About Jewelry Making
Jewelry Making
10 Mar 2010 at 9:36am
I know that summer seems like a long way off. However, think about for a minute. We are already headed into to mid-March. Yikes! Have you thought about your bead plans for the summer like possibly attending one of the biggest jewelry and beading shows in the US? Bead and Button's annual show by the same name is already in the works including vendors, seminars, and workshops.
The 2010 Bead and Button Show is being held from June 6th to June 13th at the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Whie there are, of course, lots and lots of beading classes to pick from including bead embroidery, various types of bead weaving, and bead stringing, this show isn't just about beads. Other classes include resin, polymer clay, wire, and more.
You can keep up to date with new additions to the class list as well as sign up for class or just find out more details about the when, where, and what (we all know the why!) at the Bead and Button Show web site.
Looking Ahead to Bead & Button Show? originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 15:36:49.
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8 Mar 2010 at 5:01am
Properly opening and closing jump rings is a pretty important skill to master when making jewelry since jump rings are often used to connect up the various parts and pieces of jewelry items. They are also regularly used on the end of necklaces and bracelets to connect to clasps. I have a pretty good tutorial about jump rings called "Fixing Jump Ring Problems." It covers issues such as how to determine a good quality jump ring from one that isn't that well made as well as opening and closing them correctly so that they stay put.
Watching someone working with jump rings is also a good way to get a handle on how best to work with them, and jewelry designer Elena Adams has started creating a series of free videos focusing primarily on jump rings as well as chain maille jewelry, which is her expertise. You can find her beautiful silver and bead chain jewelry on her web site, Elena Adams Designs, and after getting a little inspiration over there, head over to your YouTube area and view her first two jump rings videos.
Jump Rings Videos originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 11:01:14.
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7 Mar 2010 at 5:14am
Beading Arts
Cyndi is running a contest on Beading Arts, and the prize is an absolutely free advertisement!
A Bead A Day
Want to stand out from across a crowded room? These Electric Sparkly Beads ought to do the trick!
Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts
Barbe is avoiding work by showing some pics of recently made creations.
Art Bead Scene
Got cabin fever? ABS has some beady suggestions so you can get out of the house.
Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Ferris wheels, carnivals, and comedians inspire a new Song Lore Saturday post for Melanie
Carmi's Art/Life World
A new spring challenge from Artbeads.com means Carmi has a new brooch!
Cindy Gimbrone aka The Lampwork Diva
Squee! Rings N Things sends shell pearls which Cindy mixes with her single color lampwork beads.
Katie's Beading Blog
Surf on over to Katie's blog for ideas about making your own chain, layering components, and easy earrings.
Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
The answers still hold true in this interview that Lorelei had with herself back in 2008.
Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean made a necklace for a relative. Of course, it had to be perfect. Therefore she turned to Kazuri Beads!
Jewelry Junkie Link Love 03/07/10 originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 11:14:20.
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6 Mar 2010 at 5:21am
Metal Clay Artist Magazine and Metal Clay Findings have teamed up to bring readers and metal clay enthusiasts the first of its kind design contest. The original deadline for this contest was recently extended until April 1, 2010. Basically, the premise is that entrants must use some of the supplies from a kit of metal clay findings (pictured) and create a one-of-a-kind jewelry piece that is primarily made up of metal clay. Other materials may be included as well such as fiber, beads, and stones, but at least half of the finally submitted jewelry piece must be made of metal clay.
The first, second, and third prizes win placement in a Metal Clay Findings advertisement plus gift certificates to Metal Clay Findings:
1st place $200 (US)
2nd place $100 (US)
3rd place $50 (US)
You can find out more about the rules of this contest over at Metal Clay Artist Magazine's web site as well as kit information at the Metal Clay Findings' web site.
Metal Clay Contest Extended originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 11:21:50.
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4 Mar 2010 at 5:19am
If you have the March 2010 Fire Mountain Gems and Beads supplemental catalog, flip it open to pages 84, 85, 86, and 87 for some hot metal clay information. First of all, I didn't know that this company carried bronze metal clay (aka BronzClay) and copper metal clay (aka COPPRclay), but yes, they do now. It also has the other supplies you need for firing this such as the carbon material that the clays have to put in while firing, stainless steel pan and lid, firing fork, and of course, kiln.
I have been experimenting with copper clay for awhile now and have really liked the results. In fact, I have a number of free metal clay jewelry projects as well has firing information tutorials. Along with the supplies, this latest FMG supplement also has a list of tips for working with bronze and copper clays, firing schedule, and a free project. All this information was complied by FMG's jewelry making expert, Tammy Honaman, and I think you'll really like the project where she shows how to make "Drum Beads," hollow vessels that you could incorporate into all kinds of jewelry designs.
Other jewelry making tutorials in the March catalog supplement include a quadruple strand bracelet, "Golden Hue," that uses a bronze clay or gold-filled toggle clasp and a really cool bead cap project called "Roped In" that shows how to use jump rings to form a bead cap for a large focal bead.
FMG Fires Up Copper & Bronze Clay originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 11:19:48.
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2 Mar 2010 at 1:43am
Dianna Wennblom, well-known for her wire teaching, has come out with a new DVD: Double Knit Viking Weave Class ($28). This is her second wire jewelry DVD, and you can get a sneak peak of it over at YouTube.com. This shows a little over a 2 minute excerpt from the 42 minute DVD.
The video is also linked her on her site along with more information about the DVD such tools and supplies, which you can also purchase through her site individually or as a kit, plus a list of the chapters on the DVD. There are also a few still shots as well, and the primary project made in the DVD is a Viking Weave bracelet.
It is encouraging to see that Dianna did so well with her first wire DVD that she has decided to go for it again!
Viking Knit DVD originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 at 07:43:05.
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1 Mar 2010 at 6:36am
Soft-Flex has news about bead stoppers, those cool coil-looking thingys that you can attach to the end of beading wire while you are stringing so your beads don't slip off accidentally. Now the come in two sizes as well as lots of colors. For smaller diameter wire, there are now mini-bead stoppers. They are 7mm wide, 7mm high, and 17mm in length compared to the regular size that are 12mm wide, 10mm high, and 20mm in length.
As far as colors, there is a choice of nine different colors for the plastic covers that go on the ends of the bead stoppers. These colors are available in both regular and mini bead stoppers: bright green, dark blue, light blue, orange, pink, purple, red, teal, and yellow. And, hey, if you don't want the plastic colored comfort tips, you can get bead stoppers without them too.
I know a lot of bead stringers have figured out other ways to keep beads on the cord while stringing (such as tape), but honestly, considering the cost of these little guys (ranging from $4.25 to $6.25 for a pack of 4), I think they are totally worth the extra few dollars.
Bead Stoppers Down-Sized originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 12:36:34.
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28 Feb 2010 at 6:21am
The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Andrew shares his feelings about the awesome new Spring issue of "Stringing" magazine.
Cindy Gimbrone aka The Lampwork Diva
Cindy takes a bead shopping trip to the Great White North and almost passes out!
Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie unleashes her grumpy feelings with a little rant and a bead sale!
A Bead A Day
Have you ever fallen in love with a piece of jewelry? Lisa fell head over heels for a bracelet on a fellow beader's blog and ended up trading for it!
Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts
Bopping Along the ICE Resin Blog hop - Barb shows her resin version of Little Egypt.
Beading Arts
Do you want to try lampworking? Cyndi's been busy at the torch again.
Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi uses a candy mold to make a new resin pendant.
Jean Campbell
A mystery package is the catalyst for this creative challenge. Up for it? You could win a free book!
Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
Lorelei had a chance, a while back (2008) to have a nice little interview with etsy seller, Patina Queen! This is Lorelei's wire supplier, and she ROCKS!
Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
jean is breathless with delight when she receives a gift from her friend the artist Lisa Kan!
Art Bead Scene
The Art Bead Scene begins a new monthly feature - the ABS Carnival Blog! Let the Carnival begin!
Jewelry Junkies Link Love 02/28/10 originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Sunday, February 28th, 2010 at 12:21:19.
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26 Feb 2010 at 3:54am
I have been thinking about creating a fan page over at Facebook for some time, and finally, I went for it yesterday and created the About.com Jewelry Making Fan Page.
I'm over there posting fairly regularly about updates on this site any way, so now, I have a specific place to keep Facebook users up to date with anything new and/or interesting going on over here. I'll be posting about new tutorials, jewelry tips, interesting forum posts, and anything else I think jewelry designers will be interested in.
If you are not on Facebook already, then you are missing out on a lot of fun and a great way to connect with friends and family on-line. It's free and fairly easy to navigate too. For those who are already Facebook members, please consider becoming a About.com Jewelry Making fan.
New Jewelry Making Fan Page on Facebook originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Friday, February 26th, 2010 at 09:54:08.
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24 Feb 2010 at 1:38am
After making some St. Patrick's Day inspired jewelry, consider some of these other
fun St. Patrick's Day craft projects and information from around the About.com network:
Family Crafts
Miniatures
Photography
Cross Stitch
Beadwork
Collectibles
Knitting
Contests
Needlepoint
Lucky Crafting Projects originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 07:38:11.
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