October 28, 2013

Halloween/Day of the Dead Jewelry Blog Hop

Raku pieces from Star Spirit Studios

When Diana Ptaszynski of Suburban Girl Studio announced her Halloween/Day of the Dead Jewelry Blog Hop, I knew just the piece I wanted to use.  Diana's rules for this hop are just that you make one piece of Halloween or Day of the Dead themed jewelry and that you use at least one art bead in it.  When I signed up, I had just been to my first bead show and scored the gorgeous pieces above from Star Spirit Studio.  See that sugar skull on in the center, slightly to the left?  That's the piece I knew I had to use.  So I drug out a bunch of beads and cord.  

Bead and cord palette to go with my raku pieces.

When I say a bunch, I mean a bunch, huh?  The raku finish on the pendants has a huge range of color in it.  It varies from piece to piece as you can see from the photo above, and some are more colorful than others.  The sugar skull has really clear colors and I decided to play off that.

Close up of colorful micro macrame knotting.

I went with micro macrame for this piece and used four different colors of cord:  pink, blue, green and khaki.  I let the colors wander where they wanted.  Sometimes they meandered or flowed gently, and sometimes they intertwined so much it almost looks like plaid.  I used quite a few different beads, too, but I let those take a back seat to the knotting.

Sugar Skull Day of the Dead Micro Macrame Necklace by Sherri Stokey

The pendant really needed to have a place of honor, so I gussied up the front of the necklace a bit and added a bail.

Raku skull pendant on knotted necklace

For a bit of fun, I added a bit of wire wrapping in some links echoing the large bead from the center and then added a large floral clasp at the back.  And there you have it.  My sugar skull all dolled up and ready to party.  Let the festivities begin!

Micro Macrame Sugar Skull necklace by Sherri Stokey of Knot Just Macrame

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see what everyone else made!

Sherri Stokey  <--- You are here



October 17, 2013

Micro Macrame Bracelet Watch eClass

Micro Macrame bracelet watches by Sherri Stokey of Knot Just Macrame

It's done!  It's done!!  The class for this knotted watch band is finally DONE!  Put a done stamp on this one, it's done!  (Can you tell I'm happy to have it finished?)

The brand new eClass is available here at CraftArtEdu and they're offering it at a special introductory price for a short time.  And (insert drum roll here)... I even got busy and put together some kits to go along with the class.  They're available in my Etsy shop.

Capri blue Micro Macrame bracelet watch by Sherri Stokey

I made this bright capri blue version when I was photographing the steps for the class and  I have a kit so you can make the exact same watch if you like.  You can find it here.

Hand knotted lace bracelet watch in oyster

If you've visited my shop before, you might have noticed the watch in my banner.  It's this same pattern knotted in oyster cord with the softest gray beads with rainbow finishes - both matte and shiny finishes.  I made a couple of kits in these colors here.

I also made up some kits in cobalt and in black.  I was on a roll.  Then I decided I might as well make up some kits for some of my other tuts since the shop was getting pretty picked over.  If you're looking to make Christmas gifts, the selection is pretty good right now.  

I even put together a new combo for the Hydrangeas set using the colors I love.  I still have to make up a sample, but here's the palette:

Khaki, white and turquoise color palette for micro macrame kit

I'm off to work up some earrings to show off these colors.  Oh, and did I mention the class is done?  

October 16, 2013

Autumn with a Smidge of Winter

Confusion of Seasons with Aspen trees in autumn finery and evergreens covered in snow
Seasonal Confusion

My husband and I like to take a trip up into the Rocky Mountains in the fall just to wander about and admire the scenery.  Don't get me wrong - we like to do that in the summertime, too, but autumn in the mountains is just magical.  The leaves are an amazing color of yellow that looks lit from within and contrasts strikingly with the deep hues of the evergreen trees.  We were a week or so later this year and stumbled into an interesting mix of seasons.  The trees were ablaze with color and the evergreens just across the river were covered in a blanket of snow!  When we drove higher up, we ran into this:

Snow covered mountain peak
Snow Covered Peak

I couldn't WAIT to get back into the lower country!  I am not, not, NOT ready for winter yet.  I may never be ready for winter!  Thankfully, it wasn't long before we found more of this:

Autumnal palette in the Rocky Mountains.
Colorful Mountainside

I'm sorry my photography skills aren't really up to the challenge because the real deal was ever so much more breathtaking than my pictures can convey.  I love these colors spilling down the mountainside.

Fall in the Rockies aspen trees and evergreens.
Aspens and Evergreens

I tried making a couple of color palettes from some of my photos.  I'm thinking of making some jewelry pieces based on one or both.  Anyone want to join me?

autumn color palette aspen leaves
Sunlit Aspen Color Palette


Fall color palette aspens and evergreen trees
Aspen and Evergreen Color Palette

October 8, 2013

More Micro Macrame Classes

Multi-strand micro macrame necklaces by Sherri Stokey of Knot Just Macrame
I've been so busy working on new classes, I think I forgot to tell you I added one!  The new necklace class is available at CraftArtEdu.  In this class, I've combined videos and still photos to help you through learning how to knot a multi-strand micro macrame necklace using nylon cord, beads and a button clasp meant to be worn in the front.  It has loads of possibility for customization.  You cold make it with a great Czech glass button and fun Czech beads.  Or how about a mother-of-pearl button with handmade polymer clay beads?  Or a Southwest theme with a thunderbird button and beads in turquoise and coral colors tied up with a sandy brown cord?

If a necklace doesn't appeal to you, I also have a micro macrame wrap bracelet class and a lacy and intricate bracelet and earrings class there.  And don't forget the free Micro Macrame 101 class with good, basic information on knotting surface, tools and equipment and cord.

This week CraftArtEdu is offering 20% off all of my classes.  You don't need a coupon code and the sale is good through Friday, October 11, 2013.  When you buy one of their classes, it's yours forever and you can watch it as many times as you like.  There is a handout with each class that you can print out if you like to follow along that way.  AND they guarantee you will like your classes or they will give you your money back.  What's not to love?  

I'm working on a class for a bracelet watch next.  I'll leave you with a sneak peek:  

Micro Macrame bracelet watch by Sherri Stokey





October 5, 2013

Five Generations of Family

Five generations

We are really lucky to have five generations of family, all the way from my grandmother down to my grandson, Carter.  We were finally able to get all of the five of us together in one place today and we tried really hard to get a good photo.  Easier said than done when you're working with a group of five people and nearly impossible when one of the five is a 9-month-old!

In the picture above, my son, Nick, is on the left.  And the dangly little critter there is his son, Carter.  That's me in the center.  My mother, Sharon and her mother, Blanche are on the right.  My grandmother is 88 years old and it meant the world to her to get to hold her great great grandson.

Carter and his great great grandmother
Cater and his great great grandmother

We tried a LOT of times to get just ONE good photo of all of us, and I don't think you can say we got one.  We did get some entertaining ones, though.  

5 generations

Carter and his great grandmother
Carter and his great grandmother
Me with my grandson
My grandson and I

Carter and his great grandfather
Carter and his great grandfather

Carter in the window


Carter

Today was a day overflowing with love and joy.  Life is good indeed.

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