Make Photo Jewelry with Shrinky Dink!

I'm embarrassed to see how long it's been since I posted on this blog!  My excuses are many, but none really work when I see the length of time...however, my little company  has been so busy that I haven't had time to do much of anything else but make jewelry!  That's a good thing, but I have had to neglect my other passions, like blogging, cooking, reading, and hanging out with my girlfriends :(.

So Aunt Peg's Jewelry will be cutting back on the number of events I participate in, and taking things a little slower so that I can enjoy more time with my family, and get back to some of the other fun things in my life!

I admit that I've developed a BIG Pinterest addiction, I am in love with the huge amount of creative crafts, helpful hints and tips, the awesome recipes, clothing styles, funny cartoons and quips, and just everything I find on there!

So, this being said, here is one of the great tutorials I found via Pinterest. A fabulous, simple tutorial on turning your photo's or favorite images into Shrinky Dink jewelry!

The site of this awesome tutorial is called Photojojo, and the tute was found in their newsletter:

What You’ll Need

• Ink jet-printable shrink plastic (clear or white)– Michael’s and Pearl usually have it
• Oven or toaster oven
• Cookie sheet
• Parchment paper — check the grocery store next to the plastic wrap and tinfoil
• Scissors and/or X-acto knife
• Hole punch (optional) 

 So, jump on over to their tutorial and learn how to make your own custom photo work! It's really easy, and it would be a fun project with your kids!

How to make Photo Shrinky Dink Jewelry!

Clay Flower Jewelry

So...you know how I love to blog hop looking for anything funny, yummy, or brilliant?
Well I found a treasure!  happytogether.blogspot.com is an adorable blog, created by Jessica Fediw, a fun, crafty woman, who is also the wife of a dedicate Coast Guard guy, and a mother! Busy life!
The tutorial she has created is for making clay flower jewelry.  Although I haven't yet had the time to give these a try, they are most assuredly on my to do list.  I'm looking forward to designing some new jewelry pieces that will include these flowers!

Amazing right?

How does she turn this...

into such amazing jewelry like this?

 Click here to get the tutorial!

thanks Jessica!

Crystal Pendant Tutorial

I have found a great jewelry tutorial that I actually know something about!
I make pieces like these for my jewelry business, and I love the way the cute girls explain, in simple directions and photos, how to make something wonderful for yourself.

 
The ladies at Little Birdie Secrets have an adorable blog with tons of great tutorials for all sorts of things, and so I thought you might like to find out a little bit about them. Here is what they say as a way of introduction:

"Little Birdie Secrets was born from the crafting obsession of friends living in the Pacific Northwest. It started with crafting play dates and blossomed into a place where we could share our ideas, knowledge, and finished projects with fellow crafters. Our mission is to share fun and creative crafting projects, tips, and tutorials to make crafting easier and more fun".

Fly on over to Little Birdie Secrets and learn how to make these divine crystal pendants!

http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2011/01/crystal-pendants.html

Paper Jewelry

I just love finding great jewelry making tutorials, and this one I fell for instantly.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS!

Making gorgeous earrings, pendants or even bracelets using scrapbook paper!  
Yes, you read this correctly, SCRAPBOOK PAPER!
 
Tamara at her Etcetorize Blog has a wonderful tutorial on how to make these awesome, simple, and quick jewelry designs. Take 5 minutes to read through her instructions (with awesome photo's), and you too will be crazy excited with the endless possibilities your own scrapbook paper supply can give you! 

Tamara's Paper Jewelry Design

Power of 3 Necklace Tutorial-Anthro knock off

This tutorial comes from http://southernfairydesigns.blogspot.com 

in Maidenhead, Berkshire, United Kingdom! 

(don't you just love the people across the pond?)

The author of the blog is Steph, and she is an awesome woman!  She works for British Airways as an aircraft mechanic, loves to fly gliders and she still finds time to craft!

I absolutely adore the necklace Steph created and I have since made 2 of these gorgeous jewelry pieces. I even used the concept to make a matching bracelet (I made the jewelry items as gifts and forgot to take pics to post). She has done a wonderful job giving  simple to follow directions (with awesome photo's) to help you make this necklace too!

 pop over to her blog for the complete tutorial and while your there check out her tutorials for more jewelry...

Like this one:

and maybe this one...

Thank you Steph for making the world (and us) a little more glamorous! Love it!

Pearl Earrings Tutorial

I love finding great jewelry making tutorials, and this is one of them!

Allie from Miss Lovie's Creations has done a beautiful job of showing and explaining how to make these gorgeous Pearl Earrings.
Be sure to check out her other tutorials while your visiting her blog~she is fabulous!

Have fun!

Pearl Earrings Tutorial

These earrings are timeless, classic, and beautiful.

My Grandma's hands

The other day I received the following story in an email from a friend.  It has stuck in my mind, and it really struck home to me as I read it.  As I have gotten older, I have started to develop arthritis in my hands and some days making jewelry all day seems to be  difficult, frustrating and slow going.  I often drop things (ok all the time), and some days struggle to find the hand strength to do my work well.

I use my hands for my Jewelry business.  I create my work through my hands. I take them for granted.  They are a gift.

I think about all my hands do in a day, and remember this story.  How lucky I am.  

It has been thought provoking and so I want to share this story with you.

GRANDMA'S HANDS

This image was attached as part of the email.

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head down staring at her hands.

When I sat down beside her she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if she was OK

Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said in a clear voice strong.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to her.

"Have you ever looked at your hands," she asked.. "I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point she was making.

Grandma smiled and related this story:

"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.

"They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.

They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child, my mother taught me to fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots. They held my husband and wiped my tears when he went off to war.

"They have been dirty, scraped and raw , swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.

They wrote my letters to him and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse.

"They have held my children and grandchildren, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.

They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

"These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of life.

But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And with my hands He will lift me to His side.

I will never look at my hands the same again. But I remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands and led her home.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and husband I think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.

-- Author Unknown