Custom Cool Jewelry
by Melinda Barta
Melinda Barta came up with a brilliant idea for this fun book. Instead of spreading her many talents out too thinly, she concentrated on just three areas: pendants, charms, and clasps.
It’s often hard to find exactly that perfect piece to customize your jewelry, and if you can make your own pendants, charms, and clasps, you can add them to readily available lain beads to create a masterpiece that is distinctively yours. Melinda includes over 275 quick and easy ideas for mixed media components as well as 7 full stringing projects. Once you start …read more

JewelryLessons
Let’s not forget that there are some wonderful sources online with instructions to learn specific skills or make specific projects. Not all of them are free, but if you’d like to get the very best instruction and can’t go somewhere to take a class, these might be just the ticket!
On the other side, these are also sites that you might be able to tap into for selling your own projects if you are interested in pursuing that line of business this year.  I just heard from Eni Oken yesterday, and she says that although her site is best known …read more

As part of our on-going emphasis on education this year, I want to share some previous posts that may help you fill in some gaps! From creativity to color, from design elements to jewelry school, these resources can point you in the right direction.
Do you want to design for yourself?
This is the conclusion of my series of articles, with links to all the previous articles
Beadwork basics online
Dictionaries, glossaries, and encyclopedias of jewelry making info online
Creativity online
Color training and tools online
Jewelry design tools and articles online
Jewelry class listings by geography
Beading shows with classes
Design school directory

The Beadin’ Path in Freeport Maine has a list online of all the wonderful classes that you can take there. You probably already know them as a fabulous supplier of vintage glass and Lucite beads…now get to know them as a great source for education!

Elaine Luther is teaching this Spring at the Indianapolis Art Center in Indy, IN. She’s teaching a patinas weekend workshop and a PMC/BronzClay weekend workshop.
Elaine also told me about the Metal Clay Academy, which has lists of training opportunities.
Metal & Color
Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. & Sunday 12-3 p.m.
April 26 & 27
Lab Fee (included): $50
Non-Member Price: $234
Member Price: $225

BronzClay + Precious Metal Clay
Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. & Sunday 12-3 p.m.
March 14 & 15
Lab Fee (included): $50
Non-Member Price: $234
Member Price: $225

Jennifer Heynen, aka Jennifer Jangles is teaching both in Miami and at Bead & Button this year!  Visit Jennifer’s site for additional information or to contact her.
Ceramic Vessels and Rattles and an Intro to Raku

Date: Sat and Sun, April 18 – 19, 2009, 10 AM to 4 PM in Miami

Description: We are taking ceramic bead making to the next level to create vessels & rattles. Students will learn basic ceramic bead shapes as well as how to create hollow forms: vessels or rattles. For those who didn’t take the 2008 class, the focus will be on basic bead shapes. But, …read more

In western North Carolina, the John C Campbell Folk School is only two hours from Asheville, Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Knoxville, with a shuttle that will pick you up at the Atlanta airport if you make arrangements! How nice is that? Dozens and dozens of classes are running all the time. You can browse the list by date and by subject! There’s not much going on in the craft world that this school doesn’t know about
From Basketry to Writing, you can choose from over 860 weeklong and weekend classes each year …read more

More Tucson news!  February 3 through 8, the Manning House will be open for beady business.
At the gorgeous Manning House, Exhibitors offer classes and workshops demonstrating how to create artistic pieces such as the ones they exhibit. These classes and workshops are held throughout the day, every day of the show.  Classes range from beginner to advanced, and cover beading, polymer, metal, glass, and business savvy!  The fabulous John Winter and Linda Gettings are just two of the names you’ll recognize!!

Jewelry Class
Opie and Linda O’Brien
Burnt Offerings
Burnt Offerings blog
Burnt Offerings etsy store
See Opie and Linda’s class schedule on Layers Upon Layers.

Instructor: Marla Gassner
Carmen Miranda Bangle Bracelet
Location: Tucson, AZ
Date: Feb 5, 2009
Create a stunning bangle bracelet, using handmade silk cording as the base to fit your wrist size, embellished with various shaped Crystallized Swarovski elements. The kits are specially created by the artist/teacher, Marla Gassner. The kit color is oranges, browns, blacks and clear crystal on beige or gray silk cording. All supplies are included, beginners are welcome and will complete the bracelet within the class. It is a one of a kind, knockout bracelet. Cost: $60. Sign up on the Swarovski website.