Jewelry and Beading » jewelry-making

Gift Books for the Holidays

Cyndi Lavin — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:15:37 +0000

Here are the books that I would most recommend for gift giving this year, whether they’re for you or for a beading friend! For Beginners: Do you know someone who wants to get started with beading and jewelry making? These are all good books which teach the basics of their various media.

Jewelry & Beading Designs for Dummies by Heather H Dismore & Tammy Powley

Designing Jewelry with Semiprecious Beads by Kim Gover

Create Jewelry – Glass by Marlene Blessing and Jamie Hogsett

Chain Style by Jane Dickerson

*****

For Earring Lovers: What more can I say? You can never have too many earrings!

101 Wire Earrings, Step-by-Step Projects and Techniques by Denise Peck

A Year in Earrings: 365 Designs and Variations by the Editors of BeadStyle magazine

*****

For Those Who Want It All: So many media, so little time. Any of these books will help you take your work to the next level!

Enchanted Adornments: Creating Mixed-Media Jewelry with Metal, Clay, Wire, Resin & More by Cynthia Thornton

Ancient Modern Polymer Clay and Wire Jewelry by Ronna Sarvas Weltman

The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Jewelry Making Techniques by Vannetta Seecharran

Seed Bead Fusion by Rachel Nelson-Smith

Contemporary Copper Jewelry by Sharilyn Miller

Custom Cool Jewelry by Melinda Barta

Beyond Beading Basics by Carole Rodgers

Steampunk Style Jewelry by Jean Campbell

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Giveaways: 2 copies of jewelry book!

Cyndi Lavin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:15:15 +0000

Back in October, I wrote a review of The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Jewelry Making Techniques. Well, I now have 2 copies to GIVE AWAY!!!I think that readers of this blog will really enjoy this book. As I wrote in my review, it’s not really a beginner’s how to book, but more of an overview of what is possible. This is a guide for an experimental jeweler who wants to create one-of-a-kind pieces using modern techniques and materials. You should plan to use this book to inspire your search for the next great thing you want to try.So here’s my question for you: what’s the new (to you) material that you’ve got a hankering to try in the new year? Leave me a comment below, and you will automatically be entered into the drawing, which will take place next Wednesday evening. Please make sure your email is correct…it will not show up online, just in the info that I receive so that I can contact you.Note: I’ve also got giveaways for different books starting today, Dec 9, 2009 on Beading Arts and on Mixed Media Artist. Feel free to sign up for those too!

As regards FTC disclosure guidelines: I have received these books free of charge from Interweave Press in order to be able to offer them free to you. I have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received.

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Interesting spiral…just not what I wanted

Cyndi Lavin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:00:32 +0000

Well, I started working on a beaded strap from which to hang one of Melanie Brooks’s gorgeous new pendants. Once I had a few inches done though, I decided that this spiral was going to be much too thick and ornate to be a good match for the ceramic Deco Scarab.

However, there’s no reason why I can’t explain how to make this spiral, because it might be just perfect for something you’ve got planned

Step by step instructions

Beads needed:
Size 6/0, 8/0, 11/0, and 15/0 seed beads

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Some simple CopprClay pendants

Cyndi Lavin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:00:51 +0000

Here are a couple of really easy pendants you can make that would be good Christmas or holiday gifts this year. I used CopprClay, but you could use any other metal clay you wanted, or even polymer clay. Since these end up looking somewhat like fossils, it would be interesting to experiment with some of the “granite ” colored polymer clays, or to mix your own faux stone.

Instructions for CopprClay pendants

General instructions for working with CopprClay

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Special offer from Artbeads!

Cyndi Lavin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:15:10 +0000

The good folks at Artbeads are one of the suppliers who occasionally send me different beads, pendants, and other products to allow me to create projects to share with all of you. Now they’re offering a wonderful special that you can take advantage of directly! From now until December 31, 2009, Artbeads is offering 10% off any order if you will use the special coupon code that I’ve got posted below.

Since shipping is always free in the U.S. and is only $1 to Canada, this special offer is really worthwhile. Artbeads has a wide selection of beads, findings, and other jewelry making supplies available on their website. No minimum purchase is required to use this offer!

10% off coupon code: SCF10P-ARTBEADS-0424
expires 12/31/09

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Another way to decorate optical lenses

Cyndi Lavin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:40 +0000

My usual style with optical lenses is to adhere an image to the back, showing through the front of the lens, and to hang dangles from the bottom and/or adhere bits and bobs to the front. A little while ago though, a lovely woman named Teresa, who bought some optical lenses from me, showed me a link to another really fun way to decorate and wear these little treasures.

Optical lens with image

The DIY network has a video showing you how to use glass paints to create swirled baubles that resemble stained glass. I’m not crazy about the recommendation to bend the handles (if you’re unlucky, the glass can pop out or crack), but other than that, I really like the way these look.

“Stained glass” optical lenses

It never hurts to have more tricks up your sleeve when it comes to jewelry making!

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Book review: Contemporary Jewelry Making

Cyndi Lavin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:35 +0000

Think of this new book as an overview of what is possible. It’s not nearly detailed enough to be a true how-to book, but it covers so many different materials that it will probably boggle your mind with possibilities and send you racing for your notebook!

The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Jewelry Making Techniques
by Vannetta Seecharran

This book covers far more than beading techniques, so look elsewhere if you’d like an introduction to beadwork. This is a guide for an experimental jewelry who wants to create one-of-a-kind jewelry using modern techniques and materials. There are instructions and photographs outlining how to work with rubber, resin, glass, leather, paper, plastics, ceramics, textiles, and much more. But again, each chapter is an introduction, so you should plan to use this book to inspire your search for the next great thing you want to try.

A very beautiful and compelling book. Now where did I leave my notebook…?

Image: InterweaveStore.com

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Jewelry kits from JewelerMe

Cyndi Lavin — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:00:26 +0000

Visit JewelerMe for unique jewelry kits that make it incredibly easy to create your own jewelry. Instead of figuring out a design and then searching for the best beads and findings to put it together, you can just purchase one of their kits! They’ve put together a variety of different jewelry designs and then organized the materials, so all you need to do is follow the directions.

Selene Bracelet

Nikki and Barb, site owners write:
We’ve been making our own jewelry for years now, but when we first started it was daunting to search for the right findings, the correct beading wire size and strength, the right size clasps, and even the best beads. After searching through a variety of stores, trying to find a good deal without having to buy in bulk, we thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to buy everything we need in a kit, and then all we have to do is put it together?”

Thus Jeweler Me was born. The beauty of the Jeweler Me kits is that you can
customize them however you want. You’re not stuck with a one-size fits all product. You can string the beads in whatever order you prefer, add your own beads that you have at home, turn a necklace into a bracelet, or whatever you prefer!

Diana Necklace

It’s also a great activity to do at a bridal shower or girls night out. Buy kits for all of your friends and by the end of the night everyone has a beautiful piece of jewelry that they made themselves.

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Book review: Seed Bead Fusion

Cyndi Lavin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:00:33 +0000

Seed Bead Fusion
by Rachel Nelson-Smith

Rachel Nelson-Smith has decided not to be bound by the usual rules about beading. Instead of starting with one stitch and sticking with it, she invites us to mix them up. The results are 18 projects of stunning beauty. Rachel likes to add bumps, waves, ruffles, and other textures to her work, which takes each of these projects from merely nice to amazing. She also likes to showcase several different color schemes, so that you’ll never feel hemmed in by just one choice.

The highlight of this book for me is that I can heartily recommend it to readers who are only a bit better than beginners. As complicated as the projects appear, they are all based upon a few very basic stitches and wirework, all of which are profiled in the techniques section. Even if you’ve only started beading recently, if you are willing to practice the basics, you’ll be able to follow along with Rachel’s instructions. There are very clear illustrations and photos to take you through each and every step.

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An “Eye for Color”

Cyndi Lavin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:00:44 +0000

Understanding how color works technically is one thing, being able to choose lovely colorways for your designs can be another! Beverly Ash Gilbert, who shared a wonderful artist profile with us back in March, is an absolute master at chosing palettes and working with color in her pieces. Now Beverly has published a new tool called The Eye for Color system which will help you put into practice the principles behind great color selection.

Beverly’s packet has two color wheels and six color harmony templates with a unique snap-together construction. There is a beautiful inspirational booklet that comes with the system, full of lovely photographs to help get you started.

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