Tag: friendship bracelets

Style Me Up i-Loom Disabled App

On By Michel McDonaldIn crafts2 Comments

Today is a very sad day for me because I just discovered that the i-Loom app on my Samsung Galaxy tablet has been completely disabled. This is what I see when I open the app now. I can no longer log in to the app and use the more than 40 patterns that I have bought over the last few years.

I had a strange feeling this would happen. When I noticed that they stopped posting on all of their social media accounts, then their website was completely gone, I had a feeling that all of my patterns would eventually just disappear, or they would block me from accessing my account. And that just happened to me.

I know that a year or maybe 2 years ago they discontinued their app on Android, and it was only available on iPad. But I was still able to use the app that had been installed on my tablet, so I didn’t really see it as that big of a deal. I recently asked people on Facebook who had an iPad if they could do me a favor and install the app and see if they could create a new account. One person did install it and she told me she got this notice that you don’t have internet access, which I have gotten when trying to connect to the community and the boutique.

So, even though it is only available on the iPad now, you can no longer create an account, and I have a feeling that whoever still uses the i-Loom on their iPad will no longer be able to sign in as well.

Style Me Up has completely abandoned their brand, their app, their product, which you can still buy online. I would say that they have completely abandoned all of the people who have spend money on their product, only to take it away from them. I would imagine because they weren’t making any money on their products. I tried to do a Google search to find out any news about their company and I can’t find anything. It’s like they just disappeared off the face of the Earth.

This really sucks because I thought this was an excellent product and they had an excellent app that gave you step by step, row by row instructions for making a bracelet. There is nothing else like it anywhere in the app store. The only thing I can find is an app that allows you to create your own patterns. There is also a PC program called FBD which stands for Friendship Bracelet Designer, which I have been using for many years and I had copied all 40+ patterns that I had bought from i-Loom onto FBD, so I didn’t really lose them. I had a foreboding that this would happen and if I didn’t copy all of the patterns to the computer, then I would lose them forever.

So I am sad that they have blocked access from using their app, but I’m glad that I copied all of the patterns to the computer. Always have a backup plan.

Friendship bracelets

On By Michel McDonaldIn craftsLeave a comment

I’ve been working on my friendship bracelets for my Etsy shop a lot lately. I made 2 of the neon rainbow arrowheads, 2 of the rainbow arrowheads and 2 of the rainbow weaves. I made a rainbow lightning bracelet and I was about to start making the second rainbow lightning and 2 neon rainbow weaves when my life partner asked for breast cancer awareness.

My life partner asked for a total of 5 breast cancer awareness bracelets for his cousins, then I asked for names and next thing I know, he’s naming 7 people. I’m like omg lol.

So I started working on the 2nd breast cancer awareness bracelet when my hands started to hurt. I took about 2 days off and holy hell, the 3rd day my hands are in absolute agony. I have carpal tunnel syndrome, so I can only make so many of a certain craft before I have to stop to rest.

This may be a teenage girl’s craft, but I really enjoy it, that is until my hands scream for me to stop lol.

I am making these with an i-Loom using patterns I’ve found on the internet. I originally bought the i-Loom from Amazon for $25. Great purchase, but they don’t sell them anymore. The i-Loom uses an app that used to be available in the Google play app store, but it has been discontinued and it’s now only available on the apple app store.

I had used a “My Friendship Bracelet Maker” clipboard before using the i-Loom, but I switched because the myfbm only allowed you to make bracelets with 10 strands. You can make a bracelet with 30 strands with the i-Loom. I mostly make 12 to 20 strand bracelets.

Way back in 1987 when I started making friendship bracelets when I was 17, I had to attach the bracelet to my pants with a safety pin, which would create a rip in the knee of my jeans. I had to sit with my knee up to work on these and it was quite uncomfortable. I’m so glad technology has given us an easier way to make these bracelets.

Crafting Pains

On By Michel McDonaldIn crafts, Etsy1 Comment

I am a crafter. I think I was born a crafter because I love making things with my hands from raw materials. Everyone loves something that was made specifically for them to enjoy.

When I was 9 years old in the Cub Scouts, I learned to make keychains with 2 strands of Rexlace, or as some people call it “Gimp”. I made a few here and there at that age, but never went further with the craft until I was in my early 30’s when I remembered how fun it was to make, so I decided I wanted to learn all over again. I played around with the 2 strand keychains, but still didn’t know how to finish them, so I did what we did as kids, we burned the strands to melt them together with a lighter. That of course was the wrong way to do it.

Fast forward 10 years to a couple of years ago when I broke my arm and decided I wanted to make keychains again, but this time I learned how to properly finish them. I also learned how to make keychains with more than just 2 strands and in many patterns. I went overboard and opened an Etsy shop to sell my keychains. I wasn’t as successful as I had hoped, but it was fun.

I recently had an order for 200 mini DNA red and white keychains. Unfortunately my carpal tunnel syndrome got in the way, and I was only able to complete half of the order before I was forced to take a break. I shipped out the first 100 in the first week of October, and I just finished the second 100 and am going to ship those out in the morning.

This is a casual business for me. I’m not living on the profits, in fact, when I do get an order, which is very rare, it helps me buy some groceries, or it may help me pay for a new video game, or jewelry that I wanted to buy. I never intended on huge bulk orders like this. It’s nice that someone thinks highly of my work that they want a huge order, but my hands can’t handle the constant torture from pulling strands of plastic lace.

My hands are in so much pain that I wake up every morning in agony. When I go to the gym, if I have my hands up on the bars or on the top of the treadmill, the pain in my thumb is excruciating and I have to bring my arms down to swing.

As of right now, I’m retired from making anything in bulk. I don’t mind making up to 10 keychains,  10 mini or 5 regular size, but that’s it. I’m going to have to just stop the torture on my poor hands. I love the work, and appreciate the groceries and winter cycling gear I was able to buy, but it’s just not worth permanent damage to my hands.

Actually, as of right now I am on vacation from my Etsy shop lol. I honestly don’t even want to think about making keychains and earrings, or even the Friendship bracelets or anything that is repetitive.

Come to think of it, my hands are killing me from typing this blog post. I have to rest my right hand from typing every few minutes, so I’m just going to stop typing and get in bed.

‘Tis the Season

On By Michel McDonaldIn ChristmasLeave a comment

christmas coupon

Every month I try to make a coupon for my Etsy shop to give people a reason to buy my craft items, on top of my already low prices. I am always adding new items, like this month I am creating packs of 4 pairs of studs for $8. I currently have several of those already listed and more to come. Of course I still have the single pair of studs with your choice of color 1 and color 2 for the new low price of $2 a pair.

My Etsy shop items make great stockings stuffers. The friendship bracelets are a nice gift to give to someone, the studs are super cute, if I do say so myself. I wear mine every day. The coasters are adorable and they last for years. I am still using the same coasters I made more than 10 years ago. My keychains are a nice addition to your keys. They help you identify which key ring has which keys.

I am still in the stage where my sales have not paid for my materials, so it would be awesome if people would buy my stuff so I can make a profit so I can buy Christmas presents this month. I don’t want to have to just give away my craft items, I would love to be able to pay off my credit card so I can buy presents. So you buying something to give as a gift, or keep for yourself, helps me give gifts and pay for my materials. It’s a win-win situation.

My Circle of Creativity

On By Michel McDonaldIn craftsLeave a comment

I have a My Friendship Bracelet Maker Clipboard and a My Lanyard Maker and the S hook on the My Lanyard Maker broke, so they sent me a new one with a coupon for 30% off anything else, so I bought a My Circle of Creativity. It was $29.99 and with the discount it was $21 with $4 shipping. I wanted to buy it before, but this 30% off coupon was an incentive to go ahead with the purchase.

One reason why I bought the My Circle of Creativity instead of buying the round discs or boards at the craft store was because I wanted to buy a kit that had drawers in it like this does for storing supplies. Also because it spins and you could put the strings around these bobbins.

From what I saw in the videos, you could probably make these bracelets really fast with 2 hands. You grab the top right bobbin with your right hand, the bottom left bobbin with your left hand, and move the right down, the left up and spin the disc and go to the next strands. At least I’m sure I will work up to being that fast eventually.

I’m hoping to make several different things with this. It’s main purpose is to make the Kumihimo friendship bracelets, and I would like to make those, but I also want to take it a step further by making lanyards or shoe laces, or even perhaps making long ropes that I can use to make a belt with the flat friendship bracelet pattern. Wouldn’t that be interesting? I’m sure I could just buy some paracord, but I want to make specific patterns for each color. I think that will definitely make the belt a bit more interesting than any other belt you have in your closet. I may even decide to use the lanyard pattern and weave these ropes into dog leashes, hey I hadn’t thought of that, it just popped into my mind. Someone has asked for that, and now I think I will do that.

See, there is inspiration everywhere. I will definitely have a lot of fun with this thing since I know I will be able to make many different things with it. And I really hope that it is fast, easy and fun and not boring at all. I do get bored easily.

breast cancer awarenessI’ve already been asked to make 3 bracelets for Breast Cancer Awareness month, and this is the perfect thing to make it with. I normally would use My Friendship Bracelet Maker Clipboard and make a flat bracelet, but I want to try making it with this pattern. I think it will look a lot nicer. I am even considering using beads with this pattern instead of just embroidery floss. I don’t have the beads, so perhaps next time, but I do want to make it with beads eventually. I can use this pattern for any of the awareness ribbon patterns, like using red for the ribbon for AIDS awareness.

Anyway, I will be getting this new gadget soon and I cannot wait to make the first Kumihimo bracelet with it. As with any craft item I make, it will probably take a few or more bracelets before I am good at it. Everything takes practice, and practice makes perfect, so wish me some luck.

Earrings and Keychains Galore

On By Michel McDonaldIn crafts, Jewelry, Patriotic1 Comment

etsy dna earrings

You know the story of when I first learned how to make keychains right?  Do I have to go back down memory lane again?  Oh alright, you twisted my arm.

When I was about 7 or 8 years old, I could be wrong on the particular age, my parents would buy us kids crafts to keep us busy.  We learned latch hook so we would make rugs that would end up on the wall for a very brief moment before they disappeared and nobody ever wondered where they went, or at least I didn’t anyway.  I went into the Cub Scouts at age 9 and that was when I learned to make the keychains, but the very simple box one.  I couldn’t even make the circular ones yet.  I certainly didn’t know how to finish them because we would end up lighting the ends on fire and they would turn black.  That was a hazard for a 9 year old to play with fire and to squash the burning plastic with their fingers lol.

I also learned plastic canvas crafts while in the Cub Scouts and I learned how to tie dye a t-shirt at Salvation Army band camp when I was 12.  When I was 17 I learned to make friendship bracelets and when I was 18 I learned to crochet, knit and embroider.

Since then my craft has certainly evolved, unfortunately so has the pain which caused carpal tunnel syndrome.  I have my good days and bad days, but mainly I just work on the keychains and earrings whenever I get the chance.

I started making the Rainbow DNA plastic lanyard earrings recently based on the actual keychains of which I have even made several different styles and color combinations.  I was looking at a keychain and thinking, this would look great on an earring, but on a smaller scale, and here I am now.  The 2nd pair of earrings that I made are a bit more patriotic to match the patriotic DNA lanyard keychain that I have made.

So I’m having fun making them and really, isn’t that what life is all about?  Doing what you love and having fun doing it.  I think it is.  I love the keychains, and I just adore the earrings to match and I think you will too.  So check them out and let me know how you like them.

The keychains are $3.50, the earrings are $5 and the shipping is $2.00 and .25 cents for each additional item in your order.  My Etsy shop is called GayNerd.