Grandma Weekends

May 26, 2014, 3:04 pm

≫ Next: Blu Mudd Design Challenge #4

≪ Previous: If At First You Don't Succeed

$

0

0

I love being Grandma; it is so much more than I ever could have imagined!  The little guy and I went out barefoot after a rain this weekend and splashed in puddles.  When we went back in the house, I noticed the little trail of footprints we were leaving and grabbed my camera to go back out and snap this photo.  It makes my heart happy.  

So does this:

And this:

I will confess that I don't get much macrame done when he's around.  I can't imagine the mayhem he would unleash with cord and beads.  Then again, who wants to play with that stuff when you could be playing with him.  After he went home yesterday, I did manage to get a necklace made.  It's not as cute as him, but I'm going to show it to you anyway:

I've been messing with that new knotting pattern that sort of reminds me of ivy.  For this necklace, I added a ceramic pendant and matching beads that I picked up in a little shop up in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.  I also put in a couple of glass beads in a minty green that seemed to make the perfect transition between the brown ceramic and the soft knot work.

Tomorrow I have to go back to work, and even though it will be Tuesday, it will feel like a Monday.  *sigh*  We are unimpressed.

---

Blu Mudd Design Challenge #4

June 1, 2014, 6:32 am

≫ Next: Creativity

≪ Previous: Grandma Weekends

$

0

0

Today is the big reveal for the Blu Mudd Design Contest and boy, are you in for a treat!  Mohiah Betterly, the creative genius behind Blu Mudd's beautiful ceramics, decided to run this challenge a little differently.  She made up 30 kits with the same ceramic components - a square pendant with a bird on a branch, a flower toggle clasp, and 4 cylinder beads - and put them out for designers.  The rules were fairly simple and pretty much just required that all of the pieces be used.  Alrighty, then!!  Game ON.  I pulled out some beads and cord 'cause that's how I roll.

With 30 designers all working with the same pieces, the trick was going to be doing something different.  I had an idea in my head of some sort of macrame pattern to mimic leafy vines, so I sat down to try to do that.  Uh, huh.  Easier said than done.  You can read about some of my trials and tribulations here when you get a minute, but for now, I'll just show you the first design I did.

Hmmm... yep, I get leafy vine from that.  I thought if I just tweaked the colors, I could make it work, so I knotted up a whole bunch of this:

And then I discovered that this design just wasn't substantial enough for the ceramic cylinder beads.  I did make a lovely necklace with these pieces you can read about here.  By now the month I had to design a piece had flown by and I was left sitting here with only 4 days left and no design.  I still wanted to use the the concept of connecting leaves, but they needed to be bigger, so I took the same pattern and figured out how to make it look like this:

This pattern was a better size for the beads and finally, I was onto something.  I wanted to make the macrame go up and around the neck and use the toggle clasp in the front in an asymmetric design, which meant I just needed to use the 4 cylinder beads somewhere.  And I faltered.  Really??!  All that and I get stuck on the cylinder beads?  Turns out that 4 is a hard number for me.  I do 1 and I do 3, but I don't do 4.  I tried using one in the necklace and using the other three in a bracelet.  I actually made the bracelet using cord to tie it in a simple design and then using the same cord to finish off my necklace (sorry, I cut it apart without getting photos) and I hated it.  

You know that easy knotted style that's so popular?  You'd think with all the knotting I do that would be a piece of cake for me, right?  Wrong.  And you know what trips me up?  The ends.  I'm a perfectionist and I keep wanting to tidy everything up and those knotted ends just drive me insane! They look so perfect when someone else does it, but I cannot do it!  So....  After cutting all that apart, I decided to go back to one piece and use the four beads come hell or high water.  The clock was ticking.  I drug out my wire intending to do some wrapped loops and attach the components and I ran into another snag.  My necklace was already fairly long and making wrapped loops and connecting all the pieces was going to add even more length.  Good lord.  And then it hit me:  stringing!  

I did some simple stringing to connect the ceramic cylinders, Czech glass flowers and a few random brass beads to the macrame section and the focal and toggle.  Done!  With a whole day to spare :)  The length and the soft colors made it a bugger to photograph, but I'm still really happy with it.

And there you have it - The Saga of the Ceramics, The Vexation of the Vines.  Now comes the fun part!  Head on over to the Blu Mudd facebook page where Moriah has set up an album with all of the designs.  Check out what everyone made using those same components and vote for your favorite (the rules for voting are there are the top of her album).  She will tally up the votes on June 7th and one lucky designer will win a credit to her store to get more of her lovely ceramics!!  I got a sneak peek at the pieces yesterday - you won't be disappointed!!  

Creativity

June 3, 2014, 3:03 pm

≫ Next: Micro Macrame in Summery Neon

≪ Previous: Blu Mudd Design Challenge #4

$

0

0

What happens when you give 28 designers the same set of Blu Mudd ceramic components and tell them to design something?  Click here to find out.

Micro Macrame in Summery Neon

June 9, 2014, 7:07 am

≫ Next: New Micro Macrame Tutorial: A Retro Owl Pendant

≪ Previous: Creativity

$

0

0

Neon is a fun trend this summer.  I've seen all kinds of new neon beads, and best of all - neon bead cord!  Both C-lon and Superlon have come out with neon cord in four colors and it's available in both the regular size (.5mm) and the heavier Tex 400.  

I chose the Tex400 and started playing around with the Micro Macrame Curves Tutorial.  For the bracelet shown above, I combined the neon yellow and neon green with aqua cord and I really like the result.  The brighter neon colors elevate the aqua to the point where it almost looks like neon also.  Then I combined neon orange with neon pink and ran a dark grey down the center to ground the colors a bit. Both of these bracelets scream summer!

I also experimented with adding just one neon element.  For this next one, I used grey and black and then just a pop of the neon yellow.

Thankfully my knotting ability is better than my photography skill - these really do look better in person.  In my defence, the neon cord is really bright!

For all you "do it yourselfers", if you'd like to try your hand at making your own neon macrame bracelets, you will find the tutorial and DIY kits for all three of these color combinations in my Etsy shop.

Viva la Summer!

New Micro Macrame Tutorial: A Retro Owl Pendant

June 11, 2014, 3:03 pm

≫ Next: How to Make an Easy Knotted Necklace

≪ Previous: Micro Macrame in Summery Neon

$

0

0

Yay!  Do the happy dance, folks (or maybe the Hustle would be more appropriate!), I finally finished a tutorial for the retro 1970's macrame owl pendant.  I've included a materials list and 64 photos in 23 pages of step by step instructions.

I don't include instructions for the actual knots in the tutorial, but you can find those all here on my blog.  Just to make sure I have them all covered, here's one to get you started.  The Square Knot:

There is a whole post on different ways to make the larks head knot here and the double half hitch is covered in this post.  And those three knots should get you through this tutorial.  

This isn't a hard pattern, but it does have a couple of more "advanced" maneuvers that might not be the best for someone who hadn't ever tried micro macrame.  If you fall into that category, you might want to start with something a little easier like the Micro Macrame Braids Bracelet.  And don't forget, there's a free class at CraftArtEdu.com that covers the basics like tools and materials, as well as a whole selection of classes for you including bracelets, earrings, a watch and a necklace!

But back to the owls.  Aren't they adorable?  That's a whole rainbow of them up there!

Once you finish your pendant, you can add it to any kind of necklace you prefer.  I could see these on a simple chain, or a knotted macrame spiral cord.  Or, you could take some matching cord and a handful of assorted beads and make something like this:

If you haven't tried micro macrame yet, what are you waiting for?

How to Make an Easy Knotted Necklace

June 16, 2014, 8:07 am

≫ Next: Macrame Owls and Bulahan Beads: A Match Made in Heaven

≪ Previous: New Micro Macrame Tutorial: A Retro Owl Pendant

$

0

0

I might as well admit it - I'm a hippie at heart.  Not the kind that doesn't shave her underarms and showers infrequently, thank you very much, but the kind that appreciates a macrame owl and peace sign necklace.  Case in point:  this necklace.  I knotted the micro macrame owl in olive green cord with Tagua nut coin beads for eyes (eco-friendly!) and then I added an eclectic selection of beads to the necklace. 

Note the groovy peace sign and the mod carved wood beads.  There are some unakite rounds in there, as well as glass, artisan lamp work, and even a little brass bird.  And the clasp has a heart on it because we hippies are all about brotherly (sisterly?) love.

I made this owl when I was fiddling with the Micro Macrame Owl Pendant Tutorial, so I thought I'd make up a necklace for him, too.  He's done in light sage green cord with Czech coin beads eyes and I added an eclectic assortment of beads including two by Barbara Bechtel of Second Surf, a Bali style bead, some jade ribbed tubes, a pre-WWI Japanese glass diamond, a vintage ceramic tube, Czech glass and more.

 

 

Want to make your own knotted necklace?  Once you have your owl pendant (tutorial is available here), it's really simple to make this type of necklace.  Here's how:  take a good length of cord (I start with probably 4 foot), fold it in half and attach it to the split ring on the owl using a larks head knot (or use an overhand knot if you prefer).  Add your chosen beads by sliding them onto one cord or both (usually depends on how large the hole in the bead is - sometimes only one will fit), and tie an overhand knot after each bead.  Mix it up a little - add two beads together here and there if you like.  No rules (you know how I hate rules!).  When you get the length you want, add the clasp of your choice, securing it with an overhand knot.  Super simple.  Add a dab of glue to the knot and trim the excess cord.  Leave a couple inches if you like.  You can also add a few random seed beads on the cord ends.  Repeat with another cord through the other split ring.  Done! 

 

 

And yes, you could make this style of knotted necklace without the macrame owl - but why?

Macrame Owls and Bulahan Beads: A Match Made in Heaven

June 22, 2014, 3:40 pm

≫ Next: A Walk on the Beach: My Micro Macrame Vacation

≪ Previous: How to Make an Easy Knotted Necklace

$

0

0

Antelope Beads is having a contest I just couldn't pass up.  Their challenge was simply to use at least three Bulahan Beads in a jewelry design.  Given the range of beads choose from, including different types of wood, seed, bone, horn & hoof, I thought it sounded pretty fun.  If you follow my ramblings at all, you probably know I've been on an owl jag here lately, so I thought to myself, "Sherri, why don't you try mixing the Bulahan beads with an owl design!" Sometimes I do that, you know - talk to myself, I mean.  Don't tell anybody.

I ordered a selection of fun beads to inspire me.  The flowers are Salwag seed, as are the round beads.  The ones with the white surface showing are Buri seed.  I decided to use the flower shaped ones for some owly eyes and then mix all of the shapes in the necklace strap.  For the owl, I used cord in  turquoise and teal as well as white and brown.

I used a few Czech glass beads and some crystals in with the natural beads for the necklace, then added a toggle clasp I made myself.  See those rings on the end of the strands in the photo of the beads?  I used one of them for the ring part of the clasp and made a toggle bar with a piece of wire.  (I'm feeling pretty clever about that one!)  I really like the way this necklace turned out, but I was afraid the busy owl sort of stole the attention away from the Bulahan beads, so I made a second necklace.

This one really pops!  The bright blue cord and glass beads really glow when paired with the natural browns of the seed beads and the solid color body seems to show off the knotting more.  He looks like he has on a knitted sweater, don't you think?

I think they are both fun necklaces!  I ended up submitting the solid blue one for the Bulahan Beads Design Contest since I think it shows off those beads a little more.  If you'd like to vote in the contest, Antelope Beads has a photo album here.  They're asking that you look through all of the designs in the album and pick your top three, then leave a comment here with the letters of your top three before midnight on Wednesday, June 25th.  If you share the album, you will have a chance at a $50 shopping spree at Antelope Beads, too!

A Walk on the Beach: My Micro Macrame Vacation

July 3, 2014, 5:54 am

≫ Next: Summertime

≪ Previous: Macrame Owls and Bulahan Beads: A Match Made in Heaven

$

0

0

An island vacation isn't in the cards for me this year, but a girl can dream.  My dreams tend to manifest in my micro macrame jewelry pieces even when I don't specifically set out to design that way.  I choose components that appeal to me (these are by Heather Powers of Humblebeads) and colors to suit my mood and before I know it, I'm meandering down a sandy beach in a place where soft waves lap at the shore...

I spy a few starfish and a crab skitters across my path as the palms sway gently in the breeze.

Are you there with me?  Can you feel the warm sun on your face?

I had fun with this micro macrame wrap bracelet, experimenting with some different knotting techniques.  I used two different colors in the half knot sinnet in the center and worked on perfecting the leafy, shell-like pattern I've been playing with at the top.  I'm still working on making smooth knotted curves in the bottom piece, but I'm getting better.  And I didn't set out to make these earrings matchy match, but things happen...

---

Summertime

July 9, 2014, 7:45 am

≫ Next: Falling Leaves: A New Micro Macrame Bracelet Class

≪ Previous: A Walk on the Beach: My Micro Macrame Vacation

$

0

0

Nothing beats summertime in my book, except maybe family time in the summertime!  My grandson, Carter, is 18 months now and just the right age for exploring all the good things that go along with the warm weather.  This is his father teaching him how to use the sprayer, and in case you don't figure it out from the angle of this photo, I was the target.

 He also likes to go swimming in his little pool.

It's even more fun when his best friend goes in the pool with him.

So in case anyone misses me or I'm a day or two late on a project, just know I'm off enjoying the good things in life!  His laughter makes my heart swell.

Post by Sherri Hartman Stokey.

Falling Leaves: A New Micro Macrame Bracelet Class

July 14, 2014, 5:46 pm

≫ Next: Enjoying Summer

≪ Previous: Summertime

$

0

0

I've been working on this micro macrame pattern for quite a while now, trying to get it just right and I think I finally nailed it.  This design reminds me of leaves falling from the trees in autumn, so I'm calling it (what else?) Falling Leaves Micro Macrame Bracelet.  

  I can imagine this bracelet done in every combination of earthy browns, olive greens, rusty oranges and reds, and pops of Aspen yellow.  You know me, though - I tried to use green and orange and it just didn't feel right.  So here you have, Autumn ala Sherri Stokey :)

The pattern is a fun one.  I used a different way of adding cords than my "usual" (whatever that is!) and a method of gathering and dropping cords to increase and decrease the width of the knotting and form the leaf shape.  The leaves even cup just a little, which I really like.

For the class, I made the version you see above with two solid colors of leaves alternating with striped leaves.  From there it's easy to back down into just the two solid colors alternating:

Or a single solid color:

I cover how to make both of those variations in the class also, so you'll have loads of options.  I do show how to tie the knots in the class, but some macrame experience would definitely be preferable.  The class has 6 videos and over 60 still photos with written instructions as well as narration.  Once you purchase the class, you have unlimited access to it, so you can watch it as many times as you like, and you can pause and replay anything you like.  You can also print the handout, which is made up of screenshots of the entire class.  

You will find this class, along with my other online classes, at CraftArtEdu.com.  I know I've said it before, but I haven't chanced my mind - the folks at CraftArtEdu.com are the best.  They have a money back guarantee.  If you aren't satisfied, they will give you your money back.  Period.  If you have questions, you will get a response from a real live person.  I'm proud to be associated with them.  

To celebrate my new class, the fine folks over there have an introductory price through Friday (July 18, 2014).  And just to make it extra special festive, they've put all of my other classes on sale, too - up to 33% off!!!  You can see all of the classes and the prices here.

If you take the class, be sure to stop back by and let me know how you liked it!

Enjoying Summer

July 22, 2014, 4:34 am

≫ Next: It's a Micro Macrame Wrap, Matey

≪ Previous: Falling Leaves: A New Micro Macrame Bracelet Class

$

0

0

Ahhh...I've been relaxing and destressing and enjoying summer.  And smiling so hard you should be able to hear it.

The only thing more magical than summer is summer through the eyes of a child.

It's a Micro Macrame Wrap, Matey

July 28, 2014, 11:06 am

≫ Next: The Little Mermaid in Micro Macrame

≪ Previous: Enjoying Summer

$

0

0

Diana Ptaszynski of Suburban Girl Studio makes some really fun beads - I have some of her scarabs and trilobites (two of my favorite geeky subjects) as well as some seashells.  Recently I purchased a set with a sailboat bead and some coordinating rounds and I wanted to run with the nautical theme.  

I started out with a variation of the leafy micro macrame pattern I've been working with quite a lot lately and added some tiny seed beads at the ends of the rows.  I kind of like the way the beads outline the shapes.  

After putting in a large red bead (also from Diana), I added a section of spiral knotting with some deep navy blue and red along with the medium blue I used in the first part.  Next came Diana's sailboat bead.  Two more of her beads and a little starfish dangle below the bead add a little movement to the piece.  

The next section has two lamp work beads from Carolyn Conley of Beads by CC Designs
 in the shape of shells.  They are so pretty and  different than any of the glass work shell beads I've ever seen.  The red round bead is a match for the one I used earlier.

I'm rather proud of the last bit of knotting on this bracelet.  I wanted something in keeping with the nautical theme and for some reason the little pennants came to mind.  The little triangle shapes I ended up with seem to mimic that fairly well!

Did you notice the knotted rope clasp?  My friend Cory Tompkins made that for me just specifically for this piece!  The rest of it is just too special to end it with a boring clasp and when I asked her to come up with something, she made this!  I love it and I paired it with a simple brass hook to secure the bracelet.  

After all that, you know what the best part is?  Not only is this an awesome wrap bracelet, but it makes a pretty legit necklace, too!

The Little Mermaid in Micro Macrame

July 31, 2014, 9:42 am

≫ Next: Matubo Beads and Micro Macrame

≪ Previous: It's a Micro Macrame Wrap, Matey

$

0

0

You're probably saying to yourself, "Hey, wait a minute!  I don't see any mermaid!"  Well, this is not one of those literal pieces, this is one of those artsy pieces where you have to squint and stand back a ways to truly appreciate it (kidding, just kidding - you won't find a mermaid even if you do that, although I would find it amusing). 

The folks over at the Art Bead Scene Blog sponsor a challenge every month wherein they chooose an image for inspiraiton and challenge you to use an art bead in some way in the creation of a piece.  They define art beads as "a bead, charm, button or finding made by an independent artist.  Art beads are the vision and handiwork of an individual artist."  I love art beads of all kinds and I have lots of favorite artisans.  If you've been following my blog for long, you've probably seen some pieces sure to inspire envy.

  The inspiration piece for July is The Little Mermaid by Edmund Dulac:

I'm always drawn to sea themes and I love this piece because it isn't the stereotypical sea theme.  It has a dark twist to it (not the skull and skeleton).  Everything is broken and twisted and jumbled.  It's chaotic and it has lots of muted color.  I had a bead by lamp work artist Laurie Ament of Isinglass Design that I thought would work perfectly for this project.  Laurie actually made this bead and asked me to make a free form micro macrame piece with it for her.  I got some of her beautiful beads in exchange for doing this, so it was win-win!  She makes all kinds of great pieces like fish and turtles and shells and seahorses... and I could go on and on, but it might be best if you just pop over to her shop and take a peek for yourself and I'll get on with the story.  This is the bead Laurie sent:

It's different on the other side:

See what I mean about this piece fitting the inspiration piece?  It just has that feel to it and has lots of the colors from the illustration.  I tried setting the bead in black first and it wasn't right so I cut it apart.  Then I tried big patches of the colors pulled from the bead and it wasn't right either.  It was way too busy and completely overshadowed the bead, so I cut that apart, too.  I finally resorted to a very neutral gold color.  It's not a color I work with very often and it feels slightly uncomfortable, which I think works when you're aiming for chaotic.  I just started randomly knotting and got this far before I felt like giving up:

 

My friend, Lindsay (she's brilliant, by the way - check her work out here) convinced me to keep going.  She suggested I add little bits of color, so I went  back to the drawing macrame board.

Well, now it's starting to feel like something.  Of course, I'm not sure what it is starting to feel like, but something!  So I plugged on and ended up with this:

and this:

And this:

And this:

I just love it when a plan comes together.  This one was a challenge for me in many ways.  The colors were not my old standby, comfortable colors and I'm very much a straight line, symmetrical kind of person.  Free form is hard for me.  I have to work hard to make it look like I didn't work hard!  I do free form once in a while (you can see some examples here and here if you're interested), but it doesn't come easily.  

Anyway, with Laurie's bead and Mr. Dulac's illustration for inspiration, it all gelled.  I swear I even see a swirl of tentacles, the sweeping fan of a shell and little bits of the tangled sail and mast in the knotting.  Maybe even some of the stringy seaweed floating in the deep currents.  Are you with me?

Matubo Beads and Micro Macrame

August 5, 2014, 4:45 pm

≫ Next: A Contest, Artisan Beads and Micro Macrame - What's Not to Love!

≪ Previous: The Little Mermaid in Micro Macrame

$

0

0

Have you tried out the new Matubo seed beads yet?  They are 7/0 beads, falling in between the 6/0 and 8/0 seed bead sizes.  In the photo, the first beads (on the left) are 6/0 beads from Miyuki (146FR if you love the color).  The beads in the middle are Matubo beads in Blue Picasso and on the right are 8/0 beads in metallic bronze.  Even though the overall size (outer dimensions) falls squarely between the others, the hole size is closer to that in the larger 6/0 beads.

The secret to these little wonders is the manufacturing method.  Matubo beads are made by pressing rather than then traditional method of cutting glass tubes into pieces.  The pressing method has several advantages:  it produces much more uniformly sized and shaped beads, the holes can be larger in comparison to the bead (thinner walls) and the holes have smoother edges.  Those things may not seem like a big deal, but they're really great for micro macrame.  The larger hole size is really nice, especially if you are knotting with the thicker Tex 400 cord.  I've found I can get two cords through the Matubos.

I started out putting them in a pattern I've made quite a lot.  I really love the finish on these beads.

Then I thought I'd experiment a little.

In this pattern, I used them in the center of each little shape as well as in between the rows and along both edges.  The shiny little beads in the lacy loops are 11/0, just to give you another size comparison.

All in all, I like these new beads.  I always like choices, and having a new size and new colors and finishes is great! 

A Contest, Artisan Beads and Micro Macrame - What's Not to Love!

August 13, 2014, 9:22 am

≫ Next: It's GIVEAWAY Time!

≪ Previous: Matubo Beads and Micro Macrame

$

0

0

Artisan Component Marketplace is a group of very talented artisans who gather on Facebook to buy and sell their handcrafted components.  The range of talent there is amazing and several of my favorite bead makers are there.  The group recently sponsored a contest requiring only the use of components made by one of the members.  I love to work with art beads anyway, so this seemed a convenient excuse to buy more use some.

I started with this Enchanted Woodland Bird set by Karen Totten of Starry Road Studio.  She described it as "A ceramic bird bead set in an palette of mossy woodland colors. These beads made me think of a hike in a forest shaded by tall pine trees, full of mystery and magic!"  If the photo hadn't lured me in, the description just might have. 

Another group to which I belong, Color Combo Challenge, features inspiration color palettes and it has really helped me to expand and think of colors in combinations I normally wouldn't consider.  This palette from Design Seeds really appealed to me and seemed to fit Karen's bead set well.

Photo from http://design-seeds.com/

 

Are you seeing how this could come together beautifully?  I certainly could.  I've really been trying to expand my micro macrame knotting lately with trying out new ideas.  I wanted a fairly simple rope for these beads, and what I came up with looks much like kumihimo, but my version is just done with half knots.  

Matches the palette?  Check.  Matches the beads?  Check.  Then I was digging around looking for a bail to hang the beads from the cord and couldn't find just the right thing.  Everything I had looked to "fussy" for the look I wanted and somewhere in the midst of this it dawned on me that I could probably knot something that would work.  

 

I knotted a piece, then folded it over the rope, threaded the beads on the remaining cords, put a few square knots under the last bead to hold everything in place and left a few cords for a swishy little tail at the end.  Simple and effective, I think.

I wanted the wearer to be able to adjust the length of this necklace, so I added some caps to the ends of the rope and a bit of chain on either end.  This piece can be worn shorter so the beads fall in the hollow of the throat and nestle in a neckline, or longer to fit on the outside of a collar or sweater.  

I think this piece turned out beautifully and what's more, the judges from the Artisan Component Marketplace thought so, too.  I won First Place and a gift certificate to spend in my favorite component maker's store!  And you KNOW how I love to shop for more beads!  There are so many talented artists in that group, I am having a terrible time trying to decide which one to chose.

---

It's GIVEAWAY Time!

August 18, 2014, 10:18 am

≫ Next: Separation Anxiety

≪ Previous: A Contest, Artisan Beads and Micro Macrame - What's Not to Love!

$

0

0

Recently, Marta from Shanti Free Bird contacted me about giving away one of my micro macrame bracelets on her blog.  I usually have to say "no" to these requests (or I'd go broke!) but after spending some time reading her blog, I could not resist.  She is such an interesting person and leads such a fascinating life!  I am in awe (and a bit jealous, I must admit).

I challenge you to read a few of her posts like this one:  Bundi Festival in India and not be inspired and enchanted by her enthusiasm.  I mean seriously:

She's ridden a camel in the Sahara and gone boating on the canals of Amsterdam:

She's gone biking through Laos and traveled to Asia.  Alone!  She says people are more likely to approach you when you are by yourself, so you are never really alone.  This is her at a wedding in India demonstrating that theory:

Her sense of adventure is exhilarating and intoxicating!  I'll be following along on her blog, waiting for her next trip and I hope you'll join me.

Meanwhile, she is sponsoring a giveaway of one of my micro macrame bracelets.  You can find all the details here on her blog.  And just in case you've gotten sidetracked with me, dreaming of foreign places, and have forgotten which bracelet is being given away, I'll leave you with a reminder:

Good luck and happy travels!

Separation Anxiety

August 22, 2014, 9:19 am

≫ Next: An Experiment

≪ Previous: It's GIVEAWAY Time!

$

0

0

Pardon me while I take time out for a little, woe-is-me self pity party.  My daughter left for college (in Colorado, in case you didn't get that from the photo) and now I have an empty next.  Yes, it sounds all cliche, but that was when it was about someone else.  Now that it's about me, it's different, because let's face it, we humans are basically a self centered lot.

The last few days have been a whirlwind of activity getting her ready.  In the middle of all that, she took time to donate to Locks of Love.  This is her (on the left) when she graduated three months ago.  See how long her hair was?

She was able to donate and still have hair that is past her shoulders.  The new shorter length should be much easier, which will be great for a busy student. This is her and her roommate in their dorm room.  Swanky, huh?

  

After getting her all settled in, we made the long drive home.  To an empty house.  Today I found one of her socks left behind in the dryer.  *sigh*  THIS should not make a grown woman cry.

An Experiment

September 10, 2014, 7:42 am

≫ Next: Sea Shell Design Challenge Reveal

≪ Previous: Separation Anxiety

$

0

0

Well, that could have gone better.  This mess of sickly colored cord is not what I was hoping for.  Let me fill you in:  I got a wild hair last week and wanted to make a micro macrame bracelet with the look of soft, worn denim.  I wanted cord in a really faded blue color and I really was hoping for a bit of mottling in the color instead of even color on the cord.  I took some bits of cord (both c-lon and s-lon nylon bead cord) and stuck them in some diluted bleach for a while and got this:

There was one major flaw in that first experiment, though, as I had forgotten to keep a control group.  I figured I would remember exactly what shades I'd started with, silly me, and ended up clueless. I do know the one that looks sort of mustard yellow was a green color to start with, but I'm not sure which green.  *sigh*  So I started over, and this time I took a photo with the original colors.  There is again a mix of c-lon and s-lon cord, all in the .5mm size.

I left the cord to soak in some bleach, diluted a bit, but still pretty strong (and no, Clorox isn't paying me anything for showing this photo of their product).

I came back to check after half an hour and found that the lighter blue cord I'd hoped would look like worn denim had turned into this:

After only 30 minutes!!  You can still see traces of the original blue, but most of the color is completely gone.  I continued checking on the remaining cords at hourly intervals.  After almost six hours, I took them all out and rinsed them well.  This is what I got:

The colors didn't change after drying, either, so here's what I discovered: The light blue cord bleached out in a heartbeat into a totally undesirable shade of yuk.  The mint green cord also bleached some and ended up a ugly shade of mucus green.  The four remaining cords, bright blue, orange, teal and purple, didn't change at all.  Even after six hours of soaking in bleach, there was no change in color!  

I'd say even though I didn't achieve my intended goal, this experiment was a partial success since I still learned something valuable.  It looks to me like there's a 67% chance your micro macrame bracelet won't change color even if you get bleach on it.  And that, as we say in Nebraska, is the rest of the story.

Sea Shell Design Challenge Reveal

September 13, 2014, 3:46 pm

≫ Next: Talk Like a Pirate Day

≪ Previous: An Experiment

$

0

0

My generous friend, Rita of Toltec Jewels put out a challenge in one of the beading groups to which I belong:  create a piece using a ceramic scallop shell pendant by Firefly Design Studio.  Michelle (the creative genius behind Firefly Design) is also a member of the same group, so this was a particularly fun challenge for me.  Rita even supplied the shells for participants (thanks again, Rita!!).

It's no surprise to anyone who has followed me for five minutes or more that I love ocean themes.  Anything beachy and I'm there.  And to top it all off, the shell I received was in some of my favorite colors (fate or Rita's hand?):

I pulled some glass seed beads and s-lon cord I thought might work with the sagey green and soft blue in the pendant and then played up the background color of the clay as well, adding some gold and bronze.  

I started knotting around a center ring and let the cord fan out from that like ripples in the water.  I didn't have any pattern in mind when I started, I just let the micro macrame wander and flow around the beads.

The necklace ended up with a unique keyhole shape which gives a hint of the exotic and the lavish beads and scalloped knots gives it an over-the-top, excess feel, like a mermaid dripping in jewels.  

The sea shell pendant is actually drilled at the wider end, but I wanted to suspend it the other way around, so I added a bail to the narrower end of the shell.  That left me with a hole at the bottom to attach a ring full of beachy charms - a shell, some starfish beads and even a Vintaj seahorse.

So?  Can you picture this on your friendly neighborhood mermaid?

Talk Like a Pirate Day

September 18, 2014, 8:35 am

≫ Next: Shop Update - Micro Macrame Kits

≪ Previous: Sea Shell Design Challenge Reveal

$

0

0

Ahoy, me Hearties!  Tomorrow be International Talk Like a Pirate Day and what with knottin' bein' all tied t' sailin' (didja see what I done thar?) what better way t' pay me respects but t' create a piece o' micro macrame!  Boy, writin' like tha' is harder than ye'd think!  

I asked Anastasija o'Dreams and Elements t' make some pieces t' use in me micro macrame bracelets and shiver me timbers!  Beauty!  Me packages arrived from some other artists that day, too. Check t' motherload:

And out of all that booty, which treasure did I choose first?

They're just so ever-lovin' adorable!!  And what with the pirate day thing coming up and all, it seemed like fate.  I did make a very similar bracelet with one of her owl focals instead,  if ye ain't be likin' the skulls.  

Wanna try your hand at knottin' one yeself?  These bands are variations of me Micro Macrame Bracelet Watch class at CraftArtEdu.com.  Fair winds, mateys!