Lark Crafts

Often, to give you a sense of a book, we give you a “taste” of it by posting project PDFs from the book. We uploaded a wide assortment of such PDFs for your enjoyment throughout 2012.

Here, all in one place, is an assortment of them that have received the most enthusiastic response of one kind or another. Enjoy them. Share them. And please join Lark Jewelry & Beading on Facebook — and, just as importantly, add us to your Interest Lists so our posts show up in your Newsfeed. We wish you all good things in 2013!

From Janice Berkebile and Tracy Stanley’s Making Wire & Bead Jewelry:
Cascading Spirals Bracelet designed by Tracy Stanley
Wire Pod Pendant designed by Janice Berkebile

From Mabeline Gidez’s I Can Right Angle Weave: A Comprehensive Workbook for Beaders:
Lotus Flower Necklace and Earrings
Egyptian Queen Collar 

From Melissa Grakowsky’s I Can Herringbone: A Comprehensive Workbook for Beaders:
Braided Bracelet
Athena Necklace

From Jill Wiseman’s Beautiful Beaded Ropes:
Ray of Light Bangle
French Quarter Lariat
Flirtation Bracelet
Bohemian Earrings 

From Kathy Sheldon’s Shrink! Shrank! Shrunk! Make Stylish Shrink Plastic Jewelry:
Not Your Grandmother’s Cameos designed by Tamara Berg
Blooming Flowers Bracelet designed by Cathe Holden
Origami Plane Earrings designed by Tonia Mo
Cat and Milk Brooch designed by Kathy Sheldon
Paper Plane Ride Necklace designed by Stasia Burrington

From Diane Fitzgerald’s Favorite Beading Projects:
Diamond Chain Bracelet
Fortune Teller Beads Necklace
Midnight Snowflakes Necklace 

From Candie Cooper’s Necklaceology: How to Make Chokers, Lariats, Ropes & More:
Orion Necklace
Safe Keeping Necklace
Peace Dreams Necklace

From Sabine Lippert’s Beaded Fantasies:
Purple Rope Necklace
Les Fleurs Necklace

From Japanese Beadwork with Sonoko Nozue:
Sonoko Wave Necklace
Crystal Rose Necklace

From Mary Hettmansperger’s Heat, Color, Set & Fire:
Etched Copper Neckpiece
Liquid Enamel Necklace

The man in the red suit has come and gone, and here’s hoping he left you everything on your list! If jolly old St. Nick was nice enough to place some yarn under your tree, we’ve got six project patterns from Crochet Boutique, by Rachael Oglesby, and One + One Hats, by Iris Schreier, that you can download—then knit or crochet your way into 2013!

Click on the project names below to link to the sites containing their patterns (row by row, from left to right):

Bonnie Beret (Crochet Boutique)

Headwrap (Crochet Boutique)

Chevron Feather and Fan Hat by Sinje Ollen (One + One Hats)

Cuddle Cowl (Crochet Boutique)

Holiday Fun Hat by Iris Schreier (One + One Hats)

Small Bow Pin (Crochet Boutique)

 

No, it’s not a subscription to the Jelly-of-the-Month Club. This holiday bonus is way better. Our friend Amanda, of Amanda Lilley Designs, is giving away a few of her fabulous patterns! You might remember Amanda from my Etsy wishlist blog post, where I featured her Redeemed Cowl. Amanda was kind enough to share her pattern for the cowl, which you can download here.

 

And, this week only, you can enter for a chance to win patterns of her Lace Boot Toppers and Oxford Mitts!

 

To enter to win, simply leave a comment on this post by 9 p.m. EDT on Monday, December 31. Any comment is fine, but we’d love to hear about your favorite holiday memory. Five winners will be selected at random from among all eligible entries and announced by Wednesday, January 2, 2013. Click here for the official rules. The winners have been chosen and will be notified soon! Thanks to everyone for participating!

 

Check out all of Amanda’s fantastic patterns at Amanda Lilley Designs on Etsy!

Spending your last weekend before Christmas in crazy craft mode? We’re right there with you, friends. And we’re here to help! Follow the links below to tons of free – and fast! – gift ideas from the Lark Crafts Needlearts team. Happy crafting and happy holidays to you and yours!

Penny Rug Bouquet from Stash Happy: Felt

Dinosaur Backpack from Fleece Hat Friends

Rainy Day Applique Socks from Stash Happy: Applique

Button-Down Apron from Sewn by Hand

Crocheted Leaves & Berries by author Suzann Thompson

Lavender Sachets from Heart-Felt Holidays

Wool Bunny from Craft Challenge: Scarves

Tic Tac Toe Board from Stash Happy: Applique

Mushroom Terrarium from Stash Happy: Felt

Arches Doll Quilt from Pretty in Patchwork: Doll Quilts

Sewn E-Reader Case from Stash Happy: Felt

Bonus Doll Project from Pretty in Patchwork: Doll Quilts

Felt Plant Pouches from Cynthia Shaffer

Felted Mason Jar Cozies from Cynthia Shaffer

Pinning Zoo Pincushions from 100 Pretty Little Projects

Bento Box from Stash Happy: Patchwork

Patchy Apron from Stash Happy: Patchwork

Thread Caddy from Sewn by Hand

And be sure to visit our Free Stuff page for even more free crafting tutorials!

Every holiday season, it seems my list of gifts to give grows longer. A friend of mine recently shared what seemed to be a simple solution: Get each person something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read.

Her plan sounded great to me—until I hopped on Etsy, where my personal list was instantly revised to something I want, something I want, something I want and…well, you get the picture.

Turns out I’m in dire need of a little leafy decoration for my home, something stylish to stash my makeup in when I travel, a micro-crocheted turtle that simultaneously fulfills my love of both turtles and miniature things, an adorable wall hook for my work cubicle, a few beautiful pieces of neckwear, and some fabulous knee-high socks. Plus, who can say no to a fox wrap?

Take a look at my finds, and perhaps discover some wants of your own!

Row by row, starting at the top left:

Top Down, Knee High Socks by AmandaLilleyDesigns

Crocheted Leaves by Eljuks

Lace Cowl by AmandaLilleyDesigns

Rounded Cosmetic Pouch by Octopurse

Crochet Fox Scarf by Novelopt

Micro Crocheted Turtle by Suami 

Teapot Wall Hanger by Misakomimoko

Ethnic tribal thread choker necklace by Arrowsrain

Bird Crochet Necklace by LavenderField

As much as you love spending time with your kids, there might come a point during the holiday break where you sort of can’t wait for them to return to school. (Maybe that point came the day after your kids got out of school. I’m not judging you. I’ve been there, too.)

Avoid cabin fever by keeping everyone busy—bake cookies, get in some outside playtime, and make these simple holiday ornaments from Pretty in Patchwork Holidays!

The Quite Personable Pickle Ornament, designed by by the book’s author, John Q. Adams, and the Rudolph Hoop Ornament, designed by Angela Mitchell, are simple enough to involve kids in the crafting and easy and quick enough to keep their attention. Little ones can help cut out the templates and trace their shapes, and older kids can participate in the gluing, stuffing, and stitching.

After you complete the pickle ornament, follow the tradition of hiding it in your tree, then bestow an extra gift on the first child who finds it. Let your child decide where to hang the Rudolph Hoop—perhaps on his or her bedpost or doorknob, or on a festive holly branch in a mason jar. However you choose to use your ornaments, you’ll be creating happy holiday memories that your kids will cherish.

Pick up a copy of Pretty in Patchwork Holidays at BN.com and find many more ideas for holiday crafting—quilts, wall hangings, stockings, and table runners abound, and many of the projects can be adapted to use throughout the year!

 

 

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Old St. Nick will be making his rounds a week from now. With Christmas just a scant seven days away, it’s time to get serious about those last minute gifts. This time of the year you have little time and maybe even littler cash. What you need is something quick, inexpensive, and beautiful. Check, check, and check—we’ve got you covered.

Ready? This will be easy. In a nutshell, here’s what you do: 1. find a smooth, pretty stone (free), 2. carve a simple stamp from rubber (can even be a white rubber eraser—cheap), 3. stamp your carved image onto your rock, and 4. add little dots of color, if you want to. Presto, done! What you now have is a lovely piece of art to give (or perhaps keep). Uses? Create several and line them up down a tabletop for a stunning centerpiece, or personalize each with a name and use as a place card and a party favor. Nestle one in a potted plant container, or use it as a paperweight. Arrange a few on a windowsill, or sprinkle them in a flower garden, make a larger version to serve as a pretty doorstop…and so on.

 

 

Click here for the complete how-to instructions and the plant templates. These and 48 additional signature motifs by Geninne D. Zlatkis can be found in Making an Impression: Designing & Creating Artful Stamps. Geninne is an illustrator and blogger living in Mexico. Her illustrated prints and licensed designs have been available through Urban Outfitters and are featured on an organic fabric line with Cloud 9 Fabrics and a pocket planner from Galison.

 

UPDATE 1/9/2013: Congratulations to Colleen White of Bradenton, Florida, the randomly selected winner of this giveaway. Our thanks to everyone who participated: thank you for being a part of our community! ~ Ray

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Well, it’s the holiday season, and I hope you’re feeling in the spirit—or at least whatever kind of good spirit is meaningful to you!

The spirit I’m feeling today is genuine gratitude for all the kind community you share with us throughout the year, and that makes me want to give something special to thank you.

So I’m doing a spur-of-the-moment giveaway, and a big one: a random selection of 15 of our 500 Series books old and new from Lark Jewelry & Beading, including two especially precious ones that are out of print. Here are the books in the set, stacked nicely in a pile by my desk (okay, honestly, that’s not my desk or anywhere close to it; my desk is covered in papers and a stack of books would tumble over very loudly):

Showcase 500 Rings
Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry
500 Necklaces
500 Pendants & Lockets
500 Metal Vessels
500 Judaica
500 Silver Jewelry Designs
500 Plastic Jewelry Designs
500 Brooches (out of print)
500 Bracelets
400 Polymer Clay Designs
500 Gemstone Jewels
1000 Glass Beads (being taken out of print with more than 38,000 copies sold lifetime, and we have now run out of stock in our warehouse)
1000 Rings
21st Century Jewelry: The Best of the 500 Series

How can you enter for a chance to win this fabulous set of 15 inspiring gift books? Leave a comment on this blog post by 9 p.m. EST on Wednesday, January 2. Any comment will do, but we’d love it if you’d write about something special: the most meaningful present you’ve ever given—and what made it so special.

One winner will be selected at random and announced on January 11, 2013. I encourage you to join us: Please “Like” the Lark Jewelry & Beading Facebook page to see photos of contemporary jewelry and beading work and to be alerted to free projects and giveaways on this blog. Click here for the official giveaway rules.

Good luck. And, of course, we here at Lark wish you and your family a holiday season and new year filled with kindness, joy, laughter, and grace.