Sooo Much Time has past...but the craft must go on!!

I just noticed it's been like forever since my last post. Okay two months. But that is a long time considering i have not been really crafting in that time frame. I have to say i have actually been busy. Between school and working out and working and going to my church activities and studying....let's just say i have been tired. So i have let my craft box collect dust. I have purchased a few things along the way with the intention of stealling a moment to make something great, but sadly those things also have dust on them too.

But with the summer comes free time. I decided to not take any classes this summer. And though i have several things i am either planning or on a committee to help plan, I think i will have more time to create.

The plus side is i finally made it to South Sun. That was this huge store i kept hearing about. I missed their sidewalk sale (they do it everyday) but made it into the store. I have to say the store was a little intense. Wall to wall to wall beads. Unfortunatly i was not impress with allot of them (eh...). The things i did like where these outrageously cute pendants. The prices were outrageous too ($45 to $145). Even with everything being 40% off that day i couldn't touch that. So i made it to the end of the adventure with two bags of variety beads (the safest choice for me) that ended up being a total of almost $4. I think i picked the cheapest thing in the store. LOL there was also this lady that worked there the was very forcefull about showing me options for colors etc so i could sell my pieces in a boutique. What boutique? I haven't gotten there yet. So i tried to avoid her. Sweet lady though. She just really loved what she did. LOL

I have an aunt that has been harassing me about seeing what i have made because other relatives have told her about it. I told her i would be selling it soon enough :). That bought me some time to dig out some of the pieces and photos of the pieces i have given as gifts. (because i know she didn't want to buy anything teehee)

So i am declaring this summer, that i will take time to make my jewlery. Oh!! This summer should be fun!!

Yay Bangles!

The last time I was in a bead store the lady showed me a wonderful bangle bracelet made from with the coiling gizmo. It was so cute. So I decided to attempt it. I could not remember the particulars so I went online and found some breif instructions.

My first attempt turned out cute.






My second attempt was good too but I somehow made the bangle smaller.






I think together they are a pretty good for a first timer. I even made the clasps myself. How cool it that?!






Needless to say I am so in love with bangles now.

I also was motivated to set up an Etsy account. I have not posted anything but it is exciting none the less.


Going back to my previous post, here what I have made so far with the beads my mother bought.










She loved it! I am praying for more projects! Seeya soon.

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To Etsy or not to Etsy?

A few people mentioned i should sell my jewlery on Etsy. I have looked at Etsy but have never actually purchased anything from there. I do know people that have bought and sold on the site. I am wondering if i should try it out.





The membership is free but it costs .20 per item to post and you share a percentage of the money you get for your item. Is that worth it? Do i even make (or want to make) enough jewlery to support an account.





I have actually been trying to find some craft shows that i can eventually join. Maybe when i have more that 8 necklace set in my portfolio. :)



Enough of that...I notice that this month is craft month.









How exciting. And i love the line about crafting a memory. Awwww....I went to Joann's fabric and crafts and just about everything was 25-40% off. I got allot of good stuff. My mother came with me and she bought a bag full of beads too. Of course she handed me the bag and said "ok do something with that". I on the other hand bought a bunch of wire in different gauges so i can persue my need for all things coiled.

We'll see what will happens...

The coolest thing ever!!

I was out and about on Friday and decided to use my handy dandy iPhone to find bead stores near where I was at the time. The first stop was Salmagundi in Lemon Grove (SD County) Ca. This place was mentioned on yelp as having cool finds that no one else would have. Well... It was really a dusty little store with a sweet little old lady that was very helpful. The store had a decent amout of beading items among all the craft explosion. Unfortunately they are a cash only shop so I was limited to the few dollars I had in my wallet. I would go back if I was in the area.

Next on my list was an place 8 miles away in LaMesa called The Bead Boutique.









Also a small shop with an older lady (but not a craft explosion like the other place). After circling the store a number of times I started asking questions. This lady was awsome!! She helped me decide what to get and suggested a few techniques. As people kept coming in and out to get tips and show off what they had done I felt more impressed. The lady had regulars. Hmmm...

One of the ladies that came through was showing off a coiled necklace wich I thought was awsome. I was told it was easy enough to do. So the sales clerk showed me what I needed and...get this...spent 10 minutes showing me how to do the coiling. I had my own personal class right there at the counter. I was giddy.

And to make the magic all you need is this "gizmo"(aka the coolest thing EVER!) and some wire.




This is my first attempt wich I am trying to put into a necklace of some sort.




Needless to say...I am all over coiling now. And I can't wait to show you all the finished product...

Ok. This is the finished product. I am very happy with it. :)






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Photo charm keychains

I decided to make a photo charm and keychain for my cousin and her fiancé as a small engagement gift.

To make the photo bead I used all this...




1: two part resin w/instructions
2: modge podge (used to protect pic from color bleed and to glue to the frame)
3: two measuring cups (you have to have exact equal parts of each part of resin mix)
4: xacto knife (cut pic to size)
5: two cotton swabs (i cut the cotton off one end and used as stir stick. The other I used to smooth pic into the frame w/ glue)
6: photo frame beads
7: small photos
8: snippers
9: safety pin (to pop or move bubbles to the edge of frame)
10: cool article in BeadStyle magazine (feb '10) about making a resin bead

The bead, once set had to dry for 24 hours. In the meantime I gathered the keyring, chain, charms and beads to make the magic happen.

The finished result...

A keychain for him:




And a keychain for her:





I tried to use the colors that are going to be in their wedding wich is yellow and rust.




My cousin was so excited I ended up offering to make jewelery for the wedding. Yikes! I am getting bold now. But it will be a fun project. And the bride and bridesmaids will help me. Also my other cousins want jewlery now and my aunt had already put in an order. LOL Another project is always waiting for me. But I think I like it that way. :)

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Bead obsession

Once I read that great article in BeadStyle magazine I was inspired by the bracelet I told you about. This meant I had to go bead shopping right?

After hitting up Joannes and walmart I broke out my handy dandy I phone and went for an app that you can search for a business with. This app pointed to a store called "The Bouncing Bead" located in La Mesa Cali. www.thebouncingbead.com





After driving up and down the street looking for the place I finally decide to pull over in a lot to find some better directions. Lo and behold!! The store was right in front of me.

Unfortunately this place was situated behind another store in a corner of the strip mall that you would only see if someone said "Quick!! Look now!!"







Fortunately I was pleased with the cute little shop. The two ladies working were very helpful and had what I had been looking for all day. I didn't like the prices (1 frame bead for $3 and a tiny ribbon bead for $1.30). It was bit over priced. But I got some cool ideas for more projects because these ladies have displays of their work up around the store. And they offer several classes that I plan to take in the future.

The best part was that there was one other customer in the store that I was able to talk about my bead addiction with. She had the same issue! LOL

All in all it was a good trip. My next adventure is a place called The Bead Mall. Can't wait!! :)


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I am officially a bead geek

I was strolling through the store the other day and was walking past the magazine rack thinking "there are magazines for every little thing". Right then a hush fell over the store as a beam of light appeared over me...i got a revelation!! "I wonder if there is a BEADING magazine?" Why yes!!! There was two to choose from. I chose the cheaper of the two (because let's face it people...I am a bargain shopper at heart...ok..I am cheap but that's not the point). I found this cool magazine called Bead Style (http://www.beadstylemag.com)



In this glorious magazine is project ideas and bead shows and new teqniques and.....sorry...got a little excited there...

They also have a bead shop list in the back (by state). You can even search for bead shops near you on their website!! I am thinking i may need to subscribe to this magazine. Does that make me a bead geek?


One of the featured projects in this particular issue is photo charm bracelets. I am thinking of doing this for a gift. This one will be interesting. It's more than just beads but photos and resin and mixing and pouring. Still, I think this will be an awsome for an engagement gift. Photos of the couple in different places and all. Hmmmm...I could do a keychain for him. Oh My....I got another project on my hands.