The Beading Gem

Want to make your own jewelry display or storage? This splendid example is an easy hardware jewelry display tutorial by Gemma over at The Sweetest Digs. It uses galvanized steel pipes and some basic plumbing accessories. No soldering, no gluing. Just screw the bits together into a T shape. The tutorial gives all the item measurements.  I particularly like the gold paint sprayed one.  Gemma also mentions her two other jewelry display tutorials.

It is tricky for wire work beginners to use cabochons.  The solution for a wire framed design is to use drilled beads.  Judy Larson, whose tutorials I have featured before, used drilled beads for this fabulous wire wrapped pendant tutorial and this elegant double holed beads for a link bracelet. My tutorial here for a pair of coiled wire framed gemstone earrings uses drilled round gemstone beads. These are lovely Madagascar rose quartz beads from which I received from Nelson Beads a while ago for review.

It's scorching where I am with temperatures at the 30 degree C mark!  So those with long hair are surely gathering up their tresses to beat the heat.  This fantastic easy beaded barette tutorial is by Aleshia of Beadifulnights on Youtube.  The barette is quick to make and can be customized with any colors you like!

There are many wonderful polymer clay artists out there.  One outstanding French designer is Sylvie Peraud whose nature inspired polymer clay jewelry constantly evolves and rises to new heights.  Her site is called Maniguette which she explains means "grains of paradise".   Her most recent collection are her seed pod designs. She also creates stunning "parched"earth and bare wood designs.

Thanks so much for the kind comments and interest in my resin designs for last week's Nunn Design giveaway of the Summer 2015 Collection.  Divya said, "I love how you have altered the blanks with resin and added beads and wire. It gives these blanks a new use, something which many of us might not have thought of."  That's what I hoped to do by inspiring and giving all you ideas and new directions. 

Have you ever been disappointed when your gemstone order arrived looking rather different from the online pictures?  I have.  The use of stock photos is the cause.  So it was such a refreshing find with Joanne Nelson's exceptional and forthright service for Nelson Beads.  I had previously reviewed her gorgeous Madagascar rose quartz before.

I didn't want to wait until the next Valentine's Day or Mother's Day because these 3 gorgeous wire woven heart pendant tutorials deserve to be featured NOW!  The design will make a wonderful gift for a special person too.  They are all video tutorials.

I really like Katie Hacker's Bubbly Baubles necklace tutorial over on Artbeads for several reasons. First of all, it is easy for beginners and gives plenty of practice making many, many wire wrapped loops. Usually this style of necklace involves a base chain or strung on beading cord but I like how she used a thick leather cord instead.  I think paracord will also look good for more colorful designs.

Some of you guessed from the post earlier this week that the faux solder was actually resin.  And maybe you are now wondering why I didn't just use glue.  Well, glue is kind of messy and you'd need a fair amount to get a twisted wire creation with Swarovski crystal flowers to stay on.  I prefer the resin because you can lather on a goodly amount and then it "molds" itself to the design with surface tension.

The trial run last month for my How to Photograph Jewelry Webinar was a success.  You can read some of the feedback I received below. These lovely readers clearly learned from the webinar and found taking good pictures isn't such a big deal after all. Indeed, the webinar is geared to teach you what you need to know in the simplest and fastest way. It was also a lot of fun interacting with them!

You know how I trawl the internet looking for innovative jewelry making ideas to inspire us.  Occasionally I come across absolute gems using unusual components  like this tutorial by the Domestic Diva Online. Gloria Uhler shows how you can use small hardware hinges for a polymer clay bracelet. The lovely articulated bracelet is finished with a tab clasp.

My first attempt at coloring resin was a dismal failure. I had bought some art chalk pastels and shaved off some little pieces.  But it didn`t color the resin - the little bits just sat there.  I realised I had to really grind those up if it were to work.  So I needed a better solution.

The very best jewelry designers are those who can combine artistic talent and creativity with the precision and skill of a master craftsman or craftswoman.  Master metal smith,  Linda Threadgill is one of those inspirational creators.  Her breathtaking work includes not just jewelry but metal sculptures and vessels.

I was quite surprised with the number of entries for last week's giveaway of a Craftsy soldering class. I was expecting far lower numbers for Gwen Youngblood's Soldering: Basics & Beyond workshop over on Craftsy.  But evidently, many of you were keen to move on to a new technique and a few had the equipment but needed someone to guide them.  One such reader is Linda who said, "I haven't had much luck soldering with my butane torch."

I am a fan of Nunn Design jewelry making components.  They come in the 3 main colors we love - silver, copper and gold. The patinated and vintage look is irresistable. I know because I bought some directly from them! You can also buy their components from other retailers.

Butterflies are one of the prettiest insects out there and one of my favorites.  Here are 2 beaded butterfly tutorials to enjoy.  Which one you use depends on how fast you want to go!  The first one is a gorgeous seed bead Swallotail butterfly design by Marina Taran over at It's My Art.  The instructor gives the beading chart and shows how to join the wings to the body but not how to make the body. The design is suitable for a necklace focal . So  on both counts, this tutorial is for intermediate and advanced beaders who can figure out on their own.

Fellow Canadian Shireen Nadir is an incredible all rounder.  This clever faux knitwear bangle using polymer clay tutorial of hers manages to feature 3 of her favorite things to do - knitting, jewelry making and photography!

This clever idea to make a bead embroidered filigree pendant is a must see!  The tutorial is by Julia Shkoldinoy over on Biserok. Anyone familiar with and who loves bead embroidery will be delighted. The brass filigree takes center stage with this design.  Beads are embroidered in some of the spaces as well as around the filigree.

Last week's giveaway for the eBoo, The Art of Audience Building for Etsy Sellers generated a range of comments from readers who had yet to open their store to those who were selling but wanting to sell more.

I like this easy laced leather cuff tutorial by Nathalie over on I Always Pick the Thimble for a number of reasons. She shares a super idea for embellishing plain leather cuffs.  Just punch many holes and lace up with 0.5 mm leather cord in a contrasting color. Heck, you don't even have to cut the leather or attach the snap fasteners yourself.  Nunn Design carries the cuff already made!

A few years ago, I featured an amazing artisan, Odile,  who made Whimsical Zipper Brooches from zipper teeth and upcycled wool sweaters. There are different ways to make this type of design.  One way was shared by Suzy Myers of Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom.  Her tutorial for a Pretty Peacock Brooch uses zipper teeth and felt roving.  This is the sort of tutorial which will please felting enthusiasts out there!

I always admire artisans who are able to reuse what would have gone to the dump.  Brenda Melancon, otherwise known as Pip, a metal and wire worker from St Louis in Missouri, is one of those.  Her recycled guitar and piano string jewelry for her store The Chestnut Forge  shows her ingenuity in turning these metal discards into unique contemporary style pieces.

Torch work is probably one of the biggest stumbling blocks for a lot of jewelry makers.  Perhaps it is because our mothers ingrained in us early on about not playing with fire?  But as grownups, this tool provides so much potential to jewelry making.  One online class that really takes the fear out of torch work is Gwen Youngblood's Soldering: Basics and Beyond over on Craftsy.

Some people are soooo creative!  I am a fan of Christina Larsen of CSL Designs for that reason.  She is always coming up with innovative designs. And what's more she shares many of them.  Her instructional videos are very clear.  This beautiful wire woven rose earrings tutorial is delightful!

I have a confession to make.  I really don't make good bird's nest jewelry.  It sounds really wierd when this particular design requires very relaxed and inprecise wire work!  If you have trouble just like me, then check out this latest bird's nest wire jewelry tutorial.  It is by Rhonda Chase. You can make it into a pendant or earrings.

This week is Shark week!  Discovery channel's long running event with special programming was originally created to bring awareness and raise respect for the maligned shark.  They are dying in droves, with their fins cruelly hacked off all for shark's fin soup. So it seems appropriate for these faux shark jewelry tutorials. Fun for all ages! These tutorials can be applied to make other shapes not just sharks and their teeth!

I chuckled when I read Susan Samuel's comment on last week's book giveaway.  She said, "I' m sure that if my husband can solder with a soldering iron then I can too. This book looks a brilliant way to prove my theory - or not!!!"  Susan was not alone - many of you expressed a desire to learn how to soft solder.  Some had prior experience but had not thought to apply it to jewelry making.

"The landscape of online sales is rapidly changing." That is the opening line in an eBook I received for review called the Art of Audience Building for Etsy Sellers by the Hunting Handmade Collective. It's so true.  It was never enough before to just set up shop online and hope customers will come. The need to promote is much, much greater today simply because there is now so much more online. The use of social media is no longer an option but an absolute necessity for getting your brand and products seen.

ArtzieRush on Youtube posted a fun polymer clay cat tutorial - a character from the Hello Kitty world. It involves a clever use of stud earrings findings and wire. While you may not appreciate Hello Kitty or even cats, the technique she uses is well worth a watch.  Who knows, you can come up with different designs. How about a floral theme with flowers both in front and behind the ear?

I observed two types of comments for last week's Jet Beads' $25 giveaway for Fire Mountain jewelry supplies. On one hand, there were those were new to Jet Beads' unique service and weren't sure if it was legit. Then there were the fans who have tried and love it because they do not have to try and meet the 200 item minimum just to get the best price.

When I was young, my mother let me "sort" through her costume jewelry collection. I remember she had a number of clip on earrings. I wish she had kept them (and given them to me) as they are fantastic to use in all sorts of ways and not just on your ear lobes. I am going to check out some antique stalls at the local antiques mall to see if I can find any. These two short videos show the 10 clever ways to use clip on earrings.

Interested in making one of a kind wire wrapped pendant necklaces? Then you have to watch these two tutorials by Liz Kreate over on Youtube.  The final result is a gorgeous design featuring a wire wrapped cabochon complete with a wire and pearl chain.  The tutorials are best for intermediate to advanced wire workers as Liz demonstrates quite quickly. She uses 18G wire for the frame and 24G for the wire wrapping.

Being able to work with wire doesn't mean you are confined to just jewelry making.  Those skills can be put into good use around the house.  I just love Amanda Risius of Hammer and Heels'  wonderful tutorial which shows how to make a bead and wire chandelier.

The UK decimalized their currency in 1971 so old farthings were no longer legal tender after that year. This month, artisan Nicky Sayers of Art Jewelry Elements is doing a giveaway of 3 of her farthing coin clasps to some lucky beaders. These farthings were in circulation from 1937 to 1970.

Many jewelry makers avoid using heat and rely on cold connection techniques to join together different components.  But the ability to use a hot connection method like soldering would greatly increase design possibilities.  Soft soldering, which uses just a soldering iron, does not involve an expensive outlay of equipment and is a wonderful way to get started. Hard soldering for joining precious metals involves gas tanks and torches because of the higher temperatures required.

My mother loves to bead but Fireline is expensive where she is.  So I bought her some from a local fishing shop (Kingsway Fishing Tackle, Guelph). They sell Fireline in 100 m lots for a lot cheaper than if you bought it in a store and definitely far less than from a jewelry supplier.   The problem is, I have to mail it to her, preferably as flat as possible in an envelope and not on a spool.