Beading Arts

Glass Bead Workshop by Jeri L Warhaftig Just when you thought you’d never need another lampworking book, Jeri Warhaftig has come up with one that takes you from the intermediate stage and beyond! There are projects in here that will make you see glass in a whole new way, and will send you running for the torch. Reviewers agree: this is the book for you if you want to make more than dots and swirls. Sandblasting, applying enamel, working off the mandrel, and blowing hollow beads are just a few of the techniques that Jeri will introduce you to, and then inspire you to explore further!

 Legacy Artist: Beverly Ash Gilbert Location: Kirkland Washington Website and Blog: Gilbert Designs Beverly Gilbert blog How do you describe your work, Beverly? Experimental, free-form, full of color, movement and texture. I tire easily of rigid forms and patterns. Wander with Fiber What is your creative process like? I live within the creative process – am driven by the designs, ideas and possibilities that fill my head and thrive on the fact that they are always changing and evolving. Once my pieces are nearly completed and I see how they are going to look, I start to loose interest and am ready to move to the next idea. I have to force myself to finish. And I can’t stand reproducing. I almost always start with a color combination I want to play with and sometimes I sketch ideas in my notebook. But after that, I let go and see where my beads take me. I believe that the creative process is about finding a synergy between my left and right brain. There is a consta...

South Seas Siren I love doing bead embroidery, but it’s always somewhat frustrating to realize that I can’t really share detailed tutorials with you for how to make them. In the materials list below, I listed all the types of beads that I used, but I didn’t list how many. It’s absolutely impossible to guess how many anyone else will need since it depends upon your personal aesthetic and the size of your central pendant. So, pick your piece of paua, and let’s get going! Materials: Necklace strand: .019" (medium) softflex beading wire Amazonite rondelles 6 mm lavender amethyst rounds 4 mm amazonite rounds Sterling silver figure 8 chain Sterling silver S-hook with 2 rings Crimps Sterling silver crimp covers Sterling silver tube bail Sterling silver jump ring Sterling silver daisy spacers Sterling silver head pin Pendant: Piece of ultrasuede Two-part epoxy resin Freeform polished paua shell piece 20 gauge colored craft wire Nymo thread, size O White crystal se...

Leona For a long time, I have been hoarding some broken strands of beads and some loose crystals that I received when my husband’s beloved grandmother passed away. A few weeks ago, Artbeads.com sent me a gorgeous Victorian Trellis Bead Frame to try out, and the match became obvious in my mind. I really wanted whatever project I did with Grandma’s beads to honor the simple classic style that she favored, and the exquisite details and old-fashioned charm of the bead frame was the answer to using her beads properly. I’ve included my exact bead count below, so if you want to follow my pattern you can. But I would encourage you to simply take the general idea and make your own necklace that honors some of your own special beads! Tools: Flat nose pliers Round nose pliers Wire cutters Alligator clip Measuring tape Materials: Sterling Silver Victorian Trellis Bead Frame, crystal (SS-BDFR16, Artbeads.com) Clasp 2 Bali silver beads, 8mm 24" SoftFlex, fine (.014" diameter) Pendan...

Artist: Lorena Angulo Website: Lorena Angulo Lorena, when did you become interested in art? I was born in Mexico, and due to my father’s job in public works we had to frequently move from state to state, what gave me the unique opportunity to grasp the various cultural and artistic expressions of the different regions of Mexico and our Spanish and Indian heritage. That unique experience help me develop my deep love for Art, and to see all the various types of art created by different artisans was amazing. Mostly for me the traditional jewelry wore by the native Indians in South Mexico, Chiapas and Oaxaca, are my favorites. How were you introduced to metal clay? I was introduced to metal clay by a wonderful Artist Jeweler and Teacher in San Antonio, Claire Holliday, in 2006 at the Southwest School of Art. Since that day I fell in love with this great medium. Metal Clay opened the door to a lot of people without silver smithing background to create jewelry. Metal Clay gives m...

Blue Moon Sometimes when you finish a jewelry project, you end up with a few leftover beads. Even if the colors work well together, you may not have enough to complete another large project. Or maybe the beads are different shapes and sizes. Here is a fun and quick asymmetrical little toggle necklace that's a great way to use up some of those leftover beads. This article was published in the July 2000 issue of Lapidary Journal , and is available on-line at this link, courtesy of LJ. Step by step instructions Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Artist: Jamee Jones Business name: Jonara Blu Maui Location: Makawao, Hawaii Websites & Blog: http://www.jonarablumaui.com http://jonarablu.etsy.com http://www.jonarablumaui.blogspot.com/ How do you describe your work, Jamee? Fresh and Funky with an island twist. I also create romantic, feminine beach bride jewelry that has a beachy-organic appeal. Originally my sister Kimberlee Aihara partnered with me before she became a wedding photographer here on Maui and so Jonara is a mix of our last names: Jones and Aihara. Add the Blu to represent the blue ocean that surrounds us and we’ve got ourselves a cute little name for our jewelry business! What is your creative process like? I think creating is quite emotional for me..I really have to be in the mood to design my most favorite pieces that I’m extremely proud of. At times like that it’s usually late at night when I’m way over tired and I become inspired by color and the music on one of my playlists. I find putti...

Vintage Redux by Brenda Schweder Mom’s bizarro bracelets…That “what-was-I-thinking?” necklace… Aunt Bertha’s big glunky brooches. Vintage Redux shows readers everywhere how to take a drawer full of jewelry duds and turn them into dreams. More than 30 projects, from traditional to totally over-the-top, offer readers a wide range of possibilities. Each project is presented in step-by-step instructions and photos so it’s easy to create all-new pieces. Revisit the past and make it better than ever before with Vintage Redux . After enjoying Brenda’s book Junk to Jewelry , I was anxious to get a hold of her newest venture. Well, I wasn’t disappointed. Vintage Redux starts with the simplest restringing and ends with sophisticated remakes that use power equipment (don’t get worked up…it’s just your drill or dremel!). It’s very unlikely that you will be able to exactly match and copy these projects, so don’t get the book if you like to have step-by-step detailed instructions. But definitely t...

Materials: Flat rectangle bead, 25 mm in rose [Note – all rose-colored resin beads were purchased from Rings & Things ] Round bead, 10 mm in rose Lumiere acrylic paints by Jacquard, citrine and halo pink gold StazOn solvent ink pad in jet black 8 triangular pink beads, size 8/0 or 6/0 18 gauge color-coated wire, purple Tools: Piece of scrap wire Sea sponge Heat gun Stamp Wire cutters Chain nose pliers Round nose plier 1. Slide a flat rectangle and a round resin bead onto a piece of scrap wire, and suspend it so that you can paint all sides. Using a small sea sponge, dab the beads with acrylic paints, drying between each color. Use a heat gun to speed up the process if desired. Don’t cover all of the natural bead color. 2. Stamp the surface of the flat bead using a solvent ink. Heat set the design well. Flip the bead over and stamp the other side too. Heat set. 3. Cut a 4 inch piece of 18 gauge color-coated wire and make a wrapped loop at one end. Slide a triangular bead, you...

Artist: Puakea Soares-Mercado Business Names: Jewelry by Reshell and Stone & Bone Location: Hilo, Hawaii Websites: http://www.jewelrybyreshell.etsy.com http://www.stoneandbone.etsy.com http://www.creativecaldron.etsy.com Blogs: http://www.blacklightningstudiogallery.blogspot.com http://www.jewelrybyreshell.blogspot.com http://www.stoneandbone.blogspot.com http://www.galleriaoffineart.blogspot.com How do you describe your work? I have two shops that I passionately divide my time designing for. My first shop on Etsy.com is Jewelry by Reshell . I’d say it’s my more modern contemporary urban styled boutique. with a flare for old classic styles and trends, with a touch of my own modern twist. My second shop is called Stone & Bone , which is a tribally styled native inspired collection, incorporating bits and pieces of traditional materials as well as spiritual symbolisms, and giving it an abstract, yet metaphoric modern twist to my ancestral lineage. I ...

    Kerri Fuhr Kerri Fuhr   My name is Kerri Fuhr and I am a full time lampwork glass bead artist living in British Columbia, Canada. Using a tabletop torch, rods of glass and a few hand tools, I sculpt detailed focal beads and ornate bead sets for jewelry designers and collectors world wide. I am inspired by nature and many lively creatures are depicted on my beads!      Dragonflies, honey bees, ravens and herons are among my favorite subjects and with each bead I create I strive to capture their character and spirit. Rich colors and delicate tapestry - inspired scrollwork also decorate many of my beads - the more detail and color the better! New designs are featured often so be sure to check out my blog for daily updates and fun new beads!     Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

  Fine Silver Link, Pearl, and Crystal Earrings Artist: Tammy Powley Location: South Florida Website & Blog: About.com Jewelry Making Crafty Princess Diaries [Editor's note - As the Jewelry Making guide at About.com, Tammy provides many projects for her readers. She has graciously chosen images to share with you for which there are instructions!! The link is below each picture. Thanks so much, Tammy!] Tammy, how do you describe your work? My jewelry designs are usually petite and practical. I like to make jewelry that I find comfortable to wear, and I’m too klutzy to wear anything overly large. While I don’t totally “diss,” trends, I lean more towards classic looks with a little added zing. I like to use all kinds of materials, but very often you’ll find beads mixed in some how, even if the piece is primarily made of metal. Silver and Crystal Autism Adjustable Puzzle Necklace What is your creative process like? I normally work best when I have chunks of time...

I believe that Hadar has self-published this book, and you can buy it directly from her at this time. Her work with metal clays of all types is amazing, so I believe that she is a great person to learn from if you’d like to take up this medium. Information and ordering links are available on Hadar’s website . Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Here are the super-easy steps to creating this pendant: 1. Stamp black polymer clay with a texture plate. Cut slits at both the top and bottom for jump rings and gently mold the clay closed around them. Bake according to the directions for your brand of clay. 2. Mix liquid sculpey with gold mica powder. Wipe it all over your clay and let it settle in stamped parts. Rebake. 3. Sand the surface with fine sandpaper to remove mica from the raised surface of the texture. Now the piece will look like a mosaic with black grout! Add another thin layer of plain liquid sculpey to the surface if desired and bake one more time. 4. Create dangles to attach to the bottom jump ring. I kept the middle bead “floating” by using a small crimp on the headpin. Use Diamond Glaze or E6000 to glue brass stampings or other charms to the pendant surface. Add a large jump ring or bail to the top. Copyright 2008 Cyndi Lavin. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal...