May 9, 2016
by Tammy
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I visited my fav yarn shop again. The last time I was there was back in February. I picked up some yummy yarn, which I show in this video, and I also gifted some earrings to the gals in the shop as part of my Random Act of Jewelry.
May 9, 2016
by Tammy
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Twinkie Chan’s Crocheted Abode a la Mode: 20 Yummy Crochet Projects for Your Home
The 20 projects are organized by areas of the home, such as the kitchen, bedroom, and so on. As you can image by the title and the hilarious crocheted banana split shown on the book’s cover, the projects are all funny and whimsical. If you don’t have a sense of humor, then this book won’t be for you. However, while crochet tends to have a sort of weird kitschy reputation sometimes, and not in a good way, I didn’t get that feeling with this book. There is such a thing as kitschy-cute and then there is kitschy-weird, and this book definitely is more in the “cute” category.
There are a lot of really large projects in this book, which may be a little bit large for some people to take on, but at the same time, there are small projects as well. For example, there is the Strawberry Shortcake Stand-Mixer Cover, full of details from the strawberries and whipped cream at the top to even sprinkles, but then there are also more manageable Grocery Fridge Magnets, Little Cherry Zipper Pulls, and Carnival Pen Cozies. So you can go big or go small.
I could imagine some of these are really unique gifts for that person who has everything or also a fun way to decorate a bedroom or small apartment. I just could not help but smile as I read through the book.
Note: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher, but my opinions are my own.
May 9, 2016
by Tammy
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Cyndi shares how to make a sparkling pair of earrings using the simple Dutch spiral stitch!
Decoupage Originals of Old Photos
If you don’t want to save them for posterity, here’s how to decoupage the originals of vintage photos.
Doll crafters, collectors, and non-doll crafters, the month of May means a giveaway!
Diamond 19 is posted and now we only have six more blocks to go in the SAL. Don’t worry though, there will be another SAL to follow!
Snap out of it, Jean! There’s beading to be done!
Jean reviews 60 Quick Cotton Knits The Ultimate Collection in Ulta Pima From Cascade Yarns ! See her blog for these airy, beautiful spring and summer cotton accessories in a myriad of colors which you can knit in a flash!
May 4, 2016
by Tammy
1 Comment
Quick & Easy Stitched Jewelry: 20+ Projects to Make
When most jewelry makers think of bead weaving, the idea of very tedious and time-consuming projects often come to mind. Of course, making large-scale bead weaving projects can give you hours of enjoyment as the maker of the jewelry piece; however, for those who want to make jewelry a little faster, it can be a turn off. This is especially true if you want to sell your finished jewelry designs since the time you put into a piece can be difficult, if not impossible, to get paid for when pricing your work. These are all issues that Cathy Jakicic considered while designing jewelry projects for this book. You can scale them up, and she shows you how to do this, but you can also construct a lot of simple to make jewelry items as well. Simple most often means less time when it comes to beadweaving.
Besides the time issue, another solution that the author has provided is the fact that she clearly states in the introduction that she will allow jewelry makers to resell items they construct with her design instructions. This tends to be a hot issue with some people claiming it is okay to do this anyway since they made the piece and others saying that they should get permission from the designer before doing this. Either way you want to look at this dilemma, though, it is always polite to ask (IMHO), and Jakicic tells you up front that she is giving you permission. How cool is that?!
As far as the 20 plus projects go, the idea of “plus” comes because she may show one design but then also spins off variations. For example, on page 74, she shows an Ombre Reef necklace, that is fairly complex and includes lots of branch fringe. However, her tones down spin includes branch fringe earrings and another necklace with less fringe on it.
I often had issues like this when I used to participate in arts and crafts shows. I enjoyed beadweaving but found the time input would not translate well into profits. While I was able to come up with a few seed bead type designs myself back then, they were pretty limiting. The projects in this book really answer that issue of time versus profit, and even if you don’t plan on selling your work, it is nice to spend less time on the “making” of a piece and more then the “wearing” of it.
Note: As with most books and crafting products reviewed on this blog, this book was provided as a review copy by the publisher.
May 3, 2016
by Tammy
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I have a fun little giveaway going on for May 2016! Come by and enter. It’s super duper easy!
Note: Comments are turned off on this blog post so that participants will post their comments directly on my YouTube channel post in order to enter the giveaway.
May 2, 2016
by Tammy
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I have been giving away jewelry to random strangers and friends too, of course. I talk about what I’ve started called “Random Acts of Jewelry” in this short video:
May 2, 2016
by Tammy
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If you have or know a model mom who does her very best for her kids and sets an example you admire, tell her with a “priceless” dress card like this.
Make Bulky Yarn Out of Medium Weight Yarn
Using worsted weight yarn and a spool knitter, you can make bulky yarn that you can then knit with. A great stash buster!
Learn how to make these easy wire headpins that have three wire loops on the end.
Do you know how to stitch the Dutch spiral? It’s really not too hard…
Snap out of it, Jean! There’s beading to be done!
Jean reviews Quick & Easy Stitched Jewelry, 20+ Projects to Make, by Cathy Jakicic–it’s wonderful!
April 28, 2016
by Tammy
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April 24, 2016
by Tammy
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I will be doing some doll operations this summer, and this unboxing shows off the first of a few projects I have planned.
April 24, 2016
by Tammy
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Do you recycle in the bathroom? Many people don’t, and it’s often because there’s no go place to put recyclables there. Here’s an easy upcycled box to hold items for recycling in the bathroom or anywhere else.
If you have the right tools and a little crochet knowledge, you can design your own crocheted afghan pretty easily.
Jewelry Creations Using Bead Box Bargain April 2016
I had a viewer ask me, “What do I make with the Bead Box Bargain shipment…well, here is what I made with the April 2016 goodies.
‘Ya Can’t Please Everyone, So Ya Got to Please Yourself’
Don’t compare your efforts with those of accomplished crafters and think you’re not good enough. If you give up, you’ll never get better. This is the voice of experience speaking.
Like cats? Connie’s got a free pattern that will be perfect for you!
Upcycling old plastic bracelet bangles into something fun and wearable has become Cyndi’s mission!
Snap out of it, Jean! There’s beading to be done!
Jean reviews Jeweler’s Enameling Workshop Techniques and Projects for Making Enameled Jewelry by Pauline Warg. Get the full basics on this wonderful technique and make something pretty!