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Showing posts from December, 2012

See you in a week!

Love you all!  I'm taking the week off, and I'll see you bright and early in 2013!! Image: The Meta Picture

Merry Christmas!

Yay for Michelle W!

Michelle W is the winner of a copy of  A Bounty of Bead & Wire Bracelets !  Congratulations, Michelle!!

Recent publications: December 2012

The Complete Photo Guide to Beading by Robin Atkins Easy Crystal Stitching, Sophisticated Jewelry by Nikia Angel Mastering Peyote Stitch: 15 Inspiring Projects by Melinda A. Barta Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

  A Bead A Day Easy & Effortless...two great words and when they describe a jewelry making project, EVEN BETTER! Stop by A Bead A Day for an easy & effortless project idea! About.com Jewelry Making Time to make the snowmen, as in jewelry and other crafts that is! Art Bead Scene Erin shares a fun and festive free project as part of the Art Bead Scene's 12 Days of Christmas blog project series.   Resin Crafts! It is never to late to try and permanently capture Christmas in a vial with resin! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean discusses a project she found while reading her superfun email from Cloth Paper Scissors. Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

And even more holiday tutorials from around the town

  Bohemian twist yarn necklace It's still not too late to whip up a homemade holiday gift, especially with easy-peasy cute and sassy ideas like these! Crocheted bracelets Wired pearl flowered cuff Bohemian twist yarn necklace Repainted necklace Fabric button brooches Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Yay for Kay!!

Kay , who writes Kayz Kreationz , is the winner of  A Bounty of Bead and Wire Necklaces ! Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Book review and giveaway: A Bounty of Bead and Wire Bracelets

So, last week I featured A Bounty of Bead and Wire Necklaces to give away, and this week, our final week, it will be A Bounty of Bead and Wire Bracelets ! Yay!! This volume is full of the same high quality projects as any Lark Publication: well-designed projects by well-known designers.  The instructions are easily followed, and there are certainly more than enough included that you're bound to find many that you wouldn't mind having for your own...or making for gifts! ***Free Stuff Alert!!!*** 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: December 24. Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , weara

More holiday tutorials from around the town

  Felt scrap bracelets   Running out of time?  Don't panic yet...these are fast and easy! No-sew flower brooch Shrinky Dink silhouette pendant Felt scrap bracelets Beaded cabochon barrette Put-a-bird-on-it brooch Angel wings collar Button and paper clip earrings Pearl hair combs Embroidered cork jewelry Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Yay for Becky!

Becky Pancake , who writes Becky Pancake Bead Designs , is the winner of the adorable bead kits from The Bead Shop !  Congratulations, Becky!! Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Yay for Debra!

Debra   has won a copy of  A Bounty of Bead & Wire Earrings !  Congratulations!!

Maruti bead comb

  Here's a project that will take a bit of time to design and put together, but is really worth it if you enjoy having hair ornaments to wear at this time of the year.  Using these pretty Kashmiri beads makes the comb very festive and sparkly.  Here are two other projects which also use beads from MarutiBeads.com : One-of-a-kind beaded link necklace Beaded bracelet with handmade clasp I used 28 gauge silver-toned craft wire so that it would blend well with the silver-toned comb.  You'll need a handful of focal beads, some smaller support beads, and some seed beads.  I also threw in some crystals for extra sparkle.  Hey, it's the holidays! The tools you'll need are wire cutters, chain nosed or needle nosed pliers, and a lot of patience.  Be careful when you are pulling the wire through beads and wrapping it around the comb: it can kink easily if you don't work slowly enough.  If that happens, secure the wire, clip it off, and start the next part of your c

Making a sparkly button ring

A guest post by The Bead Shop , where you can shop for all your jewellery making needs! With Vintage style products popping up everywhere this season, this cute and sparkly button ring is right on trend and is just the thing to wow your friends with.  It’s so simple to make and can be made in minutes with just a few basic ingredients.  You will need: 1 metre of 1mm Craft Wire 12 x 4mm beads 1 x 2 hole button, approximately 20mm 12 x headpins in corresponding colour. Ring Mandrel Wire Cutters First of all take 12 4mm beads, and thread each one onto a separate headpin.  Now make a wrapped loop on each of these.  We have chosen to use 4mm Czech faceted beads in 2 colours for this, however any 4mm beads or crystals will do. Next take approximately 1metre of 1mm craft wire, fold this in half and thread on all the wrapped loops in a random order until these all hang in the bend of your wire.  Now thread the 2 ends of the wire through the two holes of the button and pull t

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

  Snap out of it, jean! There's beading to be done! Can you "tat" yet? Curious and want to give it a try? Jean gives you the lowdown on this wonderful and historical craft!  About.com Jewelry Making With a few simple crochet stitches and some Czech beads, you can make a sparkling necklace with the help of this new tutorial.   Art Bead Scene Brandi Hussey shares a tutorial on making gemmy jewelry clusters. Resin Crafts! Now and again you need to push the envelope and make a really spectacular resin sample.   Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Holiday tutorials from around the town

  Bobbie pin flowers Here are a bunch of fun, easy, fast, unique, personalize-able jewelry projects that you still have plenty of time to whip up for the holidays this year! Photo necklaces, earrings, and more using shrink plastic Watercolor petal necklace Winter Lights bracelet Bobbie pin flowers Crocheted hair clips Miniature book necklace Terrarium necklace Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Book review and giveaway: A Bounty of Bead and Wire Necklaces

So, last week I featured A Bounty of Bead and Wire Earrings to give away, and this week it will be A Bounty of Bead and Wire Necklaces ! What do you do after you've mastered stringing?  Many of us take up wire and chain, so this volume is perfect for those who are ready to expand a bit.  There are a lot of asymmetrical designs included, which will help you train your eye as you read through it.  There is a wide range of materials featured by the designers, and the sizes of different pieces are given so that you can substitute items as you please.  Once again, I am disappointed that there is no suppliers list for the most crucial pieces needed, but at least you will have the sizes.  Some of the pieces use store-bought chain, but some of them feature make-your-own chains, which is really really cool! So hang on!  Next week I'll be featuring Bounty of Bead and Wire Bracelets for giveaway!  ***Free Stuff Alert!!!*** Just leave me a comment below and you'll auto

Gift books for the holidays

Here are the books that I would most recommend for gift giving this year, whether they're for you or for a beading friend!   For Beginners : Do you know someone who wants to get started with beading and jewelry making? These are all good books which teach the basics of their various media. Working With Polymer Clay by Lori Wilkes Necklaceology by Candie Cooper Rustic Wrappings by Kerry Bogert The Absolute Beginners Guide to Making Metal Clay Jewelry by Cindy Thomas Pankopf Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry by Lorelei Eurto and Erin Siegel Making Wire & Bead Jewelry by Janice Berkebile and Tracy Stanley The Venetian Glass Bead by Kathy Fox New Dimensions in Bead and Wire Jewelry by Margot Potter Endless Sparkle by Aimee Carpenter The Absolute Beginners Guide: Stitching Beaded Jewelry: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started by Lesley Weiss Making Elegant Jewelry for Special Occasions by the editors of BeadStyle Beading in No Time by Linda