Face Chain Jewelry for Men and Women

I'm not sure what to call these - head or face jewelry?  Whatever, they are unusual. This design shown here is from the portfolio of Brice Hardelin, a photographer and art director.

The New Dandies Collection features some pretty edgy street fashion. I don't know about you but I find the face chain jewelry quite intimidating!

Bejeweled necklines by Gwendolynn Burkin

Have you ever considered incorporating chains, beads and possibly gemstones into clothing rather than as separate jewelry pieces? One past designer I featured was Haute Ice who designs bejeweled necklines in ballroom dancing gowns. You can also see more examples in another post on clothing with inbuilt jewelry.

Wire Wrapped Bangle Tutorials

Wire work tutorials are always popular. So here are more tutorials to try. First up is this wire wrapped bracelet tutorial by Sheri Herr of Lotus Beads. Sheri used 20G wire but you could also use 18G if you want a more substantial look.

Kokopelli Design's Beadwork Jewelry Giveaway

Woo-hoo, another giveaway. But this time, it's Dagmar's. Dagmar is an accomplished beadwork artisan and crafter from Germany who writes a dual language blog called Kokopelli Design. Her latest blog post tells about her new venture into teaching beading in the Stuttgart area. However, the giveaway is still open to readers further abroad. Just check out her blog post for more details.

Book Review : Your Seed Bead Style

Kalmbach Publishing who produce Bead and Button magazine just sent me this exciting new bead work how-to book called Your Seed Bead Style.

I was impressed with the top-notch quality of the projects as well as the sheer number of them (27) for a book that's priced just $17.95.  So doing the math, that's less than 70 cents per project. Definitely worth it if you are bead work artisan at heart.

Cheater Bib Necklace Tutorials

Bib necklaces are hot right? But if you are struggling to find time to make your own, help is on the way. Shown here is Disney's Cheater bib tutorial on her blog, Ruffles and Stuff. It's an excellent design - she was joking when she said you could tell people it was an Anthropologie design. But honestly, it could pass off as an expensive piece!  By the way her pearls were from the dollar store!

H.Stern's Amazing Alice in Wonderland Rings

Just as there are wonderful examples of handmade jewelry artisans coming up with designs based on a common theme, top flight jewelers also rise to the challenge. I've written about Tom Binns' designs for Disney's Alice in Wonderland.  Swarovski also came up with their distinctly different designs. Now we have H.Stern's outstanding Alice in Wonderland rings. H.Stern Jewelers is a Brazilian company with international stores.

How to Make Resin Gemstones II

Tap Plastics : Making your own gemstone mold
I've written about making your own resin gemstones before. The previous tutorials involved using purchased resin molds. Today's video tutorial though is different.

The Tap Plastics instructor shows us how to make our own platinum silicone mold using large glass jewels or other objects of our own. Please note platinum silicone is NOT FDA approved for food contact.

Pretty Blue Bangle Bracelet

Blue is one of the top favorite colors out there. So it was lovely to see this pretty design by Cheryl who mixed blue with silver plated beads.  The blue window beads - so called because of their translucency - were matched with round crackle beads.

The Reality Check Wedding Ring by Josien Pieters

Most of us regard wedding rings in the rosiest of terms for we hope the bond will lead to a lifetime of happily wedded bliss. Not so with the Reality Check Wedding Ring. This witty ring design incorporates 3 different rings which signify the three different stages of a relationship.

The Conch Pearl May No Longer Be a Rare Gemstone

Marine Biology
Part 2 of 2
Conch (pronounced konk) pearls are extremely rare. They are technically not pearls as they do not form from nacreous layers. They form very rarely in marine snails called Estrombus gigas or Queen conch - just 1 in 10,000 conchs. These creatures live in the Caribbean and are usually caught for food. The porcelain like pearls range in color from creamy white to yellow, brown and  gorgeous pinks with a distinctive wavy play of color called "flame structure". Only 1 in 100 is gemstone grade. They are also rarely round and are delicate as the colors can fade with time and exposure to sunlight.

Picture source and jeweler information

Luhuanus : Large Conical Shells in Jewelry Design

Marine Biology
Part 1 of 2
I made this necklace for a friend some years ago. The large soft pink shells were challenging to use as they are oddly shaped.  But I think I succeeded for my friend was very pleased with it. I teamed the large shells with grey mother of pearl ovals and smaller pink shells as well as small hematite rondelles.

It really bugged me for a long time not knowing what the shells were. You know, species. I am after all a scientist and am curious about those things.

Broken Fab's Triangular Beaded Tribal Designs

Making jewelry is one thing. Making jewelry which stands out above the crowd is another. It's difficult to develop a unique and innovative design style of your own. One artisan who succeeds in spades is Fabienne Morel of  Broken Fab. She makes awesome hand beaded jewelry jewelry with a tribal flair.

Spring Flower Necklace Tutorials

Spring is in the air! My crocuses have been out for a few weeks now. The yard is sort of cleaned up. The gardening season looms ahead. So let's celebrate that joyous season with some utterly lovely spring flower necklace tutorials.

The Handmade Artists' Forum and Shop

Most of us with significant others can safely say our partners are supportive to varying degrees. Rarer are the couples who fully share the jewelry making passion. Andrew and Kimberley Kitchen are such a pair.

You couldn't find a more hardworking pair.   Two websites, blogs, Facebook, a forum and more recently an online handmade site of their own.  Throw in 2 young children and you'd agree their lives are very busy indeed.

Side Drilled Beads as Earring Dangles

Do you find you avoid certain beads for earring dangles? Like side drilled beads for instance? Well, you can easily make them into dangles by doing a triangular wire wrap. Carolyn's pretty in pink earring design is a perfect example of how it can be done.

Window Screen and Tackle Necklace and Earrings Tutorial

Do you haunt other types of supply stores like the hardware store or perhaps the fishing stores? It might be worth your while because you can get some novel findings that way. This clever window screen and tackle necklace and earrings tutorial by Heidi Borchers requires you to pop into both stores!

See Through Stretched Piercings

Piercing is a form of adornment. Did you know there are nine places to pierce your ears? Some people like the world's most pierced woman go totally overboard.  Others like to push the envelope and pierce unusual parts of their bodies. Or get surgically implanted jewel piercings in their eyes. (Do not click on this past blog post if you are squeamish!)And now, we have see through piercings!

4 Ways to Make Short Wire Coils

Last week, I wrote about the tutorials for coiling and twisting wire. Here are 4 more ways you can coil wire using different tools. These though are for short wire coils.

Knitting needles
If you are a knitter or ex-knitter like me, the needles come in handy because you have a way of knowing what sizes of wire coils you are making. It takes a little practice though.  Some tips on using needles:

Purses as Jewelry

It's a bracelet! It's a purse! It's SuperPurse! The jewelry purse hybrid is a clever idea from the Tamlin & The Fall Minaudiere collection which is handmade in New York. Jewelry and handbags have long been accessories but they are usually separate items.

What the heck is a minaudiere?  It's a "hand-held decorative case for carrying little things". Just the thing for that special evening out.

Etched Jewelry Designs and Tutorials by Espirit Mystique

I am constantly amazed at how generous so many artisans are. Not only do they take the time to explain how to make jewelry but they introduce people to new techniques. Such is the case with Tuscon based Virginia Vivier who is the artisan behind Espirit Mystique.  She makes gorgeous stamp and etched jewelry such as this Mayan bracelet.  Virginia traveled a lot and visited many countries which accounts for her ancient civilization inspirations.

How to Make Wooden Pendants

   If you prefer the feel of organic material rather than metal in jewelry designs, then this post is for you! First up is the wooden pendant or key chain tutorial by Little Blue Boo. She takes us through the image transfer process which will make every piece unique. Small pre-cut shapes can be purchased if woodcraft is not your thing.

Mary, Queen of Scots' Jewels

Murder. Sex. Scandal. There was plenty of spice in the life of the trice married Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587). If she had lived in our time, she would have been a regular in the tabloid press, constantly hounded by the paparazzi. This enigmatic woman fascinated people back then and her story still enthralls today.  Queen of Scotland from her infancy and raised to become Queen of France, she also yearned to be Queen of England if Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603), her cousin, were to die before her.

The Regretsy Book is out!

Most of you by now would have heard about Regretsy, the hilarious blog which features the more, uh, unusual offerings by some Etsy sellers. The creator of the site, April Wenchell who writes as Helen Killer, puts it succinctly in the title of  her recently published book, Regretsy: Where DIY Meets WTF.  If you haven't heard about Regretsy before, check out my past review about the site, Regretsy : Unfavorites from Etsy.

"Just for Me" jewelry creations

Do you find yourself reserving a lovely pendant or string of gemstones just for yourself? Sometimes those pieces just call out your name! That's the way it was for Debbie (my friend and co-instructor) who couldn't part with this large labradorite gemstone focal. I managed to catch some flashes of blue on the left side of the oval gemstone in this photo.

Hisssssterically awesome snake earrings

I personally don't like snakes but I have to admit I do like clever snake earring designs (see my past post on the Cold Hearted Snake earpiece).  I also found this pair totally cool. It's part ear cuff and earring because the snake wraps around the ear as well as goes through the ear hole.

More zipper flower tutorials to try!

I still don't quite get why zipper jewelry is so popular lately. Perhaps it's because an unlikely fastener turns from an ugly duckling (jewelry wise) to a swan in the hands of talented crafters. So here are more tutorials to satisfy the demand.

High Tech Spy Inspired OpenMe Security Swarovski Ring

I don't know about you, but I always have to root through my handbag for my house keys. There has to be a better way.

One concept design for the future is this high tech Swarovski adorned OpenMe Security Ring. It is reminiscent of what any beautiful female spy would wear in a James Bond movie.

Captured Keys - Wire Woven Designs by Original Sin Jewelry

I've seen jewelry designs featuring keys but none like the Skeleton Key Collection by Margaret Aden, the Louisiana based art jewelry artisan behind Original Sin Jewelry. She makes wire woven designs which often include artifacts like old keys. That's why she sells mainly to art galleries and museum shops.

Chunky Bling's Interchangeable Watch Giveaway Winner

The field of entrants was the smallest yet for giveaways for the Chunky Bling Interchangeable Watch giveaway. But the good news is the chances of winning got a whole lot better. Just three of you popped over to the Chunky Bling site to flex your verbal creativity and came up with names for this bright and cheery yellow and brown watch bracelet and came back to the blog to let me know. However Doug was making notes. So the full list of entrants originating from my post who entered the Name that Bling! contest is below.

How to Make Coiled and Twisted Wire Bracelet Tutorials

Using the Coiling Gizmo
Making coiled wire sections is really easy. They are a wonderful addition to jewelry designs. This is a super tutorial I found which shows how to make a simple coiled wire bracelet

The Denver Refugee Women's Craft Initiative

I came across the Denver Refugee Women's Craft Initiative through the About Jewelry forum some time ago. The driving force behind this project "helping women achieve self-sufficiency through the beauty of handmade crafts" is a remarkable group of ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers and volunteers. They work with refugee women to help them develop skills and become confident in their new homeland.

A Scrolled Wire Focal Design

Scrolling wire is fun to do - see my past post, 3 tutorials on how to make scrolled wire connections.  But I like how Sabrina took the idea of scrolling wire and ran with it!  Usually scrolled wire occur in small sections which are then linked together or with dangles and so forth. As you can see, she did not create single units but formed one large connected piece with 3 scrolled wire sections.

Cross Jewelry Inspirations

As it is the Easter weekend, some of you may have already tackled some cross designs ahead of time. If you haven't considered trying yet, perhaps you'd like to check out my past post on cross pendant tutorials. They range from wire work, chain maille, tatted and bead work. But you are by no means limited to those techniques nor do you have to conform to the classic representation of the cross.

Kinetic Adornments - Moving jewelry

Some lovely jewelry can move you on a personal level. Then there are those pieces who do just that, move! There are a number of artisans who make kinetic jewelry. Here are some. I am sure I missed others too.

Kinekt Design's Gear Ring
Do you ever twiddle the rings on your fingers? Well, Kinekt Design's Gear Ring will let you do more than move the ring around the finger. You can move all those gears on the stainless steel ring! Watch the video to see it in action.

Two Lovely Beaded Bracelet Tutorials

Some time ago, a reader asked if she could see more beadwork! As it happens, I have found a couple of gorgeous beaded bracelet tutorials worth sharing. The first one is the mandala bracelet by Beads Unlimited. It's easy enough for a beginner. Just choosing different colors will change the look of the piece.