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Showing posts from December, 2009

Wanna be Facebook friends?

  I've been on Facebook for a good long time now just under my name, Cyndi Lavin .  Recently, I added a business page to Facebook too, called Beading Arts to follow just the highlights of this blog, the artist profiles and the tutorials.  My personal profile is, well, personal!  So if you don't want to learn about my family and friends as well as my work, don't sign up to be my friend ;-) If you do want to be my friend, come on in...the water is fine!  I'm also ashamed to admit that I've joined Twitter .   I'll warn you that my tweets cover mixed media art and jewelry, and also cooking (which I also write about).  They usually don't cover what I had for breakfast or how many loads of laundry I did... Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading
Colorful Beads for Sale in Khan al-Kh... Cindy Miller Hopkins 12x9 Photographi... Buy From Art.com

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

About.com Jewelry Making Yellow facted CZ fan pendants become gorgeous earrings with just a little chain. Art Bead Scene It's the ABS annual 12 days of Christmas free projects. Twelve days of last minute holiday gifts!   Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts Eco Friendly Gift Wrap Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi makes huge resin baubles from an ice tray.   Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva Cindy shares her favorite things this week. You might be surprised to find out what they are! Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Melanie makes a chunky, funky necklace with some unusual wooden chain and findings   Jean Campbell Jean shares a free sparkly necklace project, just in time to whip up for your New Year's Evening wear Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio Lorelei goes back in time to remind fellow Etsy sellers about Heart-o-Matic!   Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean offers a project called Su

Merry Christmas!

Lizard barrettes

Here is a totally silly little project for you to do, maybe with one of the little girls in your life! When Mike came back from a conference with a couple of little lizards in his bag (I have no idea why lizards were being given out at a data fusion conference!), he happily relinquished them to me. I decided they'd look cute in my hair. And after I grow up a bit, I'll probably give them to some of the young girls I know! Here's all you need: a barrette, a lizard, some wire, and wire cutters. Wire the lizard onto the barrette, tucking the ends of the wire in between the lizard and the top of the barrette so that it doesn't snag your hair. Try to pick wire that either matches the lizard or that contrasts enough to look funny. Add beads if desired. Personally, I couldn't be bothered! Copyright 2009 Cyndi Lavin. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, incl
Colourful Beads Worn by a... Gavin Hellier 9x12 Photo... Buy From Art.com

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

  A Bead A Day Lisa shares a special gift she received from a friend, SHRINKY DINK earrings!! Still a great product after all these years!! About.com Jewelry Making Sparkle plenty with this endless knotted red crystal necklace project! Art Bead Scene It's the last ABS monthly challenge of 2009. Are you running out of ideas and inspiration? ABS has just the antidote! Carmi's Art/Life World One shrunk sweater equals felted beaded mitts for me! Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva Cindy explains why she chose Lee Krasner's painting "Untitled" for this month's Art Bead Scene Challenge. Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio Lorelei tested out some cool chain from Rings and Things. Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Would you like to investgate a lyrical book which explores all areas of your imagination and challenges your creativity? Try Lisa Crone's! Strands of Beads Melissa shares a cute find - st

Make It Merry!

Victorian Snow Day Put together a mixed media portrait using crafting scraps and this tutorial from Margot Potter. Cookies in a Jar Fun article with recipes and gift tags for making cookies in a jar. Christmas Crackers Make your own Christmas crackers this year (don't forget to add your favorite terrible joke for an authentic touch)! Striped Stocking A stocking knit in tow colors on large needles is a quick and easy way to hold gifts for the holiday. Use traditional Christmas colors or make one with stripes of the colors of your favorite sports team. Crocheted Wire Necklace If you can string stone nuggets onto wire, and if you can crochet a simple chain stitch, then you can make this pretty necklace. Visit Beading Arts for the instructions! Stained Glass Votives Here's a great easy project that's perfect for kids and fun for adults! We spend lots of time making great votive candles, why not dress them up even more with hand made votive holders? Ska

Artist profile: Geneviève Crabe

Artist: Geneviève Crabe Business name: Amaryllis Creations Location: St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada Websites & Blogs: Amaryllis Creations Amaryllis Creations etsy shop Crafters' Internet Geneviève Crabe blog I would describe my work as bold, colourful, eclectic wearable art. I get my inspiration from everything from flowers to architecture; everywhere I look, I see shapes, patterns, and colours to incorporate in my work. I enjoy learning new things so I read books and take classes in a variety of subjects including painting, beading, bead embroidery, polymer clay, and mixed media. I enjoy the cross-pollination that happens, and I like to incorporate a variety of components in my work: hand-painted wood, pen & ink, glass, beads, fibers, Kumihimo braids, etc. My mother was an artist, and I have been surrounded by arts and crafts my whole life. While I enjoyed artistic pursuits in my spare time, after a 30-year career in hi-tech, I now enjoy being a full-time

Recent publications: December 2009

Steampunk Style Jewelry by Jean Campbell Beaded Colorways by Beverly Gilbert More Seed Bead Stitching by Beth Stone The Rings Book by Jinks McGrath Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Holiday tutorials for great gifts!

Holiday gifts from our archives Beaded ornaments for your tree or table Beaded ornament covers Beaded jewelry as decorations More holiday tutorials from around town Gift books for the holidays Some more jewelry gifts for the holidays Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Making a crocheted wire necklace

Moonstone Rainbow Making a necklace like Moonstone Rainbow is very similar to the instructions previously given for making Blue Bells . I strung moonstone chips onto 28 gauge wire and crocheted a chain that ended up being folded into thirds. Most of the technique is outlined in the tutorial for Blue Bells, and I suggest reading it now if you haven't already! 1. Using 20 gauge wire, twist around the ends of the crocheted sections to keep them together, and take the wire through a large bead on each side. Create a wrapped loop. 2. Crimp a piece of beading wire like SoftFlex to each wrapped loop. Add beads for a strand that's as long as you desire on each side. 3. Crimp one beading wire strand to a hook, and the other to the end of a length of chain. Make a dangle on a headpin, and attach it with a wrapped loop around the free end of the chain. Easy peasy, huh? Copyright 2009 Cyndi Lavin. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal u
Amber Beads at Grand Baza... Izzet Keribar 12x16 Phot... Buy From Art.com

Yay for Kitty!

Kitty is the winner of the Artbeads.com giveaway! She wrote: I love tigers eye beads! They come in so many shapes and sizes; I can't get enough of them! Congratulations, Kitty! I hope you'll soon be surrounded by your beloved tigers eye beads :-) Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton: Each representing a different spectrum of lampwork glass, Andrew shares the new additions to his bead collection from two different artists. A Bead A Day If you find yourself in need of a quick holiday gift, don't overlook memory wire! With this simple design, you can make one for all your friends. About.com Jewelry Making Thinking of making some beaded ornament covers? Then you'll need to know the size bulb to use too. Art Bead Scene It's the first day of Art Bead Scene's annual Twelve Days of Free Projects! Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts Barbe gets all steamy over the new Steampunk Style book! Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi wonders if anyone else is working on Spring. Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva Inspired by Grandma's necklace, Cindy creates an edgey look with CZ's. Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Melanie shows a sneak peek of a pair of earrings she made for the upcoming book

Giveaway: Seed Bead Fusion

FREE STUFF ALERT!!! Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow!! Back in September, I wrote a review of Seed Bead Fusion by Rachel Nelson-Smith. Well, I now have a copy to GIVE AWAY!!! As I wrote in my review, Rachel enjoys mixing it up. Even if you don't have a lot of experience with seed beads, I can still recommend it to you. As complicated as the projects appear, they are all based upon a few very basic stitches and wirework, all of which are profiled in the techniques section. Even if you've only started beading recently, if you are willing to practice the basics, you'll be able to follow along with Rachel's instructions. There are very clear illustrations and photos to take you through each and every step. So here's my question for you: if you work with seed beads already, what do you most like making? If you don't work with them yet, what would you most like to be making? :-) Leave me a comment below, and you will automatically be entered into the drawing, which w

Are you making holiday gifts this year?

I’m making some more of my fabric stuffed hearts, but this year, I’m going to add beads! Here are the instructions for them , on my mixed media art blog. So what are you making? You can either post your answer here in the comments, or even better, send me an email with your a list of what you’re making, a link to your site or blog, and a picture of your work if you can…even if it’s in process! Send it to cyndi @ b5Media.com (remove the spaces), and put BA Gifts in the subject line. Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Deco Scarab necklace

After several false starts, I finally came up with a beaded necklace style that suited the gorgeous Deco Scarab pendant that my friend Melanie Brooks sent me to play with. If I do another of these, I will probably make one change, and that is to look for size 6/0 seed beads for the base strands that are rounder, less cylindrical. The rounder shaped beads generally sit together in a smoother line than the cylinders, oddly enough. Still, the weight of the pendant holds the beads straighter when it is being worn than is shown in the photo above, so I'm satisfied with it for now! Materials & Tools Deco Scarab pendant from Earthenwood Studio Black Nymo thread, size O 7 AB red glass rounds, 11 mm 8 AB topaz glass rounds, 7 mm 8 topaz glass rounds, 6 mm Gold seed beads, 11/0 Matte frosted AB brown seed beads, 8/0 Silver lined rootbeer seed beads, 6/0 2 jump rings, 7 mm 6" copper wire, 20 g 4 copper bicones, 6 mm 2 textured copper rounds, 4 mm 4" copper chain and lobster
Girl Wearing Traditional ... Frances Gordon 9x12 Photo... Buy From Art.com

An Artbeads.com giveaway!

Here are some gorgeous Cubic Zirconia beads that I just received from Artbeads.com so that I could create a project to share with you. That will be coming soon in the new year! For now, feast your eyes on these: ***FREE STUFF ALERT BELOW*** Artbeads.com has also made it possible for me to give away a $25 gift certificate here on Beading Arts . If you win, maybe these CZ beads are something you'd like to have. You can choose anything you want from their online catalog! To sign up for a chance to win the $25 gift certificate, leave me a comment below, telling me what type of beads or supplies you'd most like to have. In a week, I'll be randomly drawing a winner from all the commenters below. Please make sure you type your email address correctly! And Artbeads.com has another way for you to win too: visit their facebook page and sign up there to win a $100 gift certificate ! As regards FTC disclosure guidelines: I have received the CZ beads shown free of charge from

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

Jewelry & Beading Cyndi is sharing a series of Gift Guides for handmade jewelry lovers! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! The ever breathtaking beadmaker Kim Miles pulls out all the stops for the Holidays and gift giving. But that is not all! If you have the "secret word" on the secret day" every week, you get a fab discount! About.com Jewelry Making Give a beaded jewelry gift that gives twice. Art Bead Scene Be Inspired! Think about creating jewelry that tells a story. Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi is selling jewelery in a show for the first time and is trying not to "jinx" her favorites! Cindy Gimbrone aka The Lampwork Diva Meet the newest addition to the Through the Looking Glass Nugget Charm Family - Alice Blue! Jean Campbell Jean discusses how Steampunk jewelry design fits into a larger "Poetic Couture" Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , bea

Artist profiles master list

One of my favorite sources of inspiration over the years is to read about what inspires other artists. I certainly do not want to copy their work, but I do want to learn from what they're doing and how they do it.  The full list will be linked over in the sidebar under The Basics so that you won't need to bookmark it.  I'll be updating it as we add new Artist Profiles here! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Calls for entries and submissions

Art Clay, Wire Work, Metal Beads, and Chains, Fire Mountain Gems : deadline 01/12/10 MJSA Vision Awards Design Competition : deadline 01/15/10 Belle Armoire Jewelry : deadline 01/15/10 PMC Conference, Cultural Messages : deadline 01/20/10 Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Make It From Scratch carnival

The newest issue of Make It From Scratch is out today! Find fabulous treats to cook and to make in this post! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

A false start, but an interesting spiral

Well, I started working on a beaded strap from which to hang one of Melanie Brooks's gorgeous new pendants. Once I had a few inches done though, I decided that this spiral was going to be much too thick and ornate to be a good match for the ceramic Deco Scarab . However, there's no reason why I can't explain how to make this spiral, because it might be just perfect for something you've got planned ;-) Here is my original tutorial for the spiral stitch (check out those terrible hand drawn sketches!). You'll notice in the image above that I've strung the entire central core first and then just added the spiraling loops. It can be done either way, but the trick is to make sure the loops you are adding are just a bit shorter than the core beads that you're adding them to. This is what makes the piece kink slightly and twist around. The pattern I used was this: central core from size 6/0 seed beads. The loops each contained 1 size 15/0, 1 size 11/0, 2 size