Beading Arts

Reviews and giveaways coming soon for these books! Maggie Meister's Classical Elegance: 20 Beaded Jewelry Designs (Beadweaving Master Class) by Maggie Meister Chains Chains Chains: 25 Necklaces, Bracelets & Earrings by Joanna Gollberg and Nathalie Mornu Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Jet , the author of Malfait Luciu blog, is the winner of Creative Beading !!  Congratulations :-)

 May Flowers by Robbie Payne Rebecca Brown Morwyn Dow Amy Clarke Moore Mary Tafoya Jean Hutter Kathryn Lane Berkowitz Sylvia Windhurst Paula Motsinger Meyncke  Susan Sorrell  Paula Huckabay  Jennifer VanBenschoten Robbie Payne  Holly Kline Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

 August Bead Journal Project piece For no particular reason, I got all excited about bright festival colors last week.  So I pulled out my brightest most silly beads, mostly acrylics, and stitched up this silly silly button for my Bead Journal Project piece for August.  Of course Mickey had to be the centerpiece of this particular watch-face button! No reason...just for fun! Link to tutorial January Button February Button March Button April and May Buttons June and July buttons Making an easy bezel for a curved surface Copyright 2011 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, including this notice, remains intact. Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

  Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean points out a lovely book which is a bestseller which she has a project in: Best of BeadStyle, Vol. 7 ! Please come and see how pretty it is! The Bead Dreamer What does it mean to really be ready - to sell online, to succeed... Charlene shares some thoughts and talks about where she is with this journey.   The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Returning from Philadelphia, Andrew gives a recap of BeadFest! A Bead A Day Do you have a favorite project that you turn to for using leftover beads? Stop by A Bead A Day to share an idea or pick up an idea! About.com Jewelry Making Craft stores have come a long way with the jewelry supplies they now offer. Take this quick poll about your own craft store experience.   Art Bead Scene ABS Editor, Jennifer shares how to create a look for a store/gallery. Beads & Books Michelle uses the story of Cinderella to inspire a pair of earrings and sh

Wendy Chamberlain , who writes Bears, Beads, and Beautiful Things , is the winner of Margot Potter's exciting new book.  Congratulations Wendy!! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Robbie's Paw Prints Robbie Payne loves to mix quilting and bead embroidery together to create one-of-a-kind works of art!  She writes: With retirement in the fall 1999, I started a new day job of creating art using fabric, paints and beads. I’ve been very fortunate to be able to take classes from some of the best fiber artists. Their influence and direction have given me the ability to create my own art by designing, embellishing, dyeing and painting fabric. I love to add texture and dimension to my work, often by adding different fibers, bead embroidery and hand stitching. I also stay off the golf course by doing my art work, which makes my hubby very happy! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

I feel funny saying too much about 1,000 Steampunk Creations: Neo-Victorian Fashion, Gear, and Art , because four of my jewelry pieces are included. So here's my up-front disclaimer: I didn't get paid, nor do I receive royalties from the sale of this book.  I am an Amazon affiliate, so if you buy the book through my site here, I think I get a couple of pennies!  There, I feel better :-) Dreamer's Chatelaine , one of my pieces that is included in this book Now I can tell you what I think of the book.  It's fantastic!  Browsing through all the fabulous images served to both solidify and to stretch my personal ideas of what constitutes steampunk style.  My husband likes it too, especially the metal assemblage pieces and inventions.  He desperately wants me to design a steampunk cover for his cell phone.  I'm thinking that I might just find the proper inspiration in this book! There are seven chapters in the book, some of which kind of overlap in content,

Volume 6 in the Kalmbach series, Creative Beading , is available...and you'll have a chance to win a free copy here!  All the projects included are the editor-tested stitching and beading projects from the past year of Bead &Button magazine.  And there are 77 (that's SEVENTY SEVEN) different projects, some with several variations: stitching, stringing, embroidery, crochet, and wirework.  If you don't subscribe to Bead&Button , you definitely need this book! ***Free Stuff Alert!!!*** And now you have a chance to win this book!  Just leave me a comment below and you'll automatically be entered to win.  If you tweet or post on Facebook or other social spots about the contest, you can leave a second comment and be entered twice! Please make sure that your link will lead me to an email address, or else I won't be able to contact you.  No contact, no win, and I simply have to go on to the next person.  Deadline: August 30, 2011. 

I showed you the beaded button that I made for my July Bead Journal Project entry a few weeks ago, and today I thought I'd go into a bit more detail about how I made the bezel.  Most of the watch faces I'm using for the project have bars attached that I can stitch directly down to the fabric backing, but this one didn't.  Instead, I needed to bezel it in a way that would hold it down.  Since the button top is curved, I wasn't crazy about the idea of trying to just glue it in place...I could see it popping off at some inopportune moment!  So here's what I did: 1. Use a nail or small drill to add two small holes to the bottom of a bottle cap or another bezel that will fit the watch face.  Stitch the cap to the fabric that has been cut out to form the covered button. 2. This shot shows you the back side of the button fabric, including the fused interfacing that I add to keep the button fabric from sagging.   3. Add two-part epoxy resin to glue in t

Glory Hound Designs Red Coral I love Red coral, but to be environmentally conscious I decided to make my own branch from polymer clay. I created the main focal by smoothed out coils of red clay wrapped around a wire armature. Pretty cultured pearls dangle from the limbs and are linked on chains. Also, a veritable cacophony of vintage and new beads hang on multiple chains including: mother of pearl, abalone, hand blown glass, and polymer clay. Pretty shells that are drilled with my trusty dremmel are hung with chain fringe. And the connector is a lovely pearly shell that I drilled to hang a large wire loop inside to connect everything together (to stabilize the loop I stuffed the shell with a mixture of soft paper fiber and glue). I used antique silver, gold, and copper chains in different patterns to further add character. I'm happy with this piece and look forward to test driving it (wear it out). Art Bead Scene August challenge: Illustration for American Crescent

  Resin Crafts! Carmi uses a great new mold to make "people" donuts. Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! How to win the great giveaway of Maggie Meister's Classical Elagance--an amazing and breathtaking book! See jean's blog!   The Bead Dreamer Charlene shares her dreamy mermaid necklace and links to other participants in her first ever jewelry challenge. About.com Jewelry Making Set up your jewelry designing by making the perfect jewelry sets.     Art Bead Scene Try something different with your art beads - ribbon!   Carmi's Art/Life World Margot Potter's new book inspired Carmi's new linked necklace.   Cindy Gimbrone Beads Need some iron in your jewelry diet? Tuesday Tangle has just what you're looking for!   Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Beads of Aquarius Located in Nice, Provence-Alpes-Cote D'Azure, France, Mouna Marini designs mostly a one of a kind embroidered jewelry pieces. From simple, everyday pieces to bridal jewelry and special occasions pieces, each item has its own story and inspiration from history , art deco or art painting. Mouna enjoys using high quality materials in her designs, creating both chic elegant and Bohemian style pieces. Mouna writes, "I have loved to design since I was a small child. After 10 years in the world of fashion, I started designing embroidered jewelry and it become my passion! I love working with several colors and materials in one unique piece." Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Margot Potter looks at wire not only as a structural element in jewelry design, but also as decorative.  She has done what no one, to my knowledge, has done in a book before, combining stiff sculptural wire with flexible beading wire in the same designs.  New Dimensions in Bead and Wire Jewelry is the results of Margot's explorations.  If you're tired of wire designs that all look the same, this book is for you.  If you would like to learn about how to use all different types of wire, not just high-priced silver and gold, this book is for you.  If you enjoy being given instructions that include the advice to color outside the lines and take some risks, this book is definitely for you! The earlier projects are fairly fast and easy, becoming trickier and a bit more time-consuming as you make your way through the book.  I made a version of one of Margot's projects that she calls Helix, and it took me about 3 hours, not counting time to make the copper tube beads.

It's worthwhile to check out the archives of your favorite beading sources every so often! Two older posts on Beading Daily caught my eye. The first was written by Marlene Blessing .  Marlene got to see a LOT of jewelry, both for Beadwork and for Stringing magazines, so when she has something to say about making jewelry that people will love , it's a good idea to listen. At first, Marlene's post sounds like a lesson in design composition : balance and color are key to catching the eye. But then she dives into a couple of topics that will get you noticed by the magazines that you might want to submit to: originality, simplicity, and photography! Whether or not you want to see your work in a magazine, these tips are worth reading through. The second post that made me think was written by Jean Campbell .  Jean discussed how to make your beadwork last . It's not good enough for people to fall in love with your necklace: your necklace must not let them down

I told you awhile ago about my friend Michelle Mach's "Mostly Metal Challenge."  Well, today is the much-anticipated reveal day, at least much anticipated for all of us who are doing the challenge, because Michelle, the sneaky pants, didn't even tell us who else was playing!  So the whole reveal is a huge surprise for all of us. Here's what I got in my filigree kit: I am proud to say that I was able to use almost everything, although not all in their original forms.  Two things that I've had to set aside for different projects are the strand of blue nuggets and the floral bead cap at the top of the metal pieces.  How did I change them?  I dowsed them in an ammonia and salt patina bath to get rid of the shine!  I'll write up instructions soon for how to do that without burning out your sinuses ;-) Anyway, I decided to use the pieces to make a fabric cuff in a style that is a bit different from my usual.  I've got some photos on Mixed Media

If making a full-sized bead embroidery necklace seems too daunting, maybe you could think about making a bracelet instead.  If you start with a plain metal cuff, you'll find that it works up much more quickly.  Follow most of the directions, including the instructions for the different stitches that you'll find in the free chapter of Every Bead Has a Story .  1. Trace the outline of the cuff onto a backing fabric like ultrasuede, but don't cut it out yet. Glue down your cabochons and begin your bead embroidery.  2. Prepare the metal cuff.  You'll see in the photo above that I used to wrap the cuff in fabric and stitch it in place across the top, which will later be covered by the beadwork.  I don't do it this way anymore.  I find it is more versatile to simply glue a large piece of fabric to the back of the cuff and then cut the edges even with the edges of the beadwork.  You can do it either way that appeals to you...try both! 3. When your bead

Cindy Gimbrone Beads Cindy's got a new tool on her workbench, a rolling mill. Check out the jewelry pieces that have rolled out onto her bench! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean is getting verrrry excited, anticipating Michelle Mach's Mostly Metal Challenge! Come read about it! The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton In an effort to help launch Allegory Gallery, Andrew announces the Allegory Gallery Fundraiser! Make a donation and receive a prize for your support!   About.com Jewelry Making Get twisting with your beads and learn to make a very cool twisted strand necklace with this bead weaving technique.   Art Bead Scene Come check out the August challenge!   Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

  Southwest Princess [Editor's note - I don't see any reason why Marcy shouldn't get her wish...read ahead to see what it is ;-)] Marcy Antle Queen Marcy Originals I admired the work of Sherry Serafini for years and she was in Atlanta teaching classes at a local bead store a few years ago. I have now taken three classes with her and another one next week is scheduled. Bead embroidery is addicting, once I started I could not stop! I love hand-work anyway and this combines my love of beading and sewing. To me, it is calming. I am not a "patient" person normally, but somehow I am so patient with this work-intensive, time-consuming craft - I think because it turns out so gorgeous. I never "plan" a pattern, just wing-it so never know what may come out. That is exciting to me too. I love to wear one of my pieces and have someone admire it, then I tell them I made it and they always say "YOU MADE THAT?" which is so amusing to me!

Altered Couture Deadline: 09/15/11    Saul Bell Award Deadline: 09/16/11               Spectrum awards Deadline: 09/23/11     Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Blossoms of the Moonlit Waves Bead embroidery tutorials from the archives: Free e-book on bead embroidery stitches Bead embroidery techniques Treasure Chest: a basic bead embroidered project Bead embroidered cuff Simple cuff bracelet Bead embroidered assemblage A wrapped paua necklace Beaded cabochon pendants Floral bead embroidered necklace Lady of Shalott Midnight at the Oasis Embroidered cuff bracelets Making barnacles with seed beads Always Time for Cats Autumn Vines A sparkling rivoli pendant Dark Lady Gaea Emerging Peyote spiral ring bracelet Beaded postcards In Winter, My Garden Dreams Steampunk fabric cuff Blossoms of the Moonlit Waves Bead embroidered bracelet with cabochons Making an easy bezel for a curved surface Brass wire and fabric flower bead embroidered necklace Moe'uhane Mauna Lei Ancient Waves Seed bead info from the archives: The Best Seed Bead Books The Best Online Instruction Seed Bead S