The Crafty Princess Diaries

Crafters are a creative bunch. Sure, we have to first learn the basics of our craft of choice. However, once we get a handle on basic techniques and methods of whatever it is we are crafting, it’s not unusual for makers to take it a step further and change, alter, twist what we’ve learned into something far different from what we started with.

Cyndi has been on the ropes lately, as in beading rope necklaces much of this summer. Now that she’s become expert at the basics, it is time for her to twist her own take on some of the basics. In a recent blog post over on her Beading Arts blog, she shares with us how she’s changing up her seed bead weaving with herringbone stitch. Plus, she even offers a quick tutorial for her readers so they can also try it. Love the results!

Another blog crafter who likes to twist, literally, is the Tappingflamingo. She combines her wire wrapping skills with recycled discarded guitar strings. What started out as a dare from one of her dulcimer buddies grew and evolved into an array of various jewelry pieces as well as beaded ornaments.

She has made key chains, necklaces, holiday ornaments, earrings, and her designs continue to expand, all because she wanted to figure out a way to reuse old guitar strings.

What have you turned and twisted as far as your crafting skills lately?

We are well into summer now, which means many of us might have some extra time to indulge in being more creative then usual. Some of my fellow bloggers are currently sharing how their level of creativity has increased lately.

Simple on-the-go style projects, specifically beaded ropes, have been one method for Beading Arts to be creative while still busy with summer obligations. While they can take a chunk of time to do, once you get started and understand the basic technique, weaving beads into ropes that become necklaces is a fun way to create with seed beads, and it’s relatively simply because the techniques are just repeated over and over.

Tappingflamingo has also been busy with beads lately and was inspired by the ocean to create her Autism Awareness Bracelets. For each bracelet she sells from this line of jewelry, she is able to donate some of the proceeds to Surfers for Autism. Being able to do this has been a long-term goal for hers, and now that she has a more established Etsy shop, she is able to finally give to a cause that is personally important to her.

The Bead Love blog has gotten some creative juices going by participating in a beading challenge. She joined the Wild Jungle Challenge put on by Allegory Gallery, and in her blog post, she shows what she managed to design using materials from the challenge kit.

Summer is also a time for a good read or two, and Andrew Thornton talks about an online reading book club he started five years ago that continues to be popular. One book actually prompted him to come up with some cute mixed tape earrings because the characters in the book created and exchanged mixed tapes with one another.

Production has ramped up a little on the Allegory Gallery web site and online shop. Like many new business ventures, the gallery first entered the online world of selling through free web portals such as Etsy and Big Cartel, and while there was some success, the gallery finally realized it was time to take a bigger step and start developing its own online shop. Little by little, it continues to grow.

Has your summer meant more time for crafting? For me, I have had a great time this summer getting lots more crafting accomplished, but I see the end soon as July ends and we have a few weeks of August before I’m back to school. I hope to keep up the crafting momentum though!