Post from: Jewelry and Beading

I went over and watched the Beaded Wind Chime, and it has kind of weird because they show Carol, but there is a voice over of someone else explaining the project as Carol guest does it. After that I watched the next video, Easy Luminaries, and with that video, Carol did talk.

One thing  found a tad irritating is the fact that you have to sit through commercials, so it’s kind of like watching TV, and it took a while for the videos to load up. So my advice it to get the first one started, go do something (like through a load of laundry in your washer), and then come back and it should be running by then and you can miss out on the commercial.

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

For awhile now I’ve been thinking of putting together a beaded badge project. With security issues they way they are these days, more people than ever have to wear badges at work. At my crappy library job, they require you to wear one if you work with the public, which I think is sort of backwards. I think you should wear one if you work in the back where the public isn’t supposed to be because that way it shows that you belong there. Plus, I don’t like the crazies knowing my last name, so I’m a bad library employee and very rarely wear my badge. But recently, they’ve added more security type doors, which require we use our badges to get in and out of areas that are for employees. Finally, that at least that makes a little sense to me.

All of this rambling leads me to finally feeling the need for my own fancy smanshy beaded badge, and finally, an idea popped into my head last night about how to go about making one that looks nice but is also practical to wear. So, I’m going to try to make it today.

I’ll keep you posted.

Oh, and if you are looking for supplies to make some of your own, the item pictured above along with lots of other parts and pieces are available from Fire Mountain Gems and Beads.

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

They have some gorgeous beaded crystal bags on their site if you want to dream a little today.

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

Of course, due to my nasty cold, I had to tape most of it last night and couldn’t watch until this morning. (Sorry, but by 9pm I’ve been out every night so far this week!) There were 2 hours back to back, and I loved every minute.

The first hour dealt with how contestants were selected. We also got to see some past favorites from previous PR shows and how they are doing. I was struck by how Austin Scarlett is now working as a wedding dress designer. Is that perfect for him or what?

It was really interesting seeing the behind the scense selection process, but I have one suggestion, especially after seeing the episode that followed: Give all future contestants a sewing 101 test. Can they thread a needle? Sew on a button? Use a serger and/or industrial sewing machine?

This leads me into the next episode, which was the designers’ first challenge: take materials from their apartments and transform them into an outfit that expressed their fashion visions. Yikes! Of course, no big surprise, this first challenge was made to bust their you-know-whats. And it did.

I was pretty impressed by some of the outfits, and not impressed by others, but my pick would have been Robert’s dress with attached necklace.

Now, of course, I’m partial to the jewelry part of this dress, but also the dress was just all around pretty and it used a number of different materials within the apartment. He didn’t use too much, but he didn’t simply use a bed sheet and a few buttons, which is what the winner, Keith did. He tried to jazz it up with a beaded necklace, which helped, but a sheet? That’s it?

Finally, the outie was Stacy, and honey, if you can’t use a sewing machine, what were you thinking even applying for this gig? MBA and all, if you can’t use an industrial sewing machine what the? This is a perfect example of what I’m constantly talking about when people say, “I Want to Be a Jewelry Designer.” If you don’t learn the basics, of any craft, then all you’ll ever have are ideas (maybe great maybe not), but you’ll never be able to realistically construct them. The judges saved this poor girl a lot of time. Go back home, taking a sewing class at your local junior college, and then try out for PR season 4.

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

Now here is some beadwork! Man! They have a few more of these beaded flag bags at Be-Decked.

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

I made this ribbon amulet necklace a few years ago and sold it through a gallery. I always wondered if the person who bought it enjoyed wearing it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Before I became a jewelry designer, I sewed a lot, thanks to a college roommate who showed me the ropes, so I still have a soft spot for fibers, especially ribbon.

The flowers on this wide ribbon were the inspiration for the strap, which has little flowers sprinkled here and there on it. The beads on this are sometimes called “fringe beads,” and they have a teardrop shape to them. Thus, you can put them all together to create a flower affect.

Post from: Jewelry and Beading