The Beading Gem

I have often said bugle beads are underused! So here is a festive bugle bead earrings tutorial to inspire! It is by Bhabana Subedi. Notice that she uses small bugle beads. You can certainly change up the color scheme if this one does not suit.

My mother says she does not wear earrings much these days.  Her ear lobes have been stretched from years of wearing heavy earrings. Some people have also experienced tears.  So earrings just don't sit right any more. They droop. And in some cases, look like they are about to rip through!

Viking Knit is not only for tubular designs. This wire technique can be used to make a bezel around a cabochon.  But you can also consider incorporating it in a wire earrings design.  Aubrey Bouck shared her tutorial on how to make this pretty pair of earrings. The Viking Knit is in the background.

Halloween is coming up. Not into spiders, witches and other ghoulish elements? Consider beaded pumpkin earrings. They are good for Thanksgiving celebrations too!  Check this simple but fun tutorial from Spoilt Rotten Beads.

Wire woven earrings designs are, on one hand, quick to do. But they are also more challenging as you have to make two and sometimes mirror images of each other!  If you are up to the challenge, then check out these 5 lovely wire woven earrings tutorials by different instructors. The first one is by Oksana Trukhan of Ursula Jewelry.

Faceted tear drop briolettes are really pretty shapes to use in jewelry designs.  Check out this easy wire work earrings tutorial by Jocelyn who is also the designer behind Fantasia Elegance. The actual tutorial is done with side drilled briolettes.

The soutache jewelry making technique was developed by Dori Csengeri way back in 1987.   Since then many talented jewelry designers have mastered it and created some distinctive work of their own.  One such artisan is Polish designer, Joanna, of GiSoutacheJewelry  (link no longer works).

Polymer clay is one of the most versatile media to use for jewelry making. Designers can go from complicated canes to really minimalist designs. Kseniya of Solar Bird creates contemporary polymer clay jewelry with remarkably deft use of simple shapes teamed with metal findings. 

Remember the real rose petal jewelry tutorial post I wrote about not long ago?  The easiest seems to be incorporating bits of the flowers into polymer clay.  Well.  This artisan will change your perception of what real rose petal jewelry could be!  Svetlana, the Russian artisan behind Botanist in Love (updated link to her new shop), makes beautifully preserved whole rose petals mounted on polymer clay.

Jamie ゆき Carlson is a Canadian designer of mixed Swedish and Japanese heritage. Her shop, Scandinazn, shows her speciality - recycled leather jewelry. Festively in fun colors! My favorite of her different collections is her confetti inspired one where each and every spot is hand punched from pre-loved leather.  Pointilism in jewelry form!

Real stained glass earrings have one major drawback - the weight!  So something lighter would be better.  Penolopy Bulnick spent a while exploring possible materials to use for her faux stained glass earrings tutorial.  The black is just black cardstock. After some attempts at more expensive options, the solution for the colored parts was just transparent file folders!

Have you ever noticed designing with odd numbers looks better than even numbers? Even numbers show symmetry. But odd numbers do make designs more aesthetically pleasing. I particularly love this simple but effective pretty wreath-like beaded jewelry tutorial by Sonysree Creations.

Less is more, right?  Rather than work right around pearls, Japanese beader, Sapphirus, just accomplishes hemispherical beading around the gemstones.  I particularly love the openness of the beadwork in the stud earrings tutorial due to the use of short bugle beads. T

You do not have to be a metal smith to get that framed looked for your creations!  Beaded frame earrings work too.  Check out this collection of tutorials by Stephanie of BronzePony Beaded Jewelry.  They are worked in cubic RAW (right angle weave).  These make sturdy frames with some depth which suits bigger focal beads. My favorite is this tutorial for tear drop frames.

Canadian designer, Aimee, says she needs to create using color.  AimeeArtz showcases her love for stained glass. Some of her work features tiny pieces of stained glass. But it is her printed acrylic and resin art jewelry - especially her hoop earrings - which captivates!

It is wedding season! June is actually one of the most popular months for people to tie the knot. No wonder, the weather is warm but not scorching or too humid.  Here are some lovely twisted wire and pearl floral bridal jewelry tutorials by Gilda Workshop.  They are in Russian. But the technique is easy and you should be able to follow the instructor.