Beachy Beige Macrame Jewelry

May 24, 2016, 10:24 am

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Yes, I'm still playing with the Starfish Collection and I'm showing no signs of running out of inspiration.  I've been concentrating more on the neutrals lately, Beachy Beige!  The neutral colors seem to make the knot work of the macrame stand out a bit more, playing up the texture and pattern.  Tiny pops of color add a little "something".

I am having so much fun with this palette that I think everyone should join me, so I'm hosting a little challenge over at the Love My Art Jewelry blog.  It's pretty simple:  make something handmade inspired by this photo:

You'll find all of the details in this post:  Starfish Color Palette Challenge.  I hope you'll join me!

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Yet More Beachy Macrame Jewelry!

June 1, 2016, 5:56 am

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With Memorial Day behind us, it finally feels like summer is official and the Starfish Collection color palette I've been working with seems even more appropriate.  Turquoise blues mixed with sandy tans and ecru just scream beach and summer and when you throw in macrame knotting, it's a match made in heaven.

As usual, before I've even finished knotting one macrame bracelet I'm struck with an idea for another.  Usually it's some variation or mutation of the one I'm working on.  This time I started with the Woven Diamonds micro macrame bracelet in the first photo (pattern is offered as an online class on CraftArtEdu, if you want to make your own).  While I was making that one, I was thinking how pretty the bead mix was and how nice it would look in my Drunkards Path pattern (also an online micro macrame class at CraftArtEdu).

As I was working with the bead mix, I thought it would be fun to arrange them in arcs of color, so that led to another bracelet.

 

Me being me, I couldn't leave well enough alone.  I had to see what it would look like with all stripey sections.

I liked the stripes up so that they undulate through the length of the bracelet.

And of course I added a little starfish on the end.

I have a completely different project in the back of my mind that I've been wanting to try for years - barefoot sandals.  I'll never get there if I keep getting distracted by other bracelets that need to be made, but I'm still mulling over the idea.  Meanwhile, this:

Starfish Color Palette Challenge Reminder

June 10, 2016, 6:14 am

≫ Next: One Thing Leads To Another

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This is just a quick reminder that there are only a few days left to finish your piece for the Starfish Color Palette Challenge.  Photos of finished pieces need to be in by June 15th in order to be included in the blog reveal post.  You can find all the details over on the Love My Art Jewelry blog.  

I hope you'll play along - there's still time!

One Thing Leads To Another

June 22, 2016, 5:48 am

≫ Next: One Thing Leads to Another: Part 2

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You are probably on to me by now, with my "one thing leads to another" strategy.  I don't really set out to do it, but as I'm knotting one bracelet, I'm usually wondering what it would look like if I reverse the colors or add another color of cord or a pop of something in the beads...  This time I started with this:

Then I switched the position of the cord colors and got this:

I can't decide which one I like better.  Do you have a favorite?

One Thing Leads to Another: Part 2

June 28, 2016, 4:37 am

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In last week's post, I showed you an example of one thing leading to another with a purple and green micro macrame bracelet duo:

Those pieces led to switching out the purple for aqua, which resulted in this pretty pair:

I started off with one done in mostly aqua cord with a zigzag band of lime green:

Then I switched out the cord color placement (and tweaked a few bead colors) and got this one!

These bracelets scream "SUMMER" to me with:  bright and colorful!

Quick!

July 4, 2016, 2:43 pm

≫ Next: A New Micro Macrame Tutorial: Chains!

≪ Previous: One Thing Leads to Another: Part 2

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Happy Independence Day, everyone!  I'm just popping in with a quick public service announcement in case you don't subscribe to the CraftArtEdu newsletter.  The good folks over there are feeling especially festive and are celebrating with a great special for you!  Here's what they say:

Here are the details:

There are lots of fun classes there to choose from, including 14 classes of mine!  A deal like this is too good to pass up, but you'll have to act fast.  

Happy shopping!

A New Micro Macrame Tutorial: Chains!

July 5, 2016, 8:14 am

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I have a new micro macrame tutorial available!  It's called "Chains" (for fairly obvious reasons) and is available in my Etsy shop here.  

I spent a lot of time figuring out all the things that could go wrong and the best way to avoid those pitfalls.  Proof:

The final product is a 19 page .pdf with over 70 photos included.  There are step by step instructions with lots of clear pictures.  I'd rate this as maybe an intermediate project, but the instructions are clear enough that an ambitious beginner could probably handle it.

The tiny links are roughly 1 cm long if you make the chain with the .5mm cord called for in the instructions.  I'm planning to experiment with larger and smaller cord just to see if it works (I can't see why it wouldn't).  You can use the chains as bracelets or in necklaces - most anywhere you would use a metal chain.

And just for fun, I added the secret to making two color chains for those of you who want to try it:

If you haven't tried micro macrame yet, you're missing out on a great hobby!  I have lots of online classes available at CraftArtEdu.com (here) as well as the tutorials in my Etsy shop.  There are over 20 projects from which to choose with skill levels ranging from beginner to more advanced. What are you waiting for?

Upcoming Micro Macrame Classes

July 18, 2016, 11:50 am

≫ Next: My Purple Phase

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It's happening!  I'm teaching in Denver next month!  The Rocky Mountain Bead Society has graciously invited me to their fair city and is sponsoring four days of micro macrame classes!  I'm ridiculously excited (as you can probably gather from the exuberant use of exclamation marks) for this opportunity.  Classes will be Thursday, August 18th through Sunday, August 21st and include the following:

The Micro Macrame Wrap Bracelet class: great for beginning students as a way to get familiar with knotting and working with cord as well as a good review for more seasoned knotters.  We will cover five of the most common knots used in micro macrame working with .9mm cord.

Micro Macrame Leaves Bracelet class:  a more challenging project than the Wrap, but still suitable for beginners (especially those with seed bead experience).  Lots of practice on double half hitch knots and working with the smaller .5mm cord.

Micro Macrame Hydrangeas Bracelet class:  combining beading and knotting working with mostly double half hitch knots and larks head knots.  The results look like beaded lace!

Micro Macrame ZigZag Bracelet Class:  one of my favorite patterns with endless possibilities for cord and bead variations.

If you're interested in taking any of these classes, registration is now open on the Rocky Mountain Bead Society's web page.  They're offering special pricing for members (their annual dues are very reasonable) but registration is open to non-members as well.  This is a great opportunity to build your knotting skills in a progression of classes if you like, or simply choose one that interests you the most.  I hope to see you there!!

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My Purple Phase

July 22, 2016, 7:46 am

≫ Next: New Micro Macrame Kits!

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I was on a purple kick last week.  C-lon has a couple shades of purple cord that make my mouth water just to look at them.   Combining one of them with a great focal and a few supporting beads, you can't go wrong.  

See?  Add a great Czech glass button and *wow*!!

This button isn't even glass.  I think it's just plastic, but I absolutely love the color and the design so I guess I don't care.  If I could fine more of these, I'd buy a couple dozen!  I like to pair it with copper or red bronze beads and the purple really makes them pop.

For this one I used a pewter button and matte black iris beads.  Yes, I know they're not really black, but apparently they start out black and the coating gives them the lovely blue, purple and green colors?  I don't have to understand the process to love the product, thank goodness.

Those beads look great paired with black cord, too.  

Some of these micro macrame bracelets have already sold, but those that are left (and all new pieces I make) can be found in my Etsy shop:  KnotJustMacrame.etsy.com  If you're looking for a special piece of handmade jewelry (for yourself or as a gift for someone else) that isn't quite like everything else, I hope you'll take a minute and look around the shop.  Many thanks in advance!

If you'd rather make your own micro macrame jewelry, don't forget that registration is open for the Denver micro macrame classes next month.  You can find all the details on that in this post.

Happy knotting!

New Micro Macrame Kits!

July 28, 2016, 9:08 am

≫ Next: More New Micro Macrame Kits

≪ Previous: My Purple Phase

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So... you know how I've been talking about my upcoming classes in Denver next month?  It finally dawned on me that the date is quickly approaching and I have something going on every weekend between now and then.  I've entered panic mode.  Once I convinced myself that the probability of the world ending before then and/or magical fairies showing up to help me are roughly about the same, I started putting together kits.  

Don't get me wrong, there are things I like about making up kits.  I like the shopping for beads part.  I even like the thinking about what beads will go with what cord part.  It's the actual work of dragging out all my stuff and digging through it to find those beads I bought especially for this that gets me.  Well, that and looking for the scissors I just had in my hand fifty times an hour.  

I don't have a dedicated work space  - I've just taken over the family room (more on that here).  There's no desk or table (unless you count the coffee table, but it has holes in the top so it doesn't work very well) so I have to spread everything out on the floor and root around.  It isn't a pretty thing to see.  

This carnage was from yesterday's session when I was putting together kits to go along with my Micro Macrame Wrap Bracelet class.  (It's available as an online class here if you can't join me in Denver.)  I really do have fun shopping for these kits and playing around with various themes.  Want to see a few?  Here's one with a Green Girl fish, lampwork beads and a mermaid toggle:

This one has a jungle theme with a lampwork monkey bead, two Golem Studio beads, a giraffe spotted tube and a TierraCast toggle in copper:

A few of the kits have Kazuri beads (I love Kazuri beads!):

Oh, and of course I had to do an ocean themed one with a lampwork bead with a starfish on it and a seahorse toggle:

I also put together kits to go with my Micro Macrame Owl pendant tutorial in seven different colors including sage, green, khaki, rose, blue, copper and cream.  

These kits are all available in my Etsy shop, as well as kits for some of my other micro macrame tutorials.  If you're thinking about making jewelry for holiday gifts, this would be a great time to purchase any kits while there are lots to choose from.  Now could somebody hand me the tv remote?

More New Micro Macrame Kits

August 4, 2016, 11:46 am

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The kit making frenzy continues!  I've added some new ones to my Etsy shop that contain the cord, beads and findings you will need to make the Woven Diamonds micro macrame bracelet (the online class for it can be found here on CraftArtEdu).  I even mixed all the seed beads myself!

I've included a focal in each of the kits, but you can choose not to use it if you prefer the plain version of the bracelet.  The class contains instructions for making either version.

I've also added more kits for several other patterns.  I've never been so sick of making kits in all my life, but I have quite a selection on hand now.  Happy knotting!

Housework

August 16, 2016, 8:16 am

≫ Next: Classes, Cakes & ShrinkyDinks

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Boy oh boy have I been busy!  In the midst of trying to get ready for the upcoming classes in Denver, we bought a little house and have been busy working on it.  It's about three hours away from us, so it's not like we can just pop over and work for a few hours.  We worked a full five days with as many as seven of us working on the place at times.  We're really happy with how it all came out, though and my daughter, who will be living there while she goes to school, is ecstatic.

Here's a before picture:

We had the roof, gutters and downspouts replaced before we closed on the place so we didn't have to deal with that.  The front step was rotted, though, and that was a big project for my husband.  Other than those things, the rest of the work we did was more cleaning and cosmetic.  The little old place just needed some love and attention.

See what I mean?  That's the same tub and same fixtures before and after.  Just a lot of elbow grease.  We did do a couple of makeover projects for some furniture pieces, too.  We took an old round coffee table we found in a used furniture store and made it into an ottoman:

My daughter had a very specific idea of what she wanted in an ottoman.  It had to be large and round and it had to be white/gray.  And cheap.  We couldn't find anything that fit all of her requirements so we came up with this idea.   We're pretty chuffed about the results!  We did the whole thing ourselves never having done anything like that before.  Right down to covering the buttons.  Go team!

We bought this extremely tired, worn and used dresser for $5.

You can't tell too much from the photo, but it's missing a bar between the top and middle drawers on the left side and has a lot of damage to the top (raised spots) as well as one side looking like it was dragged down a street behind a pickup or something.  It got a makeover and became her TV stand with lots of bonus storage.

Isn't that fun!  The finished room includes a loaned couch and chair that her friend's mother recovered - I just have to show you the couch before:

Are you ready for the reveal? 

 

We painted every inch of the upstairs and all but one room downstairs.  We scrubbed and weeded and cleaned floors on our hands and knees.  I'm tired, but I'd do it again next week!  It was a really fun project.

I had to switch gears in a hurry, though - my Denver classes are coming up this week!  Eek!  I'm still putting together kits for one class and refining my presentation for the Rocky Mountain Bead Society meeting (gulp).  And I still need to add prices to all my finished jewelry since I usually only sell online and don't have anything marked.  So much left to do!  Wish me luck!  

Meanwhile, I'll leave you with another picture of the made over living room.  It makes me happy!

Classes, Cakes & ShrinkyDinks

August 26, 2016, 11:06 am

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Oh my gosh that was fun!!  I just got back (okay, a few days ago - at my age it takes me a minute to regroup) from teaching classes in Denver and it was such a great experience!!  The ladies from the Rocky Mountain Bead Society were enthusiastic about learning micro macrame and we had a full 20 people in the Beginner's class!  Many of them came back for additional classes over the four days and one lady (you rock, Irene) took all four classes!  Just look at that concentration!

That's not to say there wasn't any banter (there was banter aplenty) but the students were fearless when it came to the small cords and tiny seed beads.  Oh, and then there was this:

It seemed somehow symbolic to find one lone turquoise colored chair in a sea of regular old beige ones, that being "my" color and all :) 

I've mostly been getting things put away this week (you know how trying to put something back into the closet you removed it from sometimes leads to having to clean out the whole closet to get it to fit?) and relaxing a bit.  The last couple of months were a whirlwind of activity trying to get ready for the class, working on the new house and wrapping up the budget for the fiscal year at my "real" job.  I took the afternoon off yesterday and did just for me stuff.  I baked a pretty cake:

And I played with ShrinkyDinks (thanks to Kate, a student in one of my classes)!  You know what?  It was every bit as much fun as it was when I was a kid!

I traced and colored (check out my new 48 pack of colored pencils!) and then baked and went from this:

To this:

TOO much fun!  I did have one "issue" with my pumpkin.

It turned out almost black after the baking/shrinking process:

I'm still kind of pouty from the whole pumpkin thing, but I'll certainly know better next time.  Meanwhile, the others are cool!

And that's what I've been up to lately.  You?

Caribbean Color Palette - Challenge Update

August 31, 2016, 7:46 am

≫ Next: And Summer is Gone Again...

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If you missed the Caribbean Color Palette challenge post over at Love My Art Jewelry, don't panic.  There's still time to play along.  Here's the palette:

Yep, that's me - hanging on to summer with every ounce of my being!  I know, I know... it's that time of year we should be playing with the autumnal colors, but just look at those blues and how fun it is when you throw in some chartreuse!  I've been playing around with my cord and beads and have come up some really pretty bracelets so far.

I liked this one so much I made up kits for it and used them in my ZigZag Micro Macrame bracelet class in Denver.

I thought this one was going to be boring when I started - like maybe it needed more color.  But once I got underway, I really liked the way this one came out with more white than color.

Anyway, if you're interested in playing along, the rules are simple:  make something inspired by the Caribbean Color Palette photo.  It can be anything - a painting, jewelry (of course), a scarf, a quilt, a pair of hand painted shoes (hinting here - I'd really love some!) - as long as it's made by you.  Share a photo of your piece with me by September 14, 2016 (see, you still have time!) and I'll put together a blog post revealing them on the Love My Art Jewelry blog on September 16th.   If you'd like to do a blog post, send me the link along with your photo and I'll include it.  Please send photos to me through my business Facebook page or via email.  

Who's in?

And Summer is Gone Again...

September 14, 2016, 8:25 am

≫ Next: Some New Things

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As much as I love fall, it's always tinged with a little sadness at the passing of summer.  I've tried to console myself this year playing with some beautiful hand painted maple leaf buttons from Susan Clarke Originals.  The leaf in the macrame bracelet above had lots of rusty orange in it and I paired it with a neutral cord and shiny cut seed beads.  I had another leaf with much softer color in it that I paired with my trusted matte metallic khaki iris beads.  I think after much debate the bottom one came out ahead in the "which one do you like more" voting, but it was close.

After getting a little bored with the neutrals, I went in search of some color.  The colors people typically picture when they think of autumn are mostly warm colors and I have trouble with those, so these are my colors of fall this year:

The coppery colors give a nod to autumn (and the leaves themselves) but I gotta be me, so of course I had to include some shades of turquoise.

The colder weather also has me thinking about firing up the oven for some homemade bread or putting on a big pot of chili.  How about you?  Is the weather changing where you are?

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Some New Things

September 27, 2016, 4:30 am

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A few new micro macrame bracelets hit my Etsy shop this week, including this cute owl!  I picked up this button some time ago and have been hoarding it for reasons I'll never know, but I came across it again the other day and decided it was time to let go.  I think I remember getting multiples of this guy because I loved him so much, but verification of that theory would require digging through my rather sizable (and seriously unorganized) stash.  (Wanna see?  Check out this post.)

I did come across a few TierraCast Skully buttons during one of my forays - I adore these little dudes.  Something about the expression on his (her?) face (skulls have expressions, right?) just tickles me.  

This globe (atlas? map? world?) button is also from TierraCast and you know how I love pairing copper with matte metallic khaki iris beads, so this piece was easy to design.  

All three of these bracelets are available in my shop, so if you see something you like I hope you'll pop over and support a small business :)  

Feathers for Fall

September 30, 2016, 6:00 am

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You may have noticed I have a weakness for pretty focal pieces, especially handmade artisan ones.  Back at the beginning of the month I was lucky enough to be chosen to receive this pretty handmade porcelain feather bracelet bar from Mari Carmen Rodriguez Martinez of Majoyoal.  The gift came with strings attached (no pun intended) and I had to agree to make something with it.  Whew, what a tough assignment (read with sarcasm).  

The first thing I did was to attach literal strings to the piece (bwahahaha) because I'm all about the macrame.  I wanted to do something to sort of mimic the lines of the feather, so I modified my Falling Leaves pattern, elongating it and adding a "quill".

To add a bit more color and some different texture, I added a couple strands of seed beads and made it a multi strand bracelet.  I think it's a fun piece and spot on for the autumn season!

Many thanks to Mari for the gift of her gorgeous focal and to Janice Everett of J-Lynn Jewels who put together a great Facebook group and this component giveaway!

Designing Frustrations and Shoe Doodles!

October 6, 2016, 7:25 am

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Everyone once in a while a new design just sort of comes to me, but most of the time it's not that easy.  I've been playing around with a new micro macrame pattern for a few weeks now and I still don't feel like it's "right".  I started with a sort of knotted ripple design that I used in between the diamond sections in this piece:

And I like that section a LOT!  But the diamond part is too similar to other designs I've done and felt lazy, so I started experimenting.

I tried a knotted shape (top of the left piece) but that overwhelmed the new part, so I tried beads (bottom left) which just looked sloppy.  I tried reversing it (top right) but that ended up with no structural support.  I tried a combination of knotting and beads (bottom right) which wasn't bad, but again felt like it detracted from the ripple design.  

I ended up going tack to the concept of reversing the knotting but this time added an outline row of knotting to keep the design together.  See what I mean about it not being an easy process?  It may not look like a lot, but the hours involved in brainstorming and actually knotting all of these options really add up.  By this point I was feeling like I might be onto something, so I tried it again to test it out (and used red just because I never do):

I like it, but I'm just not convinced it's perfect yet.  I think I will try again leaving out the beads along the edges and pulling those "corners" into a more rounded shape.  This pattern is using up the cords at wildly different rates, too, so I will need to try to figure out which cords need to be longer at the beginning and which can be shorter.  I don't mind the excess cord so much as I just try to use it up in another project, but it seems much more professional for the tutorial if that doesn't happen.  This isn't an easy thing, by the way: I either have to try to track each cord through to the end or make another piece using different colors of cord so I can see where they go.  

And all this happens before I can even start making the design into a tutorial or class, which is a circus all by itself (check out this post if you missed it).  PS:  this is why it bothers me when folks copy my designs without purchasing them or post them on share sites.  It's like they're stealing a little part of my soul, I swear.

Meanwhile, though:

Shoe doodles!  I can only focus on one thing for so long before I start to get bored (and/or frustrated) so this week I've been playing with a new project - drawing and coloring on shoes!!  I'll tease you with this in-progress photo, but if you want to see the finished product, you'll have to pop over to the Love My Art Jewelry blog tomorrow!

Doodle Shoes!

October 7, 2016, 7:14 am

≫ Next: A New Online Class in the Works: Ripples in Micro Macrame Bracelet

≪ Previous: Designing Frustrations and Shoe Doodles!

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I am so tickled with how my doodle shoes (Day of the Dead themed!) turned out that I just had to share the finished product with you.  They're just plain white canvas shoes that I drew on (and colored) with permanent marker.  Inexpensive (unless you want to buy more expensive shoes, but I was too nervous that I'd ruin them),  colorful and fun!

I did a full post over at Love My Art Jewelry if you want to see more pictures.  And if you need me, I'll be here admiring my new kicks.

A New Online Class in the Works: Ripples in Micro Macrame Bracelet

October 14, 2016, 10:39 am

≫ Next: New Ripples in Micro Macrame Online Class is Available!

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Remember when I was telling you about the frustrations involved in designing a new pattern (back here if you missed the whining)?  Well, that's all behind me now!  I finally landed on a pattern combination that I really like and I'm working on an online class at CraftArtEdu.  YAY!  

I'd love to hang around and visit for a few minutes, but I'm really working hard on the class.  I have the attention span of a 2-year-old, so I have to stick with it while I'm motivated.  Stay tuned for more details!