Fun With Thread

This evening I am working on earrings that I started to work on this past weekend. They are a simple thread crochet design that includes a small bead in the center so the finished product looks like either a flower or a snowflake depending on the colors you use as you can see from the links. The two pairs from this weekend are vibrant red and deep purple each with corresponding bead choices. I think they would be nice stocking stuffers or as a "little something" for your favorite co-workers.

I can't believe Christmas will be here and gone before we know it...guess I should be spending the evening on Christmas cards instead of earrings, but what the hell, I'm having fun. :)

When I started crocheting (I was taught by my grandmother - I call her Me'Me' as the French do) I was maybe 25, 26, 27? Damn, I can't remember how old I was...it wasn't that long ago either (I'm just about 34)!? Anywho...my grandmother taught me the double crochet stitch and in a sense the single crochet, we started with granny squares (I still have them today...I never made enough of any one color or family of colors that I could make a blanket out of them). I liked crocheting so much though that I bought a book and taught myself the rest of the stitches from following the pictures. It's pretty easy after you master the double crochet. I LOVE all of the yarn colors and possibilities which is why I haven't made a blanket yet (too many things are started and not finished)...maybe 2009 will be my year to finish a crocheted blanket...I will be sure to post pictures if/when that happens.

I lost my train of thought for a minute there, I was talking about the first time I learned to crochet, it was with regular good old acrylic yarn. I NEVER in a million years thought I would attempt to thread crochet anything!...Until I saw a beautiful thread crocheted snowflake! I love anything Winter/Christmas related so I had to make on of these beautiful creatures...it was hell I tell you, pure hell.

It's a very different animal than yarn but it can be done with patience, which I didn't have much of in the beginning. The hooks being so tiny are what really made it a challenge but I'm usually up for one of those so I took it head on (I resisted the urge to throw it out the window). Now I thoroughly enjoy making bookmarks and dainty fun earrings from thread crochet. They whip up quick and make people smile.

So I must get back to whipping up smiles for the evening. Bye for now!

Everything has a beginning...

The beginning for me was when I was about 7-8 years old. I recall the summers spent with my grandparents in Florida. My grandmother always had fun things for my brother and I to do. He focusing mainly on drawing while I did everything else she introduced me to.

The first craft project I remember her and I doing alone was a seashell soap dish. We drove down to the seashore and bought shells for our project (yes you read that correctly) we bought the shells at a store for tourists most likely that sold everything made of shells you could think of...it was fun! It was really fun gluing all of the different types of shells to the rim of the giant soap dish shell and seeing the end result.

Since those days I've picked up my fair share of crafty projects including (but not limited to) painting resin & plaster ornaments, crochet, embroidery, tea bag folding, polymer clay, beading...then lots of things that just don't fit into any real categories.

I get easily sidetracked hense the reason I've started this blog. I have set up shop at Etsy and would love everyone to check it out and hopefully give me feedback on what you see there (on products, prices you name it). I have not quite figured out what I'd like to focus my skills on just yet, but with feedback and more time honing my skills maybe, just maybe, it will be a success.

I plan to post a couple of times per week and eventually will work up some tutorials on different projects I love to do. Please check back.