kumihimo for everyone!

this kumihimo video is dedicated to cali, who fell down her stairs, and injured both legs. we send you love, beads and a kumihimo disc. just in case you don't feel up to reading the instructions, this video is for you!

one for me, one for you!

bess made this awesome necklace!! she did the flower with amethyst briolettes after we made a similar ring in a wire play day, goooo bess! then she made the treasure trove necklace with gemstones to complement the awesome pendant.. LOVE IT! that's hers!

this one's mine!! janice l. made this crystal kumihimo bracelet for me! i'm sharing it with michelle though, cause happily it fits both of us!

i love it so much, that janice is taking time of her work, to teach my customers how to do this for free on Saturday, April 3rd! there is a little homework prep involved and 3 different time slots, so call me at 589-2600 if you are interested!

it's now past the middle of march and 2010 is whizzing by! do something for yourself, something fun!

luv jamie

fairy ribbon bracelet

luv that kumihimo! we have some "fairy ribbon" that changes in color as you braid, and ends up being so beautiful! you can make a lanyard AND a bracelet with one length.

you gotta add the gems to make it AWESOME!! yay!!! one is janice's and one is ours - so happy, AND janice is going to host a free kumihimo class on April 3 - so if you are interested, email me asap. seats are limited and it's going to be with beads - so there is a little prep work.

i haven't sent the email about the free class yet, so this is your bloggy heads up. i'll post a pic of the class sample soon!

see our happy customers holding the white disc in the pic above? that's the braiding disc - so simple and lightweight - and fun!

see ya! hearts, jamie

what the heck is kumihimo?

a snowbird beader, Linda, made these kumihimo bracelets: one with beads on wire, and the other with beads on supermac cord. it was so cool to feel the difference in the braiding using different elements (fiber vs. metal) and i love how you'd never know this came off a disk!

kumihimo is an ancient japanese art of braiding on a standing wooden loom. over hundreds of years, they made cords and ties for scrolls, clothing, armor and used it it cultural rituals to everyday use. thanks to modern day technology, you can do it on a foam disc.

for those of you who have never kumihimo'd before, i guarantee i can teach you in 10 minutes or less - over the counter! (maybe not the beaded version cause the stringing takes some time, but the braid, YES!) it's fun, low-tech, and easy to carry around in your bag - great while you wait in the car, at the hospital, at the bus stop, on the airplane....

make bracelets, lanyards, necklaces, and thanks janice, for the eyeglass cord she just made for me! you'll see me sporting it at the store soon!

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good bye lil bracelet! this is a super soft suede wraparound bracelet with sterling silver flowers wrapped along the way, studded with mandarin garnets. i dangled citrine and turquoise on the ends for power, success and good health.

this was my "challenge bracelet" to amanda and michelle last month; to make a project in less than an hour with the new silver flowers! sadly, i was the only one that entered the contest. happily, i won!! hee hee! oh well, celia wore it home.....

anyone ready for challenge, part 2? anyone?? haro?

alrighty then..... jamie

love the leather

today i did some kumihimo (japanese braiding) for jason on my foamy "loom", the whole bracelet took about 20 minutes - i snuck it in during our slow sunday...

here's the before....

.5mm leather and the disk

and 20 minutes later....

voila!

quite nice! want to learn how? stop in, it's quick demo! i showed jana how to do it in less than a minute, and she went home and finished it right away :)