Knit and Pearl: THE BLOG

The Big Move

2009-04-20T04:20:00.000-07:00

We're moving. It's been 5 years in the same apartment (which is pretty unusual in the city of Chicago) and we decided it was time for a bigger place. So we're leaving.

We're moving to the unit NEXT DOOR.

LOL - not a big leap, but it'll be nice to have some more space and AC! :) We figured we'll just buy a case of PBR and have people come over to help us walk everything 5 feet away.

I will probably be laying low until after the move so I can focus on clearing up my life clutter, but I'll back soon. Don't cry.

KnitPICKS: EmbellishJewelry

2009-04-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

This week, I interviewed Ashley from Embellish Jewelry Design. I was in awe of her innovative style and creative sense of fashion. I made sure to include photos of her pieces that are *my* favorites in case anyone is looking to buy me a gift anytime soon. ;-) Read on to learn all about what it takes to create these amazing pieces!

Name: Ashley Tigert
Age: (real or mental is fine) I’m 27
Location: Pocatello, Idaho
Shop: Embellish Jewelry Design

First tell me a little bit about how you got started. When did you make the move to Etsy with your products?
I have been making jewelry since I was a kid. I would disassemble the stuff I had in my jewelry box and create something new with the pieces. My love for creating jewelry only grew when I decided to major in art in college and took my first metalsmithing class. From the moment I picked up the torch I was hooked, and knew that I wanted to design and create jewelry for the rest of my life!
I’ve been in love with etsy for a long time now, so once I graduated it was a natural progression to start selling my work on their site.

What inspires you most?
I find inspiration in so many places! Simply observing the world around me gives me so many ideas for my jewelry. I find a lot of inspiration in nature. Whether I’m walking on the beach, or hiking in the mountains, the beauty of the natural world continues to amaze and inspire me.I am also greatly influenced by fashion. I could watch runway shows all day, the clothes are like walking pieces of art! I have a very eclectic style and I love how you can change your clothes (and jewelry) to match your mood. What you wear on the outside can be such a strong reflection of what’s going on inside, which is so intriguing to me.

Share a funny and/or scary crafting story! (I tend to injure myself a lot when crafting so I welcome these types of stories!)
A metals studio can be a dangerous place if you’re not paying attention! I tend to get excited while soldering and have caught a few things on fire, including my own bangs!

What is your favorite item currently in your shop and why?
My favorite piece in my shop right now is my “Petals” necklace. It’s really fun to wear!

What is your “day job” if you are not a full-time seller? Do you ever take inspiration from your “day job”?
I work as a substitute teacher a couple of days a week. Children are so imaginative and creative, so they definitely inspire me. Eventually, I would like to start an after school program teaching art to kids.

If you could pick up a new craft, what would it be?
I would love to learn how to sew.

Tell me 3 interesting things about you.

~As a child I wanted to be an astronaut. I wanted to go to the moon…

~I am a total goofball once you get to know me. My boyfriend and I are always singing and dancing around the house, I’m sure our cats think we’re crazy!

~I would love to play the guitar and sing in a band someday.

Favorites:
What is your favorite:
Thing to order at Starbucks? Soy Latte with a sprinkle of cinnamon
Song from the 90s? Oh, how do I choose? My first real love was Boyz II Men, so I’ll go with Motownphilly.
Toy you had as a child? My cabbage patch doll Libby

Making Your Way in the World Today...

2009-04-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

...Takes everything you've got.

Well... I finally did it. There's no more talk of "someday". I finally enrolled in college to pursue my lifelong dream of working the world of medicine.

I'm only taking one class for the summer, but it's a three hour lecture/lab class Monday thru Thursday nights and in conjunction with my hefty work schedule, this should be interesting.

I should probably brush up on my anatomy and physiology before I start this! I should also get as much crafting done before I have NO TIME!! Haha!

Anyhow... I hope I don't die.

KnitPICKS: Birdhouseaccents

2009-04-10T03:00:00.000-07:00

This week I've picked BirdhouseAccents to feature. This is one of the more unique shops I've seen on Etsy and I LOVE it! With so many interesting designs and bright colors, the birdies in Connecticut have it MADE! Read on to find out more about BirdhouseAccents!

Name: FredAge: 50+
Location: Canton, CT
Shop: Birdhouse Accents

First tell me a little bit about how you got started. When did you make the move to Etsy with your products?

We were told to check out etsy so in January 2008 we set up our etsy shop and added

our first birdhouse to our shop. We did not see too many birdhouse shops at that time and decided to try it. It has turned out to be very rewarding. We were selected to be a featured seller in May 2008 and just found out we have been added to the Spring Equinox item poll on the Storque. There are 60 etsy artisans to choose from. Check it out and please vote for us. We have been very happy with our relationship with Etsy.

What inspires you most?
The beautiful song birds that frequent our area, and I really enjoy what I do.

Share a funny and/or scary crafting story! (I tend to injure myself a lot when crafting so I welcome these types of stories!)
I have a new respect for my table saw. I was precision cutting small pieces for my birdhouses and was not being as careful as I should have been. The next thing I knew, my finger was a little too close to the blade. I cut the tip of my finger and, am so thankful it was not worse.

What is your favorite item currently in your shop and why?
We still like the beach bungalow to this day. The idea came to us while we were vacationing in Maine many years ago. We will walk the beaches each year and pick up shells, sand, sand dollars, driftwood and anything else we think may work in desiging one of our beach bunaglows. We have had good luck selling them up there and just looking at one evokes a sense of summer and being back on the beach.

What is your “day job” if you are not a full-time seller? Do you ever take inspiration from your “day job”?
Full time birdhouse maker. I hope I am given the chance to do this for the rest of my life.

If you ARE a full-time Etsy seller, how did you make that transition? What took you to the level where you felt comfortable earning your living off your craft?
I enjoy making birdhouses and am passionate about it.. I consider myself very lucky. We sell our birdhouses at craft fairs and have wholesale accounts with a few garden centers/stores in our area as well. Having people be so appreciative of the time I spend making a birdhouse is very rewarding.

If you could pick up a new craft, what would it be?
I am happy with what I am doing, why look for something else.

Tell me 3 interesting things about you.
For the last ten years I have worn shorts no matter how cold the weather is, and believe me, it is very cold in New England.
I have been growing my hair long again and am turning into a hippy.
I enjoy listening to smooth jazz while working.

Favorites:

What is your favorite:
Animal? Song Birds
Cookie? Peanut Butter
Day of the Week? The weekend so, I can relax with a couple of beers.

Gina Marie's Body Bakery

2009-04-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

Here I go again!!

I'm off on a new adventure, but this time I'm taking a back seat. I'm helping a good friend of mine start up a little side business of selling her handmade bath products! She started making these amazing sugar scrubs and after enough of us tried them, we convinced her to set up an Etsy shop.

I'm going to be helping her set up the shop and making some product (I've been experimenting with face masks!)

Everything she makes is basically out of stuff you can find in the kitchen and it all smells like you're making cookies. YUUUUM!

So... keep an eye out for Gina Marie's Body Bakery coming soon to Etsy!

KnitPICKS: PresentsforPirates

2009-04-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Ahoy, Matey! This week I picked piratical paper queen, presentsforpirates! This crafty swashbuckler has the sweetest line of handmade notecards you will ever sea! I mean...see! Keep reading to learn more about this awesome chick! YAR!

Name: Amanda McKay, though you will commonly find me referring to myself as "man"
Age: 26, same as my wii fit age!
Location: wheat ridge, colorado
Shop: presentsforpirates.etsy.com

First tell me a little bit about how you got started. When did youmake the move to Etsy with your products?

i guess it was october of 2007, and i can't honestly remember the aha moment when i decided to make the move. i know i had heard about etsy through people's blogs, and it just seemed to fall into place.

What inspires you most?

i would have to say advertising. i find color and pattern trends that i like and am inspired to make something

using that as a basic idea.

Share a funny and/or scary crafting story!

mostly my days are filled with paper cuts or burns from embossing stamps, but the best i have would probably be the moment right after i was using a handheld paper rotary cutter to

cut paper on a cutting mat on something else on my lap. the second i finished i realized the blade was about two inches from carving my legs up, and i thought, "that was maybe not your best idea!"
What is your favorite item currently in your shop and why?

probably my handmade recycled envelope/pirate ship treasure map note card set. i think handmade envelopes are totally fun and love themed sets!
What is your “day job” if you are not a full-time seller? Do you ever
take inspiration from your “day job”?

my day job is that of a "loan coordinator" for a mortgage company. the title doesn't quite cover every hat i wear there. i don't generally take any inspiration from my day job; they are so night and day sometimes it's har

d to describe.
If you could pick up a new craft, what would it be?

um, i would have to say probably screenprinting. i like the idea of expressing one's self with clothing.

Tell me 3 interesting things about you.

A.) i played competitive softball for about 8 years. i was a pitcher and clean up hitter.

2.) i once lost 100 pounds.

D.) i am a colorado native and have never been skiing. and that's totally cool with me.

Favorites:

What is your favorite:
Movie? amelie

Plant? any one i can keep alive
Vacation Spot? buena vista, colorado

KnitPICKS: ablemabel

2009-03-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

This week I picked multimedia artist, ablemabel. I was really drawn to her super unique fabric covered lightswitch covers, but searching her shop, I discovered really great baby items and gorgeous jewelry! This gal has many talents! Continue reading to find out more about ablemabel!

Name: Leann
Age: (real or mental is fine) Living the good life at 29 ;)
Location: Western Colorado
Shop: able mabel

First tell me a little bit about how you got started. When did you
make the move to Etsy with your products?

My older sister and I were in charge of our Church Holiday Craft Sale in 2007. We went gangbusters and ended up with way too much product. We started looking around for a place to sell it. I heard about Etsy thru a scrapbooking site I was involved with at the time. It's been a great site for me! I love Etsy!

What inspires you most?

There's nothing like seeing a fun piece of paper or fabric to get those creative juices flowing!
Share a funny and/or scary crafting story! I'll give you the edited version. Here is the link to the full version.

One morning, I had decided to leave all my housework and cleaning until after lunch when I got my kids down for their naps. My house was a disaster (no joke here!) and I was working on a new sign for my shop when the doorbell rang. It was some Medical Insurance salespeople. They asked if they could come and sit at my kitchen table and talk to me. I very timidly let them in and they wove their way thru the mess to the table. The lady did all the talking while the man just stared at the chaos around him. After I got them shooed out the door, I went back to finish my sign. Imagine my surprise when I saw that my almost two year old daughter had taken my brown pen and "improved" my sign for me. At that point, all I could do was laugh!

What is your favorite item currently in your shop and why?
I would say this sign.

I love the quote and I think it's very true "The only thing worth stealing is a kiss from a sleeping child."

What is your “day job” if you are not a full-time seller? Do you ever
take inspiration from your “day job”?

A full time mom, does that count as a "day job"? Thankfully my kids all sleep thru the night, so most days, it's only a "day job". I do get quite a bit of inspiration from my kids. They say the funniest things and I have a houseful of models to

use!

I don't think I'll be able to do Etsy full-time for a long time. My kids are small and raising them is my first priority. able mabel is sort of a "hobby that supports itself". I wouldn't mind growing it a bit more but I don't have the time to spend doing it 10 hours a day. All of my items are one-of-a-kinds so it's tough for me to produce a lot of product in a short amount of time. It's an awesome way for me to get a break from the rat race of everyday life.

Tell me 3 interesting things about you.

I am a "coffee snob". I only like to drink good coffee.
My mother is a dollmaker (www.sarahniemela.com) and I used to help her make the wigs for her dolls.
I come from a family of 14 (I was number 4) and love the fact that I grew up with so many siblings! It was the best thing ever!!

If you could pick up a new craft, what would it be?

Ceramics! I am so enthralled with all the pottery I find on Etsy. Sigh! Someday I'll learn that one.

Favorites:

What is your favorite:
Band? I don't have one.
Holiday? Christmas
Style of shoe? Wedge

If Susie Homemaker and Rosie Riveter had a baby...

2009-03-25T18:42:00.000-07:00

That baby would be me.

Today I donned my apron to whip up a delicious loaf of banana bread!

Then I threw on my safety goggles and torched some metal clay to make a fantastic silver pendant!

Let's see the fruits and bolts of my labor!

Look at the bread... pretend you are smelling it... doooooo iiiiiit.

Now pretend you are taking a bite!

Taste the warm crust of sugar, melted butter, cinnamon and cream cheese frosting!!! Mwauhaha!

Ok ok... I know that's mildly mean! Let me know if you want the recipe or if you want me to ship you a loaf. LOL

Now for the fun stuff!

This pendant is a gift for my little sis for her 21st b-day and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out for my first try.

I rolled out my clay and used this starfish (why the hell do we have a starfish? I dunno.) to add an int

eresting texture. Then I used some tiny cookie cutters to cut out my pendant. I used the tip of a pen shaft to make the hole at the top.

I let everything dry and then filed off some of the rough edges.

Let the torching begin!

I had to do this in the dark so I could tell when the clay was

glowing, so I apologize for the strange graininess in the photos!

Once the piece was fired and cooled, I burnished the top to bring out the silver shine and

added this genuine aquamarine (her birthstone) teardrop and popped that sucker on a sterling silver chain.

Tada! Anyway... I hope the sis likes her new necklace!

KnitPICKS: Suenosdejmi

2009-03-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

This week I picked avid crocheter and part-time photographer, SUENOSDEJMI! I have to admit, I own a few scarves made by Jamie and they are delightful! Awesome color schemes and fashionable wear is what she is all

about! Keep reading to learn more about Jamie and her dreams!

Name: Jamie (or jmi, or jammers, or jamjam, or denise when I'm in trouble with my mommy! )

Age: (real or mental is fine) 25.75 (and it's real

!)
Location: Tennessee
Shop: Suenosdejmi and DreamBirdPhotos

First tell me a little bit about how you got started. When did you make the move to Etsy with your products?

I've been crocheting since the dawn of time, my mo

m and grandmother taught me how. I've always crocheted off and on in phases. A few years ago, I picked up crocheting scarves during my night classes in college. I made a few for Christmas presents and then suddenly I had to many and nothing to do with them. I found Etsy through a crochet message board and our love affair was born.

What inspires you most?

Color. I love going down the yarn aisle in a craft store and picking up different yarns and seeing how they fit together. If it's a combination that the average person wouldn't wear it makes me love it even more. i tend to pick out a color or two based on what I think they might be able to do and then let them run with the design as I create.

What is your favorite item currently in your shop and why?
I think it's a tie between my Horizon scarf and my Punk Fingerless Gloves

I love the scarf because the color combination just makes my heart sing.

The gloves have the same impact, but for them they were the first pair of gloves I made that were striped like that, and I just love them!

What is your “day job” if you are not a full-time seller? Do you ever
take inspiration from your “day job”?
I work retail. Inside of that, I do a bit of everything. stocking, running registers, working furniture, running around in stress-mode, you name it, I've done it. I definitely do take inspiration from my "day job", and usually in the strangest ways, like finding color patterns for scarf designs in an arrangement of fake flowers or the colors of a plastic cup. Tonight I was deeply moved by polkadot combinations on a pair of socks. :)

If you could pick up a new craft, what would it be?

The most realistic answer here is knitting, because it is the next challenge I want to tackle, but it seems too close to crocheting to count here, so i'm going to say my dream craft, which is ceramics. I've never studied ceramics in the slightest, but my crafting pipe dream is to take classes and learn to make bowls. I love bowls.

Tell me 3 interesting things about you.

*I talk in my sleep on a regular basis and sometimes in Spanish. It's gotten me in trouble before.
*If I could look like anyone else, it would be Amy Lee http://www.youtube.com/user/evanescencevideo
*I'm not good at talking about myself. It took me 3x longer to do this part than the rest of the interview total.

Favorites:

What is your favorite:
Muppet? Does Oscar the Grouch count? I've loved him since I was little. I think that says something about me.
Song? Way too many to name one, but Good Enough by Evanescence and Life Uncommon by Jewel are two of my forever favorites
Type of Cheese? oh man...all types? Provolone's good for a sandwich and I love sharp cheddar just to munch on. But really I love all types of cheese.

In the World of New Crafting Obsessions...

2009-03-18T10:26:00.001-07:00

I just bought myself a metal clay starter kit! EEEEEEEE!

Complete with instructional DVD - this kit from Fire Mountain Gems comes with everything you need to start firing Art Clay (including a mini torch! Yay!! BURNING!) For those of you who don't know what Art Clay is... it's a compound that is silver in clay form. You can mold it into any shape and when fired (in a kiln or with a torch) it transforms into 99.9% pure silver. Neato, huh?

I am super stoked to try working with this stuff! Stay tuned for my first Art Clay project!

I think I'm going to try making something for my little sis for her 21st b-day at the end of the month. I'll definitely be posting the results of my first attempt!

These are a Few of my Favorite Things!

2009-03-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

Everyday I look at my "Favorites" page and I wonder... when are people going to start buying me some of these amazing items?

What a Nice Day to Dye

2009-03-14T01:00:00.000-07:00

It's another venture into yarn dying! But this time... I'm doing it au naturale!
This time I wanted to try dying with gifts from the earth and after researching what veggies and spices are commonly used to dye yarns, I settled on the Indian spice Turmeric.

I also followed thisrecipe/instructional on the Lion Brand website so I wouldn't mess anything up!

I got a gorgeous skein of fingering weight Alpaca from stickchick and set to work!

*Note to future dyers... turmeric in high quantities doesn't smell all that nice! Also, wet alpaca kind of stinks too!*

So basically, I prepared a dye bath of 1 oz of turmeric and 1 1/2 quarts of water and I let that reach a boil.

Once it was boiling, I brought it to a simmer for 30 minutes.

I doused the alpaca in some lukewarm water and squeezed it out completely.

Then I set the yarn in the dye bath and let THAT simmer for another 30 minutes.

It's important to make sure it's a super low simmer, especially if you are dying with pure wool and not cotton. If the wool is allowed to move at all in the hot water, it will start to felt.

Once that was completed and I was sure the yarn had reached the color I was after, I took it out and rinsed it in lukewarm water with a bit of mild detergent until the water ran clear.

One last wring-out and then off to the rack to dry!

I'm super happy with the color, although I hope that smell dissipates - otherwise whatever I make with this is going to smell like an East Indian street market....

KnitPICKS: Kimberlyrose

2009-03-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

This week I've picked photographer and digital artist KIMBERLYROSE

Her work is magnificent and it's been a real pleasure learning about her! Do yourself a favor and take a trip to her shop and enjoy the beautiful artwork!

Continue reading to learn more about Kim!

Name: kim
Age: 30
Location: San Diego, CA

Shop: KimberlyRose.etsy.com

First tell me a little bit about how you got started. When did you
make the move to Etsy with your products?

I actually made the move to Etsy on my 30th birthday! This past October... I kind of did it as a gift to myself to finally do what I've been wanting to do for so long now which is share my art with others, not just on the computer, but in real life... framed, matted, up on a wall!

What inspires you most?
I find inspiration in almost everything and everyone around me. I've been taking pictures for as long as I can remember, and you will rarely ever see me without a camera by my side. I love to travel, even if it is just a road trip for a day (or photo trip as we call them) with

my sister to go somewhere we've never been and just take photo's all day!

Share a funny and/or scary crafting story!
Well my most recent mishap just happens to be an injury story! Me and my sister decided to hike around the desert to see the wildflowers blooming... which is a very surreal, amazing site to see! I saw a gorgeous bright red flower and it was the only one around so I just had to get the shot. I tend to get right in there while photographing so I was in a very twisted position half on the sand with the other leg balancing myself so not to crush a line of ants. When all of a sudden I lost my balance and BAM right onto a cactus! No less a "teddy bear" cactus I later found out it is called... not so cuddly... Just writing this I can still feel the sting! Ow!

What is your favorite item currently in your shop and why?
I actually have 2 favorite listings... "That's the life" because I just love the colors in it, and it has a sort of calming effect on me. It's funny though, both my mom and sister initially told me they just didn't like it for some reason... but then it grew on them and is now one of their favorites as well!

My other favorite is "Swing" because it reminds me of the care-free fun I had the day it was taken. Me and my sister woke up for work one morning and decided we wanted to play hooky! So we went to the county fair! I think we had more fun that day because we were supposed to be at work, not eating corn dogs and funnel cakes!
**Side note from Knit: Did she just say corn dogs? I think she is my soul mate!**

What is your “day job” if you are not a full-time seller? Do you ever
take inspiration from your “day job”?

I'm an office manager/receptionist/secretary/Girl Friday... basically I run the show in the office! I have found inspiration while at work, however only a few times was able to take advantage of it while the boss was away. You can actually view a few of those instances on my flickr stream in my 365 set.

Tell me 3 interesting things about you.

~I am a huge animal person, and spend a great deal of time working with rescue agencies all across the country. I try to find animals in danger a place of safe haven, a foster home, or even better a forever home.
~My sister is not only family, but my best friend. We do pretty much everything together! Which includes many many long road trips!
~I very rarely get mad, and pretty much always have a smile on my face! Also, I never hold grudges, love to laugh, and even love it more when I make someone else laugh!

Favorites:

What is your favorite:
80s TV show? Cheers
Color? Maroon
Board Game? Clue

Yarn Addiction Strikes Again!!!

2009-03-11T20:58:00.000-07:00

It's a problem. A real problem. I have so much yarn that I think it would take me 3 years to knit with all of it.. but yet... I KEEP BUYING MORE!!! Yaaaaaa!

I recently stocked up with a whole load of GORGEOUS spring time softies! And.. I thought I'd share with you all!

You should also know that I'm a complete sucker for Malabrigo Merino Worsted Weight yarn. It's unbelievably soft and warm and it knits up soooo beautifully.

This first group of yarns are all made by Malabrigo.

This one is a mix of wool and silk! The color is called London Fog and it's so soft!

This is Glazed Carrot! I heart ORANGE!

This is Little Lovely and is a mix of raspberries, reds and pinks

This is Applewood. I normally don't go for browns, but this one is special :)

This is Orchid and I might fall over I love it so much

Ok.. can I just say that sometimes I don't even WANT to knit with this yarn.

Sometimes I just want to sit in a pile of it and weep for joy!

I also got this awesome Lorna's Laces sock yarn in Daffodil

Then there is this DK hand-dyed yarn from TJTUnraveled called Toast

Now... This isn't ALL of the yarn I've purchased in the last month, but they're probably my favorite skeins :) *sigh* I often wonder if I'll one day loose my husband in a giant pile of yarn... and would I ever notice? Hmmmm....

Knit PICKS: The new Featurette

2009-03-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

I find myself in awe of other artists all the time.

I decided it was time to start featuring some of my favorite artists on my blog and finding out what makes them tick.

Once a week, I'll be doing a feature of one artist. Hopefully, you'll find some new favorites too!

If you'd like to be considered for a feature, post a comment here!

Adventures in Advertising

2009-02-27T07:47:00.000-08:00

I recently decided that I wasn't doing myself any good by staying in the shadows. I learned a tiny bit about graphic design and set to work on a couple of web ads for KnitandPearl.

Currently, I have this one running on CraftCult and a couple of ProjectWonderful spots on a few random blogs. I also booked an ad on Facebook to run from March 3rd - 10th. I know my design skills are remedial at best but I'm workin' on it, people!

So far, I've seen my daily visits and views grow consistently since the CraftCult ad started, but no new sales as of yet. I'm hoping to get a better idea of what works and how often I *should* be advertising as an independent shop owner.

I'll have more to report back with after the Facebook ad runs! :) Wish me luck!

Crafting Fantasy vs. My Real Life

2009-02-23T22:12:00.000-08:00

I'm tired of trying to tame my addiction to yarn and fabric and beads. If I could let that side of me loose 100% of the time, I think I would. That's that.

My real life is schedules and binders and agendas and meetings.

My real life is a straight jacket of adulthood.

My craft life is messy and unorganized and noisy and stinky.

My craft life is heaven.

That's that.

Hot Grape Kool-Aid Stinks.

2009-02-18T11:46:00.001-08:00

I'm going to preface this by saying I hate grape "flavored" things. I hate the smell and the taste. But low and behold... I love the color purple. So, when you decide to use Kool-Aid to dye your lovely 100%merino wool, guess what flavor you're stuck with? That's right.

Grape.

Needless to say, I suffered for my art today and I think it paid off.

Here's how it went down...

*Note: this is the method for MICROWAVE DYING*

I started with a skein of DK (double knitting) weight of natural merino wool that I had purchased from StickChick on Etsy. It's a good sized skein, about 124 yards.

First, I soaked the yarn in cool water with a mild detergent while I prepared the dye.

When dying with Kool-Aid you don't have to use any vinegar like when dying with most other dyes. That made me happy since I hate the smell of vinegar too! The more packets you use, the deeper the color will be and the reverse is the same.

For every packet you use, add 1/4 cup of water for dissolving. So, in a microwave safe container, I mixed two packages of Grape flavored "Mixade" (The Aldi knock off of Kool-Aid!) with a half cup of warm water to dissolve it.

I added my yarn to the dye and filled the bowl with enough water to cover the yarn. I let the yarn sit for a few minutes before popping it into the microwave.

Now, most websites and articles I had read (I found the best tutorial at Knitty.com) said I would only have to repeat this next step once, but I had to do it five times. So basically, just keep doing it until the water is mostly clear.

I heated the yarn in the microwave (still in the bowl of dye of course) for 2 minutes on HIGH. Then I took it out and let it sit for 2 minutes.

I kept repeating this step until the water in the bowl was clear. Every time I heated the yarn, it absorbed more of the dye. You can this see in the picture above. I turned the yarn over once during the process to get a more even colorway.

Once the water was clear, I removed the yarn from the bowl and let it cool down (it was pretty hot to touch at first).

When it cooled, I rinsed the yarn in water that was the SAME TEMPERATURE as the yarn itself. * If you shock the yarn with either too hot or too cold water it could felt.*

Then I mixed in a little of the same mild detergent as I used earlier and rinsed until the water ran clear. Really though, none of the dye came off in the washing process which I'll take as a good sign!

I gently squeezed out as much of the excess water as I could and I hung the skein to dry.

So... this has been my first foray into dying and it was pretty simple and fun! I think I'll probably try it again and try some different color combos in the future. One thing I'd recommend if you're going to try this, cover your surfaces and use rubber gloves when handling the dyed yarn. Or keep some Clorox Bleach cleaner on hand! :)

Happy Dying!

Sharing is Caring

2009-01-25T07:48:00.001-08:00

I've taken a bit of a hiatus from the blog, but I'm back and I brought gifts.

I spent most of the last few months making custom neckwarmers for a few friends of mine and during the process I found different ways of making this item more unique and easier to construct. I decided it was time I buckled down and wrote a pattern in a way that made sense to someone other than myself. It's a super simple pattern and it's a great little project for the beginner knitter out there. Have fun with it! Experiment with different colors and yarn weights! I like picking out funky buttons the most :)

Here it is... The NeckHug

MATERIALS:
100 yards of worsted/aran weight yarn
size US8 needle

PATTERN:
Cast on 38 stitches

R1: Knit till last 3 stitches. Wrap yarn in front and Slip last three stitches.
R2: Knit 3, Purl to last 3 stitches, slip last 3 stitches.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until scarf is approximately 18 - 20” long. The length should be determined by your own neck size and how unique you want to get with button placement.

Add button holes on right side

Continue pattern for one more inch.
Bind off loosely.

The one row button hole:
There are lots of different ways to make button holes. This is one I’ve found to be easiest and best looking. Feel free to use whatever method you are familiar with.

Bring yarn to front, slip stitch purl-wise and bring yarn to back.
Keeping yarn in back do a *slip bind off* for the desired number of stitches (standard 3)
*Slip the next stitch off the left needle and pass the previous stitch over it.*
Place the last stitch back on the left needle and turn work.

Cast on 4 (number bound off plus 1!!) stitches using the cable cast-on method
Turn work so RS is facing. Bring yarn to the back and slip the first stitch of the left needle onto the right needle and pass the last cast on stitch over it.

Work till next buttonhole!
There is a great youtube video that shows this method!
This pattern is FREE for your use! But please, if you sell a scarf made from this pattern, give me some credit! :) A link to this blog is all you need!

Super Holiday Sale at KNITandPEARL

2008-11-17T18:24:00.000-08:00

Holiday EtsyFEST '08

Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday the following deals

will be offered at knitandpearl.etsy.com

11/27: Giving Thanks Day: Every item purchased gets a free gift! If you purchase 3 items, you will receive 3 free gifts! It's a "thank you" from me to you!

11/28: Black Friday: All items are 30% off. Discount refunded through paypal or wait for a revised invoice.

11/29: SuperSaturday: Buy One Get One Earrings! Discount offered on lower priced pieces.

11/30: Knit and Pearl Day: Take 25% off any items that are KNIT or are made with real PEARLS. Discount refunded through paypal or wait for a revised invoice.

12/1: Cyber Monday: Free Shipping all day! Celebrate the joys of internet shopping and get your merchandise sent to you free of charge!!

**WANT YOUR PACKAGE GIFT WRAPPED??**
Leave me a message in the notes to seller and let me know if you'd like FREE gift wrapping!

Kick off the Holidays Etsy Style!

2008-11-14T06:43:00.000-08:00

Join us for a Thanksgiving Day to Cyber Monday extravaganza! Skip the long lines this year and try Christmas shopping the easy way....online....and get some great one of a kind items that are all handmade.

Visit Etsy.com and search using tag "thanksgiving sale" between Thursday November 27 and Monday December 1 to shop with special discounts only available during those 5 days.

Each Etsy store will have their own sale terms, clearly marked in the "Shop Announcement" (in the gray box above the items they are selling). All stores accept Paypal as payment, and many stores accept other payment methods, so it's hassle free!

Thanks to heather knitz designs for organizing it!

**See more details from my shop to come!**

Your Yarn + Jimmy's Face = AWESOME

2008-09-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

Hey hey! I got this amazing yarn from an Etsy seller I discovered through linkreferal.com.

Her shop, TJTUnraveled ,is pretty awesome and I have some more of her delicious hand-dyed yarn coming my way.

She loved what I did with the yarn I got from her so much that she featured my scarf on her blog! Come check out her blog!!

Hooray for Halloween!

2008-09-27T20:16:00.000-07:00

I really feel this treasury needs to make it to the front page and NOT just because my Orange Crush scarf is featured in it!

So click on the treasury, comment on the things you like and let's take it all the way to the top!!

The Purple Charm

2008-09-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

So I got a CHAIN letter in the mail from my mother-in-law! LOL... not really a chain LETTER, but a chain QUILT!

I got two 6" quilt squares and instructions to mail out my own 6" squares to the address on the letter AND to 4 of my friends. Basically, each of the people I sent my letter to will have to mail my mother-in-law 2 quilt squares of their own. All of the squares need to be purple in some way so that we all end up with the same theme.

These are the two fabrics I chose to make my squares out of.

By the end of the chain, we each would supposedly have enough squares to make a quilt!

I'm excited to see what kinds of fabric I get and where it's coming from. I will make sure to document the whole process from receiving fabrics through my design and construction of the quilt!

I know my photos are a little dark, but it's a little cloudy today :(

Me and Jimmy Make Front Page News!

2008-09-24T15:58:00.000-07:00

What a nice surprise!! I was featured in a treasury that made it to the front page of Etsy today!

My TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SCARF scarf got 500 views all in a one hour span. Rock and Freakin' Roll.

Well... I'm happy as a clam.

Wanna Win Free Stuff!!??!

2008-09-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

**9/22 - 10/6**
Any transaction at my shop during these two weeks will give you an entry into the EtsyOWLS Halloween Giveaway Contest.
You may only enter 2 times from my shop, so I highly recommend checking out some of our other fine shops to increase your chances of winning these awesome prizes!
See the full list of participants AND the official rules at The Owl Blog!

Feeling Unusually Crafty

2008-09-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been wanting to spice up my craft life and I haven't been sure how. I tried putting on a sexy outfit while I crafted and ended up spicing up something different. *wink*

Today, I was out and about and I passed The Paper Source. This shop has always intimidated and intrigued me... I've seen what people can do with paper and I've never felt I could play on that

team. I decided to go in and look around.

With the advent of my new shop logo stamp and my strange habit of watching this scrapbooking show on tvweekly.com, I thought I might try to make my own themed notecards!

I bought 4 1/2 x 5 1/2 flat card stock in the color "pool" and coordinating envelopes in brown and red. I also picked up brown and red pigment ink pads for my stamp. Then I found a sheet of mustard yellow paper with white polka dots. I almost put it back, but my obsession with mustard told me that I could find SOMETHING to do with it!

Deciding I was done.... I started to leave and then saw these amazing pearl stickers! I knew they were

just the right size for the largest pearl on my stamp! What?!?

Well... needless to say, I got home and got creating!

This card is what I came up with. I know it's nothing crazy special, but I thought it was fun. I love the little pearl accent at the top and the yellow paper is a great splash of color. I plan on doing half with the stamp in brown and red envelopes. The other half will have a red stamp and brown envelopes.

Now everyone say a tiny prayer for me that I don't end up in a mental institution with obsessive compulsive crafting disorder (or OCCD).

A Bit More Professional...

2008-08-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

I decided it was time for me to invest in some nice packing materials and lay off the little baggies (that tend to insinuate something entirely different). I've always enjoyed getting a package that was gift wrapped or was really personalized to the seller. I think it adds a nice touch and sets you apart from the other artists. I feel like that aspect becomes extremely important when your main media is jewelry design and you are competing with so many other designers on Etsy. I think it's neccessary to individualize your self and let your customers know that you take your art very seriously.

So, I had a graphic designer make me a rubber stamp with my logo on it (SUHWEET!) and I

ordered a case of these great little jewelry gift boxes to send my orders in! Now I just need some orders.....

Let me know what you think!!

But be nice, because I love them :)

Yahoo for New Fiber!!

2008-08-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest fiber purchases!! Can you tell I'm in fall mode or what?!? I'm super excited about getting started with some of these yarns.

The green yarn is an *whispers* acrylic yarn by Debbie Mumm for Jo-ann Fabrics. It's SUPER DUPER soft and has a really cool kettle dyed look to it.

The peach one underneath it is this amazing fingering weight yarn from Turkey (I have a friend from Turkey and her sister is visiting for the summer so I put in a special request for this!). It's meant for kids and it creates little pictures in the work where ever there is a bit of color. My friend says that you don't know what pictures you'll get until you start knitting, but they are usually stars or hearts or flowers.

Next is the hand dyed (in KOOL-AID) 100% wool yarn from iWunder on Etsy. It's SOOOOO soft and it's bulky too! I never buy bulky weight yarn, so I'm excited to work up something in this. It's called Sangria and it really makes me want to have a glass of vino!

The fluffy little bit next to that is Bee Sweet Magic Ball in Butterfly. It's a mix of baby mohair, ribbons, sparkles and wool. It's beautiful and funky! It's another interesting purchase for me. I usually stay away from "novelty" yarns, but something about this sparked my interest. I bought it at Tangle and a portion of the proceeds go to help a local school in the South African village that produces the yarn.

The last yarn is Mountain Colors in Ruby River. It's handpainted Merino wool spun into ribbon. It was wicked expensive, but worth every penny! I have a really nice scarf pattern that I think this will look amazing in! I can't wait to work with it, but at the same time... I like just looking at the twisted skein! :) I'm weird....

That's all I have for now... look for some new knit items at knitandpearl in a month or so!

Some New Acquisitions

2008-08-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday after work, I visited my local bead store (conveniently located one block from my work!) and they were having a super duper trunk show of hand painted shell pendants from the Philippines. Check out their blog if you dare!

The show featured Rebecca from RED Designs and the jewelry she makes with the pendants that her family creates! Very cool. I splurged a little and bought this beauty for myself:

Then I splurged a bit more and picked up this wicked cool blister pearl pendant as well!

I can't wait to make some necklaces featuring these!! They are fabulous!!!!!!!

On the Sticks or Off the Hook

2008-07-29T09:34:00.001-07:00

I figured it was time to let everyone know what I've been up to! I have too many WIP projects to ever actually finish one. Here are some photos of the pieces that have been plaguing my mind - begging to be completed!!

The first is the ruffled teal scarf that I am donating to

Corn Productions, a local theater company, for their silent auction.

It 's almost done and I kind of wish I didn't have to give it

away! I love the color! It's made with Lion Brand Wool Ease in Peacock. Soft and Pretty! :)

These next photos are of a pair of socks I started maybe around October of LAST YEAR! I got super busy around Christmas and just stopped working on them! Yikes! These socks are super cool and are knit from the ankle down, which is rare for socks. Usually you start with the toes and work up. I heard that it's super important to start your second sock

AS SOON AS you finish the first one, otherwise you'll have the tendency to never make the second sock! LOL - who knows if I'll ever finish the first one!!The yarn is this amazing hand dyed fingering weight yarn from WhimzyPinzy on Etsy. It knits up SOOO nice a

nd clean looking. I love it! It's colors are so bright and fun in lime and teal and raspberry!

Next comes this pretty little crocheted blanket that has also been almost a year in the making! I started it last summer and then realized that as you crochet a blanket, you soon become COVERED IN BLANKET. It gets a little hot so I put it off until winter... which by then, I had forgotten about it and started 8 more projects! It's a giant Granny Square made with Lion Brand Jiffy yarn so it's super soft and cuddly!

The last project I'll post is a blanket I started in January for my husband. I'm 5 rounds away from completing it, but it takes me about 45 minutes to get around it once! It's knit on circular needles and every corner gets twisted to make this really neat spiral shape. It's not square and it's not round... it just IS. :) I'm particularly proud of this one. I've worked really hard on it and I can't wait to finish it! I just have a hard time working on it for long periods of time. I end up getting sick of looking at it!

He recently asked me if I could make it 3 x bigger and I almost smacked him! It's already about 5 feet "around" It's hard to tell all scrunched up on the needles like it is!

Anyhow... feel free to encourage me to finish these if you like them! I'm such a slacker!!!

Kayaking and Bead Weaving - 2 Great All-American Pastimes

2008-07-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

Summer is halfway over. Bummer. The hubs and I decided to get in some summertime kayaking on the Chicago River! It was a blast!! The current was kind of against us most of the way, but we worked it out...

Here's us kicking the river's ass. ___^

It's actually a really nice escape from city life and really close to home! There's a launch at Rockwell and Addison and you can go either North or South on the river. There's lots of wildlife to be seen... herons, turtles and ducks! Oh My! They even offer a "moonlight" trip for couples twice a month. We were thinking about doing it in August. It's fairly inexpensive and you get a 3 hour boat trip + dinner.

Go Nature!

The other thing keeping me occupied these days is a woven crystal bracelet! It's extremely intricate and very time consuming. I've been working on it for a week or so now and I can only work for maybe a half an hour at a time b/c my eyes start to go all wonky!

It's made with shimmering crystal silver shadow and mocca colored Swarovski crystals. It is SOOOOO sparkly I can barely stand it! I wish I had a gala I was going to... I would so wear this!

Here are some shots of the work in progress...

sorry they are such bad quality - they were taken in poor lighting!

Anyhow... I hope to finish it soon and be able to list it on Etsy! :)

Sales have been surprisingly good lately and I was even featured on

Chicagoist.com and dorsethillbeads.blogspot.com!

I may be famous sooner than I think!

Save Money and Save Some Owls!

2008-07-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

Starting on Monday, July 21st, the Owls are on sale. Here's a list of all participating shops and their specials. Click each shop name to visit their shop. Sale ends 8/3/08.

JamieLeto
Free Shipping on all jewelry.
Free earrings of your choice with any knitted or paper purchase.

presentsforpirates,
Free shipping over $10 in the u.s. and half off shipping over $10 out of the states.

silvernstones,
25% off all regular, non-custom pieces, and free domestic shipping.

leathersculpture,
Free domestic standard shipping on non-custom sales. Does not apply to expedited shipping. Sale items are marked as clearance and already marked down.

KnitandPearl
Free shipping on jewelry, half price shipping on knits and other fiber products
25% off OR pay full price and I donate 25% to the Owl Foundation

suenosdejmi
Pick Your Special! Mix and Match!

Shop by special and section. Specials include: Buy one Get one Free, 75% & 50% off with a free gift & reduced shipping rates, and Free Shipping. Prints are Buy a Print, Get a Print half off with free worldwide shipping. There's also a Charity section where each item donates a percentage to the Owl Foundation.

Each description will describe the special for that item. Listings have been changed to reflect discounts on both price and shipping. 'Free' items from the BOGO section can be any item storewide of equal or lesser value.

HollyStott

******SAVE SOME GAS AND SHOP ONLINE: FREE SHIPPING - As part of the Etsy Owls Team sale I'm offering free shipping on everything in my shop from 7/20 - 7/31******* (free shipping only includes first class)

redmarionette
Free Shipping!

CorkysCookies OR afabricqueen

$2 off all International shipments and Free UK Shipment!
20¢ per item sold will be donated to the Owl Foundation!

executeme
Free Worldwide Shipping in Clearance section

stripeymonkey
Free Worldwide Shipping Storewide!

OfftheWall

75% of all purchases from the Owls shop, OfftheWall, will be donated to the Owl Foundation, an organization in Canada that helps rehabilitate owls to return to the wild. Each team member has items in the team shop, so check us out!

raynae,
and
cagedbirdsings are also participating in the sale. Stay tuned for their sale annoucements!

More Quilt-Tastic Adventures!

2008-07-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

We finished the quilt top today!!! Yay! I know that I can't be out there helping Debbie finish it, but I think she'll get it done by Sunday.

I feel very good about it! It looks great and I know it's going to bring a smile to one lucky lady's face!!

It kind of makes me excited to start my next quilting project - which if you look off to the side margin, you can see my fabric line up for that one. This time, I'm keeping the finished product! I'm going to document the whole thing, so look for those posts soon!

I'm finishing a knit blanket right now (I'll post photos when that's done) and I told myself, I wouldn't start a new big project until that one is completed!! ARGH!

It's HOT as sin in Chicago....

Photos of Quilting Day

2008-07-05T16:46:00.000-07:00

I took some pictures of Debbie and me working on the memory quilt! It was a lot of hard work and a lot of fun! I'm going back on Monday to help finish it!

These are pictures of the layout that we chose, there are a few patches here and there with some really cool sayings about family. The parts that say Grandmother, Mom, Sister and Daughter are all paired with pictures of people that Busha *is* that title to. Like the one that says "Daughter" has a photo of her parents. It's going to look super neat when it's completed!

This is a photo of the quilt block Nick and I made with the bunny! Isn't she funny!!

Here I am, going to town on that sewing machine! And Debbie is doing some CRAZY calculations of how big the quilt will end up being!

Here is how helpful Nick was while we quilted!!

The first photo is of the saying that we chose as the central point of the quilt. The next is another photo of the general layout.

I'll post more photos when it is completed!! I think a quilt is such an amazing gift to give someone. Especially Busha who has touched so many lives! Makes you wish you had the time to make a quilt for everyone you know. It's such a labor of love. I always get to a point where I feel like a part of me is in the quilt.

I remember finishing the first quilt I did and crying. Mainly because I was thrilled it was over, but partly because I was sad that my work with it was done. Now, it would move on to touch someone else's life and live on as part of their family.

I guess I didn't need to get all mushy on the topic... but I can't talk about quilting in the same lax way that I can talk about whipping up a pair of earrings. So much more happens in the process and so much more of your energy is buried deep in it's threads.

Happy Memory Quilt Day!

2008-07-04T07:36:00.000-07:00

It's the fourth of July and I actually have the day off of work this year! (you have NO idea how excited I am about that!)

I am heading out to my mother-in-law's where we will embark on a day long quilt making journey! I'm a little nervous since this is a gift quilt and it needs to be done by next Sunday... *bites nails*

The quilt is for my husband's grandmother AKA Busha (polish for Grandma). She just turned 75 and her party is next weekend. My MIL send out pieces of printer safe fabric to each family member. We had to print a saying or a picture or anything we wanted that reminded us of Busha. Nick and I did a funny picture of us with our rabbit! It's gonna be the new Christmas card... I can see it now! :) So the quilt will be tons of family pictures and well wishes mixed with some really fun fabrics. I'm hoping this will end up as some sort of family heirloom. It's nice that I'm getting a chance to take part in it. I'm sure my MIL feels the same way, since I'm one of the only other family members that knows how to work a sewing machine... Haha!

So, I have a lot of work ahead of me today!! Hopefully, I can get some photos of our progress and post them on here later in the week. Hopefully, we make some progress.... Ah!

Super Sale at KNITandPearl!

2008-07-03T16:47:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, July 8th is my 1 year anniversary on Etsy! Help me celebrate by BUYING THINGS! :)

I'm having a wicked cool sale all week long! If you feel so inclined, come by and check it out!! Here's the deal-eo...

Monday 7/7: 15% off all items (Use Code: Ann15KNP) The discount will be refunded via paypal - or you can elect to wait for a revised invoice. PLUS a secret freebie hidden somewhere in the shop!!! Look for the words "corn dog" somewhere in the listing for that item! This item will be totally free and you don't even have to buy anything to get it!!! PLUS FREE SHIPPING ON EVERYTHING!!

Tuesday 7/8: **This is my actual 1 year anniversary!!** KNIT and PEARL day! This day take 25% off any items that are KNIT or are made with real PEARLS! These items will already reflect the discounted price!!

Wednesday 7/9: Buy One Get One 1/2 off anything in the shop!
(Use code: AnnBOGOKNP) The discount will be refunded via paypal - or you can elect to wait for a revised invoice. PLUS a secret freebie hidden somewhere in the shop!!! Look for the words "corn dog" somewhere in the listing for that item! This item will be totally free and you don't even have to buy anything to get it!!!

Thursday 7/10: Free Gift with Purchase! It's a surprise!!! PLUS FREE SHIPPING ON EVERYTHING!!

Friday 7/11: $5 off purchase of $20.00 - $29.00 or $10 off purchase of $30.00 +! The discount will be refunded via paypal - or you can elect to wait for a revised invoice. PLUS a secret freebie hidden somewhere in the shop!!! Look for the words "corn dog" somewhere in the listing for that item! This item will be totally free and you don't even have to buy anything to get it!!

Saturday 7/12: Buy 2 Get One Free Earrings! Free pair will be the least expensive pair. The discount will be refunded via paypal - or you can elect to wait for a revised invoice. PLUS FREE SHIPPING ON EVERYTHING!!

Sunday 7/13: Mystery Sale! You'll have to stop by to see what's in store!!

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to. I probably won't cry though :)
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!

I've Got Something for YOOOOOUUUU....

2008-06-24T10:52:00.000-07:00

I want to start with a little disclaimer that I DID NOT MAKE THIS EAGLE! :)

This is the fine craftsmanship of my husband, Nick. He has just recently started doing woodworking on his journey towards fulfilling his dream of building guitars.

He has made a few things here and there as gifts for people, donations to charity auctions and the like. This was commissioned by a friend as a birthday present and I gotta tell you... I was BLOWN AWAY by what he came up with! I knew my hubby was talented, but I was so impressed by his work that I thought I would share it with everyone!

Each piece was cut out on his scroll saw by which, if you look at the teeny eye pieces, I'm thrilled that he still has all of his fingers. This type of woodworking is called intarsia which is the same as the style of knitting where you knit a picture or pattern of multiple colors alongside knitting the background. I thought it was cool that our interests share similar components!

So each bit gets cut out and glued together in this intricate puzzle-like operation! Anyhow, I love it and I kinda wish he didn't have to give it away.

It Felt Ok...

2008-06-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

I attempted to felt for the first time! Yippers!

I bought a kit from Patternworks that gave pretty good instruction on how to machine felt. However, my washer never seemed to get hot enough for it to work properly. I ended up boiling the wool on the stove. That seemed to do the trick! The fibers never melded together as fluidly as I would have liked, but I am proud of my first attempt. I think this little guy will remain mine, as I can't see anyone liking it! Another aspect of this piece was that both the front and the back of the "flower" were supposed to look the same. Mine did not - so I end up having to flip the beads so the "right" side is showing! LOL.. what a nincompoop :)

I may try to do it again and just make plain round beads. Expect to see something like that soon at KnitandPearl!

Did I Actually Complain About the Winter?

2008-06-05T16:30:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure I did. I'm pretty sure I always do.

I always seem to forget that Chicago doesn't really have a spring. We have this season that fluctuates on a daily basis from being rainy and cold to being gosh-darn hot. Indecisive. Kind of like the Democratic Primary. (PS. Go Obama!)

Well... fast forward to summer. It's monkey butt hot out and I'm UNCOMFORTABLE! Oh well... I guess that's what I get for complaining! :)

In any case, I've got a full list of projects I'm about to embark on including a tiny baby hat for one of the gals at work who just found out she is 4 weeks pregnant! Yay!

Woah-Kay

2008-06-02T16:58:00.000-07:00

I've had this blog for sometime and I figure it's about time I did something with it.

So, here I am world! *angels sing*

For those of you who don't know, my name is Kristen and I'm a moderately well fed artist living in the great city of Chicago with my husband and a perpetual mess.

I started crafting seriously a few years ago, though it was always in my blood. I remember getting Highlights magazine as a kid (remember those??!! Goofus and Galant??) and always flipping right to the "You Can Make It" section with all the weird little crafts. I would like to formally apologize to those people that received things I made back then as gifts. You were very strong and brave for not telling me they were garbage and proudly displaying them around the house (mom...).

My main forte is jewelry design. Mostly beadwork, but I look forward to one expanding that to metalwork, lamp working, resin casting... etc.

I also knit, sew, crochet and quilt. I like to make sure I've never bored, OK?

I rarely have only one project going at a time. I always feel it's good to have a few of the bigger projects rotating through. That way, if I start to get sick of one, I put it aside to work on another!

When I'm not crafting, I'm managing a restaurant. That's right, did I mention I have little to no soul?

It's a thankless job, but I have a love/hate relationship with it. It has taken me places, but I look forward to one day leaving the industry behind to pursue a career in the medical field. But, I'm taking it one day at a time. Trying to make sure I get out and enjoy the brilliant Chicago summer while it's here!

That's all for now, kiddies!