Kalaya Steede

my true love gave to me... a pair of yellooow/gold gloves.  The type you can use with your smartphone! I've been trying to figure out how that little bit of gold lets you work your smartphone.  I just can't figure it out.  How smart is that?  Anyway, it's waaay cool.  Now I don't have to take my gloves off to work my phone.  Awesome! Went to a new shop on Magazine called Vom Fass  the other day.  It is a shop filled with barrels of specialty olive oil and vinegar.  They even let you taste EVERYTHING in the store.  I wasn't to keen on the tasting part.  It seemed odd to me.  Anyway they also carry spirits as well and you can taste them too!     They have different bottles to choose from to put your olive oil or vinegar in but stay away from the bottle with the pour spout.  It's poorly made and gets stuck in the cap.   We bought this honey  vinegar and it  is  absolutely  ...

Happy Thursday everyone!  A friend of mine was sporting a nice fluffy scarf the other day and she told me they were easy to make.  Okay, I'll give it a go.  I had some left over eyelash yarn in the studio and the power of the internet.  I have no idea how to crochet or knit.  I don't even know what the difference is between crocheting and knitting! I did find a tutorial at Susan's blog  and a YouTube Video.  Ohhh the power of the internet. Here's my fuzzy scarf It is 5 feet long and VERY skinny!  I used 18 feet of eyelash yarn (it's all I had) and my only tool was a yard stick and my hands.  It's a nice length but its too thin.  I like my scarves to be thicker in width.  I'm guessing if I double up on the eyelash yarn...say 36 feet the scarf would be thicker or use the correct yards as stated in the video. Heehee, but that's just a guess.   If anyone has any ideas out there please give me some! I hear mother nature is...

While we were out strolling around the neighborhood we stumbled upon a new boutique. Introducing... hillfolk hillfolk  is located at 4815 Magazine St. Sarah Edwards  moved to our beloved NOLA not too long ago from Oregon and opened this wonderful boutique.  To see some of her work go here .  In fact today and tomorrow is hillfolk's grand opening so stop by and give Sarah a true New Orleanin welcome.  Her boutique carries great selections of handmade jewelry for that perfect holiday gift giving but watch out because not before too long she is going to shake things up. Sarah Edwards of hillfolk Bienvenue Sarah!  Wishing you the best of luck now and in the new year. Namaste Kalaya

It's almost Winter Solstice and I haven't done much.  But I tell you what...I'm having a blast at doing it!  Eeeee!!!  I'm so excited around the holidays. So here's what I've done. Made bracelets... Made this one for my guy cousin. Taught a class... Nice color combination! AND made some earrings... I'm really diggin' the rivets. The stone has to be changed in the last picture.  I'm not feeling it so out it goes!  There is no pop action going on.  So...I'm going to use a white pearl instead.   It's warm, muggy and rainy here in NOLA right now.  It's one of those days where you first wear short sleeves, then use an umbrella, and then wear a sweater because after that front moves through it's going to be chilly darlin'.   Stay safe and have a great weekend. Namaste Kalaya

I've been in the market for a dapping set.  The question that plagued me for months is which one should I buy?  I want quality but how much am I willing to pay for it?   Well, Rio Grande has a set from Durston for $225.00.  That is the Cadillac of dapping blocks.  They also carry a set from India for $75.00.  How different can they be?  I really could not tell you and believe me I tried to figure it out.  I even asked Rio but they were not able to give me a straight answer.   *sigh* I really needed a dapping set so I made a decision.  I ran out to Harbor Freight and bought whatever dapping block set they had. Introducing... My first dapping set. After a VERY kind gentlemen gave me his 20% coupon I paid $36.00 for this BABY.  Not a bad investment and I had decided ahead of time that what ever the outcome it would be alright.   I bought a reasonably priced set and got beautiful results!  This doesn't ...