I love, love, love, this pearl bracelet from Beadshop.com! It is one of their many freebie projects. As usual, this bead shop has perfect taste and the best of supplies when it comes to jewelry designs.

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They call them “handouts,” and basically they are step-by-step instructions (including lots of color photos of th steps) to make various types of jewelry designs, such as the Giftwrap Earrings pictured.
I love pearls and wire, so was drawn to this cool earring project, but they have a pretty large number of them for purchase, so if wire isn’t your thing (shame on you if it isn’t), you can see what else they have in their handouts section.

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

You’ll need the following supplies:

10 – 12mm barrel-shaped onyx beads (I got mine from riogrande.com)

8 – 3mm sterling daisy spacer beads & 1 – 8mm sterling tube bead (www.beadshop.com)

1 – sterling southwestern style charm (www.artgemsinc.com)

36 inches of rat-tail

2 – 2×2mm crimp beads

flat-nosed pliers or crimping pliers

Scissors

12 inches of .014 beading wire

1) Secure a crimp bead to one end of the beading wire, and start to thread on beads and charm alternating stone beads with daisy spacers, and making sure to position the charm in the middle so there are 5 onyx beads on either side. Note: Make sure the loop on the beadng wire that goes back through the crimp bead is large enough so that you can thread the rat-tail through it later.

Another note: I usually use crimping pliers because I like the way that looks better. However, newbie jewelry makers may want to use flat-nosed pliers and just flatten the crimping bead down with these. It can take a good deal of practice to be able to use crimping pliers. For that reason, I flattened them in the piece pictured for this project.

2) Once you get all the beads in the right order on your beading wire, secure the other end of the wire with another crimp bead. Again, like I said in my previous note, feel free to use flat-nosed pliers to flatten them.

3) Now insert one end of the rat-tail through both loops of beading wire, and pull so that the rat-tail is doubled.

4) Holding both piece of tail together, tie an overhand knot, and push the knot so it’s up against the wire loops.

5) Thread on the sterling tube bead over both pieces of tail, push it down against the previous knot, and tie another overhand knot pushing it up against the tube bead.

6) Finish with one more overhand knot on the end of both tails, which will tie them together, and trim off excess tail. This is worn to go over your head.

The final length between the end knot and the next knot up against the tube bead is 24 inches. If you’d like this larger, just start with a longer piece of rat-tail. The length of the entire piece is about 30 inches long.

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Nothing beats making jewelry as a great way to have fun and also help others. That’s what’s happening in this picture from Beadshop.com – These jewelry makers are busy making bracelets for Community Breast Health Project.

Here’s what the finished bracelet looks like – stunning!

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Lots of jewelry suppliers sell components that can help you make some jewelry that is related to this important issue.

For example, Jerry Smith Beads sells these cute little charms along with similar charms in all silver and even beads. You could easily whip up a pair of earrngs with two of these charms and a pair of ear wires.

D.D. Hess is a lampwork artist who makes, among other glass goodies, lampwork beads with roses and little pink ribbons on them.

HHH Enterprises sells some cool watch faces with pink ribbons on them. This just one of the number of designs they carry.

Fire Mountain Gems and Beads has this free project posted for a “think pink” bracelet. They also have a variety of related ribbon charms and beads.

Beadshop.com has a few ribbon style charms as well for sale on their site.

These are just a few vendors that I know about off the top of my head. I’m sure your favorite bead shop or jewelry suppliers also has similar products available.

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Post from: Jewelry and Beading

Just a few more days left for Beadshop.com’s glass bead sale. They’ve got a selection of glass beads 50% off for the next few days.

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

Yes, this is gorgeous, isn’t it? No big surprise this pearl jewelry piece was designed by Janice Parsons, CEO of Beadshop.com, who just also happens to be teaching a pearl bead knotting class this summer in Hawaii.

Okay, I’m jealous beacause (a) I’d love to go to Hawaii; (b) I’d love to not be so afraid of flying that I’d actually get on a plane and go there someday; (c) I’d love to take a class from her some day!

Find out more about this workshop, which includes some Yoga (can it get any better) on the Beadshop.com website.

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Beadshop.com has their DVD Tricks of the Trade on sale. Normally, it retails or $34.95, but it’s now on sale for $19.95. They even have a video clip preview available on the site.

For a little more information, read the review I posted awhile ago: Tricks of the Trade Revealed.

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