The Beading Gem

Angeliki Anar of AnarinaAnar is a polymer clay artist whose colorful, whimsical and organic jewelry making style has captured attention in recent years. This Greek designer has such a way with clay. The subtle black outlines, and clever ways with color combinations, flecks all remind me of enamel work.

Resin rings are wonderful in that you can make in any color you want to match with your outfits. There is no metal so these will suit those who are metal allergic. Add metal flakes and they become trendy and oh so elegant!  So here is how to make them!

There are many types of spiral stitches.  So time to cover the Dutch spiral!  It is a peyote tube modification in that there are sections of beads (called swag or bridge beads) which are not stitched.  First up is this excellent introductory tutorial by Gail Nettles of Beaded Jewelry Diva .

We may not have very much in the way of expensive jewelry.  But if you do have a few items or sentimental pieces beyond price, then it's best to keep them somewhere safe in the house.  Preferably somewhere hard to find. So check out this inexpensive safe tutorial for storing your precious jewelry. It is  by The King of Random on Instructables.

I had a good chuckle when I received an email from reader, Patricia. She has attended several of my beginner wire work classes at Iguana Beads in Cambridge, Ontario and recently subscribed to my blog. She called my blog "dangerous" and sent me the photo evidence! An avid reader, she attempted Shannon of Charleston Clay Studio's stenciled polymer clay tube tutorial I featured before.  Before long she had made a number of tubes :

I've said it a number of times. The large bail forming pliers is my most favorite tool.  It is very versatile as I use it not just to make bails but ear wires, clasps, custom jump rings and lots of wire loops.  It is a tool worth investing in. This first tutorial by Kat Silvia is a great example of that versatility.

Learning curves can be steep. Beginners can certainly appreciate all kinds of tips and tricks so they do not have to learn the hard way what they need to know about a technique. Here are 5 top polymer clay questions and answers beginners might have about working with polymer clay especially those pertaining to health and safety.

Need to improve your jewelry photography but the learning curve is too daunting?  I invite you to attend my How to Photograph Jewelry webinar which is aimed at jewelry artisans who would rather spend their time making jewelry!  There is still space!  It will be held this coming Sunday, February 26 at 2 pm EST.  Please allow 2- 2.5 hours. There will be plenty of time to ask questions and discuss.

St Bernard puppy earrings

 Dorothea Hodge is a lifelong crafter having learned how to crochet when she was 4.  She discovered beadweaving back in the 1970's. So she has two clear loves!Her Etsy store shows quite a range - such as her crochet hot air balloon ornaments which are adapted from one her grandmother made for her over 40 years ago. Also in the crochet line are her popular button on towels and pullover bibs.

Tatting is a "relatively" new craft which began in the early 1800's.  The lace-like work is much easier to accomplish than the devilishly complicated bobbin lace making. Not many tools are needed either. Tatting can be done with either the traditional shuttle or long needles.  Needle tatting can be very fast but you will be limited to a few needle sizes which may not suit the thread you want to use. So shuttle tatting is more versatile as any thread can be used.

These 3 fabulous beaded hoop earrings are based on metal hoop foundations.  First up is this beaded hoop earrings tutorial (no longer available) by Portuguese beader, O Espírito das Artes. It is a good example of using bugle beads which aren't used that much especially for earrings. I love how she used beads to add to the inside these pre-made hoops.

Does macrame remind you of only friendship bracelets or even the macrame pot holders from a few decades ago? Well, it can be used for really lovely jewelry too. Micro-macrame has become popular of late. It can be challenging but check out these two lovely macrame necklace tutorials. They aren't difficult but pack a lot in looks.

I am seeing more and more interest in wood and resin combinations! Software engineer, Quinn Z Shen, in San Francisco was inspired and rose to the challenge. He made his own wood slice and resin pendants for his friends. He documented the process in his tutorial here. Note : this is a tool heavy diy!

I had previously shared Ann Benson's awesome tutorial on how to do tubular bead crochet. It is an excellent lesson as the instructor carefully demonstrates this tricky technique.   She did follow up with another video on how to finish such a bracelet. It is a roll on style i.e. there is no clasp.

Ukrainian wire artist, Oksana Turkhan, has a marvelous wire woven bangle tutorial which is reminiscent of basket weaving. This one has no clasp. The core consists of a coil of 13 G copper wire with the wire weaving part done with 24 G wire.  13 G wire might be hard to get but 14 G wire will also do!  I would stick with her suggested 24 G for the wrapping part and resist going to thinner gauge like 26 or 28 G. The reason is, 24 G is thicker and will look better.

JM Syron and Bonnie Bishoff are talented US based artists. They are known for their sculptural and functional art work. However, their sculptural style can also be seen in their polymer clay and  jewelry.  The polymer clay adds form and color while the wire provides the support, strength and connection.

It was great to see the polymer clay enthusiasts - both seasoned and new - come out for the Shades of Clay giveaway last week. Clare was succinct when she said,"I love my cabezel mold and want more!" There are indeed many different shapes available all of which will increase design potential. Aims, who has the "Get to the Point" CaBezel added, "It's incredibly easy to use and once you get playing with it you realize that there are no limits to what you can do with even just one CaBezel design."

There is nothing wrong with using several sheets of sandpaper to smooth down edges of your metal work, polymer clay or resin pieces, etc. It's fine when you only have a small area to cover or just one piece to deal with.  But it becomes a dreadful chore if you have to sand a lot.  So if you were to only get one power tool, let it be a drill!  Most households already have one so you likely don't have to buy one. It will make sanding less time consuming and will save your sanity.

Judy Larson is a wonderful instructor who teaches for free where she lives. But she has also generously shared many of her tutorials here on my blog over the years. Judy recently sent me this pictorial for a marvelous Tree of Life wire neckpiece. A statement design for sure!

Polymer clay beginners will love this easy goldfish pendant tutorial by Kupi-Fimo.  This tutorial covers 3 things.  Firstly a texture plate is used to make beautiful impressions.  The instructor deliberately used a bold pattern which suits the goldfish element. Secondly, the mica shift technique is used where the top layer of polymer clay is removed. What is left is a subtle pattern.

Shades of Clay's wonderful CaBezels unleashes a lot of creative ideas because you are no longer limited to metallic bezels.  With polymer clay, you can make bezels in different colors and shapes. While the CaBezels were designed with polymer clay artists in mind, you are definitely not limited to that medium. This tutorial shows how you can fill the Cabezel with resin! This single bake option means you do not have to make the cabochon part.

Lillian Chen is known for her amazing 3D wire work. She has a wonderful sculptural crystal ring tutorial over on WireJewelry. Her sweeping style takes advantage of the original curves of the wire as it comes off the spool.

This bangle "tutorial" posted by Nyria over on liveinternet.ru caught my eye. If you look carefully, you will see what looks like cut out areas with beaded bridges.  What a pretty and unusual effect.

I first met Wendy Orlowski, a fellow Canadian and the owner of Shades of Clay at the Grand River Bead Society's Bead Fair last fall. It is a long standing international supplier of all things polymer clay.  Wendy bought the business from the original owner, Margaret Scott who retired, back in 2013. Wendy explained, "I never did ask her how she decided on the name of the company……but I do know that she came up with it way before the infamous trilogy, 50 Shades of Grey!"

It is very easy to make a leather or suede fringe necklace or earrings. But check out Kim's tutorial over on madeinaday. Her hand painted suede fringe jewelry really pops with the added color.  You really do not need to be super good at painting because the technique uses masking tape.

Italian polymer clay artist and instructor's goldfish bowl earrings tutorial is for you if you have some CDs you wish to recycle.  Once the shimmery layer is removed, you are left with a transparent plastic material which can be cut up and used as a base.

There have been some designs I like where there is more emphasis on the back of the earlobes.  See the first two links below.  Ear jackets are yet another variation.  I love this tutorial by Meredith Joy Designs (link no longer available) .  It shows the use of a jig to make a wire work ear jacket pearl earrings!

There are two ways of making puffy polymer clay creations. The first way is demonstrated by Ron Lehocky. He is a Kentucky physician with a passion for making incredible polymer clay heart brooches. The proceeds from his creations help fund the Kids Center where he works.

Long time readers will remember my feature on Odile Gova Desgroseilliers (Woolly Fabulous).  She makes incredible felt and zipper brooches from recycled wool sweaters. While Odile clearly has her own unique way of putting together her work, here is a tutorial with a simple way of creating a felt and zipper butterfly brooch. The designer is Liza Fetrovna.