Pipa the Latest: journal of a messy crafter

Thursday, May 10, 2012

EBW May Challenge "Nautical Inspired" poll open!

As usual, here's the mosaic with all the entries for the Etsy Beadweavers monthly challenge.

This month we have a Nautical theme:

"One of my favorite things about being from the Oregon Coast is how much the culture and economy is tied to the ocean (and it's storms), the ports, and all the lush ocean life. My challenge is to make something Nautical inspired -- be it sailor stripes, a pirate's life, sea stars and octopi, or a siren atop a hefty, rusty anchor -- with Memorial Day on the way, I will definitely make my way down to the docks to see all the boats and fisherman, and welcome in all the sunshine.. With an occasional high-winds warning and some dark, churning ocean waves." So said our last month winner...isn't it inspiring?!!

Voting starts May 9 - May 15th on EBW blog, please stop by and take a look at all these lovely creations, it'll make you feel like summer is already here!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Pantone Spring 2012 swap

I'm really excited today! Lori Anderson from Pretty Things, who usually hosts the Bead Soup Blog Party, had an amazing idea to involve all the people who didn't make it through the BSBP lottery: a Pantone Swap based on the Spring 2012 fashion color report.

Source: via Pinterest

The swap has been organized on facebook and Lori picked the couples yesterday. My partner is Lori Wishart Finney, from Canada!

These events are great to make new friends all around the globe and I'm happy to work with somebody who has taken part in several swaps before, so we're just sharing ideas on how to organize everything.
We're lucky this spring Color Report gives some interesting possibilities in terms of combos...and it's nice to see a bit of grey (which I adore) together with brighter tones. Which tones will be chosen?

Source: via Pinterest

I'll update you tomorrow!

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Last minute inspiration

They say best ideas come at the very last moment, and this month's EBW challenge is the perfect example. After struggling for days with sea shells and bead embroidery attempts, which went better than I'd thought, I was stuck and had a bit of a beader's block. Too many ideas in my mind, but none of them were quite my style, and I didn't want to create something just because it was ok for the challenge. Sea shells are gorgeous, and have an elegant look, but when I think about nautical I always remember Jean Paul Gaultier "Le Male" ads: the sparkling white, the blue stripes, the (gorgeous!) tattooed sailors. It was past midnight when I finished listing my item, and my eyes were almost closing...but the result is exactly what I was looking for:

something simple but classicly nautical: blue and white stripes, sailors' knots, and -of course- a star to remind a little bit a wind-rose

Remember to go on Etsy Beadweavers blog and vote for your favorite piece of nautical art from 9 until 15 may, spread the word!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Love is in the air

I've had this red components in my closet for a while and was looking to the perfect way to use them.
I just added orange jasper beads, some beaded can tabs, silver rondelles to add a bit of sparkle, and here it is:

I love this color palette and I think I was really love-inspired while making it!

So, whether it's love for your significant other or for your mommy, love will surely be in the air with this necklace!
In my etsy shop!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Inheritance

During this Easter vacation I found something I thought lost for a long time.
Something I received from my grandad a loooong time ago, when I was about 10, and never really understood until know: my grand-grandmother Amalia's knitting mock ups and stitch explanations.
Some of them were tearing apart, like this one

so I had to scan them all.
Most of the mock ups are actually lost in my closet or between my Barbie doll clothes...but I'm so glad I have all the explanations.
I also found a tutorial for "2 years old baby boy shorts", with my father name on it!
My granny used to write on any kind of paper and that's why some of them are unreadable and shredded, but it's ok if you think they're over 70 years old!
I'm going to copy them anytime soon and maybe try to make something nice.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Voting for April challenge

From today until 15th of April you can go to the Etsy Beadweavers blog and cast your vote for our April Challenge, which theme is "Seed beads only: No cabs, no crystals,no gemstones, no clasps (unless they are beaded), no other ready to use supplies (except for what you need as basis for embroidery of course, as well as thread and so on) - but what´s visible are SEED BEADS ONLY!"
No easy task since most of us beaders find it very handy to use metal clasps, sometimes jump rings, and beads of many shapes other than seed beads.
Mixing medias is really inspiring also, and I am experiencing it right now working for the first time with jump rings and metal wire to connect beaded components.
Here is the mosaic

Go vote!!!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Finally on sale

I made this necklace almost 2 years ago and just put it aside

I didn' know how to string it properly and which length I prefear.
Today I was working on something different and realized what I had to do...so I grabbed it, left the other necklace in a corner of the table (sorry necklace, I'll be back at you in a moment) and finally used my pliers and jump rings.

I'm happy with this new length and really pleased that I managed to finish it, finally!
I'm listing it right now on etsy and then I'll finish my bag too- leaving tomorrow, heading home!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Little Lulu in the rain

This month has been really lucky for work. Well, bead-work at least.
After many request and a couple of trials, I made my first tutorial and sold it twice the same day! I was afraid it wasn't clear enough, so I made it super detailed and beginner-proof. So far it's been appreciated.

The most exciting thing was to hear again from my Xmas customer, who asked me to make another Little Lulu doll, under an umbrella.

She wanted a brooch and I had just ordered some bead backing from Nicole's shop and was eager to try it!
At the last time she changed her mind and decided to have an earring instead of a brooch. It actually makes more sense since it's really cool to see this

floating in the air.
I'm pleased with the result and hope the client will be as well.

Thinking about making a tutorial for beaded dolls since I haven't seen any around...

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Knitting list

For my 100th blog post (yeah!) I decided to change topic and just share this funny list I found on this nice blog. You just check all the things you've already done and maybe highlight the thing you actually want to try - things I've already tried are BOLD:

Afghan/Blanket
American/English knitting
Baby items
Bobbles
Buttonholes
Cable stitch patterns
Cardigan
Charity Knitting
Combination knitting
Continental knitting
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm-warmers
Darning
Designing knitted garments
Domino knitting
Drop Stitch Patterns
Dyeing Spinning Fibre
Dyeing with plant colors
Dyeing Yarn
Entrelac
Fair Isle knitting
Free-form knitting
Fulling/felting
Garter stitch
Gloves
Graffiti knitting
Hair accessories
Hats: Cuff-up
Hats: Top down
Holiday related knitting
Household Items
I-Cord
Intarsia
Kitchener stitch/grafting
Knitted flowers
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Knitting for Preemies
Knitting in public
Knitting Items for Weddings
Knitting on a loom
Knitting smocking
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on one or two circulars
Knitting to make money
Knitting two socks simultaneously with double-knitting and magic loop method

Knitting with alpaca
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Knitting with corn yarn
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Knitting with beads
Knitting with Camel Yarn
Knitting with cashmere
Knitting with circular needles

Knitting with cotton
Knitting with dpns
Knitting with Linen
Knitting with metal Wire
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn
Knitting with silk
Knitting with soy yarn
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Knitting with wool
Knitting with your own hand-spun yarn
Lace patterns
Long Tail CO
Machine knitting
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Moebius band knitting
Norwegian knitting
Participating in a KAL
Pillows
Publishing a knitting book
Purses/bags
Rug
Scarf
Shawl
Short rows
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Slip stitch patterns
Slippers
Socks: toe-up
Socks: top-down
Steeks
Stocking stitch
Stuffed toys
Swatching
Sweater
Tassels
Teaching a child to knit
Teaching a Male how to knit
Textured knitting
Thrummed knitting
Toy/doll clothing
Twisted stitch patterns
Two end knitting
Writing a pattern
Spinning
Double-knitting socks two-at-a-time

I've learned a lot of new stuff in these last months and hope to fullfill this list by the end of the year!

I'd like to add some very important skills I also have acquired and recommend:

-Knitting while your cat plays with your yarn ball
-Realizing you're knitting your hair together with your yarn
-Knitting on the train while young guys make dirty jokes about what you're doing
-Spending 3 times the time you needed to undo a wrong row just trying not to make it look like a mistake
-Knitting 80% of an item just to realize you don't like the color at all. Or the yarn is scratchy like hell. Or you just ran out of that beautiful yarn you bought 10 years ago and can't find anymore. Or the gauge is wrong and you're actually making a doll size cardigan (could go on forever..)
-Buying a very expensive yarn to make, let's say, a blanket, just to realize your boyfriend is superallergic to that.
-Wishing for snow in spring so you might finish the freaking sweater you totally forgot about while it was cold enough to wear it

I should make a list for beading too...

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Destinations

If I could really escape this city for a while, I would choose some place cold where I can still wear a fluffy, hand knitted sweater (like the one I'm trying so hard to finish!) and drink a hot, steamy tea looking at the snow from a window.
Instead I have no time for tea, nor for beading, so I didn't enter this month Etsy Beadweavers challenge.

Fortunately a lot of fellow beadweavers did:

Aren't they gorgeous?!!! I already have a favorite... and I promised myself I will make the entry I have in my mind anyway, no matter how much time I'll spend.

Got to EBW blog, voting starts March 9 - March 15th, don't miss it!