Crocheted Amethyst Jewellery
Well, we’re back from our latest camping trip, soggy and damp but happy and exhausted! I’ll post some pictures when I find the camera under the HUGE pile of washing!
Waiting in the post for me was the latest issue of Beads and Beyond Magazine, which has my tutorial for using amethyst chips to make a necklace and brooch. I’ve had these for absolutely ages, and when I bought some new thicker wire I knew what to do!
Speak soon x
A giveaway to celebrate my win!
I’m going to apologise now for the following excessive use of exclamation marks.
I won the makers-online competition with my upcycled morrisons plastic carrier bag crocheted necklace!!!!!
Really, honestly, still can’t believe it but its true!!
Rachelle Strauss of myzerowaste choose the winner and said:
Some of the entries were really stunning so I am unbelievably flattered to have won!
So, I thought in honour of this great occasion I would host my first giveaway! If you would like to win this necklace all you have to do is leave a comment with an email address so I can let you know if your the winner, and pop by occasionally to read my ramblings, see what I’m working on and leave the odd comment as they are so, so important. As much as I love my boys and OH, how can I put it, your comments are more, informative and welcome!
I’ll leave it open till Monday 6th September, the last day before the boys go back to school and they can pick the winner! Well, thats all I think, I’m off to do a bit more screaming…
Jane x
I’m a winner!
I’ve kinda lost my crafting mojo for a while, but I’ve still been reading the blogs I follow as thats my contact with a nice place where I can loose myself for a bit.
Some of them do the occasional give away too, which is wonderful, and as you might have guessed through the title I won a pendant from Damselfly Gemma’s lovely blog! She does some gorgeous silver work which I’m extremely jealous about, I’d love to have a go some day.
So yesterday in the post I received this gorgeous little box
containing this!
and a close up
Its a beautiful glass bead with lots of different flowers that go through it, is milliflori the right word (I’m sure someone will tell me, please!) with a silver bail that is beautifully shaped that contrasts perfectly with the smooth perfection of the glass bead.
Isn’t it simply beautiful, I love it and best of all it goes with everything, Gemma – you are wonderful!
Round Robin necklace swap
Well I’ve finally finished my and the final part of the swap, only a little late for which I am so sorry Kella and Victoria, but hopefully when they receive them they won’t mind!
Kellas first, if you check out Victoria’s blog you can see the stage the necklaces were when I received them. I struggled on this one, to me it seemed finished already and I really didn’t want to spoil it, so after a lot of deliberation and sketches I came up with this.
Technically its not much, but I do think it is the finishing touch and I’m pleased with it, it doesn’t detract from the stunning pendant or gorgeous beads and reflects the copper wire wrapping and the turquoise colour nicely, with just a delicate flower suspended in the middlefrom a copper coloured chain.
To make up for the ‘lack’ of additions, and the lateness, I made a matching pair of earrings, crocheted with wire just like the flower. I really hope Kella likes it!
Next up is Victoria’s. To me, with the beautifully faded ribbon, the pearls and the hints of silver it just seemed to sum up a sort of faded glory. I had a couple of ideas I tried with this one but they were all too sort of fresh. And this idea just evolved from that really.
Again I really like it, otherwise I wouldn’t have done it, and I just hope Victoria is as pleased with my additions. I also made a little pair of matching earrings using a couple of the beads I was initially going to use in the necklace as they do go well too.
I really did enjoy joining in with this, Its made me think in different ways and I’ve helped make a couple of necklaces that I’d never have thought of before and it has added greatly to my ideas pile. So a huge thanks to Kella for organising this – I hope your pleased girls!
Update: Kella really likes her necklace and has posted a gorgeous picture of her wearing it on her blog which I’ve pinched as it looks so good, whatdo you think?
Beads and Beyond latest
The latest issue of Beads and Beyond is out
They requested something beach themed, so I spent ages looking through the Bijoux Beads website drooling over, well, everything really. They also wanted something simple, so I came up with ‘Dominican Dreams’.
There is also as always, lots of other fab projects particually Shanghai Lights by Anita Mistry. Its beadstitching which I’ve never done but I really want to have a go, the pendants are really gorgeous, very Victorian, vintage looking.
Well, back to craft fair preparation
Jane x
I’ve been featured!
Just a quicky today, a little brag and a nice piccie!
I’ve been featured over on Popular Crafts website, Its a great site, full of tips and tutorials covering almost all aspects of craft. They’ve choosen one of my necklaces for their ’Popular Crafts - buys vintage style’. Its among some gorgeous items so I’m really chuffed to be included!
My Christmas cactus has decided to flower, not over Christmas but nevermind, the Spring seems to have given it a wakeup call! But it was worth the wait, isn’t it gorgeous?
Crochet Masterclass
This months issue of Beads and Beyond, which is new and improved (almost like a book now!), has my crochet masterclass! I’m so excited to see it in print, I can’t believe I wrote it!
I cover the basic three stitches, chain, double and treble with step by step photos and descriptions, with a couple of examples of how each stitch could be used.
I have to say the chain stitch earrings and bracelet are my favourite, they won’t be going into my folksy shop when I get them back!
So if your new to crochet and have always wanted to have a go, try my masterclass in the magazine – I’d love to know if it works!
Finished Scarves
We took the van away last weekend to Port Enyon in the Gower, another fave and the weather was so lush it was wonderful. Kids played, hubby pottered and I crocheted in the sun – perfect!
What do you think?
I added little purple beads to the lengths to give it a little sparkle. Its quite delicate as its crocheted in a gorgeous varigated sock wool, beautiful to work with.
THough not as beautiful to work with as this, a kid merino, felt like silk in my hands and that why I’ve called it Angel Scarf, it is so light and soft to wear. I’ve crocheted tiny bronze beads on this one just at the ends.
I’m really glad I persevered with the Sunshine Scarf, I love it now, so much so I’m going to do one in purple for me!
Before I do that though, I going to join in in this, looks fab doesn’t it! Stitch London have teamed up with The London Science Museum to create an exhibition for the re-opening of their gallery ‘Who am I?’. I’m going to make a mini me, well, It’ll probably look nothing like me but I’m up for a challange!
Finally, update on the round robin necklace swap – Kella has worked her magic and is now sending them on to Victoria, then they’ll come to me and I’ll finish them off and send them back to the original makers. I love what Kella has done to mine, this was such a good idea as I’d never have thought of doing what she has, have a look at her blog and see – fab ideas!
Crocheted Jewellery
I’m busy at the minute working on a new range of bags which is going quite well, and I’m enjoying working with fabric and my sewing machine for a change too! Hopefully, thanks to a wonderful handmade pressie off my dad, I’ll be able to post some fab photos in the next couple of days, fingers crossed!
But what I really wanted to write about is a wonderful compliment, and I’ve had two over the past two days! The tutorial I wrote for this months issue of Beads and Beyond is for my crocheted curtain rings, they look better than they sound, trust me! In fact you can trust Jo, look at her gorgeous blog Daisychain Designs, she makes stunning silver jewellery, a skill I can only marvel at. Fortunately for me though, Jo can also crochet, and she has made one of my designs! Not only does she like it, but more importantly, she can read my instructions – they really work!
They are fab, love the colour!
There is also a link on the Beads and Beyond website here for a tutorial for the vintage variation of the Reflections set
The necklace
The earrings.
My second compliment was from a previous tutorial, someone has sent a letter in to the magazine with a photo of my Vintage Lace bracelet they made!
PEOPLE CAN FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS!!!!
And more importantly, choose too!
Clicking and clicking
With hooks and mouse! First off today a bit of experimenting – with cassette tape, (an old Prodigy one from my long distant carefree youth…) I’ve had this idea to make oversized chains for a while but hadn’t come up with what material to use. While doing a bit of cleaning (we’ve got visitors coming) I saw a plant pot cover I’d crocheted in video tape a while ago, it was going to be a bag but it was too noisy – but perfect as a glamerous pot cover! One thing lead to another and they need a bit of fine tuning, but what do you think? And do you think The Prodigy would approve?
Next up, I’m going out! I know, can you hear the fanfare too? Anyhow, I got this gorgeous dress in the sales, bright emerald green, quite 50’s in style. I thought perfect occasion to wear my new glamerous necklace I made, the one with the wire flowers… but it doesn’t go.
So I made a bracelet that does!
Finally, I’ve also been spending, but not too much, honest! Thanks to the Craft Neutral Challange I’ve only bought some jump rings this year, eveything I’ve made has been from my stash, and that includes several necklaces, bracelets, earrings, scarflettes and gloves! And after all, we have to support the wonderful craftspeople we have!
So, after browsing through researching some of my favourites shops on Folksy I saw these gorgeous brooches by the amazing artist Amy McCarthy
They are recyled beer bottle tops filled with various found objects like shells, bits of old jewellery, shards of glass and set in resin. I think this one is my favourite
or maybe this one
Check out Amys other fabulous glass products in her folksy shop!
