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Showing posts from May, 2011

Yay for KJ!!

KJ, who writes KJ's Beadacious Beads , is the winner of our last giveaway package from Cherry Tree Beads!  Congratulations, KJ!! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Wire resources and tutorials from our archives

Basic Wirework informational and suppliers links Book reviews:    Wire Wrapping    101 Wire Earrings    Contemporary Copper Jewelry    Chain Style    Lacy Wire Jewelry    Classic Chain Mail Jewelry    Beautiful Wire Jewelry for Beaders    Making Beautiful Bead and Wire Jewelry    Handcrafted Wire Findings Some simple tutorials:    Making a wrapped loop    A multi-strand necklace with wrapped loops    A "leftover" toggle necklace    Creating a wire and ribbon necklace    A freeform seed bead necklace on a wire armature    Copper necklace with wire links    A wire wrapped beach rock    A Crocheted wire necklace    A "sea glass" necklace    Circuit breaker necklace    Faerie Bells    Chain maille bead earrings    Freeform peyote on a wire armature Tutorials by our wire guru, Paul Bishop:    Making a wire wrapped flower    A free-form wire wrap    A spiral on a flat pendant    Sodalite Delightful    Briolette suspension    Wi

Black Sparkle Ring: a wire wrapping project

A guest tutorial by Beads Direct To make this sensational Black Sparkle Ring , you will need Silver plated beading wire , 0.5mm (W38) Aluminum silver beading wire , 2mm (W203) Czech 8mm glass beads ,hematite (BG529) Czech 8mm glass beads ,jet (BG407) Crystal glass heart beads , black (BG1289) Crystal glass twisted coin beads , smoky (BG1262) In three easy steps... STEP 1 Wrap your aluminum wire 3 times around your chosen ring shaper (you can use anything tubular that is the right size for your finger) leaving an end of approx. 3cm at one end, and the coiled wire at the other. Wrap the end of wire around 2-3 times to hold everything together. Snip off any excess wire if necessary. STEP 2 Snip around 10cm of silver wire and thread on a bead. Holding the bead close to the wire ring base, wrap each end of silver wire around the base. Position the bead where you would like it on the ring, and then start to wrap the thick wire around it. STEP 3 After a

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

  Carmi's Art/Life World Resin + chocolate = great new bezels! Cindy Gimbrone, The Lampwork Diva It's a Tangle Tutorial. Come make a pair of "Well-Loved" earrings!   Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Lumber everywhere! Melanie's wood-grain components are popping up in Beads 2011, on the Vintaj blog as the Art Bead Partner of the month, and at Art Bead Scene in a huge giveaway!   Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio Lorelei's birthday brought big changes to her jewelry studio this week, come on over and watch her vlog.   Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean had a wonderful time creating a necklace set using both Artbeads and Earthenwood Studio components together, as she a blogging and design partner for each! See what she designed ! You might think the end result is as as yummy as she does !!!   The Bead Dreamer Stick beads, gemstones and wood earring findings inspire a necklace and matching earri

Wire artist: Gia Scarano

Artist: Gia Scarano Website: Earth Art Fire Earth Art Fire is the creation of Gia Scarano , who currently lives in Oakland, California. Her style of wirework is the result of traveling, meeting great teachers, and the independent study of ancient traditions from all over the world. Since graduating Boston University in 2003 with a degree in anthropology, she spent most of her time between Hawaii and South America farming and making art. The influence of two years learning in South America is evident in her style of wirework, as is the heartsong of four years of Pele's influence. Manning a chipper shredder, hauling fertilizer and moving boulders of lava by day, going to yoga, and twisting sterling silver with other metals to elegantly frame gems and crystals by night, she passed her time gathering strength living off the grid before heeding the call to California. Earth Art Fire Jewelry can be found in the Bay at Yeah Baby in Fairfax, Gioia in San Anselmo, Pkok on Hi

Wire artist profiles from the archives

  Three Owls by Terry Pugh Along with the new artists that we've met this month, I think you'll be very inspired by visiting some of the talented people we've profiled previously! Wendy Van Camp Kelly Alvarez Mace Penny Purdie Leah Hitchcock-Ybarra Deborah Kwitney Bernadine Stoopman Olivia Competente Puakea Soares-Mercado Paul Bishop Kathy Pine Bonnie Riconda Arriel Goodwin Terry Pugh Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Recent publications: May 2011

  Easy Beading Vol. 7 by Editors of BeadStyle magazine Metal Style: 20 Jewelry Designs with Cold Join Techniques by Karen Dougherty Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Yay for Laura!

Laura Thykeson, writer of Taz's Corner , is the winner of the wonderful package of Cherry Hill Beads from last week.  Congratulations to Laura!  One more package to go, boys and girls...enter today! 

Surprise package #6 from Cherry Tree Beads!

This is the last fabulous giveaway package from Cherry Tree Beads !  Bill and BeBe Edwards , the owners, sent me so many wonderful beads to share with you that we have decided to give them away in smaller lots, so here comes the final one, package #6! *** FREE STUFF ALERT *** Here's what's in package #6 (shown above): Base-metal beads, rondelles with floral design Base-metal beads, barrels with double circles Base-metal silver-colored toggles Would you like to win them?  Just leave me a comment below and you'll automatically be entered to win.  If you tweet or post on Facebook or other social spots about the contest, you can leave a second comment and be entered twice! Please make sure that your link will lead me to an email address, or else I won't be able to contact you.  No contact, no win, and I simply have to go on to the next person.  Deadline: May 31, 2011.  Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelr

Wire artist: Jessica Russell

Artist: Jessica Russell Website: Tumbleweed Bead Co Our pieces are handcrafted in the United States using all recycled metals featuring natural stones. Our jewelry is versatile, feminine, and eco-friendly. I started Tumbleweed in 2003 and love being able to express my creativity in fun, wearable designs. Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Wire artist: Jelena Louie

Nautilus Artist: Jelena Louie Website: Change of hART Change of hART is a small jewelry and wedding flower design studio based in Wichita, KS. It is owned and operated by Jelena Louie, a Textile Design graduate of FIDM, Los Angeles, CA who, after attempting to make a name for herself in the realm of fine art (painting) and wearable art, had a change of heart and decided it was time to change the art form as well. She then apprenticed with a jeweler in Sitka, AK for two years. Jelena's branching into beaded and wire wrapped jewelry began in 2003, and she has drawn her inspiration from nature's bounty ever since. Techniques Jelena most frequently uses in her jewelry design are wire wrapping and wire knitting, metal stamping, knotting, and stringing. In her wedding floral designs, she combines fabric, feathers, beads, crystals, and rhinestones to mimic natural flowers "with a twist." Knit and Pearl Jelena was an active member of California Silk Artists group

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

  Beads & Books If you're in a creative rut, you might want to read what Michelle learned from interviewing bead artist Betsy Youngquist. Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi tests a package of Shrinky Dink for ink jet printers in order to make a new bracelet. Cindy Gimbrone, The Lampwork Diva Bright Colors are everywhere - here's a rewind on how to put some color into your designs!   Resin Crafts! Carmi creates a ring combining Envirotex Lite resin and resin clay!   Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean received the most wonderful email from Pasty Evins! You must read it --it will make you, as an artist, think! The Bead Dreamer Charlene shares a bracelet made with moon beads, owl charms and thoughts on how we are more alike than different   A Bead A Day It's Bead Mix week on A Bead A Day! Do you have a favorite bead mix you'd like to share? Stop on over!   About.com Jewelry Making It's hot, a

Wire artist: Patricia Chauvin

Artist: Patricia Chauvin Website: MightCat Creations I make all types of jewelry from wirework to basic stringing, metal stamping, handmade clay beads, crystal and mostly glass beads. I have been designing as a hobby for over 10 yrs now. The bracelet up above is my popular spiral end cuff bracelet using black and white spiral beads, I have done a few of these and have entered one of these cuffs in a competition for beadaholique website and won in the top ten winners, a lifetime website with Artfire.com. The second picture (above) is a herringbone weave wire work making a necklace. The third picture (below) is my wirework earrings using Turquiose beads. I do a few vendor shows here and there when I can. Would love to make this my full time job some day. Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Wire artist: Sandra Merwe

Artist: Sandra Merwe Website: Sandra My inspiration is taken from a multitude of sources; fashion runway, interior and furniture design, travel, diverse cultures, current events, historical accounts, fine art, to name a few. The images featured are from a collection entitled "delicate". The materials are a mix of 14 KT gold, sterling silver, raw cut pyrite and Swarovski crystals. Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Wire artist: Ruth Borsky

Artist: Ruth Borsky Website: Beads-on-a-Wire I have been making beaded Kipot (plural for Kipah) for about 4 years. A Kipah is a head covering or hat. In the case of my creations, I make colorful hats for women to wear to Jewish religious services. However, I have made kipot for brides as well as women attending special occasions who want to complete their outfits. Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Wire artist: Ann Skydell Harmon

Artist Ann Skydell Harmon sent me information about the fabulous success she is experiencing with her recycled and upcycled wearables: Ann-Made , LLC (Palm Bay, FL) has been enjoying great success with our environmental, eco-chic wearable art in the form of bracelets, earrings and pendants handcrafted in America from repurposed, post-consumer soda can tabs. Because these items are so unusual, eco-friendly and priced right, they also make great gifts. Our line is carried in over 200 shops, galleries and museums in the US, Canada and the Caribbean. The jewelry can also be purchased through our on-line store. Not only is the jewelry very cool and quite beautiful but the mission of the company is to do as much good all around as possible. Among the things we do to achieve this goal is to purchase our tabs from local non-profit groups (paying substantially more than the aluminum recyclers to help support their causes), print all of our packaging on 100% recycled stock, cut down us

Yay for Sandi!

Sandi Lee James , who writes Do Be Do Bead Do , is the winner of the fabulous package of jasper!  Congratulations, Sandi! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Surprise package #5 from Cherry Tree Beads!

And yet another fabulous giveaway package from Cherry Tree Beads !  Bill and BeBe Edwards , the owners, sent me so many wonderful beads to share with you that we have decided to give them away in smaller lots, so here comes package #5! *** FREE STUFF ALERT *** Here's what's in package #5 (shown above): Chinese crystal 12mm round AB Dark smoky quartz rice Gold color base-metal clasp Would you like to win them?  Just leave me a comment below and you'll automatically be entered to win.  If you tweet or post on Facebook or other social spots about the contest, you can leave a second comment and be entered twice! Please make sure that your link will lead me to an email address, or else I won't be able to contact you.  No contact, no win, and I simply have to go on to the next person.  Deadline: May 24, 2011.  Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Wire artist: Vanessa Walilko

Artist: Vanessa Walilko Website: Site: Kali Butterfly I create wearable art from thousands of tiny metal rings made from aluminum wire. My passion is pushing the boundaries of traditional craft by creating pieces of art. With chainmail, I love creating the unexpected with wearable, fashionable clothing pieces. I also love making statement jewelry pieces that are lightweight and musical. I've been making jewelry since I was eight, but it's only been in the past two years that I've made my love of making a career. During that time, my chainmail fashion and jewelry have been featured in national exhibitions at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Indianapolis Museum of Art. My work has also won international awards, such as top honors in the British Bead Awards and the Bead Dreams competition. Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Wire artist: Sunflower

Sunflower has an etsy shop called Made by Sunflower that you simply must see if you love wire-wrapped jewelry.  She writes: My real name is Kornelia.  I come from Poland. I make jewelry for 5 years, it's my work and my hobby and I love it. Look at these gorgeous pieces!  Such beautiful delicate balance and precision.  Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

  Barbe Saint John Barbe talks about Lark Books latest Call for Entries Beads & Books Michelle shares the pearl and crystal necklace she made for the Artbeads.com challenge.   Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi has a new pendant to work with to create the copper rose necklace. Cindy Gimbrone, The Lampwork Diva Cindy's come up with a primary color variation on the double dip ring.   Earthenwood Studio Chronicles The Earthenwood Design Team has been hatching up some beautiful jewelry designs using Melanie's ceramic egg charms and pendants!   Resin Crafts! To launch a week of pouring resin into bezels Carmi showcases two different floral techniques.   Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean discusses the giveaways--Go for it!!!-- and the call for Entries from Lark Publishing Company   The Bead Dreamer It's not always easy to get the length of a bracelet correct - especially if large beads are involved.

Bead embroidery by Stacey Dowhower Gibson

Stacey's version of SunShower! I received an email last Saturday which made me feel that the entire journey of writing my e-book, Every Bead Has a Story , has been worth it! Wow. Just wow. How cool is it that Stacey took the basic pattern and ran with it like that, adding all the extra special touches that make it uniquely hers?  And can you believe that this is her first bead embroidery project ever?  Stacey doesn't have a website with her beadwork on it (yet!), but she sent me some more information on herself and the things she likes to make: I have a lot of pics of the kind of stuff I like to do in my facebook albums, it's under 'Stacey Dowhower Gibson.' I enjoy crafts of every kind, and have tried a little bit of just about everything, but my top three are beads, polymer clay and styrofoam sculpting. I was a big fan of the Carol Duvall show and miss it horribly! I am teaching myself to bead, and most of the things I have done have been patterns or varia

Wire artist: Meg's Crochet Jewels

Artist: Meghan Etsy shop: Meg's Crochet Jewels My name is Meghan. I make crochet jewelry and one of my favorite mediums to work with is wire. It creates a very unique and beautiful piece of art. I have been crocheting all of my life and the switch from yarn to wire and beads was an easy one for me. I actually didn't know that others were doing it too until after I started doing some research on crochet jewelry and even found a few books on it. I design all of my pieces and am constantly coming up with new ideas and plans. Its so fun discovering the possibilities of what you can create with wire and a crochet hook. Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Wire artist: Nomi Joyrich

Nomi Joyrich owns Bead Works Inc in Franklin, Michigan. It is the oldest beaded jewelry store in the state. The store offers classes to all ranges of experiences (beginners, intermediates and experts) and is loaded with a staff with over 25 years of combined experience, who are experts in repairing, re-stringing, modernizing heirloom jewelry, wiring and knotting. Bead Works also carries original works of beaded and patterned purses and vintage jewelry. Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading