supplies and displays

Showing posts with label supplies and displays. Show all posts

Gather Around for 8 Unique Fall Thanksgiving Decor Gift Ideas and DIY Kits

Fall season is upon us! Canadian Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner - October 14. The US one is later on November 28. It'll soon be time to decorate and to gather with friends and loved ones.

These really unique fall decor gift ideas and DIYs caught my eye! But there are so much more to check out in Etsy's Fall Entertaining and Home Decor curated collection. Also look for my links at the end for Halloween jewelry and beadwork tutorials.

business tips laser cut supplies and displays

Clever Laser Cut Wood Earring Displays for Craft Shows and Online Photography

Now that last season's peak selling season is over, it's time to prepare for the year ahead. An attractive setup is key to drawing visitors to your craft show table. Your jewelry should also be visible so taking advantage of the vertical space is necessary. The displays should be light and ideally flat packed to make transportation easier.
There are many ways you can make displays yourself (see links below) but the rising popularity and availability of laser cut wood ones gives us even more attractive and functional choices. The wood can be personalized with engraving and can be stained or colored according to individual tastes. They are quick and easy to assemble and disassemble.

feature designer feature supplier gemstone supplies and displays

Baguette Crystals and Gemstones Beaded Jewelry Tutorials and Supplies

It's easy to figure why baguette gemstone and crystal cuts are called that. We know the tasty French bread, baguette which comes from the French for the bar, la bague and baguette, the stick.

As a diamond cut, the baguette is not as brilliant as the brilliant cut where the light really bounces around the gemstone. But it doesn't mean it is any less attractive. The baguette shape reminds us of Art Deco!

supplies and displays tutorial video tutorial

How to Make 18th Century Style Death Head Thread Wrapped Buttons | As Button Clasps or as Focals in Jewelry Making?

I have used buttons as clasps and even as earrings. See links below for button clasp ideas. The shank ones are especially useful as the beauty of the buttons is not punctuated by holes.
If the buttons are stunning enough, they can be used as focals as I did for this tagua frame and leather macrame necklace I made several years ago :

supplies and displays tutorial video tutorial

Two Ways to Make Your Own Gilding Wax Rub

Gilders Paste is a popular metallic wax based rub. It's used to add a touch of color to wood, metal, polymer clay, ceramic and even leather! See the first two links below for metal and leather uses.
It does dry out and you can revive it with solvents such mineral spirits, paint thinners and turpentine. Those are toxic chemicals which need to be used carefully. An alternative I found was to use baby oil - sparingly - to rejuvenate it. See my tutorial here. It works for porous material like wood which absorbs the oil. It will be less successful for hard, non-porous surfaces like metal as the oil is not volatile. So solvents will be best.

supplies and displays

Gift Ideas for Beaders : A Selection of Bead Boards, Trays and Organizers to Consider

Over the years, helpful readers have sent in suggestions not just for blog posts but the neat tools they have and love. I, in turn, can share to a wider audience and benefit a whole community.

Beading surfaces and organizers are always handy. For example, the beautiful laser cut wood bead organizers from Wonderland Ukraine have become a reader favorite after I featured them on a number of occasions. Shown above is their peacock patterned organizer.

feature supplier home decor supplies and displays

8 Awesome DIY Craft Kits for the Winter Months!

For most of you reading this blog, crafting is not just about expressing your creativity or killing time. It is about promoting your own sense of well being and happiness. Crafting has been shown to reduce anxiety which is why crafting features in therapy environments for healing and calming. It also improves gross and fine motor movements. A sense of accomplishment is also a good thing for self esteem.

My mother is mentally alert even at 91. She still crafts every day - usually tatting, crochet and hand quilting. This makes me a firm believer in crafting as one of the means to reduce cognitive decline. After all, she is always counting, figuring out patterns and learning new things from Youtube.

feature designer feature supplier supplies and displays tutorial

More Wonderful Beaded Jewelry DIY Kits and Patterns from CrazyAcademy

Supporting Ukrainian ArtisansSome great designers are so productive that I find featuring them just once is not enough. Such is the case with Polina of CrazyAcademy. I featured her patterns and kits for her unusual beaded loom necklaces before. But she does so, so much more.
I particularly love her large selection of beaded earrings - both fringe and hoop styles. Even within a single theme like peacocks - one of the feather ones is shown above - she has several design options.

feature designer feature supplier metal clay polymer clay supplies and displays tools

3D Print Your Own Clay Cutters and Texture Rollers | Gorgeous STL Files from CuttersMammaMia | PLA Finishing Tips

3D printers are increasing popular and are so useful for creating all sorts of things including tools for clay (polymer and metal) work. I have previously featured different designers who sell such 3D printed tools before (see links below).

Italian designer, Guilia, with help from her partner do something different. She creates and sell STL files from her shop, CuttersMammaMia. She does all this from Rome - she says they can see St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican from their apartment building!

resin supplies and displays tutorial video tutorial

How to Use Terraced Beach or Island Resin Molds

Some time ago, a friend asked me about how to make terraced beach, island or fields resin jewelry. These molds have the distinctive terraced steps making the resulting pieces look like you were looking at a clear water beach from far above.

I meant to do a tutorial on this but Sveta of Fresh Idea has already done one in this tutorial.

feature designer mixed media polymer clay supplies and displays

One of a Kind Mixed Media and Polymer Clay Jewelry by adrianaallenllc

I first featured Texas based Adriana's work before in 2016. She was making some amazing faux metal polymer clay designs back then for adrianaallenllc. Well, fast forward to today and her work shows her taking her polymer clay creations to even greater heights.

I particularly love her one of a kind mixed media polymer clay designs where she uses jewelry findings and image transfers to great effect. Many of her designs have a distressed look.

Then, as now, Adriana really shows great artistic talent in her choices of color and textures through her unique designs.

feature supplier supplies and displays

Lovely Clasps, Connectors and par Puca Beads from ArgusCollection

I have featured ArgusCollection, a beader's supply haven, several times before. It was started by Canadian beader, Quinn Cruise with help from her Mum, Alison.

They specializes in magnetic and other pretty clasps and lots, and lots of beads. They are the exclusive suppliers for Jesse James Beads, Hiilos Interchangeable Clasps, Les Perles par Puca and Best Beads Leather and Leather Findings in Canada. The incredibly huge range of Les Perles par Puca beads are a must see. I did not realize there were so many colors!

beadwork feature designer feature supplier supplies and displays tutorial

Gorgeous Beaded Fringe Earrings Tutorials and Kits by EndlessBeadsCo

Beaded fringe earrings are very popular. What's not to like? They are fun to make and wear. Bold and often colorful, these flatter and the fringe offers some movement.

If you agree with me, then you must check out the gorgeous beaded fringe earrings tutorials and kits by Welsh designer Alex of EndlessBeadsCo. She says she is a crafter at heart but she does also have an enviable talent for design and color.

Her beaded designs come in different shapes and sizes. I particularly like the ones which are rounded at the top - these are less common.

resin clay supplies and displays tips and tricks tutorial video tutorial

Easy Stud Earrings Using Tags | How to Attach Hollow Charms with Resin Clay | Beginner Tips and Tricks

One fun design idea I like is to use components in different ways. I really like Nunn Design's antiqued metal tags and charms - shown below, in a promotional card, are necklaces made from them. I have also previously featured many of her findings and some tutorials (see links below).

She recently sent me several more tags and some awesome bumblebee brass stampings. The latter are hollow and that set me thinking on how to incorporate them into earrings.

Christmas feature designer home decor polymer clay seasonal supplies and displays tools

Polymer Clay Molds, Tools and Tutorials by PolymerClayLatvia

Ilana Kosenko is a talented Latvian polymer clay artist who has a knack of putting together different polymer pieces to create stunning designs. Not just for jewelry either. She creates unique polymer clay art to adorn the sides of mugs and even glass storage lids.

Want to make your own? You are in luck, Ilana and her husband have a physical polymer clay store but they also sell online through PolymerClayLatvia. They offer all the tools and materials including some awesome silicone molds (which can also be used for resin work) and polymer clay cutters.

feature designer shrink plastic supplies and displays tools tutorial

Artful Shrink Plastic Jewelry Classes, Kits and Tools by ArtMaker58

Tucson based Julie Isaacs Haymaker is a full time artist whose small business is her wonderful Shrinkets line of specialty tools for making shrink plastic charms, beads and trinkets on ArtMaker58 . She also teaches through her online classes and offers kits.

Formally trained in art, Julie explained on her website she gravitated to mixed media work after losing her husband when he was just 44 from a rare cancer. She said :

Making art is my saving grace.

feature designer supplies and displays tutorial

Cotton Crochet Yarn Earrings Tutorials by MyHandmadePassion | Different Types of Hoop Supplies

Are you a hoarder like me with a ton of crochet cotton lying around? Consider making quick and easy crochet earrings! The yarn comes in so many different colors AND you can add beads too.

You can see what I mean when you check out Bulgarian designer, Dobromira Velikova's shop, MyHandmadePassion. She has many designs especially for beading hoops although some of her tutorials do not require these findings. Scroll down for notes on hoop supplies.

resin supplies and displays tutorial video tutorial

Clever Resin Bangle Tutorial has a Clear Window for Creative Fun!

Fran's latest resin jewelry idea for Little Windows is so clever. Her tutorial shows us how you can create clear windows in bangles which you can then fill with all sorts of inclusions. What creative fun!

The key to the separation of the main resin area is the use of her silicone mold dividers which are specially designed to fit her double sided bangle molds. This molds are dual purpose as you can make shapes out of them, not just bangles.

supplies and displays tutorial

Easy Convertible Earrings Using Huggies!

I am a fan of huggie earrings which are really just small hoops which, well, hug the ear lobes. It's a popular style as you might remember from my past post, Awesome Trendy Huggie Earrings Styles. They are so comfortable to wear which is why some of these hoops are called sleepers - you can sleep with them on without them coming off easily or poking you as stud posts would.

That feature also included a demo on how a metalsmith makes huggies. Many of us are not quite up to that but you can purchase these small hoops and dress them up. In the process, you will get convertible or interchangeable huggies!

feature supplier giveaway supplies and displays

Wonderland Ukraine's $30 Gift Certificate Giveaway for Kits and Organizers

Anton Gladkov of Wonderland Ukraine comes from a family of crafters. So he has more than an inkling of what they need. Wonderland Ukraine relies on many crafts people for their products.

Anton comes from the eastern city of Kharkiv which was heavily bombarded for months but never fell. I asked him how his business has been affected since last February.

It's easy to figure why baguette gemstone and crystal cuts are called that. We know the tasty French bread, baguette which comes from the French for the bar, la bague and baguette, the stick.

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