The Savvy Crafter

More Bead Merry and Bright!.....Ornament Thursday

Hello and welcome to Ornament Thursday~our virtual craft night get together. This came about when I mentioned to Katie that I wished we could get together for a holiday craft night.  That's not possible so we're sharing ornament ideas via our blogs.  Guess what?  You're invited too!  Just post pictures (and tips or a quick how to) on your blog and leave a link to your post in the comments section here.  The more the merrier!

My offering today is pictured above----Tartan Love!

My friend Meg remembered these fabric covered ornaments as a kid so we set out to reconstruct them.  She bought the materials and the day we made cookies, we also did a little crafting.  My pal Krissy and I traded off on our cookie duties while we made the first heart.  It was a group effort to put the pieces of the puzzle together, really.   

Materials: 

• 1/8th yard of metallic paper-like fabric
• Mod Podge
• polystyrene form (heart, star, ball)
• scissors
• tooth pick
• paint brush
• 4mm gold glass faceted beads
• straight or sequin pins
• multi-purpose adhesive
• 10 inches of ribbon

Instructions:  Cut the fabric into small squares-approximately 1/4".  Poke a tooth pick into the side of your polystyrene form--this gives you something to hold onto.  Paint a thin layer of Mod Podge onto small sections of the form and stick the fabric squares into place.  Add a thin layer of MP over each piece of fabric.  Continue overlapping and sticking the fabric (see photo above).  At this point it may look a little scary. Once the MP becomes tacky you can smooth down loose edges with the wooden handle on the paint brush.  Poke the tooth pick into a block of foam and leave to dry.  Remove the tooth pick and patch up the hole with another piece of fabric and MP, leaving it to dry.  String a bead onto a pin, add a dot of glue to the pin and poke it into the side of the form.  Repeat with desired pattern.  Don't forget to save a spot at the top for attaching the ribbon.  Bring the two ends of ribbon together and make an over hand knot.  String a bead onto a pin followed by the ribbon.  Put a dot of glue where you want the ribbon and push the bead/ribbon pin down into the top of the form. 

More festive ideas....

• Katie made a cool LOVE ornament.
• Madge made a sweet photo ornament of her grandparents.
• Jean made a naughty angel ornament.
• Jennifer made a whimsical ornament set.
• Alexia made a funky cool ornament.

Join in anytime...please don't feel like you have to post instructions though.  We just want to see what you're putting on your tree this year!

Linkos de love-os!

About.com Jewelry Making  Give a double wammy of beads this holiday. Tammy has discovered a group that has great beaded jewelry to give and get that also gives to needy young women. http://jewelrymaking.about.com/b/2007/11/20/jewelry-gifts-that-give-twice.htm
Art Bead Scene  Only a few days left to enter the Art Bead Scene challenge with the Coffee Haus theme! Get your caffeine on and get moving on a coffee related design using art beads! http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2007/11/november-monthly-challenge-coffee-haus.html
Bead Arts  Cyndi is ga-ga over the pictures and information she found recently on Kanzashi, Japanese hair ornaments. http://www.bead-arts.com/kanzashi-japanese-hair-ornaments/
Jewelry & Beading  Two of Cyndi's pieces are in the lastest issue of Jewelry Crafts. http://www.jewelryandbeading.com/2007/11/19/articles-in-jewelry-crafts-novemberdecember-issue/
Naughty Secretary Club  Grab a left over turkey sandwich and tune into the DIY Network Holiday Special this weekend with oodles of different craft projects. One with Jennifer Perkins making a chunky charm bracelet and necklace using decoupage. http://naughtysecretaryclub.blogspot.com/2007/11/learn-how-to-make-decoupage-jewelry.html
Pearlesq.  Check out Robin's closeup photos of Distress Crackle Paint along with tips and techniques to get the best "crackin'" results! http://pearlesq.blogspot.com/2007/11/closeup-crackle.html
Savvy Crafter  Last week Candie found herself in a maze of seed beads in Kathmandu. See pictures of her visit to the Indra Chowk bead market… http://candiecooper.typepad.com/savvycrafter/2007/11/indra-chowk-bea.html
Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!  It's not too early to start stashing away those hand-made teachers' gifts for the Holidays! You will be glad you did later when the rush is on! Jean shows what she decided to make the teachers (shhh! It's a secret!) this year! http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/2007/11/secret-necklace-dont-tell-teachers.html
The Impatient Blogger  If you're feeling the holiday stress, take a moment to enjoy a delicious little gem of a movie that'll spark your creativity and make you smile. A kinda movie review from your pal Margot! http://margotpotter.blogspot.com/2007/11/kinda-review.html

Bead Merry and Bright.....Part 1

Gather round' all ye crafty gift makers!  If you are looking for super cool, sparkly, and FAST presents to make for all your friends and family, then look no further.  Beaded snowflake ornaments are the answer.  I first ran into these snowflake wire forms a couple years ago in Germany.  I admit, they were in a stash of ornament stuff...un-made.  Then Cynthia reminded me about them on a recent blog post.  I dug mine out, but they were small.  I wanted the 6 inch-ers....and I wanted them NOW.  So, I gathered my wire, bought a soldering iron and went to work....with Botch, my husband.  First we straightened the wire.  Then I cut it into sections.  We plugged in the soldering iron and were working on the marble floor.  Bad.  Then the back side of a cast iron skillet.  Nope.  Then we decided we needed something wood.  I rustled around in my office a bit and determined my cork board was going to have to take one for the team.  You see, it was a bit of an ordeal.  Well, we made it through one and then POP!  There went the soldering iron.  *%&$#@! I gathered my wires and headed for the door---first stop: diet coke/caffeine---second stop: find someone who could weld. 

I first tried this shop I had seen on the way to the studio where they weld all kinds of bars and window coverings.  In my crummy Ch!nese and a lotta pointing, I explain what I want.  He said he couldn't use my wire, but he had some of his own.  OK.  I turn around to check out this junk/salvage store and as I look back, sure enough the man welded it.  He's standing there looking at me arms up with one side of the snowflake in his left hand and the other in his right. Both of us start laughing.  Neeexxt.  As I was perusing the salvage man's shop I saw a soldering iron on the ground.  As it turns out he could do it, but he was busy helping a guy repair his motor.  So I sit on a spool of wire, drinking said diet coke and wait. Bob (because I don't know his name) fired up the soldering iron and away we went! I laid the wires out and Bob multi-tasked fixing the motor then soldering wires.  Repeat.  Every time I looked up another dude had lined up to watch.  By the end there were five guys standing there watching us put wires together!  That's an indicator how exciting it is over here.

The moral to the story is, you don't have to go to all that trouble!  Simply click on over to Ornamentea. They have three different sizes of snowflake wires right on the main page--can't miss em'!  While you're waiting for your order to arrive, you can stock up on beads.  Inexpensive glass beads with AB coating work great.  And don't forget to check the thrift stores for necklaces to cut up and reuse.  For those you need to impress, don't mess around, use Swarovski crystals. 

Go traditional with blue, white, and clear....or how about psychedelic snowflakes with pink, orange, chartreuse and purple!  You really can't go wrong here and they are so fun to make!

Indra Chowk Bead Market...Kathmandu

I had no idea what to expect when we set out in search of the "bead market" in Kathmandu.  I guess after living here I was expecting it to be BIG.  But, I pleasantly found just the opposite.  We wound through tiny alley-like streets making our way to an intersection of streets called Indra Chowk.  I read online that the bead market is "tucked away."  That it is.  But, easy to find for a bead-hound. I can smell beads a mile away.  We saw one little closet-like stall then another and another and another...you get the idea? Each stall glistening with strands of glass seed beads.  Incredible!

I came in from an angle that seemed like there were only a few vendors.  "There must be more?"  I walked down one skinny path and turned only to find another row, turn the corner again, and more vendors.  It literally felt like I was a bead rat in a maze with walls of seed beads.  My pictures didn't capture that, but it was so neat.  I ended up with a  pile of seed beaded bangles from the man in the top picture and then this necklace:

You could pick your own strands and have a necklace made on the spot (I opted for a pre-made one----to hard to choose which seed beads folks).  I wanted to take pictures of them making them because that was interesting also, but I chickened out.  Sorry.  I love the colors in this necklace and did I ever tell you I'm a sucker for button and loop clasps.  I am.  So that was my first bead experience in Kathmandu.  More to come....

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving day is almost over back home.  Even though I'm so far away, my memory can still smell the aroma of food baking and simmering through my Grandparent's house.  I can see the pretty decorations Grandma puts on all the tables.  My family dressed in Fall weather clothes, football on the television, pies, pies, pies.  And my mom's after dinner holiday craft of sorts.  And all the while, catching up. Yes, I'm missing you all terribly this morning.  Lots of love and Happy Thanksgiving. 

Links, Links...

Art Bead Scene
Pull up a Cup 'o Joe and warm up with our little gallery of coffee related bead treats made by the editors of Art Bead Scene
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2007/11/bead-theme-have-cup-o-joe.html

Bead Arts
A maple leaf on top of a maple leaf! Cyndi has created a necklace that features both a full sized and a miniature leaf. Can you spot the big leaf? :-)
http://www.bead-arts.com/maple-leaf-necklace/

Jewelry & Beading
Artist Wendy Van Camp has shared with us about her inspirations and creative process in making her beautiful wire and gem jewelry.
http://www.jewelryandbeading.com/2007/11/15/artist-profile-wendy-van-camp/

Katie's Beading Blog
Katie's been a busy blogger this week! Get links to instructions for a fun necklace & earring set, vote for your favorite thing to bead, and check out Katie's new CafePress shop!
http://http://katiehacker.blogspot.com/2007/11/pretty-in-pink.html

Naughty Secretary Club
Have you seen the new issue of Altered Couture Magazine? Look for two pieces of jewelry by Jen and a 3 page spread about her sister Hope Perkins and her hand painted dresses.
http://naughtysecretaryclub.blogspot.com/2007/10/altered-couture.html

PearlEsq.
Robin just wants to show you her nieces' new puppy Charlie, go "awwww!" and have a good smile.
http://pearlesq.blogspot.com/2007/11/puppy-love.html

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean shows a bracelet she made for the November Art bead Scene challenge: lots of fun--coffee is the focus!
http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/2007/11/my-son-and-his-band-in-alternative-hip.html

The Impatient Blogger
Margot shares some thoughts about the transformative power of the creative force in this thought provoking post.
http://margotpotter.blogspot.com/2007/11/arachne.html

Home Sweet Home...

Namaste Everybody!  Just a quick note to say we are home from Kathmandu.  We had a fabulous time and I'll share more after we've spent some time with our clingy dog and filled our empty fridge. 

:-) candie

Bead Crochet...

Oh, it was another busy week at the Cage and still going.  Tuesday I taught the ladies how to crochet with beads.  It took all those coffees on the table, diet coke, and some pizza to get us to the finish line on these.  Needless to say, it was a little daunting at first, bue everyone rose to the challenge and the final results were stunning.

This is the sample I used to demonstrate the technique. Surprising myself, I went with choker length!?!   The clasp is hand picked from Jess Imports.  We randomly found Jess Imports while strolling through San Fran last January--lucky me!  Their store front is closed now, but their online selection is super and I think they vend at many bead shows, so fret not!

   

Be watching for an upcoming issue of Simply Beads Magazine for a similar necklace using this same technique. 

Today I taught a simple class on stamping, embossing, and decoupaging.  More on that later because I have to go to bed. Seriously.  21 people signed up for my kids felting class tomorrow morning and the teacher needs to rest up!

Tonight...

Well, we've turned the couch into our office tonight and are working.  It happens.  The man is putting out fires here and communicating back to the States.  One hand on his phone (which has been ringing off the hook) and one on the computer.  It seems that whenever you take a vacation, you have to work over-time.  And triple time in my case, after loosing a week and a half to pneumonia.  However, I think it's nights like this that make you savor the time away to come.  So since we would be working here in the living room tonight, on the way home from the studio I stopped by DVD-Boy's stand to check his offerings.  I scored 101 Dalmatians, the Indiana Jones set and Stand By Me, which is what we're watching right now. I'd forgotten how much I love this movie.  The lines, the actors, the life messages.  If you haven't seen it in a few years, I highly recommend adding it to your Netflix queue. 

Indeed we are actually leaving Shenzhen for a few days for a quick adventure.  We catch a plane to Kathmandu on Tuesday.  I haven't done too much research on what to see so I welcome your 2 cents.  All I know is that our hotel is next to the big square and it includes breakfast.  I know we will visit temples and markets....the bead market.  Oh yes.  We're so excited.

P.S.  If you have sent me an email in the last week or so, I haven't forgot about you.  Thanks for checking in and the nice notes. I'll be emailing this weekend, so talk soon.

P.S.S.  MySpace was also bl()cked a couple of weeks ago, so if you emailed me there, I cannot login.  :-(  But,  our class reunion has been set for JULY 26th. 

Good bead-lovin' links...

Good grief, I don't know where the weeks go! 

Art Bead Scene
Stop by Art Bead Scene this week to see the winner of the October challenge and the theme and prizes for the November challenge. We are sure it will "wake up" your creativity!
http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2007/11/monthly-challenge-winner.html

Bead Arts
Never throw anything out! Not even Chinese fortunes...
http://www.bead-arts.com/chinese-fortune-cookie-necklace/

Jewelry and Beading Blog
Is it a trick or a treat? If you are passing out these beaded Halloween cards discovered by Tammy over at the Jewelry and Beading Blog, more than likely your friends will think they are the perfect treat this year. Plus, no calories or cavities!
http://www.jewelryandbeading.com/2007/10/30/beaded-halloween-card/

Katie's Beading Blog
Are you selling the jewelry you make? Katie compiled a list of links to articles that are full of helpful tips and info. Check them out or just add yours to the list.
http://katiehacker.blogspot.com/2007/10/selling-your-jewelry.html
PearlEsq.
Robin's added another Technique of the Week, showing some fun ideas with Adirondack Alcohol Inks, Embossing Powders and Color Wash, all products that work as wonderfully on paper as for mixed media jewelry designs!
http://pearlesq.blogspot.com/2007/10/totw-6-last-of-flowersor-not.html
  Savvy Crafter
Not sure what to do with that handful of cloisonne beads? Head over to Candie's blog for some inspiration!
http://candiecooper.typepad.com/savvycrafter/2007/11/cloisonne-all-t.html

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean just keeps loving to make those crazy little spiral seed bead bracelets. This one has a funny name!
http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/2007/10/new-spiral-trinky.html

Stitch Austin / Naughty Secretary Club
Jen writes for several blogs, one of which is for the Stitch Fashion Show and Indie Craft Bazaar that she produces. Stitch is Nov 10th at the Austin Convention Center and Jen blogged a roundup of all the amazing jewelry designers you will find at the show!
http://stitchaustin.blogspot.com/2007/10/jewelry-shopping-at-stitch.html

The Impatient Blogger
Got a restless streak a mile wide? Enjoy Margot's musings on how she's turned her 'creative adhd 'into a career. Impatient? Well, yes!
http://margotpotter.blogspot.com/2007/10/creative-adhd.html

Pumpkin and Chocolate...

 

A group of us got together Wednesday afternoon to catch up and welcome Fall by doing some baking and crafting.  My craft project isn't finished yet, so I'll show that later (wish I had a nickel for every time I said that).  But!,  I can tell you about a fabulous cookie recipe that we tried out---Pumpkin and Chocolate chip.  We used the recipe from here.  There are many different recipes online for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies, but I was drawn to this one for the "spice factor."  Nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove--yes please.  The cookies turned out to have a muffin-like texture, very soft and fluffy. 

To sum it all up I'd say;  lattes, cookies, and friends---the perfect ingredients for a lovely afternoon.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. It’ll look really funky at this point but have faith.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes (17 minutes works about perfectly for me), or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for two minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

Cloisonne' All the Way...

It was a packed cage at my Birdcage Studio on Tuesday morning...the kick-off to the Intermediate beading class.  There were 12 of us round the tables, ready to make Contemporary Cloisonne' bracelets.

We used Beadalon's large bracelet memory wire and cloisonne' beads of all different shapes, colors and sizes.  Everyone fell in love with the memory wire---I can't blame them.  The stuff is great!

The beads were flying around the coils and before long everyone had a beautiful finished bracelet.  We topped the ends off with gold cherry blossom charms. 

Next week's class:  Bead Crochet....All the Way!

Happy Halloween...

Do you know about Dover publications?  They produce all sorts of great books.  Paper dolls, kids activity, and my favorite---clip-art.  Every week or so they send out an email with free samples from their books.  This image is one of them.  You never know what you're going to get and that's what makes it fun!  Kind of like Trick or Treating!!