Easy DIY Wrap Bracelet

This is a DIY wrap bracelet. Yes, it is crochet. Don't panic! There are only two stitches in this and there is a video you can watch to show you the step by step process. If you don't know how to crochet you can go there and follow along! If you know how to crochet the following post is the pattern!

Here they are both wrapped and unwrapped.

It wraps around my 7.5'' wrist four times loose or five snug.

Supplies
Scissors

5mm beads with large holes (any color)

Worsted Weight Yarn (any color)

Tapestry Needle (18)

Button (inch)

Step One: Thread 36 beads (or more if you want it longer. It is about an inch for each bead. So, if you add one extra bead it will be an inch longer.)

Step Two: Chain 6
Step Three: Join with a slip stitch to form a ring like below. Chain one.

 Step Four: Work 12 single crochet into the ring. Join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet.

Step Five: Chain 6. Slide a bead down the yarn until it is snug against your work then secure it with a chain stitch.
Step Six: Chain 3.
Step Seven: Slide a bead down the yarn until it is snug against your work then secure it with a chain stitch.
Step Eight-Thirty Three: Repeat Steps Six and Seven until you are out of beads.

Step Thirty-Four: Cut your yarn (leave a LONG tail when you cut because you are going to sew your button on with this tail) and pull it through your loop creating a knot.

Step Thirty-Five: Thread your needle and sew your button onto the end making sure to wrap some extra yarn around the base of your button to make it more secure. 

Step Thirty-Six: Sew in both tails!

VIOLA! Wear and enjoy your new wrap bracelet.

DIY Pink Yarn Bow w/video walk-through

I filmed, edited, and posted a video about the products I have used up. I didn't like it. When I made it, I made it because I thought people expected that kind of video. It was wrong of me and set me off balance. I knew I wasn't taking my YouTube channel in the direction I felt comfortable. I'm not a beauty expert or "beauty guru" by any means. So, I sat down and made of list of things I am an expert in. Two things were at the top. Lipstick and Crochet. The only beauty videos that will ever be on my channel will be about lipstick, that's okay. My YouTube channel is for me and my family and if others like to watch it, that is great too!

Sorry about that long intro! I just want to be clear that anything I post on my channel is there because I want it to be. I do this for fun! These are things I love. There has to be someone out there who loves lipstick AND crochet right? Or at least someone who loves lipstick and wants to LEARN a craft. That works for everyone.

Here is the video walk-through of the DIY PINK YARN BOW (this is crochet... I'll teach you!)

Don't worry! This tutorial walks you through not only how to make it but how to buy your supplies.

SUPPLIES
Scissors
A Tapestry Yarn Needle (not sharp)
A crochet hook that fits your yarn
Yarn (Size 4 Worsted Weight)

1. Buying your yarn! Go to a Walmart or craft store and find the yarn section. Then look at the label. They all have something like this on them. On the far left you can see the little yarn picture with a number FOUR in the middle? That is where you look for the number. They ALL have something like this. This is the size you'll need. There will be a wide variety 1-6. You'll notice right away #1 is TINY thin yarn and #6 is HUGE THICK yarn. We want a #4. Honestly though if you want a smaller yarn it will still WORK. It will just be a MUCH smaller bow.

2. To chose your crochet hook you'll need to look at this same label. The second square over says the knitting needle you'll need for that yarn. The third over has a picture of a crochet hook (a stick with a hook at the end) and it says the SIZE you'll need. For this yarn label it says I need a size I or 9. Here is my I-9 in the picture below. See it says US I9 then the mm that makes it an I-9. Easy as pie. You can buy a SINGLE crochet hook for $1 something or a pack of them.. it doesn't matter. They are super inexpensive like these! Make sure the pack you're buying has the size your yarn needs.

Before I go on let me explain the crochet hook sizes. Just like yarn is a 1 for small and a 6 for large.. crochet hooks get smaller the closer to a size A you get and larger the closer to a size Z you get. You need a specific size hook for each size of yarn because the hook at the END needs to be big enough to HOOK your yarn. If you have a size F crochet hook (small) and try to use it on a size 6 (large) yarn... the yarn will SLIP off. Not saying it can't be DONE! As far as I'm concerned even if you your yarn SAYS it needs a size I... you can use a size H and J just as well. The difference is literally millimeters. That being said if you DO chose to use something smaller the piece you are making will also be smaller. See the example below.

Now I don't remember if I used a different crochet hook on the one above. The hook I used for the one below was an I-9. I also held my yarn SUPER loose while making the below one because I made it on camera LOOKING through my camera so I could see what I was doing. That is why in the video I'm a little STABBY with the crochet hook. Ha ha. The results are the same though. This is the kind of difference you'd have using the wrong crochet hook. It isn't the end of the world.

3. Here is the VIDEO! Follow along!

If you already know how to crochet here is the pattern for this bow

CROCHET PATTERN
1. Begin with a magic circle with a LONG tail (1ft)
2. Chain 2, work 6 triple crochet into the circle, ch 3. sl st into your circle.
3. Repeat step 2.
Pull your beginning tail to tighten your circle and close the hole. Wrap that tail around the middle of your bow to hide this hole. Sew in ends.

If you do make this bow make sure and sent me a picture below in the comments, on instagram, or in the youtube comments! I'd love to see your creations!

Thank you so much for following along!

Spring Quarter College Classes

I started my fourth quarter of my first year in college on the 7th of April. Yeah, I'm only a week into this quarter. The classes I'm taking this quarter are:

Forensic Psychology

Digital Photography

Astronomy

So, far there is a lot of reading and discussions in the Psych and Astronomy classes.

I'm taking these classes toward earning my AA at my local community college.

The digital photography class is the most challenging. Maybe because its art and not memorization? Well, there is a lot of memorization but I'm really getting into it. I've learned more about taking pictures in this past week than I have in the two years I've been taking pictures.

My first grouping of pictures and a quiz are due on Thursday of this week. We were told not to delete any pictures from our cameras after the first class. I took 337 pictures from 04/07-04/14.

We organized all those photos into contact sheets with Adobe Bridge to turn in. Then we are supposed to make four of them in B&W and turn them in. These are the four that I chose. I'll let you know in an update post what my grade is on them.

I'm 100% open to critique! I'm a SUPER beginner. I'd like as much feedback as I can get.

Thank you for following along!

8 Advent Calendars and Christmas

I'm so nosy. WHAT did you get for Christmas? I have no idea why I would like to know. I like to say its because it is how I collect ideas for others presents. Ha.

I loved giving out both bought and made gifts this year.We gave a gift card, a Christmas nativity scene and some crochet gloves for example.

(These are not available in my store at the moment. After the holidays perhaps.)
If you are a Crocheter though you can find the pattern by YarnBlossomBoutique HERE

Here is a little collage of what I got my husband. Not a huge Christmas this year because of car troubles, college costs, and starting a new job cost me $144... but that is for a different post.

1. A drawing print for Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd from Ghostbusters (his favorite movie) HERE
2. A t-shirt that says "With great beard comes great responsibility (he has a beard and always will) HERE
3. Metalworks 3D laser cut models. They send you the sheets and they make tiny metal models. They have a variety of different shapes. I chose to get Gerry "The Black Pearl" he loves it and is almost finished making it. They are for children but make great little stocking stuffers. HERE

What I wish we had done this year? Get an advent calendar with opening doors. I made this one.

Which was nice. I like the way it turned out. You can purchase them from OhHelloMagpie HERE. I took inspiration from their picture to make mine.

At the same time though.. I like opening the little doors. I CRAVE it. There are a lot of DIY advent calendars but.. that doesn't help me does it? I'd be the one to make it. I was lured inspired to get an advent calendar by the vlogger (during her vlogmas videos) Zoella. She had FIVE to open every day. JEALOUSSSSS.

There are a lot of different kinds of advent calendars. Here is a list of 8 I wouldn't mind getting for us to open next year.

1. A DIY one that you've had bought purhaps? Still appeals to your DIY self. They have a nice selection on Etsy.  (The picture I used is from Shim&Sons blog. It is a tutorial in case you wanted to make one of these FOR me someone.)
2. Ciaté 'Mini Mani' Set advent calendar ($58) 25 NAILPOLISHES! (which is a $168 value!)
3. The coveted Benefit Countdown to Love advent calendar ($68) Which is an assortment of different beauty products.
4. David's Tea ($30) makes this adorable advent calendar full of a variety of teas. Each day is one cup of tea.

1. Freedom Advent Calendar ($56) JEWELRY ♥ Can you imagine? Rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets... the possibilities.
2. Whimsical Woodland Advent Cabin!($79.95) While this one is on the super spendy side. There is a plus. This is more of a "make a tradition" advent calendar. Something you keep. Inside each door is a little woodland creature. This would go great with a Christmas town set up. I adore it. Especially the little cabin front. I like that the back is where the bulk of the doors are. The front door is the extra special 25th surprise!
3. La Maison du Chocolat Advent Calendar ($50) gourmet chocolate.. if you are going to do chocolate. Do it right. Just take a look at their website. Ganaches, pralines...heaven.
4. Playmobil Princess Advent Calendar ($24.99) This is one of the things Zoella had. Click on her name to watch her Vlogmas for December 2013 and open all the doors and put it together! SUPERCUTE. Not even sure why I want this.

Well there you have it folks. Advent calendars. A delight. I want to get TWELVE and just open ONE each month and pretend there is something special going on on the 25th of each month.

I'll be back for a post about NEW YEARS resolutions!

Thank you so much for following along!

Monogram Tree Topper Tutorial

I didn't want a star on our tree this year. I wanted a GIANT glitter "G" in honor of our first Christmas as the new mini Gross (our last name) family.

I got the idea from Brooklyn Limestone blog! I just used paint instead of glitter/glue. I found this to be a lot easier and less messy. The bottle of loose glitter was $3 more than the washable paint I purchased. Plus I don't have any spray adhesive... or even Elmer's glue laying around so I would have had to buy some of that as well. I think a did a pretty good job of macgyvering it!

Supplies
Tape (had it)  
Printer Paper (had it)
Printer  (had it)
Scissors (had it)
Newspaper (had it)
Flour (had it)
Water (had it)
Primer or white Paint (I had both of these.)
Tiny Foam brush ($0.40 at Michael's)
Glittery Paint ($4 at Michael's Art Minds Washable Paint in Gold 16 fl oz/473 ml)

1. Print out two of the same letter (size font 250+). Mine is in "Harrington" font (I'm obsessed with this font)

2. Cut them out. (I wouldn't choose something SUPER curlicue. Even what I chose was a pain)

3. Tape them together to make it 3D using paper leftovers. You'll use a lot of tape. This will take time.

4. Tear your newspaper into strips/pieces. Then get out a bowl

5. Mix up the paste you need. Use equal parts flour and water. (I used 1/2cup flour and 1/2cup water. I had tons left over so... use half that amount and you will still have leftovers. I promise.)

6. Dip those pieces in your flour water... flowater.. watour? The sticky mix! Okay don't DIP them per se. Just get enough on your fingers to coat the piece and try and get the rest off and back into the bowl. Just enough to make the paper wet! If you have globbulars of flowater on the pieces it will dry lumpy!

7. COVER your letter! Do so until it is covered with ONE layer. Let it dry. This will take a day... or three depending on how warm/dry/airy your house is. Just test it. It MUST be dry. (It took me TWO days..to be rock hard) This doesn't mean that the letter is indestructible! I tore mine after trying to tear it off the tree. Its still just paper! I had to super glue mine back together.

8. Create a hole in the bottom for the top if your tree! We have a fake tree so the top of my tree has lots of needles. It fit perfectly.

9. After it is all dry and sturdy (don't toss it around like a crazy person. You'll have to super glue it back together like I did. For some reason I thought I had made it out of steel) I got my supplies together for part two. The "G", Primer, Washable Gold Glitter paint, and a foam brush.

10. I actually ran out of spray primer part way through and used white acrylic pain I had laying around to finish covering all the crazy newspaper pictures.

11. This part is important so pay attention. Get the primer spray and white acrylic paint ALL over everything. I promise nothing will work out if you don't.

12. I did ONE coat with this paint and it BARELY showed glitter.

13. See. Its like NEON yellow. So I skipped doing it painter style and globbed it on.

14. I just poured a huge glob onto my brush and SLATHERED the stuff on.

15. It dries really fast. So I just globbed it on one side and let it dry. Turned it over and globbed it on and let it dry. Etc.... it took two days. I like it. No glitter mess. No fuss. No bowl of glitter that I have to pour back into a glitter receptacle... I don't waste. Plus it was dark and glittery.

16. TA DAAAAAAAA! Perfection.

Click HERE to see my WHOLE tree with the glitter "G" on it! In a post about how to take a picture of your finished Christmas tree with a point and shoot camera!

A Very Merry Holiday to you and yours! Thank you so much for following along.