Fall Challenge Title: Around the World
Deadline: September 7, 2009
Challenge Rules: One entry per person, please (so send your best work!). Submissions must be of the type you would see in Stringing magazine—in other words, projects created using simple stringing, crimping, wireworking (simple loops, wrapped loops, jump rings), and simple knotting techniques. If in doubt, see Stringing 101 (it’s in every issue of Stringing) for a list of acceptable techniques. Projects created using beadweaving or other non-stringing techniques (such as netting; peyote, brick, right-angle weave, and square stitches; bead embroidery; chain mail; and macramé) will not be considered for winners.
To enter, …read more

Technique Tuesday!
How lucky are we, to have Mary Lyon share a second design and instructions with us!  If you missed the project from last week, check out this beautiful lapis necklace.
This week, Mary’s project is to make a two-strand rose quartz collar with a pendant:

MAGNIFICENT TWO-STRAND ROSE QUARTZ COLLAR WITH PENDANT DROP:
Materials:
Beading wire
12 large faceted rose quartz nugget beads, graduated in size from ¾” to 1¼ inch
1 extra-large faceted rose quartz nugget bead, preferably in a different shape than the 12 other beads
1 2-inch x ½-inch x 5/8ths-inch handcrafted silver dichroic glass 2-hole spacer bar bead
52 4×5mm pale pink pressed …read more

Technique Tuesday!
Many many thanks to Mary Lyon, who shared this delightful design and the instructions with us here at Jewelry&Beading.  Visit Mary’s site to learn much more about this busy lady!

LONG SINGLE-STRAND LAPIS NECKLACE:
Materials:
36 inches beading wire
2 strands graduated medium-to-large rough-hewn lapis chips
5 large (15mm diameter) round lapis-inlaid Afghani silver accent beads
1 extra-large (2 inch long) bi-cone lapis-inlaid Afghani silver bead
14 4mm small fluted silver rondelle spacer beads
2 3mm round silver beads
6 inches of 18-gauge sterling silver wire
1 inch of sterling silver French wire
2 silver crimp beads
1 tube of jeweler’s glue
Tools:
1 pair of round-nose pliers
1 pair of chain-nose pliers
1 wire-cutter
1 …read more

Summer Challenge Title: Magical Forest
Deadline: June 8, 2009
Challenge Rules: One entry per person, please (so send us your best work!). Submissions must be of the type you would see in Stringing magazine—in other words, projects created using simple stringing, crimping, wireworking (simple loops, wrapped loops, jump rings), and simple knotting techniques. If in doubt, see Stringing 101 (it’s in every issue of Stringing) for a list of acceptable techniques. Projects created using beadweaving or other non-stringing techniques (such as netting; peyote, brick, right-angle weave, and square stitches; bead embroidery; chain mail; and macramé) will not be considered for winners.
To enter, …read more

Technique Tuesday!
With a gorgeous Swarovski disc as the centerpiece, this necklace combines bead weaving with basic stringing.  All the bead supplies are available from Artbeads.com

I found it easiest to create the bead woven bail first, and then to string up the necklace.
Materials
Copper tube with loop
Mixture of 11/0 and 8/0 seed beads in coppery and red colors
Nymo O, black
G-S Hypo tube cement
2 copper discs, 10mm
24″ beading wire (SoftFlex)
Copper toggle clasp
2 crimps
2 copper crimp covers
20 copper rondelles, 6 mm
10 facetted glass rondelles, 8 mm
40 round glass beads, 11mm
Tools
Beading needles
Wire cutters
Chain nose pliers
Measuring tape
Step by step instructions

Make Art Monday!
I received a stunning Swarovski disc from Artbeads a few days ago, and I couldn’t wait to figure out a project to use it.  Tomorrow, I’ll share the details of how to make a similar necklace with you all.

Betty Necklace
8″x5″x 3″
Ebony wood, White gold tube settings, diamonds magnetic clasp
Artist: Mayra Orama Muniz
Website: Mio Studio
Using exotic hardwoods as an expression of organic moving forms, self- taught artist Mayra Iveliesse Orama Muniz has created a line of jewelry that reflects on her life growing up in New York City and the more recent influences of the last five years living in Puerto Rico.
The many landscapes of her life — from modern industrial city to the tropical rainforests of Puerto Rico — have become her inspiration.
The miniature sculptures Muniz creates are a melding of richly textured woods and cool metals. Her …read more

Sent in by reader Julia Miller…thanks Julia!!
The Andean Collection: The jewelry is made from sustainable materials from the rainforests of South America, and are hand-crafted by artisans from disadvantaged communities in Peru and Ecuador, who receive fair trade wages for their work. Click this link for information on the sustainable materials that are used in the jewelry.

Technique Tuesday!
Here are some tutorial links to projects that use pearls, rose petals, and split geodes.  We’ve seen some incredible work so far this month, and I hope that it’s inspiring you to think outside the “glass”!

Making a pearl dangle pendant
How to make rosary beads
Turning a geode into a beaded pendant
Making a wrapped and bead-embroidered paua necklace

Artist: Theresa Turchin
Website: Turchin Jewelry
Turchin Love and Light Jewelry is as organic as it comes. We are a line of jewelry and accessories for men and women that incorporates natural weaving with hemp, leather, kabala string, all semi-precious stones including amber, aqua marine, garnet, fresh water pearls, black onyx, tourmaline, and moonstone. As well as precious stones including diamonds of all color ranges, rubies and emeralds.  We also incorporate antique pieces that we find in Nepal, Tibet, India, Africa, and Afghanistan into our one of a kind designs again reusing materials that create new art and new design.
Turchin Love and …read more