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Showing posts from October, 2017

African trade beads

  This is a piece that I made back in 2005 (!) with beads that my sister-in-law brought back from Kenya for me.  Isn't it funny how traditional colors have a way of reappearing in different fashion cycles?  Look at how many of the notes it hits from the current Fall 2017 Pantone palette:   There is a tutorial that I wrote (at the following link) for a very similar piece, which also gives you some background information on Ethiopian crosses . I've got a new board on Pinterest called Trade bead beauties if you're interested in trade, antique, vintage, and ethnic beads and would like to follow it.  Also, as a reminder, there is a board called Pantone colors, beads, and jewelry , which has tons of inspiration for the current season!

heART beats from other blogs!

  Make a fall necklace along with Nealay Patel (shown above) Aladdin's Lamp earrings - a tutorial Halloween treats to make and bake Insider tips on how to win a Halstead Grant Jacques Torres on how small batch chocolate is made   This post contains affiliate links: Jesse James Beads

Stitch a clock motif for your bead embroidery - part two

  So...I got sidetracked by other projects and failed to finish this one up in a timely fashion.  Sometimes that's just the way things go!  But here, after weeks of other projects, is part two of my Clock Motif tutorial .  Part one is at the link. Step-by-step instructions for putting together a bead embroidered piece, including back stitch, edging brick stitch, and stack stitch can be found in the free first chapter of Every Bead Has a Story .  Chapter two has instructions for stitching a peyote stitch bezel, and Chapter three teaches the square stitch bail.  Bored By Back Stitch is another e-book that teaches different motifs to stitch around a focal in your bead embroidery. Additional Materials (also see part one ) Jesse James accent beads for the fringe - Tribal Stripes Inspiration bead mix Seed Beads from Beadaholique Size 6/0 seed beads: Frosted emerald green Size 8/0: Color-lined pink Size 11/0: Turquoise matte Hot pink matte Size 15/0: Transparent

Revisiting Phoebe

Phoebe Cyndi Lavin, 2010 I just came across this piece that I made 7 years ago.  I rarely have opportunity these days to wear it, but I'm thinking that this winter I might have to try to find one!  The original information on it is at the link, and there are step-by-step instructions in Chapter 4 of my e-book Every Bead Has a Story .  

Red jasper is perfect for this season!

  I love the Fall 2017 Pantone palette!  One of the things I like best about it is the versatility of the colors mixed together in designs.  When you're making or choosing jewelry to wear with the Fall colors, it doesn't have to match exactly...in fact it's probably better if it doesn't.  But the jewelry does need to look harmonious, and that's how I ended up falling in love with Red Jasper!   I found a tutorial that I shared last year (shown at the top), which uses a combo of red jasper and seed beads that look great with all the colors I see in the stores right now.  Anyway, I thought that some of you might want to give this a whirl, because it's a quick project, and it teaches a very important bead embroidery skill...what to do with squared corners on your cabochons. Not all the materials that I used are available exactly anymore, but I've provided links to some that are similar.  If you don't want to tackle a square cabochon, you could also

heART beats from other blogs!

Make a fun fall cuff bracelet with Nealay Patel The best and easiest way to make paper beads Pumpkin spice pull-apart loaf Halloween jewelry ideas to make How to use Metallique Wax for easy patina effects Silver and copper gingko leaf pendant with chemical patina This post contains affiliate links: Jesse James Beads

Garnet, pearl, and silver magnifying necklace - for sale

  Antique optical lens, crystals, garnet, pearls, rhodonite, and Bali silver $70 I made this piece in 2006, when I first began to need a pair of drug store readers, but couldn't bring myself (yet) to admit it!  Now I use them all the time and no longer need this pretty piece, so it is the next item up looking for a new home. This is what I wrote at the time: I do not need glasses...yet!  But there are times when the print is just too small.  This handy magnifier is actually a powerful antique optical test lens, dangling from a gorgeous strand of purple, pink, garnet, and black.  The lens is French, from a test set made in the late 1800s.  Isn't that the coolest thing?  The lens "strength" is etched on the glass.  The necklace is a 24 inch long continuous strand to slip over your head.  Keep this one handy!  It is a one-of-a-kind original.

Mixed metals and bead necklace - a tutorial

Link to free necklace tutorial I wore a necklace a couple of days ago that I had forgotten I even had!  It looked amazing with the Fall colors that I was wearing, and it occurred to me that with the mix of metals and the neutral palette, it would be great with all the Fall 2017 Pantone colors.  And another thing...the multiple strand effect at the bottom is exactly what you're seeing right now in a lot of fashionable necklaces.  You might even want to make it just a bit longer by adding several more links of chain at the top, but that is up to you! The only problem I ran into in updating this necklace tutorial is that the original beads are no longer available, but I found lots of really nice replacements.  Two collections that really caught my eye were the 40 piece white (including ivory and tan) and the 40 piece gray collections from Jesse James Beads : Grays Whites Go take a look at the tutorial , and pick the colors for yourself!  The ivories and grays are

Golden Harvest - a beaded neckalce tutorial

Golden Harvest $80 There's lots of swing and movement in Golden Harvest ! Brass chain, beads, and findings set off the golds, ambers, and greens of this Fall-inspired piece. The original necklace, shown here, uses my own handmade lampwork glass beads, but I you can use horn beads instead.  I particularly like how Golden Harvest blends with the Pantone Fall 2017 colors Autumn Maple and Golden Lime.   Materials Beads Lampwork beads...substitute horn beads Rootbeer seed beads, size 6/0 Horn rings, 25mm Green MOP leaves Yellow MOP leaves Brass rounds, 3mm Brass rondelles, 7mm Metal components Gold-colored head pins Gold jump rings, 7mm Gold jump rings, 4mm Medium weight bead wire, bronze Crimp tubes, size #2 Small brass chain Medium brass chain Toggle + clasp Tools Wire cutters Chain nose pliers Round nose pliers 1. Start from the center middle.  Using a short length of beading wire, make a loop with seed beads and brass rounds, taking

heART beats from other blogs!

Learn a new earring technique with Nealay Patel! Do you need even MORE tutorial suggestions? The 10 best free vintage fall images for your art Fiberart International 2019 call for entries Critical decisions you need to make when starting a blog   Using a shape to design a collection   Pumpkin chocolate chip cookie pie!!!  This post contains affiliate links: Jesse James Beads  

Flapper - a necklace made from vintage glass beads

Flapper - 39" Vintage glass beads, raw brass $70 Get ready to dance! I was delighted to come across this necklace that I made 6 years ago, because look at how perfect it is with the Pantone Fall 2017 palette!  I'm putting it up for sale, because although I love it, I just don't wear it, and it needs a new home. If you'd prefer to make one, the link to the tutorial is below.   Original tutorial

How well do you know your jades?

Dyed African, Chinese, Mountain or Malaysian "Jade" are pretty...but they're NOT real Jade Jade, Jadite, and various "Jades" I have always wondered about jade.  Everyone when I was growing up just used the term "jade" to refer to anything that happened to be that color.  Even then, I think that I knew there were stones that were commonly called "jade" but were really imitation.  However...I had no idea that jade and jadeite were two very different beasts, nor did I know that it's actually jadeite that is the more expensive of the two. Wikipedia to the rescue:   Jadeite and nephrite are totally different minerals. They have different densities, different hardness, different crystal structure, and different chemical compositions. Classic jade, the jade that comes from China, is nephrite, and jadeite, the rarer type of jade, comes from Burma. The finest-quality jadeite—almost transparent with a vibrant emerald-green color—i

Beautiful bead collections for the Fall - in the new Pantone colors!

Autumn Maple Grenadine Shaded Spruce Tawny Port Ballet Slipper Butterum Navy Peony Neutral Gray Golden Lime Marina   This post contains affiliate links: Jesse James Beads

Hanging the Moon - a beading tutorial

Hanging the Moon $140 As I was looking at some of my older pieces, Hanging the Moon jumped out at me as being a great match for the Fall 2017 Pantone color called Shaded Spruce!  Some of the original pieces are no longer available, which is a real shame, but I think you'll be able to find a selection of blues and greens that blend well with the new Shaded Spruce color. Materials 2 lengths of bronze beading wire, 24 inches each 4 - 5 inches of gold-toned chain Gold hook 18 bicones, 6mm Square ring, 20x20mm Square ring, 14x14mm Round ring, 14mm Triangle ring, 14mm  6 cubes, 8mm Star charm Moon charm Size 11/0 Delica seed beads, rainbow blue-green Nymo beading thread, black 8 jump rings, 9 mm 3 jump rings, 7 mm 11 jump rings, 4 mm 11 head pins 28 crimps, size #1 2 crimps, size #2 Tools Chain nose pliers Round nose pliers Wire cutters Beading needles Scissors Tape measure 1. Arrange charms and crystal components in the order you'

Out of Africa - a beaded necklace of trade beads

  African glass trade beads, Czech glass, brass and copper $140 Look at how well this piece blends with the Fall 2017 Pantone colors!!   I'm sorry that I can't give you links to all of these exact beads...you'll see why when you read the story of this piece below!  You'll just need to look for trade beads and glass Czech crow beads (the tans, reds, and browns are the best for making a piece like this). Out of Africa is a HEAVY necklace...not for the faint of heart!! I used a lot of different African trade beads that I've collected over the years, including some that my sister-in-law brought back for me from her trips to Africa. There are glass mosaic beads, brick red glass greenhearts, pipestone, and sandcast glass beads. I haven't been to Africa, but I've always been fascinated.  The large tan beads on the outer strand are wound-glass beads, originally made in Hebron, Palestine, centuries ago. The glass makers moved on to severa

Cherry Donut...a beaded necklace tutorial

Cherry Donut $47 I have reworked this tutorial to bring it up to date!  The colors are perfect for this Fall's Pantone palette, so it seemed time for an update.  Cherry Donut is constructed with beading wire, so it works up really quickly and easily!   Materials Cherry "quartz" (glass) donut, 40mm Crow beads, luster burgundy, 9x7mm Czech fire-polished faceted rounds,light red, 8mm Size 8/0 seed beads, mix of reds Swarovski bicones, light siam, 4mm Czech glass druks, ruby red, 4mm Miyuki triangle beads, translucent dark red Accu-Flex Beading wire, medium Crimp tubes, copper, 2mm Soldered closed jump rings, copper S-hook clasp, copper-plated pewter Tools Wire cutters Chain nose pliers Measuring tape 1. Add enough seed beads to the middle of a strand of beading wire to wrap around the donut. Pass both wires through a triangle bead and a crimp. Flatten the crimp and cover it with a large-holed crow bead. 2. Bead up the strand, alternatin