I ♥ Etsy (The Etsy Ribbon)

After my third custom order for crocheted, beaded, wire awareness ribbons for various causes, I felt it was time to have some sort of "choose your cause" ribbon listed in my shop. And I do. I had to make some sample ribbons to do it, and, of course, I have the standard red ribbon and yellow ribbon. I also have a white ribbon. These three colors stand for a myriad of causes from AIDS to troops to epilepsy. My own RAINN-y Day Ribbons also stand for prostate cancer and child abuse awareness (among others).

The one ribbon I didn't find was one for returning to a simpler way of life. I was looking for a "crafting" or "community" or "creativity" or "DiY" ribbon. Something along those lines. And I couldn't find a one. Nothing. Zip, Zilch, Nada. Nothing. Nothing for returning to the handcrafted over the mass-produced or of buying from a person rather than a faceless corporation. Nothing for building community through creativity. And nothing that celebrated the strength of the community and culture that is springing from this movement.

And so I set out to create one. I looked in my stash to get some inspiration, and there it was: Tangerine, half-hard, 28-gauge copper wire from Artistic Wire. A color that looked an awful lot like Etsy orange. I checked my bead stash for orange beads, figuring I'd make an orange ribbon (a ribbon that also stands for such illustrious causes as feral cats, hunger, and self abuse). And, again, there they were: White seed beads. It was one of those moments where everything seems to fall in place. I checked the Etsy homepage to make sure I wasn't dreaming, and there it was: an orange and white Etsy logo.

The rest is history. The finished I ♥ Etsy Ribbon is crocheted with tangerine copper wire and white glass seed beads. It measures a little over 1.5" (3.81 cm) long. I strung the prototype on a strand of recycled cotton/linen, then sent it off to EtsyLabs as a sort of "thank you for all you've done". After all, I wouldn't be as inspired to create, have found the community I did, and be able to have a little extra spending cash for my family if it wasn't for all their hard work.

So imagine my surprise when I received a convo from Vanessa at Etsy Labs saying I was going to featured in the Etsy blog. Okay, surprise doesn't quite cut it. Elation and wonder would be better descriptors. Regardless, it was more than I was expecting. I was honestly just hoping for a "your welcome, send us more, we like them" sort of thing. I guess validation that it was a good idea. But the blog? That was more than I could have hoped for.

And so, lessons learned:
1) Sometimes inspiration is spelled "eureka"
2) I don't need jump rings to create the hanging loops on these if I position the curve in the ribbon correctly
3) Sometimes a simple "thank you" rewards you karma-wise more than you could've imagined
4) You should have a listing ready for selling any item that may end up in demand, no matter how remote the possibility

I wasn't actually planning on listing this one for awhile, but since it's going in the blog, well... it'll be in my shop as soon as I see the blog post.

Happy happy joy joy!

Cushy, Warm & Fuzzy (Cushing's Syndrome Awareness Pendants)

I had never heard of Cushing's Syndrome before, and I imagine you haven't either. It's an endocrine disorder, the polar opposite of Addison's Disease. Basically, a hyperactive thyroid produces too much cortisol, and causes all sorts of problems. When I Googled it, I found more information on the syndrome in companion animals than I did humans.

So when Amber convo'd me asking me to modify my RAINN-y Day awareness pendants as Cushing's Syndrome pendants, I didn't know where to start. A Google search doesn't even turn up what the ribbon looks like (It's blue on one tail, gold on the other, for the record). Amber actually had to email me an image because the two I sent to her, while blue and gold, were for other diseases.

Then there was sizing. She wanted a very small pendant, less than 1", and I was worried that making it on that small a scale would make it 1) hard to tell it was a ribbon and 2) be too delicate to be stable. I ended up making one that was 1.5", and one that was just under 1". And, since she had been patient enough to wait for these through the birth of my daughter, I listed both for the price of one.

Turns out she loved them both, and was incredibly appreciative to find something that would show support for this surprisingly common but little known disease.

Lessons learned:
1) Cushing's Syndrome is near impossible to find anything about
2) 32-gauge wire may be bad for bracelets and anklets, but stands up well as a bead mesh base
3) Etsy buyers are the greatest: patient, understanding, and uber-pleasant to work with

And... now I know I can create pendants for any issue. Just ask!

Sunset Boulevard (Marsha's Mommy's Day Bracelet)

So the other day, Marsha, my MIL, asked me if I would be willing to make her a bracelet similar to the RAINN-y Day bracelets, but in red. Honestly, I was a little puzzled because I've never seen her wear red, but the request itself was definitely doable. Of course, I said yes. She offered to buy the materials, which is when I decided that the bracelet would make a great Mother's Day present.

And so I was off to find some things to make this bracelet with. Now, I've never liked the red and silver combination, so I knew upfront I would need to pair the red with a gold or copper tone. And I've never seen Marsha wear gold, so I settled on copper. A trip to the bead store yielded me my first encounter with Artistic Wire.

Tangent: I've been looking high and low for this stuff. I knew I could order direct from the manufacturer, but I was hoping to find it local so I could play with it. Turns out it's near impossible to find in a good-sized spool in the Denver area. They have the sample spools at Hobby Lobby, but the yardage isn't enough for my purposes. Anyway, I found good-sized spools at Let it Bead in Englewood. This made me happy.

I already had red beads, thanks to the generosity of dragonladydesigns and the thriftiness of laycee. So I just picked up a few copper findings and came home to tackle the project.

After a day lull, I was stringing beads and putting the bracelet together. It came together very smoothly. Lessons learned:
1) Copper wire is the way to go. Definitely worth the extra money (we're talking like a 500% increase over the base metal stuff, but sooooo worth it). The stitches are smooth, the wire pliable, and it's easier to string.
2) Crimp beads suck. The plating always comes off.
3) Rosary wraps also suck, but only because I haven't mastered them.

So... countdown 30 days 'til the bracelet meets its new mommy!

Customizing the little things (a new RAINN-y Day Anklet)

Sometimes it's the little things that need to be done to make a project perfect for a person. Case in point: I got a convo this weekend from a woman who loved my RAINN-y Day Anklet, but wanted it to be "more sturdy". The bracelet by nature is not very sturdy because it's a lacework piece. It's designed to be worn out on the town, but not for everyday wear.

It made me think of how I to sturdy it up. I decided that upping the size to 28-gauge wire and using a clasp more secure than toggles would probably be the solution. That way, the wire would be more flexible and sturdy, the clasp would be less likely to unclasp, and it could still retain its lacy look. It was worth a try.

It only took me one strand to realize that this was a great idea. The strand was more pliable and less brittle. It felt heavier and more substantial. But it didn't lose any of its lightness. Adding findings were a completely different story. I don't really care for lobster clasps; no real reason, it's just personal preference. I needed to get some jump rings in there to ease the strain on the wires. But I was able to get it together without any problems.

Lessons learned:
1) Heavier wire = sturdier project (duh)
2) Heavier wire = easier attachment of findings (double-duh)
3) I (still) love doing custom work over general work

The bracelet spent a whopping 10 minutes in my store before being claimed by its new owner. This is my first sale that I've included my new freebies with - I'll let you know how that goes over. :)

New Additions to the RAINN-y Day Jewelry Line

Today, as I was killing time before my OB visit, I decided to use the last of my wire on earrings. I'd never made earrings before, but they seemed pretty straight forward. I made them the same way I did the bracelets. Well, sort of. Just one chain of seven beads on a french hook. But I think they turned out pretty nice.

The earrings hang about 1.5" total, and feature six seed beads and one focal bead. As with the rest of the line, they benefit RAINN. Need to know more about RAINN? Check out their site! http://www.RAINN.org.

I also created another anklet, a three-strander comprised entirely of seed beads that's about 10" long with toggle clasps. And a kid's bracelet, a two-strander comprised entirely of seed beads that's about 5" long with a lobster clasp.

So there you go! The new additions should be up on Etsy in the next few weeks.

The "RAINN-y Day Jewelry" Line

While I'm on the subject of projects I've always wanted to do, let me talk about bead'n'wire crochet. I few of my books have wire projects listed, and I'll even go so far as to confess I have a book dedicated completely to crochet with wire. It seemed like a great craft to try. Unfortunately, in application, I found it a wee bit... difficult. I hadn't picked up a steel hook in years, so the small scale was maddening. My fingers (albeit puffy from the water retention all preggos go through) were just to darn big to get a good grip on itty bitty seed beeds, and my 24 gauge base-metal wire just looked hideous. My first project was a bead-encrusted bracelet, and I got 4" through it. I had to toss it. The metal just looked cheap, the beads gawdy, and my fingers were red and black from all the pinching and having cheap wire slide across my hands.

I vowed to try again, but this time following my own rules. I settled on silver-plate wire in a narrow 32 gauge and seed beads for lightness. I wanted something lacy, and no book had lacy. I realized that some people might actually want some focal beads, and figured I could accomodate that if I did it on a single chain instead of on a matrix of single crochet. Hook in hand, I set to work. What emerged was my new "RAINN-y Day Jewelry" line.

The entire line is comprised of 2-4 individual chains of beaded crochet. Most of these chains are seed beads, but some have focal beads spaced in there as well. I used both lobster and toggle clasps. I made them in teal, beacuse I wanted to have something I could sell to raise awareness of sexual violence.

And here comes an important tangent: the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, RAINN, is a national non-profit dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual assault. They do this through lobbying state and federal legislatures, community outreach and education, online and telephone crisis hotlines, fundraising, word of mouth, and a host of other wonderful things. They also have a wonderful resource center. If you need to find a local crisis center, they can help you do that. Need a class on how support people can help cope with the feelings they have surrounding the rape of someone they love? They can point you in the right direction. Sexual assault affects 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men in the United States. To say it's a problem is an understatement. It's an unaddressed national epidemic.

So what does all that have to do with bead'n'wire crochet? The "RAINN-y Day" line has a two-fold purpose. First, teal is advocacy color for sexual assault awareness, just like pink is for breast cancer and red is for AIDS. Wearing a "RAINN-y Day" item will hopefully generate some conversation about your newfound accessory, and you will have an opportunity to tell people how important it is to stop sexual assault. Second, an perhaps more relevant to the commercial-capitalist society that is the United States, I donate 100% of the net proceeds of every "RAINN-y Day" item sold to RAINN. So you can look good and feel great, all from a piece of jewelry.

I've included some samples of my finished projects here, and you can view even more in the "RAINN Gear" category of my Etsy shop. Oh, and I donate 10% of the sale price anything you purchase from my shop that isn't a "RAINN Gear" item to RAINN. So, shop away!

Finally, the requisite takeaway lessons:
1) Bead crimpers really are necessary
2) 32 gauge wire does not like being bent at sharp angles
3) Seed beads look lovely suspended on a chain of silver
4) If you crimp too hard, you'll just break the bead, and have to start the whole finishing process over again
5) If you do it right, these pieces come together smootly and quickly (and isn't that what any crafter really wants?)

Again, another project I have to confess I am very satisfied with artistically and morally.

For more information on RAINN, please visit their website at http://www.RAINN.org.