Friday April 29, 2011
Interweave is announcing a new Bead Star competition. Last year, over 80,000 people voted for this people's choice-style competition, so obviously this challenge is very popular with both those who enter as well as those who vote. In fact, this recent competition originally had close to 1,000 entries, but those have been narrowed down now to 160 in eight different categories: crystals, glass, heart designs, metals, pearls, plastics, seed beads, and stones.
To see the submissions and cast your vote in each category, go to the Bead Star page, and sign into the site. If you don't sign in, you won't be able to vote. So if you are not already a Beading Daily reader, then you'll need to join (which is free).
Then scroll down and click on individual categories. For example, the Pearls link in the middle of the page will bring you to photographs of the 20 submissions in that category. Once you are there, select the thumb nails of each photograph to get a larger view. On this page, there is an option to see a full size image of the finished jewelry piece, and that is also where you end up casting your vote via a blue icon.
Voting is already open now and continues through May 17th, and then the winners will be included in the publication of Bead Star 2011 in December. For more information as well as the list of wonderful prizes the winners will receive, read Interweave's full press release.
Thursday April 28, 2011
I'm to pleased to announce that a number of new jewelry making videos are now available though the About.com Jewelry Making web site. You can access all of them
here, and learn all kinds of jewelry making techniques from metal fabrication to how to use a bead board. Many of the videos are project based as well, which is nice because this allows you to practice a technique and end up with a wearable piece of jewelry afterward. Right now, there are a total of ten videos. A few are some I produced awhile ago, and there are also some newer ones created by Jeanette Caines from the Jewelry Arts Institute. Hopefully (fingers crossed) there will be more on the way in the near future. Enjoy, and feel free to leave your feedback in the comments section.
Monday April 25, 2011
One of my latest jewelry designs combines vintage inspiration from jewelry components and modern ideas about how a jewelry piece is worn. Whenever possible, I try to create jewelry pieces that can be worn a few different ways. This project, Vintage Inspired Jet Crystal Necklace, is part of Artbeads.com's latest bead blogger challenge and can be worn three different ways.
For example, this toggle clasp is a base metal component, but it has a distinctive vintage style to it. So one way to wear this piece is to show the toggle on the side of the necklace and thus making it part of the design rather than hiding it behind your neck when you wear it.
If you prefer to wear the necklace in a more traditional way, then that's fine. You can also move the toggle to the back, and then the square lampwork bead is positioned more to the center of the necklace.
Finally, the third way to wear the necklace is to make an attachable goddess pendant from a brass stamping and copper wire. Then you can slip the pendant between beads anywhere on the necklace and get a different look.
Beautiful fire-polished Czech jet beads with a twilight finish make up most of the necklace, so again, since jet beads were a favorite during Victorian times, this also connects to the vintage theme of the project. I have to say, too, that I don't think I've ever used beads with this type of finish, and they are now a new favorite of mine. They are dark like most jet beads but have a sort of purplish-blue hue to them as well.
Sunday April 24, 2011
Cindy Gimbrone, The Lampwork Diva
Cindy's made some new blush pink drops, come see what she's done with them!
Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
We all scream for Ice Cream! Melanie shows how she designed and made a new line of sweet pendants.
Resin Crafts!
This week Carmi has a short tutorial on using resin as a glaze.
Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Rio Grande is encouraging a wonderful way of helping the people of Japan and it is SO EASY! Read about it on Jean's blog!
Strands of Beads
Melissa is brooding about issues of originality this week.
The Bead Dreamer
A lovely tree branch, soft pink flowers and wisps of silk inspired two necklace designs.
The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Andrew takes a peak at Anne Choi's new BRONZE beads!
A Bead A Day
Do you like glitter AND jewelry making?! You are going to love this project that Lisa found over at FusionBeads.com!
Art Bead Scene
Here's a fresh idea for spring - a garden gate clasp.
Barbe Saint John
Barbe's giving away the latest Industrial Chic booklet and some charms!
Beading Arts
As part of the Artbead challenge, "What's Old is New Again", Cyndi has constructed a flapper-style necklace from some very cool components!
Carmi's Art/Life World
This weeks blog features the poppies of Paris and the jewelery it inspires.
