Crocheted Bracelet and Instagram Rant

I love embroidery floss. It comes in SO MANY colors. And isn't so expensive it breaks the bank. I've been teaching myself to crochet off and on for a few months now and wanted to try my hand at making a bracelet.

I decided to do a multi-color bracelet. I chose three colors I thought went well together and gathered them up losely.

I did a long chain with the thread. I love how random it looks.

I ran into some trouble with the double crochet stitch. The hook didn't want to hold the floss sometimes. I'm thinking a slightly larger hook would be better. I'm using a 3.25 hook here.

The finished bracelet. I'm wearing it now and it's super comfy. It needs some tweaking in the design, I think. Like maybe a better button for the clasp. I'm thinking of adding glass beads. Right now, it looks a bit juvenille and that's not what I want. Oh sure, girly is ok but I wanted something a bit more... hip, I guess. Lol.

I've been spending a lot of time making bracelets. I want to try and make more necklaces but just can't seem to "get it." :-\

On a side note, I'm loving Instagram. I love that I can instantly upload my photos of projects (of anything really), and get feedback. I love looking at everyone else's works, too. AND I just die when I see all the cute puppies.

I know all the iPhone users are upset that it's come to Android and I suppose understand. I, myself, have a 7 year old Mac Powerbook which I love to death and prefer above all others but don't hate on other computers. I think it's funny there's a hashtag for all the Android hate/iPhone love and they're blaming the slowness of the program on the fact that Android users have access to the app now (oh, and they're blaming the Facebook buyout too). I haven't had a problem with my HTC. Instagram works great on my phone... maybe it's the iPhone... or their phone provider :P

An Awesome Giveaway

Oh my goodness. The lovely, Bead Soup Goddess herself, Lori Anderson is giving away a lovely set of stamps AND a new hammmer!

Head on over to her page here! I sooo want this set but I know whoever wins it will make something amazing!

BTW: Replenishing Supplies

So. Not really a table post, but it does have beads! Lol. Supplies are low so I had to go and buy more. Well. That's my excuse, really. I've just been depressed and needed to do a little retail therapy. Not much... just a little.

This is one of my fave bead stores. It's a tiny little store in Orange, CA called Beads Beads. It's on a busy street and is so small, you'll probably miss it on the first few goes. I always shoot for the Bank of America it's next to but still tend to miss the shop and have to double back.

It's tiny but chock full of beady goodness. A really good selection of Czech glass beads. I usually buy strands here. I have yet to look at their charms or stones, which they keep behind the counter but I make good use of my time and money buying beautiful Czech glass.

And seed beads, of course! For someone who mostly wire wraps them or uses seed beads as spacers, their little tubes are excellent. The white capped tubes are only $0.95! Red is $1.25 and if you need something fancy, black caps are $2.95. There are their size 11s. Size 15s, 8, and 6 are on the other side of the shop and just as well priced (in my opinion).

Here's my haul. Not very big, but it makes me all warm inside. They have some lovely wood beads and I snagged a strand. Their lucite flowers aren't the best priced but they have flowers I haven't seen elsewhere so I snagged some too. Czech glass and seed beads made it into my basket as well as a half-off strand of stone labeled "oyster opal," which I must do research on but for $2, I had to have it. I had a list of beads I wanted to buy on my phone but somehow, managed to forget the amethyst and peacock blue size 8 seed beads! Oh no. Another trip will have to happen again soon... :P

I also needed some buttons and made my way to a craft store. BUT! They didn't have the buttons I needed. Sadness. I'm wondering if they're no longer carrying the design I want and am a little worried I won't be able to replace my used up stock. I finally have a few designs that are popular and the buttons I need feature in one of them. Blah.

My last stop was San Clemente Art Supply. They carry my waxed Irish linen cord. I haven't had the funds to buy all the colors I want in bulk yet so when I get the money, I make my way over to San Clemente and buy 20 yards of a few colors. It lasts me a good while and they're awesome. When I was in art school, I tried to get as much of my supplies from them as possible. I don't do much painting and drawing now but when I do, I still buy from them as often as I can. Support small businesses!!!

Sorry this wasn't a real table post. Tomorrow, I'll try and have something more to show you!

What's on your bead table today?

Check out the BTW Flickr group!

Oh the Pain of Rejection

The boyfriend and I tried to get into a craft show. We saved up the money, sent in the app, and waited patiently. People who have shown there before told me I was a shoe-in. That I would rock the show. After almost a month of waiting, we got the email today telling us we didn't get in.

I'm at a loss at how to grow my business. I feel rather sad and depressed. But instead of wallowing in my sadness, I uploaded 3 new bracelets and a pair of earrings up into the shop. Maybe tomorrow I will wallow.

Hopefully, I can find something good to blow the booth money on.

Beads, probably. :P

New Bracelets in the Shop

Updated the Etsy shop today with these little pretties.

 

Remember the bracelet frames I talked about a few posts ago? These are the bracelets they make.

 Mint and sage green.

 Peach and coral.

Gray gray gray.

These are in the shop right now. YAY! Hopefully, I'll have 4 more to post tomorrow. 

Hope everyone had a great Monday! :D

Thank you, Mr. Mailman

The mailman brought me my latest orders on Saturday. How happy was I to see these?

Going to be making some lovely hairpins. I got some paper flowers on sale at Michaels last week. So, not only will these lovely flower cabs make an appearance on these lovely pins, but I'll also have some paper flower pins. Yay.

Now, these LOOK like cabs, but they have tiny holes at the top and bottom. I have a special project in mind inspired by a pair of high fashion earrings. I'll do a lovely post on them when I finally have time to make them. These cabs and hairpins come from oh what fun, over on Etsy.

And LOOK! I finally got to order my silk sari ribbon. LaShell, over at designtalentedone, took my custom variety pack and rolled ribbon order and added two little bundles of coral and black. I'm loving the feel. Rubbing the ribbon on my fingers.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic Easter weekend. Follow me on Instagram! I need more people to follow too :)

Dreaming of the Ocean

My siblings and I went to Hawaii in 2007. Such a beautiful and life changing trip. And my mind wanders to the beautiful beaches we found there.

The beach jewelry I design is simple.

Mostly pearls and Czech glass.

And waxed Irish linen cord.

And wood. No metal. No tarnish. 

These four pretties are up in the shop.

I think I'll need a beach trip soon. It's still a little cold for a dip but maybe just to sit and watch the ocean. That would be lovely.