Charmed, I’m sure! 😊 Cute Necklace ~ DIY

Hello my lovely friends 💕 Thank you so much for joining me today! 

How much do you love this adorable necklace? 😍 And it’s so easy to create…even if you never made a piece of jewelry! 

I was strolling through ‘Michael’s’ yesterday – hunting for an accent color yarn for the ‘Granny Square Cardi’ ….I didn’t like the yellow. Turns out I bought a color that I thought matched, but soooo doesn’t ~ so I have to go back. Drat 😂 

Oh, sorry….but you’re here for the necklace 🙃

So…Michael’s, yarn in basket, I wandered into the jewelry section. Old habits die hard. 😊

Anyway, I spotted these cute little ‘Teaparty’ charms, and had to have them 

 
Adorable, right? 💕

The matching chain – a 3 pack- was right there 

The charms come with jumprings attached, the chain with a clasp 😀 Very convenient, since I did get rid of most of my jewelry-making supplies. 

So all you need is the charms (the whole line of teapots, and cups is very tempting 🙂), the chain and some small pliers. Raid your toolbox, I’m sure you have some that work

Ready? Here we go…

Lay out your chain -I picked the chain with the large links, open the jumprings, and hook them into the chainlinks…

Make sure that they’re spaced evenly 😉

And, believe it or not, you’re done! 😀

Now wear it proudly, and enjoy the compliments! 🤗

This little lady loves it…

I hope you enjoyed this little detour into the jewelry world! 😁 

Will you make one? Please let me know, and maybe share a picture! 😘

I sure hope to see you next time! 

Until then 💕

~ Tina xoxo 

💫 I’m in no way affiliated with the store/company mentioned here.

Make a necklace ~ DIY

Are you looking for a fun project? How about this necklace?

I recently made one, and loved everything about it! The style, the look, the fact that it virtually goes with everything. And it’s pretty easy to make (some experience is definitely a plus though!)
I’ll take you through the process …step by step
First I’ll tell you what all you need –
12 round beads (10mm)
12 bead cones
12 headpins
a pendant
14 jumprings
1 Toggle clasp
3 – 30″ faux suede cords (colorful ribbon also looks great-in that case I would recommend                                                   6 strands)
2 – 14″ lengths of wire

Tools
Round-nose pliers
Needle-nose pliers
Scissors
Measuring tape

Ready? Here we go….
1. Start by threading a beadcap and a bead onto a headpin. Make a double-wrap loop using the round-nose pliers, then attach a jumpring. Repeat for all 12 beads.

2. Take a 14″ length of wire and fold it in half. Take all 3 (6) strands and place it in the loop. Adjust the strands so they extend appr. 1/2″ below the wire. Twist once. Use one end of the wire to wrap tightly around all strands. Like so….

Now form a double-wrap loop with the other end, and either clip it off or use it to cover any spaces you might have in the coil.

3. Use all strands to make an overhand knot about 5″ from the coil.

4. Use 1 strand to string 2 beads (3 strands if you use the ribbon)
Form an overhand knot using all strands about 1″ from the previous knot.
Repeat twice.

5. Use 1 (3) strand(s) to string the pendant.
Repeat Step 4 in reverse.
Then repeat Step 2

6. Use the remaining 2 jumprings to attach the toggle clasp.

And you’re done! 🤗 Congratulations! 💕I’d love to see some pictures!

Need more help? Please holler! I’m happy to answer any questions you may have.

Like to recreate this exact necklace, but don’t wanna run around, searching for the pieces? I do have kits available in my store in Weston, MO and on the website https://www.zibbet.com/kristabella
(Little perk  😊    with the first 2 orders I’ll include a pair of round-nose pliers    😬   )

I hope you have fun making this beautiful piece! Don’t forget to send me some pictures!

See you soon – then I’ll have a soup recipe for you (and what to do with the leftovers 😉)

~Tina xoxo

March ~ Hodgepodge

Hello my lovely friends!
I just had a ‘meh’ – moment – I hope you don’t mind me telling you about it real quick!
Last week I heard that Garth Brooks is coming to Des Moines! 😍 EEEEK – that’s only 3 hours away! Now there is someone I’ve been waiting to see for…well, let’s say a looooong time, and leave it at that!  😉 Tickets went on sale at 10 am. At 8:45 I go to the website, click on ‘get tickets’ – just to check out the seating chart, prices etc. …so I thought. I landed in a ‘virtual waiting room’! So I waited…I set my alarm for 9:55, not that I went back to sleep, but I didn’t wanna sit there for over an hour, staring at the same page (they warned me not to leave the page, I’d go to the back of the line) uh-oh – can’t have that. 10 o’clock came and went, still waiting. At 10:10 they added another show  – still waiting – at 10:25 they added yet another show – you guessed it, I’m still waiting. Now it’s 1:30, another show was added, and all that’s left are tickets on the 3rd level, way in the back. In the rafters? About a mile away from the stage? Eh – no! Long story short – there was my ‘meh’ moment – I didn’t get the tickets. MEH 😕   Next stop is in Fargo, ND…about 10 hours away! Tickets go on sale next Friday. I’ll let you know! 🤘

Sitting there I had some time to think about my next project! It’s going to be a
1. Double Dreamcatcher   💖  I’ve made a sketch so we know what it’s supposed to look like…

1. 
   When I gave up on Garth I gathered the supplies…

   
   Now in theory I know how this works (should work!) But somehow I see a lot of doing and undoing in my nearest future 😂      I’ll let you know!

   2.  I’m planning a longer blog-post (hopefully with an interview) about my visit to the National Silk Art Museum in Weston, MO. I visited Mr. John and his museum last Saturday (it’s just a skip and a hop up the street from my shop) What an amazing place! I didn’t know what to expect – for some reason I pictured silk panels, and -paintings. Boy, was I wrong. There you can find the most amazing collection of antique silk weavings. Until then I didn’t even though these pieces (and artform) exist(s).
   Mr. John is the founder and curator, he finds, cleans, and frames these beautiful pieces. He doesn’t charge admission, but accepts donations.
   I decided to help out a little. I designed a necklace – with silk fringe, of course – and a large portion of the sale of each necklace I will donate to the museum.

   

   3.   What’s new in the shop? you ask…Bracelets! I’ve really neglected that part of my jewelry line for a while. Here are some new designs Inspirational Quotes and Leather Bracelets with interchangeable focals
   Please take a look…
   

   

   

   Speaking of Bracelets…do you play ‘Ring-around-the-Rosie’ when you try to put yours on? I know I do – so I was very happy to find this little tip…
   *you can use a safety pin or a paper clip

   

   

   How nifty is that?

   Alrighty then – time to plan dinner! Or maybe we’ll go out! Even better! 😋

   Have a lovely weekend! 😘 I hope to see you next time❣
   ’til then
   ~Tina xoxo

 

Dreamcatchers ~ The Story

Dreamcatchers ~ I love them…and I’m thinking it’s safe to assume that you do too, or you  wouldn’t be here, right?! 😍
There is something about these dainty creations that fascinates me. When I look at one, I can see the black shadows of nightmares getting tangled in the net, while the airy and happy dreams slip through the hole and slide down the feathers to the sleeper.
As I was sitting in my studio, tying and knotting the delicate web inside a hoop, I started to wonder about the inspiration, the reason. Well, I know they originate with the Native-Americans, I know about the nightmares being captured, and disappearing with the light of day. But what’s the story, the legend? So I did some research. After a little digging – visiting various websites, clicking on numerous links, I got lucky! I found the beautiful tale about the origin of the dreamcatcher…

Dreamcatchers originate with the people of the Ojibwe Tribe. Through intermarriage and trade they were later embraced by neighboring nations. Ancient tales of the Ojibwe people speak of the children’s caretaker, Spider Woman, known as Asibikaashi (the inanimate form of the word for spider of the Ojibwe people is ‘asabikeshiinh’) She is said to have taken care of all the children and people on the land.
As the Ojibwe nation began to fan out and settled all over North America, it was difficult for Asibikaashi to protect all the children. The mothers and grandmothers started weaving magical webs, using willow hoops and sinew, and would hang the charm above the cribs and beds to protect the wee ones from nightmares.

And so, thanks to Asibikaashi, and the mothers and grandmothers of the Ojibwe people, we get to enjoy these beautiful charms and are blessed with their protective powers.

Here are some Dreamcatchers I made over the past few weeks…

 

They even found their way into my jewelry…

As always ~ Thank you so very much for visiting! 💖
’til next time
~Tina xoxo

 

~Chakra Stones and Jewelry

Over the course of the last few months I’ve discovered my love for Crystals and Gemstones. I always used glass beads in my creations – and I still do – but natural stones are definitely taking over. It started slow – a quartz pendant here, a few amethysts there, and now most of my necklaces are exclusively made of stones.
Of course I wanted to know more about them, not just be like ‘oohh, that’s pretty…love the color’. While the color does play a big part in my designs, I’d like to be able to tell you about their symbolism, healing properties, and  what each stone can do for you! That’s how I came to making ‘Chakra’ Necklaces.
You’ve heard of Chakra stones, and their ability to balance your life-force energies.
There are seven main chakras ~ a Sanskrit word meaning ‘Wheels of Light’ ~ in your body. I made a little visual to share with you, that explains the locations and the crystals assigned to each energy-field

Crown = Clear Quartz
Brow = Amethyst
Throat = Amazonite
Heart = Rose Quartz
Solar Plexus = Aragonite
Sacral = Carnelian
Base = Bloodstone
I thought, and hope you agree, that the colors go great together – can’t quiet my designer brain – so I started designing some necklaces and pendants. Here are the first two …

I picked the ‘OM’-sign charm because of it’s connection with the practice of yoga. Here’s a closer look

You probably know the Yoga/Chakra  therapy as meditating with the corresponding crystals on each point – at least that’s how I knew it. Now, I don’t want you to roll around on your necklace – though you can if you so desire…it’s all about relaxing and being happy! – I learned that the crystals incorporated in jewelry can also help you activate and balance individual chakras.
This is just basic information, the tip of the iceberg – if you would like to learn more about the history and tools of Chakra healing (there are  so many more helpful aides out there)  you may want to consider getting the ‘Chakra Bible’ by Patricia Mercier (not affiliated)         I found that to be the most helpful book out there.

Well, just between you and me, this was going to be a newsletter – but apparently I got a little carried away, and this turned out to be longer than intended. So…I leave the rest of my list ’til next time!

~Tina xoxo

Newsletter ~ ‘Pendants of the Loom’ and other fun things

Hellooooo ~ Monday again….and the end of August already – can you believe it?! I hope you had a great summer! Are you looking forward to autumn? I sure do – I love the cool, crisp mornings, the color palette, the clothes, and, of course, my boots! Can’t wait for boot-weather! 😀 Have you seen the fun boot accessories I started making last year? Those were a big hit at the store, so for this year I made more! Take a look ….

1. Boot ~ Bling

Here’s a close-up…

2. New store deco

As you know, I’ve been working on the store expansion over the last few months. The flooding we had set us back a bit, so this has been taking longer than anticipated. But, it’s all finished now! Yay! This week I added the last touch (well, for now).
Wait…I’m getting to the new deco…gotta set the stage….
When we took out the back wall, we exposed a metal beam, that is, while very important, not very pretty. Plus the ceiling is very high, making the space look huge and kinda cold. And I like it cozy! I kept eyeing it, trying to come up with something to break up the space, something pretty that reflects my style and sets the mood. The obvious solution – curtains! But that’s boring, right?!    Then last week I had an idea. I still had a lacy curtain from years ago, I found it right away in my ‘curtains and drapes I don’t need anymore’ closet  (yes, I do have one of those 🙂 ), cut the lace into 2″ x 5′ strips (lucky for me the curtain was 5′ long) and fastened the ribbon to a curtain rod with a lark knot. The rods I attached to the beam, using C-clamps (that’s an idea I’m quite proud of 🙂 ) Now I’m happy! It looks warm and inviting, a little bohemian – just the way I like it.                                            I’m glad you’re still with me, by the way! ❤ But the wait is over…here’s the picture…

3. Pendants of the Loom

Remember last week I had started weaving pendants for the new Fall-Line?! Well, I’m happy to report that the first pendant is finished, off the loom, and made into a necklace.

The pendant is attached to a safety pin ~ I love working with safety pins, they give everything a slightly edgy look, without overpowering, taking over the design. The Quartz crystal is dyed a light purple.                                                                                I do believe I will be making more of these pretties! What do you think? You like?

4. News from my succulent family

Look at this! The succulent family is growing … we got to welcome a wee offspring! ❤

5. Crystal~Quartz

….is a beautiful gemstone, isn’t it? I really do love it, and am attaching it to every design lately! All I have in my stash right now are colored stones. Those are dyed crystal-quartz pendants, but the clear ones are on order! 🙂
I found some great info about this gorgeous gem online (I perused the charmsoflight.com website)
“Crystal Quartz will amplify energy and thought, and is known as the ‘master healer’. It is believed to absorb, store, release, and regulate energy. It aids in concentration (yes, please!!!) and unlocks memory.”
If you like to know more, I recommend visiting this website
I love their header, which is now my ‘bottom line’ 🙂
❤ Harmony ❤ Energy ❤ Healing ❤ Psychic abilities ❤ Clarity ❤ Calmness
Thanks for staying with me … that’s it for now. Have a great week! As always, I’m looking forward to hearing from you, finding out what you think of all this! ❤
Love    Tina    xoxox

My first ever NEWSLETTER … eek – please be patient with me :)

Hello all ~ It is Monday! Do you dread it, or do you look forward to it? I personally love it, because I’m in the shop on weekends…so Monday is my ‘your Saturday’.

So…Monday, new week, new possibilities – I thought I try on something new for size. A newsletter! Let’s hope I have enough news to fill this page, to keep you entertained!

1. After I finished the wallhanging (did you read about it?) I wandered around the house…a little aimless… didn’t really know what to do … so I went into my studio, and searched my bead stash for inspiration…and I came across some beautiful gemstone beads in black and grey hues. I paired them with memory-wire to make a wrap bracelet. I love memory-wire bracelet, because you get the stacked look, without having to put on multiple bracelets. Very time consuming – time we don’t have in the morning…Thanks snooze-button! 😉 Here are pictures of the finished bracelet and a close-up of the pretty beads

 The beads are – white/grey Howlite chips, Agate, Marble cones, dalmatian Jasper, Mother-of-Pearl and Czech glass discs.

2. I replanted my succulents – those poor things were really suffocating in their little plastic pots they came in. Now they’re enjoying the beautiful (almost fall-like) days grouped on the patio table….and I enjoy them!

3. I designed a bracelet for my next workshop, and actually set a date!

If you’re in the area (Weston, MO) stop in to say ‘HI’ and participate!

4. I put up a partition in the store, but the drapes look a bit … well, blah! I’m planning to embellish them with various one-strand creations. One of them is Macramé – haven’t done that in ages. I remembered seeing a how-to in one of my clever craft books. I went looking for it, found it (!!!!) – it was a good day- , got out my hemp, and wood beads and started knotting. It actually looks like it’s supposed to…hehehe…told you it was a good day!

Now I have more creations to create, plans running around in my head to be put on paper, and dusting…need to dust! 😀                                                                                                                                                                                            So I let you go for now – please look for the next post/newsletter! As always, I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Love    ~Tina xoxo

Looking back on my summer

Hello and ‘Good morning’ ~ and a good morning it is!

We woke up to a cool (AND non-humid!!!) day. 56 degrees and a little cloudy…feels like heaven!                          Fall is near, and with it comes a new planning stage for my business. See, Fall and early Winter is the busiest season in Weston, the small historic town where I have my store. But first let me tell you what I’ve been doing the last few weeks – the jewelry creations in my  new lines ‘Bohemian Dreams’ and ‘Simply delightful’ found new homes – which is always a little bittersweet (’cause I do form a bond with every piece on my worktable), but exciting nonetheless. Here are a few pictures…

Then, a few weeks ago, after a particularly heavy thunder+ rainstorm, my store flooded. A foot of water            (yes, 12″!!!!) found it’s way in, bringing a lot of mud with it. Ugh! After the water receded, there was about 1/2″ of mud left behind. I spare you the sight, it wasn’t pretty! Clean-up took a few days…but I was very lucky to have customers and friends stop by to lend a helping hand, and moral support!

In between all that I found some time to weave – my latest passion. I made a few small wall-hangings, and I’m just finishing up a piece that’s about 2′ x 5’….yes, you did read that right – 2 feet x 5 feet! Pretty ambitious, huh?You’re probably wondering -How? Why? Well, for that I have to go back a little.                                                   When we bought our house a few years back, I found myself facing a lot of empty walls. Some of them pretty big. One day, while grocery shopping I saw these pictures, print on canvas over a frame – you guessed it, 2′ x 5′. The motif was kinda nice – a landscape with lavender fields, and a little farmhouse in the background. So, I bought it, and up it went. It just wasn’t very artistic, ….well, it’s a print. Painting over it was not an option – I’m very inept with pencils/pens/paintbrushes. So, I took the canvas off the frame, made the warp, and started weaving. Let me show you….

 This was last week!

Now the weaving is done! Yay! Time to add the fringe…I love fringe, need fringe! 😀

I guess that’s it for now – I hope you’ll be back for more! Lots of new and exciting ideas rushing around in my head.

Until next time – I’m always looking forward to (and enjoy) hearing from you!

Take care

~Tina  xoxo

Do you know ‘Fancy Jasper’?

Hello ~ Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoy this post – let me know! 🙂
I just finished a set of ‘Fancy Jasper’ Jewelry, and got curious about this beautiful stone.

Here is what I found ….

Jasper is a dense, opaque variety of Quartz.

It occurs in as fillings in fissures and may be found all over the world. The most notable deposits were found in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Mexico, Russia, Uruguay, Venezuela and the United States of America, including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Idaho, Missouri, Oregon, Texas and Washington.

Jasper is colored by oxides of iron and known for its deep earthy tones of red, yellow, brown and green, sometimes in shades of blue or purple, and displays wonderful contrasts in its banding, inclusions, “pictures,” and small circular patterns. Its name is derived from the Greek iaspis, meaning “agate.”

‘Fancy Jasper’, also called ‘Rainbow Jasper’, is a steady wholesome healer , said to focus  the mind and intellect. My source* tells me that it can temper procrastination and help organize an overactive mind into more linear thought, preventing one from getting caught up in worry over the past or future, and inspiring one to work through issues of the present. It is also ideal for rejuvenating one’s creative power and refining mental processes in order to work through intricate thoughts, ideas or puzzles.

*crystalvaults.com  ~This website and I would like you to note that the Information on this web site is no substitute for consulting a health care professional. All information contained on this web site, including information relating to medical and health conditions, products and treatments, is for informational purposes only.

Recently I acquired some pretty ‘Fancy Jasper’ stones – I just love that name! 🙂
Mine are more subdued, because I wanted to use them in ‘unisex’ jewelry, and most guys are not too eager to wear the pinks, the purples, and orange.
The stones I got are from, and hand-carved in, India.
I paired each stone with a length of tan leather-braid.  One piece is ‘just for us girls’ ~ the stone extends from a 3-strand leather-braid necklace.

Here are some pictures…

…and last but not least, I  want to tell you how to care for your ‘Jasper’ Jewelry ~
Jasper can be easily cleaned using warm, soapy water and a soft cloth or brush. Be sure to rinse it well to remove any soapy residue.
Avoid wearing or storing mixed gems together, in order to prevent scratches and fractures to your gemstones and jewelry.
When storing jasper, wrap it in a soft cloth and always remove jewelry before exercising or playing any vigorous sports.

Enjoy! 😀

Art Deco – then and now

The most common question is ~ ‘What is ‘Art Deco’? Well, the most straightforward answer would be ‘decorative Art’.  But let me elaborate….

The term ‘Art Deco’ stems from the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs Industriels et Modernes, held in Paris. The show was organized by an association of French artists known as, La Societe des Artistes Decorateurs (society of decorator artists). Most of it’s founders were previously involved in ‘Art Nouveau’, a style that, with it’s fluid motifs, contrasts sharply with ‘Art Deco’.

The structure of ‘Art Deco’ is founded on geometric shapes which drew equally on the faceted architectural forms of Babylon, Assyria, Ancient Egypt, and Aztec Mexico.             To be specific, Art Deco designs are characterized by trapezoidal, zigzagged, and triangular shapes, chevron patterns, and sweeping curves.

Art Deco styling was enthusiastically adopted by artists all over the world – in architecture*, interior design, poster art, furniture, jewelry, textiles, fashion and industrial design. It is also very evident in the visual arts, such as paintings, and graphics.

Initially a luxury style, using costly materials like silver, crystal, ivory, jade and lacquer, after the Depression it also used cheaper and mass-produced materials like chrome, plastics, lacquer, inlaid wood, aluminum, and stainless steel.  ‘Art Deco’ also introduced exotic items like shark-skin, and zebra-skin.

Bold, bright colors and metallics rose fast in popularity.                                             During the roaring 20s lively energetic colors began to symbolize the prosperity of the time. Hues like canary yellow, peacock blue, emerald green, brilliant red, and royal purple were all the rage. Since metallic finishes instantly add Glitz and Glamor, and imply wealth. Silver, Gold, and metallic blues were used in abundance, and represented the prosperity of the time.

I recently found acrylic, C-shaped beads, in metallic hues, and instantly had a necklace design in mind, that needed to be made. Here it is….

I combined the beads with gold chain, gold links (oval and rectangular), and ‘Charlotte’ beads. Due to the nature of the acrylic beads, this necklace is delightfully lightweight, while it still makes a statement, will get you noticed!

As you saw in the ‘opening picture’, I did make 3 more necklaces using these beads. This time I stuck to 2 colors, making the pieces more modest. Here is a better look…

I hope you enjoyed this post!                                                                                  ’til next time! I hope I get to welcome you back!                                                    ~Tina @ Kristabella Weston

Here’s a little tidbit for my neighbors..                                                                          *In Missouri, the best example of the Great Depression and its effect on Art Deco construction is the Kansas City Power and Light Building (completed 1931). Other examples in Kansas City include the Municipal Auditorium, the Jackson County Courthouse, and City Hall.