Beading Table Wednesday: July 4th, 2012

Julie's Table 

On my table today I have magnets made with Lillypilly aluminum stampings and glass domes, a paperweight made from a large glass dome and collage images, and also a flat braid Kumihimo bracelet. Outside of the photo is also a wire working project. Whew, feels like a busy week!  

Megan's Table 

I've been thinking about using one of the gorgeous Golem Studio cabochons as the focal in a big bead embroidered piece for a long time. This week, I finally got this project underway. On my table, you will find the beginnings of a lovely, intricate cuff bracelet all in teals and turquoises. I sketched out a rough design onto my foundation material, and now it's time to play!

Megan Got Married!

You might have noticed that Megan's beading table was absent from the Beading Table Wednesday blog post last week. Well, she had a very good reason.......she got married! Megan Patton is now Megan Milliken!  

The entire team at Beadaholique wants to wish her a wonderful marriage filled with love, laughter, and joy. Megan was kind enough to share one of her favorite photos from her special day: 

So now when you see a project, video, or blog post by Megan, it will say "Megan Milliken". We are in the process of updating all her old projects and videos to reflect her new name.

Congratulations Megan!

Inspiration Monday Book Review: Sabine Lippert's Beaded Fantasies

Beadweaving is my favorite medium in jewelry making, and as an avid beadweaver, I was thrilled with Sabine Lippert's Beaded Fantasies from Lark Crafts.  This book boasts instructions for 30 gorgeous projects, and I honestly would love to try each and every one of them.

Sabine does a lot of really amazing and different things with beaded bezels, and the way she combines and layers different stitches is as interesting as it is beautiful.  She's got the kind of projects in here that leave me saying, "How did she DO that?" and that is always a fun reaction for a seasoned beader to have.

Les Fleurs by Sabine Lippert

The projects in this book are ornate and intricate.  They are hopelessly romantic and very feminine, and perusing through them will leave you itching to grab your beads and get started!  Perhaps the best part is that as daunting as some of these beauties may look, Sabine gives very clear instructions.  The step by step how-tos and detailed illustrations break it all down into digestable bits, and make these projects quite doable.

You can get a preview and try out one of the patterns in this book for free at the Lark Crafts website.  Once you do, and you get hooked, you can grab your own copy of this amazing book here.


- Megan

Beading Table Wednesday: 6/20/12

Julie and Megan's Table 

Happy Summer Everyone! Megan and I have a shared table this week which is full of resin experiments. On the table you can see a bangle mold that has real flowers embedded into the resin, a fully cured resin piece that I drilled a hole in so that I could place a head pin through it, and multiple experiments embedding objects and trying to see if we can make a complete symmetrical sphere. Some of the experiments are coming out great, some not, but we are having a blast trying!

Beading Contest Update: Summer Picnics

Have you checked out our current beading contest, Summer Picnics?  We want to see your day-in-the-park best and we want all of our other readers to see it too!  

Our 10 selected finalists will have their entries published here on our Beader's Blog and on the Beadaholique Facebook page for public voting, and the winner will receive a $100 Beadaholique gift certificate!  

We have some great entries so far, but there is still time to enter if you have not yet sent us yours!  The deadline for submission is Tuesday, June 26th @ 4PM PT, so get beading! 

Other important dates:

Thursday, June 28th: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email. Public voting starts.

Tuesday, July 3rd @ 4 PM PT: Public voting closes

Thursday, July 5th: Winner is announced in the next issue of The Beading Wire and notified via email.  

Be sure to read through the original post for complete rules and submission guidelines!  

Beading Table Wednesday: 6/13/12

Julie's Table  

My love for kumihimo continues and this week I am working on another beaded kumihimo necklace using Miyuki Long Magatama beads. We have received a number of requests asking for a video on how to braid using the magatamas - this project is the source for that video :)  

Megan's Table 

I've got a fun bead weaving project on my table this week, which is my favorite thing! I'm working with a really pretty, soft combination of pink, crystal, and silver Miyuki Delica beads to make a choker with a combination of stitches. Keep an eye out for a horizontal netting stitch video, too.

Inspiration Monday: Nail Art!

I'll always be the first to admit that I'm a total girlie-girl.  I love pink, I love glitter, shoot, I even have little pink bows tattooed on my body.  So, with that in mind, it's a no-brainer this new trend of DIY nail art that I'm seeing everywhere makes me ridiculously happy.

Shine Like a Star by nailside

Chic Chevrons by nailside

Explosion Manicure Tutorial by nailside

We designers here at Beadaholique tend to keep our manicures pretty low key.  Clear polishes, or a subtle nude really work better when you're taping an instructional video.  I am left, therefore, to live vicariously through others when it comes to these amazing new ideas.  My favorite way to do this is by browsing nailside, a blog that's all about nail art.  Jane from nailside has oodles of incredible photos, reviews, and even free tutorials on her blog.  It's a girlie dream come true, and I highly recommend checking it out.

At first, it might seem like the only outlet for this manicure mania of mine would be absolutely fantastic toe nails.  Not so.  Don't get me wrong, I do have fantastically painted toes most of the time, but this is not the only way that I have been inspired by the goodies that I have found on this site.

Abstract 80s by nailside

Art Deco Chevrons by nailside

The color combinations and shapes that Jane used in these manicures evoke a whole style.  They're just asking to be the jumping off point for other creative ventures.  I would love to design the outfit that goes along with them, and definitely the jewelry that would complete the look.  From shocking 80s color pops to glamourous art deco chevrons, these manicures really paint a picture!  Which one would you like to wear this week?

Malificent Lightning Bolt by nailside

ENDED! Exciting News and a Great Giveaway!

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED. We have hit 2 million views on our YouTube videos!  We are so excited, and to celebrate, we're having a giveaway.  The lovely folks over at Lark Crafts have sent us all four of the books in their 30-Minute Series, and we are going to give them away to one lucky reader.


The series consists of 30-Minute Rings, 30-Minute Earrings, 30-Minute Necklaces, and 30-Minute Bracelets (the newest release in the series) and each book contains 60 quick projects for jewelers.  The projects cover a huge variety of techniques for many different skill levels, including more advanced metal working projects.  While most of us aren't practiced metal workers, the photos in these books are an amazing source of inspiration regardless of your skill level.  And these books might just inspire you to seek the tools and training necessary to give them a try!

Want a chance to makes these books your own?  Leave a comment on this post, telling us where you draw inspiration from in your creative endeavors.

Giveaway ends next Wednesday, June 13th at 4pm PDT. At that time, we will choose one random winner from those who left comments on this blog post. Please do not comment anonymously and do not use your Yahoo Pulse Profile if commenting, we cannot contact you if you do. Please adhere to all Beadaholique rules and conditions for this giveaway.

Good Luck, and if you'd rather not leave it to chance, you can find the 30-Minute Series at Lark Crafts!

Beading Table Wednesday: 06/06/12

Megan's Table

We just got a bunch of great new items from Green Girl Studios here at Beadaholique, and I am super excited to work with all these goodies.  Today on my table, you'll find a wicked little winged skull toggle clasp and an assortment of Czech glass beads, which I'm using to make a necklace.

Beading Table Wednesday: 05/30/12

 Julie's Table

On my table this week is a fun and light-hearted project. It might be hard to tell, but I am going to create a bracelet that looks like a red and white checkered table cloth (perfect for a picnic), and on that table cloth are going to be ants. Yes, I did just say ants! I hope it looks as cute completed as it does in my head right now.........

Megan's Table

I'm playing with my food this week. Well, more accurately, I'm playing with fake food this week, which is maybe even more fun. I've been feeling in a summery mood, so I am making some fun, whimsical jewelry with enameled ice cream and popsicle charms. They're super cute and look great with some Swarovski crystal accents to make the colors pop.

New - Shop Swarovski by Color at Beadaholique

My new favorite: heliotrope

A few weeks ago, I discovered a Swarovski effect that I had somehow missed called heliotrope.  It's a gorgeous blue, pink, purple color and I wanted to see what different components we carried at Beadaholique in this beautiful shade.  It made me realize that being able to shop for Swarovski by color would be really helpful, but little did I know that this option was already in the works for our site.

Esther, our wonderful Senior Merchandising and Inventory Operations Manager, was way ahead of me, hard at work on getting the page ready, and it is now live on Beadaholique.com and ready to make your shopping easier.

Part of the new shop by color page

When you click on the Shop Swarovski by Color page, you will see a lovely, organized listing of all of the colors and effects that we offer.  The neutrals and effects are first, going from clear/white to black and then browns.  Next come the fancy effects that really stand out, including my much loved heliotrope!  Then the colors are arranged in rainbow order in a very pretty red, orange, yellow, blue, indigo, violet progression.  

It's super easy now to find exactly the kind of color you are looking for, and then see all of the different components that we have to offer in that shade.  Next time you're shopping for Swarovski, be sure to check it out!

-Megan

Beading Table Wednesday: 5/23/12

Julie's Table 

My table is full of completed projects that I NEED to type up the instructions to, eeeks. I usually make a project and type the instructions right away, but I was having so much fun beading this week that I did not want to stop and write. I have always loved bead weaving and bead embroidery but tend to forget just how much I love it until I start doing it and then I never want to stop. Utter zen! 

Megan's Table 

On my table this week is a fun project made from chain and ultra suede cord. I love the sturdy, interesting look that I got when I wove the ultra suede cord through the links in the chain! I definitely want to keep experimenting with this idea to see what other goodies I can come up with.

Beading Contest Update: May Flowers

Have you checked out our current beading contest, May Flowers?  We want to see your floral best and we want all of our other readers to see it too!  

Our 10 selected finalists will have their entries published here on our Beader's Blog and on the Beadaholique Facebook page for public voting, and the winner will receive a $100 Beadaholique gift certificate!  

We have a lot of great entries so far, but there is still time to enter if you have not yet sent us yours!  The deadline for submission is Tuesday, May 29th @ 4PM PT, so get beading! 

Other important dates:

Thursday, May 31st: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email. Public voting starts.

Tuesday, June 5th @ 4 PM PT: Public voting closes

Thursday, June 7th: Winner is announced in the next issue of The Beading Wire and notified via email.  

Be sure to read through the original post for complete rules and submission guidelines!  

Beading Table Wednesday: 5/16/12

Julie's Table

When a customer asked about odd-count flat peyote stitch, I knew I needed to tape a video to show how to do this, what I didn't realize was that it would lead to such a fun project! On my table this week are two panels of odd-count flat peyote stitch done in a chevron pattern. I am then going to sew Vintaj filigree panels to each end and hang chains from the base of it. It will be a big, bold, fantastic necklace perfect to pair with a maxi-dress. 

Megan's Table

I've been playing with our new bead loom this week! Mostly, I'm experimenting with different ways to finish the woven pieces that come off the loom. I've tried gluing them into bezels, sewing them onto ribbon, and onto ultra suede. Once I've got a few good methods down, I'll be doing a video on different ways to back and finish loom work, so keep an eye out on our Instructional Videos page!

Quick Tip Tuesday: Make Your Stampings Pop

I had always wanted to experiment with metal stamping, but never got the chance to until I started designing here at Beadaholique.  Since I've had some time to play around with this method of personalization, I've noticed one tiny thing you can do that makes a huge difference in how your finished piece looks, and it's quick and easy to do.  After you stamp your design onto your metal, simply take a permanent marker and fill in the letters or shapes one by one.  After you fill in each one, give it a good wipe with a jewelry polishing pad to clear away the excess ink.  Your stamping will be filled in and the words or shapes will be clear and easy to see.  You can even try using different colors of permanent marker to change the look!

-Megan

Beading Table Wednesday 5/9/12

Julie's Table

This week on my table I have a beaded kumihimo bracelet which I created using the new long Magatama beads we just got in (soon to be on the website!) and Swarovski Crystals. We are already planning for the 4th of July so the color palette I chose was red, white, and blue. Megan made the astute observation that I will have to make another one of these at Christmas time because it will look just like a wreath! 

Megan's Table

We think ahead here at Beadaholique, so red, white and blue are in the air...and on our tables! I'm working with a great Czech seed bead mix and bead weaving cute little stars, which I can't wait to make into some fun, festive jewelry for Independence Day!

Inspiration Monday Book Review: Vintage Jewelry Design

Vintage Jewelry Design, by Caroline Cox

In all of my creative ventures, I find myself endlessly inspired by the past.  I especially have a weakness for vintage jewelry.  I want to wear it, collect it, and make my own creations based on the ways it inspires me.  Imagine my pleasure, then, in perusing Vintage Jewelry Design: Classics to Collect and Wear, by Caroline Cox.  This book gives a fantastic overview of jewelry trends and innovations over the last 100 years, with lots and lots of gorgeous pictures to drool over as you read.

Beginning with La Belle Epoque and continuing through the 1990s, Caroline Cox has collected a wonderful history of modern jewelry in this book.  In chronological order, the book goes through the last century.  In each section, we are given an introduction to the time period, an explanation of what influenced the trends in jewelry, key designers and trendsetters, beautiful examples of pieces from that era, and finally a concise visual summary of key looks from the decade.  This is a volume that you can come back to again and again for inspiration and for knowledge on the different modern design movements.

Cox also includes information on shopping and collecting, with advice on finding the true vintage jewelry treasure and how to spot a fake.  If you are a lover of jewelry, or of all things vintage, I highly recommend this book.  Find this gem of a book here, and improve your knowledge of jewelry history, gain insight into the world of vintage jewelry collecting, and most of all, be inspired!

-Megan

May Beading Contest - May Flowers

Leave behind the days of gloom and celebrate the things in bloom!  Though it doesn't rain much here at Beadaholique headquarters in Southern California, rainy days in April usually make way for wonderful flowers in May.  This month, put pretty petals on display and give your pieces a floral theme.

Check out our free beading projects and tutorials for some inspiration and view our selection of flower components for some ideas.

Will will select 10 finalists from the contest entries, all of whom will have their work published here on our Beader's Blog and on the Beadaholique Facebook page, for public voting.  The winner will receive a $100 Beadaholique gift certificate and further exposure on our blog and Facebook page!

Rules/How to Enter:

Email us a clear, in focus, well-lit photo of a beading project which fits our theme and uses one or more products found at Beadaholique.  Email one photo, at least 500 pixels in width or height but no bigger than 1600 pixels wide and 1600 pixels tall, to challenge@thebeadingwire.com (do not use this for questions: contact us here) with the following included in your email:

Subject line: Name of Piece tags: may 2012 (Example: "Flower Fiesta tags: may2012")

Body: Very important!  Include your full name and email address within the body of your email.  Optionally, you may also include a brief description of your piece.

Important Dates:

• Tuesday, May 29 @ 4PM PT: Submission deadline
• Thursday, May 31: Top 10 finalists will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email.  Public voting starts.
• Tuesday, June 5 @ 4PM PT: Public voting closes
• Thursday, June 7: Winner is announced in the next issue of The Beading Wire and notified via email.

Other Rules:

One entry per person.  If you send more than one entry, you may be disqualified.  If your entry does not meet the "Rules/How to enter" stated above, you may be disqualified.  Winner must respond to our email notification within 2 weeks to claim gift certificate.  No one person may win more than once every 3 months.  By entering, you retain the rights to your original jewelry design but are giving Beadaholique, Inc. permission to use your submitted photo(s) on our websites, newsletter, Facebook, blog and other properties.  The terms and conditions that apply to all Beadaholique contests and giveaways also apply here.

Tips:

• Send in a large, clear, well-lit photo.
• Try to use natural light to illuminate your photos.
• Double check to make sure that your full name and email address are included in the body of your email.  We continue to receive submissions with no contact information.

Beading Contest: Back to Nature Finalists

Thanks so much to all who entered our Back to Nature contest!  We receive so many fantastic entries these days and it's getting harder and harder to choose just 10 finalists each month.  After much deliberation, here are our top 10 finalists (in alphabetical order by last name):

I'd as Lief by Laura R. Castano

Budding in the Sun by Cassandra Leigh Colgan

Ocean Renewal of Life by Hana Harman

Dreaming of the Sea by Penny S. Harman

Sea Breeze by Melinda Kadar

Flight of Love by Jessica Klaaren

Oregon Coast by Janny Perry

Mother Earth by Jelena Saveljeva

Autumn Morning by Paulene Shirykalova

Bronze Tree of Life by Dianne Whelan

To vote for your favorite design, please go to Beadaholique's Facebook page and "like" the design you like best.  You will need to "like" the actual photo in the gallery and not the entire gallery itself for your vote to count.  Public voting ends Tuesday May 1st at 4pm PDT.

Best of luck to all!

Cuckoo for Quick Links

Sometimes I find a new product that I love and I get a little obsessed.  Beadalon Quick Links are one such product.  I found them, and their super handy little connectors, when I started designing here at Beadaholique, and was so excited by the endless creative possibilities they presented.  Since then, I've been using them constantly!

Quick Links come in both silver plated and gold plated varieties, and in a large selection of shapes and sizes.  You can link them together, wire wrap them, weave beads onto them - just let your creativity run free and you'll find endless ways to put them to use!  And just as their name implies, they are really quick to work with.

In this video, How to Use Beadalon Quick Links and Connectors, you'll get a quick overview of these handy little products and how they go together.

To give you an idea of how fast and easy it can be to create with Quick Links, here are a couple of projects that I whipped up using the links and connectors.  It was amazing how quick they were to make.  Check out the Mod Circles Bracelet and Two of Hearts Earrings projects for step by step instructions and see for yourself how simple they are.

Mod Circles Bracelet

Two of Hearts Earrings

Crystal Comet Earrings

Quick Links can also be used as a foundation for other types of jewelry making, such as in these gorgeous Crystal Comet Earrings that Julie made.  In this project, she wire wrapped the Quick Links together and wire wrapped some fabulous Swarovski Crystal beads onto them.  You can find the instructions for them on our free projects page as well.


Quick Links are such a fun and versatile tool.  I'm constantly thinking of new ways to use them!  What would you like to make with them?

-Megan