I'm a Darby Smart Designer!

Months and months ago, I applied to be a designer for Darby Smart.  Darby Smart, if you haven't heard of them yet, are the newest thing in DIY.  They are a mail order kit company with a fantastic array of DIY kits for all of your crafting needs.  From jewelry to house wares, they have a kit to suit your crafty needs.  

Anyway, I applied to be a designer and they asked me to design a kit for them.  I put together a trio of beaded friendship bracelets in fun, summery colors.  I was seriously addicted to making them, and ended up creating a ton of them.  The kit is now available on Darby Smarts website.  

For only $19 (and free shipping!!!) you get all the materials pictured above.  It's enough beady goodness to create the three bracelets in the pictures, as well as some left over for other projects as well.  These bracelets are perfect to keep and wear in a stack or to give away to your favorite friends.  

Don't you just love the turquoise, neon orange and gold color combo?  It's bright and fun! I can totally imagine getting together with a bunch of girl friends and making matching brackets.  If I were getting married, I would plan a bracelet making party for all of my bridesmaids.  Wouldn't that be fun? 

So click on over to Darby Smart to check out my Beaded Friendship Bracelets and all of the other fabulous kits they have available! 

Waxed Linen Blog Hop

Welcome to Diana Ptaszynski's Waxed Linen Blog Hop!!! 

I've worked with waxed linen before, it's such a great medium to work with.  For this project, I wanted to tackle a rather ambitious necklace idea I have had in my head for a while.  I purchased an large amethyst druzy nugget when I made this bracelet on Loose Ends, the blog I write for Shipwreck Beads.  

I knew I wanted to make a funky, bohemian necklace in bright, bold summer colors.  It's unlike anything I have made before.  I'm really happy with the way it turned out.  It's so random and creating it was a lot of fun!  My general idea was that I wanted a long three strand necklace with a tassel hanging from the stone.  

I used vintage seed beads to give it a more organic tribal feel.  I paired the seed beads with bone and shell beads and a few gemstones spread throughout.  There are a few India glass beads, some coral and a few silver beads tossed in for good measure.  I finished it off by weaving my linen through some chain to make it long enough to fit over my head with out a clasp . 

This necklace ended up being a lesson in fixing your mistakes.  Whenever Goose is working on a project that doesn't go her way, I always explain to her that mistakes happen but that we can't get upset and sometimes we just have to roll with it.  So, when I was halfway though my strand of yellow beads, and I realized that I had knotted something wrong (strung two beads, with no knot it between) it was a great opportunity to teach her that sometimes I make mistakes too.  So while I really wanted to burst into tears and throw the necklace across the room, I took a few deep breaths and moved on. 

The area that was my mistake became the center of my necklace.  I knotted the druzy pendant between my un-knotted beads.  Unfortunately, this made the left side of the strand too short.  I connected it to a silver link to make it long enough to match the other side.  While the overall necklace is pretty random, I still like there to be a certain amount of symmetry and balance.  

The end result is exactly what  I wanted! A long tribal/bohemian/ necklace that I plan on wearing all summer long!  Now, hop along to the other talented artists in the links below to see the amazing jewelry they created! 

Diana Ptaszynski

Kelsy Vincent - you are here! 

Susan Kennedy

Linda Landig

Kashmira Patel

Jenny Davies-Reazor

Vanessa Gilkes

Sandy Huntress

Kay Thomerson

Sarajo Wentling

Kari Asbury

Rebecca Anderson

Melissa Trudinger

Ann Schroeder

Shai Williams

Blanca Medina

Cheryl Brown

Johana Nunez Rivera

Lori Bowring Michaud

Kelly Morgan

Barbara Bechtel

Kristen Stevens

Heather Boardman

Janet Bocciardi

Kathy Lindemer

Lesley Watt

Susan Kolovson  

Jayne Capps

Michelle McCarthy

Cynthia Deis

Karla Morgan

Erin Siegel

Becky Pancake

Kelly Hosford Patterson

Sharyl McMillian-Nelson

Inge von Roos

Carolyn Lawson

Linda Younkman

Sandi Volpe

Toltec Jewels

Michelle Mach

Jen Cameron

Dorothy Wincher

Darlene Mansue

Cory Tompkins

Like Mother, Like Daughter

If you follow me on Instagram or keep up with my other blog Loose Ends, you have probably already seen this picture.  I'm going to share it here anyway, I'm just that proud of her.

I carry a notebook with me everywhere I go.  I seldom actually write in it, other than for work, but I always have it on me.  You know, just in case.  Because when I do actually have an idea or want to jot down a thought or a quote, an old crumpled receipt just won't do the trick.  It also comes in handy when we are out at a restaurant and I need something to entertain Goose.

The other night we were out to dinner and she didn't want to draw on the kiddie menu that they gave her so I handed her my notebook.  When I got it back from her, she had made this great sketch for a pair of earrings.  She said it was supposed to be a dream catcher.  I adapted her crayon drawing and made my own sketch.  You can find the full tutorial for these earrings on Loose Ends Craft Blog.

I also taught her how to make earrings a couple of weeks ago. I sat her down before hand and told her that "people pay money for mom to show them how to do what I am teaching you" and that she would need to treat it just like I was her teacher at school.  She did alright turning loops, it's a hard technique for most beginning beaders to grasp as adults, let along an 8 year old.  I also let her try the One-Step Looper tool and she loved it.  It's so easy to use!

Goose loves all manner of crafty things, just like her mama.  She loved it when I showed her the post on Loose Ends and was excited that I credited her for the design.  I can't wait to create more jewelry from her designs and to share with her all of my beading knowledge!

Copycat - Vintage Beaded Bracelet

I discovered this great blog the other day while at work.  The author, Erin Siegel is a fantastic bead artist.  I fell in love with her beaded bracelet in this post and wanted to make one of my own.

Shipwreck Beads recently (like a year ago) bought out the inventory of a store in the mid-west that was all vintage glass beads.  12 semi trucks full.  And slowly I have been hoarding different mixes and colors.  This mix is vintage Venetian glass that is probably over 100 years old.

When I saw Erin's bracelet, I immediately knew that I wanted to use my own vintage seed beads to re-create it.

It's 6 strands, strung on Irish Waxed Linen (another item I bought ages ago and never did anything with) and a vintage button from my stash.  It was SO EASY to make, I think I may whip up a few more tonight.  I seem to buy a lot of seed beads, the colors are so intoxicating, but I never actually make anything with them.

That 90's Show

Jeans: Wet Seal via Mandelin's Consignment

Plaid Shirt: Walmart

Sweater, Boots, Gloves: Target

Necklace: KelsyC Made

Pendant: Silver Dazy (from my MIL)

No matter what, I think I will always love the 90's. 

It was the generation of my childhood.

Of grunge and Nirvanna and angst galore.

I love a good flannel shirt and this is one of my favorites.

Its thick and warm and the colors are cheerful.

It was purchased in the men's dept so its nice and roomy.

So whether they are in style or not, I don't care!

I will *always* love a good flannel shirt!

Craft Spotlight: Make Jewellery

Make Jewellery 

My mother-in-law is a collector of hobbies.

She has tried almost every kind of craft under the sun.

And she loves to read.

And shop.

So, add those things together, and you get a one woman craft library.

All at my unlimited disposal.

On a recent "library trip" I picked up this great book (pictured above) published by the makers of Make Jewellery Magazine.  Out of all of the beading mags, I think Make Jewellery is one of my favorites.  It has big pictures, amazing styling and trendy designs.  Unfortunately, the don't sell it here.  Its published in Europe.  My in-laws take a yearly trip to the Czech Republic for the store and she gets them there.

So this recent book is amazing.  I have already tackeled several projects and used several others for inspiration.  My favorite project was this necklace:

I like the big beads, mixed textures and playful bright colors.

Here is mine.

The glass, plastic and metal beads came from Shipwreck.

The chain is from JoAnn's.

And the blue crochet bead came from a scarf I bought from Old Navy.  I loved the color blue, but it had these funky blue balls as "fringe". Weird. So I cut them off and into the stash they went.

As you can see, I did chain links on my version. 

I also went with a few more beads.

Also, instead of a clasp, I used a piece of lace as a closure. 

I wanted to be able to adjust the length so I could have both a longer necklace and a shorter "choker".

I think it looks great paired with a basic black T and jeans.

I also have on some big silver hoops from F21.

Basic. Classic. With the necklace for that touch of sass.

Also recently created:

And this bracelet with crochet flowers from ComfyCountry on Etsy.

I think this bracelet looks rather cute with my necklace above!

This necklace with gorgeous painted wood beads, also from Shipwreck.

This was made with just beads and ribbon.

Super simple and super cute!

Thanks for looking!