Showcase: 1000 Beads

I am thrilled to be able to tell you that one of my beads from the "Not Found in Nature" series was just accepted for a new volume by Lark Books, which will be published in April 2014!  You can see some of the beads in the series in this post if you'd like, but I'm not going to tell you which one it is!

It's not too early to start...

More ideas to make your holiday gift giving all handmade this year! Click tutorials to see the rest.

Embellished Eyeglasses by Disney and Paige

Acrylic Flower Earrings by Vicki O'Dell

The Coffee Break Ring by Carmi Cimicata

More Rings by Carmi

Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

Recent publications: October 2013

Metal Clay 101 for Beaders: Create Custom Findings, Beads, Embellishments & Charms by Kristal Wick

Jewelry Beyond the Bead: Make It Today, Wear It Tonight by Erica Visocky

How to Make Silver Charms from Metal Clay by Sue Heaser

Crochet with Beads: Basic Steps and Innovative Techniques (Design Originals) by Suzanne McNeill

Bead Embroidery Jewelry Projects: Design and Construction, Ideas and Inspiration (Lark Jewelry & Beading) by Jamie Cloud Eakin

The Art of Beadwork: Techniques and Inspirational Projects for Creating Exquisite Pieces by Jane Lock

Project: Necklaces: 30 Designs Using Beads, Wire, Chain, and More by Editors of Bead&Button Magazine

Learn How To Make Micro Macrame Jewelry - Volume 2 - Intermediate/Advanced by Kelsy Eason

Metalsmithing for Jewelry Makers by Jinks McGrath

Making Etched Metal Jewelry: Techniques and Projects, Step by Step by Kristen Robinson and Ruth Rae


Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

Easy "pronged" jewelry

Tammy Jones, on Jewelry Making Daily, recently shared what she had found in Aisha Formanski's book Punched Metal Jewelry.  Smartest, easiest way to make prongs ever!  I've seen it before in other books and online, but Aisha's beautiful photos make it so easy to understand if you've never tried it before.  Visit the first link above to see the technique, the second link for more info on the book.  I've not yet seen it, so I can say no more!


Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

Don't miss...

Sarah Sequins's blog features the Epic Indie Fair of Awesome.  You don't want to miss her recommendations!


Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

Bead Journal Project: October 2013

October cabochon, finished

African Helix was next on my list to make my October piece for the Bead Journal Project.  Now I wondered why I waited so long on it, because the African Helix along with the Russian Spiral have turned out to be my two favorite stitch adaptations.  There are so many great open spots left for you to fill in as you please with accent beads.  Even though I used the same style bead in each spot of a given row, you wouldn't have to do this, and in fact it's a plan of mine to see what happens when I mix it up a bit more!

The central bead cabochon came from The Best Beads.

Bored By Back Stitch will teach you how to create twelve different bead embroidery motifs, using nine different beadweaving stitches.  Learn how beadweaving stitches can be morphed into beautiful bead embroidered motifs, created to surround and enhance your cabochons or accent beads.

The specific motifs you will learn are designs that use embroidered forms of basic peyote, Cellini spiral peyote, brick, Russian spiral, herringbone, chevron chain, right angle weave, square, African helix, and double or single St Petersburg chain.  In addition, there are step-by-step instructions for three projects to help you use your motifs.  The e-book is available now, 127 pages, $3.00 US.  

January plus explanation for the series
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September

Copyright 2013 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. 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.

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

A Bead A Day
Have you ever held a crafting slumber party? Lisa shares her latest craft night projects made with wine corks!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Join Jean as she shares an email from Beading Daily with some awesome previews and jewelry projects ahead of time!

Resin Crafts Blog
Do you remember Betsy McCall? These sentimental resin filled bezels will be perfect for both the young and older women in your life.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Sometimes a wonderful childhood book character can come back to you in the form of jewelry - come see the Pinocchio necklace!


 

Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

It's not to early to start...

More ideas to make your holiday gift giving all handmade this year! Click tutorials to see the rest.

Christmas Lights and Bells Bracelet by Dyanne Everett-Cantrell

Bubble Wrap Necklace by Sherri Haab

Holiday Baubles by Kelly Lanza



Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

Yay for Carolyn!

Carolyn, who writes Carolyn's Creations, is the winner of the orange beads from The Best Beads!  Yay for Carolyn!!




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Acrylic jewelry display pieces

1059 Acrylic Risers

When you decide to start making jewelry for sale instead of just for yourself and friends, there are a lot of details to hammer out...an accounting system, how you plan to market and advertise your work, whether or not you're going to sell online and/or in physical venues.  Well, there is a company called Achieve Display that can help you with the pieces that you may need to show off your wares to their best advantage if you decide to sell at craft and art fairs, in boutiques, in galleries, or in your own retail space.

1338 Winged Earring Display Holder   

1339 Slant back Earring Stand 

Clean-lined black or clear acrylic displays are one of the most useful items you will find, especially if you're going to be moving your display around frequently.  Most of the displays stack, and all are light weight, making transportation easy.  Light weight is also helpful if you just like to change your display around frequently, and I definitely advise that you do...each change helps to make the jewelry look fresh.

1371 Acrylic Hand Display, 11"h

So here you'll see some of the display pieces that Achieve Display sent to me to look over and try out.  Make sure you stay tuned, because I'm going to be giving away some of them during the next two months as a part of the holiday giveaways that I always like to do!  In the meantime, check out the large selection of display pieces at the link above...there are also larger retail displays too, and displays for other types of businesses!

1460-1 Acrylic Tray w/ Lid, 12"w x 8"d x 2"h

1337 Bracelet Display, 12 1/4"w x 7"h

Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

More business tips from around the blogosphere

Don't miss last week's series of business tips!  There are links to great advice on publishing, selling your patterns, and creating a more compelling work of art.

Pricing jewelry: customers' mental price limits, a video by Rena Klingenberg


When it comes to price, context is everything by Megan Auman of Designing an MBA


Advice on getting advice, a three-part article by Luann Udell




Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

Repairing a beaded dress

Poor dress with the missing bead trim!

My friend Deb has a beautiful dress that had a slight problem...it was missing some of its beaded decorations.  We looked for beads to match, but had no luck with it.  However, the answer turned out to be staring us right in the face!

1. I removed the top row of beads along the collar line, which were fortunately exactly the right size, shape, and color.  When they were all gone, it was hardly even noticeable that they had ever been there.

2. Stitch them in place around the naked cabochons.

3.  Voila!  That's it.  The collar piece was thick enough that they didn't even need to be lined.  HAND-WASHING from now on, Deb!

Copyright 2013 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. 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: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

Art Bead Scene
Check out Heather's cute Sly Fox Pendant Tutorial this week!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Theme necklaces are my favorite and focussing on Vin Diesel and Riddick made this statement multistrand sample extra exciting to finish!
 
Resin Crafts Blog
Nunn Design sent us a set of new components to play in and a set that we are giving away on the blog!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
 Book Giveaway of the beautiful book, Bead Embroidery Jewelry Projects, by master beader Jamie Cloud Eakin! Don't miss out on a chance to win this exceptional book! See Jean's blog and comment to sign up!

Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

It's not too early to start...

More ideas to make your holiday gift giving all handmade this year! Click tutorials to see the rest.

LED Brooch by Adafruit

Wire Knitted Bracelet by Sara Oehler

Peacock Feather Fascinator by Intimate Weddings

Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

Seasonal orange beads giveaway from The Best Beads

My friend Ekaterina at The Best Beads has a wonderful treat in store for a lucky winner!  Here's what she's including in the fabulous giveaway package:

Preciosa Czech Glass Bugle Beads 10g Orange and Silver Lined 7mm
10pcs Orange with Marble Stone Coating Flat Ovals Picasso Table Cut Beads 18x12mm
25g (approx 1000pcs) Neon Opaque Orange 8/0 (2.9mm) Preciosa Rocaille Seed Beads
25g (approx 300pcs) Neon Matt Orange 7/0 (3.5mm) Preciosa Rocaille Seed Beads
40pcs Orange with Marble Stone Bicones Picasso Special Cut Beads 8mm
100pcs Orange Lined Faceted Rounds Fire Polished Beads 4mm

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!

Would you like to win these beads?  Here's what you need to do...please read this carefully.  Visit The Best Beads and then leave me a comment here on this blog telling me what other style of beads you would like to mix with these, and include your email address.  If I don't see your email address, I won't be able to contact you.  No contact, no win, and I simply have to go on to the next person.  You are welcome to spell it out if you'd prefer, for example, cyndi at mazeltovjewelry dot com.  If you tweet or post on Facebook or other social spots about the contest, you can leave a second comment and be entered twice! Deadline: October 23, 2013

Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

What to do with hinges?

A couple of weeks ago, I shared with readers of Mixed Media Artist that I had the opportunity to visit an amazing store called Vintage Hardware in Astoria Oregon.  I'm pretty sure that I want to incorporate some of them into a mixed media bead embroidery piece,  perhaps as a replacement for a bail.  I'm still mulling it over, and if you have any suggestions, I am happy to listen (and to give you credit!)...  


Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

Black jasper & crystal bracelet

This elegant bracelet started out as a plain black expansion bracelet on elastic cord. By taking the original bracelet apart and adding faceted fire-polished beads, you can make a new bracelet that will last much longer. And the best part is that there are usually enough beads in an elastic bracelet to make at least two new ones. Vary the color of the faceted beads you choose, and have fun!  I've given you extremely detailed instructions below, so I hope you'll find this to be a good beginner project.

Materials & Tools:20 inches of beading wire, .019 inches in diameter
10 - 8mm faceted rounds (teal a.b.)
4 - 8x4mm faceted rondelles (teal a.b.)
12 - 4mm faceted rounds (teal a.b.)
6 flat oval 2-holed beads (black jasper)
2 gold 3-holed spacer bars
6 gold headpins, 2 inches
4 gold crimps
3 gold jump rings
1 gold lobster claw clasp
2 alligator clips
Wire cutters
Chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
File
Measuring tape

1. Cut the beading wire into two 10 inch pieces. Use alligator clips to keep the beads from sliding off as you work. Alternate stringing on a black jasper bead with an 8mm faceted round through both the top and bottom holes of the jasper beads. Slide a faceted rondelle onto each end. Set aside.

2. Use three headpins for each 3-holed spacer bar. Sandwich the bar between two 4mm faceted rounds, and create a wrapped loop with the end of the headpin. Make sure that the two outer loops face in the same direction, and that the middle loop faces in the opposite direction.

3. Attach two jump rings to the middle loop of one of the spacer bar assemblages. Attach a jump ring and a lobster claw clasp to the middle loop of the other.

4. Use crimp beads to attach the bracelet wires to the outer loops of the spacer bar assemblages. Bury the wires in the bracelet beadwork and clip off the ends.

Copyright 2013 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. 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: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

Bead & jewelry blogging round-up!

Art Bead Scene
Check out guest blogger Lorelei Eurto's post on holding an open house jewellery event!

A Bead A Day
Ready to share your holiday jewelry making secrets? What's your inspiration? Share on A Bead A Day blog and get in the holiday jewelry making spirit!

Resin Craft Blog
If you have not tried working with a channel bracelet, this post is for you! Jewelry clay and a bangle means instant happy!

Snap out if it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean is hosting a book giveway for the wonderful jewelry instruction and design book by Kristal Wick, Metal Clay 101 for Beaders--come and comment on her blog for a chance to win it!


Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

It's not too early to start...

More ideas to make your holiday gift giving all handmade this year! Click tutorials to see the rest.

Cocktail Bling Ring by Tammy Jones

Wooden Jewelry with Colored Pencils by Andrew Waser and Michele Lanan

Christmas Sticker Jewelry Set by by Rena Klingenberg

Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

Some business tips from around the blogosphere

It's been awhile since I've gone through the posts that I save in my blog reader to see which ones I think you'll find helpful, so I've got quite a backlog at this point!  Here are the cream of the crop:

Writing books about beading, a five-part series of posts by experienced author Robin Atkins




Five Visual Design Elements


Five Keys for a Successful Site Redesign, by Jonathan Bailey for BloggingPro

Selling your original beading patterns online, advice by 3 master beaders for Beading Daily



Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

A special find in Portland

Last time we went out to visit our daughter in Portland Oregon, she took us to some funky little shops around her St John's neighborhood.  I found this fabulously sparkly piece that had to come home with me...only $20!  How could I possibly leave it behind?

However, when the young woman working there asked me what I would wear it with, I blithely replied that I'd probably be taking it apart.  She paled visibly.  Maybe I shouldn't have said that...?  Maybe I shouldn't even do it...?  What do you think?


Technorati Tags: bead embroidery,handmade beaded jewelry,wearable art,beads,jewelry,necklace,mixed media,beading

Choices, choices - part five

Myst of Avalon, 2013

Do you like the name?  It was suggested by my friend Kathryn Lane Ware Berkowitz!

To add a decorative edge to your bead embroidered necklace, you'll want to start with a simple edging brick stitch.  (Instructions are available in the free first chapter of my e-book Every Bead Has a Story).

Edging brick stitch

Picot stitch with size 15/0s along the upper parts of the bottom edge

Simple two bead stacks along the upper edge

Small accent beads added along the middle part of the lower edge

Save the largest accent beads for the middle of the lower edge

The entire body of the necklace is now edged.

I added a brick stitched bail to each end of the necklace, trapping a hammered oval link.  (Detailed step by step instructions for a brick stitched bail can be found in Chapter 3 of Every Bead Has a Story.)

Using basic wire working skills, form a hook clasp and beaded links for each side of the necklace.  Use wrapped loops to keep the chain secure.  

Tutorial posts:
Part one
Part two
Part three
Part four
Part five

Materials sources:

Small glass focal beads from The Best Beads
Steel cut buttons from antique shop in New Jersey (I think!)
Centerpiece button from Susan Clarke


Instructions for motifs:

Bored By Back Stitch will teach you how to create twelve different bead embroidery motifs, using nine different beadweaving stitches.  Learn how beadweaving stitches can be morphed into beautiful bead embroidered motifs, created to surround and enhance your cabochons or accent beads.

The specific motifs you will learn are designs that use embroidered forms of basic peyote, Cellini spiral peyote, brick, Russian spiral, herringbone, chevron chain, right angle weave, square, African helix, and double or single St Petersburg chain.  In addition, there are step-by-step instructions for three projects to help you use your motifs.  The e-book is available now, 127 pages, $3.00 US.