Beading Arts

Amber Beads at Grand Baza... Izzet Keribar 12x16 Phot... Buy From Art.com

There comes a time when a blog simply has to grow up a bit.  As you probably have already noticed, Beading Arts has some affiliate sponsors and a couple of regular advertisers.  You've probably also noticed the disclaimers at the bottom of some of my tutorials telling you which products or supplies were provided free to me by the companies that sell them so that I could make something featuring those products and show you how to use them.  Here's what I'd like to try next: an experiment to see how well small banner ads would work for the advertiser , so that I know whether or not it's worth looking for additional sponsors.  See the big ad for Earthenwood Studio near the top of the sidebar?  Well, you won't be getting one that is quite that big for free!  But what you will get if you enter my contest and you win is a small banner ad which will run just below my paid ads for one month, free.  And I'm going to pick up to four winners! How to enter the conte

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Melanie unleashes her grumpy feelings with a little rant and a bead sale! Jean Campbell A mystery package is the catalyst for this creative challenge. Up for it? You could win a free book! Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio Lorelei had a chance, a while back (2008) to have a nice little interview with etsy seller, Patina Queen! This is Lorelei's wire supplier, and she ROCKS! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! jean is breathless with delight when she receives a gift from her friend the artist Lisa Kan! The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Andrew shares his feelings about the awesome new Spring issue of "Stringing" magazine. About.com Jewelry Making Tammy got the 411 on some very cool new metal stamps. Though these can also be used with clay as well. Art Bead Scene The Art Bead Scene begins a new monthly feature - the ABS Carnival Blog! Let the Carnival begin! Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from For

Lori Greenberg If you're still trying to decide whether to take the plunge and add lampwork to your arsenal of jewelry making skills, you might want to visit some of the fantastic artists who've shared their work over the years: Lori Greenberg Lea Avroch Liliana Cirstea Glenn Mark Hamilton Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

The Complete Book of Polymer Clay by Lisa Pavelka Your Seed Bead Style: Accents, Embellishments, and Adornments by the Editors of Bead&Button magazine Simply Stylish Chain and Metal Jewelry by Editors of BeadStyle magazine Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

All the Daughters of Eve By now I think that most jewelry artists have been able to see a lampworking demonstration if you've wanted to. The next question is whether or not you want to do it yourself. It's possible to learn how to do it yourself, using the books and online information available (some is included below), but I really recommend taking an introductory class or learning from a practicing friend. There are so many mistakes you'll be able to avoid by having someone guide you at first. I’ve been making lampwork glass beads for years and years, but there is always something new to learn. By the way, I didn’t say that I was any good at it, just that I’ve been doing it a long time. If you want to gape over some gorgeous work, take a look at some of the artists who've done profiles for us over the years. Here's some information to help you make your decision to melt or not to melt... Frequently Asked Questions about lampworking An Introduction t

I am really happy with how the Bead Journal Project is going for me this year.  I wasn't overly inspired last year, mostly because I didn't have enough time to devote to it.  This year is a different story, however.  Even though the pieces aren't taking me all that long to do, I'm really satisfied with how they're coming out. Here's February's bracelet .  Last year, at the very end of February, I left a day job that had become a source of more challenge than I cared to face each day (that's the nicest way I can think of to phrase it, so please don't ask!).  Now on the one year anniversary of my emancipation, I have made a bracelet that symbolizes growth and change, with many of my very favorite colors.    January Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Girl Wearing Traditional ... Frances Gordon 9x12 Photo... Buy From Art.com

Cindy Gimbrone aka The Lampwork Diva Inspired by the color of summer gardens in a seed catalog, Cindy creates a new bead. Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Celebrate the many uses of Ice Resin with Melanie's blog latest blog series which highlights some of her newest works. Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean is embroiled in a conundrum--help a girl out! The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Working with Jill MacKay's new line of decorative bezels, Andrew experiments with resin and takes advantage of the bezels' deep walls. About.com Jewelry Making Tammy reminds you about a thriving jewelry community and how to keep up with news on her site. Art Bead Scene Art Bead Scene teams up with Margie Deeb for a color challenge. Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi restrings a strand of cheap plastic beads with a wristlet. Repurposing is great! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media ,

Artist: Sylvia Windhurst Website & Blog: Windy River etsy shop Windy River blog My work is predominantly beadweaving with some embroidered and painted elements thrown in. I do a little wire wrapping, but my main focus is on beadwork. I am in love with tiny seed beads - the smaller the better. My business name is actually just a contrived name that my daughter picked out (she was 13 at the time.) I was going to use my own name but she wanted to be involved so I let her name my shop - and of course it does sound like my last name so it's not totally unrelated. My creative process is usually me thinking in the car, while I am doing other chores etc., and I get an inspiration - I might make a quick sketch or if I can run up to my studio and see what materials I have that might work for my idea. I have tons of beads and lots of broken old jewelry that I like to take apart and use pieces from. Sometimes I'll see a color combination somewhere that I like - like I r

***Contest is closed.  Thanks for entering*** Visit Jewelry&Beading this week for an opportunity to learn about Zulugrass jewelry and to sign up to win a piece! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Now I just need a name! [Note...it became Midnight at the Oasis ] Once the necklace has edging brick stitch around the entire edge, it's time to do a little math.  To make it easier, I started from the middle and worked outward, tying a small piece of black Nymo thread at each space where I would stitch a CZ or an accent bead (these are the CZ beads that I got from Artbeads ).  All the rest of the necklace would be finished with a simple three-bead picot stitch.      I recommend going back for a second or even a third pass through the section where the accent beads and CZs are added.  Their weight could prove to be too much for a single strand of beading thread over time. Here is the piece with all the beading done.  You can see the wires sticking up from each end: they were curled into a circle and stitched in place to the back of the front fabric before the edging was done.  This method gives you a very strong and clean finish at the top edge.

Jewelry Vendor, Durbar Sq... Ethel Davies 12x16 Phot... Buy From Art.com

Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi attempts to explain how one necklace turns into two. Cindy Gimbrone aka The Lampwork Diva An addition to the Grunge Bead Series - Grunge Faux Bois! Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Melanie shows off the necklace she made for the Bead Soup Party: a delicious blend of stone, pearls, glass, ceramic, and brass ingredients. Jewelry & Beading Cyndi has a great giveaway going on: TWO gift certificates for Murano glass jewelry!!   Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio The connection you can have with a customer, is a treasure. Collaborating on a necklace, Lorelei and JoAnn create a wonderful keepsake. Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Book review by Jean: feel like learning new techniques? Try this new text with fab photos! About.com Jewelry Making Ever thought of applying for a jewelry making grant? If so, here is news about how to do so as well as some important tips to follow. Art Bead Scene Art Bead Scene Unvei

Artist: Helen Breil Business name: Helen Breil Designs Location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada Website: Helen Breil Designs Helen, how do you describe your gorgeous work? I work in polymer clay and recently launched a line of Focal Art Beads. I would describe my work as contemporary. I like bold but elegant. I love color and texture. I am more interested in design rather than technique. What is your creative process like? I am often driven by some element that has inspired me. For example if I have a new texture I want to use, I play with various shapes and colours to create something that really shows off the texture in the best way possible. I love buttons which I use in my work quite often. Often a button is my starting point. I experiment a lot and learn from my mistakes. If I’m unhappy with a piece I keep trying to tweak it until I’m happy with it. Often I’ve been close to giving up on a piece but I decide to add a design element and then the piece feels complete. I lo

  ***Contest is closed.  Thanks for entering*** Please visit Jewelry&Beading before Monday, Feb 15 to find out about how easy it is to enter our fantastic giveaway!  Two $25 gift certificates will be drawn on Monday! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Altered Couture : Deadline, 03/15/10 Ugly Necklace Contest : Deadline, 03/15/10 The Polymer Revolution, 2010 : Deadline, 03/15/10 30 Minute Rings, Lark Books : Deadline 03/19/10 Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Stitch on graduated stacks of seed beads, starting with just two and working up to around five.  Arrange the stacks along a crazy waving line that covers several inches of your necklace.  When the stacks are completed, stitch them together along the top, adding two or more beads between each stack so that they ruffle at the top. Nestle pearls and other accent beads into the deep wells formed by the ruffled stacks. Add more lengths of ruffled stacks and accent bead embellishments along the necklace.  I chose to only use a few accent beads on the top couple of inches of fabric on each end. When the whole piece is bead embellished to your liking, cut a bottom piece of ultrasuede.  Stitch on a piece of wire at each of the two ends: curl the end of the wire into a circle so that you can stitch it firmly in place on the back of the top fabric. Glue the top and back together lightly.  Using size 8/0 seed beads, stitch all the raw edges together using edging brick stitc

Awhile ago, I received these gorgeous Cubic Zirconia beads from Artbeads.com in order to show you their quality and make a project to share with you.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them, but it was a lengthy project and took a bit of time to complete. Finally!  Over the next few days, I'll share the steps that I took and show you how I ended up using these wonderful sparkly beads as embellishments. Draw an outline for your necklace on ultrasuede or whatever foundation fabric you prefer.  Cut out along the outer line, but leave the inside intact for now.  Check these two previous posts for more information about creating your foundation piece and about bead embroidery in general.  Cut lengths of ribbon yarn and pin them in place all over the foundation.  Allow the to extend past the lines slightly. Using a wide zig zag stitch, use your sewing machine to anchor all the ribbons in place, stitching back and forth across the piece until everything is secure. 

Detail of Beads for Jewelry Making, M... Alison Jones 16x12 Photograph... Buy From Art.com

Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts: Are you a follower? Barbe has a giveway for her blog readers. Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi did "knot" stress out making this new necklace! Cindy Gimbrone aka the Lampwork Diva With the help of Vintaj brass, Cindy whips up a set of tethered butterfly earrings with her bronze floral charms. Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Melanie reveals the delicious ingredients she received for the Bead Soup Party. Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio Lorelei's blog has a new look. And she heads to cooking school! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Kim Miles! Who makes prettier Valentine's day, or "just for yourself" gifts than Kim? Wait til you see what she has up her sleeve...the Ace of Hearts, so to speak! Strands of Beads Melissa is giving away a $25.00 gift certificate from Artbeads.com this week! A Bead A Day Lisa is hoping to get some ideas for using a bright

Nature by Design: New Directions in Fiber & Jewelry Biennial Exhibition : Deadline, 02/19/10 Night and Day, Stringing Magazine's spring challenge : Deadline, 03/01/10 Symbeadotic Gallery, All Things Oz : Deadline, 03/01/10 Fire Mountain Gems, Seed Beads : Deadline: 03/09/10 Fire Mountain Gems, Glass Beads : Deadline: 03/09/10 Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading