Pirate Booty

It's no secret that I love pirates. And since I have to replenish my own jewelry collection, I decided to make a pair of pirate-y earrings using these lovely skulls and some labradorite briolettes. :)  What do you think?

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Homefront Artistry Team: Mark Your Calendars! Huge Homefront Team Sale on ...

Image via CrunchBaseHomefront Artistry Team: Mark Your Calendars! Huge Homefront Team Sale: We are having a big sale to show our appreciation for all of you who support the Homefront Team! Mark your calendars for Sunday, November 13th, in honor of Veteran's Day.  The sale will take place from 7-10pm EST. 


How does this work?  Well, it's pretty simple.  


1.  Like the Homefront Team on FB: https://www.facebook.com/HomefrontTeam 
2.  Come check out the FB page at the appointed time.
3.  Someone will post a photo on the wall, along with the price (including shipping) and number of items available.
4.  If you want to buy it, be the first to comment on the photo with your email address.
5.  After the sale is done, you will be invoiced via paypal, as applicable.


It's that easy!


There's usually some girl talk, old school jams, and some other chit chat involved, so it's a lot of fun!


Here's a list of participating stores... each can list up to 25 items, so you can just imagine the craziness that will ensue:


ArmyChic4Lyfe http://www.armychic4lyfe.etsy.com/  Jewelry and More
Quitecrafty http://www.quitecrafty.etsy.com/ Crocheted Items
Epicycledesigns http://www.epicycledesigns.etsy.com/ Custom Eurogame Accessories
TheChameleonsAttic http://www.thechameleonsattic.etsy.com/ Handmade Items and Vintage Treasures
DancingBearsTeaHouse  http://www.dancingbearsteahouse.etsy.com/  Signature Teas
HeatherStrickland  http://www.heatherstrickland.etsy.com/ Elegant Monograms
TheNaturesThread http://www.thenaturesthread.etsy.com/ Reusable Cloths
HHSIX http://www.hhsix.etsy.com/  Crocheted Items
LilSoulja  http://www.lilsoulja.etsy.com/  ACU Personalized Gifts
CamelotsTreasures http://www.camelotstreasures.etsy.com/ Fashionable Doll Clothes
ThePupEmporium  http://www.thepupemporium.etsy.com/ Dog Accessories
ChersDivynWalls  http://www.chersdivynwalls.etsy.com/ Wall and Car Window Decals
Pedalingdesigns  http://www.pedalingdesigns.etsy.com/ Custom Cards, Posters, and Graphics
SaraRubendall  http://www.sararubendall.etsy.com/ Banners and Avatars
WordBoards  http://www.wordboards.etsy.com/ Wordboards and Signs
2LittleFriends  http://www.2littlefriends.etsy.com/ Unique Accessories
RuralInspirations  http://www.ruralinspirations.etsy.com/ Jewelry
ChineseAcademy  http://www.chineseacademy.etsy.com/ Quilled Creations
NicoleMichelles  http://www.nicolemichelles.etsy.com/ Purses, Totes, and Accessories
SueRunyon  http://www.suerunyondesigns.etsy.com/ Jewelry
Sweetpeatreasures  http://www.sweetpeatreasures.etsy.com/  Jewelry
Kbails84  http://www.kbails84.etsy.com/ Paracord Wristbands
SWCreativeCreations  http://www.swcreativecreations.etsy.com/ Home Decor
SimplyLeilani  http://www.simplyleilani.etsy.com/ Jewelry
EmsReCreations  http://www.emsrecreations.etsy.com/ Shadowboxes, Picture Frames
BrankletsNBling  http://www.brankletsnbling.etsy.com/ Jewelry
CarterGray  http://www.cartergray.etsy.com/ Handcrafted Cases and Wallets
HeartmadeCreations http://www.heartmadecreations.etsy.com  Clothing and Dresses

All I can say is, be there or be square.  I am totally eyeballing me some loose teas, vinyl wall decals, and goodies for the dogs.  If they have a challenge coin display, I am ALL over that, as well.  LOL.

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Another class at Bead It! Kailua: Bangles of Gold

It's no secret that I love our local bead store, Bead It! in Kailua.  This past weekend, I was delighted to get a seat in one of their newest classes, Bangles of Gold.  To make a long story short, it was a GREAT class, and I am REALLY excited about the things I learned!

Since the class teaches you how to solder gold filled wire, it's actually quite challenging, but the instructor, Brendan (also the owner) is really experienced in jewelry making and very enthusiastic about teaching.  Using the materials on the class supply list, I was able to make 4 bangles and 2 rings.  

Granted, I chose to cut apart two of my soldered joints so in the 4 hour class, I was able to attempt 8 solders.  Plenty enough to get the technique down enough to be able to replicate at home.  Not to mention the class handouts from Bead It are always terrific.

Up until this point, I've more or less avoided working with gold.  First of all, it's too expensive to really experiment with.  I mean, one troy ounce of gold is over $1700!   Still, I really dislike gold plated anything (except maybe vermeil).  Actually, I hate silver plated too.  It's just not durable.  Surprisingly, I really like the look of the gold filled wire.    Not to mention, $57 for half an ounce of wire, retail, is a little high, but not completely out of reach.

Yay!

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Limited Choke Dog collars

A couple of weeks back, my dogs decided to escape the yard. They were apprehended by stranger kind enough to coax 150 pounds of fur into the back of their car and drop them off at the nearest vet.  They weren't wearing their collars or tags because I normally keep a choke chain on them.

Well, what I didn't realize is that they are actually better off with their collars and tags even though I get more control with the choke chains.  Not to mention their collars are as old as they are and I wasn't too nuts about the selection for large dogs.  So, I made my own collars for my spoiled puppies.

But rather than make a collar that slips over their heads when I need to restrain them (for example, when strangers come to the door), I decided on a limited choke collar which give some control, but doesn't tighten enough to pose as much of a strangulation hazard as a choke chain.

I added an extra d-ring to hang their tags from.

Not bad for a first try, huh?


Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Where I Live, There are Rainbows

My brother hates when I say this publicly but I really don't care for most Hawaiian music.  Most popular Hawaiian music these days consists of people singing country ballads with a ukelele.  It wasn't always like that.  One that I've always liked is the Hawaiian Lullabye.  It's short and simple, and something I used to sing to my son when he was little and we lived on the Mainland.  

What I didn't know is that it was written by a father who was singing to soothe his critically ill infant daughter.  Well, I guess it was also written to soothe himself.  There is nothing worse as a parent, to see your child struggle and not be able to actually fix it.  (In case you were wondering, his daughter did survive.  Although she has permanent brain damage, she works for Easter Seals helping ill children.)

There are so many things beyond our control in life.  But we can always choose to see things in a different light.  

Where I live there are rainbows
With life in laughter of morning
And starry nights
Where I live there are rainbows
With flowers full of color
And birds filled with song

I can smile when it's raining
Touch the warmth of the sun
I hear children laughing
In this place that I love

~from Hawaiian Lullabye, 

by Peter Moon and Hector Venegas

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

UFO #2: Twirly skirt

This is a cute little skirt I made as part of a dress made with an Amy Butler pattern.  The top of the dress was shirred and my then 18 month old didn't like it.  So I pulled the skirt off, intending to attach it to a t-shirt to make it into a dress... and then I thought maybe I should just make it a skirt...

Except that the waistband wasn't quite wide enough to make a good casing for the elastic, so I sewed in a piece of ribbon to make the casing... but I never finished.

And actually, I finished the casing but haven't been successful in getting my daughter into the skirt to model it. But I bet it would be super cute and perfect for her Dancing with the Stars night with Daddy!
Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

UFO: Flower Hoop Earrings

I made these hoops a couple of months ago, after I saw something similar in a local bead store.  I couldn't quite get the tension on the wire wraps right so I abandoned the project.

Since I'm cleaning out my unfinished projects and all my earrings were stolen when the house was burglarized, I put them on simple earwires.  Tada!  (But I did play with the wires to even the flowers our a little more.)

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Getting Rid of the UFO's

Every crafter has a pile of unfinished projects... the ones that are abandoned, broken, missing a component... the ones that didn't work out in practice...

My stack of beading UFO's fills a gallon ziploc bag at the moment.

And so my next project is deconstruction and salvage.  A little different, but rather than stocking up on new supplies or tools for new projects, which is easy.  For the rest of the year, I am challenging myself to make do with the supplies on hand.

Well, except for the stuff I need for a soldering class next month.  :)


Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Fish and Pearls?

Once upon a time, I used to breed fish... I love animals and the condo association didn't allow dogs or cats, but they did allow fish.  And so I went a little nuts. 

 

I had a fry tank, a rack full of mason jars with canvas mesh lids to assist with water changes, a bin of meal worms, a brine shrimp hatchery, and literally buckets of filters, aerators, and other related items. I am a sucker for fish. One day, I'd really like to have a true Amano style tank. But maintaining one of those takes time, which I just don't have a lot of right now.  

BUT, I do have time to bead here and there.  I love these tiny little fish.  They are SO cute!

I like my fish & poi, I’m a big boy
Lomi salmon, pipikaula, extra large lilikoi
Squid or chicken lu`au don’t forget the laulau
Beef or tripe stew just to name a few (oh yeah)

No can forget papa’s speciality
And mama’s poi mochi
Smoke meat, shoyu poke with the rice can make a bad day feel real nice
I’m flashing back all over again
I know you feel what I’m feelilng within
And every local boy would agree
That it’s just the Hawaiian in me.

~ from Fish and Poi, by Sean Na'auao

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Thursday Teas: Lupicia Strawberry Vanilla

Yummy, yummy... not as good in my opinion of the Sakurambo Vert, but still a delicious tea.  (I had this as a sample iced tea in the store and bought a bag.)  It has a really clean taste, light strawberry, some vanilla, not so strong/bitter on the tea taste.  There are also some rose petals...

Overall, a pleasant tea for an indian summer!  Terrific either as sun tea or iced.  A lot of folks talk about taking this with milk, which would probably taste pretty good, but I'm too busy drinking this iced, by the pitcher.

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!

Hanging Hearts

While cleaning and reorganizing my stash, I came across this pair of earrings.   This is one of the first earrings I made.  I can tell because at that point, my skill level mostly consisted of linking manufactured components together.  Now, I try to make my own components or use handmade or hand cut components.  But aren't these darling?

The real reason I started beading was to pass time and also help my carpal tunnel.  I work on computers all day and at the time, was attempting to complete a masters' program online.  Not to mention, my primary hobby used to be blogging.  Twelve hours a day online was not healthy for me.

Running an Etsy store is very time consuming.  I don't think I could actually make a go of it and have it replace my "day job."  However, it allows me to have a creative outlet and work my brain in other ways.  And in addition to beading, I get to blog and take pictures!

So maybe I won't have time to start making the rounds at craft fairs or the swap meet anytime soon.  That's ok.  I have my creative outlet and stress relief... and a job that can sustain my hobbies.  :)

Please visit our Etsy store for all kinds of upcycled accessories and jewelry, created in Hawaii!