On the hook with Handmade Jewelry

Recently I was introduced to the world of crocheted jewelry. This has a major BLING factor!  Its not a yarn or thread that limps out resembling a hemp and bead design. Imagine Sterling Silver Wire with Swarovski Crystals, custom glass beads or any number of beautiful and funky textured bead designs.


I put it to the test and was immediately in love with the results.  Hand selecting my beads, wire and all the way down to my toggle clasp, I began to envision that first necklace.  I love to wear black.  Don't we all?!  Come on...its so slimming! Yes black attire is a staple for many including myself. Black can be boring though so I selected a few different shapes and sizes of beads and lots of texture in a glass bead. Some were small, round & shiny. Many were oblong in a honed finish with beveled edges that shined. And a few select Larger glass balls in a matte finish with a swirling design shown through from the smooth glass base of the bead.  Now to get it together!

(Please note this is meant to show how the product is layered but not necessarily a pattern.  You'll be able to buy my creations on my Etsy site :-)

I started by making a strand out of sterling silver wire, mixing my selection of beautiful glass beads. I made two more strands.  See the picture below.

Then I lace all of the strands together which gives a gorgeous effect! Complete with a quality clasp or toggle...and a few personal touches I like, and presto a lovely piece of jewelry has been created!

Now I just need a photographer for this beauty as my iPhone will simply NOT do it justice!

Looming Design

Hello Blogger World!

This is my first ever official blog so let me introduce myself. My name is Kristen Mangus.  I am a registered Interior Designer in the great state of Texas!  I am a native Texan but well traveled and NO I do not own a ranch or even a horse! I have ridden them; they are amazing and beautiful animals.  I do say all that to dispel a general way of thinking that Texans are that way and rural.  I live in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex area, home of the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers and my alma mater Texas Christian University Horned Frogs, GO FROGS!  I'm also a mom of three, two girls and now a baby boy who will be 3 months this Friday which is also my 10th wedding anniversary! I love my husband, he is my best friend. I love my kids.  They are 4, 2 and of course newborn.  Here is a picture of my son.

I describe myself as a designer who is a Crafter at heart. I've always loved to make things with my hands like bows or anything with a hot glue gun.  My grandmother & mother taught me the basics of sewing but it never really stuck.  Don't get me started on how many bobbins and machines I have tried to sabotage! I really appreciate things that are well made by other creative people and when I think I can learn a new thing I'll dive in.  I want to learn all I can and make something of quality that lasts and others enjoy.  If its useful, holds up well and is pretty I've done my job.  That goes the same for my work as an Interior Designer.  My forte is space planning, you know like where things are placed juxtaposition or related to other things.  How much stuff can I fit in here that is functional & useful that flows well and is beautiful but not cluttered looking? I'm very analytical in my way of thinking about things and I always keep in mind how my clients live in and use their space.  Chatting with other creative and crafty people is always fun.  Learning from others is a joy.

So I recently discovered LOOM KNITTING. I am very excited about it! I've always admired handmade things as you saw above but saw knitting and crocheting as a dying art. I've noticed though with places like Etsy and fine boutiques, that hand stitched items are on the rise and have risen to the times with beauty!  I mean that things made now have a classic touch and don't necessarily have an OLD look to them. This ain't your grandma's knitting! In fact there are several of my friends I've discovered that knit. I've now met many more 30-somethings that knit or crochet. So I set out to learn.  I bought a "I Taught Myself to Knit" and "....Crochet" kits on Ebay with a gift card I had. I went to the store to get yarn and what did I see?  A Knift Knitter Loom Kit.  Knitting Loom?? What is THAT?! Um...would that be easier for a girl with mild Carpel Tunnel? It turns out it IS and it is VERY ADDICTING! What a relaxing craft! Since that early cool day in October I have Googled and you-tubed my way through instructions and videos on how to loom knit and even have started creating my own patterns.  I've even stated selling things I've made with the positive responses I've been getting! You can find my designs on Facebook and currently I'm building my store on Etsy. You can follow me on here or "Like" me on Facebook. Feel free to ask questions or chat about looming at GoodKnitKisses@gmail.com or post them here. I'm also crocheting or rather still learning to do more and improve. I'd love to hear from you!

Honey Comb Lovey

Honey Comb Lovey

This is a Honeycomb pattern using the Box stitch. 

Box stitch 12 rows, change up pegs and shift pattern over a peg so that pattern alternates,
12 more rows of box stitch and repeat 2 more times. 

More on Design Opinion & Education

After some well thought out constructive criticism of my first blog I've decided to take out some commentary I mentioned and place it here.  I was more light hearted and got a bit serious when it came to my passion for education.  I meant it to show more as a passion, which it is, more educating ourselves on design, products and how we utilize design and less of a judgement as it may have appeared.  However it was very serious and for the most part I want my blog to be a place for easy creative juices to flow and not to put anyone off.

So here is the snippet that I'm deleting from the other post.  I'll post this as an earlier time so it will be at the bottom.  Take it for what is worth to you and ignore the rest!  HA!


Being a practical designer I'm very "real" with my clients and I find educating people in a way they can understand is key in our information overload age. There is so much "out there" on the internet on home improvement and design.  Misinformation about how products can be installed and used.  Simple overstatements are common when you buy products from a big box store where the person worked in Lawn and Garden last week. Decorators  on TV or elsewhere who call themselves Designers, who have not gone to design school, are well intentioned and great with color and style can do a disservice when making statements about the performance of a product or not addressing it at all. I really want people to make an informed decision on things so they are not only happy about their decision that they felt they made but also it will have longevity that they enjoy. 

Enough about all of that seriousness!  That was really to tell you my foundation of integrity and quality of work.