Crocheted Bracelets

OK, so I was at Michaels yesterday and I was looking for some Swarovski crystal beads in neutral/natural colors.  Don’t bother looking, apparently they are not in big demand.  I walked past the Michaels lady doing a demo several times.  I figure I don’t need another craft (especially when I can choose from about a zillion ideas on my My to do list...someday or on my Makin’ Jewelry boards on Pinterest) so I didn’t even look at what she was making.

So, anyway, there I was looking for some special beads for some earrings.  And I couldn’t find any…so I ended up looking at some premade bracelets and found the color beads I wanted.  Eventually the Michaels lady asked me if I found what I needed.  And that is when it happened!

I looked over and she was making this really cool bracelet.  Hmmm, she had a crochet hook in one hand and beads on wire in the other hand.  That was the end of my resolve not to find another project/craft!

I went and bought me some 26G wire and that was it.  I had the beads, and of course the crochet hook and the jewelry findings. 

I made this one in about 20 minutes…it is three strands braided together and with the ends attached.  You could use a clasp but I found the bracelet is a bit stretchy and I decided to skip the clasp on this one and just add a charm.

This pink pearl bracelet I made first…I used a clasp on it and thought when I first got it done that it was too small.  But once again it is a bit stretchy so I was able to “stretch” it to fit me!

This one is very soft and romantic…

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Cloche Arrangements

I try to mix up my cloche arrangements every so often.  I have been wanting to use one as a terrarium of sorts, so I found a button fern and wrapped some moss ribbon around a plain old terra cotta pot. 

Sarah gave me the owls…they are so cute.  And the blue plate under the cloche goes to a cobalt blue cloche Sarah also gave me!

What doesn’t look better with seashells?

This cloche has seashells on top of a lacy doily with a birds nest and eggs. 

Have I mentioned I love seashells?

Well, I also happen to really like peacock feathers (I even have a Pinterest board full of them—here). 

I added some spools with mostly blue thread on them to a blue mason jar.  I thought it looked OK, but it wasn’t tall enough to look great in the cloche!  So I added a peacock feather…perfect!  And the colors were perfect in the thread!

Looking great!

I am linking to these great parties!

TV Tray Rescue and Remodel

You might remember my post here about my auction buys from the past few weeks.  I bought this TV tray (that’s what the seller told me it was in a former life) for $1.  I thought it might be good to hold some plants.  Here’s a before…

Up close…pardon the blurry pic please!

Love the diamond design!

And here it is after!  I know the color is not much different but I used Krylon hammered metal paint.  It really covered the roughness in the tray and gave it a modern finish as well.

This little tray is as solid as can be…I am thinking I might use it in the kitchen or in the pantry.

I am linking to these great parties!

Travel Souvenir Map Garland

You know those maps that you pick up when you’re on vacation?  I always pick them up, then they end up just sitting in a drawer or cluttering my car.  Well, now you can have a nice souvenir and make good use of those maps!

I cut circles with a scrapbooking punch;  I think it is about 2.5 inches in diameter.  I cut as many as I could center on the main cities on the map and the places that I had been there. 

This map happens to be from Vermont.  I cut the same number of circles from leftover scrapbooking paper. 

Using bakers’ twine running across the middle of the circle, I glued a map circle to a scrapbook paper circle, with wrong sides together.

You could also use a home state map and make this too.  Now all you need to do is hang it up and enjoy!

I am linking to these great parties!

Vintage Pattern Posies

I bought this nice big box of vintage patterns at an auction a few weeks ago. 

I used some regular fabric flower patterns that I had seen in blog land…

Just glued the pieces together and added some vintage buttons for the center. 

These would be great on a brown paper package! 

I am linking to these great parties!

Patriotic Planter

I love pops of color on my deck garden…I thought a red white and blue theme would be good for the summer. 

White periwinkles, blue salvia and red verbena with red coleus look great together. 

I added some white star fish and a cobalt blue watering ball.

The pot was painted red and over the past few years the paint has worn off around the top.  Just perfect for that vintage look!

I added a reddish foxtail grass for some height and some creeping jenny (which is not creeping too much yet) to trail over the sides.

Baby Kitty approves.  You can’t turn around here without getting in the way of a cat!  I only have three (Frosty, Baby Kitty and Mama Kitty).

I added some of the spoons that I imprinted and it looks great!  I

Looks  great on the corner of the deck!

I am linking to these great parties!

Auction finds

I love auctions and thrift stores…I’m sure that is not news to anyone who follows this blog…Here are a few things that I have found lately!

Quilt $26…had a few spots where the pieces are frayed…it was sold as a cutter quilt, but it is too good to cut up!

I love this box of vintage sewing patterns from the 1950s and 60s!  Lots of great patterns here…I have been wanting to make some flowers from old pattern pieces.  Can’t wait to try that!

Little metal cart, it was bought new in 1960 and I paid $1 for it!  Yep, I have been wanting a cart like this for my plants.  I plan on painting it, maybe an oil rubbed bronze metallic?

I have great plans for this laundry hamper too.  I think it was $1 too.

Beautiful barkcloth (they were curtains) fabric…I don’t remember exactly how much the highest bid was, but I love this stuff!

And finally, a box of wooden spools, tons of crochet hooks and knitting needles, some buttons and a pretty doily, $9.