Random shades of orange

This is a very simple project and just a nice bracelet to wear whenever. Nothing fancy or special, but still cute!

Supplies:*Tube of random orange shades
*bead wire (.18mm in silver)
*Bubble clasp
*jump rings (2)
*clamp beads (3) #1
*needle nose pliers
*clamp pliers
*wire cutters
*Measuring tape

*Tip 1- Plan It Out* As with all jewelry designs I laid out the design on my bead board before I started doing anything. Had to try out different style gem stones to see which one matched best, as I did not buy any of the beads at the same time. This also includes making sure the clasp and clamp beads match the color pallet.

*Tip 2- Measure* Always measure for each project to make sure the lengths that fit best are correct. This is important when making items for other people. Once you have done them enough times you will know the required lengths and can skip this step.

Steps:

- Measure out the length of bead wire you will need to fit around your wrist and then give yourself about 2 inches to loop back through at the ends. Use wire cutters to cut correct length.

-Take a pair of need nose pliers and open a jump ring. Slide the jump ring onto the end of the clasp and close the jump ring.

- Take a clamp and thread it on the bead wire; then slide the bead wire through the jump ring attached to the clasp. Loop the bead wire back through the clamp bead and then use the clamp pliers to clamp it the bead in place. This should allow for a loop to hold the one end in place.

*Tip 3- Tight Loops* Try and keep the loop as tight as possible to keep from having a big gap. This can be done by holding one end of the bead wire with a needle nose pliers and then taking the other end of the wire and pulling it tighter. Keeping it tight keeps the wire from rubbing. This is also why using a jump ring to attach to the clasp is important, as the wire attached to the jump ring is not going to move around much if its pulled tight.

-Thread on the beads and gems in the order of the design you picked ahead of time (see *Tip 1* )

-Continue this until you have the length you determined earlier. (see *Tip 2* )

-Once you have finished your design for the length, slide on a clamp and use the clamp pliers to secure it in place. (see *Suggestion 1* and *Tip 4* )

*Suggestion 1* Doing one clamp bead at the end to make sure everything stays tight and then another to create the loop is NOT required. You can choose to use only one clamp bead, just be sure to keep the beads together tightly enough to not end up with large gaps when you wear it. I do it for both ease and strength. Beginners can do this until they get better at re-threading the closure clamp.

*Tip 4 - Consider Material and Purpose* You must always be aware of the type of give and strength your supplies have or you could end up with breaks, scrapping, and no flexibility. The heavier the wire the less bend and flexibility it has. String the beads too tightly together and some will rub together and break. String them too tightly and the beads will bunch and not bend well around your wrist. Some times you need to allow for "give room" with bracelets in order to get the bracelet to wrap.

-Take another clamp bead and thread it on first, then slide on the other jump ring, then thread the wire back through the clamp. Now tighten the wire until you have a small loop. Be sure that the jump ring stays in the loop you create. Use the clamp pliers to close the clamp when you have the loop the size you want. (see *Tip 3* )

-Take a wire cutters and clip off the extra wire as close as possible to the last clamp bead. If the wire is bend-able enough and the bead holes are big enough you can thread the extra wire back through the beads instead of cutting it.

-Take a needle nose pliers and open the jump ring on the end you just finished and slide on the other end of the clasp (Or length of chain if you want to use that instead. This will allow for different tightness around the wrist. This can be very helpful if you didn't follow *Tip 2* and its not long enough to go all the way around the wrist.) and close the jump ring with the needle nose pliers.

That will finish off the bracelet.


***The tube listed in the supplies can be found at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Jo-Anns in several different color shades. The tubes can come in the same color if you don't want different shades or mixtures. ***

Falling 2012

I have a wicker wreath that I redesign every season to hang in my room.

I get to enjoy the season in my room all the time this way. I don't like to do the same design as I did last year. I allows me to flex my design muscles. This year I didn't change up my fall design that much, but enough that I don't feel like its the same.

Last year I used two leaf ropes from Michaels.

This year I wanted to do leaves, but with more pops of color and other season items.

I took down my Spring wreath.

I wrapped the wreath in the fall leaf ropes  (new ones from Michaels. Used the old ones outside).

I then added a pumpkin feature and several flower mums.

I had intended to stop at this point. I liked seeing the wicker through the leaves, but it felt bottom heavy this way, so I went all out.

This is my completed wreath. I have my pops of orange and still have features of the season. You can't tell from my pictures, but the leaf ropes have different colors and some are velvet. Gives it a different texture look in-person.

Pumpkin Cat

Fall brings us Halloween and Halloween brings us pumpkins. We like having pumpkins around, but I'm not always a fan of carving them. Mostly because the weather up here (Colorado) is cold and snowy at this time of year. Hell it almost always snows ON Halloween.

This year I decided to just draw a design on it. I went online and found a angry cat design and printed it out. I cut it out and traced the design onto my pumpkin.

Looks good outside too. I drew over it a few times to make sure you could see it pretty well.

Nice way to have your Halloween feel with out the mess. Works for me!

Fall-ing flowers

I find it is simpler, less expensive, more personal, and funnier to make my hair clips and pins myself. I tend to do my fabric flowers for such things. I get compliments on them all the time. The first one I ever made was more my mother, which she has pinned on her winter coat. She is always telling me how people enjoy it and give her compliments on it. Makes me feel really good knowing people enjoy them, even from just looking at them. (Still working on possibly selling some things online.) Plus I think nit gives my Mom a sense of joy to praise me and my creativity.

As the season change I like to change with them. The summer cloths get put away and the warm sweaters and blankets come out. Makes you feel more connected. One way I like to do that is have items to wear as the seasons change. I mean if my wardrobe changes, why not other things?

I know the season has passed, but its always a good time to share and teach. I made a few fall and Halloween flowers to wear at work and for my hair. I tried a few new ideas and some just didn't work at all.

These flowers are based off the same directions and template as shown in my Fabric Flower Pins post. The template is available in that post. I have sense made a few different ones on my own. I will try and get those scanned in so you can enjoy them too.

I found several fabric choices, so I enjoyed up with quite a few.

One difference from the original Fabric Flower Pins post is that I created a felt slide on that allows for the flower to be either on a head band, used as a pin, or used as a clip for in your hair.

This design difference allows for more uses and more enjoyment. You use the same directions, but instead of sewing on a pin or glueing on a clip, you sew the edges of two pieces of felt together, allowing for the head band/clip/pin to slide through. I chose to glue the edges (lightly) after I had sewn them just to make it more secure and longer lasting.

One thing I was able to do the standard template was shrink it. This allowed for me to make a more detailed flower. This picture shows a more fuller, multi-layer flower.

This is the small flower from the template that is available on the Fabric Flower Pins pos, just shrunk a little.

 

Wicker Wonder

I'm not sure if I ever posted this.... if I have just bear with me.

I have a wicker wreath that I decorate some seasons. I like to have a friendly reminder within view. This wreath hangs in my room.

This was my Spring version:

This was the fall version:

 This is the Christmas version, which I have yet to change because I am not sure what to do yet:

I added a few things to it about a week before Christmas, because it seemed a bit boring.

Any suggestions on how to do it change it now? I don't feel like doing anything spring like because its seriously NOT spring like here. Just don't feel as though it should stay so Christmasy.

I did do a wreath for Mom that was on the front door. This has a more tradional feel to it. Mom is big on more standard looks. Mine was more "new age" as she would say.

There was another one that I did for outside, but my absent-mindedness was in full effect and I spaced it. I was not  very on top of things. Still trying to make my way out of that cloud. (Hence the post of Christmas wreaths!)

Traditions Worth Eating

Fall is my all time favorite seasons. Traditions are big with me and this season has a few that I love to enjoy. A big one is making caramel apples. I LOVE caramel apples.

They are very easy to make too. You just need apples, caramels, measuring spoons, water, sticks, waxed paper, spoon, and a cookie pan.

I like these caramels, so easy to melt and it even has directions to make these apples. If you are going to make more than 5 medium apples then you will need more than one bag. (just beware of it)
Take said caramels, add two tablespoons of water, put it on a low heat and watch it to be sure it doesn't burn as it melts. Make sure its smooth and all the pieces are compeletly melted.

While waiting for the cubes to melt you can wash the apples. Then once they are dried put the sticks in the bottom of the apples.

Once the caramels are melted take one apple and drop it into the pan with the caramels. Use a spoon to drip the caramel on the top and on the sides to cover the entire apple. Once the entire apple is covered pull the apple out and let the extra caramel drip off. Try to let as much as possible extra caramel drip off before putting the apple on the wax paper. (btw put the wax paper over the cookie sheet ... which I forgot to meantion) Repeat these last few steps for the remaining apples. If you are feeling creative you can add nuts, or candy, or icing to the apples. I tried the nut option and it kind of worked... waited to long to roll the apple in the caramel so not alot of the nuts stuck. Once you are done, put them in the fridge to cool. This will help with trying to remove the apples from the paper.

 Tad-da you have caramel apples! I didn't get super creative with mine (mostly because I had to go to work shortly after doing them), but you can do some really fun stuff with them.

Caramel apples are my favorite candy during Halloween. They are fun to make and really get you in the mood of the season. I hope you all do some traditions of your own.

Fog Falls

The weather up here has finally proved that it is definitly not summer anymore. Its been foggy, rainy, and cold the last few days. The mornings have been frost filled and chilly.

I have no issue with this at all, as I LOVE fall and winter. Fall is my favorite season of all time. In Colorado is a very short season. Winter takes over pretty quickly.

The shots from the house have been great though. We live in a valley surrounded by mountains on every side.

This is a zoomed out view from our porch. Its fun watching the fog set in.

Another view from our porch, but the fog is slowly creeping in more and more. I love the look of the neighborhood when it gets foggy and wet.

As soon as I get a day off I'm going to take some picture of the Aspen groves before the turn colors. I'm also going to take some when they do turn because its just about the 2nd most beautiful thing to be able to see.