Beading Arts

Cindy Gimbrone aka the Lampwork Diva Not thinking about your holiday gift list yet? Cindy helps get you started with a Knot Ready for Prime Time Lucky Knots and Friends Projects so you can get started now! Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Melanie shares her final Crystal Week necklace... a piece she calls Woodland Mermaid. Jean Campbell Jean celebrates her favorite holiday by showing off her costume and some very cool baubles. Snap Out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean reviews a delightful book by the editor of BeadStyle: Cathy Jakicic. Strands of Beads Melissa shows off her favorite necklace created for Cynthia Thornton's Enchanted Adornments and winner in the metal clay category of the British Bead Awards. About.com Jewelry Making It's like Wal-Mart, only you want to be there in this virutal tour of Shipwreck Beads. Art Bead Scene Art Bead Scene is having a book fair. Read up on your favorites! Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi has finally discover...

Artist: Mark Hamilton Business name: Solstice Glass Location: Eugene, OR Website & Blog : Solstice Glass Solstice Glass blog Mark, how do you describe your work? My work is inspired by natural organic forms and colors, and I work with borosilicate glass because the color palette has more of an organic feel than soft glass does. Most of my designs are scenes such as a sunrise or things such as flowers or turtles that can be found in nature. What is your creative process like? My creative process is mostly unplanned and sometimes chaotic. I don’t try to create new designs unless I’m in the right mood and can feel the creativity waiting to be expressed. Then I sit down at my bench and just start playing with different glass colors. I just relax and enjoy the process until something emerges that gives me an idea of what I might want to create. Occasionally during the process of playing around, a finished piece will take shape without any conscious direction at ...

200 Beading Tips, Techniques & Trade Secrets: An Indispensable Compendium of Technical Know-How and Troubleshooting Tips by Jean Power Cube Bead Stitching: Contemporary Jewelry Designs You Can Make by Virginia Jensen Artful Polymer Clay: Techniques for Stylish Jewelry and Decor by Gail Ritchey Big and Bold: Eye-Catching Jewelry Designs by Editors of BeadStyle magazine Polymer Clay Beaded Jewellery: 35 Beautiful Designs by Isabelle Cheramy-Debray The Polymer Clay Cookbook: Tiny Food Jewelry to Whip Up and Wear by Jessica Partain and Susan Partain Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

I've started a new handmade beaded necklace, inspired by one of my favorite women, The Lady of Shalott . She was immortalized in a poem by Tennyson (the 1842 version), loosely based upon the Arthurian legend of Elaine of Astolat. Here are all the construction steps: Part one Part two Part three Part four Materials: Beading foundation fabric Beading thread   Seed beads Cabochons Accent beads Pendant beads Wire Chain Clasp Tools: chain nose pliers, round nose pliers, wire cutters, needles  Basics of Bead Embroidery (first chapter of  Every Bead Has a Story is free!) This post contains affiliate links: Beadaholique

In a return visit to Oz, this week's Make It From Scratch carnival appears on Frills in the Hills ! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

I found this wonderful vintage rolled-brim felt hat with a built-in scarf in an old musty antique shop a couple of years ago, and it just occurred to me that I've never shared the instructions with you for its transformation! I loved the style and the color, and knew immediately that the structure of the hat would stand up to a lot of altering! Sifting through my collection of vintage buttons and jewelry showed me just what direction to go with this hat. The name, Dreaming of Spring came to me before the hat was completed. I filled the brim, but still something was missing. The final piece was still sitting on my work table: a small vintage bee pin. Obviously, the bee was to be the focal point, the one who was "dreaming of spring"! Now as cold weather approaches, I can wear this hat with the promise that spring will one day return to New England. Materials and tools: Vintage hat Buttons, beads, seed beads, and vintage jewelry Black nymo thread, size O Beading needles Fab...

Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi decided to finally use her bead stash from Paris. Cindy Gimbrone aka the Lampwork Diva Cindy's got some new findings from Ornamentea. What's she going to make with them? Earthenwood Studio Chronicles The inspiration for Melanie's Machinery of Nature necklace comes from science, steampunk, and nature. Katie's Beading Blog Check out Katie's ideas on making your old beads new again- and make some affordable gifts along the way! Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio Better get on board, Lorelei is having the last of the Enchanted Adornments giveaways. Leave a comment to play! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean has a little Boo power going on for her in this hand made Halloween bracelet! Strands of Beads Melissa shows off metal clay goodies from Rings & Things The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Andrew revisits a bracelet design and creates six others. A Bead A Day Does a simple design equal...

Artist: Krystal Backer Business name: MonkeyBuns Location: Mason City, Iowa Websites & Blog: MonkeyBuns etsy shop MonkeyBuns facebook Krystal Backer blog Krystal, how do you describe your work…and why MonkeyBuns? MonkeyBuns is my son’s nickname. I started making jewelry when I was up to feed him at night so it seemed only natural to name my business after him. I would describe my work as unique and on the cuff of being outside the box. What is your creative process like? I have a few ways of working. Some times I make sketches of projects if they come up at a weird time like just before bed. Mostly I see the finished piece in my head and go from there. Sometimes the piece ends up the way I saw it in my head sometimes not. I usually have the TV on when I’m working but find I’m a lot more productive if I listen to music. I especially find I’m creative when listening to the Beatles or 90’s music. I tend to work on a project of a span of time. I work 2 jobs and have...

Jewellery for Sale at Istanbul Bazaar... Wes Walker 24x24 Photograph... Buy From Art.com

Enchanted Adornments: Creating Mixed-Media Jewelry with Metal, Clay, Wire, Resin & More by Cynthia Thornton Cynthia Thornton , jewelry artist and storyteller, has combined her love of both to produce a book which is the portal to a magical journey. Filled with techniques she developed in the Green Girl Studios , Cynthia introduces you to characters that each need a special piece of jewelry, for a very special reason. You'll find yourself getting just as caught up in the narrative as you do in the projects, wondering how it is all going to end! The book begins with a wonderful technique section, where readers are taken step by step through creating mixed-media jewelry with resin, PMC, polymer clay, and wire. You'll learn Cynthia's signature techniques for mold-making and stone setting as well. The projects range in complexity from beginner to advanced. Even the more difficult or time-consuming projects can easily be scaled down to the reader's ability level. Th...

I am so excited to share this piece with you! Based upon the tutorial Turning a Geode into a Beaded Pendant , Sher created this amazing necklace. She has graciously sent me a link and allowed me to show it to you. I love the extra flourishes that she added...isn't it gorgeous? Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Saul Bell Emerging Artists : deadline 12/03/09 500 Silver Jewelry Designs : deadline 12/04/09 Bead Journal Project 2010 registration : deadline 12/15/09 Altered Couture : deadline 12/15/09 Art Doll Quarterly : deadline 12/15 /09 Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts Barbe gets a mini artpiece from Artbeads. Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi makes some resin filled embellishments quickly! Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva There's a new addition to the Heartz n Skullz Family. Come check out the new Skully Bowz! Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Melanie heats things up with some fire inspired crystal and porcelain beads in her newest necklace from her Art Beads crystal week Jean Campbell Jean reviews Wendy Ellsworth's wonderful new book, Beading--The Creative Spirit. Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean is wowed by the plethora of activities a beader can find this weekend, both online at Earthenwood Studio and also at the supergreat classic, Soft Flex Glass Art and Bead Festivals! Strands of Beads Melissa shares her new work, "Natural Selection", that placed Second in the Necklace category of the Bead Arts Award 2009 The Writing and Art of Andrew ...

Chain Style by Jane Dickerson Here is a book that I can whole-heartedly recommend to beginners who want to make great looking jewelry, and want it FAST! There's nothing like adding chain to your design, or even designing an entire piece around chain, to make the design work up quickly. Chain is an excellent material for both beginners and those with advanced skills, because the complexity of your projects is only limited by experience and imagination. The techniques and materials section is minimal but sufficient. Largely this is because the projects are all so accessible. There are 50 designs to inspire you, many created by designers whose names you will know. This gives a wide variety of styles, and I'm sure you'll find some that catch your eye no matter how experienced you are. Using chain is also a wonderful way to stretch your beading budget. A few special beads connected together with chain will make a fabulous necklace that won't break the bank! Technorati T...

There are so many different ways to make beaded flowers. Some of the most intricate and beautiful that I've seen have been done on thin wire in the French style. I decided to figure out a way to do mine with needle and thread instead. You might remember awhile ago I shared a piece that I made, inspired by my mother's flower garden.  [Note - Here is a tutorial on putting the whole piece together !]  I thought it might be nice to show you one of the simple ways that I made some of the flowers for this piece. Materials & Tools 8mm crystal beads Delica or Czech seed beads Nymo thread, size O Beading needle 1. Wrap the thread through the hole of an 8mm crystal twice, tying a knot each time. Position the two threads so that they are on opposite sides of the bead. 2. Starting near the hole where you've tied off, add brick stitch all the way around, using the threads as the foundation. If you are using Delica seed beads, you'll be able to fit 16 bead...

Art Bead Scene The October Art Bead Scene Challenge gets folksy. Cindy Gimbrone aka The Lampwork Diva Cindy shows off her new buckle charm necklace but what should she name it? Earthenwood Studo Chronicles Melanie brightens up her beading palette with some spring colors for her second Art Beads crystal blog post. Jean Campbell Jean shares her delight with Cynthia Thornton's new book, "Enchanted Adornments" Katie's Beading Blog Katie's mixing polymer clay with beads again - check out this new design! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean is swooning over the newest Crystallized Innovations from Artbeads! Strands of Beads Melissa is proud to be Soft Flex Company's Spotlight On... Designer for October! A Bead A Day Do you buy beads for their "coolness" factor? What is your definition of "cool" when it comes to beads and jewelry? About.com Jewelry Making Tammy has taken her net and collected some butterfly c...

Wood Nymph , by Olga Romanenko Take a look at Olga's gorgeous work, featured on Jewelry & Beading this morning! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Jewelry Making Techniques by Vannetta Seecharran Think of this new book as an overview of what is possible. It's not nearly detailed enough to be a true how-to book, but it covers so many different materials that it will probably boggle your mind with possibilities and send you racing for your notebook! This book covers far more than beading techniques, so look elsewhere if you'd like an introduction to beadwork. This is a guide for an experimental jewelry who wants to create one-of-a-kind jewelry using modern techniques and materials. There are instructions and photographs outlining how to work with rubber, resin, glass, leather, paper, plastics, ceramics, textiles, and much more. But again, each chapter is an introduction, so you should plan to use this book to inspire your search for the next great thing you want to try. A very beautiful and compelling book. Now where did I leave my notebook...?

The 136th Make It From Scratch carnival is posted today on the Lighter Side ! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

I made this multi-strand necklace for my friend Sherry. She wanted something that celebrated the fourth day of Creation, and she wanted me to make it for her! I was thrilled and flattered. Sherry is just about the perfect person to work for on a commission such as this: She knows the general style, weight, colors, and images that she wants, but she never crosses the line into micro-managing. Her necklace became a three-strand affair, but still ended up relatively lightweight. I used a bead embroidered centerpiece, chosing a lovely fused glass bead made by my friend Jeanne Kent ( New Terra Artifacts ). The piece also features several beads that I bought when we visited Venice and Murrano last year...I hoard these, so you can guess that Sherry is very special to me! Like I said, there are three strands: The heaviest strand features a gorgeous string of lapis beads, interspersed with crystals and glass. The second strand alternates hammered oval loops with wired clus...

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Jewelry & Beading Have you ever thought about trying glass fusing? The talented Wendy Talaro shares a fused glass primer this week! About.com Jewelry Making Tammy offers you two simple ways to become part of the on-line jewelry making community. Art Bead Scene Take a tour with the Art Bead Scene. We've got places to go and beads to see! Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts Simply Gemstones book review Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi creates a new necklace with heart shaped resin pendants she made. Cindy Gimbrone aka The Lampwork Diva Take a walk on the dark side and see what kind of jewelry Cindy comes up with. Earthenwod Studio Chronicles Melanie begins her celebration of a week of crystal pendants with an autumn inspired fairy butterfly necklace Jean Campbell How do you use beads to decorate your house? Check out these photos of Jean's beady household decor. Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio Lorelei is hosting a Necklace Round Robin...

Bead + Fiber Gallery Bead + Fiber Gallery, 100 Under 100 : deadline 11/01/09 Stringing winter challenge, Inspired by Art : deadline 11/06/09 Fabrications Six, a jewelry and textile exhibition : deadline 11/14/09 Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading