MERMAID TEARS PURSE

I woke yesterday morning & started my usual morning routine. It was early, the house was quiet with everyone getting a few more winks, which gave me time to surf, you know ... "the net". : )  Now, this could be a dangerous thing for me cuz you never know what I may find to get my creative juices flowing!
I started out a search for a specific pattern and got seriously sidetracked when I came across this pattern! I was searching on youtube, as I sometimes do, so to be completely fair you can watch the entire project on youtube from start to finish!!! I think I found one of my new favs with this Michael doing the tutorials for this pattern. Oh sure, I would have figured it out on my own ... eventually, but he does an amazing job showing exactly how these pattern stitches are done correctly! I don't mean the pattern is hard at all, I just mean the stitches are a little trickier than most SOOO it was soooo nice to be able to SEE them done in action and he does an amazing job as a tutorialist!!! I learned FOUR new pattern stitches with this one pattern and I am soooo loving the new stitches. I can see myself using them for other projects for sure! I will say that I modified the pattern so it would be a standing purse instead of a flat bottom whipstitched as the pattern direction suggests. That is the only change I made to the pattern.
Well, anyway, back to the project. What can I say? I found the pattern. I conquered it (in one day) and I LOVE the end result! The best thing of all: it didn't cost me anything but my time to make this project! I have a good supply of yarn I have accumulated from my Mom & my sister so all I needed was to choose my colors for the project! I chose bright & colorful so it is a playful but sassy look!
Hope you like it! I can't wait to make this one again in different colors ... maybe black, white, grey w/ a red rose! That sounds like a stylish combo ...

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT http://www.youtube.com/ for the pattern Search: Left Handed Mermaid Tears Purse .

I would add the link but I am not sure how to do that. Sorry : (

PULELEHUA'S JEWELRY

So 2 wks ago I ran out of the beads I need to add to the crocheted shawl I have been working on to complete, so off to Michael's I went with my hubby in toe! It just happened to be a Saturday Michael's was promoting their classes so the tables were set outside the store with displays of what you can learn in the classes they offer. Now, knowing me, I can't just walk by ... Nooo, I have to see what the ladies have made. So I am looking & Terry (my dear, sweet hubby of 40 yrs in April) leans against the pillar outside the front door & patiently waits. I look at the bootees, little baby items she has displayed (nope, not interested in those) so I scan down the table to see the jewelry and as my mind clearly is thinking ... I could do this! ... the first lady asks "Do you have any crafts?"
Never missing a beat, not a moments hesitation, dear sweet Terry nevers utters one word .... he simply raises his hand to his forehead and slaps it as he rolls his eyes!!! I thought those ladies would fall out of their chairs from laughter! I proceeded to enter the store and search for the beads I needed for my shawl ... with him in toe.  : )
The next day, I thought I would watch a little youtube, just for something to do, and I was intrigued by the jewelry videos I watched so of course, I had to try my hand at jewelry making because you, my fellow crafters, KNOW how we are when we see something we get in our head to try! What was that you said, did I need a new hobby? OF COURSE NOT! lol But it truly is easier than one would think to make your own jewelry and it is fun, Fun, FUN! Well, that, and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to try it with Michael's having such a great sale on their beads!
So, I thought I would post the few that I have made to date. I am learning as I go and having fun trying new ideas. Some of the bracelets are simply strung as you can see and some are crocheted with wire. Yes, I did say crocheted! Crocheting with wire is a little trickier but I like the look of it and I think it adds a bit of elegance to the finished product. So far I have used glass beads of various sizes, freshwater pearls, stones, and different gauges of wire so the end result gives me different looks. All in all I am having fun!

**Just a note: pulelehua is hawaiian for a vanessa butterfly & I have chosen to use the name for my jewelry line, as well as my poetry posts on http://www.writingroom.com/ . If you care to read my poetry go to http://www.writingroom.com/ , search members pulelehua for my poetry; and my husbands poetry is listed there also .... his id is searcher. Enjoy the poetry if you so choose & feel free to be a member ... it is free to anyone who wants to post their writings, whatever they may be!

Enjoy the photos of PULELEHUA'S JEWELRY!