Art dolls always look better if there is beading involved, and with that in mind, I’d like to make you aware of another call for entries and submissions that is currently out there!

Art Doll Quarterly is having a special challenge for their next issue: Wooden Dolls.
Wood is one of the earliest known materials used to make dolls because it was easy to carve, sturdy and unbreakable. Most were symbolic and ceremonial figures, often of a religious nature. According to the doll category guidelines set by United Federation of Doll Clubs (UFDC), the type of doll is determined by the content …read more

A hand-me-down sweater … a raggedy old skirt from the thrift store … a plain T-shirt … Using just a few tools coupled with your creativity, all of these items can be transformed into fantastic works of wearable art! The publisher of Belle Armoire and Somerset Studio invites you to submit your own altered and embellished clothing and accessories to be considered for this exciting publication. The special theme for the next issue will be Patches and Pins!
Deadline for artwork to be received: December 15, 2009. Please read submission guidelines before sending your submissions to: Stampington & Company · …read more

A Bead A Day
If you are “mousing” all day and still want to wear a bracelet, memory wire rubber tubing is a simple and comfortable option.

About.com Jewelry Making
Tammy is already thinking about and making Halloween jewelry so she can wear it next month. What about you?
Art Bead Scene
Keep misplacing your ruler? Get one for free!
Barbe Saint John – New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts
29 Days of Giving starts with a Japanese book giveaway.
Carmi’s Art/Life World
Carmi discovers Free Trade Kazuri beads from Kenya.
Cindy Gimbrone
Cindy imagines a movie and writes a …read more

Stampington & Co is getting ready to publish another issue of their special publication Haute Handbags. The deadline is Nov 15, 2009, so get out your supplies and get going! Here’s all the important submission information.

How do you carry it? That’s the question Somerset Studio would like to help answer through their special publication titled Haute Handbags. Whether we use purses, clutches, totes, portfolios, sacks, bags, or attachés, there are many styles made with an astounding array of materials emerging from all corners of the creative world – all vying to be carried and used with style. You …read more

You know how as soon as you throw something out, you figure out how you could have used it for jewelry?
Not that I think Jan Turner Bell would have thrown out this shed deer antler or the wonderful arrowheads that she used in her mixed media necklace (it also doubles as wall art), but she did make at least one person almost pass out when she told him what she was going to use them for!
Jan lives on a farm that has been in her family for over a hundred years.  She has a great support system in her family, …read more

Question of the Month: What’s the best thing you’ve made so far this summer?
Check out this amazing polymer clay pendant made by Laurel Steven!  And you can keep up with her class schedule by checking out her blog.
Rue’s Daftique blog
Rueschka by Laurel Steven

Laurel writes:
Here’s my favorite piece from this summer. It’s a hinged polymer clay locket, with a beaded and wireworked necklace. Some of the beads match the locket in polymer clay, and the others are marble beads from Firemountain Gems. I’ve also used Gun Metal wire from Artistic Wire. It’s one of a series of classes that …read more

About.com Jewelry Making:
Is the under 20 crowd crafting more or less these days? Take the quick poll & see the results of what other crafters are thinking about this issue.

Art Bead Scene
Looking for some new earring ideas? The Art Bead Scene reviews 101 Wire Earrings.
Barbe Saint John – New Treasures from Forgotten Artifacts
Join in the fun of the Objects & Elements Reader Challenge!
Carmi’s Art/Life World
A little Friendly Plastic, a charm and resin makes for an amazing pendant.
Cindy Gimbrone aka Lampwork Diva
Summer heat getting to you? Cindy has a wrist full …read more

A hand-me-down sweater … a raggedy old skirt from the thrift store … a plain T-shirt … Using just a few tools coupled with your creativity, all of these items can be transformed into fantastic works of wearable art! The publisher of Belle Armoire and Somerset Studio invites you to submit your own altered and embellished clothing and accessories to be considered for this exciting publication.  The special theme for the next issue will be Altered Suits!
Deadline for artwork to be received: September 15, 2009. Please read submission guidelines before sending your submissions to: Stampington & Company · C/O: Altered …read more

A Bead A Day:
Lisa shares her selection of summery pink beads and crystals. The “Watermelon Crawl” bead mix is sure to conjure up visions of a family picnic on a warm summer day!

About.com Jewelry Making
Take these quick polls about wearing and making jewelry. Which are your favorite pieces?
Art Bead Scene
The Trendy Bead shows off wood filigree pendants.
Barbe Saint John
Read Barbe’s interview on the Objects and Elements blog
Carmi’s Art/Life World
Carmi hand felts a pretty bead from wool roving.
Cindy Gimbrone aka The Lampwork Diva
A trip to glass city doesn’t go as …read more

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