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 of the doll’s head. Thus, a wood doll always has a wooden head regardless of the types of materials used in the body construction. With that in mind, we challenge you to create wood dolls and send us your submissions. Deadline for artwork to be received: December 15, 2009.

Submission information

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

Deadline for artwork to be received: December 15, 2009. Please read submission guidelines before sending your submissions to: Stampington & Company · C/O: Altered Couture · 22992 Mill Creek, Suite B · Laguna Hills, CA 92653

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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 script.

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie congratulates Jean Cambell and shares the beautiful piece she made for Beadwork Magazine using an Earthenwood face stone

Snap out of it, Jean! There’s beading to be done
Jean reviews Big and Bold, a really pretty book of jewelry designs culled from BeadStyle Magazine

Strands of Beads
Melissa shows off her new “Twilight” choker made with Swarovski crystal from Artbeads.com

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
The pace is picking up for Andrew and his BIG SALE. Check out where he’ll be next and celebrate his birthday with a special 15% off promotional code!

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

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 are welcome to construct a bag from scratch, or to purchase one that you embellish and alter with paints, beads, rubber stamps, ribbons, buttons, transparencies, and more. No medium or material is ruled out so use your imagination to make bags of leather, wool, fabric, paper, plastic, wood, glass, or any other materials that you love. Deadline for artwork to be received: Bi-annually every November 15th, and May 15th.

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

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, who encourage her creativity and art making.  Look at this fabulous mixed media piece that Jan created:

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

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 I plan to be teaching at various events and stores in the near future!

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

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 of Frost Links in Pear to keep her cool.

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie happens upon a new line of supplies that blend perfectly with her steampunk designs as well as her new resin collage pendants.

Jean Campbell
Jean whips up a pair of funky Steampunky earrings; you can make them, too!

Lorelei’s Blog: Inside the Studio
Lorelei shares some links to another really cool blog beading challenge.

Strands of Beads
Melissa creates a simple but stunning necklace with goodies from Rings & Things

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Andrew reveals ten new jewelry designs.

A Bead A Day
Do you use buttons in your jewelry designs? Stop by A Bead A Day to share your experiences and ideas.

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

Deadline for artwork to be received: September 15, 2009. Please read submission guidelines before sending your submissions to: Stampington & Company · C/O: Altered Couture · 22992 Mill Creek, Suite B · Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

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 well as planned. Yet Cindy finds inspiration and few new tools!

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie mixes up gunmetal chains and components with brass to make a necklace with one of her Toolbox Treasure pendants

Humblebeads
Heather sketches out some new designs using this summer’s hottest color.

Jean Campbell Ink: Eureka!
Beading in the fresh air clears the mind, bringing fresh creativity

Lorelei’s Blog: Inside the Studio
Searching for some new inspiration? Lorelei’s got just the place for you to find it!
Snap out of it, Jean! There’s beading to be done!
Jean reviews Wirework, a new book by the famous Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

Strands of Beads
Melissa shows off her new lunar phases and compass rose designs

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
While traveling in Florida, Andrew shares a new variation on a favorite skull bracelet.

Post from: Jewelry and Beading

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 making these components, you’ll never run out of ideas about what to do with them!

Custom Cool Jewelry teaches you how to create personalized, affordable, and unique alternatives to store-bought beading components using a wide range of jewelry and basic crafting materials including embossing powder, collage papers, wire, fibers, glass etching cream, patinas, found objects, fabric, memorabilia and more.

Check out The Bookshop for lots more links to books about jewelry-making in addition to this fine guide!

Post from: Jewelry and Beading