Chain Cheater

I'm still pretty new to crochet and this might be heresy to people who have been doing this for years, but it's a trick that works for me!  Making even chains can be discouraging for newbies and can make for some wonky looking work if the chain is tighter than your work.  So sizing up by a millimeter can help take guesswork out of things.  I used this trick for these three patterns and I bet you couldn't've guessed ^_^

I hope it helps!

DIY Packaging

Hey! I decided to show you guys how I do my packaging. I need to add a picture of the final result in my listings on Etsy, I think it might help. But here you go!

I designed my hangtags in Adobe Illustrator. I measured the bags that I use, figured out how much space I needed for the front and back and positioned as many as I could onto one page. I use a presentation paper so it has a little bit more weight and looks a little sharper. Don't forget to flip the back! You'll be folding it over.

Then I cut them out. I've got a small paper cutter, but a ruler and an Exacto knife work just as well. I just eyeball it when cutting, just make sure that the sides are even.

Then I fold and staple! I use a bone folder, just because I have one. The side of pen will work fine, too. I like to make sure the fold is nice and sharp, it just looks better that way. Then I put the pins in and use two staples.

And tada! Sorry for the language ^_^ This particular order was a little larger so I put all the buttons in one package. Usually there's just a couple.

I don't know if that helps anyone, I just felt sharing. And if anyone needs some design work done, packaging or anything, I'd love to talk!

Mini Necklace Tutorial

Remember that tutorial I featured about making a layered knit necklace out of a recycled tshirt? Well I wanted to wear something white the other day and that particular necklace was too much, with it being in the 90s and all. So I took three of the strands out, cut them and braided them together. It was perfect.

I kind of love it. I also used the same idea, of cutting the strands, and made a couple of kickass necklaces by finger weaving them. I had pictures, but they turned out waaaay too dark, so I'll put a thing about that later.

Anyway, I guess the point of it all is that you can revamp your wardrobe and accessories with just some simple diy. It's not much, and it's not complicated, but I think it's cute ^_^

We've been featured! My "I'm Huge in Japan" buttons are in the lower right corner. Here's new treasury...check it out HERE.

And it turns out that I made it to Etsy's front page and didn't even know it. A couple of my books were featured. I wish the front page didn't change so often. Remember when it only changed twice a day? Anyway, thanks to craftcult for cataloging the front pages!

I've been having a sort of writer's block for blogs...see...I don't even know how to end this sentence. Maybe there's something you guys want to read about? I know everyone loves tutorials...maybe there's something I can share?

• Printmaking?
• Screen Printing?
• Bookbinding?
• Sewing?
• Jewelry Making?

Pick one, or something else and I'll do it! Here's some that I've already done:

Recycled T-Shirt Necklace

Vintage Button Dangle Earrings

Paint Chip Earrings

Gift Box

Recycled T-Shirt Necklace

So I'm addicted to my Google Reader and someone wrote about this great tutorial on Instructables for those super cute layered knit necklace/scarves.  Check out the one I made from one of Dick's old band shirts (don't worry, it was a super old Fall Out Boy one that both of us are too embarrassed to wear).

GO HERE TO MAKE YOUR OWN!

Vintage Button Earrings Tutorial

I was in an art sale a couple weeks ago at my school and got a great response.  I had some earrings made from vintage buttons I've procured from over the years that went over really well and I thought I'd do a quick how-to so you can throw some together yourself!  They are super simple and the possibilities are only inhibited by your own creativity.

Gather your supplies!

-Couple sets of pliers
-Buttons
-2 medium jump rings
-2 small jump rings
-2 french hoops 

Take a medium jump ring and open it up with your pliers. Be really gentle and hold one side steady while you move the other side straight back. Try not to twist it open apart, they can be a pain to get back into shape if you go all wonky with it. 

Put your button on to the jump ring. Make sure you can close it with enough room to attach the next ring. I've had to go another size up before, all depends on how far away the button's hole is to the edge. 

Close it up!

Open the smaller jump ring just like the medium one before it.

Put your medium jump ring, with button attached, onto the new smaller one. 

Add your french hook onto the still open small jump ring. Make sure you take a second and think about which side will be facing out. This is only important when you have two different sides to your button. I do in this case. 

Tada! You have an earring! Now do it again! 

A pretty pair of vintage button earrings! Hope you liked it!  Now go to Salvation Army or Goodwill, grab a giant bag of buttons for $1 and get to work.

Paint Chip Earrings

I have a problem with paint chips.  I gravitate towards them in any store and stare longingly at the beautiful colors and combinations.  Too bad I live in an apartment where I can't change the wall color, therefore rendering the pretty chips useless to me.  It just bothered me that such a wonderful and free resource had no purpose, then I saw this blog by Jennifer Perkins and got inspired!

What you'll need:

-Paint chips in contrasting colors

-Scissors or a circle cutter

-Hole punch

-Small jump rings

-French Hook ear wires

-Jewelry pliers

Take your paint chips and circle cutter and cut out the larger circle.  Mine is 1 inch, only because that's the size cutter I had.  Come to think of it...I have an even bigger one I use to cut out buttons...I'll use that next time.  When you cut these, make sure you leave a little space between so you can make the most of the chip.  Waste not, want not you know.

Next use the hole punch to cut out the smaller, contrasting color.  I used a corner of the lighter color to go with my darker circle.  Now, after this step, a seasoned jewelry maker/paper crafter will tell you to brush a clear coat of sealer, like Mod Podge, on your circles once you've put them in place.  But I'm wingin' it, so we're totally omitting that whole step.

Now you can poke holes through both the circles.  I didn't glue mine together or anything, just loosey goosey.  After that, just put one jump ring through both circles, another jump ring through that one and then the hook.  Tada!  You've got some super easy, super cute earrings!

I left the back open so you can tell they were made from paint chips.  If you don't like that look, you can easily glue two together for a more finished back.  I would recommend gluing the pieces and letting them dry before cutting them out, you'll get a much cleaner product in the end. 

Hope you like it!  And please send please send pics if you make them!

 

Semester is almost done!

This semester, and last few months for that matter, have gone by so quickly. I've been so busy with school work that I've pretty much ignored all else. Hardly any blogs, and almost zero new listings on my etsy. But the work I've been doing for school has been pretty awesome. My printmaking class has had me turning out some things that I didn't think I was capable of and silkscreen class is still to come!

Crafting wise, recycling has been my big thing as of late. Envelopes out of old magazines and making little paper boxes have been the best! Thanks Etsy! Here's a really cool idea for sellers of little things...

I figured out how to use every part of the PayPal receipt to make a great presentation:
1. cut your awesome cool receipt in half



2. Cut the bottom half in half



3. Follow the great instruction of EtsyLabs to make these two halves into a top and bottom box that fit together



4. Now, you still have some little thin scraps left. Use them for super cute filling! Just fold them a couple of time long ways to give a little cushion and stuff your box



Tada! Now you have a super cool packaged item. I do it all the time...it makes me smile ^_^



Only two weeks left in the semester...more coming during the winter break!