The Beading Gem

I don't know about you, but I simply adore children's art and by extension, the jewelry designs youngsters come up with. They teach adults many things - they are not afraid to try or make mistakes nor do they hesitate. They just do it.

Shown here is the wonderful color graduated necklace by Katherine, age 11. According to her mother, Katherine is artistically inclined. She certainly knew what she wanted to do and accomplished it quickly. Don't you just love the way she used different colors of blues and different shapes of beads?

I am a huge fan of Auntie's Beads' videos - I've included many of them in my past blog posts. So when Auntie's Beads contacted me recently to ask if I would like to do a giveaway AND invited me to their blogger program, I was thrilled to bits!

If beads are your passion, then you'll know checking out different suppliers is often worthwhile if you are looking for something different. For instance they have a new line of enameled Tibetan Style beads which are just gorgeous.

Aren't these paracord balls cool? They could be strung together on wire for fun and colorful bracelets ad necklaces. The creator of the video tutorial is TIAT short for Tying it all together.


It's a rounded Turk's Head knot (although it does resemble a Monkey's Fist knot ). TIAT made a Turk's Head mat and rolled it up.  Both knots have interesting histories.

Paracord bracelets are one of the most popular designs for men - or for women who aren't into bling.
I've featured some tutorials before. Many use release buckles but Fusion Outrage/HobbitAssasin08 has this self toggle paracord bracelet video tutorial.

An anonymous commentator who pronounced the Face Distorting Jewelry by Burcu Buyukunal as "meaningless drivel" completely missed the point I try to make when I  feature avant-garde jewelry designers. These artisans are at the forefront of innovative jewelry making. Their unusual designs do indeed push the boundaries of what is considered normal.


Sure, some of the jewelry will never become mainstream but then, innovation is also about failing sometimes. If you don't try to fly, then how would you soar? One artisan who did is Alissia Melka-Teichroew.

Are you a bead work fan? The new book I received from Kalmbach Publishing contains some 130 beading patterns is sure to inspire.

The Big Book of Beading Patterns: For Peyote Stitch, Square Stitch, Brick Stitch, and Loomwork Designs are a compilation of the best patterns from Bead & Button magazine.

Now that the flowers in the garden are well and truly gone, we have to resort to beaded varieties to take us through the long winter excepting those in the Southern Hemisphere or the tropics! So get inspired with this crop of flower tutorials to incorporate into your jewelry designs.

This great French beaded Sparkle Flower earrings tutorial  is by Meredith Roddy for Beadalon.What I like about French beading is the use of smaller beads on wire to easily form larger clusters. Check out the tutorial links below for more.

I just got the word from PJ Tool this afternoon that they are offering free shipping for all ImpressArt stamp sets or orders over $70 for readers of this blog.  The coupon is valid through Saturday January 29, 2011. To get the discount, please apply coupon code BGJBLOG when checking out.

I  had previously featured jewelry made from trash before but the work of award-winning British eco jewelry artisan, Ann Ellis is awe inspiring!

Her work is truly "original artwear from recycled materials"! She uses a mixture of recycled plastics, textiles, metals and found objects in a most creative and colorful fashion.

It probably won't surprise any of you but last week's giveaway of one of PJ Tool and Supply's $70 ImpressArt Stamp Set was the most popular ever! No wonder - the sets are all unique and gorgeous.

One commentator, Deborah said, "Just as slightly different size/style/color/texture beads completely change the look of jewelry, so do different fonts - size/style/color/texture apply to them, as well. When you factor in the combinations possible with ALL these choices, design power is limitless!" She should know as she was a typographer for over 25 years!

Tucson is THE place to go if you love beads, gems and minerals. It's bead heaven for sure because literally thousands of participants from around the world congregate in some 40 sites around the city. Every available space is taken up - tents, meeting centers, hotels. Some dealers even sell directly from their hotel rooms!

Artbeads is having a fabulous "Road to Tucson" Sweepstakes- a round-trip airfare for two to Tucson, Arizona and 3 nights accommodation to attend the 2012 Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase (January 28- February 12). The winner will also attend classes with well-known beading instructors and have access to the biggest shows.

Animal Inspirations
Part 3 of 3
Elephants are simply majestic creatures. They have been an inspiration in jewelry designs for eons especially in India and Africa where elephants feature in their legends and are very much part of their culture and heritage.


Here are some tutorials to feature them in designs. First up is the Beaded Fabric Elephant pendant necklace tutorial by Idekuhandmade. I love how the bead work forms the The instructions are in Indonesian Malay but you can either use Google Translate or the pictures will suffice.

Using shrinkable plastic is a wonderful way to make whimsical necklaces. The designs are easy to whip up using Shrinky Dink plastic sheets designed for inkjet printers but regular ones can also be used if you trace designs and color them yourself.

Animal Inspirations
Part 1 of 3
We hear the advice time and time again - wear your own jewelry. However, did you also think that your pet dog might help out as well to promote your jewelry making skills? Well, here is a tutorial to make your own Glitzy Glam Dog Leash! 

Answer

Want to make jewelry which stands out from the crowd?  Then make innovative jewelry no one else does! The driving force of innovation is creativity.  I truly believe all of us carry some measure of creativity. But it needs to be nurtured and exercised if it is to grow.

One inspiring artisan is Michelle, who recently opened her store on Etsy called Shop Mich L. She makes incredible upcycled jewelry from the most unlikely of materials.  Check out her store and see what I mean.

Last year, lamp work artisan, Susan Hood, of Glass Harp Jewelry here in Nova Scotia had the incredible experience of presenting her work at the Toronto International Film Festival. All film and TV award ceremonies have gifting lounges - my past post explained what they are and how Susan got involved.

Susan Hood with Jennifer Love-Hewitt

One of my most popular posts is the one about how to make leather tutorials. Real or fake leather or suede make for less blingy jewelry. So if you need more ideas and tutorials, check out the next awesome crop!

Necklaces
This stunning and Easy Faux Suede Bohemian fringe necklace tutorial is by none other than LoveMaegan whose clever DIYs have been featured here before.

Heart with Wings Necklace

The inspiration for creating jewelry comes from many sources. However, personal emotional pain is perhaps the hardest form of inspiration.

Amy Sweetman, the artisan behind Anatomology's anatomy jewelry collection, found solace in the designing of her pieces when her long, and seemingly forever marriage came to an abrupt halt.

When PJ Tool and Supply, an online tool retailer and wholesaler contacted me about their new line of designer metal stamps called ImpressArt, I was definitely impressed! What's more, one lucky reader will receive one set of their choice for this giveaway post courtesy of PJ Tool and Supply.

Remember my book review about Making Elegant Jewelry for Special Occasions? Well, Sue's creations at a workshop are certainly good examples of the simple but elegant jewelry designs covered in that book. She teamed up pearls with silver plated filigree balls for one bracelet. What she didn't do was alternate them.

When Isabella of Castile and Leon (1451- 1504) was born, no one ever imagined this princess would grow up not only to inherit the throne but became Spain's most accomplished Queen ever. Her marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon unified Spain. Together this remarkable couple turned a backwater nation into a world power.

Known as Isabel la Católica (Isabella the Catholic) for her devotion to her faith, both Isabella and Ferdinand (the "Catholic Monarchs") attempted to also unify Spain under one religion. This lead to the cruel oppression and later expulsion of the Moors and Jews - the infamous Spanish Inquisition tarnished their reputations. Isabella was also the queen who helped bankroll Christopher Columbus' voyages.

There are many good jewelry making books out there but few are truly innovative. One of these is Melody MacDuffee's new Lacy Wire Jewelry book which I recently received from Kalmbach Publishing for review.

Her wire work book is really about making filigree style jewelry without having to solder. The techniques she teaches are not only fun but relatively easy to accomplish with just your basic jewelry tools. Some practice is required to create even loops but in general the informal style is most forgiving indeed.

British metalsmith, Lucy Jenkins (Update : link no longer works) is an accomplished jeweler who incorporates organic material in her work. Not pearls, shells or wood, but fur from road kill! I never dreamed ethical fur could be in this form. It's perhaps not for most people but this artisan is truly innovative and creative!

It was only a few months ago when those of us who work with silver did some collective screaming about the rapidly rising cost of this precious metal (see past post). Back then, silver was US$23 per ounce. It is now hovering around the $29 mark. There are fluctuations up and down which reflect market reactions to economic news but the general trend is still up.

Silver Price per oz from Jan 1 2010 to Jan 3 2011

Got some lovely gemstone cabochons, crystals, button or enamel beads you'd like to make into the pendants?  If time is short or if you're not into wire work, here is an easy way to enclose them.

Just simply wrap them with a large filigree as you can see in my Hidden Jewel Vintage Brass pendant  shown on the right.

Also check out my past post on Yours Truli's outstanding vintage style jewelry inspirations.

Raku is a hand-molded Japanese ceramic style which originated in 16th century Kyoto. The outstanding tableware is used in traditional tea ceremonies. However, the beautiful range of glazes this low-firing and take-it-out-while-it's-hot technique produces has made it popular worldwide.

So when Duane Collins introduced himself on my blog's chatbox as a full-time specialist Raku bead designer, I was intrigued. Duane's Etsy shop is called  Elements Pottery.

The rallying cry for this blog should be "I need some more beads" as Melody said. This was definitely one of the highest number of entries for a giveaway. Like her, many of you jumped at the chance of winning free beads with last week's ArtBeads $25 Gift Certificate giveaway.

Creativegoddessinrepose is right - "You can never have too many beads".  Nobody wants to recover from the addiction either! Not least, RockCreekCreations who fondles beads daily!

Got a large button stash? Then it's time to get creative with more button jewelry projects.

I actually bought some large confetti buttons using them for a bead on a wire project. However, I like even more the button bracelet project by Blumenthal Lansing Co (Update : link no longer works). Very colorful and fun use of these large buttons to team up with smaller ones from your stash!

Emperor’s winter robe Victoria and Albert Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum of Design in London has an amazing exhibition on Imperial Chinese Robes  on right now until February 27, 2011. It's like the emperor's old clothes only better.

Lucky visitors get to see the splendor of the Manchu Imperial court dress, shoes and bejeweled hats. The Manchu or Qing dynasty (1644 -1912) was the last to rule China until the revolution in 1912 got rid of the final boy emperor.

Are you a beginner in jewelry design and wire work?  Do you like simple but elegant jewelry styles?  Then you might be interested in this collection of projects from Bead Style Magazine, Making Elegant Jewelry for Special Occasions. Kalmbach Publishing recently sent it for review.

The book covers some 30 projects using pearls, crystals, wire and chain. What I liked about it was the light and airy design approach. A chain and focal lucite flower with a simply beaded pearl center was one stunning example of the aesthetic style.

When I first saw Diane and her boyfriend, Ronnie's unusual jewelry, I thought the focal beads were agate slices. They are not gemstones but cross-sections of discarded deer antlers found in New Hampshire woods. They make and sell deer antler jewelry in their combined ArtFire store, DS Photography.

Ronnie and his friend are the ones who actually go "shed hunting" - looking for antlers in the woods. There were so many finds these began to take up too much space. So Diane and Ronnie started to brainstorm and came up with some ideas of what to do with them.

Some people may be leery of fabric jewelry but really the maintenance is no different from taking care of a delicate garment. Gentle hand wash, pat dry and dry flat. They are also not a concern if the necklace is worn on top of a garment. Given the rising costs of silver, fabric is yet another alternative for affordable jewelry. Time to liberate the stash!

One easy way to make and wear multi-layered necklaces is to create a very long one - 36 or even 72 inches. Just double or triple it around your neck. You could also wrap it many times around your wrist for a bracelet.

Trying to make many, many wrapped beads to link is bound to take time. So check out this awesomely simple tip and design tutorial by the Bead Studio.

You can tell many people are already thinking about Valentine's Day. 

JanMarieArts created a lovely Heartfelt Treasury which comprises of designs from the Etsy Project Embrace team members who raise money for cancer societies and research.

As I am a team member, she picked my wire work Heart Throb earrings in the bottom row. Thanks ever so much!

Renaissance wax polish was developed by the boffins (English slang for scientists) at the British Museum in the 1950's. The natural waxes used for conserving museum exhibits unfortunately also contained acids which over time compromised the finishes of historic furniture collections.

So they came up with a new type of microcrystalline wax refined from crude oil which solved the problem. Since then other micro-crystalline waxes have appeared on the market and they are used to protect a wide range of materials including metals.

Today is my 4th blogging anniversary! I may have written 1687 posts since January 4 of 2007 but it's not worth writing even one if it didn't have any readers. So thank you all for following me and for all your encouraging comments.

Some of you have taken the trouble to tell me the first thing you do in the morning is to grab a cup of coffee and read my daily post.... probably works better in that order, right?

 Some of you may have remembered my post about my friend's HO-HO-HO necklace which was a clever and amusing design for before and after Christmas wear.

Well, this is January - the after part when we have to take stock of our credit card indulgences. But if you are a beadaholic, you can still have beads! Just enter my first giveaway of 2011 courtesy of Artbeads.

Ever work with nylon microfilaments? These are as fine as sewing cotton but not easy to control and work with. These threads have a mind of their own!

Foxtail Lily or Desert Candle

Yet British artist, Nora Fok meticulously creates the most amazing hand made nylon art rings (and other jewelry) using techniques such as knotting and knitting.  Shown here are a selection of her Nylon Botanicus collection where the sources of her inspiration are flowers - both the garden and wild varieties.

Still not summoned up the courage to do metal clay jewelry? Well, Gail who writes the Can't Stop Making Things blog finally made that step and assures us it is easy.

Her metal clay pendant tutorial uses rubber stamps to quickly create the designs. This is very helpful tip as beginners have to learn the other steps in the whole process. Rubber stamps aren't all that cheap so it's good that there are other uses for them besides stamping on paper.

Let's Party
Part 2 of 2
This sweet project is something to bookmark if you sometimes organize birthday parties for young girls. Or perhaps it could be something for kids to make themselves as little gifts for their friends.


The Easy Pyramid Box Necklace is by Maria Nerius of Favecrafts. The project uses up scrap paper and can be customized in many ways.