I did use that ‘free’ time wisely though.  While I am still working my way through my wool stash (summer blanket on the way, pictures soon) I thought I should use up some of my jewellery bits too.  Not only do I have a few beads, I also have a largeish collection of broken necklaces, odd earrings and general shiney bits from, well, all over really.

So I got playing, sorry, I mean working

And a matching pair of earrings too

I’ve even listed them in my folksy shop too, so if you fancy some vintage glamour pop over and have a look!

However

However, it is something I excel at – deferring action.  Though thinking about it The Oxford Dictionaries definition isn’t quite fair, I do defer action,  that I don’t want to do, while filling the time with other sorts of ‘actions’ I do want to do.

Then again, defering action.  I think maybe I wasn’t deferring action, just ‘embracing’ the action.  So while I should have been tidying the wholeback bedroom ready for the in-laws arrival, I tidyed only the beads.

And I got to thinking (while I was tidying not procrastinating) that I didn’t have a turquoise necklace and I love turquoise, lots of my clothes are turquoise.

Voila!

Made from broken necklaces, old beads and a bracelet my oldest found on the street last year.

Unfortunately I still have to tidy the back bedroom…

 as chosen by my eldest before he went back to school today is comment number

which is Anka from happyhangaround blog

And as it was unfair to my youngest, he also got to pick a number out

who is going to receive one of these ’Morrisions plastic carrier bag crocheted flower broochs’ (I really, really must think up a snazzier title)

is number 23 and the corresponding comment was by Cindy!

An email will be winging its way to you for your addresses.  Congratulations and thank you everyone for commenting, I do hope you pop by and let me know what you think of what I happen to be working on at the time.

And finally, The Adjudicators in action!

Jane x

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

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

Spurred on by something I’ve been working on for a magazine article, one thing led to another and before you knew it I was cutting up plastic bags.

I kinda have done something similar for the folksy upcycle christmas challange last year, where I cut up a duvet and made that doily floor rug, but this had to be something new, so I thought more delicate.

So this

became this

 became this

and with the aid of a crochet hook became this

and with the addition of bits from charity shops and an old chandelier – became this!

What do you think?  I really like it, the flowers look pearlescent and rich and feel gloriously soft and light.  which I think contrasts nicly with the chunky chain. 

Glamorous evening wear, just don’t tell anyone its from a Morrisons plastic bag!

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!

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?

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 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!