Summer Elements Blog Hop - Freeform Micro Macrame Necklace

June 15, 2013, 10:01 pm

≫ Next: Year of Jewelry Week 25 - Solstice

≪ Previous: Hints & Tips for Micro Macrame Knotting

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My friend, Rita of Toltec Jewels and Jewel School Friends is hosting a blog hop celebrating summer, and anyone who knows me, knows summer is my thing.  I love the long days and the green trees and I love the warmth.  I'd have summer all year long if somebody would give me the option.  Rita challenged us to consider the elements of summer; Air, Water, Fire, Earth and Spirit; and then create something and share.  Create anything and share anything that celebrates summer.  My kind of hop!  

We bought a pool years ago when the children were still pretty young and we've spent endless hours there as a family.  I treasure the memories of every one of those hours, and this is one of my favorite photos of my husband and kids.

It doesn't seem that long ago that I took this picture, but my daughter is seventeen now and my son is a father himself!  I had my grandson out in the back yard the other day and he was fascinated by the movement of the water.  I started studying it and found I was pretty entertained by the endless kaleidoscope of patterns, too.   I took my inspiration from the that and made my first piece of free-form macrame.

I just started knotting and putting in some random beads, letting the piece wander wherever it wanted.  No planning, no tidying up.  Just the cord and the knots going under and around and over like water in a river.  I played off the macrame technique called Margaretenspitze which was developed by Margarete Neumann in the beginning of the 1900s.  She developed the system of adding and dropping threads which allows you to make almost any design - hand tied lace.  Fascinating stuff. 

This necklace took me most of the week to complete.  It sounds odd, but it much more difficult for me to go with the flow.  I'm more comfortable staying within the lines with my macrame.  Oh, sure, I venture out a bit and play with color, but my pieces are usually symmetrical and even and tidy.  This piece is none of those things.  I do have to admit that this exercise was liberating.  My ode to summer.  My study of water.

 

I hope you'll take a few minutes to check out the rest of the Summer Elements Blog Hop participants:

Toltec Jewels (Hostess)     http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/

Marlene Cupo                   http://amazingdesigns-marlene.blogspot.com/

Cheri Reed                        http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/

Ailsa Cordner                    http://www.bramalfiebeadsetc.co.uk/

Robin Reed                       http://willowdragon.blogspot.com/

Nan Smith                         http://www.wirednan.blogspot.com/

Sherri Stokey                     http://www.knotjustmacrame.com/

Christie (Charis Designs)    http://charisdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com/

Carolyn Lawson                 http://carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com/

Melissa Trudinger               http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com/

Dini Bruinsma                     http://angazabychanges.blogspot.com/

Kathy Lindemer                 http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/

Cory Tompkins                  http://tealwaterdesigns.blogspot.com/

Robin Reed                       http://willowdragon.blogspot.com/

Gina Hockett                     http://freestyleelements.blogspot.com/

Karen Martinez                 http://www.fairiesmarket.blogspot.com/

Liz                                    http://beadcontagion.blogspot.com/

Jasvanti Patel                     http://jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com/

Solange Collin                    http://www.blog.ahowinjewelry.com/

Gerda                                http://gerdascraftsblog.blogspot.com/

Karla Morgan                    http://texaspepperjams.blogspot.com/

Dyanne Everett-Cantrell     http://deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com/

Mischelle Fanucchi             http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com/

Tanty Sri Hartanti               http://tjewellicious.blogspot.com/

Shaiha Williams                  http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/

Mary Govaars                    http://mlhjewelrydesigns.com/

Becca Sirevaag                  http://godsartistinresidence.blogspot.com/

Lennis Carrier                    http://windbent.wordpress.com/

Regina Wood                     http://www.gina-design.blogspot.com/

Sue Kennedy                     http://suebeads.blogspot.com/

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Year of Jewelry Week 25 - Solstice

June 22, 2013, 1:30 pm

≫ Next: New in My Shop - Kits for Micro Macrame Bracelets

≪ Previous: Summer Elements Blog Hop - Freeform Micro Macrame Necklace

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The theme for The Year of Jewelry this week is solstice.  Festivities can involve wearing crowns of flowers and celebrating the fertility of the earth.  One Swedish tradition involves a woman gathering seven different kinds of flowers from seven different gardens and putting them under her pillow so she will dream about her future spouse.  I couldn't think of a more perfect piece to represent the summer solstice than this floral pendant by Ke Robinson.  

Ke's paintings are extravagantly full of color and unabashed celebration.  Her pelican paintings are magical and her aquatic scenes are enchanting.  I'm a total fan of her work, can you tell?  Go look at her Facebook page.  I'll wait here for you.  You'll be glad you did, I promise.

You're back?  Was I right?  When Ke offered to send me one of her beads, I jumped on the opportunity!  And I wasn't disappointed.  Her polymer clay pieces are every bit as whimsically colorful as her paintings.  

After a couple of false starts, I came up with this design.  Oh, you want to see what I didn't like?  Okay, hold  on...

See those snippets off to the left?  Those are tries one and two.  I just wasn't satisfied with the colors in either of them - they were either too insipid for the pendant or fighting for attention.  I finally settled on a chartreuse green and dark greenish blue combination that makes me think of sunlight and shadows on foliage.  I did a spiral knotting technique to produce a fairly substantial necklace and added two more of Ke's beads in fuchsia for an unexpected pop of color along the way.

I used some brass end caps to finish the ends and added a length of chain to make the necklace adjustable.  A lobster clasp just didn't seem special enough, so I fashioned a hook from some brass wire.  A little Vintaj leaf finishes off the chain.

And thank you, Ke, for letting me design with one of your pieces!

New in My Shop - Kits for Micro Macrame Bracelets

June 27, 2013, 5:23 am

≫ Next: Happy Birthday, America!

≪ Previous: Year of Jewelry Week 25 - Solstice

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I love playing with beads and cord and putting together color combinations, so what better outlet than to put together kits to go along with my micro macrame patterns?  I finally got busy and assembled some - these go with my Leaves bracelet.  I have measured and cut the cord for you and put in the beads you will need, as well as split rings, a clasp and extender chain.  All in one tidy little package.  I had to do one in Matte Metallic Khaki Iris, of course:  

I also love this combination.  It's all white, but it's not all white - tricky, huh?  I love the rainbow coating on the beads that keeps the white from being boring.  There are little flashes of color.  So pretty...

I haven't included the tutorial with any of the kits since some folks like to buy more than one color kit to go with a pattern and others have already purchased the pattern.  I did straighten the cord for you, since this is what it looked like before I did:

You're welcome.  A couple of hints for you if you do purchase a kit:  Although I straightened the cord once, I did have to spool it to get it to you since the cost was prohibitive for mailing a 36" long box.  You might have to run it through your straight iron to get it straight again (details here).  If the ends get a bit flattened from the straightening process, just clip a tiny bit off the end of the cord. If you cut at a little angle, it will make threading the beads onto the cord much easier.  If you are still having trouble getting the beads on the cord, dip the cord ends in some Fray Check and let them dry, then cut a little angle.  It works like a charm and keeps the ends of your cord from unraveling.  Clear nail polish works, too, but I use the Fray check when finishing off my pieces, so it's handy to have.

I even did a kit in the Hydrangea colors.   I'm just loving this shade of purple called French Lilac.  It's sort of muted - not a bright, vibrant purple.  And the beads I've paired with it aren't actually purple at all.  They're shades of gray, but the rainbow coating on the beads gives them the appearance of purple.  And I love combining beads in matte and shiny finishes for a little contrast, even when the colors all match.  My next project is to make some kits for the Hydrangea Bracelet.  Patience, Grasshopper...

You can find the kits in the Kits Section of my Etsy Shop.

Happy Birthday, America!

July 3, 2013, 2:31 pm

≫ Next: Micro Macrame eClasses Are Available!

≪ Previous: New in My Shop - Kits for Micro Macrame Bracelets

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I just love the 4th of July.  I love summertime and the 4th seems to epitomize all that is summer.  Sunny days, blue skies and lush green grass.  Family and picnics.  Small town parades and children with sticky watermelon faces.  And I'm a sap for anything patriotic, so there you have it!  The theme for this week in The Year of Jewelry is "Celebrating my Country", which is right up my alley.

Are you reaching for your lemonade?  Does it remind you of a flag waving on a slow, hot breeze?  Or bunting draped on the grandstands?  

I love to make jewelry created around a theme or color scheme like this.  I can't paint and I can't draw, so this is my artistic outlet.  My mom, on the other hand, sews.  She used to paint, but now that she's discovered quilting, I don't think she'll ever go back.  She uses fabric to express herself and evoke a feeling or a mood, and I don't even know if she's aware of that.  This is her take on patriotic:

Isn't it beautiful?  The movement and the shading of the color values all work so well together.  

One last patriotic piece and I'll leave you to enjoy your holiday.  This piece doesn't have a single bead in it.  Isn't it amazing what you can do with some cord and some knots?

I hope you have a safe and fun 4th!

Micro Macrame eClasses Are Available!

July 11, 2013, 11:09 am

≫ Next: Micro Macrame Wrap Bracelet Class and Kit Giveaway!

≪ Previous: Happy Birthday, America!

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I can finally make my BIG announcement!  I'm the newest instructor at CraftArtEdu.com and I have classes available in micro macrame!!!  YAY!  You might have noticed that I'm crazy about micro macrame and I am thrilled to get this chance to share it with you.  

I have two classes available right now (and another ready for my editor).  The first is Micro Macrame 101 and it is free (yep, free!).  It's an overview of the tools and materials you'll need to try micro macrame for yourself.  I included information from cord choices to knotting surfaces.  One of the nicest things about micro macrame is that you don't have to invest a lot of money in tools and equipment to give it a try.

Micro Macrame Wrap Bracelet is the other class available and covers the five of the most common macrame knots.  But just learning knots would be boring and I try never to be boring, so while you're learning to tie the knots, you'll be making a fun wrap bracelet like the ones shown in this post.  I'll show you step-by-step how to take a a couple lengths of cord and a small pile of beads and turn them into your own fun, wearable bracelet.

This project is doable, even for people with no knotting experience at all.  AND it's a great way to show off some of the beads you've been hoarding!  The one above features a polymer clay penguin by Lennis Carrier of Windbent.  The one below has a beachy theme and has polymer pieces by Lennis Carrier, Marlene Cupo and Ke Robinson, as well as a ceramic toggle by Shelley Graham and lampwork by Mitosis Glass.

I was playing around with different variations when testing my tutorial.  I used hemp cord instead of nylon in the penguin piece and did a mixture of both cords in the brown and black rose piece.  In this last one, I experimented with tying a couple rings into the knots of the bracelet (you can just add them in with an overhand knot).  Then I went back and attached some hand-painted lucite flowers and leaves to the rings as well as a little Vintaj bumblebee.  I think this would be a really fun way to show off some charms - an updated take on a charm bracelet!  Oh, and if you want to learn to do the flowers, the tutorial is here.

I hope you'll take a minute to check out CraftArtEdu.com.  I have been really impressed with the site.  They have loads of great classes available and some really, really talented instructors.  And the nice part (well, besides being able to get instruction at any hour of the day or night even if you're in your jammies...) is that once you purchase a class, it never expires.  It's always available for you to reference.  Nice, huh?  The next best thing to having me come to your house and teach you micro macrame.  Better really - you don't have to feed me!

Micro Macrame Wrap Bracelet Class and Kit Giveaway!

July 13, 2013, 3:10 pm

≫ Next: My Favorite Color in Micro Macrame and Giveaway Winner!

≪ Previous: Micro Macrame eClasses Are Available!

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Just in case you didn't hear me shouting it from the rooftops, I've got a new eClass available for micro macrame and I'm very excited about it!  So exited, in fact, that I'm going to give away a class and a kit to go along with it to one lucky winner.  

My class is called Micro Macrame Wrap Bracelet and it's available on CraftArtEdu.com.  If you aren't familiar with CraftArtEdu.com, let me give you the skinny.  Their goal is to make learning about your favorite medium more accessible and convenient than ever.  Their classes have step-by-step instructions and are presented by world-renowned craft and fine art instructors.  The classes are all the time, at your convenience.  Once you purchase a class, you can view it as many times as you want, for as long as you want.  AND your satisfaction is guaranteed.  If you're not happy, they will refund your money.  That's their promise.  Sounds like a fantastic site, doesn't it!  They have over 400 classes there - something for all levels and interests.  I'm honestly flattered that they wanted to add my micro macrame to their curriculum.

I've got two classes available right now.  The first is Micro Macrame 101 and it's free.  In it, I've covered  the basics about micro macrame and the tools and materials you need.  The Micro Macrame Wrap class follows after that and is geared for beginners.  I will teach you how to make five of the most common macrame knots, while making a fun wrap bracelet.  This class is meant to get you acquainted with knotting and working with cord.  The next step will be a class I hope to have available next week that will take you further into micro macrame, using finer cord and more knots.  

But let's get back to the giveaway, shall we?  I'm giving one lucky person access to my wrap class for free AND everything needed to make a wrap bracelet similar to this:  

The kit I'm giving away includes everything in the first photo of this post.  I've included 14 foot lengths of Tex 400 cord in teal and a sandy beige, wood beads, a Bollywood bead, rolled paper, seed beads, dichroic glass beads AND some artist beads.  There's a great lampwork piece by Mitosis glass and a polymer class turtle bead by Ke Robinson:

And the toggle clasp is fun, too.  It's a silver starfish toggle with crystal accents.

These pieces should make a great bracelet.  So how do you win?  Use the rafflecopter widget below to enter.  Then check back here on Thursday, July 18th to see if you won!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Favorite Color in Micro Macrame and Giveaway Winner!

July 18, 2013, 2:47 pm

≫ Next: Bead Hoarders Blog Hop Reveal

≪ Previous: Micro Macrame Wrap Bracelet Class and Kit Giveaway!

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This week's theme for the Year of Jewelry Project is "My Favorite Color" and the instructions are to make a piece of jewelry in a color that rocks your world.  There was no question which color I would choose.  I'm just a teal sort of gal.  I did want to have a little fun with it, though, so instead of using one or two colors, I used six colors of cord and five colors of seed beads to knot this micro macrame bracelet.  And added a seahorse charm just because.

I really like how the colors move through the bracelet.  As a little experiment, I made one in white, too.  The two pieces look very different, even though the pattern is the same.  What a difference color makes!

And now for the big announcement!  The winner of this kit & the eClass to go along with it (insert drum roll here)...

And the winner is:  Crystal Thain!!!  Congratulations, Crystal!  If you didn't win this kit and class, don't despair!  I have more kits listed in my Etsy shop and the eClass is available at CraftArtEdu.com.

Bead Hoarders Blog Hop Reveal

July 19, 2013, 10:00 pm

≫ Next: Knotting Along

≪ Previous: My Favorite Color in Micro Macrame and Giveaway Winner!

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This is just one of the little boxes of treasures I keep tucked away.  I love beads and pendants and buttons and all things jewelry.  Add handmade into the mix and I'm all over it!  I am collecting pieces at a rate that exceeds my use of said pieces, which technically, I suppose, does make me a Bead Hoarder.  But just look at all that yumminess!  Can you name the artists?  I see a piece by Duane and Sheri and Shelley and Marla and Diana and and and....  that's about the point where my mind goes into overload.

Lori Anderson of Pretty Things, the hostess-with-the-mostest who puts on the Bead Soup Blog Hops, is hosting a blog hop today especially for people with my kind of affliction:  the Bead Hoarders Blog Hop.  Her challenge is to USE some of those precious pieces we've been hoarding.

In preparation for this hop, I got out my boxes and went through them, trying to decide which pieces to use.  I have to admit, it was like trying to decide which of your children to kick out of the house.  In the middle of winter.  With no shoes.  I love all my little treasures.  I want to have them and hold them and take them out from time to time and pet them.  Maybe nuzzle them a little.  They're like my little friends.

I did do a little practice warm up.  I used a ceramic clasp by Shelley Graham, some round polymer clay beads by Marlene Cupo, a little beach hut by Lennis Carrier, a polymer turtle bead by Ke Robinson and a lampwork oval by Mitosis Glass.  I put them all together in one absolutely fabulous micro macrame wrap bracelet. 

I love it and it hardly hurt at all.  Well, maybe a little, but I did it.  I was stoked.  I decided I would make several bracelets and use lots of beads from my stash.  But when it came right down to it, I just couldn't do it.  It seemed so wasteful!  I couldn't just squander such beautiful beads on a project that wasn't the perfect project for them!  It just wouldn't be fair to the beads.  I did, however, manage to part with a few more:

I experimented a little and used a small pendant on another micro macrame wrap bracelet.  It's kind of funky and I like it.  It and the matching rounds are Jera Luna pieces.  I added an enameled bead by Sonya Ingersoll-Stille and two African ceramic beads - one Kazuri and the other from Work of Our Hands.  I knotted in a couple of random turtles and a starfish and then the hardest piece of all to use:  one of my ancient Roman glass pieces as a clasp.  

I did it, but I think I may need some follow up therapy.  It was probably good for me, though, and now I have an excuse to buy MORE beads to fill in those holes!  Right?!

Be sure to visit the the rest of the participants and our gracious hostess, Lori!

 1.  Lori Anderson, Pretty Things
2. Nancy Dale, NEDBeads
3. Roxanne Mendoza, Roxi Designs
4.  Melissa Trudinger, beadrecipes
5.  Rana Lea, Rana Lea Designs
6.  Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
7.  Rita Avila, Jewel School Friends
8.  Linda Anderson, From the Bead Board
9.  Sharon Palac, Sharon's Jewelry Garden
10.  Erin Guest, Renlish


11.  Joan Williams, lilruby jewelry
12. Diane Hawkey, Diane Hawkey
13.  Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
14.  Sue Kennedy, SueBeads
15.  Lisa Cone, Inspired Adornments
16.  Kari Asbury, Hippie Chick Design
17.  Nichole Byers, Nichole Byers
18.  Lori Jean Poppe, Adventures in Creativity
19.  Linda Landig, Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings
20.  Lori Schneider, Bead Addict


21.  Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me
22. Cece Cormier, The Beading Yogini
23.  Niki Sayers, Silver Nik Nats
24.  Elsie Deliz-Fonseca, Eliz-Eliz and All That Craft
25.  Amber Dawn, Inventive Soul
26.  Heather Powers, Humblebeads
27.  Sarah Goode, Pookledo
28.  Monique Urquhart, A Half-Baked Notion
29.  JJ Jacobs, Coming Abstractions
30.  Cheri Reed, Creative Designs by Cheri


31.  Robyn, Museiddity
32.  Catherine King, Catherine's Musings
33.  Jacquie, Bead Gypsy
34.  Janet McDonald, Singing Woods
35. Kay Thomerson, Kayz Kreations
36.  Tanty Sri Hartanti, TJewellicious by Tanti
37.  Hannah Rosner, Good River Valley
38.  Rochelle Brisson, A Creative Chelle
39.  Nelly May, Smelly Nelly
40.  Skylar Bre'z, Brising Beads


41.  Beti Horvath, Stringing Fool
42.  Christie Murrow, Charis Designs
43.  Leanne Loftus, First Impression Design
44.  Valerie Norton, Hot Art
45.  Judy Riggs, Rigglettes
46.  Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons
47.  Terry Carter,  Tapping Flamingo
48.  Sue, Mid-Life Great Expectations
49.  Nan Smith, Wired Nan
50.  Miranda Ackerley, MirandAck Arts


51.  Marie Covert, Creating Interest
52.  D'Arsie Manzella, This Here Now, Mamacita
53.  Stephanie Haussler, Pixybug Designs
54.  Lori Bergmann, Lori Bergmann Design
55.  Johanna Nunez, The Lovely One Design
56.  Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
57.  Becky Pancake, Becky Pancake Bead Designs
58.  Alicia Marinache, All the Pretty Things
59.  Debbie Rasmussen, A Little of This, A Little of That
60.  Nat, Grubbi Ceramics


61.  Marjorie Savill Linthwaite, Bennu Bird Rising
62.  Cheryl McCloud, One Thing Leads to Another
63.  Heather Otto, The Crafthopper
64.  Candida Castleberry, Spun Sugar Beadworks
65.  Tracie Dean, Dean Designs
66.  JuLee Wolfe, The Polymer Penguin
67.  Ginger Bishop, Lil Mummy Likes
68.  Karen Mitchell, Over the Moon Design
69.  Jeannie Dukic, Jeannie's Blog
70.  Dini Bruinsma, Angaza by Changes


71.  Birgitta Lejonklou, Create With Spirit
72.  Shalini Austin, Jewellery by Shalini
73.  Jayne Capps, Mama's Got to Doodle
74.  Ile Ruzza, Ilenia's Unique Beaded Jewelry
75.  Jackie Marchant, Fiddledeedee Jewelry
76.  Annita Wilson, AW Jewelry 
77.  Sherri Stokey, Knot Just Macrame
78.  Hannah Trost, PZ Designs
79.  Linda Inhelder, Must Haves Jewelry
80.  Miri Agassi, Beadwork


81.  Hope Smitherman, Crafty Hope
82.  Dyanne Cantrell, Dee-Liteful Jewelry Creations
83.  Susan Bowie, Susan Nelson Bowie
84.  Megan Milliken, MaeMaeMills
85.  Menka Gupta, Menka's Jewelry
86.  Ambra Gostoli, Chic and Frog
87.  Lori Lochner, Bloghner
88.  Gerda Jurimae, Gerda's Crafts Blog
89.  Susan, Mistheword
90.  MaryLou Holvenstot, MaryLou's time2cre8


91.  Mary Shannon Hicks, falling into the sky
92.  Karin King, The Sparklie Things Blog
93.  Christa Murphy, Adventures of One Beady Woman
94.  Jenny Davie-Reazor, Jenny Davies-Reazor
95.  Donetta Farrington, Simply Gorgeous
96.  Mallory Hoffman, Rosebud 101 - For the Love of Beads
97.  Danielle Kelley, Imbue the Muse
98.  Kym Hunter, Kym Hunter Designs
99.  Dolores Rami, CraftyD's Creations
100.  Marcia Dunne, 13 Alternatives


101.  Marlene Cupo, Amazing Designs
102.  Emma Todd, A Polymer Penchant
103.  Wendy Holder, Jewelry by WendyLea
104.  Michelle Escano, The Cabby Crafter
105.  Louise Glazier, Lily and Jasmine Treasures
106.  Dana Hickey, Wind Dancer Studios
107.  Lennis Carter, windbent
108.  Anne Betenson, Crystal River Beads
109.  Audrey Belanger,  Dreams of an Absolution
110.  Lisa Stukel, Carefree Jewelry by Lisa


111.  Janine Lucas, Travel Stories
112.  Claire Lockwood, Something to Do With Your Hands
113.  Kathy Engstrom, Catherine's Dreams
114.  Paula Hisel, Simply Beadiful
115.  Karla Morgan, Texas Pepper Jams
116.  Mischelle Fanucchi, Micheladas Musings
117.  Kim, Cianci Blue
118.  Linda Sadler, Ida Louise Jewelry
119.  Karen, Spokalulu
120.  Jennifer LaVite, Dry Gulch Bead and Jewelry


121.  Andrea Glick-Zenith, ZenithJade Creations
122.  Karen Martinez, Fairies Market
123.  Robin Reed, Artistry HCBD
124.  Amy Bright, LABweorc
125.  Jasvanti Patel, Jewels by Jasvanti
126.  Tammie Everly, TTE Designs
127.  Karin Slaton, Backstory Beads
128.  Natalie Moten, Running Out of Thread
129.  Sharyl McMillian-Nelson, Sharyl's Jewelry & Reflections
130.  Jenny Kyrlach, Wonder and Whimsy


131.  LiliKrist, Handmade by LilK
132.  Jessica Klaaren, The Truth Space
133.  Cynthia Abner, Created Treasures
134.  Beth Emery, Stories by Indigo Heart
135.  Heather Davis, Blissful Garden Beads
136.  Jeanne, Gems by Jeanne Marie
137.  Sandi Volpe, Sandi Volpe
138.  Laren Dee Barton, Laren Dee Designs
139.  Steph, Confessions of a Bead Hoarder
140.  Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations


141.  B. R. Kuhlman, Mixed Mayhem
142.  Patty Miller, Cabari Beads
143.  Elizabeth Bunn, Elizabeth Beads
144.  Marianna Boylan, Pretty Shiny Things
145.  Lizzie Clarke, The Need to Bead
146.  Christina Miles, Wings 'n' Scales
147.  Patricia, The Color of Dreams
148.  Marde Lowe, Fancimar
149.  Ev Shelby, Raindrop Creations
150.  Sarah Small, By Salla


151.  Perri Jackson, Shaktipaj Designs
152.  Laurie Vyselaar, Lefthand Jewelry
153.  Pam Traub, Klassy Joolz
154.  Lisa Harrison, Daisy Meadow Studio
155.  Anzia Parks, Anzi-Panzi's Work Shoppe
156.  Ingrid, Lilisgems Handcrafted Jewelry Inspirations
157.  Andra Weber, Andra's Joyful Journey
158.  Kelly Hosford Patterson, The Traveling Side Show
159.  Adlinah Kamsir, Dreamstruck Designs
160.  Marci, That Nothing Be Wasted


161.  Kris Lanae Binsfield,  Cherish Designs
162.  Stephanie Perry, Mustard Bead
163.  Birgit Klughardt, Gites Beads
164.  Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
165.  Rebecca Sirevaag, Becca's Place
166.  Sandy Markley, Gypsy Spirit Designs
167.  Elena Adams, Lena's Beady Blog

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Knotting Along

July 30, 2013, 3:04 pm

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I've been busy making micro macrame pieces, in between putting together kits to go along with my tutorials, and writing a new tutorial.  I juggle that with working full time (okay, I take as much time off as I can manage!) and taking care of my family.  My kids are mostly grown - my son is going to turn 21 this weekend and my daughter is 17 - but now we have this little critter to chase around:

Life is full, and life is good.  I always hope that joy and contentment comes through in my jewelry pieces somehow.  I think maybe it does, especially when I work with colors that make me happy.

Just LOOK at those colors - how could that not make you happy?

I'm working on a new piece today.  And guess what color is in it!

I am a bit predictable sometimes, aren't I?

Year of Jewelry Project, Week 31 - At The Beach

August 4, 2013, 5:34 pm

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The theme for this week in the Year of Jewelry Project was right up my alley - At The Beach!  That has Sherri written all over it.  And as if that weren't motivation enough, a customer sent me this sea star palette (by Design Seeds) and asked if I could make her a bracelet in those colors.  Boy howdy!  I started by pulling cord and beads from my stash.  I had a pretty good matching selection of cord, a ton of seed beads and several fun things.  Those pale green beads are vintage (pre-WWII) Japanese.  The glass flower headpin is by Amy Sutton, the owl and the round pendant next to it is by my friend Shelley Graham of Tori Sophia, and the fabulous seahorse and fish ceramics are by Sheri Mallery of Slingin' Mud.  I told you this palette played right into my hand.

I started out using the colors in a pattern of deep waves.  I do love the way the orange color makes everything else pop.  But the waves got me thinking... and I decided to try something different.  I used a wave pattern, but in cord colors graduating from the deepest teal up through the soft greenish color and then into the sandy tan.  When I added beads, I kept them random, again mimicking the colors of deeper water with highlights up through the foamy green and into the sand.  

And for the finishing touch, I added a little orange howlite sea star bead on the chain.

I had such fun with this palette.  I'm keeping this bead and cord out and I hope to make more pieces in these colors and hopefully incorporate one of the artist's beads.  I'll keep you posted.  But for now, I'm putting a done stamp on Year of Jewelry Week 31 - nailed it!

Micro Macrame Tutorials and Classes - Where the Heck Do I Start?!

August 9, 2013, 8:47 am

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Every one of these bracelets is made using the knotting technique referred to as micro macrame (or sometimes beaded macrame).  Want to learn how to do this yourself?   You've might heard by now that I am offering tutorials and eClasses for micro macrame (yes, okay, finally!).  But now you're probably wondering which class is the best fit for you?  Let's see if I can shed a little light on the matter.

If you're new to micro macrame, the first thing you might want to do is check out this free eClass at CraftArtEdu.com - Micro Macrame 101.  It covers a few of the basics like what tools and materials you will need, some alternatives for pinning surfaces and an overview on cords.  Handy, basic information.

If you're ready to start knotting, I'd suggest either the Braids tutorial on Etsy or the Micro Macrame Wrap Bracelet eClass on CraftArtEdu.com.  Both are geared toward beginners.  The Braids bracelet uses just a couple of knots, while the Wrap walks you through learning five different knots.  I've included loads of photos in each of them.  I'm really proud of the Wrap pattern because I feel like it's a really fun way to learn your knots and it has loads of potential for personalization.

The Hydreangeas Bracelet and Earrings eClass is just one step up in difficulty.  It uses more cords and more beads, but I've included some video clips as well as all of the photographs to help you.  If you don't need quite as much instruction as that, the Hydrangeas .pdf might be perfect for you.  The Leaves .pdf falls somewhere in this same area.  It only uses a couple of knots, but you'll need to know how to do them in order to follow the tutorial.

The last pattern I have right now is the ZigZag bracelet.  It was the first tutorial I made, but you'll notice I've put it last in my list.  The instructions on this one are not quite as clear as I'd like for beginners .  I've definitely improved with successive tutorials.  I haven't removed it from sale, though, because it is a great design and if you are familiar with micro macrame, you should be able to follow it without much problem.  One of these days I'll get around to rewriting it and expanding on it because it is fun and I've done quite a few variations on it like this;

Hopefully that will clear up any confusion on where you should start.  Give it a try!  I think you'll be surprised at what you can do.  Oh, and just to make it a little bit easier for you, I've got kits for most of the tutorials available in my Etsy shop with the cord, beads and findings all together for you.  Just call me The Enabler.

Summer Vacation Swap

August 12, 2013, 3:41 pm

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Are you wondering what this photo is all about?  Well, one of the groups to which I belong was having a finished item swap I just couldn't resist - the theme was Summer Vacation.  And the twist was that after partners were assigned, we revealed where our favorite vacation spot is or dream vacation spot would be.  Then we were to make a piece of finished jewelry for our partner based on their destination and find little gifts and/or treats to go along with it.

My partner was Lennis Carrier of Windbent.  If her name sounds familiar to you, it's because I LOVE her stuff.  Remember those little beach hut beads?  (Jog your memory here if you don't.)  Lennis made those.  She also made the little penguin bead here.  Suffice it to say, I'm a fan. 

Lennis said her dream vacation would be a trip to Germany.  I've never been to Germany, either, so I did a lot of research.  From what I could find, Germany appears to be a very modern country with very old roots.  The countryside is beautiful and you can have your pick of weather, depending on your location.  Germany has been called"the land of poets and thinkers" and has played a major part in the development of Western culture.  Some of the most well known classical composers were German, including Beethoven and Bach.  There's just a wealth of things to see and do there:  museums, zoos, castles, parks....  How to narrow that down?  Oh, are you still wondering about that first photo?  Well, hold on to that thought - we'll get there!

Lennis likes old things, so I decided I'd make her "vacation" center around that.  We'd start at the Imperial Baths of Trier, the ruins of a Roman public bath complex constructed in the fourth century AD.  Holy cow, people!  That's cool.  Yep, old naked Romans hung out here.  I think it's amazingly awesome (the fact that it still remains, not the naked Roman butts thing).  When I see places like this it makes me think of what it must have been like for the people who frequented the place.  What sort of lives did they lead?  Did they have families?  Were they happy?  What did the eat for meals?  How did they fill their days?  When they invent a time travel machine, I'm going back, folks.  I have no desire to know what the future holds, but I'd dearly love to peek in on our ancestors.

Ever wonder where Walt Disney came up with the design for Cinderella's castle?  The iconic castle we Americans picture when someone mentions the word castle?  That would be Neuschwanstein Castle.  Have a look:

Oh.  Em. Gee.  Now that's incredible.  Breathtakingly beautiful.  (Oh, and if you're wondering where I got these amazing photos, I found them at Wikipedia Commons and they are all public domain.)  Just makes you want to bring your suitcase and stay forever, doesn't it?

The Altes Museum and would also be on my Lennis' itinerary.  Sadly, the original museum was destroyed during WWII, but it has since been rebuilt.  The Altes is home to the Ancient Worlds: Greeks, Etruscans and Romans Exhibit, which sounds fantastic.  Here's a snippet:  " Right from the outset, the visitor's gaze is drawn towards the next rooms containing archaic temples and tomb monuments dating from the 6th century BCE, in the form of a 'Holy Way' that leads to the colossal kouros of Didyma, where the colourful 'Berlin Goddess' can also be seen looking the 'Sabouroff Head' straight in the eye."  See what I mean?  I would dearly love to be able to see that - I mean, I'm sure Lennis would love to see that!

And the Neues Museum is right next to the Altes - connected via a tunnel, if I read correctly.  Now, Lennis' dream vacation is Germany, but I've always wanted to go to Egypt.  Clear back to my childhood when I'd pore over the National Geographic magazines and dream of pyramids....  And the Neues Museum just happens to have an amazing collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including this iconic bust of Nefertiti:

 I also think Lennis might like poking around in dusty old antique shops in Germany.  I spent some time doing a little "virtual" antiquing and came up with some fun gifts for her.

This button is from the Kingdom of Prussia, which existed from 1701-1918, and has a Kingdom of Prussia coat of arms on it.   I just love the crusty patina.  This next button is even better - you can tell it has spent some time underground because it's really crusty.  It is an Imperial German Navy button and comes from the period between 1871 and 1919.

I also picked up with picture postcard just because I thought it was cool. 

  I sure wish I could read it!

And for Lennis' finished jewelry piece, I chose to make a micro macrame bracelet based on a palette I made from an old photo I found when I was researching - a girl from the Black Forest dated between 1890 and 1905.  AHA, you say!  THERE'S the tie in for that first photo! Something about this picture spoke to me.  I used Paint Shop to pull a palette of softly muted, misty colors.

And then used those colors in this micro macrame bracelet.



I hope Lennis likes it.  I hope she likes everything, actually!  And I hope it will hold her until she actually gets to make a trip to see Germany for herself.

Summer Vacation Swap - Part II

August 21, 2013, 8:38 am

≫ Next: Valentine, Nebraska: Heart of the Sandhills

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Remember my last post when I told you about a Summer Vacation Swap I did (if not, you can see it here).  Well, I got the package from my partner, Lennis Carrier of Windbent, and she did GOOD!  What a fun swap!

Anybody who knows me could probably tell you my dream vacation, my "trip of a lifetime" would be to go to Egypt.  I've wanted to go there since I was a little girl, looking through the pages of National Geographic.  Two years ago I ALMOST got to go.  I'd spent hours and hours figuring out how to fit the most into our limited budget and had an itinerary all planned.  We had tickets purchased (and trip insurance, thank goodness).  About a month before we were scheduled to leave, rioting broke out in Cairo.  We had to cancel the trip.  I was really bummed, and truth be told, I'm still kind of pouty about it.  If you have a couple minutes to waste and you want a chuckle, check this out - it's my photo montage of how I ALMOST got to go to Egypt.  But, I digress.  Back to the story at hand.

Lennis found this cool little vintage camel for me.  I should have taken a picture of the bottom - there's a marking (in Arabic?).  He's a very cool character with loads of attitude.  I approve.  And Lennis has a good sense of humor as evidenced by the "Blue Nile" soap.  It made the whole package smell nice!

Lennis made a necklace, ring and earring set for me, using a little bit of everything to achieve this funky, eclectic feel.  I love it.  She blended new pieces with vintage and used bone, glass, stone, ceramic, lampwork and wood.  The round painted wood bead is from Zambia, as are the recycled glass beads.  Each little piece is just a treasure in itself.  Did you spot the little scarab in there?

She also included a little booty bag with some metal pendants , lucite beads and glass scarabs.  And vintage postcards!  A whole set with really cool pictures:

And my most favorite of all?  My very own shabti, handcrafted by Ms. Lennis herself.    Shabti were figures placed in tombs in ancient Egypt to do manual labor for the deceased.  The "instruction manual" for them is the Egyptian Book of the Dead - which, by the way, isn't really a book, no matter what they show  in the mummy movies.  It isn't really even one thing.  It's more of a series of ancient texts and spells that were painted on objects like walls and sarcophagi and sometimes even papyrus.  I think the real thing is so much more interesting:

I had hoped to get to see pieces like that one on my trip of a lifetime and I am saddened to think of such amazing ancient pieces being looted and destroyed.  I saw a news story recently of people burning mummies and smashing statues.  Irreplaceable objects gone after having survived for millennea.

Back to the here and now, though.  Check out the shabti Lennis made for me:

You don't have a shabti?  Too bad for you!  These little guys will do your dirty work in the afterlife.  I'm thinking one isn't going to be enough for me, so this might just have to be the first of many.

Valentine, Nebraska: Heart of the Sandhills

August 30, 2013, 10:05 pm

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Ms. Erin of Tesori Trovati is hosting her 2nd Annual Challenge of Travel today and I'm insanely excited about the whole thing.  Last year we were assigned countries, and I had a ton of fun learning about and being inspired by Senegal (read about it here).  This year's theme is "Staycation" and we were encouraged to explore our own hometowns.  I live in North Platte, Nebraska and have for over 25 years now, but it still isn't what I think of as my hometown.  My heart will always belong to Valentine, Nebraska (see what I did there?).  I was born and raised in Valentine, spent my formative years there.  It's where I met and married my husband.  I still have family there and have spent time showing my children all my favorite places.  Today, I'd like to share "my" Valentine with you!  (Many, many thanks to my "niece",  Audrey Bellew, for taking these photos for me.)

As can be expected of a town named Valentine (named for Congressman E. K. Valentine, by the way), the heart theme comes up a lot.  People from all of the world have sent their Valentine's Day cards to Valentine to have them postmarked from Valentine before being sent on their way to loved ones.  February 14th is a big deal (check out this post if you want to see my humiliating photo of my teenage self dressed as a tree and find out how that relates to Valentine's Day!).  But that's only a small part of Valentine's appeal.

The town is tucked in the middle of the Nebraska Sandhills and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery you could ask for.  The area is full of rolling hills and canyons.  The Niobrara River and the Minnechaduza Creek wind through the area.  A good sized lake, Merritt Reservoir, is just 30 miles from town and formed by a dam on yet another river, the Snake.  There are natural springs and waterfalls all over the place.  Not what you think of when you think "Sandhills", is it?  I spent a lot of time around water growing up.  As a mater of fact, my father worked for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and we lived in a house in the fish hatchery, located in a valley a mile outside of town.

See that white house behind the pond?  That was our house. If you get to Valentine, you'll want to take a minute to drive through the hatchery.  The views are worth it.  And be sure to go to one of the local restaurants and order a steak.  You're in the heart of cattle country here and you can't get a bad steak.  Oh, and plan a day for tubing or canoeing the Niobrara - that's a MUST.  

My friends and I spent many a summer day floating the river on inner tubes in my teenage years.  Back then we had to borrow tubes and haul them ourselves, but now there are outfitters who will rent you what you need, get you there AND pick you up.  Sights like this are not uncommon:

If you want rapids, you have to go a bit further down the river, but the part closest to town is very tame.  It's calm and relaxing and very scenic.  As proof of its safety, I offer this photo of my 79-year-old grandmother floating it with us a few years ago!

If you go, pack a cooler with lots of cold drinks and some sandwiches.  You won't believe how good a plain old white bread sandwich will taste on the river!

If you're looking for something to do between going down the river and going out for dinner (steaks, remember?), check out the old haunted schoolhouse (okay, I'll let you decide whether or not it's haunted).  Built in 1897, this building was used as an elementary school and was later used as part of the high school.  I went to high school there way back when.  It was strange, with stairs only about 3" high (made for little tiny folks, apparently) and water fountains only a couple of feet off the floor.  It was also notoriously cold or hot (depending on where your room was located and the time of the year).  And the best part is the memory of the bat flying through our Geometry room during class once.  True story.  

A new school has since been built and this building is now home to the Centennial Hall Museum.  Yes, the oldest standing high school in Nebraska, where I went (groan), is now a museum.  I'm pretty sure you qualify for geezerhood when your school is now a museum, but moving right along....  The building is rumored to be haunted and several paranormal investigations have been done there. Go check it out and be sure to come back and tell me if you experience anything other-worldly!

So, let's see... scenic drives, river trips, steaks, haunted high school... that ought to keep you busy for a while.  Oh, and the Wildlife Refuge is very cool - you can see buffalo grazing on the prairie!   If you still have time, go for a hike, check out a waterfall, go fishing or check out the quaint downtown area with hearts stenciled on the sidewalks.

After much deliberation (read "procrastinating"),  I decided to take my inspiration from the heart symbol.  (Another insider tip:  be sure to drive north on Main Street after dark and go clear to the end where you can see the lit heart up on the hill across from the city park.)  I haven't tried actually knotting a heart before and I really wanted to knot it, not just use a heart shaped bead or pendant, so I started playing around with the idea.

 

My first attempt was pretty rough, but it did help me figure out a few things.  My second attempt was much better, I think.

As you can see, I kept the double heart design, but modified the center portion a bit and tidied up the knot work.  I switched to a red cord appropriate for the theme and added some beads into the mix.

This piece is far from my comfort zone, but I think it fits the Heart City perfectly.  I hope you'll take some time and visit the others involved in this challenge - I know I will!  (Find the list here.)  And if you'd like to read more about my version of Mayberry, check out this post.   Thanks for stopping by!!

Necklaces in Micro Macrame

September 6, 2013, 7:05 pm

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I spent some time the last few days working on necklaces.  This piece started out as just a little bit of a doodle:

Then it ended up being a necklace.  I rather like it - it's fun to step outside my comfort zone now and again and just play around.  Let the knots fall where they will.  I do have to admit to being a perfectionist at heart, though, and asymmetry is hard for me.  Even the random placement of beads in my multiple strand bracelets takes effort!  Yes, I have to plan out my random!  

I am hard at work, though.  And I am working on a CraftArtEdu.com eClass for this necklace design.  It's going to be a fabulous class, so stay tuned!  

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Fall is in The Air

September 16, 2013, 4:18 pm

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Okay, so I haven't been blogging much lately, but that doesn't mean I'm not making jewelry.  As much as I hate to see summer leave, I do love fall and I've been on a kick making jewelry with a fall vibe.  The first piece I made was a bracelet using traditional autumn colors:  orange, brown and white.

I love this bracelet, even if these aren't the colors I usually favor.  Me being me, though, I had to play with the colors a bit.  I added an unexpected pop of teal to the mix and did fall colors my way.

Now this one, I love!  Everything is basically the same in this second bracelet, except for the addition of the teal.  I can't believe what a difference it makes and how the piece now pops!

Then I went to a bead show and picked up some pieces from Star Spirit Studio (more on the bead show later!).  

I obviously adore her pieces and I couldn't wait to make something.  I used one of the raku leaves to make this necklace.

How's that for a beautiful piece!?  I love the colors in the leaf pendant and I wanted to accent it without overpowering it.  I used a spiral pattern of knotting to make a cord and added just a few rows of seed beads in the front.  Not too much color, but just enough, I think to bring out the colors in the leaf.  

I've still got lots of new things from the bead show to play with, and don't worry, I have pictures to share with you.  Stay tuned!

My Bead Show Finds

September 22, 2013, 5:22 pm

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I finally got to attend a bead show a week ago and it was AMAZING!  I had such fun looking through all the wonderful pieces and meeting some of the artists I'd only previously met online!  I promised I'd show you my loot, so without further ado... the pieces above are from Sue Laupp of Star Spirit Studios.  As you can probably guess from my purchases, I fell in love with her raku.  I also picked up several pair of copper ear wires and some really fun buttons that look like cave art.  

I have Stephanie Haussler of Pixybug Designs to thank for getting me to actually GO to the show.  I'm such a homebody and inertia really gets to me sometimes (LOL) but Stephanie invited me AND sent periodic reminders and I am really, really glad she did.  Stephanie does beautiful beadwork and her husband, Chris, makes fantastic lampwork beads.  I couldn't help myself...

I don't know which I like more - the skull with the flower or the bat.  And the buttons will be featured on multi-strand necklaces, I'm thinking.  It was really hard to choose a few to buy and leave all those others behind...

Rachel Pozehl of Two Dog Pond was such a nice lady.  We had a nice chat and I left with a few of her soldered pendants and some ceramic hands.  One can never have too many ceramic hands.

I'd wanted to meet Darcy Horn of The Jade Dog since I participated in one of her Design Challenge last fall (you can read all about that here).   She was just as nice as I imagined and I left with some fun beads and clasps from her booth.  I also bought some sparkly beads and some African Trade Beads from Julie's Xpressions.

Boy, this is getting kind of long, isn't it.  I told you I had fun!  I can't leave without showing you the lampwork set I got from Jodie Marshall!

I'm not finished with it yet, but I'm already working on a necklace with Jodie's beads.

And last, but not least, I got these cool clasps from Dan Starkey of  Ayla's Originals.

See - I wasn't kidding when I said I had a really good time!  Many thanks to Stephanie and to all the vendors there for putting on such a great show.  

It's an Owl Thing

September 28, 2013, 6:49 pm

≫ Next: Five Generations of Family

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Let's face it:  it's not a macrame party until somebody busts out an owl.  Preferably in various colors.

I just thought these little fellas were so cute, I couldn't stop...

Five Generations of Family

October 5, 2013, 9:01 pm

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We are really lucky to have five generations of family, all the way from my grandmother down to my grandson, Carter.  We were finally able to get all of the five of us together in one place today and we tried really hard to get a good photo.  Easier said than done when you're working with a group of five people and nearly impossible when one of the five is a 9-month-old!

In the picture above, my son, Nick, is on the left.  And the dangly little critter there is his son, Carter.  That's me in the center.  My mother, Sharon and her mother, Blanche are on the right.  My grandmother is 88 years old and it meant the world to her to get to hold her great great grandson.

Cater and his great great grandmother

We tried a LOT of times to get just ONE good photo of all of us, and I don't think you can say we got one.  We did get some entertaining ones, though.  

Carter and his great grandmother

My grandson and I

Carter and his great grandfather

Today was a day overflowing with love and joy.  Life is good indeed.

More Micro Macrame Classes

October 8, 2013, 5:21 pm

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I've been so busy working on new classes, I think I forgot to tell you I added one!  The new necklace class is available at CraftArtEdu.  In this class, I've combined videos and still photos to help you through learning how to knot a multi-strand micro macrame necklace using nylon cord, beads and a button clasp meant to be worn in the front.  It has loads of possibility for customization.  You cold make it with a great Czech glass button and fun Czech beads.  Or how about a mother-of-pearl button with handmade polymer clay beads?  Or a Southwest theme with a thunderbird button and beads in turquoise and coral colors tied up with a sandy brown cord?

If a necklace doesn't appeal to you, I also have a micro macrame wrap bracelet class and a lacy and intricate bracelet and earrings class there.  And don't forget the free Micro Macrame 101 class with good, basic information on knotting surface, tools and equipment and cord.

This week CraftArtEdu is offering 20% off all of my classes.  You don't need a coupon code and the sale is good through Friday, October 11, 2013.  When you buy one of their classes, it's yours forever and you can watch it as many times as you like.  There is a handout with each class that you can print out if you like to follow along that way.  AND they guarantee you will like your classes or they will give you your money back.  What's not to love?  

I'm working on a class for a bracelet watch next.  I'll leave you with a sneak peek: