Stitching up some jewelry…. March 2, 2012
Once upon a time I would have thought I would never have the patience to learn the different stitches for making jewelry from seed beads. But, just recently I stepped forward and gave it a try. Wow, I really like the result! Now I didn’t just use seed beads, because it finally dawned on my that I was limiting myself (MEANING NOT TRYING IT) by just using the standard size 11 seed beads. So I stitched my first panel using herringbone stitch and glass square beads. I loved the look! Since then I have stitched up quite a few of these, practicing the herringbone, learning the even count peyote stitch. I will share when I finally get them made into proper bracelets!
Die Cut Fabric easy December 6, 2011
Are you a scrapbooker that has invested in one of the die cutting systems like Sizzix or one of the others? Are you looking to stretch how you use this equipment? Wow, I am starting to sound like a company rep!
Ok, I have a couple of these die cut pieces of equipment and I love them. I found out recently that the quilting world has one as well for cutting fabric. This made me wonder if the one I have for paper would cut fabric. It does. It opened a whole new world for me, it made me think about how I could use fabric instead of paper for projects.
Now here is the disclaimer, that I do this at my own risk to damage to my dies. If you choose to do this and it results in damage to your dies etc, I am not liable. It is your choice to do so.
First iron a sewable fusible on the back of your fabric. Cut the fabric into pieces the size of your die. Run it through your machine. VIOLA! you now have a pre-cut fusible that you can iron onto any other fabric.
I used sewable fusible because I wanted to be able to sew through the applique after it was applied, without gumming up my machine needle.
With some of the letter embroidery sewing machines out there, you could embroider the fabric, apply the fusible, then die cut out any shape you have on hand.
Too much fun!!!
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Easy Charm Bracelet for the holidays November 28, 2011
Easy charm bracelet that you can make as a gift or bedazzle it for your own holiday attire. All you need is a chain that you like with links big enough for fit a lobster clasp in the links. Here are some sources for the supplies (its also a good way to see what each item is):
Lobster Clasps – These Open and close and you will attach to your chain
Hanging charms – 5-12 charms that you will attached a split ring to.
Chain – This is the base of your bracelet to which you will attach the open part of the lobster clasps.
How to:
Now that you have all of your supplies.
Put one charm on each Split ring.
Attach the split ring to the round portion of the lobster clasp.
Attach the open portion of the lobster clasp to a link on the bracelet chain.
(if your bracelet chain is not already equipped with a closure to hold it on your wrist. You can attach a split ring to one end of the bracelet and then attach that split ring to a lobster clasp. )
The open end of that lobster clasp can then be opened and attached to the other end of the chain when you wear the bracelet.
The great thing about this type of bracelet is that you can switch out the charms as easily as you can undo a clasp.
Give it a try!!
Happy Holidays!!
Sharon
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SharonOrella
If you would rather have someone make it for you, then send me a convo on Etsy with 2 week lead time and I can make you a custom bracelet or a bracelet kit. I will just need to know what theme you want and the size of your wrist.
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Easy wrap bracelet for the holidays. November 27, 2011
A wrapped or memory wire bracelet is one of the easiest pieces of jewelry to make for a beginner. You will need one package of memory wire sized for bracelets. You will also need beads of your choice with holes sized large enough to fit the diameter of the memory wire. Many seed beads will not work for this unless they are the larger ones. You will also need a pair of Chain nose pliers. (Click for memory wire source) (Click for source of Pliers)
To start locate one end of your memory wire, then using your pliers bend the end back onto itself. (you can also purchase memory wire bead caps. Click here for a source) It will form a bit of a loop. This will stop your beads from coming off the end.
Your typical package of memory wire will allow it to go around your wrist several times. Take a look and decide how many time you want your to wrap around. Once you know, cut the memory wire at that point (please don’t use your flush cutter for this, the memory wire will damage them) I use a pair of cutters meant for memory wire. (Link to Memory wire cutters)
Now that you have your length of wire, start stringing beads onto it, use your imagination, if you don’t like a combination then slide them off and re do. You can make this total random or in a pattern with the same size and type of bead. (click for bead source)(Source for lovely Crystals) It is all about what appeals to you.
Once you have them all strung, use your pliers and bend a loop into the end where you were stringing. This will hold all the beads onto the wire.
Presto a bracelet!!!
What a great gift! Or if you used those lovely crystals you have a lovely holiday sparkle bracelet….
Happy Holidays!
Sharon
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SharonOrella
P.S. If you just would like to have a lovely Memory Wire Bracelet made for you, I know just the person. Give her a call or visit her shop on Etsy. Click here to visit her shop and contact her via convo Jewelyett
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Confessions of a Magazine addict…. November 6, 2011
Yes, it is hard to say, but I am a magazine addict. I think I come by it honestly, genetically, from my mother’s side of the family. I wasn’t always one, there was a time when I only bought the occasional holiday Magazine to make a cookie recipe or for a decorative technique to spruce up the holidays. Mostly, I think that was because there was no money for magazines and the choice was limited. I remember visiting my aunts in my early twenties, one had magazines in every possible cupboard (even in the bathroom, yes no towels in the linen closet, just magazines). My other Aunt had a special VERY long cabinet (like 15 feet long) that the entire bottom had her collection of magazines. I could not fathom, why they would have SO many, at the time.
I promised myself that I would never be that bad. Then I met my husband, who read several different magazines, and convinced me to subscribe to a quilt magazine that I had been picking up at the drugstore. Now this was before there were tons of these on the shelves like there are now. It was difficult to find a quilt magazine with block patterns at the time. So, I subscribed, and I saved every issue, they were like books to me. It was all I subscribed to for about 4 years. Then quilt magazines started coming out more and more and I subscribed at one time to about 6 of them. I kept them all, think I would get to all the lovely patterns inside them. I did actually sit down and go through them looking for patterns for several years and was greatly inspired by them. That was my downfall, the inspiration factor. It wasn’t that I would always make something from the patterns inside them, it was that I would be inspired to make something similar with my own twist, that was the addiction making itself evident.
I stuck with Quilt magazines for about 10 years as I practiced my craft. It was then that I found the courage to finally toss the first 4 years of Quilt magazines. I realized I had stopped referencing them and had no space for them, so off they went. To the garage, where they languished for about a year, before I could let them fully go. It was also around this time that I started expanding my artistic horizons and was inspired by painting and other hobbies. I eventually stopped all my quilting subscriptions except for ones that came out only a couple of times a year so that I could keep a hand in the quilt world.
Now, I subscribe to beading and paper and Quilt magazines. I save most of them, they are inspiring when I feel like creating. But, I have to be careful, if I feel like working with paper and open a beading magazine the two will collide and I will begin to try to merge the two. Sometimes this is ok, and other times a complete disaster. Like ironing fusible to wrapping paper and then trying to iron it onto paper. Did you know paper warps badly when heated? I do….
Have a great week and if you have time check out some of my new tags on etsy… Click here
Here are some pictures of some of my newer tags for the holidays. . .
Paper, Oh beautiful paper… October 26, 2011
Being a creative type I am always imagining what I could do with all of the different supplies available these days. As of late I have been really working the paper. With all of the punches available these days and the beautiful papers, it very hard to resist creating something from paper. How far we have come, from making fortune tellers and paper cranes as kids to beautiful tags and cards to express our feeling for one another. It occurred to me that having one of those fortune tellers available (in a more grown up version, well sorta) might not be a bad idea during these times. But instead of having fortunes like, Jimmy loves Amanda or You must jump up and down 15 times, we could have more positive affirmations. Perhaps something like, you future holds great potential for growth, or a loved one will honor you or you are loved. Or even limerick ones or one word daily aspirations. I was inspired from the daily aspirations by a basket a co worker has on her desk. It is full of little strips of paper that each have a positive message and you pick one out and it is yours for the day. It is a pick you up, mentally, when a day has been stressful as they can sometimes be. We all need a sense of fun in our day and what better way then to channel that child from long ago that knew how to play simply and have fun. I challenge you to take a an hour or two, an evening or a day and play. No expectations, no responsibilities just doing what you want when you want, and how you want. Enjoy….
Handmade: Is it worth it? October 21, 2011
So you know that handmade is pretty trendy…
You can go on Etsy and find a million handmade items that you think are adorable. But one of the great things about handmade are the connection you make with the Artist/Craftsperson. For the Artist or craftsperson, that connection is important to them too. So question is, how do you make that connection? One way is to search Etsy for locally made items. You can specify a default search that narrows to the closest town to you. You will be pleasantly surprised to find out how many great items are made right down the street from you.
When I talk to people at shows, many are surprised to find out that I am a local artist. They assume that if your doing a show you must be from out of state or pretty far away.
So lets say you found someone close, you can convo them and ask if they are doing any shows locally that you can attend or if their work is in any local shops as well. This will also give you a feel for the person behind the art. Did you get a quick response? Where they friendly even if they weren’t doing any shows? Best case you find you really like the person behind the art and worse case, you move on and continue shopping locally and globally…
So, have fun, keep shopping and support your local artist…
When to start the Holidays October 19, 2011
During this time of year, many begin the discussion about when is it appropriate to start seeing Thanksgiving and Christmas promotions. Halloween by this time is a given, and although it seems to get bigger every year, it usually stays within a Sept – Oct timeframe for the most part. There might be some random things you see earlier but usually they are delegated to the crafter community that needs a head start to finish creating in time for Halloween.
Thanksgiving although a good celebration for families and friends, is not as heavily promoted as Christmas and Halloween and really does not require the preparation that the Christmas Celebration does. Every year, I think that the distance between Thanksgiving and Christmas gets shorter and shorter. It doesn’t really but I love a wonderful Christmas and it takes time to build that. Unless you like to rush around panicking about where everything is and what you need to replace and what you’re going to get for Aunt Sue and Uncle Jim. Then you start planning for it early. I prefer to take it in stride and start planning in October for Christmas. This means, yes I am working on it NOW. Part of what I do is create for the holidays, so some of that takes place in July (even tho it can be difficult to get into the Christmas Spirit when it is 80 outside) but I enjoy it. I want to share with you what I have in store so far for the holidays. I hope you will check them out and start preparing for your best holiday yet. Of course you can find them all on Etsy in my store. http://www.etsy.com/shop/SharonOrella
Creating, Creating, Creating…. with Paper October 17, 2011
I have always loved paper, I love the feel of paper, I love the smell of paper and I truly love the versatility of paper. Paper can become so many things and mean so much. I always wonder who and how the first bits of paper were made. I know that as far back as Egyptian times they were we writing on fibers and making papers. I have dabbled in making paper several times and enjoyed doing it. My favorite was when I decided that I was going to make use of all of the junk mail I kept getting. I began shredding all of my junk mail, envelope and credit card applications and sales flyers etc. It was not long before I had bags and bags of shredded paper. I than began throwing it in a blender with some water and unflavored Gelatin. I had read that the gelatin would hold everything together along with the fibers all interweaving together. I wound up with some pretty amazing paper pulp (after a LOT of blending). I made several batches of paper but my fave was the one I added a tiny bit of green food coloring to. In that batch I threw in some dried flowers, some green food color, and some other twiggy like fibers I had lying around. All of my 8 x 11 sheets came out a pale green with lots of texture. I thought they were fabulous! I little hard to write on, but they went through my inkjet printer rather nicely. I will have to do that again, perhaps next summer would be good. I found it best to do this outside, that way I did not worry about spillage or mess. Memories of my handmade paper are good ones and fit right in with my latest endeavor of paper creations. I discovered (drum roll puleeze) embossing! I have gone a bit overboard in collecting little embossing folders that I put paper in then crank through my little roller machine. I never get tired of seeing the end product! I have made tags, lots of tags, many experimental and some that have made it to my Etsy site. Did I tell you I also love to package these up, and make then pretty so that when people get them I hope they will like them as much as I do. I only wish I could give as many gifts as I make tags for because then I could gift wrap with paper too. Ahhh…. so much paper and so little time!
Of course I must share some pictures of my paper creations!
