate relationship with knitting anything for my kids. I love that they want something their mom made, but hate that they don't have any appreciation for the time it takes.  I guess that sums up most of motherhood.  😖😜

Handmade Polymer Clay Beads

Those titles - I have no original ideas for them so they all seem come out a little boring.

With a little extra time last week, I finally delved into the fun world of polymer clay bead-making.  I've had Erin Prais-Hintz's Fabulous Facets tutorial for well over a year and was able to take the time to use it.

First, it's a great tutorial.  She's very thorough and for someone who has never worked with polymer clay before, it was all useful knowledge.   And even more important than working with the polymer clay, I thought the painting tutorials were very helpful.  I've had the alcohol inks and patinas for awhile but never used them with such great results. 

The end results were very 'fabulous'.  The beads have a lot of depth.  And some look like rough cut stones.  I used different size metal space to make different sized beads, since I'm more partial to smaller beads. 

Some learnings: - first, my hands must have been pretty warm when working with the clay and kept softening the faceted cuts.  And they are so hard to see until after you bake and paint them.  And some of the cuts were a bit wonky, so I had to sand some of the edges down after they baked (which I also learned is better to do before painting them or it creates a lot of rework. =} =}

All in all, more beautiful and unique beads to make jewelry with.  Can't wait to include them in some designs! 

Bead Hoarder's Blog Party Partner

Introducing Annita Wilson - she's my Bead Soup Blog Party partner for this Bead Hoarder's Edition.  Here's her blog:  http://awjewelryandbeadwork.blogspot.com/

I received all of her awesome beads last week. 

Look at that awesome slab of green/yellow/black stone and beautiful purple and blue stones - love the colors. 

The heart was the main hoarded pendant.  It is a lovely mossy sea green ceramic pendant. 

And the detailed butterfly pendant - so many choices.

I have so many ideas percolating - just hope I can pull them off.

Thank you for these beads!!!  Come back on March 25th for the reveal.

Bead Hoarder's Blog Hop

It's time for the Bead Hoarder's Blog Hop.  I'm so thankful that Lori Anderson has started another blog hop.  The ones in the past were always fun and I've met some other beaders that way.


My partner this time around is Annita Wilson.  (www.awjewelryandbeadwork.com)
I sent out her beads yesterday - here's the preview:

I hope she likes them and makes something awesome with them!   And I can't wait to see what she sends. 

jewelry Stringing, Fall 2016

Once again, I am very fortunate to have more items published in the jewelry Stringing  Fall 2016 edition.  And this time, there is a link to purchase these on my Etsy store at the end of the post. 
Jewelry Stringing has themes and both the bracelets were made with the Southwest Inspiration in mind. 

The first is a bracelet with thick turquoise leather cording and lots of charms.  The charms are ceramic and hand-painted metal, along with some vintage rhinestones.  I really like this leather, but find it is very difficult to cut to size.  I found that nursing (or medical) bandage scissors work really well for cutting thick leather. 

The second is a bracelet with lots of southwest inspired beads.  I love these colors and was just looking for a way to make them all go together.  The 3 strands of beads are these cool Picasso Czech glass beads, silver rondels and turquoise-colored howlite.   The strand his complete with a suede button loop and silver and turquoise leather tassel.  I imagine wearing this with jeans on a cool fall day. 

I think these earrings are some of my favorite!  I love the mixed metals look and the way they swing when I'm holding them up.  These are made with vintage brass tubes, jump rings and some special Japanese seed beads that are actually two colors - gold/bronze and navy blue.  There are not too much navy blue, so really they just read more gold/bronze.

And these have been posted on Etsy.  I'm also working on some of my older jewelry Stringing published jewelry. 
Check it out here: Bracelet #1
Bracelet #2
Earrings


On a side note, does it bother anyone else that they don't list who contributed or designed the jewelry for bracelets and earrings?  This is the first time that Stringing magazine has not listed the contributors for these pages and they gave no prior information that it would come out like this. 
Its making me think whether I would like to have my jewelry published in here.  In the past, I was one of those people who be so fascinated with a good design that I would look up the other designers to see what other awesome jewelry they had made.  Now, its not possible. 

jewelry Stringing, Summer 2016

I've been so fortunate to have more pieces of jewelry published in the Summer, 2016 Jewelry Stringing magazine.  This time they accepted a bracelet and earrings for the magazine.

 

 

The bracelet was inspired by pure Summertime.  I was looking at my vast assortment of beads and thinking about what would look good for the beach.  A relaxed casual bracelet with lots of color.  All of the big beads are actually vintage acrylic or vintage brass beads. 

The earrings were inspired by the 'Vintage Summer' theme that the magazine offered.  The pink color is a Swavorski color - 'Cyclamen Opal' - that I'm not sure is even made anymore. I've had them for a few years.  It is such a hard color to capture by camera.  Pinkish purplish - kind of cloudy - almost looks like clouds at sunset.  They are accented with a creamy white Czech glass flower and brass flower bead caps.

 

Thanks for looking!

Finally, some sunshine!

Have any of you tried to update your banner in Etsy?  Ever since the change of the homepage, I haven't touched the look of my shop.  So now, instead of an old banner, it just has NO banner.  Don't you think they could have incorporated the old banners somehow into these new designs?  

This is my rendition of a change to the banner.  Still needs some work....

Well, I think the shop needed a lift anyhow and the look of this blog.  So there will be some changes to the look of the blog to hopefully match the changes that will be made to my Etsy shop and to reflect my changing style.  

I've been reading the book marketing and selling your handmade jewelry by Viki Lareau.  It is very outdated - written in 2006 - but I like the questions that she poses regarding identifying your customer.  
I feel like I have been making a lot of fun jewelry and trying lots of techniques but not narrowing on anything. 

***Pattern from heliotrope earrings from an Interweave magazine.  I love this combo and still need to complete the 2nd for a pair of earrings or I may turn it into a necklace...

How can I become really great at anything if I don't pursue it wholeheartedly?  So my etsy shop will show some more cohesive looks but I hope that this blog will still maintain a bit of whimsy and eclectic choices in jewelry-making.  

***Also from the heliotrope pattern from an Interweave Beadwork magazine.  This is the back and the front of a pair.  

I've also been following and watching Renae Christine's free videos.  Honestly, she provides great information!  I just watched her SEO Infusion video - so helpful!  I learned about some websites and info that I hadn't known after being on etsy for 4 years (I will say that I have not done well, just keep chugging along) and reading some books about selling on etsy.  

***My friend had a birthday recently and I played with different color combos for the CRAW wheels.  The ones I ended up giving her had the same turquoise and greenish beads but a matte silver bead in the middle.   

In the meantime, I hope to still contribute to magazines.  I like the challenges and themes - in fact, I have some items in the Summer 2016 jewelry Stringing magazine.  As soon as I get them back in the mail, I'll post pics.  

As you can see, I love the beadweaving, just wish it didn't take quite so long to complete each piece!