12/21 - Just in time for Christmas festivities

RTW Thailand:
Using the pom poms I got from Thailand (in our RTW trip), I made these two fun pieces!

11/19 - Woolbuddy

We took a class over the weekend, learning needle felting from one of the masters, WoolBuddy!  It was super fun.  These are the two animals we made:

Afterwards, I made a few animals, one from a kit I had bought a while ago, and one from the book!

The seal went to Ryan for Christmas  :) !

Cross-stitch

I used to hate cross-stitch as a kid.  I don't know why, but no matter what I did to keep my threads organized, I always seemed to get knotted up!

I haven't tried cross-stitch in a LONG time, but while we were traveling, I saw some really cute kits.  It made for an easy craft activity I could do while on the go!

At our local yarn store this weekend, I picked up some awesome pendants, which you could cross stitch!
Here are the results:

I can't wait to decorate more!  I think I'm going to cross-stitch a fox next...

M&J Trim Project DIY

I signed up for the M&J Trim Project DIY subscription.  Here is the first of the projects I did!

I really love how the necklace turned out!  

Just a note, this was actually the second box in the subscription.  However, it's the first project I actually made :)  You'll see my second project in a few posts!  

Paper to Petal

I just received my very own copy of Paper to Petal for my birthday!  Here are the results from our first attempt.

  

Trip to The Ribbonerie

After my trip to The Ribbonerie in San Francisco, it only made sense to immediately start a project!  Here's my little tutorial on how to make a cute pin from some ribbon scraps.
1.  Get some pretty ribbon scraps, a safety pin, and a lapel pin.  It works best if you use wired ribbon and if you cut them with pinking shears.
2.  Fold the ribbon scraps almost in half over the stationary side of the safety pin, staggering them at different lengths, so you can see a little of each ribbon peek through at the bottom.
3.  Add a cute lapel pin.  This pin will hold all the ribbon together.
4.  Ready to wear!

Map option on http://www.charsstars.com/

A MAP!!!

http://www.charsstars.com/

My husband was nice enough to create a website for me.  There's lots of things that need to be updated, but it looks SUPER cool.  Especially the map option!

For those who have bought an art-o-mat piece from me, I would love to see you added to my map!  Go to the above website, and click on mapbook, then add yourself to the map!
So exciting!

9/27 Blast from the past 3

Remember shrinky dinks?  Those plastic sheets you could draw on, cut out, put into the oven to shrink, and then turn into charms?  Well, here's my fun party necklace made out of shrinky dinks!

9/24 Pillow Pouf

I've been wanting one of those round knitted pillow poufs or footrests, but they're so expensive and I felt like it should be easy to make.  So I checked for some patterns on etsy and grabbed my knitting needles.

Knitted Pouf!

being creative everyday

So I've been thinking about doing something like this for a while now, but haven't gotten around to actually doing it.  However, as my life gets busier, I feel the need to make sure I spend at least 30 minutes a day being creative.  Also, I seem to take lots of photos of things I make, but then never DO anything with it.  So here's to the possibility of making something everyday for the next month or so!  :)

my own version

I ordered the Project DIY subscription from M&J Trimming, but I couldn't wait to do this project.  So I went and got my own materials for this bracelet even before I got my first box.  I think it turned out really cute!

another take on the plastic tubing bracelets

9/12 Blast from the Past 2

RTW Japan:

Remember those glitter and water jelly bracelets we used to get as kids.  Well, while we were in Japan I picked up some really cool plastic tubing in some fun colors.  My plan was to make some fun bracelets, and here are the results!  I'm really happy with they way they turned out!  :) 

Etsy site

It has been on a long hiatus, but I have reopened my etsy site, and I will be slowly adding new pieces.  Other than my wooden and clay necklaces, I will have lots of other goodies in there!  Come check out my shop at:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/charng

Art-O-Mat!

So I've gotten the news that my art has already been sent off to machines!  I'm so excited!  If you've come to this page because you bought a necklace, please do leave a comment so I know where my necklaces have made a home!

8/30 Blast from the Past 1

I'm on a kick right, using craft materials we might have used as kids to make updated adult versions of them!
First off, the golden dino necklace!

The boxes in a box are off!

Art-O-Mat

So... I got accepted!  I got so excited, I immediately started on the project.  Here they are, these beauties will be in an Art-O-Mat soon!

wooden jewelry fun

While visiting a friend in D.C., I came across an interesting site at the National Portrait Gallery:  An Art-O-Mat.  Most of the machine was out of art, but after my trip, I convinced my husband to go to the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, and I picked up my own piece of art there.  At the time it was the closest Art-O-Mat to us (we live in Oakland).  Now they are popping up all over San Francisco, which is great!

Since seeing my first Art-O-Mat, I've been trying to come up with unique pieces that would work for the vending machines.  I think I've come up with something I really enjoy making, and on Friday I mailed off my own prototype!  I'm pretty excited and hope I am accepted.  Here are some of the pieces I've made.  They are all necklaces, and the common theme right now is hand-painted wooden beads.  I hope to send them all off to an Art-O-Mat near you!  :)

6/20 Back from RTW trip

RTW: Australia and Japan

On our RTW trip, I collected craft materials along the way.  After getting back from our RTW trip, I started on some creative projects right away!  Here is what I made with the beads I got from Australia:

In Japan, we walked a really cool outdoor market and found some cool artists, including a potter that made some very intricate pieces.  I bought some of his beads, and made this necklace:

I also caught up on my newsfeed, and made this piece inspired by a diy on-line.  From this start, I came up with my own take on the wooden beaded necklace for my art-o-mat pieces (see later posts).

Stitches!!!

I love this new little scarf that I made with some local North Bay yarn I bought at Stitches.

Playing tourist in Seattle

Now making a cowl with yarn from Seattle!