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Showing posts from November, 2013

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

Art Bead Scene Check out our Happy Thanksgiving Post - and a round up of contributors' Black Friday promotions! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean has a blast from the past, jewelry wise, at her pad. See her blog for info! About.com Fun for fall....with these super cute acorn beads made using real acorns. Resin Crafts Blog Penny for your thoughts! The penny is now out of circulation in Canada. Creating a memento of it is easy with Jewlery Clay. Carmi's Art/Life World Icon imagery is showcased in this magazine cover necklace Carmi submitted to Perles et cetera magazine.   Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Special offer from Art Jewelry Online

Velina Glass contacted me with this very special offer for you, but you must take advantage of it very soon!  Starting now, Black Friday and ending on Cyber Monday, you will receive 25% off your purchase from Art Jewelry Online   when you use the promo code art-jewelry. Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here are some ideas for the meal and for using the left overs ! Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Recent publications: November 2013

Metalsmithing for Jewelry Makers by Jinks McGrath Shaped Beadwork & Beyond: Dimensional Jewelry in Peyote Stitch (Lark Jewelry & Beading Bead Inspirations) by Diane Fitzgerald (book review) Kumihimo Basics and Beyond: 24 Braided and Beaded Jewelry Projects on the Kumihimo Disk by Rebecca Combs (book review) The Jewelry Maker's Field Guide: Tools and Essential Techniques by Helen Driggs Hot and Cold Jewelry Connections: How to Make Jewelry With and Without a Torch by Kieu Pham (book review) Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Book review and giveaway: Project - Necklaces

Project: Necklaces , published by Kalmbach Publishing, has a wonderful array of 30 necklaces for beginners and intermediate beaders.  All the projects can be found in previous issues of Bead & Button magazine, and are all fully-tested winners. The introduction has all the info you'll need on tools and materials, the techniques that you'll use, and how to fit a necklace properly.  This fitting section is the best part of the book besides the projects with very useful tips.  The rest of the book falls into four sections: stringing, single stitch pieces, combined techniques, and wirework. My favorite piece is by Stephanie Eddy    GIVEAWAY ALERT!!! Would you like to win a free copy of this book?  Here's what you need to do... please read this carefully.   Leave me a  comment here and include your email address.  If I don't see your email address, I won't be able to contact you.  No contact, no win, and I simply have to go on to the next person. 

Bead Journal Project: November 2013

Double St Petersburg Chain Stitch, in process Do you like St Petersburg Chain Stitch ?  I've never been a really big fan until I started this year's   Bead Journal Project .  As soon as I began to see how helpful St Pete's could be for filling in large bead embroidered areas, I began to really love it, especially after the stitch pattern became automatic.  This is a complicated stitch, particularly the Double St Petersburg chain stitch, which I used here, but it is really worth working on and mastering the flow. Double St Petersburg Chain Stitch, finished The central bead cabochon came from   The Best Beads . Bored By Back Stitch  will teach you how to create twelve different bead embroidery motifs, using nine different beadweaving stitches.  Learn how beadweaving stitches can be morphed into beautiful bead embroidered motifs, created to surround and enhance your cabochons or accent beads. The specific motifs you will learn are designs that use

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

Carmi's Art/World Life While most people would turn gifted fabric into a quilt or clothing, Carmi felt it was best to showcase it in a bib necklace. Resin Crafts Blog This week Carmi shares her newest bezels made from painted gilded samples from her journal. Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean reviews Cindy Wimmer's great wireworking book, The Missng Link -- it is wonderful! About.com Jewelry Making Copper is the new silver....as in much more affordable and thus much more popular. Here are loads of jewelry tutorials that include copper. Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

It's not too early to start...

More ideas to make your holiday gift giving all handmade this year! Click  tutorials  to see the rest. Ear cuff jewelry by Rings&Things Vintage watch and zipper bracelet by Carmi Cimicata Wordy hairpins  by Alicia Dirago Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

More business tips from the blogosphere

How to get started and finish any writing project in 6 steps by Anne Wayman How to beat the Amazon ebook competition by Greg Narayan Three types of products you should have in your line by Megan Auman Profiting from jewelry that's time consuming to make by Rena Klingenberg Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Book review: Metal Clay 101 for Beaders

Kristal Wick has written a new book for Lark Books , called Metal Clay 101 for Beaders .  This is the second book in the "101 for Beaders" series.  The first, you might remember, was Candie Cooper's Metalworking 101 for Beaders   (my review).  I gave that book very high marks, and same goes for this one.  Kristal has a very easy to read and follow style of writing and illustrating her work. If you haven't ever gotten involved in metal clay before, you might just be amazed by the variety of forms that are now available.  Kristal's purpose in writing the book is to show you how to make pieces that will integrate with your current beadwork: focals, beads, bead caps, bead frames, toggles, charms, connectors, links, pendants, bracelet ends, and end cones.  Imagine having a toggle set for your necklace or bracelet, custom made!  Wouldn't that be great?  Well, Kristal will show you how.  There are 30 projects that combine metal clay components with beautiful b

Bezel Effects project - part three

Well, I could have saved myself some time, but projects just don't always go the way we want! Starting with my plain hinge bracelet (see Part two from last week), I decided to do some bead embroidery around one of the Bezel Effects bottle caps I made (see Part one ) and use it for a central cabochon.  The plan was to use two more plain bottle cap cabs on the sides. That's where things went wrong, although not terribly wrong!  The beaded cab was just too big for the central platform.  In fact, once I looked at it a bit more closely, I realized that almost any amount of beading was going to make it too big.  Oh well...time for plan B. I actually think that the plain Bezel Effects bottle cap cabochons are more in keeping with the rustic vintage hinges.  And now I have a left over stitched piece to use in another project!  Yay! Bezel Effects paints, resin, and hole-punch tool from  PJTool Here are all the parts of this tutorial in case you missed anything

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

A Bead A Day Do you get bead obsessed? Stop by A Bead A Day, where you will find a kindred spirit sharing her latest bead obsession. Resin Crafts Blog If you have ever wondered about how to make unique cabochons for jewelry designs, this new EasyCast video should be a big help! Art Bead Scene Check out how ceramicist, art bead artist and jeweller Kylie Parry updates and personalises her holiday packaging! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean enjoys some special jewelry creativity with the help of the season's first snow, some friends, and a camera! Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading
Save 30% on Jewelry Downloads at Interweave Save 30% on Beading Video Downloads at Interweave

It's not too early to start...

More ideas to make your holiday gift giving all handmade this year! Click  tutorials  to see the rest. Recycled paper jewelry by Mark Montano Handmade beads e-book by Beading Daily Falling Water necklace by Papernstitch Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Business tips from the blogosphere

Artists who are great at blogging their artistic process (and how you can be too) by Elaine Luther 12 Blogging income streams (and the story of my 10 year 'overnight' success) by Darren Rowse Making multiple revenue streams work for your business by Megan Auman 10 Tools to help protect your blog from content theft by Adam Connell Color analysis for jewelry artists  by Rena Klingenberg Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Book review: Bead Embroidery Jewelry Projects

There's a new collection in town, and you're going to want to have a look if you would like to do bead embroidery.   Jamie Cloud Eakin writes that the purpose of her new book, Bead Embroidery Jewelry Projects , published by Lark Books , is "to advance your knowledge of design and construction for bead embroidery jewelry."  If you've already read Jamie's other books, you'll know the techniques, stitches, and basic process, but she has included it in the back for those who may be new.  And I really think beginners are the best audience for this wonderful book.  Here's why: Jamie has arranged the book to take you through ever-increasingly complex forms, starting with pendant style necklaces, both plain and fringed, and moving on to what Jamie calls "totems", which are more complicated pendant forms.  Next come necklaces with more than one focal element, from simple panels all the way to a complete collar that sports a whole collection of

Bezel Effects project - part two

While I waited for my Bezel Effects paints to dry (see Part one from last week), I deconstructed a disk-style bracelet and added some holes to the hinges where they were needed.  Along with some jump rings, these were the materials I needed to make this hinge bracelet which will feature some of the Bezel Effects cabochons that I made. 1. Separate the bracelet into 3 sections with 2 disks each.  Keep the clasp attached to 1 section.  Save the rest of the chain for another project. 2. Use PJ Tool's two-hole punch to add holes as needed to the hinges. 3. This shows the chain from the back.  I used 2 jump rings on each end to attach the chain to the hinges. 4. Here's what it looks like from the front. 5. And here is the completed hinge bracelet frame.  Add more jump rings if you need more length as you work. Next week, I'll show you how the Bezel Effects cabochons work with this bracelet! Part one Part two Part three Copyright 2013 Cy

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

Art Bead Scene Check out Brandi's new colour palette for this month's challenge piece by Cézanne. A Bead A Day Looking for a super quick, easy AND versatile project? Just change the ribbon color and make one for all your friends! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean is hosting a giveaway on her blog for Scott David Plumlee's wonderful new book, SILVER SOLDERING SIMPLIFIED, and it is a very special giveaway--it is INTERNATIONAL! How Great!!! Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

It's not too early to start...

More ideas to make your holiday gift giving all handmade this year! Click  tutorials  to see the rest. 5 Minute vase necklace by Michelle L LED hair bow by Becky Stern Faux lampwork paper beads by Craft Test Dummies Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

And even more business tips

Photo by Sara Oehler for her post on teaching a class 4 tips for a successful beading class by Sara Oehler Why artists publish a newsletter  by Alyson Stanfield The complete guide to getting started on Pinterest by Jamie Swanson Jewelry business names by Rena Klingenberg Guide to necklace lengths by Jonelle Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Beautiful bead embroidery by Veralynne Malone

I received a lovely message from Veralynne , who wanted me to know that she had found my e-book Bored By Back Stitch to be inspiring!  Well, that is music to my ears and eyes, especially since she attached a couple of pictures of the piece she made using the St Petersburg chain stitch!  Veralynne graciously allowed me to share them with you here...isn't this a pretty piece?  Besides her blog (linked above) you can also contact Veralynne through her Etsy shop  and you can read more about the challenge she was responding to in her blog post . Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Bezel Effects project - part one

Bezel Effects bracelet by ImpressArt I recently received some fun new paints to play with from PJ Tool .  Now maybe you're wondering what paints have to do with beads and jewelry, but stick with me!  PJ Tool is calling the new line "Bezel Effects", and it includes these very cool solvent-based paints from Pebeo which can easily be poured into a bezel, either a single color or mixed with other paints.  Then the magic begins as the solvents cause the colors to pool and separate in unpredictable ways. After they have dried, you can add epoxy resin to the tops to created a finished glassy domed look.  I found them quite entertaining to play with and enjoyed using both bezels from ImpressArt and "homemade" bezels like bottle caps and closet slide hardware.  Here is the process in a nutshell, and next time I'll show you the piece that I made.  Here's a hint...it's going to use some of the hinges that I showed you a few weeks ago that I picked up in