Aug
28
2010
With autumn around the corner, and my leaf beads recently featured in a project, I thought it might be prudent to create several different assortments of these colorful, seasonal beads to make it easier to try them out. And in the process of photographing them (and my project), I rediscovered an old gadget.
A few years ago, I bought one of the complete bead-photography sets from Table Top Studio, and it came with this lit flat panel that you put your beads or jewelry on top of for photographing, so that your pieces are lit from the sides, top and bottom. Long story short – I never could get a good picture from it with my old camera, and it has been collecting dust next to the fax machine for the past few years.
Armed with my new camera, I dug it out last week and gave it a try, and doesn’t it look great with glass? The last few pictures here on the blog (all with these leaves) look like they’re glowing. Which they are – because the beads are lit from the bottom! It won’t work with everything, of course, but I am loving the effect with glass.
Back to the beads – the new mixes can be found here:
Aug
15
2010
Just a quick note of two sets of new items on the website this weekend. I’ve got a new selection of solid copper chain – I’ve got several styles that are bright copper, and several styles that have been oxidized to age them. I’ve also added new add-a-bead style cuffs – designed to be used with large hole beads.
Jun
27
2010
These fabulous pendants from Swarovski can be dressed up, of course, but they make beautiful stand alone pendants – just wire wrap (as shown in the example) or add a bail – string on a chain or cord, and you’re ready to go. They have a 1.3mm hole, which can accommodate wire up to 16 gauge.
Apr
09
2010
Dhara is a Sanskrit word meaning the planet earth. It is a leap, I know, but Dhara just feels right for these earrings, which have an Indian style bead cap cradling a luminous cats eye bead. These vintage-style earrings use beautifully antiqued solid brass components.
Apr
08
2010
Delissea is a member of the Hawaiian Bellflower family, and although the flower really bears no resemblance to these beads, I couldn’t resist such a beautiful name for these glass bellflower earrings. Accented with metal findings and a hint of sparkle from aurora borealis finished Swarovski crystals, these gorgeous flower drops hang from dramatic, over-sized kidney wires.
These earrings can be made with traditional silver or gold accents and findings, or with vintage-look antique brass or gunmetal components.
Mar
08
2010
I am a fickle human being. I am, and I’m proud of it. My tastes change – from year to year, from month to month, from minute to minute. I didn’t like it yesterday, so I’ll probably love it tomorrow…
When I first started making jewelry, I was strictly a sterling & gemstone kind of girl. I scorned glass, I disdained crystal. But then I realized that I actually loved glass and crystal. I had some gold findings and beads in my supply box, but I never used them because – bleh – they weren’t silver! But then I made something in gold one day and discovered that my heart had room for gold, too. And then there was copper. Oh, copper and I failed to see each other’s merits for a time, but we fell deeply in love about three years ago, and it has been bliss ever since.
Don’t tell copper, but I have found a new love. Two new loves, to be precise – aged brass and gun metal. Ah, sweet brass, richly aged to a deep hue somewhere between dull olive and chocolate. Ah, lovely gun metal, silver in hue, but darkened to a deep charcoal grey. I love them both.
The trick with these metals is to pair them with light-colored glass or crystal – fire polish czech glass, for example. The contrast between the dark metal and the pale colored glass is phenomenal!
Fortunately, my findings supplier just started carrying components in these metals. Unfortunately – they’re not very well stocked yet, which means these items linked below are just the tip of the iceburg and I’ll have more of these beautiful components just as soon as I can get my hands on them!
Gun Metal Plated
Aged Solid Brass
Feb
21
2010
My husband is a talented man – Drupal Ninja, CSS Master, PHP Dude and general all around maker and builder, and that is just where computers are concerned! And take a look at what he made for me!
Eric has spent a good bit of the past month building an online Kumihimo pattern designer and planner – an interactive application that lets you design kumihimo patterns, and then shows you exactly how to put together your braid to make that pattern. At present – the KumiPlanner only shows the 8-warp round braid, but now that the application is built, you can plan on seeing other braid styles in the near future.
To try this application – click on the image below.
Feb
21
2010
For a couple of years, I’ve had up a small example pair of earrings that could be made using our Swarovski Crystal Pearl Drops, and every so often I get a message asking how to make them. I don’t know why it never dawned on me before to put up a project for them, rather than writing instructions out every time I get an e-mail, but I finally figured that one out, and the instructions (and a kit) are now available.
My other new project is a pair of bracelets made with new link components from TierraCast’s new Viva Mexicana collection. With lots of metal, accented with sparkling Swarovski crystal, these flashy bracelets are an eye catching delight. These bracelets could also be easily converted into a fabulous watch design, too.
Feb
19
2010
I love snow. But I’m actually getting tired of it (twenty some inches in one month will do that to you). And I love it being cold enough to run the wood stove round the clock. But I’m running low on seasoned fire wood, and no one has any more (seasoned) for sale here. And I’m tired of apples, bananas and grapes – I want fresh strawberries and peaches! So I guess what this all probably means is that I’m ready for spring. Only four or five more weeks to go.
I’ve had flowers (and florals) on the mind. I’ve been checking every time I go out to see if our daffodils have poked their stems up (they have! they have!!) Early spring flowers have been a source of inspiration for several new kumihimo cord mixes, and two new Swarovski bicone blends.
I also have a bunch of new colors of Swarovski’s versatile and lovely crystal pearl teardrop beads:
By the way, I’ve seen Swarovski’s upcoming spring release – they’ll have a new Lavender pearl out soon that is gorgeous! Can’t wait.
Jan
21
2010
Shortly before Christmas I discovered Kumihimo – the Japanese art of braiding. This technique of creating complex, multi-stranded braids appeals to the middle-schooler in me who still occasionally and unabashedly makes embroidery floss friendship bracelets. The opportunity to play with color that Kumihimo affords makes me giddy with glee.
Traditionally, Kumihimo braids were created on a wooden device called the Marudai. While the Marudai is a more flexible tool, it is also more complicated, and you can’t pick it up and take it with you (Kumihimo makes a long car ride go more quickly!). Fortunately for modern braiders, foam kumihimo looms are portable, versatile, and easy to use.
Kumihimo braids can be created with many different yarns and ribbons. All of my example braids pictured right are made using our 1mm Satin Rattail Cord. You can add silk ribbon, eyelash yarn, hemp cord, and other stringing material as suits. The rattail cord is a nice place to start as it doesn’t tangle easily, and is inexpensive and available in a host of colors.
Many of the recent additions in the past month have been Kumihimo supplies. To start with, I have Kumihimo looms – portable, light weight foam disks designed to facilitate the braiding process. My looms come with printed braiding instructions and design ideas. You’ll also need something to braid with – like my thirty three new colors of 1mm “Petite” satin rattail cord, available by the yard as well as in several pre-cut kumihimo mixes. I have a fantastic collection of new TierraCast large hole pendant bails – just the thing for slipping onto a kumihimo braid. And finally, I have end caps and new adhesives for finishing braids and turning them into wearable art. All these goodies are listed or linked to from my kumihimo page:
Eric and I have great plans on expanding our Kumihimo page with tutorials, videos, and an online pattern predictor application – we hope you’ll keep checking back as we expand our selection for this wonderful, creative technique.
Nov
18
2009
I fell in love with these Czech glass ovals after seeing them in the Jablonex® catalog. After placing my order, I was on pins and needles waiting for them to be delivered! I could not wait to see them, and actually dreamed about them several nights in a row! Would they be as lovely in reality as they were in the photos?
Fortunately for my bead loving soul, they turned out to be just as beautiful than the picture made them look (if not more so). They are perfectly smooth and polished, and glow with warm, vibrant color. Measuring 16mm long and 11mm wide, these beads are ideal for bracelets, earrings and necklaces. They’re made in the Czech republic, by Jablonex® – the premiere manufacturer of Czech glass.
Nov
15
2009
Since the “Solutions for Large Hole Beads” collection was introduced by TierraCast in January of 2008, the innovative components from that collection have been among my favorite pieces to work with. So it goes without saying that I am delighted with TierraCast’s latest collection – “More Solutions for Large Hole Beads”.
This new collection includes more of the fabulous “Bead Bars” and cunning “BeadAligners™” – designed to firmly hold lampwork, cane glass, and other large hole beads. But the crowning glory of this new collection is the incredible additions to the line of large hole spacers and bead caps. In addition to being gorgeous in bracelets, necklaces and the like, these large hole caps and beads are designed for use with TierraCast’s bead bars, and are also perfect for stringing directly onto rattail, leather, ribbon, and other larger stringing materials.
Oct
24
2009
This gorgeous 2mm satin rattail cord is perfect for smaller pendants and jewelry. This is smaller than the “standard” 3mm cord that is more commonly sold in craft stores. This is fantastic cord – it is Made in the USA from 100% cotton – it has a beautiful sheen, and is wonderfully soft. Be wary of imported rattail – it is usually polyester and scratchy!
This cord is perfect for making a quick and simple necklace for yourself, your friends, jewelry shows and fairs. Just pair a length of cord with a pendant and perhaps a spacer bead if that is your style – knot the ends or finish with cord crimps and a clasp, and your necklace is ready to go!
Our new cord is available in twelve brilliant colors!
May
28
2009
Nothing in the bead world is quite as exciting for me as the release of a new TierraCast® collection. The newest collection is out, and I’m thrilled with this summer’s “Spirit, Sparkles & Tattoos” release!
This beautiful new line of lead-free pewter components includes a set of spiritually motivated components, a collection of bead frames engineered to work precisely with 12mm Swarovski Rivoli stones (article 1122), and a whimsical line of charms based on popular American tattoos.
The “Spirit” portion of the new line includes beads, charms and links drawn from a diverse and cross-cultural collection of spiritual symbols — including the gorgeous Tree of Life design pictured here in a pendant and charm size, plus eastern Om’ and Buddha designs, and the ubiquitous Peace symbol, in pendant, charm and link components.
The TierraCast® Sparkles Collection consists of pieces various bead frames precisely engineered to hold Swarovski® 12mm Rivoli Crystals. Rivolis are not drilled – they’re beautiful stones from Swarovski designed to be set or glued into other components. Swarovski’s rivoli stones have foiled backs which bring out the richness of the crystals’ colors.
These new TierraCast® frames are available as charms, links, and multi-strand links, giving the jewelry artist a wealth of possibilities.
Finally, the TierraCast® Tattoos line of charms features eight of America’s most popular tattoos in mid-sized charm – perfect for charm bracelets, earrings, accents and more.
May
24
2009
I’ve got so many new items that I’ve ordered over the past few months, but haven’t had time to photograph and list, that I will undoubtedly be kept busy with them for the next few weeks!
To start with – I have received in more styles of Wire Guardians. In addition to the copper and sterling I added in March, I now have them in gold-filled, plus basemetal versions plated in silver, gold and gunmetal. These pieces help give a finished, polished look to your bracelets and necklaces. And I picked up this great tip from the Starving Jewelry Artists forum – use wire guardians to connect your beading to watch faces – check out the link (see below) for photos and discussion!
In the past week, I’ve also added several new watch faces for making beaded watches. These watches are manufactured by The BeadSmith, and are stored and shipped with their stems out to prevent dead-on-arrival batteries. Even so – watch batteries will die, and to facilitate their replacement, we now stock both replacement batteries, and a special watch face opening tool which helps to pop the back off, making it easier to reach and change the battery.
I’ve been working this weekend on the new TierraCast summer collection, titled “Spirit, Sparkles & Tattoos.” This line has some fantastic new charms, and a brilliant collection of Rivoli frames. Look for it after the holiday, and have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!