Crafts | Bead Happily Ever After

Snowflake Smiles

Posted on March 13, 2013 by crystal

My daughters seem to have an innate talent for finding gifts I love.
This Christmas, my youngest gave me a wonderful pattern book!

And to go with it – some delicious cotton yarn (Patons “Grace”).

The book is chock full of amazing snowflake designs. I could hardly wait to get started . . .

Believe it or not, I was actually making these during a snowstorm!

Before long, I had a little pile but, as many of you know, crocheted items often come out a little wonky (wrinkly) at first and need to be blocked into shape.

In addition to shaping them, I wanted the snowflakes to be stiff enough to hang on the Christmas tree next year. As soon as I gathered a few supplies, I was ready to begin work on that part of the process.

After painting them with a thin coat of the Mod Podge, I gently pulled them into shape, and then pinned them in place to dry.

I had planned to paint the second side (after the first side was totally dry) but eventually changed my mind. They seemed firm enough with just one coat.

All finished!

Looking at them makes me smile – they were so much fun to make.

Here in New England, it’s beginning to look like Spring, so I’m thinking that Mother Nature and I may be finished with snowflakes for a while . . .

But, I’ll be sure to make another little “blizzard” of them in time for next Christmas.

Hugs,

I’d love to hear what’s up with you!

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Paper and Punches and Bling – Oh My!

Posted on February 19, 2013 by crystal

Sometimes I think it’s a good thing that I am not wealthy.

If I were – I’d be missing out on the pure joy I feel whenever I find something I love at a *giveaway* price.

Take the other day, for example. I was out doing errands and, to my delight, I kept bumping into bargains at every turn!

Like this rainbow of precut cardstock for half-price – perfect for paper tags!

And then this trio of high quality paper punches at $3.99 each. Be still my heart – they usually retail for as much as $20 each!

And finally, some bling-y embellishments marked 70% off! These are lovely to use on greeting cards, tags, gift wrap, and all kinds of things.

Of course, I had to try out the punches as soon as I got home!

There’s lots of potential for holiday fun with the treasures I gathered and the fact that it didn’t hurt my budget to acquire them is really the icing on the cake.

Finding things you enjoy for a fraction of their regular prices…
It doesn’t get much better than that!

What about you, Kids? Do you love a bargain?
Tell me about a good deal you found!

Hugs,

A Soft Spot for the Clever Crafts

Posted on January 25, 2013 by crystal

Honestly Kids,
If I live to be a hundred – I’ll never get through the list of things I like to make.

Maybe I’d have a chance if my list weren’t constantly growing, but there’s inspiration everywhere, and with the rise of internet – the possibilities seem endless!

In my heart, I’ve always had a soft spot for the clever, quirky, type of crafts. You know – stuff that’s made with unexpected materials or with an unusual process. I’ll never forget the “fried marbles” project when I was a young Girl Scout! We all stared in amazement when our troop leader actually tossed marbles into a frying pan! Back then; it was oh-so-popular to turn them into pendants!

~Scarf Necklace~

Last week, I finally had a chance to make an ingenious item that I’d first seen over a year ago – a “scarf-necklace” made from a T-shirt! Talk about easy and so much fun! No sewing or special skills involved – just grab a pair of scissors and an over-sized cotton t-shirt from your closet.

Here’s the one I used – originally bought to wear as a beach cover-up, but the neckline is so high that it’s uncomfortable on a hot day, so I’ve hardly ever worn it.

I’ll include a link (below) to a youtube video tutorial but basically you lay the shirt flat and cut the area just under the arms, through both thicknesses.

You’ll end up with a fairly wide tube of fabric, which you’ll then cut into 1” wide strips. The strips have raw edges but no worries! After you vigorously stretch each strip – those raw edges will fold into themselves and be hidden.

Here’s a 1″ strip after it’s been fully stretched. It looks like a smooth continuous piece of cord.

Once you’ve cut and stretched all the strips – you’ll have a handful of “cords”. Tie the whole bunch together with a short length of T-shirt fabric (cut from a sleeve). Then, the sky’s the limit on how to wear this chic little number! Try it long… like this!

Or you could double it – the way you do with a long strand of beads.

Or even tripled for a choker effect!

Add a brooch, silk flowers, or handmade embellishments to spice up your new accessory.

Fun! And just think – you’re recycling, too!

Want to make one? Take a peek on youtube for dozens of variations and styles. Here are a couple to get you started.

Hugs,

An Autumn Gift – Wrapped

Posted on October 15, 2012 by crystal

Recently, a customer placed an order with me for a pair of earrings.

She said they were for her friend who loves:

1. The autumn season

2. Simple styles of jewelry – “nothing too busy or over the top”

After giving it some thought, I decided that these awesome vintage rhinestones, with their fiery glow, would definitely evoke the warmth of autumn!

So, I hand-set the stones in oxidized brass settings and then chose lever-back earwires to match. I felt they fit the bill for simplicity, but there was one more thing to do. You see, my customer had also requested gift-wrapping that would continue with the autumn theme!

A quick look through my stash of supplies turned up some fall-ish wired ribbon and heart-shaped embellishments in a pretty shade of amber apricot. I knew if I added a bit of tacky glue, I could make a little gift pouch that would coordinate nicely.

If you’ve never tried it before, I think you’ll discover that wired ribbon makes a very easy and very festive little wrapper that’s perfect for jewelry, gift cards, candy, or any small trinket! The ribbon comes in different widths (I used 2-1/2″ here.) and is available at most craft stores and other places that carry gift wrap. It comes in all colors and for all occasions. The holiday ribbons are particularly beautiful.

To make the pouch, cut a piece of ribbon that’s approximately two and a half times the length of the object you want to place inside.

Fold over a narrow “hem” at the top raw edge (See photo above.). No sewing needed – just crease it well with your fingers. Then, roll that hem over again, so that the raw edge is totally hidden, and press the crease once more. Repeat this on the other end of the ribbon. You’ll see how the wired ribbon really holds its shape.

Next, lay your item on top of the ribbon, wrong side up, (again, refer to that photo just above!) to determine where to fold-up the “pocket”. Press that fold with your fingers.

Now you can see that there’s a pocket area and the remaining length of the ribbon becomes the “flap”.

Your gift pouch is now ready to be glued together. Run a narrow line of tacky glue down the inside edges but stop gluing when you reach the flap – it should not be glued at all . . . you want to be able to open and close it at will.

Allow the tacky glue to dry for several hours and then add any decorations you desire. My ribbon has lots of sparkle so I kept the embellishment to a minimum, but you might want to add lace to the flap, or a tassel, or beads, or even buttons!

This pouch is so simple, and yet it makes a really nice presentation for a small gift!

Word has it that my customer’s friend was delighted!

‘Til next time . . .

Easy Peasy Beading

Posted on October 8, 2012 by crystal

I’ve had requests for “beginner” bead projects – simple things that can be accomplished without any beading experience.

This morning, it occurred to me that Make somethin’ Monday is just the place to showcase a basic design.

In my view, the easiest thing to make is a bookmark. All you need are a few beads, maybe a little charm, and some cord that’s narrow enough to fit through the holes.

If you can tie a knot, you can make this.

No pliers, no wire-wrapping, no crimping needed! The beads and the little froggy all stay in place with a just few double knots! Play with different arrangements of your components before you string them to arrive at a design that pleases you most. Then, tie a knot at each end to hold the beads on, and again at the top of each grouping of beads to keep them in place on the string! See? I told ya it was easy!

With the holidays approaching, you could make a whole bunch of these for gifts – and the best part is you won’t have to worry if they’ll fit the lucky recipient or coordinate with her wardrobe!

If you choose beads and charms in holiday colors and themes, this very simple design could quickly become a sparkling ornament to drape around the branches of a Christmas tree!

Please note! Glass beads and small components of any kind should not be left where small children might have access to them!

Hugs,