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Showing posts from April, 2016

heART beats from other blogs!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean reviews Quick & Easy Stitched Jewelry, 20+ Projects to Make, by Cathy Jakicic--it's wonderful! Wire Headpins How-To Learn how to make these easy wire headpins that have three wire loops on the end. Make Bulky Yarn Out of Medium Weight Yarn Using worsted weight yarn and a spool knitter, you can make bulky yarn that you can then knit with. A great stash buster! Dress Card for Mother's Day If you have or know a model mom who does her very best for her kids and sets an example you admire, tell her with a "priceless" dress card like this.

Giveaway on EBEG blog

The Etsy Bead Embroidery Guild is active again, and they are kicking off the season with a giveaway!  Visit the link above and learn about the guild and the earrings that are the prize.

Recent publications: April 2016

Quick & Easy Stitched Jewelry: 20+ Projects to Make by Cathy Jakicic Metal Jewelry Made Easy: A Crafter's Guide to Fabricating Necklaces, Earrings, Bracelets & More by Jan Loney and Mickey Baskett

How to stitch a Dutch spiral

Earrings made with Dutch spiral The Dutch spiral is not so much a stitch as it is a series of stitches.  A combination of peyote and netting, the Dutch spiral is a soft, stretchy tube with beautiful drape.  Choose your thread color carefully and hold it firmly while working to help keep up the tension. There are two parts to the spiral: the peyote section is sometimes collectively called the core beads, and the netting section is created by a loose length of seed beads and accent beads.  I suggest using differently shaped or colored beads for the core beads and the netting, at least until you're familiar with the sequence.  I really like Delicas for the way they fit together to make a nice tighter core section, and regular donut-shaped seed beads for the netting. There are many different ways to do the Dutch spiral, but having tried quite a few of them, here is my take on the easiest way to get started.  Once you've mastered it, you can increase and decrease the netti

heART beats from other blogs!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean reviews Jeweler's Enameling Workshop Techniques and Projects for Making Enameled Jewelry by Pauline Warg. Get the full basics on this wonderful technique and make something pretty! Free Cat Trio Pattern Like cats? Connie's got a free pattern that will be perfect for you! 'Ya Can't Please Everyone, So Ya Got to Please Yourself' Don't compare your efforts with those of accomplished crafters and think you're not good enough. If you give up, you'll never get better. This is the voice of experience speaking. Jewelry Creations Using Bead Box Bargain April 2016 I had a viewer ask me, "What do I make with the Bead Box Bargain shipment...well, here is what I made with the April 2016 goodies. Crochet Designing If you have the right tools and a little crochet knowledge, you can design your own crocheted afghan pretty easily. Upcycled Recycling Box Do you recycle in the bathroom? Man

Copper Canyon found a new home!

Copper Canyon: copper, turquoise, and coral SOLD Hammered copper links form the focal points for this delicate but arresting necklace. Coral and turquoise, in both round bead and chip form, bring out the burnished beauty of the metal. Copper Canyon adjusts from 17 to 20 inches. The dangling beads give this fun necklace lots of movement.

Yay for Mary!

Congratulations to Mary Redman, who won a copy of Quick & Easy Stitched Jewelry !!

Mixed media art books

In the last few months, I have posted quite a few reviews of books beyond beading and jewelry making that may interest you.  They are all to be found on Mixed Media Artist . The Little Guide to Mastering Your Sewing Machine Acrylic Color Explorations Intuitive Painting Workshop Scrap Quilt Secrets Piecing the Piece O' Cake Way The Art of Laurel Burch Mixing Quilt Elements Hand Printing

Another reclaimed bangle bracelet

Last week I showed you a fun and easy way to give new life to a boring bangle bracelet .  Today, I want to show you an alternative way to wrap it, which is especially helpful if you don't have enough cup chain, or if you want to add different beads to the mix! Here's what you'll need: Plastic bangle bracelet 6-8" cup chain, 5mm Assorted beads, any material 9' wire, 24 g Basic tools: Wire cutters Chain nose pliers Measuring tape 1. Cut short lengths of cup chain and choose the beads you want to use. 2. Leave a short tail of wire to start, as shown in the tutorial last week , and wrap the wire three times to get started and three times between each "stone".  Wrap twice after the cup chain and pick up some beads with the wire.  Wrap backwards between each bead, as shown, and then cross wire forwards to start the next wrap. 3. Wrap over the tail and tuck the other end underneath a wire as best you can.  Squeeze gently with cha

heART beats from other blogs!

S nap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean reviews the book: More Lovely Knitted Lace Contemporary Patterns in Geometric Shapes by Brooke Nico. So pretty! Comfy Quilt Pattern The free Comfy Quilt pattern was one of the first freebies Connie added to the site. Check it out and be sure to look for all the other free patterns she offers. Watercolor Passion Flower Cards Painting something several times teaches you a lot about the subject. How to make it a bit quicker with templates. Embellish a Tote Bag with Circles Cover up the logo on a cloth bag (or a crafty mistake) by cutting out fabric shapes and applying them to the bag. Easy! April's Bargain Beads! Tammy un-bags her April shipment of bargain beads. The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Take a look at what arrived in Andrew's mailbox! An advance copy of Series 2400 of Beads, Baubles and Jewels! So exciting!

Book review and giveaway: Quick & Easy Stitched Jewelry

There are many many beginner books out there, and there are even lots that have easy and attractive projects to create.   Quick & Easy Stitched Jewelry ,  written by Cathy Jakicic and published by Kalmbach , has a bit of a bonus feature though.  Cathy has generously designated all of the projects in this book as royalty-free.  Not only can you make them for yourself or as gifts for others, but she encourages you to sell them if you wish. Rather than concentrating on just one stitch, this collection gives you ideas for many...peyote, square, ladder, herringbone, RAW, and bead embroidery.  Plus, there are instructions for the basic wirework you will need for constructing the finished pieces. GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!  Would you like a heaping handful of new projects this Spring?  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 will not contact you. No contact, no win,

New life to a boring bangle bracelet

I have bags and bags full of cast off jewelry from flea markets, yard sales, and generous friends.  Recently, I was looking at a bag full of plastic bangles (the hard plastic kind), and I thought about using cup chain on it in a similar way to the Shamballa bracelets I was making last year. Super easy, super quick, super cute!  And all you need is the following: Plastic bangle bracelet 9-10" cup chain, 5mm 10' wire, 24 g Basic tools : Wire cutters Chain nose pliers Measuring tape 1. Leave a short tail as shown and wrap three times between each "stone". 2. Wrap over the tail and tuck the other end underneath a wire as best you can.  Squeeze gently with chain nose pliers to secure. Another reclaimed bangle bracelet This post contains affiliate links Copyright 2016 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provide

heART beats from other blogs!

Free Journey Proverb Free Pattern Graduation season will be here before we know it. Connie's added a super simple free chart that will be great for making up in to graduation cards. It is also suitable for a friend who is moving or making a job change. Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean reviews Play with Chain Mail: 4 Weaves = 20+ Jewelry Designs by Theresa D. Abelew. Lots of fun! Charms! Charms make for a great way to start jewelry designing just for the fun of it. What Inspires Me When Making Jewelry Having a hard time coming up with beading ideas? Terry Jeanette of the Tappingflamingo gives you some ideas... Interested in a great creative learning opportunity this summer? Allegory Gallery is pleased to present: Creative Camp! This weekend intensive features workshops taught by Eva Sherman, Heather Powers, and Cynthia Thornton! Embossed Aluminum Postcard Art Embossed aluminum postcard art is made with inexpensive aluminum foil tape stuc

Book review: Play With Chain Mail

I never thought about it this way before, but Theresa Abelew points out that chain maille is the ultimate recyclable project.  If you don't like what you get, take it apart and try again...no waste! If you have been daunted by the dizzying array of jump ring sizes (inner diameter?  outer diameter?  what???) and weave patterns, then you might be ready for Theresa's new book Play With Chain Mail , published by Kalmbach .  The author concentrates on presenting four weaves in their basic formation, followed by jewelry projects which will help you practice each.  The patterns covered are rosette or mobius, box chain and Byzantine, European 4-in-1, and Helm chain.  Each section starts with the classic chain and then moves onward to more interesting applications. One problem with working on chain maille is that so many different ring sizes can be required.  Theresa is mindful of that, and has given you a chart in the back that you can quickly check to see which projects use t

Yay for Heather!

Congratulations to Heather Martin , who won a copy of Origami Jewelry Motifs !! Why did it take so long to post a winner?  Because the first couple of people I tried to contact never wrote back.  Am I in your spam folder or did you just lose interest?  Oh well...yay for Heather!

Faux patchwork quilt block - part two

Last week, I showed you the set-up for making a whole cloth crazy quilt block with no patchwork , only faux seams.  Today, I want to share with you the embellishments that I chose, plus how I finished off the block. My original plan was to add beads all around the edge of the block with no frame, but as I started, it just looked so barren.  It really really needed a frame, so I re-worked my plan. But first, the fun stuff! 7. Embroidery, add beads and buttons, etc. 8. Cut a piece of stiff but thin interfacing and a piece of batting larger than the finished block will be.  Wrap interfacing with the backing fabric, mitering the corners. 9. Wrap the batting with the finished block, mitering the corners.  Pin them together and blind stitch the block to the backing. Copyright 2016 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

heART beats from other blogs!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean reviews the delicious, versatile recipe book, Change Your Sauce, Change Your Life ~Easy Plant Based Sauces to Blend, Whisk, and Shake~ from Positively Vegan by Kim Miles--it's marvelous! Diamond Seventeen Connie's added the next section of her free SAL. There's still time to get in on it if you haven't started yet! Online Learning at CreativeLive Eileen is a big fan of CreativeLive, especially since she received a free class: Watercolor 101 with Molly Murrah. Read how you could too. Choose classes in photography, crafts, art, design, business & more. Bead Unboxing March means lots of green beads, which is the case with this unboxing video showing the March shipment of bargain beads.