Pearl Blay
bracelet
earrings
feature designer
necklace
unusual jewelry
worthy cause
Land Mine Jewelry
Pearl Blay
book review
metal work
Book Review - Bead Meets Metal
Metal work is not for beginners but somewhere along our jewelry making journeys, there comes a point where it becomes useful to know at least some of the basics. Who knows? That initial foray in this branch of the craft might become a life long passion. But where to start?
Pearl Blay
necklace
tutorial
wire work
wirewrapped
Unusual Wire Wrapped Cabochon Tutorials
I've seen many wire wrapped cabochon tutorials but this first one is a standout because it is also a clever locket! The tutorial for the wire wrapped cabochon locket is over on Deviantart - click on the long picture to see it in closeup mode. The designer is Faith Cheong who also has an Etsy supply store.
Pearl Blay
feature designer
macrame
It takes a special kind of artisan to make stunning jewelry from thousands of little knots. Martin and Ugne are the two Spanish designers behind the micro macrame statement jewelry seen on ARUMIdesign on Etsy.
Micro Macrame Statement Jewelry by ARUMIdesign
Pearl Blay
giveaway
Winner of The Beading Room's $100 Gift Certificate Giveaway
Square wire is not easy to find so I was not surprised to read that many of you mentioned it in last week's fabulous giveaway from The Beading Room. So now you know where to get this elusive supply! The Beading Room ships everywhere so it does not matter if you live outside Canada.
Pearl Blay
How to Shorten or Lengthen Necklaces Quickly with Ribbon
Long necklaces are wonderful to wear but there is no reason why you are stuck wearing them like that. Grab some ribbon and go short! Erica Domesek of PS I Made This has an easy solution to convert 3 pearl necklaces into a much shorter statement necklace with a brooch accent.
Pearl Blay
Layered Resin Jewelry Tutorial
Remember that special feature about a Japanese artist who made incredible 3D resin paintings, one painted layer at a time? Well, we aren't quite up to his standard but layering is one way to jazz up resin jewelry.
Pearl Blay
Macrame Bracelet Tutorials to Inspire
I review a lot of tutorials, some of which are merely different versions of the same thing. So I am always pleased when I come across a more unusual take. Take macrame jewelry for instance. This knotted bracelet tutorial over the Swedish Creative Company is definitely uncommon as the knotting is done sideways. (Update - this tutorial is no longer available).
Pearl Blay
bracelet
necklace
unusual jewelry
Mourning Jewelry from Hair and Cremated Ashes
The Victorians and people in past centuries were really big on what we today might consider morbid. Hair jewelry was particularly popular in those days (see first link below for historical information). They were not only keepsakes but served as mourning jewelry for the family and friends of the deceased.
Pearl Blay
brooch
tips and tricks
Use a Brooch for a No Sew Blouse Fitting Solution
We all come in different shapes and sizes. So it is practically inevitable that sometimes clothes don't perfectly fit. I've found myself sewing darts to take in a shirt or blouse that is too loose on the body and yet fits everywhere else. It sure is a time consuming way of getting that slimmer look!
Picture by Jim Franco |
Pearl Blay
business tips
6 Tips for a Jewelry Repair Business
Guest post by Danielle Walker of Queen Bee Jewel Gallery
One thing I’ve found as a jewelry designer and bead weaver is that people around you start noticing what you have on. They start to make connections to stuff they might already have and never wear. For example, they might notice a certain colour, texture, or style in your piece that reminds them of one of their own. The question arises: why do they never wear these pieces? The answer is simple—they’re broken!!
One thing I’ve found as a jewelry designer and bead weaver is that people around you start noticing what you have on. They start to make connections to stuff they might already have and never wear. For example, they might notice a certain colour, texture, or style in your piece that reminds them of one of their own. The question arises: why do they never wear these pieces? The answer is simple—they’re broken!!
Pearl Blay
bracelet
earrings
feature designer
metal clay
necklace
polymer clay
Metal and Polymer Clay Art Jewelry by Lizards Jewelry
What Liz Hall does is truly extraordinary. Her jewelry designs on her Etsy store, Lizards Jewelry, are all one of a kind (OOAK). She combines metal and polymer clay for some of the most amazing jewelry I have ever seen!
Pearl Blay
giveaway
Winner of Om Tara's Easy Crimp™ Crimpling Pliers
Heavens! Last week's giveaway of a pair of Om Tara Easy Crimp™ Crimping Pliers revealed just how incredibly frustrating regular crimping pliers are. Many of you reported repeated failures. So it was not surprising that many also wanted this nifty pair.
Pearl Blay
giveaway
The Beading Room's $100 Gift Certificate Giveaway
Nova Scotia, Canada is a small province. There aren't really a whole lot of jobs even when times are good. So when Hollie Ferrall's husband wanted to spend more time at home in the Halifax area rather than work abroad, it made sense to start their own business. It was the only solution if they wished to remain in the Maritimes. They bought and relaunched The Beading Room in early 2009 and never looked back. An online store made sense as it does not matter where it is located!
Square Wire for Wire Wrapping |
Pearl Blay
luxury
master jeweler
movie
Tiffany Jewelry for The Great Gatsby
Jewelry lovers are in for a visual treat if they were to go and see the latest movie version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's, The Great Gatsby. The tale of decadence, betrayal and murder is set in the 1920's. From a jewelry design perspective, the movie beautifully evokes jazz age glamor with the stunning art deco pieces.
Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan |
Pearl Blay
More Beaded Bead Tutorials
Beaded beads are fun to make as they are quick to complete. Use them as earrings or pendants. Maybe string a few for a necklace. Here are some beaded bead tutorials which caught my eye! Such inspiration!
Pearl Blay
necklace
tutorial
Fashionable Duct Tape Rope Necklace Tutorial
Tribal style jewelry has been a hot trend especially the kind that involves rope embellished with colored threads and/or metal tube beads.
Pearl Blay
earrings
tools
tutorial
video tutorial
wire work
More Bail Forming Pliers Tutorials for Awesome Jewelry Making
If I had to name just one favorite tool, I would pick the bail forming pliers by Wubbers. These are better than any mandrel because the opposing jaws of the pliers can grip the wire while forming. They are also very useful in creating all sorts - clasps, wire coils and ear wires - as shown in this past post.
Pearl Blay
beadwork
bracelet
tips and tricks
tutorial
How to Make Your Own Beading Looms
Creative souls sure know how to save money! Making your own beading looms is one way as you can see from these tutorials. All you need is a suitable box!
Pearl Blay
beadwork
feature designer
necklace
Bead Embroidered Egyptian Statement Jewelry by Lux Vivens
There is nothing more glamorous than an Egyptian inspired statement necklace. When you are as talented as Doro Soucy, the results are definitely a big WOW! Her Egyptian vulture necklace below is simply amazing. It was inspired by, get this - Tutankhamun's vulture necklace AND Fabergé eggs!
Pearl Blay
giveaway
tools
Om Tara's Easy Crimp™ Crimping Pliers Giveaway
Laura Gaspirrini of Om Tara is a beading instructor who has been teaching for over 15 years both privately and at her local college. She says she watched so many of her students struggle with the crimping process. It is an important step because the last thing anyone wants is for a crimp to fail.
Pearl Blay
biography
historical
royalty
The Virgin Queen's Jewels
When she was born, no one thought Elizabeth I of England (1533-1603) would grow up to become queen, let alone one of the greatest queens in history. Her more than 40 years on the throne brought relative peace and prosperity to England after the unsettling reigns of her half-brother Edward and half sister, Mary and before that, of their father, Henry VIII.
Elizabeth I in her coronation robes |
Pearl Blay
metal work
video tutorial
Easy Soldering with a Butane Lighter
Put your hand up if you're so not into soldering! Many people aren't keen perhaps because they don't like the idea of hot connections. However, this technique is definitely useful as it could help you expand your jewelry making repertoire.
Pearl Blay
feature designer
wire work
Miniature Wire Bonsai Trees by Ken To
Wire trees are lovely as jewelry or as ornamentation. I've covered the popular tree of life tutorials and twisted wire trees before. Having thought I had seen it all, along comes Ken To who changed my view!
Pearl Blay
giveaway
Winner of Blue Buddha Boutique Blog Hop Giveaway
It's surprising how many people still haven't yet tried chain maille. So Blue Buddha Boutique's giveaway on Monday will be a boon for one lucky person to try a new technique.
Pearl Blay
book review
swarovski
Book Review - Crystal Play
Anna Draeger's previous book, Crystal Brilliance (see review) was a wonderful inspirational book on the joys of using Swarovski crystals in beading. The elegant designs were imminently wearable and more importantly, doable as larger crystals help make the work go quicker.
Pearl Blay
supplies and displays
tutorial
How to Make Tube Bracelet Displays Tutorials
Admit it. Sometimes our jewelry boxes or drawers are messy. It's not only a huge time waster trying to find the piece you want to wear for the day, the jumbled up jewelry could get damaged as you rummage and pull away.
Pearl Blay
Old Technology Inspired Wood Jewelry by bRainbow
Wood jewelry, unlike the metal variety is warm and has an old school charm. The two Australian based designers, Orr and Akiko behind bRainbow on Etsy certainly capture the retro look with a touch of whimsy with their original laser cut and hand pieced designs.
Pearl Blay
giveaway
Mother's Day Celebration : Blue Buddha Boutique's Chain Maille Kit Giveaways
Did you know Mother's Day is an American invention? It became a recognized holiday in 1914. It's technically not the same as the Christian holiday, Mothering Sunday ,which is the 4th Sunday in Lent. In the UK, this is the date that's now considered as Mother's day there. In many other countries like the US, Canada and Australia, the special day is the second Sunday in May.
Pearl Blay
bracelet
tutorial
video tutorial
More Kumihimo Jewelry Tutorials
Kumihimo, the Japanese method of making lovely braided cords, is popular with many jewelry makers. They probably enjoy the relaxation of cording much like knitting or crocheting. Something to do while watching tv perhaps? No one wants to tackle challenging projects all the time!
Pearl Blay
Herringbone Crystal Shambala Bracelet Tutorial
I've covered the ever popular Shambala bracelet style before. But it's always great to see another which uses the technique in a different way.
Pearl Blay
bracelet
brooch
tutorial
Brooch Embellished Bracelet Tutorials
Brooches are coming back in vogue but sometimes not as they were intended. You know, as pins for jackets and blouses. Designers are incorporating them instead into necklaces and bracelets. Here are some examples of brooch embellished and beaded focal bracelet tutorials based on wrapped (somehow) metal bracelet blanks.
Pearl Blay
bracelet
tutorial
Beaded Linked Chain Bracelet Tutorial
I do like mixing beads with chains or in chain maille. The metal acts as a strong foundation and the beads add color! Here is another that should get everyone's creative juices going!
Pearl Blay
rings
tutorial
wire work
wirewrapped
Bird's Nest Ring Tutorial
I've seen and covered many bird's nest jewelry designs and the different ways to make the nest is almost as varied as the jewelry makers who attempt it!
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