Hemp Jewelry: Sparking Earthly and Worldly Emotions

Hemp jewelry has been a craft art I have been infatuated with ever since I was a young girl. The rough and in some areas smooth, texture of the cords intrigued me. The smell of mass produced hemp tempted me every time I visited a craft store. Being also that I love beads of all kinds, this was, and still is, a never ending story for me. Some may say that hemp jewelry is a thing of the past, for druggies, or just so overdone that it is not special any more. I would have to disagree, because with the newest color variations of cording and how bold designers are becoming with their creations, the possibilities are endless.

I have found a few shops on Facebook that I enjoy browsing in my spare time. The first one is Hemp~Knotic! jewelry. Michelle Najarro creates one of a kind pieces that are colorful and eye catching. She pays attention to nice design detail and has something for everyone. Her range of work goes from very simple, to very intricate, and her prices are great.

Examples of Ms. Najarro's work

Interestingly, I just stumbled across this page: High on Hemp, on Facebook. My favorite design elements by this company are the encased crystals and semi-precious gemstones in hemp work nets, for pendants, and the nice use of cord colors and beads that contrast well.

Examples of pieces by High on Hemp

If you enjoy hemp jewelry as much as I do, then go ahead and check out these pages. I hope you enjoy what you discover.

Note to readers: This is not a paid review or sponsored article. This article is my own personal opinion.

Nifty Gifts for Knitters

Since I have been using my Xtensor, I have noticed that my hands do not get as achy and as tired as fast. The instructions are clear, making it easy to put together, put on and start using right away. It's lightweight, comfortable to wear, and you can do the exercises anywhere. It is a great invention at an affordable price. It would be perfect for the elderly as well.

Here is some more information about the product:

"Our hands are the most crucial part of embroidery and sewing. Whether you’re stitching, patch working, knitting, or crocheting, the muscles in your hands are constantly clinching and gripping, which can cause cramping, muscle aches and pains. Now you can safely strengthen your hands, allowing them to do more and perform better. Introducing the Xtensor, a medically-supported exercise device designed to offset the continuous gripping actions the hands go through every day. Xtensor (http://www.thextensor.com/) is a core training tool that improves range of motion in your fingers and structural stability in the wrist and elbow. By applying gentle adjustable tension specific to each finger, the Xtensor provides a natural path of motion to strengthen the muscles that open the hands. Easy-to-use, the device fits on your hand and stimulates the muscles that open the hands through the use of specifically designed finger bands that generate resistance. The Xtensor is the first device to specifically exercise the finger extensor muscles and tendons with pinpoint precision."

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Bloom Putty might not seem like your average crafting accessory, but it works similarly to the Xtensor (above) in that you can exercise your hands with it. I noticed this the first day I played with the silly stuff. You can pull, twist, stretch and bend it. This is another great gift for arthritis sufferers. I love Bloom Putty and I know you will too!

-Available in 14 different scents and colors plus 6 unscented colors, so you are sure to find one (or many!) that you'll love!
-Scented with organic and natural oils, NOT artificially scented chemicals which can be absorbed into the skin or burn if rubbed into the eyes.
-Conforms to ASTM 4236
-Conforms to ASTM Standard Consumer Safety Specification on Toy Safety, F963
-Tested for lead content. Complies with 16 CFR 1303
* Since this toy can be molded into various sizes, choking hazard - small parts, not for children under 3 years old.

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Who says patterns are not a good gift? There are tons of free ones on the web, and you can just download, print, and get a little creative with the wrapping for something truly special. Some people cannot find good patterns and if you can, I'm sure they will be happy to receive them. Check these out:

Women: Katalin Mobius Wrap and Wristlet Set (when you go to this page, click the green link in the body of the post to download this pdf file).

Children: Mazie's Mittens by Stefanie Japel ( This is a pair of mittens knitted with only 2 needles! Search for this on Ravelry. You must be a registered user to get this pattern.)

Unisex: Pebbles Scarf by Teresa Chorzepa (This link opens a PDF file immediately. This pattern is from the Tahki Stacy Charles e-newsletter).

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--SAVE WHEN YOU BUY--

-Kpixie is having a sale right now, in addition to the sales they always have going on.

10% Off your order of $50 or more. code: DEC10

15% Off your order of $75 or more. code: DEC15

20% Off your order of $150 or more. code: DEC20

These codes expire midnight December 9th, 2009 (i'm not sure about the time zone).

-VogueKnitting is having a 40% off book sale.

Fall in Love with Thanksgiving Crafts: Crocheted Decorations

Crocheted Cornucopia
Crocheted Fall Wreath

Crocheted Cute Turkey

To find these patterns, create an account on www.lionbrand.com

Fashioning Technology by Syuzi Pakhchyan

Fashioning Technology is a big, beautiful book, covering three main topics: wearables, objects for the home, and interactive toys. The perfect sized color photos offer help and insight. It is for beginners to the more experienced in electronics. The most interesting aspect of these projects is the fact that they change and respond to their environment. This would be a great gift for a guy that is into crafting, and is also perfect for father/daughter do it yourself projects.

Main Chapter Summary:

Materials, Electronics, and Tools - A perfect list with extremely helpful, full color images, to make sure you buy the right things.

Technical Primers - Detailed tutorials on working with tools you may not have used in the past.

Wearables - Projects you can wear for fun and functional fashion statements.

Home Accents - Projects for the home to give your life more pizazz.

Interactive Toys - Projects to create toys that are more an ordinary.

Templates that are used in conjunction with the projects can be found here:

http://fashioningtechnology.com/templates.htm

Fashioning Technology is available in bookstores or online at http://oreilly.com/store

Crafty Chica Product Line info. and Free DIY Project

Kathy Cano-Murillo at Crafty Chica has been creating beautiful art pieces for 18 years. She sells her products, and shares ideas on CraftyChica. com

In April 2007, Crafty Chica was approached by one of the largest craft manufacturers to design their own product line, based on their web site and artwork. There are lots of cool things - shrine kits, holographic glitters, etc...some items even have some multi-cultural flair!

A good sign; The product line just won the Innovations Best in Show Award for General Crafts at the Craft & Hobby Trade Show last week!

Here are the store locations that will be carrying it!



Free DIY Project: Empanada Pin Cushion



This may be my kitschiest project yet: Empanada pin cushions! After seeing so many fiber artists have their way with cupcake pincushions, I thought I'd throw a little needle love to Mexican puff pastries.

Empanadas are basically fruit turnovers. My Nana Cano used to make them every weekend - cherry, pumpkin, pineapple, lemon, apple and even mincemeat for my dad.

Puff pastries are also popular in other countries as well, but my design is inspired by the ones I've grown up with here in Phoenix.

I actually made these last Saturday night at The Dirty Devil nightclub where Patrick's band was performing. Under the light of my iPhone, I stitched away. I used white felt, and then painted it to give it a realistic look. It worked.

The next day, both my kids picked these up to take a bite and were mad because they were fake! I would call that a success!

NOTE: Yes, you can use a sewing machine on these, but because I knew I would be working in a dimly-lit area (the nightclub), I chose contrasting embroidery thread to hand sew.

Here's how to make them!



Supplies:

1 piece of white craft felt
stuffing, like batting
needle, embroidery thread
brown, yellow and white paint
Scissors

1. Take a piece of white craft felt. Fold it over from the short side, and cut out the shape of the empanada. Keep the fold at the bottom. Now cut the other end of the felt into a strip that is about 3" wide.

2. With the felt still folded in half, stitch the empanada about half away around the curve. Stuff with a lot of batting.

3. Take the strip, fold it lengthwise and stitch it with the embroidery thread along the edge of the curve, gather it here and there to make it ruffled.

4. Tuft the empanada in the center with three stitches. Cut the edge in a curvy design.

5. Add a bit of white and yellow to the brown paint until you get a nice baked look. Use the paint brush to stipple all over the empanada. Let dry.

6.Insert pins!

Designed and written by Crafty Chica