Christmas gift ideas

We will make a Christmas gift that is an easy and simple DIY project.

We will need a wooden bracelet, a few nail polishes and a roll of masking tape. The wooden bracelet should be plain wood. Such bracelets could be purchased on-line or in craft shops. I suggest you try it on before starting a project. It would be a disappointment if once you finish painting your bracelet won't fit.



Look at your nail polish collection and select a few nail polishes that match. We will use them as our paint. They are very durable and have a nice luster. Masking tape will help us paint the pattern we design.



To start apply masking tape to the bracelet. Make sure the tape is adhered well to the wooden bracelet. Otherwise you will have paint spills and the bracelet will look messy. I will paint a pattern of stripes on my bracelet, thus, I'll apply the tape so that there are stripes of untreated wood. I'll leave 4 or 5 untreated wood stripes on my bracelet. Now color wooden stripes with the same hue of nail polish.



Once the polish is dry slowly remove the masking tape. You will see nice colored stripes on the bracelet. Now apply a new set of masking tape to color the bracelet with a new nail polish shade. Repeat as many times as nail polish colors you have. Make sure the nail polish is dry and the masking tape is adhered well.



I like to mix colors without any rule or pattern, thus, a dark red color may be followed by a golden hue and then by a dark purple one. Then I change the order. I change stripe sizes as well to make my bracelet look special and creative.

Nail polish wooden beads necklace

We will make a necklace of nail polish colored wooden beads. If you have a few old and dusty nail polishes don't through them away yet. You will be able to use them to make a cool looking necklace.



You will need about 20 small wooden beads with holes and a few nail polishes of matching colors. To start place a wooden bead on a wooden barbecue stick. It will be easier to color your bead that way. Start applying polish on a bead layer by layer. Once you are done with one bead move to the next one. Once all your beads are colored let them dry.

It's time now to crochet a necklace. You will need a mercerized cotton thread of a matching color and a crocheting hook. First place all the beads on the cotton thread. It will be easier to crochet your necklace that way. Start crocheting a simple row adding bead as you progress. I usually count loops so that my beads are placed at equal intervals. Once you've crocheted the necklace make a large loop on one end of it. Add a large glass bead on another end of the necklace. It will serve as a clasp.



You can wear your necklace around your neck or as a bracelet on your wrist. You can tie it around your ankle or wear it as belt. Enjoy!

Crocheted dolls and toys by FancyKnittles

I've recently came across amazing and super cute crocheted dolls and toys by FancyKnittles. Each doll looks different and unique with every detail thought out and nicely crafted. I had a chance to talk to the artist behind FancyKnittles whose name is Irina.



Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born and raised in Perm, Russia. I'm a professional architect and a very creative person by nature. A few years ago we moved to Sauthend on Sea in Great Britain. I started crocheting when my son was about two years old. He is 16 now.



Visiting one of the local Perm art shows many years ago I got fascinated by all the beautiful art pieces created by local artists. That was like a awakening for me. I realized I had an urge to start making my very own art. Crocheting looked like a relatively easy skill to learn. I figured out that I could keep crocheting and taking care of my little son at the same time. All one needs is a hook and a thread. Crocheting offers a relative flexibility as one can crochet and still play, draw or be on a playground with a child. Besides I was always much into dolls. Thus, my first crocheted dolls were born.



My first dolls were rather dull and plain I should admit. But within time I learned the skill and before I knew it people started buying my tiny crocheted creatures. I have a son and he never expressed much interest in my crocheted dolls which was probably a good thing. I could concentrate on making dolls for my customers and, thus, earn some money. Life in Russia back then was rather tough. I remember making whole "Doll houses" full of different doll personalities, furniture, etc. Once I started working I had less and less time to devote to crocheting and eventually I took a break from making my crocheted dolls. My break lasted for about 10 years.



These days I'm crocheting again. My dolls are somewhat similar to ones I used to crochet and yet a bit different. Everything changes! I'm continuing to be a mom of a big big family of crocheted creatures and all my "babies" have the same last name - FancyKnittles.

I wish I could tell you how I come up with a new design for a new doll. Honestly I don't know. I get inspired by a lot of things I see around me or events that occur in my life. All visual and sensual information turns into a new creation that has its own character, looks unique and different.

DIY how to refresh an old necklace

I've recently bought an old necklace in a vintage store. It looked pretty dull and uninspiring but I somehow liked the beads and thought I could remake it into something fresh and new.

I first disassembled the necklace and separated all the beads into three piles. I washed all the beads thoroughly in a soapy water to remove all the dust. I dried the beads on a piece of paper.

I decided not to use red beads this time as I didn't really like the original combination of charcoal grey, golden and red. I put them aside for the next project. Instead I decided to go with gray and golden beads.

I threaded all the beads in a particular pattern with two gray beads followed by one golden bead. With a regular crocheting hook I crocheted beads one by one into a necklace.

The necklace is about 40 in. long and I can wear it as one or two strings depending on my mood and my dress:).

Since the necklace is rather long I can wear it as a bracelet or a head accessory. Its neutral colors go with pretty much any dress and it works ideal with a business casual or an office outfit.

Refunkit repurposed upcycled recycled gifts and goodies store in Ashland

I've been today to a totally great store with a fresh idea behind it. Refunkit (re.funk.it) sells upcycled, recycled and repurposed handmade items created by local artists. Each item in the store was created out of treasures found in thrift stores, neighbors' backyards, family attics and grannies' jewelry boxes. All of the beautiful jewelry art, home decor creations, furniture pieces and accessories are unique. Most of them look pretty funky, fresh and different! Such a lovely and inspirational place!

Cashmere pieces made of upcycled cashmere by Irina Baranova and felted scarf handmade of repurposed silk and merino wool by TonyaUtkina.


Flowers and plant arrangements.


Necklaces hand crocheted of reused wooden beads and stones.


Metal chandeliers and light fixtures.


Brooches hand felted of wool.


Wooden toys.


Scarves hand felted in nuno felting technique.


Hand crocheted mobiles.

How to make a new upcycled necklace from an old one

I've recently bought a vintage necklace that looked rather old style and dusty. However, the beads were of high quality and of a very pretty color. They reminded me cranberries of all sizes and shades of red. I decided to upcycle the vintage necklace and turn it into something more contemporary and hip.



First of all I cut the necklace with a help of regular scissors to free up beads. I was lucky that the base of the necklace was a regular cotton thread and not a metal wire.
Beads looked very nice but were a bit dusty. I washed them with soap and left them to dry.



Once dry I put my beads in a glass jar. They looked so pretty with light coming through the jar and making beads shine. Beads are of all shades of red and of different sizes. I decided I won't use metal beads that were originally a part of the necklace. I'll to save them for a later project.



To crochet a new and hip necklace I used a crocheting hook and a super thin light blue thread. The combination of bright red and light blue looked super pretty! For a start I threaded all the beads mixing up sizes and colors. It saved me time and made the process of crocheting a necklace easier.



Having so many beads I was able to crochet a long necklace. It's really great as I'll be able to wear it not only as a necklace but as a bracelet, a belt or a head accessory. I crocheted a simple foundation chain adding red beads about every inch. The necklace crocheting took about 15 minutes. When the necklace was ready I attached a toggle clasp to complete the work.

It looks bright, hip, and very different from the original vintage necklace I bought. The new necklace is a perfect summer accessory! I'm especially happy I could reuse something I already had and turn it into something new.

Illustrations by matem-atyka

I've known Misia Schmidt for many years now. She is a very talented artists and illustrator behind matem-atyka. Born and raised in Poland she moved to U.S. in her early twenties. According to Misia is was "one of the best life changers so far!". Misia and her husband Peter lived in different parts of the country like Virginia, Illinois and have recently moved to Los Angeles, CA.



I had a chance to talk to Misia about her life and art.

How did you start?
I grew up reading or rather closely studying comic books. I wasn't as much interested in the words as the pictures themselves. Deciphering the story behind the drawings seemed to be more interesting than having it spelled out. I wanted to be an artist myself, create my own stuff. I did draw a lot during my childhood but then I picked it up again after I moved to the states. In my experience of growing up in Poland, art was never considered something important or even time worthy. I kept hearing I should focus on something more tangible.



I also didn't know anyone with artistic interests, so gradually I stopped (well, almost). Moving to the states changed a lot for me. I was granted such a new, fresh perspective on life, but strangely it allowed me to tap into my true nature again. Attending The School of the Art Institute of Chicago kind of sealed the deal for me.



What are your major sources of inspiration?
For me to paint or draw is not a matter of finding inspiration. There is nothing romantic or inspirational about it. I can't explain how I arrive at my images. I guess it is the way I process my surroundings. It's a way of thinking and communicating. The good thing is I never run out of ideas, I only wish I was able to work faster.

I should say that I do enjoy California more than any other places I've experienced. I'm simply overwhelmed with its abundance of light and nature.