A Final Halloween Picture, The Mystery Braid Cuff (Mystery Solved!)

Because they are the cutest things ever, here's another (and final) pic of my twin nieces, wearing their princess halloween costumes. I hear they got a lot of candy!!

Several years ago, I came across these directions on Martha Stewart, showing this really cool leather braid cuff. A mystery braided cuff. Recently, I came across some leather in my stash and decided to give it a shot. Let's just say that this is not the sort of thing you can figure out from a picture. Perhaps that's how it earned it's mysterious title? After several attempts, I finally had to just put it aside. Then I went to my #1 teacher, when it comes to handiwork that I don't understand from a picture, youtube! I found this video and was able to make my own mystery braid cuff in no time at all! Mystery solved!

The Bracelet Making Continues....

I'm going through a bracelet phase. It's true. I have always loved accessories, but for some reason the bracelet is where it's at for me right now. Not only have I enjoyed wearing them, I've also equally enjoyed making them.

I am not one to frequent Wal-Mart, but I found myself by one the other evening and needed some basics, so I begrudingly went in. I managed to pick up a few things at unbelievable low prices! Perhaps I should frequent them more often. At any rate, in the accessories section of Wal-Mart, I did manage to find these really inexpensive bangles. 2 for $3.00.

A few weeks ago, I picked up these beaded ribbons at the going out of business sale at Borders. At the time, I thought I would use them in a regular ribbon way, to tie onto a present. But they are so pretty and sparkly... And just like that, two more bracelets for my ever growing collection. All I did was hot glue the end of the ribbon to the inside of the bracelet, wrap the ribbon around, hot glue the other end. Too sparkly for day wear? I can't decide...

Hardware Jewelry-DIY Wrap Bracelet

I saw this tutorial for the DIY Wrap Bracelet a few weeks ago on Honestly...WTF. (Really cool blog, by the way.) My friend Kelly beat me to making a few. After I saw her's I had to give it a shot. This project did take a little nimble finger tip work, but overall quick and easy. Here are a few tips...the ball chain is purchased at the hardware store. Not the craft store. You can buy it when you are getting your hex nuts. Ignore the guy at Ace Hardware's weird looks when you buy out his 1/4" brass hex nut supply. I have more bracelets made with hardware to come!

Map Bracelet

I've been rather under the weather this week. I'm fairly certain I caught a virus from an airplane over the weekend. But a rather long and difficult day business trip to Allentown on Wednesday did me in. This too shall pass, but it has kept me home more than I would like. This afternoon, after I finished my work (I ended up working from home, given that it's difficult to conduct business with laryngitis), to keep my sanity, I decided to do a little crafting. I had picked up two wooden bracelets, covered in rather garish "asian" printed polyester, in the Target Dollar Spot for .50 each a few weeks ago, knowing that something could be done with them. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of them in their original state. I was too anxious to see how easily the fabric would come off. It came off very easily. They sat here uncovered for a few weeks until tonight. I decided to decoupage one of them with some map scrapbook paper. Just cut it into 1/2" wide strips, brushed some modge podge onto the back of each strip and wrapped them around. Then gave the whole thing a couple of modge podge coats and let it dry. Now...to think of what I should do with the other one...