Handmade Artists' Forum Blog » beads

Amazing FHFteam Giveaway

MakinTheBestOfIt — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:47:05 +0000

Hi there, my name is Jolene Wolfe and I am a lampwork bead maker. I have been a member of www.frithappens.co.uk, a UK based lampworking forum since 2007 and in 2009 I started a forum based Etsy Street Team called FHFteam . Each month we have a prize giveaway on our team blog and this month it is my turn to offer up a glassy treat or two. To be in with a chance of winning couldn’t be simpler, just pop by www.fhfteam.blogspot.com and leave a comment on one of our posts anytime before February 7th. Don’t worry if you are not a lampworker, you can nominate a lampworker to receive the twistie part of this prize package if you like.

This chunky aquarium focal bead featuring pretty little Tang tropical fish murrini

And a set of funky rainbow twisties

The winner will be drawn from the names of FHFteam blog followers who comment on the team blog during January, so don’t forget to ‘Follow’ us, and start sharing what’s on your mind! Drawing for the prize will take place on the 8th of February 2012

I’d like to say a special thank you to Andrew and Kimberly for inviting me to have a guest blog spot here to tell you all about our giveaway. Their tireless support of handmade it truly inspirational.

Happy New Year
Jo x
Kitzbitz on Etsy, Kitzbitz on HAFshop, Frit N Chips.

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New Two-holed seed bead – Twin

Preciosa Ornela — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:24:22 +0000

Preciosa Ornela is presenting new seed bead called TWIN. The main difference is that TWIN has two holes which is unique and original on the market. There are more than 80 color finishes for infinite color combinations.

Preciosa Ornela is part of the Preciosa Group, which is one of the worldp’s most significant producer of glass products. Its tradition reaches into 16th century. The boom of glass industry in Northern Bohemia is dated in the second half of the 19th century, when Czech glass became well known and established as first class quality product. Preciosa Ornela has been established in 2009 and produces mainly beads and pearls.

The exclusive Czech two-holed Twin seed bead is oval shaped with dimensions of 2.5 x 5 mm and it is available in two glass materials: crystal and black. The wide range of currently available color finishes on the two-holed Twin beads will inspire you to make infinite color combinations like the ones shown in this article, or at photogalleries on Flickr – just click the images.

With the new Twin bead from Preciosa Ornela it is possible to create unique spatial shapes, original structures, lacy designs or even costume jewellery. If you like to, you can become a fan of Preciosa Ornela on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/PreciosaOrnela where you can get some very interesting news.

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Beading Excellence

Handmade Artists' Forum and Shop — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:24:48 +0000

4 His Glory Creations by CJ

Some people talk about creativity and passion, while others live it! Such is so true about CJ Bauschka who is the sole caregiver of her mother as well as wife and mother of eight children as well as Grammy to four grandchildren! She is passionate about her family and loves to make large meals to feed her hungry boys. Even with all that family, CJ has become a full time artist and instructor who has been featured in some hot shot places.

CJ was an art lover from an early age.She recalls a time in first grade, looking through a book of 17^th and 18^th century artists and becoming so enthralled that all thoughts of class were gone.She pursued her budding creative streak by using the sketch pads that her parents happily supplied and learning to sew Barbie clothes from her grandmother.CJ is convinced that she would have loved school much more if she would have been allowed to just take art classes…and to this day thanks her art teachers for their encouragement.

CJ, like so many of us artists out there, has dabbled in any number of mediums including tole painting, crocheting, sewing, knitting, felting, oil painting, drawing, scrapbooking, card making, dolls and teddy bears, and more!After all of that, she found what really gets her heart racing…beads! CJ once bought a book of Native American beadweaving and began collecting all kids of beads with high hopes of learning to use them. After flipping through magazines and seeing others creations, she decided that if they could do it so could she and she set out to teach herself everything she could about her newfound passion. I’m sure that many can relate to her feeling of pure happiness and excitement when she steps into a bead store.

CJ began her business, 4 His Glory Creations by CJ in 1999. She made angel pins that represented various jobs. She has to laugh when she sees all her carefully chosen components for those pins are now considered vintage! She grew in her business and began selling at craft shows, farmers markets, art fairs, and to friends and family.

Now that CJ is an accomplished beader, she passes her love of the art along to others in the form of teaching others as well as submitting patterns to bead magazines. In June 2009, CJ’s piece Eye of the Twister was published in Bead and Button Magazine. Later, in June 2010, Bead and Button published her design entitled Mirror Mirror. Just to add to the fun, that same year the hard bound book, Volume 5, came out and CJ’s piece, Eye of the Twister made the cover! In July 2010 she was published in Bead Trends for her design titled Lady Adaline and she has another publication coming out in October of this year.

CJ is even more than a wife, daughter, mother, and extremely talented bead artist; she is also generous. CJ believes that her talent is God given and that she needs to pass her blessings along to others. In order to do this, CJ gives a portion of her sales to a local non-profit and founded a ministry in her community to help provide groceries to families in need.

Are you ready to see more from this talented artisan?Well, you can find her on the HandmadeArtistsShop or on her personal website as well as her blog and FaceBook

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Why I Knot Between the Beads

beadbear — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:40:18 +0000

Knotting between the beads is important for a variety of reasons. Bead stringing, properly speaking, is a form of rigging. Where a knot is placed, it strengthens the cord three-fold. Consequently, if cord with a tensile strength of 17lbs. The cord is strengthened to 51lbs.10lb-test becomes 30lbs, etc. Thus, it secures the beads. This is especially true when a variety of different sized beads and materials are used. If the cord breaks, there is only one or two beads to pick up off the floor. Losing precious metal beads, or gemstones, can make it costly to repair.
I use a variety of different stringing material as well. I use anything that will take a knot. Generally, I will use silk, or linen. These are natural fibers, and are quite sturdy and durable. Cotton is too weak. I also use braided kevlar, of varying thicknesses. Kevlar is used in bullet-proof vests, as well as the suits astronauts wear. I often use kevlar with beads that have rough holes.
I never use tiger-tail, or any of the coated wires that many others use. Wire eventually will cut the beads, particularly pearls and opals, which are quite soft. Furthermore, when metal fatigue sets in, which it will, sooner or later that wire will kink. That kink will not only weaken it, but will cause the necklace to not to wear properly. Wire is just too stiff for necklaces and bracelets, in my opinion.
Second and more important, a knotted necklace will lay better against the body. Indeed, knotted necklaces will conform to the body of the wearer. Thus it actually becomes a part of the wearer. And you will wear the jewelry, rather than the other way ’round. So there is no “Afghan hound” effect. That is particularly vital when wearing a large piece.
Yes, it takes longer to assemble a knotted necklace. I knot each bead into place, by hand. I do not employ any of the bead-stringing devices that are available, because it does not allow me to place the knot closely by the holes on each side of the bead. Again, this is of particular importance when using beads of differing sizes, shapes or material (metal, glass, gemstone). I create my jewelry the time-honored traditional way, one bead at a time, and one knot at a time.
Beads reflect a tradition dating back to 3000 BC These beads were worn to promote good luck, and for protection from misfortune (the evil eye or malocchio). Archeological evidence suggests that concepts linking eyes and protective magic to beads evolved in western Asia and Africa, and were carried west and east with developing trade routes. The oldest eye beads made were drilled stones like agate and carnelian.
I see both antique and contemporary beads as a link to the past through work that will last into the millennium. Beads and jewelry reflect where we are today, what we were, and who we will become. One can neither break nor ignore the thread of history, for like a strand of beads, the result would be chaos.
Wear your beads in good fortune!
Thanks,
Beadbear

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Follow your Desires

MakinTheBestOfIt — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:41:15 +0000

There are full time artists in the world…and then there are the rest of us! Desirable Intentions is one such multi-tasker. She and her husband actually lay floors as their “day job,” but her real passion lies in jewelry.

She experimented with many things; cake decorating, refinishing furniture, cross stitch; before stumbling upon the joy of creating beautiful pieces of wearable art.

Ready to see more? Check out DesirableIntentions on the HandmadeArtistsShop and prepare to be amazed.

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Elle’s Beads – Funky, Eco-Friendly Fashion

Elle — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 00:26:18 +0000

Hi everyone! I’m Elle, the creative force behind Elle’s Beads. By day I’m a public interest paralegal and by night I’m a committed player in the Handmade Movement! No, it’s not as exciting as if I donned a cape and roamed the streets fighting crime, but it’s an integral part of my life and something I’ve grown to truly love and cherish.

Elle’s Beads was never intended to be a business venture. I started beading and making jewelry as an outlet for dealing with some of the depression and anxiety I was going through after starting my first “real” job in a new city after college. After a few months of encouragement from family and friends, I decided to open shop on Etsy and I’ve been selling my work ever since.

The designs I make are almost always one of a kind and reflect my personality and eclectic sense of style. I have a line of LGBT pride jewelry as well as dozens of other funky, colorful pieces. This year I’ve added lines of metal bookmarks and beaded cell phone charms, perfect even for those who don’t wear much jewelry. I also make fabric accessories, including brooches, pins, and barrettes.

Environmental responsibility is a big issue for me and so a lot of my work reflects that. I only use scrap fabrics for my accessories and often incorporate broken vintage jewelry, vintage buttons, and other second-hand embellishments into my work. I make beaded and resin magnets and often use recycled bottle caps or even creative items like old keys and eyeglass lenses in my creations.

You can find Elle’s Beads (and me!) all over the web. I have shops on Handmade Artists Forum, Etsy, Zibbet and my own website. I have an active Blogger blog, Tumblr blog, YouTube channel, Twitter, and Facebook page. I’d love it if you stopped by and dropped me a line. One of the best parts of starting this business is the wonderful friendships I’ve made with other artisans and lovers of handmade!

Until next time,

Elle

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When Talents Collide

MakinTheBestOfIt — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:45:16 +0000

Some collaborations are just amazing; and Copper Dancer Designs is just one such example of a collaboration that works! Julia Benson-Slaughter and Andrea Winkler are both talented glass artists who came together thanks to their love of glass as well as the gift of combining glass with metal into amazingly lush designs of both finished pieces and loose glasswork beads in a variety of colors and styles.

Face it, this shop is like a candy store for anyone wanting to add handworked glass into their own designs but doesn’t possess the tools, time, or talent to make it themselves. The rich colors and stunning finish is enough to make any jewelry designer drool.

Not into designing your own jewelry? That is all right. Copper Dancer also finds time to make some finished pieces for your pleasure. Chainmaille pieces as well as those that combine metal with their stunning glass will definitely get you noticed and envied.

Ready to see more? Check out this talented team at Copper Dancer Designs on the HandmadeArtistsShop.

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