Psst! Don’t forget! The Merry Christmas to You Contest continues!
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I never considered myself artistic. I can’t draw convincing stick figures. I can’t arrange pinecones to look like anything other than grubby pinecones stuck in a bowl. When I discovered I could write, I figured that was all the artsy goodness I had inside me. My mother is the artist of the family. She paints in water color and oil. Lovely things. And she belongs to an art guild. Well, I joined because she can’t drive at night and thought, well since I’m going to be there…
I’m not even sure how it started, but watching other folks who claimed they weren’t artistic, but were willing to experiment to find something visually creative they could do, inspired me to try as well. I’m a jewelry hound. So naturally, when I discovered Etsy, I combed the sight and found some things I wanted to try. I began with domino and scrabble tile altered art pendants. With paper, rubber stamps, alcohol ink blotches, glue, glitter, jewels, and tons of patience, I’ve made pendants I actually love wearing. And I’ve sold them to other people!! Talk about encouragement—someone else likes what I do! Then I branched into metal stamping and glass fusion. Nothing that requires that I draw a straight line, but I have discovered I’m terrific with color and layering things together. Now, I’m looking at crocheted and beaded bracelets.
I finished this domino pendant yesterday. This one’s very simple. Just paper and glitter.
If you’re on facebook, you’ve likely seen other pendants and decoupage projects I’ve worked on. My daughter’s been there every step of the way, and shared the journey. We’ve found something we love doing together, and we’re constantly conspiring to create new things.
Finding balance between the writing and jewelry-making is becoming a new challenge. For the longest, writing was all I thought I wanted to do. Who knew?
So what about you? Do you enjoy arts and crafts? Don’t tell me you don’t have
that gene. Is there something you’ve thought about trying?
Oh! And this is something simple too. A way I am able to blend my writing and crafty worlds together. I’ll be giving these away when the book releases end of January:
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I’m sure you’ve seen my crocheted stuff 🙂 I’ve been thinking about trying the bracelets and also earrings! Just have to get the thread and some MUCH smaller hooks lol. I love the jewelry you guys make. If I wore more I would probably buy you out of your stock!
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You are so terrific at the crochet! And incredibly fast! Ladies, she has a website called Kozy Kreationz, and she gets tons of orders. Very reasonable, and very good quality! Like my plug, K?
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I to do needlepoint then I did quilting but what I love most is rug hooking. Most of the time I take my girls school art(1st and 3rd grades) and I copy them onto a piece of linen burlap (not the stuff you by in stores its too course but ordered thru rug hooking sites) I then take strips or 100% fabric cut anywhere from an 1/8″ to 1/4″ wide and using a tool like a crochet hook pull loops thru the burlap. I’ve done my now 21yr old sons Hungry little Caterpillar he did when he was in 1st grade.He shows it to everybody! Then i took my 8yrs drawing of 3 panda bears and made that into a rug hooked wall hanging.Its a great way to save thier art work.Kids see things on a such different level its amazing. Even kindergarten art work makes wonderful rugs or wallhangings. You can see my rugs on my FB. I love that little Asian girl necklace! Looks like my 8 yr old.
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I’ve done ceramics, but the studio I went to closed down. I really miss it, but it was very expensive.
Now, I knit and crochet. My family has enough scarves, ponchos, afghans, and hats to choke a very large mule, but they all seem to like getting things. There are so many yarns out there that are too cool to pass up, I have a basement full.
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I cross stitch. I love it, am crazy about it. I’ve done big pictures, cards, small pictures. Almost my whole family and friends have something cross stitched by me. I hope to keep going for a long time and want to make things like aprons, cake bands, cushions and other lovely things. My favourite motives are anything fantasy and my favourite designer is Joan Elliott. Look her blog up…and you’ll see why she is so fantastic!!
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I have always wanted to try origami.
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Very nice, I need to show my gel Stephanie, she would love doing that. I used to crochet baby blankets. I also do wedding bouquets but there are others much better at it than me, I fill in, in a pinch.
Z
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I have embroidered, hooked a rug, done counted cross and even took up brush painting. Since, I have been reading books and blogging, I have not done any needlework. I love your domino.
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I come from a (serious) sewing family, but can’t make anything wearable to save my life! But I have the crafting gene and imagination for my generation to make up for it. My mother never could understand why I have such problems making cloths, but could make so many different kinds of crafts…everything from simple quilting to all kinds of paper things to wooden projects after I married and borrowed Hubie’s tools. I even crochet although I never learned how to read a pattern/directions, so have taught myself any stitches I learned ;). I was infamous for crocheted baby blankets all through my teens.
Funny how busy life has been lately, I haven’t really done much crafting of any sort. Like to spend what free time I have relaxing with my books, lol.
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Wow it looks like the glass jewelry I make but you need a kiln to do it…I’d like to know how you make those..is it easy? They look so professional! ❗
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I am not too crafty. 🙂 I do get into the mood of making different earrings and necklaces here and there. I have sold some off and on. But having the time and extra funds to get the supplies is slim. I have done some poetry and short stories. A few have been published.
I love your pendants and would love to find a way of getting some. 😉
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as far as the art gene,I have always been a reader ,from Nancy Drew to stephan King,and now totally into erotic romance,I won’t name other authors cause its your site,but there are quite a few that are equally as good as you,but with a different story and a different world.That is one thing I love about the new erotic romances,I can remember when I was in my late teens and early 20’s and Siloutte Desires were the hottest books on the shelves lol Weve come a long way,but even with the read a book a day I also have found a second career with jewelry,it started with buying my first Tanzanite and I was a hooked collector,then when I really I could get casting and make jewelry,my world was made,I sell at festivals and to friends and I give them as birthday and christmas gifts and it feels so good,when they visit and I see that they are wearing my jewelry that I made for them.However I have to be honest and say that I have all these great stories in my head but Ive tried to put them in words and the emotion that I feel them does not transfer to when I write them.LOL just not my skill,maybe someday Ill run into somebody who can write the way I emote ,I think that would bring me more satisfaction than all the jewelry Ive made,lol well except for 2 pieces I wear every day that is LOL
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I like to crochet but I struggle to follow patterns since I taught myself. I would like to knit as well but haven’t quite mastered that yet. Your jewelry looks lovely. Thanks for sharing.
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I do love crafting, and it’s been fun starting to teach my kids. The two older ones can mostly crochet now, and DD is learning how to do the basic knit stitches. I haven’t done much with jewelry before, but I love seeing your new stuff, DD! Very creative and beautiful!
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I don’t have a creative bone in my body, my husband though his is pumpkin carving he’s amazing!
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I really like these. I prefer to crochet when I can find some spare time. These days, it is hard to do. I figured when my kids grew up there would be lots of time. Boy, was I wrong. I am now busier then ever.
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My art skills are not very good. I love to try to do little projects with the kids.
lauratroxel@yahoo.com
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I believe there is a HUGE difference between being “artsy” and being “creative”. I believe myself to “artsy”. I can take some thread and follow a pattern a have something beautiful and sometimes even useful. However, don’t ask me to design or “create” it. To be able to CREATE something from your imagination, no matter what medium is used, is a wondrous thing. So whether your medium is words, dominoes or glass, you ability to create is a talent to be proud of. I sometime envy you, but then I sell a pair of socks and I am proud of being able to take a ball of yarn and knit them up. It is fun and relaxing to me and the person buying them is amazed that I can do that. It is all a matter of perspective. We are all talented in our own way, no matter what we do. I love your work! Both the writing and the jewelry. Thank you for sharing both with us.
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I tried different things over the years from ceramics to quilting I like making things but I am no where near as good as my sister who got all the art genes LOL. She excellent with painting and quilting and can seem to pull off any art project she attempts. The main thing for me is just to have fun with it though. It can be a stress reliever for me.