Maker’s Monday ~ Lariat Design Inspiration

A lariat is a great addition to any outfit. Since it’s just a long strand of beads -no clasp- you can wear it any way you like. It can be worn and wrapped like a scarf …and that’s how it got it’s name ~ from Spanish la reata – la ‘the’ and reata ‘tie again’

Here are a few ideas…

If you would like to make your own…here are the simple instructions (some basic knowledge is helpful)

You’ll need
~ 65″ beading wire
~ a selection of beads – glass, metal and/or acrylic
~ charms
~ crimp beads, crimp covers (optional), wire guards (optional)
~ Jumprings

After you decide on your beads, it’s time to design! Yay! 😍

Lay out the beads, push them around until you’re happy with the look (no worries – nothing is permanent until you crimp that 2nd crimp bead   😉  )
Now start stringing until you reach about 60″.
Then string a crimp bead, thread the wire through the guard, and back through the crimp bead.
*You don’t necessarily need the guard – I just like to use them, because it prevents the wire from rubbing against the jumprings which keeps it from breaking

Repeat this step on the other side.

AND …you’re done ~ well, almost. You now get to attach your charms.

Okay – now you’re done! 😄
Below I’m giving you a few more ideas for color combinations. Or you can make a fun multi-colored one, or just use one type/color of bead. You see, the possibilities are (almost) endless!

If you don’t like the typical Lariat look, simply attach a pretty clasp on one side, and a 10mm Jumpring on the other. The charm (or a nifty tassel) will spruce up this design.

Have fun designing, making, and-most of all- wearing your unique lariat. 

I hope you’ll show me your finished pretties! 😊 Questions? Please don’t hesitate to ask!

Until next time 💕    

~ Tina  xoxo 

 

DIY – Design your own necklace

Last week I taught one of my jewelry making classes. Everyone had a blast and loved the end-result! One of the reasons, besides the pride and joy of finishing a piece of wearable art, was the fact that the girls could design their own, pick their favorite charms and beads and incorporate these ideas.
So I decided to spread the joy even further  🤗   with this post and the kits I created that I will offer on my website.

Here you go ….
Necklace ~’Free Your Creative Spirit’ 

Materials:
1 Earring Loop
1 larger charm (to fit inside the loop)
various charms and beads (for dangles)
Head- and Eyepins
oval jumprings (number depends on the number of dangles you create; I made 5)
1 – 10mm jumpring
40″ cord (I use faux suede)
small link chain
3 – 14mm wood beads

1 }  Look over your bead and charm selection, and decide on the design.
Thread the beads onto the pins; take a chain link and attach it to the charms.
Move it around until you are happy with the layout  😀    ~ and remember – nothing is permanent…you can always change it later (Now my mantra, by the way   😊  Many a times I’ve stood in my own way, getting stuck at this stage, afraid to get started     )

2} Now, using your round-nose pliers, form wrapped loops – either connect it to the loop of another pin, or use a chain-link to connect the two.

3} If you’re happy with the individual length of the dangles skip this step…if not, read on
3.1) decide on your desired length and attach lengths of chain to your bead/charm

4} Design your focal with the earring hoop and a charm

…and attach the charm to the hoop.

5} Use one chain-link to connect the hoop to the 10mm Jumpring, fold the cord in half, thread the cord through the jumpring, and form a lark’s head knot.


6} Use the oval jumprings to attach the dangles to the loop

7} Now it’s time to finish up your necklace – the closure doo-hickey 😏
Get 1 wood bead and thread the ends of the cord through the hole – one from the right, one from the left

Thread a wood bead on either end, form an overhand knot – and you’re done. The length is now adjustable

…and you’re done!
Mine looks like this…

I’d love to see pictures of your finished piece!
I hope you had fun…Keep on beading!

Love & Light ☮
~Tina xoxo

Creative Chicks Meets ~ A Sunday Happening

Hello and”Good morning/day/evening” to all you lovely, creative chickies out there! 🙋

There is a new, fun affair in town!
If you love to create, but get lonely and bored sitting there all by yourself, lack motivation, and/or wanna learn something new ~ come and join us! 👵👰👸👱👯

Here’s a list of the pretties you can create… I 💟 lists! Hope you do too…
1. Bring your own project! Grab that bag with your knitting, crochet, needlepoint, whatever else you’ve got. We’d love to see it! 😍

2. Knit a trendy ‘Ruffle Scarf’
~ Kit with yarn and needles, instructions and assistance $12

3. Make some arm-candy~
This is a 3-strand bracelet (leather, chain, and Agate beads)
~Kit with leather strand, chain, beads and everything else you need, instructions and assistance $15

4. Introduction to weaving
You’ll get a little loom, yarn (your pick…I have a pretty nice selection), and, of course, instructions and assistance
$12

5. Make a yarn, ribbon, twine flower on the ‘Clover Flower Loom’
~Free

6. Make this pretty ‘Ribbon & Bead’ Necklace… yes, you can do it! I’ll give you everything you need, and show you how!

$25
7. Kumihimo Braids
I have the discs and yarn for you to play with
Free

8. A sewing machine is at the shop. So if you need to sew a few quick seams…come on down!

We meet every Sunday at noon!
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

I hope to see you on Sunday! 🙂

Until then ~ take care, be good, and stay creative! 😘

Love
Tina xoxo

Weaving and Beads

In my latest project I got to combine two of my favorite things – Yarn and Beads.

When I saw a photo showing a crumbling brick wall with flowers spilling over the edge, I wondered if this image could be turned into a woven wall-hanging. I took out my sketch book and started doodling.

Not a work of art by any means, but putting pencil to paper gave me time to ponder how to execute my idea… the various components, the how-to.

I gathered everything I needed – that took a few days. I ordered rectangular marble beads, visited my favorite yarn shop, and finally had the whole caboodle lined up.

I strung the beads onto the yarn and began warping my little loom.

Weaving around the beads was time consuming – but I was quite pleased with the result. Since the beads are only in the bottom half of the (sideways) weaving, finishing the top half was a lot faster. It started to look like the picture – the one I had in my head, not the one on paper 😉 )

Out came the wool roving and my newly acquired felting tool (love that thing!)

I punched, and punched ~ and flowers appeared on top of the ‘wall’!

I am very pleased that I could turn an idea and vision into something physical, something I can hang on my wall and enjoy every day.

Here it is…

Everyday things that make me smile

As you read my blog – THANKS for that, by the way 🙂 – you’re probably wondering

‘What is she like?’ ‘Who is she?’

Let me try to answer those questions. I think the best way to do this is in pictures!

So, when the idea for this blog came to me, I grabbed my camera, walked around my house and my yard, and snapped a few photos of things that make me happy, that make me smile every day!

1. Of course, my beads! I can never have enough beads. When you walk into my studio, they are everywhere. Either still in their little package, in containers, in drawers – I’m using ‘nuts ‘n bolts’ storage receptacles- and in half-finished creations.

Just last week I received a bead order, and the beads that looked real pretty in the pictures, were amazingly beautiful in person. That made me smile!                              Here they are….

These are Glass-beads – almost 2″ long – and handpainted in India. They are gorgeous, don’t you agree?

I just started using them in my creations…here are the first two pieces. A long necklace, and a hair barrette

2. My fabric stash                                                                                                                          I always had my sewing machine within reach – but never used it much. Until recently when the ‘Fabric Bug’ bit me, and I saw beautiful textures and patterns everywhere.  My favorite right now is the blush pink/black cotton print on the right.

Together with the black and white on the left, and a complimentary color (yet to be found!), it will be a Springtime Infinity-Scarf – kinda like the ones I have in my store.

3. My favorite coffee cup… a gift from my lovely daughter 🙂

4. Books – I read mostly fiction ~ ‘who-dune-it’s’ with an amateur sleuth, à la ‘Jessica Fletcher’ 🙂  But these here are two of my all-time-favorites non-fiction books…

5. My loom – recently acquired. I had mentioned it in an earlier blog – a children’s loom, quite small, made of wood. Perfect for me – since I like to weave ‘motif-wall-hangings’. Right now there’s a new project in the making – a ‘brick wall’ (marble beads) which will be topped by green ‘ivy’ and flowers.

6. My favorite sweatshirt – I love the colors, the design, and the hood!

7. My Angel collection (pictured here are just a few of my favorite ones)

8. My dogs – Lorelai ( the Westie) and Eddie (the ‘we don’t really know’) in the background, racing to get into the picture. I would have waited for him, but Lorelai is a little camera shy – usually, as soon as she see’s the camera she averts her eyes. Might be a bit attitude-y!

9. My yard – all things Nature, really – but in my yard I get to enjoy it all day, every day.

Our Birch-Tree                             Maple

This ^ beautiful russian Olive tree is in the neighbors yard                                                    Here’s a picture from last fall – when a mushroom grew in the hollow

The first Rosebud 🙂

The Rhododendron – which according to our ‘Yard Pro’ does not grow in our climate.   Ha – showed him!

10. …and last but not least…. Marble Cake (no further explanation necessary, right?!)