Beading Arts

Moe'uhane Mauna Lei , named by Paul Bishop Last week I showed you how I put the individual bead embroidery elements togethe r to form the main body of a necklace.  Today I'm going to show you how I finished it up. I forgot to mention last week that the two colors of Swarovski crystals that I used in this necklace are Red Magma and Crystal Volcano.  Appropriate, yes? 6. Work your way around the outside of each piece and add picots or other embellishments to the outer edge.  My pieces were finished in edging brick stitch, using size 11/0 seed beads, so I added a short stack to each edging bead, consisting of another size 11/0 seed bead and one size 15/0. 7. Towards the middle of the necklace, I added some Swarovski crystal coral branches. 8. Stitch a square stitch bail around a hammered metal loop on each end of  the necklace.  Instructions can be found in Chapter 3 of Every Bead Has a Story . 9. Using some large Swarovski rondelle...

  Resin Crafts! Resin Crafts features a Napoleonic themed Nunn Design bezel set!   Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean is enjoying the A-Z Alphabet Blogging Challenge, and found a Dustin Tabor focal that fit the bill for the letter K! Come and see! About.com Jewelry Making Get the scoop on some gorgeous Japanese beaded jewelry.   Art Bead Scene Heather shares some tips that will help boost handmade jewelry sales for Mothers Day .   Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi is happy to post a necklace that took one year to finish!   Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

A couple of years ago, Tammy Powley took a cruise to the Bahamas from her (already paradise) hometown in Florida.  She shared about the adventure and made a very funny list of likes and dislikes that I think you should definitely check out.  Just click the link above! Tammy found only a few handcrafted items that she ended up buying, like the shell earrings above, but there was something that ended up inspiring a project of her own later...the money! Tammy made these cute earrings and posted a tutorial about it on her About.com Jewelry making site.   So next time you decide to go traveling, keep a couple of pennies at the end for a wearable souvenir! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Kathy Fox is the owner of Bella Venetian Beads, and therefore is the perfect person to write the book The Venetian Glass Bead for Kalmbach Publishing .   She has made many trips to visit and buy from bead makers in Venice and on Murano, and you can feel her passion in this book as she shares the history and tradition behind this art form.  Besides being a project book, Kathy's book covers the history of Venice and how glass making fit in, and she pays special attention to the unique qualities of Venetian glass beads. As you look through the projects, you are introduced to many different styles of Venetian beads by name.  This includes information on how they are formed and tips for spotting good ones and knowing when you're holding real ones!  Yes, unfortunately, even the Italian market is full of fakes and imports, but you won't have to worry once you familiarize yourself with the real thing. Most of the projects are not particularly challenging; instead,...

Artist: Jean Campbell Jean Campbell Quincy Street Jean will be teaching this as a class at Creative Castle in July 2012! I spent an afternoon last October, wandering around the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The rich history and power of this institution was palpable, but what really visually impressed me was the beautiful wrought-iron gates that appear everywhere around campus. I shot photos like a madwoman, determined to do a whole series of beadwork based on these gates. "Quincy Street" is my first attempt...I've got lots more up my sleeve! Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

If you decide that you want to make a necklace using stones that you collect while on vacation, please make sure that you do not remove specimens from any protected lands like National or State Parks.  There are plenty of places that you can legally collect stones, shells, and other natural materials.  I fell in love with lava during our visit to Volcanoes National Park , but I collected it on private lands after asking if it would be ok.  A few people asked me if I wasn't worried about the "bad luck" that is reported to follow people who remove lava from Hawai'i.  Nope.  I'm not.  Lava is sold on the mainland through catalogs, bead shops, and home depot, and in just about every convenience store on the Hawai'ian islands.  I bought some lava beads while I was there, and asked the bead shop owner about the legend.  She said that she was pretty convinced that it was not as much a traditional tale as it was a story made up by tour guides who we...

A guest post by Charly Daniels , a jewelry fanatic currently working with Factory Fast . Putting together the perfect jewelry is a rewarding experience (as everyone who checks into Beading Arts already know), but getting it exactly right requires making a lot of choices: the type of stringing techniques used, what style to go for and the like.  One of the main choices is which materials you use, which quite often leads those with a passion for jewelry to that classic debate: gold v silver!  That’s why I thought it’d be pretty fun to do a little stand-off between the two.  Enjoy! The Price.   If you’re planning on selling your creations on (and why not indeed?), then there’s no getting around the fact that in terms of monetary value, gold is always going to sell for more.  However, it’s worth noting that in paying more for the raw materials you also run the risk of a bigger loss should any pieces fail to sell.  In other words, this choice largely...

  Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Melanie gets reunited with a lost beady item that was greatly missed, all because of the kindness of a stranger. Resin Crafts! There is always a tip or two to learn for anyone interested in working with resin. Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean is participating in an Alphabet Challenge, but this week she is also giving away a copy of Japanese Beadwork, a perfectly beautiful book which she reviewed earlier in the week. Stop by and sign up by leaving a comment concerning the book!   A Bead A Day If you are looking for a way to use buttons and sequins in a bracelet project, look no further! Bead blogger, Sarah of Saturday Sequins, has some great examples to share!   About.com Jewelry Making Read the latest jewelry designer interview posted for the month of April.   Art Bead Scene A beautiful and ethereal painting by John William Waterhouse is the inspiration for the April Monthl...

Artist: Dot Lewallen, aka flyingbeader SpeedieBeadie From the moment the plane fly over the island of Kauai in the final approach, I knew I was going to fall in love with this place.  In all the guide books, Kauai was called the Garden Island.  We found it so true from the hotel we stayed at to the rides we took on every passable road to sight see.  Every turn of the road brought more awe inspiring views.  Each moment our eyes were filled with the colors from the lush vegetation, the colorful flowers, and the Pacific Ocean.  One of the most breath taking sights was from the north end of the island that dead ends at the Napali coast.  We got out and hiked to the look out just watching the endless sky met the endless ocean.  Then we took a hike along the ridge. There the reddish brown color of the newly sprouting ferns against the greens caught my attention for photos. Then as I was leaning down a little brown lizard scurried away darting...

Kīlauea On Monday I showed you a couple of pendants that I wire wrapped, using roughly polished lava beads.  Well, that was only the beginning of my obsession with lava.  We visited Volcanoes National Park during our February trip to Hawai'i and spent an amazing day hiking and scrambling over lava fields that just blew my mind.  I would have loved to have spent many more days at the park.    None of the lava pieces that you will see in my work came from the Park : all National Parks forbid taking anything from them when you leave, other than your own trash, so please don't view my pictures and tutorials as excuses to break the law.  There are plenty of places that you can legally collect rock specimens for your personal use.  I just want to show you a few pictures so you can get some idea of why this stuff appeals to me so much...or maybe you can't understand it at all  :-) Getting majorly sunburned down in the caldera and not caring...

I got bitten badly by the Spring Fever bug this year, and I've decided to dedicate April to trying to soothe it. That's where I need your help! In the past few years I've been blessed to travel to Italy, Guatemala, and Hawaii, and each place has ended up supplying me with new materials and new ideas. Do you have any pieces you'd like to share that have been inspired by a specific location? It doesn't have to be somewhere exotic, and it can even be your own hometown. The idea is that we can all enjoy "traveling" vicariously through these posts. If you'd like to get in on it, I just need a picture or two (or three or four...) of the location, along with pictures of what you made. Or of the native crafts you found. Or of the fabulous supplies you bought. You get the idea!  Just email your story and pictures to cyndi @ mazeltovjewelry.com (remove the spaces) and I'll get you scheduled. Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewe...

On our recent trip to Hawaii, there was one lazy afternoon when we all crashed.  Probably just the jet-lag catching up with us.  But anyway, when I woke up, I grabbed my wire and tools along with five roughly "polished" lava beads I had bought, and spent a pleasant hour wrapping them.  The little heart charms were added when I got back home.  As close as I can figure, this is how I did the wraps. 1. Cut about a 15 inch piece of wire.  It was inexpensive wire, so I didn't worry about wasting on the first bead I wrapped.  I believe it was 20 or 22 gauge. 2. Stick the wire through the bead hole, and leave about 3 - 4 inches at the top.  3. Turn a wrapped loop at the bottom, and begin to wrap the wire upwards around the bead. 4. At the top, wrap the working wire around the 3 inch section, close to the hole, and clip the end. 5. Turn a larger wrapped loop at the top and wrap the wire down over the turns from step 4. Turn a spiral with the leftover wire e...

  Carmi's Art/Life World Carmi has turned a vintage watch face into a bracelet component.   Earthenwood Studio Chronicles Melanie pairs some new woodland inspired components with gorgeous chain from Fusion Beads. Resin Crafts! Black and white resin looks beautiful!   Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! Jean has two cool offerings for you to check out today! See her blog for a fab new book and of course the challenge she is in!   The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton Andrew shares the inspiration behind a few of his new pieces, recently added to his store!   About.com Jewelry Making Is it time to return to the jewelry classroom? If so, here are some suggestions for you.   Art Bead Scene Heather provides a beautifully sunny forecast for summer's jewelry making trends!   Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Jodie Atherton I love sharing new artists with you, but I don't want to forget about the ones we've already visited with! Especially because new people are joining our happy little band of bead and jewelry crazies every day, and they may not have seen these terrific artists! Please drop me a line if you'd like to share your work! There's always room for more :-) Just email cyndi @ mazeltovjewelry.com (remove the spaces) anytime. Rebecca Brown Susan Shaw Morwyn Dow Karen Paust Margie Deeb Denise Perreault   ( update ) Dulcey Heller Amy Clarke Moore Tina Koyama Mary Tafoya 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 Dyane Bradley ...

Diane Fitzgerald's Favorite Beading Projects: Designs from Stringing to Beadweaving by Diane Fitzgerald Betsy Beads: Creative Approaches for Knitters by Betsy Hershberg, Elaine Rowley and Alexis D Xenakis Metal Clay Fusion: Diverse Clays, Detailed Techniques, Artful Projects (Metal Clay Master Class) by Gordon K. Uyehara Gemstone Settings: The Jewelry Maker's Guide to Styles & Techniques by Anastasia Young Show Your Colors: 30 Flexible Beading Wire Jewelry Projects by Sara Hardin Oehler and Jamie Hogsett Getting Started with Seed Beads by Dustin Wedekind Technorati Tags: handmade beaded jewelry , wearable art , beads , jewelry , necklace , mixed media , beading

Every year I find that I have to update this list!  Obviously, seed beads are a passion of mine... Here are all the seed bead tutorials from the archives, both off-loom bead weaving and bead embroidery.  Some of these are quick and dirty techniques, and some follow a larger project from beginning to end.  Enjoy! Bead embroidery techniques Free e-book on bead embroidery stitches Treasure Chest: a basic bead embroidered project Peyote stitch a beaded bead The spiral stitch A free form beaded pendant from a geode Two drop peyote beaded beads Right angle weave bezel and bail Cigar box handbag A simple square stitch bail Twisted peyote spiral necklace Simple cuff bracelet A wrapped paua necklace Free form seed bead necklace Spiral square stitch Autumn Arbor Beaded cabochon pendants A free form beaded bauble Beaded flowers Floral bead embroidered necklace Interesting spiral Deco scarab necklace Lady of Shalott Midnight ...

Ancient Waves Last week, I walked you through the initial steps of constructing my new ammonite bead embroidered necklace .  This week, we'll finish up, and I'll once again ask for your help in naming it! 8. I added stacked stitch as embellishment all the way around the edges (edging brick stitch), both inner and outer.  Instructions for edging brick stitch and stacked stitch can be found in Chapter 1 , my free e-book chapter. 9. Here is a detail shot of the edge. 10. I used size 11/0 and 15/0 seed beads for this embellishment. 11. Hammered oval links were added to the two ends of the necklace with a square stitch bail on the back.  This bail style is covered in Chapter 3 . 12. Make a hook for yourself from wire or choose an appropriate hook and attach it to some heavy chain. 13. Make a dangle to finish off another length of chain.  14. Attach the chains to the hammered ovals. 15. Complete!...