Recently began training at Youtube videos to make memory wire bracelets. One crafter stressed the fact that special cutting pliers are needed.
Apparently, this is because the composition of the circle-retaining wire is such that cutting it with regular jewelry wire cutters damages them. I have several types of pliers, including flush ones, and was tempted to go with one of them. Decided to check on memory wire cutters prices and availability.
This one is from Amazon:
I found one at Walmart called a parrot-beak wire cutter that was also under $4 then. They both look like the one used by Gail Nettles, the Beaded Jewelry Diva, in her video tut below:
I'm excited about digging in my large bead supply to create my designs. If you've ever thought about making memory wire bracelets, get started! It's much easier than it seems.
Walking through my yard, I would see these pretty little flowers growing from 2-5" in the grass. The color was a cross between bright pink and purple, and their stems were so long and skinny. I love small things and working in small spaces, so I began to pick tiny bouquets of them.
I had the perfect tiny vase in which to display them, an empty, glass salt shaker that I was saving for a craft project. Every few days, when the bouquet withered, I would happily walk through the backyard to collect more of the flowers that I discovered are wood sorrels.
I had searched my description on Google, then clicked the images tab. When I found the pic that most resembled them, I followed the link to read about the wild blooms. I have found the identity to many plants by doing this simple research, including beauty berries, sweet gum tree, passion flowers and mimosa (silk) tree.
My bouquet in the makeshift vase was so pretty and the individual stems so lovely, that I decided to try my hand at photographing them. So, these are photos of my lavender wood sorrels, picked from my backyard. These tiny flowers are so delicate, ethereal almost. I love picking them from among the shamrocks. In fact, they are sometimes called "false shamrocks." They are of the Oxalis species, the largest genus in the wood sorrel family.
I enjoy manipulating my images with filters, and decided to use an impressionist filter for my wood sorrel series. Though I have many years experience, I am an amateur at using image editing programs, and an amateur photographer. If I can do it,you can too.
I use a PS Samsung camera, which stands for point-and-shoot. I had considered buying a DSLR camera, which is a 35mm device, but decided that a PS gives me good quality images that I am satisfied with. Since I like doing close-ups, I make sure that any camera that I buy has a macro feature. This is indicated by a tiny flower icon on a settings button and/or an image in the settings window.
No two photographs are ever alike, no matter how hard we try to recreate the image in our still life arrangements. My chance to photograph wood sorrels like this will never come again, because the opportunity is once in a lifetime. Subsequent arrangements will have their own beauty though.
d. Learn to take and edit large images, around 6000x6000px. Don't take small images and enlarge them, because your images on the products will be blurry and pixelated. This is a big no-no in POD production. Doing this can usually only work when using certain image enlarging software that smooths the edges of the pixels.
e. Learn how to upload your images for sale on products of your choice, at the site that you choose at which to open your shop.
Good Luck and Have Fun!
__________________________________ The Creative Seller
Because of health challenges, Barbara at Barb's Crochet will no longer be able to practice her craft. She is offering her large supply of crochet yarn at greatly reduced prices to anyone who is interested.
She says, "I am having to quit crocheting due to my hands. I have a ton of crochet thread on hand that I will sell real cheap if anyone is interested. I have Simply soft, Re Heart, Baby Sport weight yarn and others."
She has shared that she has lots of 4ply Simply Soft, lots of Red Heart Super Saver, and a good bit of Sport Yarn, mostly Bernet. She also says, "I will sell any of it for $1.50 a ball +postage. I also have a lot of partial balls that I will let go pretty cheap too."
Barb has been crocheting for over 6 decades, since she was 12, and her designs are exquisitely executed. Her plan and hope is, "I am sticking to my sewing and hope it takes over for me." She says that if the yarn inventory doesn't sell via direct contact, she will most likely list it in her crochet shop. Contact her at crochetbybarb70@gmail.com. "I respond to all correspondence within a few hours", she promises.
Barbara also loves to do oil painting. Find her other shops here:
Will be added to this post at The Creative Seller: http://bit.ly/2dWOOPZ
along with a link back to your listing/blog/etc. Only requirement if
your image is selected: make one comment, at the blog post in question,
that contributes to the discussion.
Artsy Craftery Studio 4 Feelings Tags at Paper Euphoria featuring baker's twine ties.
Send your bright, sharp image, with the link back that you desire, along with your shop/blog name and personal name if you want to include that, to sjhollandwriting@outlook.com. I will cut off submissions when I've published what I feel will be enough additional images for the post.
There used to be a time when I didn't think I could like and use that twisted white and colored twine, though I do enjoy coordinating patterns. The more that I look at it, and use it, the more I like
it.
Baker's twine adds a colorful punch to craft projects.
It's called baker's twine! It's so colorful and cheery, and makes me think about a festival or fair whenever I look at it. Watch this short video on how the James Lever Company in the UK makes theirs. It's fascinating.
Baker's twine is very big in the crafting world now, but it originated, and is still used, as a utilitarian bakery string. If you visited any bakeries when you were young, you may remember seeing white pastry or cake boxes tied with it.
Kristina, at Poppytalk Handmade Artists, shares that baker's twine is also called butcher's twine in Australia, and that it was first used to decoratively wrap around loaves (of bread, I assume). She, like me, has not been able to find any info on the history of it.
The Twinery sells mini bundles, in addition to rolls, and offers economical shipping. I'm sold on this jazzy, triple-twisted cord, and will make sure that I always have some on hand!
______________________________________ The Creative Seller
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