There’s something very wrong with me… and I’m not sure that it can be fixed.

Today I walked into an Op Shop…

You know… a Second-Hand Store, a Thrift Store, a Charity Store… whatever you like to call it…

Anyway,

It’s a while since I’ve really been Op Shopping… and when I walked in today, I cause myself pausing in the doorway…. taking a BIG DEEP BREATHE in through my nose…

I wanted to savour the aroma… it seeemed so familiar, and comforting, and friendly

I was thinking to myself, ahhh I love that smell…

And then I suddenly realised that the SMELL which felt so wonderfully comforting to me, was a blend of mothballs and musty old upholstery.

Oops…

I don’t think that our Op Shops here smell as bad as some that I hear about… but really… one isn’t supposed to ENJOY the smell of them!

So I shopped and shopped and shopped…

And then I shopped a little more.

Four Op Shops later, I was loaded up with goodies… and wondering where I was going to store all my new-found treasure!

I won’t overload you with all my finds in this post, but I did come across this beautiful bracelet.

The elastic is starting to deteriorate in it, it’s yellowed and becoming brittle… so I was thinking that I would re-string it…

But then when I took it apart, I decided that it would be much more fun to make earrings with the pieces.

So I’m off to play with my jewellery making tools…

I’ll show you some more photos when I am done.

Oh… and looking at that last photo, I need to moisturise my hands, too!!!

So, here are those DIVINE earrings that I was telling you about earlier. The ones I like to wear them ALL the time.

They are my first effort at making earrings, which was surprisingly easy once you see how it is done. I have used new wire and hooks, but the beads are all recycled from old pieces of jewellery.

pattern used -

• Glitz & Glamour Desert Gems by Lisa Gentry
• found in Hooked For 30 Days e-book

yarn used -

• size 3 cotton

hook used -

• 2.1mm steel hook

comments -

• there is also a pattern included for matching earrings, but I didn’t make them
• I was amazed at how quick and easy this project was to make… it would certainly be a good beginners piece for someone just learning the art of beaded crochet

pattern used -

• Ocean Waves by Lisa Gentry
• found in Hooked For 30 Days e-book

yarn used -

• size 3 cotton

hook used -

• 2.1mm steel hook

comments -

• this pattern is for a candle drape… which is something I haven’t ever heard of before
• it works up quickly and easily
• I didn’t have a candle which was the right size… so I’ve positioned the drape over a glass for the photos
• just looking at the photos now… I’m thinking that this would look nice left on the glass the way it is… with a candle placed inside the glass

pattern used -

• Forever Beaded Trim by Lisa Gentry
• found in Hooked For 30 Days e-book

yarn used -

• size 10 crochet thread

hook used -

• 1.75mm steel hook

comments -

• not quite sure what I would use this trim for… I just worked a short length to see how the pattern worked up
• the beads which I used are actually too heavy for the thread, so next time I would probably go smaller in the bead department

pattern used -

• Bowl Cover by Lisa Gentry
• found in Hooked For 30 Days e-book

hook used -

• 1.75mm steel

yarn used -

• I’m guessing about a 3ply cotton…

comments -

• I omitted the small beads from the pattern
• the centre of mine came out very wavy

• but it blocked nicely into shape… just by pinning out each of the points, all of the centre waves disappeared

• the piece works nicely as a doily or a jug cover, too…

pattern used -

• Beaded Dance Bracelet by Lisa Gentry
• found in Hooked For 30 Days e-book

yarn used -

• I’m guessing a size 10 crochet thread

hook used -

• 1.75mm steel hook

comments -

• the beaded flipped double crochet stitch used in this pattern was very difficult for me to master
• in fact, there are not enough rude words in the dictionary to accurately describe the challenges which I faced with this project
• in my opinion, it was an absolute bugger to make… but I’m glad I stuck with it… just in case I ever come across the beaded flip stitch again

pattern used -

• Beaded Dance Choker by Lisa Gentry
• found in Hooked For 30 Days e-book

yarn used -

• I started out with a navy blue size 3 crochet thread… but it was too chunky for the look that I wanted
• so I tried a beige size 20 crochet thread… but it was too fine
• I didn’t have anything in between, so I decided to ‘bulk up’ the size 20 thread with some sewing cotton
• love the effect of the beige, black and mustard combined

hook used -

• 2.0mm steel hook

thoughts -

• because I used a finer cotton, it didn’t turn out long enough for a choker
• it’s a tiny bit big for a bracelet

Lisa Gentry has published a new e-pattern book… called Hooked For 30 Days – 30+ Crochet Designs In 30 Days. Each day she will be adding a new pattern to the book .

Well, I had this crazy idea that I would keep up with her, by creating each project on the day that it comes out.

Sounds insane, right???

Well… it would have been insane if I had started when the first pattern came out…10 days ago, but I didn’t…

So I’m going to start now…and try and catch up!

I know… it’s beyond insane… especially when you consider ALL the other projects I have going on at the moment. But cheer me on anyway!!!

Here’s the first project:

pattern used:

• CrochetDiva’s Lucky Charm by Lisa Gentry… currently available as a free pdf

materials used:

• pattern calls for size 10 crochet cotton… but I wanted to use what I had on hand, so I used size 20 crochet cotton and a fine recycled ribbon type yarn, and just worked them together
• also needed about 400 beads… all from my recycled stash

hook used -

• 1.5mm

thoughts -

• it took me forever to thread all those beads on, but I love the result
• in fact, it probably took me longer to make this miniature bag, than it would have taken to make a full-scale one
• pattern is well written and easy to follow
• I had orginally planned to put a small lining into the bag, but the stitches sit so tightly together, that it doesn’t need one
• I love the way this piece turned out… although I’m not entirely certain what I will use it for