Beaded Swarovski Butterfly Earrings Tutorial

I love Swarovski butterflies. They are ever so pretty.  Not many people use them probably because they can't think of something other than just using them as plain dangles.  But  Paola of Ricamar Gioielli, an Italian beader, rose to the challenge.  I just love her design tutorial because she framed the butterflies with beadwork.

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Art Nouveau Inspired Jewelry by Kelly Morgen

California based metalsmith, Kelly Morgen, creates beautiful art nouveau inspired jewelry.  She is also skilled in scrimshaw - the old art of engraving on ivory.  As ivory is now banned, scrimshaw artists like her now use recycled real ivory keys from antique pianos as well as other materials.  Her cut work designs also displays the gemstones she uses at the back. Her pieces are also reversible such is the meticulous finish.

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Winner of the Exploring Metal Jewelry Book Giveaway

Last week's giveaway for a most gorgeous project book had many copper lovers coming out in droves.  But there were other reasons too. This book scores because the projects do not need a torch (unless you want to ball up wire ends). Sue Thompson said, "I am a chicken when it comes to using a torch so this would help greatly, plus she's always got so many great ideas already."

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Pressed Real Flower Resin Tutorial Part II | Tips and Tricks

The tutorials I wrote on how to make real flower resin jewelry have been wildly popular.  This spring and summer I had a lot of fun as I continued my experiments with this technique. What I wanted to do was to improve on the pressed flower method (see tutorial here).  Firstly I wanted to eliminate the first resin step which became the foundation for the pressed flowers. Secondly, I wanted to deal with the pigment loss. Yellow flowers seem keep their colors but other flowers, especially the blue ones, faded with time and exposure to sunlight.

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How to Make Faux Ammolite Polymer Clay Jewelry

Have you ever seen Korite's ammolite (see promo video at the end)?  They are the largest supplier of this rare multi-colored gemstone found only in Southern Alberta, Canada . This gemstone comes from prehistoric marine snails which fossilized in what was once an ancient seabed.  Not surprisingly, jewelry pieces made from this gemstone are pretty pricey! But there is a way you can wear a lookalike!

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Wire Work Pearl Stud Earrings Tutorial

Aki over on Minted Strawberry has a simple wire work pearl stud earrings tutorial which showcases the gemstones in lovely curves.  She is right when she says you don't have to use pearls but any gemstone or other beads you like. You can also graduate the sizes.

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Easy Gemstone Chip Kumihimo Bracelet Tutorial | Glue on and Wire Finishes

I don't know about you, but I have a lot of gemstone and glass chips looking for a project or two of their own!  So I was delighted when I saw Pru McCray of Prumihimo's gemstone chip kumihimo bracelet tutorial. This British designer specializes in beaded kumihimo jewelry.

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2 Amazing Bugle Bead Ring Tutorials by Sapphirus

Bugle beads aren't commonly used in rings. Sapphirus, a Japanese designer not only uses them but also creates contemporary pieces. In the first tutorial, the ring is beaded in a "circular fashion".  The designer gives the basic bead types and sizes. However, the text in the video is entirely in Japanese. So you will have to give it a go and perhaps watch the tutorial a few times.

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