ENDED Giveaway #3: Nunn Design, Crystal Clay, Gel Du Soliel

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED. A WINNER WILL BE CONTACTED AND ANNOUNCED SOON.

Here is the perfect giveaway for anyone who loves mixed media! If you have never tried mixed media, here is your big chance. Our third giveaway is all about Nunn Design. Nunn Design is famous for beautiful bezels and ornate findings. In this giveaway you will receive all of the bezel findings you see here as well as Gel Du Soliel, Nunn Design transfer paper and a multi-pack of Crystal Clay. Of course, no mixed media pack is complete without some beautiful Crystal Chatons.

Estimated prize retail value: over $150

To enter, leave a comment on this blog post. Giveaway ends on Wednesday Dec. 11th at 7PM ET (4PM PT). Winner will be chosen at random.

BONUS FLASH SALE: Monday, December 9th only! Take 30% off all Nunn Design with code BLITZEN at checkout.

Remember, only comment once per giveaway and do not comment anonymously (as a guest).  Also, please do not use your Facebook, Twitter account, or Google Plus account when commenting. You can comment to enter as many of the giveaways as you like, but you can only win 1 Beadaholique giveaway every 12 months. Visit Beadaholique's official The 12 Giveaways of Christmas page for even more details. For a complete list of terms and conditions, please click here.

Spotlight Saturday: Faux Druzy Rings

Example of Natural Druzy

This week I want to focus on a trend for the Fall that I love! Druzy jewelry is popping up everywhere. Druzy, or druse, is a term used in geology to define a fine coating of crystals on a fractured rock surface. I love their natural, straight from the earth feel. They are elegant while being a little rocker chic. Druzy has a cool stardust quality that I find fascinating.  

Featured Video: How To Make a Faux Druzy Ring

In this video, we walk you all the way through making this project.  However, if you are unfamiliar with Crystal Clay be sure to watch the video here before you begin your faux Druzy ring.

Featured Project: Faux White Druzy Crystal Ring

Our version of a Druzy ring is so easy to do and it uses one of my favorite products, Crystal Clay.  The thing I love about this project is that you can choose any color of Crystal Clay, because the color of the clay is what will dictate the color of your ring.  It is a great way to use the last little bit of clay that you may have left over from another project.  Of course, I like the idea of buying a 4 color multi pack so I can make one for all my friends.

Featured Product: Beadelle Collection Crystal Splash Assorted Clear Crystal Mix

Crystal Splash is such a wonderfully versatile product.  Not only does it help to create the faux Druzy ring, but you can actually use it in other ways than just jewelry.  How about as a beautiful table decoration or in a bud vase to add some extra sparkle to your flowers? This is a product that really lets you get creative.  We used the clear crystal mix to make the faux Druzy ring projects, but we also have a multi colored version as well.  Trust me, you will find many fun uses for this crystal mix!

-Kat

Spotlight Saturday: Modify your Resin

When it comes to using resin, you have more options than you realize. You can use beads inside of resin or put resin into a mold. But did you know that you can add pearlizing powder, dyes and even glitter? I know for some of you I just said the magic word: glitter! But it's true, and you can get some really great effects by adding different elements.

Featured Video: How to Use Pearlizing Powder in Resin

I love this video because it walks you all the way through your resin project. This is a wonderful technique to learn. We have so many bezel settings for you to fill with resin, and you will notice that in the video, there is a good amount of resin left over so you should be prepared with lots of bezels to fill. That way you can make several pieces all at once!

Featured Project: Pink Sugar Bracelet

I just love this bracelet because it really does remind me of sugary sweet candy. By watching the video above you will learn how to do this project. It's a great introduction to using different elements to modify your resin. For a nice perk, when you purchase this whole kit you will end up with extra resin and powder to use in future projects.

Featured Product: Resin Pearlizing Powder

While it may seem that you need a lot of items to complete your resin project, once you get the hang of it, you will want to do a lot of experimenting, so you will need all those supplies. You may even want to purchase more variations to use in resin. Try using the powder with different colors or even no dye at all for a simple pearl look. Think about using red or amber for any Fall projects you may want to complete. This jar of powder will last you through many resin projects, as will the dyes. So get all your resin supplies, watch our tutorial videos and get started!

Good luck and have fun!

Find Out Friday: Vintaj DecoEtch With New Artisan Pewter Blanks

For this Find Out Friday, we want to showcase the Vintaj DecoEtch Die for the Sizzix BIGkick Die Cut Machine. Using the new Vintaj Artisan Pewter blanks and patina, we have created a lovely set using the Birds of Paradise die.

Vintaj Birds of Paradise Necklace

1 Sizzix BIGkick Die Cut Machine

1 Vintaj pewter oval stamping blank
2 Vintaj pewter rectangle dog tag stamping blanks
1 Vintaj DecoEtch - Birds of Paradise
2 Silver plated earring hooks
1 Jump ring
1 Chain
3 SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Indian Pink flatback rhinestones
2 chain nose pliers
Vintaj Patina - Black Onyx
E-6000 glue
paint brush
Toothpick or wire glue applicator
Paper towels
Gloves

Before beginning your project, watch this video on how to use the Vintaj BIGkick Machine by Sizzix.

Let's get started!

Begin by gathering your supplies.

Place one cutting pad on the shim, then place your die cut with the blank face down where you would like the etching. Next, place the other cutting pad on top. Then place your etching on the tray of the machine.

Crank the handle clockwise to feed the tray through the machine.

This is what your etching will look like once it comes out of  the other side of your Sizzix BIGkick cut machine.

Take your etching out of the machine and flip it over. Put down a paper towel to protect your flat work surface.

To begin using your patina, dab a small portion onto a piece of scratch paper. Paint on your patina using your brush.

Cover the entire front side of the blank with patina, making sure it gets into the grooves.

Immediately take a paper towel and wipe the patina off of the surface.

This is what your etching will look like once you wipe off the patina.

Using your glue applicator, add a dab of E6000 to the flat back of your rhinestone. Now glue your rhinestone onto your blank.

Now your pendant is finished.

You can use the same technique to make a matching pair of earrings.

To finish this project open a jump ring and attach the pendant to the necklace chain; close the jump ring.

To make the earrings, choose a section of the die and repeat this process. You will attach your earring hooks the same way you would a jump ring. 

Choose from our wide selection of Vintaj DecoEtch Die plates. We hope you enjoyed learning about the Vintaj DecoEtch and the Sizzix machine.  The Artisan Pewter blanks give such a lovely finished product using this technique.   Have fun!

-Kat and Karlin

Back to School fun with Mixed Media

Colorful Bottle Caps

Back to school is the perfect time to experiment with craft projects and mixed media. Send your kids off in style with bookmarks, backpack tags, magnets and so much more. Don't be scared if it's something you haven't worked with yet, you can always watch our videos on Mixed Media Techniques to learn something new. We love to help you by walking you through a new technique and answering any questions you may have. 

Bling It On Magnets

When getting your kids ready for school this fall, don't forget those little touches that go beyond notebooks and pens. The Bling It On Magnets are a great back to school gift for any girl that wants to see a little sparkle every time she opens her locker. They also work great for college dorms where you can place them on magnetic white boards to keep important notes organized.

Teacher's Pet

Help your kid jump to the head of the class with the Teacher's Pet Ring featuring Crystal Clay. Haven't worked with a 2-part epoxy clay yet? Don't worry, we have a video for that too.  We carry a wide variety of colors and did you know that you can create color variations with your clay?  See it in this video:  How to Create Color Variations with Crystal Clay.

Let's not forget about all those teachers going back to school too. Wow them on the first day with a charming bookmark or stunning eyeglass holder. For your English teacher, try making this whimsical Scrabble Tile Ring. Such an easy project, you'll want to make more then one!

As you can see from the examples above, mixed media offers so many options. One of my favorite things about this medium is that there is not just one way to use a product in your design. This is your time to think outside the box. Resin is a great product for this. Resin can be used in bezels or molds and it can be transformed by adding dye or pigment to change the color. If you haven't worked with resin, now is a great time to try it. We have a wonderful collection of collage papers and molds to choose from. When buying your resin, remember to buy your sealant and adhesive as well. It may be helpful to watch our videos before purchasing your items, just to make sure that you have all the ingredients you need for your project. Issue 9 of The Beading Wire has some great tips on mastering 2-part resin.

Update: For a limited time only, take 15% all 1,000+ items in our Mixed Media category with code MMBS at checkout.  Save on resin, epoxy clay, patinas, bottle caps, magnets, scrabble tiles and more.  Click here to see the sale, but hurry, sale ends Monday, August 19th!

Giveaway #5: ENDED! Mixed-Media Extravaganza

You can check almost everyone off your Christmas list with the items from this giveaway! Win almost everything you need to make many dozens of fun personalized craft projects.

Hundreds (yes, I said hundreds!) of fantastic mixed media elements are included in this giveaway. You will be on your way to making beautiful magnets, pendants, earrings, and more. Print your own images or use some of the images from the included collage sheets to make little works of art. Just add a glue-on bail or magnet and you are set. 

Included are:

50 Bottle Caps

50 Epoxy Stickers for Bottle Caps

100 Scrabble Tiles

100 Epoxy Stickers for Scrabble Tiles
3 Bracelets with Bezels to fill
25 Epoxy Stickers for the bracelets

14 Domino Tiles

14 Epoxy Stickers for Domino Tiles

2 Collage Sheets

1 Bottle of Crafter’s Pick Glue

Estimated retail value: over $50.00 


Looking for inspiration on what to make with all these mixed media supplies? Check out our free projects including How to Make a Bottle Cap Necklace Using Epoxy Stickers and How to Make a Custom Round Bezel Bracelet. You can also see our videos on making a Scrabble Tile Necklace and How to Use Epoxy Stickers. 


To enter, post a comment to this blog post NOW! Giveaway ends on Monday Dec. 12th at 4pm PST. Winner will be chosen at random. 

Remember, only one comment per giveaway per person, and do not comment anonymously if you want to win! You can comment on as many giveaways as you like, but you can only win 1 Beadaholique giveaway every 2 months. Visit Beadaholique's official 12 Giveaways of Christmas page for even more details. For a complete list of terms and conditions, please click here. 

Monday's New Arrivals at Beadaholique!

We are constantly getting neat new 'stuff' in at Beadaholique. We used to just pop each item up on the website one by one, as the photos got done, as the descriptions got written, in between doing other things...the result was that our New Arrivals category, while large, was usually a jumble, and its size actually made it difficult for anyone to really get through it.

Lately, we've been sorting our New Arrivals into concise, exciting (well we think so) groupings. On our home page it is now easy to see the groups of arrivals from the last two weeks, and you can click through to see every new category of stuff for up to the last six months.

So feel free to check out the beads, findings or supplies that most interest you: New Pandora-Style Crystal and Birthstone Beads, Pandora Style Metal Beads, New Mixed Media Materials, including Lisa Pavelka Waterslides, New Craft Wire in Half Round and Square shapes, New Steampunk Buttons, new Batik Beauties and Sassy Silkies Fabric Beads by Kristal Wick, or some really cute antiqued Alphabet charms (which remind me of old typewriter keys).

Have fun!

-Sarah