A Crafty Week!!

This has been a fairly productive week for me. The craft room was cleaned a few week ago, and since then I've found it easier to slip in and get some crafting done.
Wanna see what I created?
Here ya go!!

These first two are the same piece consisting of one large green focal bead with a few mid-sized black and white beads, a beaded chain on black wire, and a handmade hook closure.


Here's another beaded chain piece that includes a few other beads in aqua, purple, and lime; the beaded chain is made of silver-toned wire and black beads with a silver toggle clasp. The focal point of the necklace is a collaged piece (made by me.)

There are just some button flowers that I'm making to use up some coated wire that I don't really use for anything else.

Here's a beaded chain bracelet made from faceted glass beads and silver-toned wire with a magnetic closure. I'm not sure if this piece is done yet. I'm still thinking of using it as a base for a charm-style bracelet.

This last necklace is my favorite by far. While not done in the same exact same beaded chain as the ones above, it is still the same technique. This one uses copper wire and a variety of beads made of ceramic, wood, plastic, and glass. The closure is a handmade hook and eye. The focal piece is a handmade, lampwork bead that I bought MANY years ago. As such, I cannot remember the maker and I do apologize. It was bought at a bead show in New Orleans probably 5-6 years ago.
In addition to what's above, I also worked on some polymer clay bead making, but wasn't real happy with the results. So, I didn't worry with getting pictures of those.

As you can tell, my current crafty obsession is making bead chains (linking beads with wire to make a chain.)

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the fruits of my labor. I just wish I had more time to get in there and get my craft on!!

Thread and O-Ring Necklace

HOLY COW....I sooo need to post here. I have been crafty, I swear I have!!

Look see, here's some instructions on a thread and o-ring necklace:Gather materials-
embroidery thread
scissors
glue pen
crochet hook
o-rings (these are actually knitting stitch markers)
large jump rings
Step 1- insert end of thread through o-ring
Step 2- begin wrapping thread around o-ring
Step 3- Use crochet hook to help pull thread through ring
Step 4- when about 1/4 of ring is wrapped, hold down thread and glue short end with glue pen
Step 5- continue wrapping
Step 6- when entire ring is wrapped, tie ends into a knot and glue. Then cut excess.
Repeat all steps for enough rings to achieve desired length. Attach all rings together with jump rings to form a necklace.

Unfortunately, I don't have a larger picture of the completed necklace (I was anxious to give them as gifts and got them wrapped before I could snap a pic.)

I liked using a wide variety of colors with very few neutrals for a summery, young feel to them. But any variety of colors could be used.

Weekly Crafts - March 2-8, 2009

I just posted the "Making Do" project for this week, check out the previous post for a really pretty shelf.
Here's what else I've been up to this week:It's not much, but I've been busy trying to set up an Etsy shop - so crafting came second this week. I hope you understand.

Making Do - Vintage Shelf

It's a little late on Sunday, but I wanted to share the next part of my "Making Do" series. Back in October, I posted on my other blog about finding this shelf that was in need of a little TLC to be made awesome.

It was pretty easy with some black spray paint
And some pretty scrapbook paper to boot
to make it this lovely piece.
I'm really happy with it. What do you think?
Now to stock it with some pretties.

"Making Do" with Light Blue Cat's Eye Beads

Yesterday I showed you these beads. They are simple light blue cat's eye beads. I've had them so long I can't remember when, where, or why I bought them. I haven't used cat's eye beads as a major part of my beadwork in quite a while. As such, I needed to go ahead and DO SOMETHING with these.

So, I thought about what I wanted to make and considered chandelier earrings first. But, when I realized how MANY of these I had, I knew a long necklace was in order. I had also already decided on on the colors I wanted to use with them - some neutrals (black and clear) and red.

I gathered my supplies: black, clear, and red seed beads; some 24 gauge black wire; and pliers (needle nose, round nose, and wire cutters).

The necklace was simply a wire link one. I cut short (3-4 inch) lengths of the wire [they don't really need to be this long, but I'm still not very good at making wrapped wire loops, so this was good practice on some longer lengths of wire]; made a loop and twist on one end, added my beads, and started the loop on the other end to look like this:
I attached all the links together as each was made to form a very long beaded chain necklace.

Here's the whole thing together.

And another closer look at it.

I'm pretty happy with the results. It was a good way to use up a lot of the same beads. I suppose it would also be a good way to use up a lot of any kind of beads. You can't really tell in the pictures, but the necklace itself is very subtle and skinny (though long.) It's definitely more of an accent necklace than a focal point necklace. In any case, it's still cool.

After seeing my post yesterday, several of my dear friends mentioned that I should open an Etsy shop. Don't worry - there is one in the works. I just have to stop making jewelry long enough to get started on setting up the shop. I've got a few things I want to work out about the selling and shipping and some other research I need to do. You will SOOOO be informed when the shop is up and running.
Thanks for the confidence in me, it's really given me the gumption to get my butt in gear on the whole jewelry selling front.

Oh, let me know what you think of the above necklace. Was it a success (turning some old, unused beads into something beautiful)? I welcome your comments.

Crafting Feb 23-March 1

I was able to get some pictures taken and loaded today of what I've been working on this week. It's quite a mixture of crafty stuff.

Collage/Soldering:

I started the week working on just one collage/ soldered pendant. I then strung it up with some beads to make this very cool necklace that I'm calling "Fun and Games".This is the 'front' of the pendant.

It is two sided and here's side B.

I went on to work on a few more collages and was able to get them in the glass and copper foiled. They are waiting to be soldered. These are the fronts.

These are their "B sides". I really like old glasses and for some reason used these on the back of all of them. Weird, I know!

Knitting:
I bought a Knifty Knitter kit this week.

In one night I was able to complete a cap with only a few errors.

I then started in a scarf to match, but have since realized that I don't have enough yarn to complete the scarf. It will end up as a pot holder I suppose.

Beading:
I've decided to do a few tutorials here using some of the beads/ other craft materials that I don't know how to work into other projects. I think I'm going to call the series "Making Do" or something along those lines. What do you think? Here are the beads I started with - some light blue cat's eye beads. Check back for the details of what I did with them. It's pretty cool, if I do say so myself.

Crafting at the end of January and Beginning of February

I just want to stop in, say hi, and show any of you still hanging around what I've been crafting:

Jewelry:

I made a glasses-holder thing for my Mardi Gras Ball - to hold my mask on

I made some button bracelets

Embroidery:

And, I've been seriously embroidering

No, really I have

Seriously.

My Week in Craft (through Jan 25)

I'm a few days late posting this, but with the week of stuff that I have to do - I'm pretty proud of myself for posting now even. Soooooo, here's a glimpse of some of the crafting I undertook last week:

BAKING
I baked some cookies, not from scratch or anything.

KIDS CRAFT
While I visited with the nieces, we played with my Sharpies and Shrink Plastic
They made some really cute imagesUnfortunately, I'm not used to working with my mom's gas oven and some of them came out a little wonky.
EMBROIDERY
I broke out my embroidery supplies last week, and that's what I spend the majority of the week crafting. I started with some doodling.

But then decided I should work on some basics, so I actually pulled out and ironed on the stitch lesson pattern from Sublime Stitching. I also worked on a little planet.
And, I started on a car.

JEWELRY MAKING
I did get in the craft room to work on a few other tasks (like sealing the paper clay beads from last week) before I started on something else new: another decoupage bracelet.
I started by selecting the bracelet (a yard sale find) and sanding it a bit.
I painted the bracelet with some gesso before beginning to apply comic strip images I cut out of some old comic books. It's not quite done yet, but here's where I am on it.

I have worked on another project or two so far this week. I MAY be able to post those next week. Let's see how much recovering I need from my Mardi Gras Ball and how much I actually get done while preparing for the ball. Til then. . .
Oooohhhh, I need a crafty catch-phrase. I guess I'll try to work on that too. Hmmm.