You Guest It: Hectanooga

Welcome welcome! It's time for You Guest It! I just love this sweet series, you know? And not just because I get to be all lazy and slothful either - but also because I get to meet some really cool folks who make some pretty neat stuff. And then of course, there's the part where I get to share it all with you. That's pretty nifty too! 

Today's guest is Emi from Hectanooga. Let us see what this seriously busy woman has in store for us today...

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Video Tutorial: Stacked Paper Bead Necklace by Hectanooga

Hello! My name is Emi from Hectanooga and I’m passionate about crafting, designing, and recycling! And when I can do all three at the same time, I’m very happy! These stacked paper beads were inspired by a necklace I saw someone wearing on television. The necklace was similar in design - it was black metal - and I immediately thought: “Hey, I bet I could make that from paper!” These beads would look lovely painted black as well, but the print is a great conversation starter, and painting them would hide their origin!

Want to know how I make them? Here's the video that shows you how. Enjoy!

There are several reasons why I like to recycle. Here are a few:

1. Supplies are readily available, and there's no wasting gas going out to buy supplies! 
2. It’s free. No expense for the supplies themselves! 
3. It’s green. Making something useful from throw-aways is always a good thing! 
4. It’s a challenge. Thinking up ways to use these things is always fun! 
5. Middle-of-the-night crafting is possible. You can always find something to manipulate into something else! 
6. It’s eco-friendly. It keeps things out of the land-fill. 
7. It’s very rewarding! Making something from virtually nothing is a thrill!

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Such a simple and pretty concept, Emi. Your choice to leave them au naturel is lovely too, and what a nice complement for the black beads! Thanks so much for joining me on the blog today and sharing your tutorial with us. 

 As I mentioned up top, Emi is a do-er and a dedicated one at that. Her specialties include crochet, jewelry-making, and recycling - a woman after my own heart, eh? I don't like to compare myself to others but, honestly, I'm feeling somewhat sheepish in comparison. Not only does she have a blog, and three Etsy shops (Hectanooga, M.E.H. Art Gallery and Hat and Scarf Patterns), but her Hectanooga YouTube site boasts... you won't believe this... 595 videos. That's 5-9-5! Is that not amazing? I thought I was doing well with 3. I have some serious catching up to do apparently. So go on now and pay her a visit, won't you? I'll see you back here in 3 years.

♥M

P.S. Have an idea for an eco-craft? Consider submitting a guest-post idea to Michele Made Me's "You Guest It"! Check out the details HERE.

Series 5: Halve a Circle #3 - Dragon Tail Necklace

"Necessity may be the mother of invention, but play is certainly the father."

Roger von Oech

I love making stuff. And trying things. And letting whatever happens happen. No judging. No criticizing. Just fun and play. That's where this little series comes from. A ton o' play.

Do you play? If not, drop everything; this is your chance. Let's have a little fun right now, okay?

Tutorial: Dragon Tail Necklace

You will need:

a scrap of vinyl

cardboard circle template (~2 inches or 5 cm in diameter)

cord or shoelace (~ 4 ft or 1.2 m long) which isn't round but is flat and about 1/4 inch (7mm) wide

pair of scissors

pencil

sewing machine

contact cement (glue)

clothes pins

spring loaded fastener

Using your cardboard circle template and a pencil, trace out several circles onto the back of your vinyl (I made 17 circles, a random number). Cut out all circles. Cut each circle in half.

Go to your sewing machine. Place a half-circle down on the sewing surface. Place the cord down flat along the center of your half-circle starting at least 12 inches (30 cm) down the cord. Place another half-circle on top. You're constructing a half-circle sandwich with a cord in between. Yummy delish. With your sewing machine, stitch down the center of your half-circle sandwich along the cord.

Repeat with the remaining half-circles. Your necklace should now look like the photo below.

Apply a little contact cement to the corner of one of your half-circles.

Pinch the two corners together and clamp with a clothespin.

Repeat for the other half-circle in the pair as below.

Glue and clamp each pair of half-circles. Let dry for a few hours.

Create a necklace by threading both ends of the rope through a spring-loaded fastener. Trim the rope to a length that is right for you.

Note: This necklace is quite long. For a shorter, smaller necklace, simply decrease the number of circles you cut out at the start and reduce the length of your cord.

There it is! One completed dragon tail necklace... You like? I like.

Enjoy!

Now you have a great day. It'll be play-time again shortly!

See Part 1 of the "Halve a Circle" Series here. See Part 2 here.

To find out who won the Spacey Stitchy Giveaway, check out the previous post.

Linking to Tater Tots and Jello!