Flower Gear! A cute little necklace

I just finished making this cute little necklace for one of my little cousins for Christmas! We are celebrating with the rest of my family in New Years day! Yeah! Christmas twice!

This is died turquoise pendent and seed beads.

Zebra Cowl

I love this! It took 10 oz of yarn and an
H and G hook. I sooo want to keep it for myself! This thing is so warm!!

Again I used bobwilson123's cowl tut on YouTube! Love her stuff!

Holiday Cowl

I saw this youtube cowl tutorial by bobwilson123 on Melinda's FB page. I loved it! I immediately thought red to go with my fingerless flower gloves!

I've finished a second one! Pics to follow :)

My new free style flapper-ish hat

I wanted to make a hat for a friend at work. She said she like turquoise. I saw this yarn and wanted to try it. I thinks it came out pretty good! I need to finish off the flower petal edge then it's done!

I'm having fun playing with my hooks!!!

My new hat freestyle

I tried to follow a pattern. It didn't work so I ended up freestyling this as I went along. I think it turned out better well. This is going to be a Christmas gift for my aunt! Woot!

Crocodile Stitch

I saw this stitch on YouTube and had to try it! It is so much easier than I thought it would be! If you look at tjw123 you can see how to do it.

I added 3 rows of single crochet, then continued with double crochets for the rest of the piece. At the other end I did 2 rows of single crochet. To get the crocodile stitch right on the other end I made it separately. Finished it off with 2 rows of single crochet. Then joined.

Christmas flower fingerless gloves! I LOVE these!!' so Festive!

I made this gloves using two tutorials by bobwilson123. Check out her YouTube channel! She's a great video teacher for crochet!
Awesome!

Soft Sorbet

I'm obsessed. I saw this yarn when I was at Big Lots trying to find Christmas gift bags. It was so yummy! The colors are so fun! And the yarn us all soft! Had to get it!

I made this warmer. It's adorable! I'm going to have to start posting on my etsy shop just to decrease my increasing stash! Lol

My Arm Candy Warmer!

I saw this yarn and had to have it. The pic isn't as bright ( iPhone cam). But it is just a fun color. I knew I was going to use a puffy stitch!

I also wanted a warmer that would go higher up on the arm.

I must say it is a warm little number!! If my white turtle neck were clean I'd wear them to work tomorrow ( after I made the matching one of course!)!

Zebra Style warmers

Here is one done in zebra yarn. I wasn't sure I'd like it when I bought it. However, I like how it turned out! I'm going to try it with popcorn stitches and a bigger hook.

5th warmer design! I love this blue color!

I have been obsessed with these warmers! All week, one after another. I should gave been doing other things- it's a sickness!':)

I love the way this color turned out!

I've got to write down my instructions before I forget!!!

REPOST Thanksgiving experiments!

>
> I'v been obsessed with this crochet thing the last two weeks. This week over thanksgiving break I've actually made several things. I'm glad I had yarn stashed away in the closet from previous attempts.

> Amen for YouTube!!
>
> I've tried to use the basics I've soaked up. I guess it's worked :) I made these new wrist warmers from my own design! And I made the yellow hat! So cool!
>
> Here are the basic instructions for my warmer below.
>
>

My fourth warmer!!

I'm so liking this one! I experiment this morning! My 3 new pattern!! I wanted to try cable stitch and popcorn stitch. Now I have to write down my directions so I can repeat it!!

Thanksgiving experiments! First crochet tutorial!

Ive been obsessed with this crochet thong the last two weeks. This week over thanksgiving break I've actually made several things. I'm glad I had yarn stardust in the closet from previous attempts. Amen for YouTube!!

I've tried to use the basics I've soaked up. I guess it's worked :) I made these new wrist warmers from my own sign! And I made the yellow hat! So cool!

Here are the basic instructions for my warmer below the 2nd pic.

My first wrist warmer!

I've gotten on this crochet bend! Too many hours watching YouTube videos and surfing on-line tuts and patterns :) So fun too learn new things though! It's just what I've needed to get my mind off stressful things going on right now.

This is my first wrist warmer! I used this lovely tutorial/ pattern.
http://blueoceanspureskies.blogspot.com/2010/09/morgaine-fingerless-mittens.html Check it out!

I modified the rows above the cuff though. I like the flare look so I added larger shells to each row. Too cute!!

Need to do one for the other hand! :)

Crochet flower 2

I tried the Bee Happy Flower tut again! I love the way it turns out!!! So fast! This one is part of my little cousin's Christmas gift. However there is enough for one for me !!! Oh yeah!!!

The link is posted in the previous blog!

This is fun! But lord knows I don't need to sink money into a new hobby! Lol but then again- too cute!! Woot!

My first Bee Happy Crochet flower!

I wanted to do some other hobby. I've crocheted in the past but I'm no master at it. I love flowers. While putting together an etsy treasury I kept seeing all these fabulous crochet pieces. So I looked around on YouTube for some tuts! I found thus great one for this Bee Happy Flower! It looked easy enough for me to try tonight. So I dragged out what hooks and yarn I had in the closet. It only took an hour- not bad for my first ever crochet flower!

Here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B8q66MHV90&feature=youtube_gdata_player

My Kim-A-Lola Wire Ring Class!

Here is a pic from my wire ring class at Kim's! We had so much fun! It was great getting to spend time with these funny ladies and teach them a new ring design (2 actually)!

I absolutely love, Kim's classroom! The decor is wonderful- I wish it were my studio at home, lol!

I'm excited for my Angel and Fervent Love Cross classes in December!

Beautiful skies

I live sky pictures. They're just too beautiful. They make me think of heaven and God and glory. They make life seem so much more expansive.

This us a photo from on my way home from work.

My next round of wire classes!

I'm so excited to announce that I will be teaching two more wire classes in December! Awesome!!
I love wire as all my friends know. I am so excited to be teaching my wire angel and my Agape Cross! If you are in or around Urbana feel free to stop by or call Kim's Creative Designs for the class schedules!


Dates and times coming soon!

Finished pendent

I started this pendant at the Ohio Beaders bead retreat. Work, life, everything has been hectic- no time or inspiration to finish. Last night I decided to chuck aside grading papers and finish my piece while I begged out watching season 1 of The Vampire Diaries.

Now Syary Night is finished :) woot!!!

Teaching a wire ring and earring class

So excited!- I'm teaching a new wire ring class and a wire earring class at my local bead shop on November 6, 2011! Thrilled :) After teaching at the bead retreat and having so much fun, I'm looking forward to doing more wire classes in person! So if you are in Urbana on Nov. 6, stop buy and take a class!

$10 for class
$3 for kit supplies
all tools provided for use during class!

I'll also be offering the ring as a new tutorial in November! It will be a perfect holiday gift for any ring diva!

Tonight's meditation in wire

I did 40 minutes of yoga this evening. I don't know why I ever stop doing it then restarting. I always feel better doing it!
Anyway after that I felt a little more relaxed so I played with wire bits. Here's the 2nd angel. :). I'll be writing the tutorial soon. I may need 1 or two testers.
Off to bed!

Midnight silver- work in progress

I started this piece last week at the bead retreat. You know me and my faces! They just speak to me and I have to answer.

Soon I'm going to try my hand at sculpting new expressions and so forth.

Today's wire doodle

I wasn't in a mood to make anything elaborate so I just played with a few buts if wire and my swirly cross!

Fun news- I'm also featured in an Artfire collection
http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=collections&op=details&cid=28419

Ohio Beaders' Retreat! 2011

OMG! It was fun! I haven't been to anything like it. Normally I am not much of a joining type of gal. A lone wolf or a very very small pack is about my speed. However, I had been looking forward to hanging out at the Ohio Beaders' Retreat all year! I was so excited to go! Yep- me, the lone wolf!

It was amazing to get to be with a fun, creative group of ladies who all enjoy the same thing- BEADS!!! WOOT!!!!!! I particularly appreciated the fact that everyone made us feel welcome right from the car door through the end of the weekend! People were friendly and helpful. It was very cool that no one had "the-I'm-better-at- my-craft-than-you attitude. The ladies were helpful, insightful, creative, and a hoot!!!

The lodge itself was fabulous, rustic, Indian cowboy themed. I adored all the wood! My bunk was in basically a dark cave. I need to find out how to get it as dark in my apartment! I loved that it was pretty much pitch black without the light! That may sound crazy but I don't sleep well when lights are streaming in everywhere. Anyway, my room was dark, warm, and cozy! WOOT!!!!! Maybe it was called the Bear's Den- can't remember LOL

My first time teaching wire as a "real class" went well. I'm glad everyone seemed to have a good time! Thanks everyone who took it! :) Don't forget your retreat etsy coupon ;)

So I wonder what next year will hold at the Bead Retreat?!!!

New Etsy listings

I've listed some pieces from the summer over on my etsy shop jamilola.etsy.com!
Feel free to check them out! Remember there is a September coupon code on the announcements page :)

New adventures

I was looking on etsy and saw wonderful pieces! I posted a readied for the first time :)

I also saw cool crochet earrings! I think I'm going to try making a pair! I've got yarns and threads just sitting around. Why not? Ever expanding ideas!!! Have to love the creative collective!

I haven't tried these tutorials yet however I decided to list the links to free ones

Basic earring

Gorgeous fan book mark

Round motif earring

Simple 6 petal flower

Simple Mini motif

Cool motifs

Texture Wrist cuff

Optical illusion

Interesting diamond

Reopening coupon

I reopened my Artfire shop today. artfire.com/users/jamioloa

I'm offering a 20% off coupon for orders over $10.

REOPENING2011

Stop by for tutorials and a few destash items! Spread the word!

Back to home & business

Well, I've returned from my island vacation with my sweetheart. I'm already missing him. I wish he had come back with me.

Monday begins work. I'm really not ready for that.

Anyway, my etsy shop is now reopen! Feel free to stop by!

In a week or so I'll have the new tutorials up! -a ring, cross, bangle, clasp & bracelet, and 2 earring types are all in the works!

Gorgeous hotel room in Miami, Fl

This hotel room is lovely! I flew back into the States through Miami. Only staying over night because am 8 hour layover was ridiculous! I probably won't even leave the hotel room!! Air conditioning after 2 months of none!!! Woot!

Precious Peace- using up bits and pieces! When I get home I have to make more polyclay flowers. I'm running low! Need to experiment with profile faces and hats!

Tiara

Tiara Day 2011

I've wanted to make a tiara for a while. I put it off and did other pieces. My friend Cor-Owl recently posted one of her FB page. I decided why not make a day of it- Tiara Day! So the challenge was to make a tiara ( or buy one if you don't make jewelry), post a pic of you and your tiara on FB, and have fun being a queen for a day!

I started working on mine last night. This is what I came up with :). I wasn't sure if I liked the piece up side down or as a crown. So here are pics of both :)

Now of course I could not take queen pics and leave out the fantasy! Photo Wizard iPhone app- yeah! Hence my transformation to the Blue Queen.

New Agape Cross Ring !!!

Here is 1 style of clasp I'm working on!

I've been ensconced in these swirl crosses and boned bangles! I just keep getting ideas! So I'm writing them all down and working up prototypes.

I love this clasp! Definitely not a shrinking violet component :)

Several tutorials coming soon!

Vacation tut experiments

The last few days I've been working on brick and peyote stitch. I've been trying to learn the ins and outs. I saw an awesome sculptural piece I'd love to be able to try, but I had to learn the basics. Needless to say it was stressful.

Today, I took time to relax with my wire!!! I wrote a new cross tutorial. It will come out for sale mid August. I made a bangle. A free tut I'll post. Maybe I'll just do one for right here on the blog- no download needed :) I also made this insect looking piece. I'm thinking a bracelet. Maybe a second free tut!

I like bead weaving! The versatility is awesome, but when I really need to chill and release tension- wire, wire, wire!!!!