About.com Beadwork

A Different Kind of Valentine

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:09:20 +0000

I'm not really the type who is into hearts and flowers in my beadwork. But when I saw this "Hugs & Kisses" bracelet pattern in the Etsy shop of SandFibers, I knew I had to give it a try.

The pattern itself is a relatively simple combination of diamonds and arches, but what makes it so technically challenging and so much fun to create is the use of Toho triangle beads along with Japanese cylinder beads. Including the triangle beads makes the piece pucker and pull and creates a wonderful texture. One side of the bracelet is curved outward and one inward, and it can be worn either way.

If you love this pattern, Carol Dean is also having a 3 for 2 sale on her patterns for the month of February! Buy any two of her patterns in her Etsy or Artfire shops, pay for them, and in the notes to seller, let her know the third pattern (of equal or lesser value) that you would like, and she'll send you a third pattern for free. I'm totally hooked on charted peyote patterns, and Carol's designs are fun and easy to make.

A Different Kind of Valentine originally appeared on About.com Beadwork on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 13:09:20.

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Beadwork Blog List for Friday, February 5 2010

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:06:35 +0000

It might be the middle of winter here in the U.S., but us beaders know how to keep busy and warm!

Tapestry Beads - Jill Wiseman is in Tucson at the Best Bead Show and she has chronicled her journey and the first few days of the show for those of us that can't be there.

Beadazzled of Oregon - Dini Alves has a brand new workspace that she has shared with us.

Beadedbear's Nonsense and Complete Waste of Time - Sig Wynne-Evans has some ugly beads and she just does not know what to do with them. I think everyone has beads that look like these in their stash!

Beadlust - Robin Atkins has finished her January Bead Journal page, and she is trying some new techniques for 2010. Beautiful bead embroidery!

Beady Eyed Women - Jeannette Cook has been busy! Her Beach House Retreat looks like it was so much fun, and she and her family attended an art opening at the San Diego Art Institute.

Etsy Beadweavers - The March Challenge theme has been announced! Everybody get beading!

MAD Designs - Marcia is another lucky beader who is attending the Tucson gem, mineral and bead shows. She has been bead shopping, attending the Interweave party, and generally having a great time!

Artisan Clay - Kristie Roeder has announced the winner of the Monochromatic Challenge on her blog!

Rypan Designs - Maria Rypan shares a preview with us of her presentation about her upcoming "White Aster of Love" Book Project. It details the story of a former political prisoner who secretly sketched fashion designs.

Wherever you are, I hope you are staying warm and having a great weekend. Happy beading and reading!

Beadwork Blog List for Friday, February 5 2010 originally appeared on About.com Beadwork on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 18:06:35.

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Free Crystal Heart Pendant Video Tutorial

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:13:20 +0000

Eri Attebery is offering another free video for a limited time. In honor of Valentine's Day, she is offering her video tutorial for her original design, the Flower Heart Necklace, free until February 15, 2010!

Eri Attebery owns and runs the Jewelry Making Professor website. I met her at Bead Fest Philadelphia back in August, and was very impressed with her designs using Swarovski crystals. My personal favorite is her Color Gradation necklace, which also happens to be on sale right now.

If you want to "try out" some of Eri's video tutorials, she also offers a full page of free videos that include necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings, some of which are holiday-themed projects.

Remember, if you want to make the Flower Heart pendant, you only have until February 15 to view the video for free!

Free Crystal Heart Pendant Video Tutorial originally appeared on About.com Beadwork on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 15:13:20.

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The Greatest (Bead) Show on Earth

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:49:01 +0000

What started in 1955 as a simple gem and mineral show at a local elementary school in Tucson, Arizona has evolved into the major gem, mineral, jewelry and bead show for hobbyists, collectors and professionals around the U.S. and around the world.

The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, referred to as just "Tucson" by many bead, gem and jewelry enthusiasts, starts this week. With hotels and conference centers around Tucson completely booked and people arriving by the hundreds every day, Tucson is the place to be for the first two weeks of February.

It's not just a great place to buy beads -there are also classes being taught by some of the beading world's best-known and most talented designers. Jean Campbell, Shelley Nybakke and Jill Wiseman are just some of the teachers you'll find teaching and selling their kits around Tucson these next two weeks.

If you're in the Tucson area, check out some of these great bead shows:
The Best Bead Show
To Bead True Blue
The Whole Bead Show

Many of my favorite shops and online vendors will be at the show as well. Betcey from Beyond Beadery will have her "portable" bead shop set up, as well as Beki from Whimbeads.

While I couldn't attend this year's show, I hope to get to Tucson next year, even if for just a few days, to experience what has to be the Greatest (Bead) Show on Earth!

The Greatest (Bead) Show on Earth originally appeared on About.com Beadwork on Monday, February 1st, 2010 at 20:49:01.

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New Free eBook from Beading Daily

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:45:05 +0000

One of my favorite beading resources, Beading Daily, is offering a new free eBook of great peyote stitch patterns.

Beading Daily, run by Beadwork Magazine, has already offered a few really cool eBooks in the past that feature stitches like right angle weave and themes like readers' favorite bracelet patterns. This newest free eBook features five patterns all made with flat peyote stitch.

The patterns are beautiful, and they include bracelets and a ring. The patterns themselves have clear directions, finishing suggestions, and full color graphs and charts. If you've never tried flat peyote stitch before, there are some great tutorials in the Beading Stitch Tutorials.

To get this free eBook, all you need to do is sign up to be a member of Beading Daily. (And that's free, too!) If you're looking for a quick project for the weekend, you just might find it here. Happy beading!

New Free eBook from Beading Daily originally appeared on About.com Beadwork on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 08:45:05.

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Second Annual Haute Couture Beading Contest

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:34:31 +0000

Are you ever inspired by some of the outrageous clothing designs from the world of couture fashion? I certainly am, and that's why this year, I am going to bead up a few pieces for the Second Annual Haute Couture Beading Contest.

The rules are simple: pick a photo from the contest page and make a piece of beadwork inspired by the clothing. These fashion designs are full of color and texture, and even the shape of some of the outfits can be an inspiration for a piece of shaped beadwork.

The deadline for entries is November 19, 2010, so you have plenty of time to get started on your masterpiece. You can also have more than one entry. That's good news for me, since there are three or four photographs that really inspire me to start beading.

The prize list includes two trios of Soft Flex bead stringing wire, a $100 gift card to Artbeads.com, $100 worth of Lucite from The Hole Bead Shop, and a $50 gift certificate to Caravan Beads.

Happy beading!

Second Annual Haute Couture Beading Contest originally appeared on About.com Beadwork on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 at 18:34:31.

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Bead Dreams Application is Now Available Online

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:46:58 +0000

As we move closer to spring (I'm staying optimistic here!), we move closer to the deadline for entries into the 2010 Bead Dreams Competition.

Bead Dreams is the juried show that is held in conjunction with the annual Bead & Button Show. Entries into the show represent some of the best and most beautiful beadwork being created by artists from around the world.

This year, there are nine different categories into which you can enter your work: handmade buttons or beads, wirework, lampwork/glass, polymer clay, beaded objects or accessories, seed bead jewelry, crystal jewelry, finished jewelry and metal clay. The application can be completed online and submitted along with the $30 entry fee. (Entry fee covers two entries into any two categories.)

For the full set of rules and category descriptions as well as access to the online application, make sure you check out the Bead Dreams information on the Bead & Button Show website. The deadline for entries is April 5, 2010, so get beading!

Bead Dreams Application is Now Available Online originally appeared on About.com Beadwork on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 16:46:58.

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Beadweaving Blog List for January 22, 2010

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:19:29 +0000

Our favorite designers and artists have been keeping themselves quite busy in the last few weeks, it seems.

Tapestry Beads - Jill Wiseman had a wild time at the Texas Bead Retreat!

Artisan Clay - Kristie Roeder is nearing her 400th sale on Etsy, and is excited to share some of her 2010 show venues with us.

Rypan Designs - Maria Rypan has a couple of speaking engagements coming up in the Toronto, Canada area and they look to be very interesting.

Beadazzled of Oregon - Dini shares a review of some beautiful lampwork glass pendants that she received from ArtBeads.

Beadedbear's Nonsense and Complete Waste of Time - This post made me laugh out loud! Sig Wynne-Evans has written some seed bead personal ads.

Beadlust - Robin Atkins shares two new bead embroidered projects with us. Beautiful!

Good River Gallery - Hannah Rosner has listed a whole slew of beaded bracelet patterns for sale on her website. My favorite is the steampunk bracelet!

Ramblings on Jewelry Making and Life - Jean Campbell has a review of the new book from Interweave Press, Totally Twisted by Kerry Bogert.

MadDesigns - Marcia DeCoster is getting ready for the Beading by the Bay Retreat in San Francisco, and it looks like it will be a fabulous weekend!

Happy beading and reading!

Beadweaving Blog List for January 22, 2010 originally appeared on About.com Beadwork on Friday, January 22nd, 2010 at 10:19:29.

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Handmade for Haiti

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:01:46 +0000

If you are someone who wants to know what you can do to help the survivors of last week's earthquake in Haiti, there are some great ways that you can make a difference.

You can always start by donating money is always a great place to start to help non-profit and charitable organizations who are doing relief work in Haiti. But there are other great ways you can contribute and help the people who are trying to rebuild their lives and their country while indulging in your love for all things handmade.

Etsy has a number of shops that are donating a percentage or all of the profits from sales to the victims of the earthquake. Try the Craft Hope for Haiti shop first, then check out the forum post with a number of other shops listed. If you're buying Valentine's Day gifts or birthday gifts, this is a great way to give a gift that makes a difference.
Handmade Helps Haiti is a blog that has been set up to showcase different online sellers who are donating a portion or all of their sales to relief efforts in Haiti.
Indie Fixx has set up a Haiti Relief Fundraiser silent auction with some beautiful items up for grabs. All you have to do is leave a comment with your name, email, item number, and bid amount. The auction ends January 29th.

Every item you purchase can help make a difference in the life of a survivor! Do you know of another resource to help Haiti? Please post it below.

Handmade for Haiti originally appeared on About.com Beadwork on Thursday, January 21st, 2010 at 11:01:46.

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January's Bracelet of the Month by Deb Moffett-Hall

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:56:41 +0000

The other day, I received the 2010 January Birthstone Bracelet of the Month, designed by Deb Moffett-Hall. It is a beautiful bracelet, and I can't wait to get started on it. The kit contains everything you need including instructions printed out on high quality paper, all the beads, and even a needle and thread.

The Bracelet of the Month kits would make a wonderful treat for yourself or for your favorite beading friend. Make them up yourself and give them away to whoever has a birthday that month!

Deb also has an Ornament of the Month kit that uses the same birthstone colors as the bracelets but to create a stunning holiday ornament. Those kits come complete with a glass ornament and a stand to display the finished piece.

And if bracelets or ornaments aren't your thing, check out the other patterns on Deb's website. She offers lots of different ornament, bracelet and necklace patterns, so you'll probably find just the thing you've been looking for.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.

January's Bracelet of the Month by Deb Moffett-Hall originally appeared on About.com Beadwork on Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 at 20:56:41.

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