The Beading Gem

Ear cuffs are not only alternatives to earrings, they are a positive boon for people who cannot wear pierced earring styles.  Check out the links below for past tutorials and inspirations.


This latest find is Albina Manning's tutorial for a combination ear cuff and dangle. You can certainly choose to use smaller beads for a daintier look.

BeadCrafty is a UK online bead retailer that's just a few months old.  There aren't yet many items but the site will certainly grow.

Bradford based Steve and Sarah have 10 years eCommerce experience with their other site, Streetshirts.com which they are now bringing to their new venture.

Steve said, "The reason we decided to start the business is obviously the interest we share in making jewellery and crafts. After using other beading sites we thought we could offer a better customer service and faster dispatch."

Image from Mich in LA

Most of us have at least a pair of denim jeans in our closet right?  Perhaps even more than one. So enterprising eco jewelry artisans do not let tired and worn out jeans go to waste.

One of the most imaginative eco jewelry artisans has to be Michelle over at the Mich in LA blog. I've featured many of her creations before.  Here's her shabby chic bangle bracelet tutorial.

The way to stand out in a crafty crowd is to make things no one else does.  Fellow Canadian, Ewelina Olesinka of Evelda's Neverland on Etsy does just that with her awesome statement crochet necklaces.


Some of the necklaces are lariats and some do double duty as warm collars. If you have to keep your neck cosy in cooler weather, you might as well do it in style!

Macrame artisan Monica over at the Smitten by a Knot blog is absolutely right. The beaded macrame bracelet is perfect as a unisex gift because with the sliding clasp, you don't have to size it accurately. It's quick too!

Her tutorial also makes use of chunky beads which I find are sometimes challenging to introduce into other jewelry designs. But not this one!

Some of you probably cringe at the sight of spiders even the fake varieties!  But for others, spiders are just a part of Halloween fun.   For Sarah, who writes the Saturday Sequins blog, Halloween is not just for a single day but the whole month!

Sequins are her thing so check out her tutorial which makes use of large sequins as discs and spider confetti! It's a really quick project to complete.

Sue brought in a strand of gorgeous green gemstones to a workshop earlier this year so she could create some jewelry for herself. Alas, she forgot to note what they were.

We made some guesses but in the end weren't confident enough to say what the gemstone was. So unless a reader can help out, all we can say is -  it is a quartz!

This pearl cluster necklace tutorial is a winner on so many levels. The designer is Nicola Marks who also has an Etsy store called Smitten Kitten Loves.


Firstly, it is a very pretty design. Each cluster is made up of several wire wrapped pearl dangles which means you get to practice this a lot. That's a good thing if you are a beginner.

Carly Cais, over at Chic Steals calls herself a notorious cheapskate. She has been on fire lately with a couple of awesome jewelry tutorials. The inspirations for her designs came from very expensive designer items.

Arrowhead Ring by Chic Steals

Her tutorials are outstanding because she was able to create the pieces using cold connection methods i.e. no soldering at all.

The Huichols are a West Mexican ethnic group who are world renowned for their beaded art. 


Our Exquisite Corpse Collection is an amazing one sold through LN-CC London's online store. It is the result of Cathrine Martin's collaboration with the Huichols.

The collection is clearly inspired by the Day of the Dead festivities in early November. This Mexican holiday is the day people remember their departed families and friends. Although All Souls' Day is largely a Catholic observance, equivalent celebrations occur in other cultures.

So many of you really wanted to win this fabulous giveaway going out of your way increase your chances! So both Lex and I are grateful for the promotion.  He said in an email to me, "Please thank all your readers for me for their Likes, Tweets and follows. Delighted to reward their support with this promotion."

 Did you miss last week's fabulous giveaway for two Modahaus Table Top Studio 216s? Well, there is still time as the contest doesn't end until 6 pm EST today!  So check my blog after that time to see if you win!

This size of studio is perfect for most jewelry artisans. However, if you make very large pieces or take a lot of grouped shots, pictures of cakes and craft items or even small pets and tiny babies, consider the larger ones.

Inspiration can also come from the past.  In the case of Vault of Valhalla, one of my Twitter followers, the really distant past!

Vince Zahle, the artisan behind the designs thoroughly researches archaeological finds to come up with the lost wax cast jewelry created from his hand sculptured molds.

Image by Saturday Sequins

Savvy artisans always carry their business cards with them to hand out as the opportunity arises.

If you've got a smartphone like I do and are on Etsy, then you can use some clever apps to display your store in a pleasing manner on the small screens. See my past post on Promote Your Etsy Store as a Magazine and an a Phone App.

Image by Lola Ebola

It's nearly that time of year again!  If you like to join in the fun, then make yourself some skeletal jewelry for Halloween.

You can easily get skull and bone beads to make the jewelry quickly. But if you have time, check out these inspirations!

Are you a component designer or love using handmade supplies for your designs?  Need to replenish your findings stock or destash?

Then you ought to check out the one Melinda Orr is organizing. The 3 day extravaganza is scheduled next week from October 26-28. All types of handmade media are welcome.

Image by Wanda Epps

A claspless necklace has some advantages. Firstly, there is no need to fiddle with small findings or find someone to help you put on or take off a necklace.

Secondly, besides saving on a clasp and the time needed to attach one, a claspless necklace might be the only option for people who are extremely allergic to any form of metal.

A reader, Judy Larson just wrote an email to me last night with an amazing gesture.  I have never before seen a jewelry tutorial lovingly created and freely given in memory of someone.

We all gather our inspiration from everywhere, particularly where we live. For Welsh-born, Jessica Stephens, that's Morocco. Home is currently a small quarter in a small town close to Fez or Fes ,the second largest city in the interior of the country.

I came to know of Jessica's Etsy store, Morocco Bling (Update : link no longer works) when she joined my Twitter community and delighted me with her creations.

My jewelry photographs are steadily  improving in quality due to the Modahaus Table Top Photo Studio set up I bought and the immeasurably helpful tips I received from Lex McColl, the professional photographer who created it.


I previously shared my experiences and photographs in this post, Natural Light Photography with the Modahaus. Lex has since written more follow-up tutorials exclusively for this blog.

Somewhere in the middle of Siberia is one huge hole in the ground. The Mirny or Mir Mine is the second largest excavated hole in the world and the largest open pit diamond mine.

It's 525 meters (1,722 ft) deep and has a diameter of 1,200 m (3,900 ft). The mine is so deep that it's a no fly zone for helicopters after some were sucked down due to the downward draft of the air currents!

Image by Margot Potter

I'm okay with spiders and if you're like me, you might like to create some spectacular spider web necklaces for some Halloween fun!

Margot Potter's fantastic chain and Swarovski crystal web necklace tutorial will definitely add class to an elegant Halloween party outfit. Not everybody wants to look like an ugly witch from some fairy tale!

Many of you are no doubt getting ready for or are already in the midst of doing craft shows during this busiest time of year for artisans.  It's no different for Lori Anderson who writes the Pretty Things blog.

She recently wrote a delightful blog post on the Art Bead Scene blog about her craft show preparations including pictures of her wonderful booth set up, new beading spots in her house and her two bead chasers who don't do pick-ups.

Many of you may already be familiar with Art Bead Scene -a blog celebrating the beauty of uniquely designed beads and written by several artisans.  The founder and editor of that active blog is Heather Powers of Humble Beads. She is not only a polymer clay bead artist but illustrates and writes as well.

Kalmbach Publishing just sent me her new book Jewelry Designs from Nature  for review and it is a celebration of exactly what Heather and her pals over at Art Bead Scene excel at - the making of unique beads.

Image by Cyndi Lavin

An armature is a wire framework which supports a sculptured piece.  The wire is usually thick aluminum which is both lightweight and inexpensive. You could alternatively use thick gauge sterling silver wire (14G-16G) for jewelry designs if you prefer and can afford it. Copper is another option.

One word of caution if you chose aluminum. Although it is fun to work work, aluminum becomes brittle if you overwork it. So go easy with it.  I would use either half hard or full hard tempered wire rather than soft.

Marie Segal is a fantastic polymer clay artist who has been involved in her craft for over 30 years. Her creativity and artistic flair really shows in her work. She sells her creations on her Etsy store appropriately called Art from My Heart.

Her attention to detail and her whimsical approach are what makes her designs unique. It's as if she paints with clay! Shown here are her Halloween and Day of the Dead inspired creations.

The readers who expressed considerable enthusiasm for last week's Weekend Kits' giveaway all recognized the advantages kits provide. No hassle and as one reader pointed out - less crafting residual!

Many were also hoping to win so they could gift the kits to family and friends such as young beginners and  those who insist they are craft challenged! Shaiha had another great reason for using kits - something to do when watching tv!

Key necklaces have been a popular trend this year.  That's probably because keys are symbolic. Think "key to my heart" and you will know what I mean. So here is a bumper crop of key necklace tutorials to inspire you to make your own!

The gals over at the Little Birdie Secrets blog found some vintage rings during an expedition to antique shops.  This key's shape is reminiscent of a heart. That's why it is the Key to My Heart necklace tutorial. There are other inspirations in that post so it is well worth checking it out.

Sarah, the artisan behind Artizen Metal on Artfire is a highly creative individual. She is constantly exploring different themes. Shown here is my favorite of her past collections, Tales from Microbia.  

The designs were inspired by Ernst Haeckel's (1834-1919)  lithographs of cells and radiolarians which are beautiful single cell organisms.

Is making rings the final frontier for the beginner jewelry maker?  The difficulty is often the sizing of the rings and perhaps the wire wrapping too.

But it need not be a challenge. Making the ring adjustable might just do the trick.  This clever squiggle ring video tutorial by Mark Nelson of Rio Grande works because of its simple construction.

Johnette wanted to make a pearl necklace gift for her friend at a beading party. She knew this lady preferred classic designs. While there is nothing wrong with an all pearl necklace, what Johnette did certainly made the design "pop".

She did not use a pendant but she added a couple of accent beads - silvery ones which flanked a single rhinestone rondelle bead. The overall design was still understated but unique and lovely.

Image by Susan Elliott

I've featured miniature beaded jewelry before for Barbie dolls (see link below).

But Susan Elliott's amazing embroidered and bejeweled picture is different. It's her homage to the film, Breakfast at Tiffany's, starring Audrey Hepburn.

Anne Cecilie is the talented beader behind Jewelry and Polymer Clay Tutorial Heaven whose tutorials continue to be featured here. Want more super how-tos from Anne? Here goes.

First, a matching set of earrings and bracelet.The earrings tutorial demonstrates a wonderful combination of wire work and knotting with beads.

Scarves have become popular again over the last few years. So I was delighted when I spotted Franchesca Leigh Ramsey's Twitpic of her fabulous scarf necklace some time ago. She is a video blogger and a self confessed hair obsessed graphic designer based in New York City.

So many people loved her wrapped silk scarf that she made a fun Youtube video showing how to do it yourself. It's a beautiful way to dress up a plain outfit. Perfect for cooler weather or frigid air-conditioned offices in hot climes!

Bold. Colorful. Tribal. Spectacular!  Amanda Assad Mounser's Autumn/Winter 2011 Neo Conquistador collection clearly wows. This New York City based designer uses bright colors, multi-layered elements, tassels, spikes and chains to great effect.

Although Assad Mounser is primarily known for her glam rock movement inspirations, this latest collection springs from her imaginative take on conquerors creating anew from the relics of destroyed cultures.

Crystazzi Jewelry Rose Light Kit

My petition for a 36-hour day failed  miserably. So time is still one of our most precious commodities.  If you are struggling to find time to craft then a kit will help.

Kits mean you don't have to think about what to gather up. The color coordinated components are all assembled together  ready for you to pick up and start crafting right away when you have a spare moment.

I never knew drinking straws came in so many different colors until I saw Linda Schailon's eco-rings. Her aptly named Flow collection is made by putting together recycled straws.

This Italian designer's sense of color comes into play as her recycled straw jewelry is available in so many different color  and pattern combinations.

Cathe Holden, the contributing craft editor for Country Living Magazine and the blogger behind Just Something I Made is truly creative.


She created a wonderful mini folk charm necklace tutorial which represents her family. The tiny people necklace is a different take on family name necklaces or even birthstone versions.