Hair Clips, Earrings and Scarves

Hair Clips, Earrings and More!

I’m currently offering sets of 6 small (3cm) hair clips for $5. Choices include beaded flowers and crocheted flowers that I make by hand, as well as vintage flowers up-cycled from lace trim from my grandmother’s sewing notions and wooden beads from Africa. See photo of sample sets here.

Shown here are some sample sets of hair clips. House shoppers can choose from sets or mix and match 6 clips for $5.

Vintage lace blue leaves with rhinestones; Vintage metal flowers with rhinestone; African wood beads

Green crochet flowers; African wood beads; Vintage lace daisies; Hand beaded flowers in assorted colors; Vintage metal flowers with rhinestone; Vintage lace green and white flowers.

Earrings

Here are some examples of clearance earrings available for $5!

Here are some clearance earrings priced at $5 each! Some are gemstone with bali sterling silver!

Pink Rose Quartz with Bali Sterling and Blue Millefiori with Bali Sterling.

Vintage "disco ball" earrings up-cycled from a necklace.

Scarves

And, while we're at it, let's throw in some warm winter scarves for yourself or gift giving! Check out my post on Toddler Scarves for a little history on my love affair with crochet meditation.

I have adult scarves on clearance for $15 and kids for $10. Let me know if you'd like more pics. My 5 year old can model them if you want to see how they look on a child.

Child scarves: Lime Fizz w/ Pale Pink; Burgundy Multi Nubby; Hot Pink Fizz; Lime Green Sparkle

Child scarves are approximately 4" wide and vary in length from 42" on the Lime Fizz to 54" on the Lime Green Sparkle

Adult scarves vary in length and width. The colors are soft green, nubby blue, pastel, blue/burgundy stripe chenile, fuzzy blue, and nubby pale pink.

Shown here, folded in half, widths vary from approximately 5" to 7" wide and from 60" to 72" in length.

Waxed Linen Glass Bead Necklaces

Waxed Linen and Glass Bead hand knotted chokers

I’ve been making and selling jewelry since I was a child, but became more interested in bead work after a trip to Africa, 15 years ago, when I brought back tons of beads and supplies. Since then, I have added to my collection with beads from all over the country and the world. I started fusing glass about 10 years ago, but have been on hiatus since a young child and glass tools and kiln don’t really mix. In trying to find a creative outlet that is more practical to work on while playing and crafting with my daughter, I recently began making these simple, earthy, natural necklaces.

I’m starting off by offering the specific options below. I have enough supplies to make as many as 10 of each style. I have thousands of beads though, so if you’d like to request a custom option, I would be happy to work with you!

LENGTH: Choose a length between 15” and 20”.  Lengths are approximate, and account for clasp. I think this style drapes nicely as a loose choker, around 16” for me. In the photos below, I show both 16” and 18” to give an idea of how shorter and longer lengths drape.  All necklaces are on brown waxed linen cord. You may wish to measure a necklace that is the length you would like to determine your desired length.

BEAD: Choose a bead from the list. As I run out of specific beads, I will remove them from the list of options.

HOOK: All necklaces will have a silver hook and eye closure unless otherwise requested. I do have a limited number of toggle clasps available, but most are already on finished necklaces. You may request a toggle, but please know that most necklaces will have a hook and eye closure. You may also request gold tone instead of silver tone hook and eye clasp.

HOUSE SHOPPING: I am South Central near I35 & Riverside. If you choose to pickup from my house, you can select your necklace, try on necklaces, and view other jewelry if you are interested. I have tons of beaded jewelry that I am clearing out at as much as 75% off, so feel free to come with a little extra time if you’d like to shop. I also have lots of hairclips with hand made and vintage elements ($5 for 6 clips).

Light Green 16” (sold out, but dk green is very similar)

 Blue Swirl Saucers 18”

Red Discs 16”

Brown Teardrop 16” (note: flash makes beads look more orange, these beads are light brown)

Blue Cubes 16”

Light Blue Round 16”

Brown Oval 18"

Clasps: Toggle (limited quantity): Silver tone hook and eye; Toggle; Muted gold tone hook and eye. I generally choose the clasp that I think looks best with the beads, but feel free to state a preference if you have one. The first to request will receive the toggles where possible. The rest will be hook and eye clasps.

Pretty beads in the sun! From left to right: Blue Swirl Saucer; Brown Teardrop; Blue Cube; Red Disc; Brown Oval; Purple Diamond; Lt Green; Lt Blue Round; Dk Green.

Let me know if you have questions or would like to see additional photos!

Toddler Scarves!!!

Crochet is one of my favorite ways to veg out. It gives me something to do with my hands while watching TV, or while Dan is watching hockey. If I really need to occupy my mind, I can count stitches over and over and over, row after row. I think it is as close to mediation as I've ever gotten.

I am also a bit of a pack rat and a clearance junkie. I have a big bin of yarns that retail for as much as $7 or $8 a skein that I've gotten on sale for a couple of bucks or less. I have a lot of some, and just one or two of others.

The combination of random odds and ends of yarn, a perfect 2 year old model, and a serious need for something mindless and comforting to do, that can be picked up and worked on even when I only have 15 minutes, led to TODDLER SCARVES!

I'm selling these for just $15 each because I am making them compulsively, rather than strictly for financial gain. Seeing stuff that I've made out and about in the world is one of my favorite things!

They range in size from about 3 1/2" to 5" wide and 45" to 52" in length. If I happen to have more of a particular yarn, I will happily make a particular size for you.

The colors I have available right now are:
Pale Pink Nubby; Burgundy Multi Nubby; Lime Fizz w/ Pale Pink; Turquoise Sparkle; Hot Pink Fizz; Teddy Bear Soft Brown; Pale Pink Sparkle; Lime Green Sparkle

I Make Stuff

I've always made stuff. I don't know why. It's just an urge that I seem unable to shake. My mother is a professional artist, so there were "supplies" available to me from a very young age. I'm sure that has a lot to do with it. Unlike my mother, who creates paintings and sculptures, I make stuff.

I learned to crochet before I was 5 and made baby booties for my first grade teacher when she was pregnant. I went to art shows with my mom from a very early age and sold simple beaded jewelry and ribbon hair clips. In junior high school, I made stuffed animals. In high school, I had a spinning wheel and made my own yarn. As I'm sure you can guess, I was not one of the popular kids. I'm pretty sure that having a spinning wheel has never been "cool."

When I first moved to Austin TX in 1994, I fell in love with the live music scene. I was doing a lot of black and white photography and spending a lot of time in the darkroom. I was also spending a lot of time at The Continental Club, Saxon Pub, Austin Outhouse and Leeann's Barn. I miss that. I think that the physical aspect of darkroom work, and having physical prints as a result, lined up well with my need to make stuff. Digital photography just does not feel like the same thing to me.

In 1996, I spent a month in South Africa, visiting my older sister. I returned with all kinds of beautiful, amazing, unique beads and jewelry supplies. I was hooked! It wasn't long before I was making lots of beaded jewelry and incorporating wire work and other materials into my jewelry. I taught workshops and classes, both on my own and through UT continuing education. For quite a while, this was the stuff!

Then, about 8 years ago, I took a class on lampwork glass beads, and later a class on fused glass. Although I haven't worked with glass since my 2 year old daughter was born, I know that this is still the stuff I want to make most.

In the mean time, I've been crocheting scarves. Toddler scarves. Lots of toddler scarves.

It seems that with most of the stuff I make, I end up with a lot of it, which inevitably leads to some sort of sales venture. Until I have more time to get my work back into stores, or to build a real web site, I will post items I sell here, on Stuff I Make.