Beading Arts

    Triple cabochon bead embroidery pendant For far too long, I let some polymer clay pieces that I made as experiments just sit around gathering dust.  Finally, it occurred to me that they would look good as the focals of a bead embroidery pendant.  And why not?  Turquoise is always a good color, no matter what the current season dictates!  This winter, it goes with Shaded Spruce.  In the spring, it will be a good match for Arcadia!   Copyright 2018 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.

The first three steps for this bead embroidery tutorial were posted last week and can be found at the link! Step-by-step instructions for putting together a bead embroidered piece, including back stitch, edging brick stitch, and stack stitch can be found in the free first chapter of Every Bead Has a Story .  Chapter two has instructions for stitching a peyote stitch bezel, and Chapter three teaches the square stitch bail. 4. Sometimes the simplest solution is the best!  Last week I was left wondering whether to add more accent beads around the outside of the design as well as in the middle.  Obviously I decided no.  The cabochons are pretty busy, and I really didn't want to stitch something that would detract too much, so I added a row of silver-lined size 11/0 seed beads plus a row of size 8/0s in the same color as the first row of back stitched outline beads.  Then I cut out the piece and cut a backing piece of fabric to match. 5. Edging ...

Isn't it nice when you find a way to redeem a mistake?  That's exactly what I'm trying to do here in this latest bead embroidery tutorial!  I made these flat jelly roll polymer clay pieces several years ago, and was less than thrilled with how they turned out.  By far the biggest disappointment was that I should have placed them over scrap clay to get a rounded shape rather than leaving them flat. Still, live and learn...and use what you have rather than always buying more!  That seems to be my motto this fall :-) So grab your free copy of Chapter one of Every Bead Has a Story , and join me in making lemonade out of lemons! 1. Adhere your cabochons to a piece of foundation fabric .  I used glue this time instead of double-sided tape, because I am a little more fearful of pieces popping off since they are totally flat rather than rounded.   2. To begin, I added a row of back stitch around each shape with size 11/0 seed beads .  Mak...

For your inspiration and encouragement, here are artist profiles from some of the best polymer clay artists out there! Shulamit Raanan Leslie Kill Ally Burguieres Hazel Ward Pat Krauchune Jackie Ryan Tiffany Long Cindy Lietz Ann Kruglak  ( update ) Kristin Hipple Hunter Reynolds Rebecca George Lisa Mackin Tina Farthing Dayle Doroshow  ( update ) Helen Breil CA Therien Heather Powers Amy E Fraser Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

So many great books on how to work with polymer clay...so little time!  To help you make the most of your time and money, I've compiled a list of all my book reviews: Exploring Canework in Polymer Clay by Patricia Kimle The Absolute Beginners Guide: Working with Polymer Clay   by Lori Wilkes Enlightened Polymer Clay   by Rie Nagumo Jewelry Designs from Nature   by Heather Powers Patterns in Polymer  by Julie Picarello Ancient Modern Polymer Clay and Wire by Ronna Sarvas Weltman Polymer Clay Beads by Grant Diffendaffer Making Polymer Clay Beads   by Carol Blackburn Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

You know there have been some years that I actually skipped Polymer Clay month, right?  Please don't hate me...you know that it's just not my strong suit. But other years, thanks to the encouragement of talented friends who are also polymer clay artists, I got inspired to pick up my polymer tools (very very basic) and make some new projects for you.  Here is a collection of those projects from over the years! Resin-polymer clay bezel Polymer clay and nail polish head pins Patterned polymer clay cabochons Jelly roll polymer clay cabochons Beaded polymer clay pendant Polymer clay frame necklace Silver leaf polymer clay cabochons Simple polymer clay earrings Passion flower necklace Polymer clay swirl necklace A textured polymer clay pendant A polymer clay frame pendant Making an assemblage style necklace Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Broken jewelry pieces, polymer clay, and two-part epoxy resin ...what could be more fun?  You can't tell from this picture since the piece is resting on a pale background, but the resin part in the middle is clear.  I could have added more do-dads or an image if I had wanted to, but I really liked the effect of the beads floating. 1. Pick through your collection of pieces, bits, and bobs.  Chose more than you'll need. 2. With a scrap piece of polymer clay, create a flat, enclosed shape as an anchor for your jewelry pieces. 3. Press them into the clay to make it easy to see where they will go after baking the clay.  Bake according to the manufacturer's directions, keeping the piece flat. 4. If desired, add some colorant to the base piece. 5. Place a piece of strong packing tape on the back of the clay shape.  Rub it well to get it to adhere all the way around.  Mix and pour a small amount of resin according to the manufa...

So many of the tutorials that I share here on Beading Arts could easily be called mixed media, but I tend to share them in different months depending upon the primary medium.  What makes any of these pieces into mixed media jewelry is when you combine one category of material with another.  That's the simplest definition of mixed media jewelry that there is.  So pick your favorite, or maybe several favorites, and see what projects, resources, and books await you!             Polymer Clay tutorials   Polymer Clay books   Wire tutorials Wire books Lampwork tutorials Lampwork, fusing, and  glass bead books Lampwork projects Metal Clay tutorials and resources Metal Clay books Seed Bead tutorials Best Seed Bead books Seed Bead basics online Next week - part two Copyright 2013 Cyndi Lavin. All rights reserved. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. M...

Awhile back I was browsing through Cloth Paper Scissors , one of my favorite mixed media magazines, and I saw something that made me sit up and say, HUH.  Pretty loudly too.  It was the May/June 2013 issue, and there was an article by Shayna Butler about making faux lampwork head pins from acrylic paints and UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel).  Brilliant!  But I don't have any UTEE and I really didn't want to go buy some just to do this one project.  What could I use instead?  How about nail polish?  So, credit to Shayna, and here is my warped method: 1. I used 4 inch pieces of brass wire to form these shapes.  The loop at the top is turned with a slight overlap, and the bottom just has a small hook. 2. I decided to make all the head pins about the same size, so I rolled out a log of polymer clay and used a ruler to get semi-accurate cuts, not worrying too much about perfection.  The color of the clay is not important, but it ...

Another excellent beginner's guide from Kalmbach Press!  Exploring Canework in Polymer Clay was written by Patricia Kimle , whose work should be immediately recognizable to those who love mixing polymer and metal clays.  Let me just state again that this is a much more basic book than you may have seen from Patricia before, so take that into account if you decide you want a copy.    This piece is NOT from the book...it's an example  of Patricia's beautiful mixed media work from her website.   But look at those canes!  Cool, huh?   That is what Patricia teaches in the book! Patricia starts off with some basics of working with polymer clay in any technique, which makes it a particularly good book for a beginner who knows that canework is what draws them.  She moves into color lessons, how to do a Skinner blend, and the basics of canework: constructing, reducing, and repeating.  And slicing!  We can't forge...

Artist: Shulamit Raanan Business name: ShuliDesigns Websites: Shuli Designs on etsy Facebook page Shuli Designs on Wanelo It can be challenging for jewelry makers to find unique beads to work with sometimes.  I would like to introduce you to Shulamit (Shuli) Raanan, a polymer clay artist who lives in Israel.  Shuli, what inspires your work and designs? Living along the Mediterranean Sea and especially in the Middle East is very inspiring. The colors of the sun and the sea, the green of the mountains and valleys alongside the yellow desert, the taste of wine, the smell of local spices, the cultural variation and the rich history of the region are all rooted in me. Since I remember myself, I was inspired by our beautiful nature. I always had the passion to create with my hands and to experiment different crafts and materials. I am very optimistic by nature - That's why I have chosen to concentrate in Polymer clay designs which allows endless colors and shape ...

Shulamit Raanan We've seen some really wonderful new-to-us polymer clay artists this month and received some great updates, and I don't want you to forget about some of our old favorites!  Amy E Fraser Heather Powers CA Therien Helen Breil Dayle Doroshow ( update ) Tina Farthing Lisa Mackin Rebecca George Hunter Reynolds Kristin Hipple Ann Kruglak ( update ) Cindy Lietz Tiffany Long Jackie Ryan Pat Krauchune Hazel Ward Ally Burguieres Leslie Kill Shulamit Raanan Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Here is the up-to-date list of the tutorials I have posted that involve polymer clay, including the three that I posted this month! Making an assemblage style necklace A polymer clay frame pendant A textured polymer clay pendant Polymer clay swirl necklace Passion flower necklace Simple polymer clay earrings Silver leaf polymer clay cabochons   Polymer clay frame necklace Beaded polymer clay pendant Jelly roll polymer clay cabochons Patterned polymer clay cabochons Polymer clay and nail polish head pins Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Here on Beading Arts , we first came across Ann Kruglak and her gorgeous work in 2010.  You can read about Ann's earlier work here.  Her vision for what she wants to accomplish with her art has not changed, but she is busy making some fabulous new things these days that she has been gracious to share with us! Ann writes: I believe that everyone is intrinsically creative, and the variety and amazing strangeness of our dreams proves. We all dream, which at core is, a creative act. Dreams and their origin in the deep psyche have been central to my life path, and to my art which connects me to my spiritual center, and the greater Mystery of the universe. I treasure beauty (in nature and art and all its forms) as a gift that infuses my life with meaning, joy, wonder and gratitude. By creating art, I work to bring more beauty into the world, in hopes of sharing a sense of wonder and wholeness with others. I created Mystic Dreamer: Art for the Earth , as a service proje...

Artist: Shulamit Raanan  Etsy shop: Shuli Designs Facebook page: Shuli Designs I live in Timrat, a small community in the lower Galilee, Israel, with my husband and three wonderful kids. I create in the fields of painting, ceramics, paper works and graphic design. In the last few years I am fascinated with Polymer clay's endless options of combine colors, shapes, designs and products, using mainly the Millefiori technique that combines various surface textures. I am considered an addict. I teach Art and Technology. I have a B.Ed. degree in Technology, Drama and Art and a Master's degree in Humanities. Technorati Tags: bead embroidery , handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading