Beading Arts

From the moment I finished writing Bored By Back Stitch , I was pretty sure that there would be more to say on the matter. It took almost no time before I was starting to wonder how to make the bead embroidery motifs even more complex and interesting. There were different colors and shapes of beads to explore, certainly, but I also had the nagging feeling that these stitches needed to be able to be combined in order to reach their full potential. Since the stitches used are all bead embroidery adaptations of beadweaving stitches, it only seemed logical that the next step would be to work out ways to make them play well together, rather than always keeping them in their own part of the playground.  And so I wrote a second chapter to Bored By Back Stitch .  This new chapter looks at how to combine the stitches from Chapter One into more complex patterns and motifs, allowing you to work seamlessly from one stitch to another as you desire, resulting in a more organic look like

1000 Beads (500 Series) by Kristina Logan Organic Wire and Metal Jewelry: Stunning Pieces Made with Sea Glass, Stones, and Crystals by Eva M. Sherman and Beth L. Martin The Complete Illustrated Guide to Beading & Making Jewelry: A Practical Visual Handbook Of Traditional & Contemporary Techniques  by Ann Kay and Lucinda Ganderton Floral Journey: Native North American Beadwork by Lois S. Dubin American Indian Beadwork (Beadwork Books) by J.F. "Buck" Burshears and W. Ben Hunt Bead Crochet Jewelry: An Inspired Journey Through 27 Designs by Bert Rachel Freed and Dana Elizabeth Freed Linked: Innovative Chain Mail Jewelry Designs by Karin Van Voorhees Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Tutorials The Best Books Design Series A practical lesson in choosing colors Color and fashion forecast sources: Pantone Fashion Trendsetter College Fashion Jewelry and beading shows with classes Jewelry and beading school classes Online jewelry and beading education Jump start your learning curve Know your jewelry terms Online color training and tools Online jewelry design tools Online creativity tools Online bead and jewelry forums

Pearl is the winner of the wonderful beads from Fire Mountain Gems : Rubberized faceted glass beads Glass Beads - Celestial Crystal Congratulations, Pearl!

My necklace for April is called My Place in the Sun , because April started out in typical New England fashion this year (lousy!) and I was sure I'd never see a warm day again.  But here we are at the end of the month, and the warm sunny days are multiplying! I received some metal blanks from ImpressArt of a brand new metal alloy called Alkeme , and so I used those for my stamped and textured cabochon pieces.  I'll be posting a tutorial, so stay tuned if you want to see how the cabochon was made .  The entire necklace was decorated with a mixture of back stitch and the bead woven embroidery stitches that I developed for Bored By Back Stitch .  This necklace, along with Turning of the Tides from last month will be featured in the second chapter of that e-book, coming soon! January February March April Copyright 2014 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distribut

Painted Glass Beaded Mushrooms Cherie makes some glass mushrooms for the garden. Mixed Media Artist Do you enjoy painting your own fabrics for your projects? Cyndi has compiled all of her fabric painting tutorials into one place for you! Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Come and see the lovely online book which Rita Toltec made of the recent Blog Hop she hosted which included fifty designers: THE COLOR OF DREAMS ! It is such a beautiful book! So dreamy! A Bead A Day Love using jewelry making components in interesting ways? Lisa does too and is sharing a simple, but fun bracelet made on the beach! Carmi's Art/Life World I imagine that miniature vials will always appeal to those of us who like unique and unusual beads. This week I featured them in a necklace. Resin Crafts Blog Today's post features a classic one pour resin project! Mother's Day Craft Tutorials Mother's Day is coming up May 11th. Now's the time to start thinki

Everyone has to start somewhere, and since we've covered so many different materials and styles over the years, I thought that I would put together a short list of my best resources and easiest tutorials for people who are just starting out.  Don't be intimidated!  Just pick a something and dive right in! Beginner tutorials and resources in different media: Making a textured polymer clay pendant Wirework basics Blue heart wire earrings Leftover bead earrings Wire up some button earrings Hammered wire earrings Royal Pearls necklace Lampwork basics Simple lampwork bead earrings Easy lampwork bead necklaces Knotted cord necklace Metal stamped bracelet CopprClay basics Knotting a continuous necklace Seed bead basics Two-drop peyote beaded beads Bead embroidery basics Pretty as you please bracelet Cloth and sparkle bracelet Bottle cap pins Optical lens pendant Other resources:  Design series A practical lesson in choosing colors

Your beautiful handmade gift is finished...now what?  Do you ever wonder how to make the package as beautiful and unique as the contents?  Wonder no more, my friends!   Viola Sutanto has a brand new Lark Book called Packaging Your Crafts .  Whether you make jewelry, clothing, edibles, or decorative items, you'll find fabulous ideas for adding a professional edge to your packaging. There are three sections to this book: materials and how to use them, designing for your specific contents, and a resource guide.  The first two sections are really fun to leaf through while fantasizing about your own work.  There are so many examples given, plus helpful tips from experienced designers, that this book is a good introduction to the fine art of branding as well as being a helpful how-to. The resources section has a selection of printable packaging templates, sizing charts, and measurement conversion charts to help you bring your own packaging to light.   Technorati Tags: be

Pat Krauchune You will find some of these artists' profiles listed in other categories as well, but some of them will be found only here.  So many different styles are represented in this group of talented people, you'll want to visit all of them! Pat Krauchune Jill Lawrence Marta Townsend Jodie Atherton Joan Babcock Susan Sorrell Denise Perreault Jadyn's Jewelbox Robin Humphrey Benjamin John Coleman Dayle Doroshow Vicki Dehne Betsy Howard Love Heals Genevieve Crabe Rebecca Brown Mary Tafoya Margaux Lange Tina Koyama Phaedra Torres Beth Cummings Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

I've made a couple of giveaway packets from the new product stash I received from Fire Mountain Gems and Beads last month, and here's the first that's up for grabs!  Stay tuned...the next gift packet will be metal! Rubberized faceted glass beads Glass Beads - Celestial Crystal GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!  Would you like to win these bead strands? Here's what you need to do... please read this carefully . Leave me a comment here 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: April 28, 2014  

Mixed Media Artist You can never have too many image transfer methods in your bag of tricks. Cyndi has gathered up all her tutorials for you! Spring Postcard Art Cherie makes a postcard for June's spring challenge. From Dollar Store Plastic to Elegant Easter Eggs By the time you're done, no one would ever know these elegant Easter eggs are made from cheap plastic eggs! Snap Out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean reposts a review of Jamie Cloud Eakins most recent Bead Embroidery book, and exceptional work! Crochet Cuteness The Crafty Princess cracks open a new super cute crochet book. A Bead A Day New ideas for summer jewelry are circulating over on a bead a day blog. Lisa's thinking about summertime pearls and ankle-bracelets as necklaces! Resin Crafts Blog With Jewelry Clay as a new medium in my jewelry zone I have found that I can create so many new wearable pieces. Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearab

I tried to stick with books for this list that really embodied what I consider the spirit of working with mixed materials and recycled components.  There are many other books that could have been included, but you'll find them listed under the major media that they deal with: polymer clay, wire, metal clay, etc.  I hope the reviews linked below will help you in your jewelry work.  If you're looking for mixed media books that focus on non-wearables, check out the reviews on Mixed Media Artist ! Absolute Beginners Guide to Jewelry Making with Resin by Theresa Abelew Book reviews on Mixed Media Artist, 2016 Discover Torch Enameling by Steven James Origami Jewelry Motifs by Julian Laboy Rodriguez Beautiful Elements by Heather Powers Unexpected Findings by Michelle Mach Finding Style by Irina Miech Earringology by Candie Cooper Organic Wire and Metal Jewelry  by Beth Martin and Eva Sherman Enameling Made Easy by Anat Silvera Patina  by Matthew Runfol

Gazing at a book that featured the jewelry of Miriam Haskell provided Heather DeSimone with her big "light-bulb moment," showing her that jewelry could be built in more than just one direction, thus in more than just two dimensions.  But her turning point was when she acquired a huge warehouse full of Lucite beads and jewelry components.  Now she wanted to not only build really cool 3D jewelry, but she also wanted to show the world that plastic is not a dirty word!   Create Three Dimensional Jewelry , published by Kalmbach Press , will help to make that dream a reality.   This is a really fun book.  The organization is excellent, teaching you first how to build some of the basic pieces that will be the "building blocks" of dimensional design.  The materials are a little different from what you might be used to, so Heather has gone into quite a bit of detail in this section.  Section two has the projects, with step-by-step instructions, but also lots of sug

Time to Run ...both mixed media AND recycled materials! This is probably the biggest and most inclusive category of posts that I have to share with you.  You will find that there is some overlap between this list of mixed media and recycled jewelry and some of the tutorials that have been assigned to other categories.  Well of course...it's unavoidable!  If a project uses found objects and bead embroidery, it will inevitably show up on both the mixed media list and the seed bead list.  There's a lot to share with you, so let's get started: Chandelier-style optical lens pendant Bluebird Singing in the Dead of Night Pink yarrow, Flame, and Greenery pendant necklace Leather bracelet with oval metal links New life for a boring bangle bracelet Another reclaimed bangle All Buttoned Up Copper & turquoise necklace Twisted ribbon necklace Shibori silk wild rose necklace Milk chocolate cuff bracelet Bittersweet Wrap-sody cuff bracelet Metal mesh e

I realized it had been a couple of years since I sat down and made some crocheted bead bracelets , and now I had the perfect opportunity!  The bright pink  rubberized faceted glass beads. Using a #4 crochet hook and some C-Lon cord from Marion Jewelry in Fiber , I strung on all of the FMG beads plus some size 6/0 seed beads in between.  Then I sat down to crochet while a certain show that I won't admit to watching was playing in the background :-) I found that one stitch was fine for each of the seed beads, but I needed to add an extra stitch on each side of the larger beads.  The bracelet grew and grew, which made me really happy!  I wanted one which wrapped four times around my wrist, and it turned out to be exactly the right length, without me having to add extra chain stitches.  Lucky me! Such a simple, easy project...and just perfect for spring. As regards FTC disclosure guidelines: I have received some of the above products free of charge from Fire Mountain

Blue Glass Sculpture With Glass Beads  Cherie makes a glass sculpture with dollar store beads, bud vases, and blue charger plates. Mixed Media Artist Cyndi puts the finishing touches, including beads, on a small slashed and woven quilt. Spring and Easter Craft Projects for You Crafty Peeps Find directions for everything from unique Easter eggs to holiday table décor and jewelry at The Artful Crafter. Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean reviews PATINA by the wonderful author Matthew Runfola! What a book! Art Bead Scene Take a peek at Mary's etsy picks, inspired by this month's challenge piece from Degas. Carmi's Art/Life World I am very excited to share my recently published necklace project in Perles et Cetera magazine! Resin Crafts Blog It is wonderful to know that you can embellish any blank surface with some Jewelry Clay. This shawl pin needed a little bit of bling. No Stitchin'! Like fabric but your sewing skills are n

Mary Tafoya We've met so many wonderful seed bead artists over the years, creating both wearables and non-wearables.  I think you're going to be very very inspired by this bunch! Deborah Glasser Tlingit arts in Alaska Sarah Sequins Leslie Rogalski Dyane Bradley Elizabeth Cogliati Jodie Atherton Karen Whiteduck Nancy Dunitz  Karen Williams  Roxan O'Brien Carolyn Turner Victoria Pearman Val Enders Beverly Ash Gilbert Nancy Peterson Jean Hutter Kathryn lane Berkowitz Sylvia Windhurst Paula Motsinger Meyncke  Susan Sorrell  Annika deGroot  MaryLou Holvenstot Cheri Meyer Dawn Dalto  Paula Huckabay  Shaaron Chambers Wanda Harvell Jennifer VanBenschoten Robbie Payne  Claudia Chase  Laura West Kong Amy Clarke Moore Tina Koyama Mary Tafoya Rebecca Brown  Susan Shaw Morwyn Dow Karen Paust Margie Deeb Denise Perreault    ( update ) Dulcey Heller Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , b

A small hand-held butane torch...that's not so scary, is it?  You don't have to have a large torch set-up or a kiln to made gorgeous enamel projects, thanks to Anat Silvera and her new Kalmbach publication, Enameling Made Easy . This is a great book for beginners because Anat starts with the absolute basics.  But not just enameling basics: metalworking techniques too!  There is so much more than just basics, though, and every technique is backed up by an included DVD!!  The book also has a clever spiral-bound design so that you can leave it open as you work through the techniques and projects. And the projects...oh, the projects!  You might not want to do every single one of them, but it would a really good idea to look at all of them and read through carefully since the skills build upon earlier skills.  I said before that it's not a book just for beginners.  If you follow along the journey, you can try your hand at cloisonne, plique-a-jour, sgraffito, stencil

Beading Arts e-books: All Beading Arts e-books Free e-book on bead embroidery stitches Every Bead Has a Story e-book Some Assembly Required e-book  Bored By Back Stitch e-book Arm Candy Other books: Stitches Bead Stitching Handbook (all the stitches!) Hubble Stitch Introducing Albion Stitch I Can Herringbone I Can Right-Angle Weave Stitch Workshop - Herringbone Stitch Stitch Workshop - Right-Angle Weave Stitch Workshop - Peyote Stitch    Mastering Herringbone Stitch My older favorite books - a list with links Bead Embroidery Inspired Bead Embroidery Bead Embroidery Stitch Samples: Motifs Textured Bead Embroidery Break the Rules Bead Embroidery Bead Embroidery Jewelry Projects Soutache Beading Artistry for Quilts The Spirit of Bead Embroidery Dimensional Bead Embroidery Sensational Bead Embroidery The Beaded Edge   Bead Weaving Casual Bead Elegance Modern Beaded Lace Fast Peyote Stitch Jewelry Jewel Loom Inspirations Beadweaving - Beyond the Basics