Valentine's Day in Macrame

January 26, 2015, 2:53 pm

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Whether or not you are a lover of Cupid and pink frilly hearts and red and lace and all things romantic (and I am not), if you were born and raised in a town named Valentine, you have to celebrate Valentine's Day.  I'm pretty sure that one's in the rule book - "Rules of Social Behavior and Societal Norms for Valentinians".  You just have to let yourself go with the flow.  Embrace it and feel the love.  If you missed that chapter about my life, check the posts here and here to see some pretty photos of my hometown and one really tragic photo of teenage humiliation (mine).  Moving right along...

In an effort to comply with Ye Old Rules, I'm trying to make nice with some old enemies.  Red and Pink don't like me and the feeling is reciprocated twofold.  I've tried to like them, but they just don't give me the warm fuzzy feeling I get from cool colors (and yes, I see the irony there).  But since it's in the rule book and all, I figured I'd give it another shot.  I spent days looking at red beads and red cord and ordered up a whole bunch to beef up my stash.  

Then I didn't use any of them.

I'm still sort of obsessed with cuffs, so I thought I would expand on that for this project.  I did the top the same as the cuffs I designed for the cuff class, but I switched up the main panel.  I knotted a heart outline in the center, then brought a leaf and vine pattern off the heart in each direction.  It sort of reminds me of a Pennsylvania Dutch design.  I also added a scalloped edging with beads along the bottom for a sort of lacy finish.  I wanted the knotting to be the star of the show here, so I kept the it all monochromatic.  And yes, it's pink.  Or pink-ish.  Take that Red.

I think it's quite festive and I'd love to hang around and tell you more about it, but I really have to go order my Valentine's Day candy.  This year I'm getting myself some really pretty handmade truffles.  What!?  It's not that I think I might be "that" person (the one who doesn't get a Valentine's Day gift), but I'm not taking any chances.

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Beading Back in Time - a Blog Hop Update

January 29, 2015, 10:05 am

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A few of my beady friends and I have been busy this last month working on projects for our Beading Back in Time Blog Hop coming up this Sunday, February 1st.  If you missed my first post about it, here's the skinny:  participants must make something inspired by the prehistoric theme, something from a time before humans, then come back on the 1st and show it off.  Pretty simple!

I spent quite a lot of time digging through my stash, finding suitable bits and pieces.  I came up with quite a few ammonites, including fossilized specimens, a Green Girl pewter button, a ceramic pendant and a great copper piece from Kristi Bowman.  

Trilobites are obviously a favorite of mine, too, as I found quite a few examples.  I have a large pendant by Sheri Mallery (the lightest one in the photo), a fossilized one (the black one at the top), a pair of connectors by Diana Ptaszynski and quite a few Czech glass ones.

With all these fun things I found to fit the theme, aren't you curious to see what I made for the hop?  Hmm?  Even a little bit curious?  

You'll have to come back here on Sunday to find out!!

Beading Back in Time Blog Hop - the Big Reveal

January 31, 2015, 10:01 pm

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Oh, yeah!  I can finally show you the project I made for the Back in Time Blog Hop sponsored by yours truly and The Fabulous Linsday Starr of Phantasm Creations!  I've had loads of fun playing with different ideas for a project and just generally nerding around with beads, cord and dinosaur bits. 

How could you not like these skulls - a t-rex and diplodocus - from Artito on Etsy.  In fact, you might want to take a second right now and hop over to that shop and read some of Tracey's item descriptions.  I probably spent an hour or so laughing at the write ups. 

I had plans to hang a skull from a necklace, but I spent so much time playing around in my stash and surfing for the most perfect, different and interesting component piece that I ended up not having the time to do it.  I did, however, come up with a great bracelet - without skulls.

Ta da!!!  Trilobites in a Cambrian Sea rendered in micro macrame knots and accented with glass beads.  Since I've been experimenting with cuff designs lately, it just seemed fitting to do one with a prehistoric theme.  

Once I decided to work with the Czech glass trilobites, I found some great seed beads to go with them in a picasso finish.  I couldn't find just the right beads to match in the small 11/0 size I wanted to use at the top of the cuff, though, so I made my own mix with shades of brown, ox blood and sage and a little bit of everything in between.  (Don't get thrown by the fact that the cord looks bluer in this photo and greener in the others - this one was under artificial light.)

I added some randomly free form knotting around the trilobites themselves like flowing water, since trilobites were marine organisms.

The clasp on this is a tube bar clasp from Beadiful Gifts; it frames the design perfectly.

I can't wait to see what the other participants made!  I hope you'll join me in visiting the other blogs:

Co-hostess: Lindsay Starr of Phantasm Creations

Co-hostess: Sherri Stokey of Knot Just Macrame<-- You are here
Kelly Rodgers of Beadin' Black & Blue 

Michelle McCarthy of Firefly Design Studio 

Caroline Dewison of Blueberribeads 

Melissa Trudinger of Boho Bird Jewellery 

Sue Kennedy of SueBeads 

Stephanie and Chris Haussler of Pixibug Designs 

Jen Cameron of Glass Addictions 

Jean Wells of Jean A. Wells Artisan Jewelry 

Red, Red, Red

February 5, 2015, 4:30 am

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Red is my grandmother's favorite color and I just don't get it.  Aside from being the color of some wonderful fruits and vegetables, I can't see that it really has anything going for it.  Yes, I will always pick the red Kool Aid and eat the red fruit snacks first, but when it comes to jewelry, the red one is going to be one of my last choices.  

I did say back in this post, however, that I was going to try one more time to acquire a taste for the warmer colors and I did buy all these nice red beads.  And red cord.  I bought everything from Shanghai Red to Red Hot, from Ruby to Siam.  Surely, I could find some inspiration in all this:  

The micro macrame cuff at the top of this post is the first I made from my new stash.  I used the Poinsettia cord and matte frosted beads.  The beads got a little lost in the sea of red, but if you look closely, they have some nice color variation to them, including bits of orange.

A decent enough start for an anti-red person like myself, but with Valentine's Day looming, I really thought I could do better.  I've started on a new cuff and I really like how it's coming along.  Not only is it knotted in red cord, but the beads have pink and orange in them.  I'm embracing the warm colors.  Giving them a big ol' smooch right on the lips.  I am also playing with a new design with some fun curves.

Stay tuned!

Just-in-Time Sale

February 8, 2015, 10:31 am

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I have too much micro macrame jewelry on hand.  I have 50 bracelets listed in my shop, and nearly 20 pair of earrings and 20 necklaces.  It makes me sad to see my pretty little babies all dressed up and ready to go, just sitting here in a pile waiting for their forever homes.  They need a chance shine!  

So, just in time for Valentine's Day, I'm having a 20% off sale on all my finished jewelry.  Want a little peek?

The sale runs through Valentine's Day (February 14, 2015).  Happy shopping!

A New Micro Macrame Class: Argus Cuff

February 17, 2015, 4:37 pm

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I'm on a roll, folks - two micro macrame classes in two months!  Like the last class I did, the Leafy Cuff, the Argus Cuff bracelet is worked across the piece rather than down it.  This means lots more cords to work with, but also leads to the possibility of lots of different designs.  

I had fun figuring out how to make the eye pattern on this one, and the name springs from that (thanks, Marge!!)  Argus Panoptes in Greek mythology is the monster with 100 eyes.  Doesn't that seem very appropriate for this bracelet?

The nice folks at CraftArtEdu.com are celebrating the release of this new class with a special deal for you.  The new Argus Cuff, the Leafy Cuff, and all of my other micro macrame jewelry classes are on sale at 25% off their regular prices through Sunday, February 22, 2015 (details here).  If you're an adventurous do-it-yourself type and you want to learn to make beaded macrame jewelry, this is a deal you don't want to miss.  My classes are very detailed with lots of close up photos and instructions.  I also include hints and tips and most of them (including this one) have video as well.  All at your fingertips and available on your schedule at your convenience.  

I'm a big fan of CraftArtEdu.com - I wouldn't be working with them if I weren't.  Once you purchase a class there, it's yours forever.  You can watch it as many times as you need and then refer back to it next year if you've forgotten how to do something.  They stand behind their classes, too, and if you have a question, they will find you an answer.  

Are you learning micro macrame yet?  What are you waiting for?

The Blue Version

February 20, 2015, 1:18 pm

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The "eyes" in my new Argus cuff design got me thinking about Egyptian themes.  Then again, since I'm a huge fan of all things ancient Egyptian, everything gets me thinking along that track, but I digress...

I had the thought of playing up that angle, so I used a bright blue cord and gold beads as well as a seed bead mixture called, coincidentally enough, Egyptian Lapis Stripe.  I'm not sure I was able to capture the feel I was after, but I really do like this color!

An online class for this micro macrame bracelet is available at CraftArtEdu.com and at a special introductory price for a couple more days - through Sunday.

I can't wait to see what color combinations you come up with!

So You Want to Learn Micro Macrame?

March 2, 2015, 7:32 am

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Have you wanted to try making micro macrame jewelry yourself, but were afraid you would end up with something that looks like this:

Not to worry, I'm here to help (and that's not "help" like "I'm from the government, I'm here to help."  I have  tutorials and classes to teach you how to knot beautiful jewelry pieces.  Really!  The tutorials available for instant download in my Etsy shop include step by step instruction and lots of clear, close up photos like these:

The Micro Macrame Braids Bracelet  is probably the easiest tutorial I offer.  I use square knots (you might remember those from summer camp!) for a fun and easy project.  The only part that some people find challenging is the ending - larks head knots around a split ring.  And just in case you should have any problem with that, I did a post here on my blog  with videos - I really want you to succeed!  

Once you've learned the closure bit, and you're ready for the next challenge, you have several from which to choose:  the Leaves and Hydrangea  bracelets introduce the use of the DHH (double half hitch knot) used extensively in my patterns.  Again, if you're stumped you can refer to this post where I've included videos on making double half hitch knots both from right to left and from left to right!  A little more challenging, my Curves Bracelet tutorial uses only DHH knots again, but this time you have to do a little fancy footwork.  Nothing too difficult, but it will require a little more of your attention.

Then, just because it's macrame and there's nothing that says macrame more than an owl, I have a tutorial for a Micro Macrame Owl Pendant. This one uses an assortment of knots and a little picking up and dropping of cords to make this cute pendant.  You learn a little something and you get a cute owl at the end: win-win!

Are you still on the fence about another DIY project?  Having flashbacks of your attempt at hanging wallpaper or installing tile in the shower (they make it look SO easy on TV)?  Relax!  Here's what folks on Etsy are saying about my tutorials:

"I recently purchased several tutorials and a kit from KnotJustMacrame and I have to say I am delighted! Never have I seen such clear instructions along with incredibly clear close-up photos. Just wonderful! I am excited to have completed a lovely bracelet the first time through! Thank you so much!"

 "Exactly as great as described. I also ordered the tutorial and it's very thorough and easy to follow. Highly recommend!"

"I love this bracelet. Very easy to follow directions. Well written with lots of photos! Very happy with my purchase!"

"This was my first attempt at micro macramé and I was pretty pleased with my efforts - excellent tutorial, thank you."

I also have quite a few classes available at CraftArtEdu.com if you prefer the a more classroom style learning environment.  I can't come to your home and teach you, but this really is the next best thing.  CraftArtEdu's platform allows me to integrate narration and video into my classes along with the same great still photographs and step by step instruction.  You won't be disappointed.  These classes go hand in hand with the tutorials I offer on Etsy and the skill levels are marked so you know exactly what to expect from your class. 

Are you still here?  What are you waiting for?  Go!  Learn!!  Have FUN!

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Nylon Cord Size Comparison

March 8, 2015, 3:04 pm

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I am often asked about the cord I use for making my micro macrame jewelry, so I thought it might be time for a post on the subject.  I use nylon bead cord, either C-lon or Superlon brand and I use the .5mm size for the majority of my pieces.

Both C-lon and Superlon cords come in four sizes (and lots of colors).  To make the comparison a little more visual, I made a little macrame piece with each of the four cord thicknesses.  

I hope that helped clear up some of the confusion about cord sizes and brands.  If you'd like more information and photos, please check out the post I did here.

Let's Talk About Macrame - A New Forum for Knotters

March 16, 2015, 5:58 pm

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Okay, different kind of forum, but I couldn't help myself.  I am positively giddy with excitement!  A friend of mine, Nadja of Imbali Crafts has just started a brand spankin' new forum for macrame enthusiasts.  

As a knotter, I've never quite fit in anywhere (and yes, I realize that comment leaves me open for a lof of  smart-alecky comments).  There are all kinds of groups set up for seed beaders and stringers and and polymer folks, etc., but there's not much out there for people interested in micro macrame.  Until now.

Check this out:  Macrame Forum   Just in case you didn't go look at it, this is what it looks like:

Isn't it adorable!?  It's all shiny and new and so full of promise.  Nadja has set up a place to show off your latest masterpieces or to ask questions about what kind of cord works best.  If you're having trouble locating a source for cord or figuring out a knot that has you stumped, this is the place.  And if you like to dabble in soutache or tatting or something, she's got a special corner just for you, too.  (Hahaha - did you see what I did there?  But really, it's not a bad corner or anything and you don't have to wear a pointed hat, so it's all good.)

 Okay, so go there and get signed up.  I'm already there!

International Day of Happiness

March 20, 2015, 7:16 am

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Carter on his new ride.

Happy International Day of Happiness!!  Years of study by really smart people shows that one thing is fundamental for happiness, and that's our connection with other people.  (As a mother and a grandmother, I could have told them that!)  So this year,  we are all being asked to reach out and make at least one positive connection with someone.  

As luck would have it, I get to spend the afternoon with my grandson, Carter, and that makes me really happy!!  That's an awfully easy one, though, so I would like to take it a little further.  I'd like to connect with some of you.  Yes, you.  Stop looking around for someone else - I mean you.

Carter and his great grandparents in matching Sponge Bob t-shirts.

I want to hear about what makes you happy.  I love spending time with my family.  I love playing with my grandson and I love getting creative in the kitchen with my daughter (and it's even more fun when her friends join us).  Kittens and puppies make me happy.  Hearing a cardinal sing makes me happy.  Green grass and leafy green trees make me happy - and sunshine, well, don't even get me started on sunshine!  

Pretty new beads in my mailbox!

Other random things that induce happiness:  playful squirrels chasing one another through our yard (and up the trees and down the trees and around the trees...); visits from our neighbors' dog, Riley; unexpected messages from cousins who live far away (but still close in my heart); memories of my grandparents; getting beads in my mailbox... I could go on, but I think you get the idea.  I don't need big, expensive things to make my heart swell.  For me it's all about the little things.  The simple moments.

Fuzzy kitty feet make me happy.

Now it's your turn.  Tell me what makes you happy?

SpongeBob to Micro Macrame in 3 Easy Steps

March 24, 2015, 7:07 am

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You might be wondering what this picture has to do with macrame.  How is she going to get from biker SpongeBob (in his pajamas) to this:

Stick with me for a minute and I'll get you there.  So... you might have noticed somewhere along the way (if you've followed my work for five minutes or more) that I have a slight obsession with turquoise and sandy colors paired with beach themes.  This week I mixed up a little bead soup for inspiration, then dug around for some buttons to coordinate.  I found one really pretty button in the softest turquoise color, but the rest were just metal tones - mostly brass.  I added some color with Vinaj patinas so now they go perfectly (in my humble opinion, and since it's my blog... well, you get the picture).

Turns out this is the perfect mix for multiple strand necklaces with everything I love!

Then yesterday when I was trying to take some photos for this post, Carter plopped himself down in my lap and announced "me!". 

See the little fingers pointing at his "me"?  

Since we all know I'm putty in his hand, I put off the "real" photos and instead we took  pictures of SpongeBob and dirt bikes.  And that's how you get from A to B in the ridiculousless that is my life - I wouldn't have it any other way!

Microme

March 27, 2015, 8:06 am

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Microme - remember, folks, you heard it here first.  I'm on a one woman crusade to change the name of what I do from micro macrame to microme.  Let's face it, micro macrame is just a mouthful.  I didn't really care a whole lot about what it was called before I started doing classes because, apparently, typing micro macrame is much easier than saying it.  Once I started having to pronounce it in videos and narration (and had to re-record a few times because I got all tongue tied), I started looking for an alternate term.

I used plain old "macrame" for a while, but that conjures up images like this for some folks:

Now I like a macrame owl as much as the next guy, but this isn't really the "feel" I was going for.  Then I tried the phrase "beaded macrame" for a while, and while the alliteration factor is gone, it's still the same number of syllables and it just isn't very catchy.  

Enter my friend.  We all have one - the one who has funny stories for days?  Mine also has a super catchy dance complete with swinging arms and snapping fingers that never fails to bring a smile to my face, but that's a story for another day.  Anyway, the other day when we were visiting about what it is that I do, it came out "microme".

Microme \ˈmī-krō-ˌmā\

 

I like it!  It's a little word, which seems more appropriate for itty bitty macrame than "micro macrame".  It's catchy and it's fun to say.  I am, therefore, on a mission to spread this new word throughout the land.  Maybe even get it into a dictionary - at least the urban one :)  Who's with me?

Beading Back in Time Blog Hop Challenge: Early Human Edition

March 31, 2015, 10:00 pm

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And we're back!  Remember a while ago when Lindsay Starr and I (she's the short one in the photo hahahahaha), along with a group of our beading friends, brought you the first Beading Back in Time Blog Hop? Maybe these will jog your memory:

No?  Still nothing?  That's okay - shake it off.  We're moving on anyway!  I'll give you the short run down.  A few months back, my pal Lindsay Starr (of Phantasm Creations) and I came up with a brilliant idea to combine our love of beading and all things old into a blog hop challenge.  We had so many ideas (history is a huge topic, you know) that we finally had to break it down into a series of four hops over the course of a year.  Our first one covered the period before humans (you can find my post here if you want to catch up).  And now... we come to the period of early humans.  We're going to focus on the period before 3500 BCE this time around - before writing.  Which is okay, since it seems those early folks were too busy trying to survive to be kickin' back with a novel anyway.  Here's what I've learned:

This period of human history is often broken down into the Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic for those who like to add extra vowels to everything - you know who you are) and the Neolithic.  No, I'm not an expert on these matters, and no, we're not going to debate the inclusion of a Mesolithic period because I don't have that much time.  Moving on...

Lucy

The Paleolithic era, or old stone age, was a time when humans were nomadic and completely dependent on the environment.  The climate was much colder during this period and large herds of animals roamed in search of food.  Man out of necessity followed the herds, hunting and gathering food.  They used fire for light, heat and cooking and invented stone weapons such as daggers, spear points and axes.  Temporary shelters used during warmer seasons were made of animal skins and plants (as were clothes).  Caves provided shelter during the colder periods.

Bisons

Because of this lifestyle, art was either drawn on cave walls or was small enough to be carried from place to place.  Most art from this period focused on hunting, women and fertility.  Shells that are pierced and covered with red ochre dated to 82,000 years ago have been discovered with wear patterns suggesting they may have been strung as beads.  The oldest known sculpture is a 2.4" female figure carved in mammoth ivory dating to 35,000 BCE.  Cave paintings from about the same time have been found in locations across Europe and even older ones in Southeast Asia.

Mammoth engraved on mammoth ivory

Tools made of reindeer antler

Venus figurine

The Neolithic era, or New Stone Age, started sometime around 10,000 BCE.  The big change during this period was the invention of agriculture.  Man learned to manipulate nature and produce food by planting and harvesting crops, and all of this was made possible by the warming climate. New types of tools were introduced and animals like dogs, sheep, goats, cattle and pigs were domesticated.  Religion becomes more apparent as group mentality grows. 

Human beings beginning to live in fixed settlements and in larger groups now have more time for art.  Pottery shows up more often during this period (although they had the skills before, pottery was not practical for carrying when constantly on the move). The female form and fertility are still strong themes in art from this period, but animals appear as well.

Bone beads

Neolithic stone beads

Neolithic burial of two women who were wearing necklaces made of shells.

Human skull covered in plaster with shell eyes

The challenge for this blog hop is an easy one:  during the month of April, make something inspired by this theme - whatever your take on it.  Then meet Lindsay and I and the rest of the team back here on May 1st for the big reveal.  I can't wait!!

Gearing up for a Hop!

April 7, 2015, 10:10 am

≫ Next: Game of Thrones Jewelry Challenge - I'm All About the Dragons

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I've been doing lots of scheming and plotting about what to do for our upcoming Beading Back in Time Blog Hop which has led to countless hours of reading about the early history of man and quite a few hours digging through my stash of treasures.  I came across this ceramic owl pendant from Karen Totten of Starry Road Studio.  It's one of her owl amulets from a series she called her woodland totems.

Although animals were featured in art very early on, I think it is the hand print on this one that makes me think of our hop challenge theme.  It reminds me of the cave paintings featuring hands.

I also came across another ceramic piece from Starry Road Studio - a round bead that matched the pendant perfectly.  Taking my color cues from those pieces, I knotted turquoise, gold and ecru into a cord/strap for the necklace. I used this technique (that links to the free macrame tutorial) that looks like kumihimo, but is done without a disk.  I love the look of the cord - slap a couple of caps on the ends and it's neat and tidy and can be made in any color combination.

Any bail would work on this cord, but I thought I'd take the design a step further, so I knotted one myself in the same cord.  It has a sort of fun plaid design in micro macrame and is completely integrated into the design (the same cord that ties on the pendant and goes up through the bead is knotted through the bail.

And yes, I should be working on my piece for the hop rather than getting sidetracked, but what a nice sidetrack, huh?  And if you're not inclined to make your own, you can purchase this one in my Etsy shop:  Knot Just Macrame.

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Game of Thrones Jewelry Challenge - I'm All About the Dragons

April 8, 2015, 1:54 pm

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Heather Powers of Humblebeads is hosting a jewelry challenge based on one of my favorite shows, Game of Thrones.  Not only do I love this show, it gives me a great excuse to make dragon jewelry, and let's face it - dragons are cool.  Like so cool that I don't even wait for special events to make dragon jewelry, I make dragon pieces all the time.  Don't believe me?  Check this post about a beaded dragon bracelet and this post - A Micro Macrame Fairy Tale (featuring dragons).  Or check out my Etsy Shop, Knot Just Macrame.  Here, I'll give you a little taste of some pieces I've done featuring dragons:

Even if I wasn't a big dragon fan (and how could I not be - come on, people, they breathe fire!!!), I think I'd still be a big fan of Daenerys Targaryen, Khaleesi and Mother of Dragons.  She's an awesome character and we've watched her grow from a meek, timid girl to a strong, confident woman over the past seasons.  Along the way, she hatched three dragons even though dragons haven't been seen in generations.  And if that isn't cool enough?  She did it by climbing on top of her dead husband's funeral pyre with her petrified dragon eggs and woke up unharmed with the baby dragons. That, my friends, is why she is my inspiration for this Game of Thrones Jewelry Challenge piece:

I've had this dragon head clasp in my pile of cool-stuff-I-just-had-to-buy for some time now, just waiting for the perfect project and I decided this was it.  Some simple spiral knotting for the body of the bracelet and one cool clasp and it's all about the dragons!

A New Micro Macrame Tutorial: Some Assembly Required

April 14, 2015, 5:13 pm

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I have a brand-spankin'-new micro macrame tutorial out today:  Gypsy Earrings in Micro Macrame!  I had fun designing these earrings and I hope you'll have fun making them.  There are a billion pictures (okay, you caught me - there are "only" 75) and step by step instructions that I think even my husband could follow (and that's saying something!).  I will show you how to make this short pair:

And I also cover how to make the longer version, if you're so inclined (because who doesn't like a little fringe now and then):

And then, just for good measure, I added some ideas for you to run with like adding a dangle or using something other than a plain, round hoop:

And (insert drum roll here) I made up a few kits while I was at it.  The same kits can be used to make either the short or the long, fringed version.  Both the new Gypsy Earrings Micro Macrame Tutorial and the kits are available in my Etsy shop.  Have fun!

A Learning Experience: Teaching Micro Macrame

April 20, 2015, 6:04 pm

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Well, I did it, folks!  I finally jumped into the pool (or maybe I was pushed in, I'm not really sure).  I taught my first in-person micro macrame classes this past weekend at a lovely bead store in Hastings, Nebraska - Julie's Xpressions.  To say it's a bead shop is sort of misleading, though.  It's so much more than that!  Co-located in the same building as Julie's bead store is the Calico Cottage (a quilt store), The Plum Nelly (fiber) and Blu J (scrapbooking).  If any of you are passing through Nebraska on I-80 (and a lot of people do!), it's well worth your time to take a little detour south to Hastings (exit 312 - you're welcome!).  If you can't find something in their three floors (yes, three floors!) to inspire your creativity, I'm not sure there's any hope for you.  I could spend a week in there.

We worked on from my Leaves micro macrame bracelet tutorial (the first photo shows the class samples I sent ahead of time) and I think it went well.  I had a great time and I couldn't have asked for a better group of folks.  They were all very eager to learn to knot.  Just look at the concentration going on here:

I should have taken more photos of the shop - notice the spinning wheel and the looms?  I was seriously in love with that place.  As if that wasn't enough, Stephanie and Chris Haussler (Pixybug Designs) took me over to see the 2nd Floor Studio, too.  They have an awesome studio space there with Deborah and Frank Brooks in what used to be the old middle school.  They make some absolutely beautiful pieces in glass (lampwork), precious metal clay and metals.  They also display and sell pieces from some other local artists including batik, mosaic and pottery.  It was a truly inspiring place.

I hope to be teaching more classes in the future (provided I can find places where they'll have me!) so stay tuned for that.  If you can't make it to a class, don't despair!  You can learn how to make micro macrame jewelry by taking my online classes at CraftArtEdu.com.  Or, if you prefer, I also have several tutorials in my Etsy shop and some videos here on my blog.

So, now you have a couple things to add to your to do list: visit the fabulous store in Hastings and learn micro macrame!!

Another Knotting Hint

April 22, 2015, 1:45 pm

≫ Next: Rocky Mountain Bead Bazaar: My Loot

≪ Previous: A Learning Experience: Teaching Micro Macrame

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My students weren't the only ones learning something during my micro macrame classes last weekend; I got some insight on the problems new knotters experience.  We worked almost exclusively on the  double half hitch (DHH) knot, and one of the most common issues was the knot ending up on the wrong cord - on the knotting cord instead of the holding cord.  It's not always easy to tell that's happening unless you know what you're looking for, but it is easy to prevent.

Here's the trick:

Hope this is of some help to someone out there!

Rocky Mountain Bead Bazaar: My Loot

April 27, 2015, 7:59 am

≫ Next: Beading Back in Time Reveal: Early Human Edition

≪ Previous: Another Knotting Hint

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The Rocky Mountain Bead Bazaar held this past weekend in Denver was fantastic!  Rack after rack of every size, color and shape of seed bead imaginable, followed by table after table of gemstones and glass, on top of booth after booth of artist pieces.  What's not to love?  Here are some of my favorite buys:

The brass pieces of Judie Mountain and her partner Wayne Robbins' glass make Mountain Robbins a must see.  I couldn't resist these pieces with a primitive cave art vibe.

 Sue Laupp of Star Spirit Studio has long been a favorite of mine.  She had some new pieces - little hand carved birds and a house that I could not pass up.  And the new teal-ish color she's working with (like the leaf at the top) had me at "teal" :)

I found a few seed beads I thought would go with the raku I favor and some metal end pieces (for earrings, I think?) that I want to use for bracelet ends.  Oh, and some snapping jump rings I want to try in place of jump rings in my micro macrame:

I found some other great raku pieces including these from Urban Raku I think will be perfect - the bars on the sides should be just right for anchoring macrame cords.

These larger necklace focal pieces are from Beady Eyed Women.  She had some great beading kits, too, but these jumped into my "cart":

Last but certainly not least, I picked up a couple of finished bracelets from The Bead Parlor because even if I thought I had the patience to do something like this, I don't think that I would ever get around to it.  So much better to let a professional do it for me!

They also had some classes I thought looked like fun.  Next year, I'm going to have to sign up for one!  Who's going to meet me there?