Strung Out

Part 2: Swarovski Elements Spring/Summer 2013 Launch - Shapes and Sizes

2012-02-09T13:16:00.000-08:00

In Part 1 of our blog post we shared all the exciting new colors and effects Swarovski is bringing to us in their Innovations Spring/Summer 2013 release. Now we have the joy of sharing all the beautiful new items, in new shapes and sizes.

New Hotfix Flatback

First off, two of our favorite Swarovski essentials have undergone article upgrades. In both cases, these article upgrades mean more facets which will equal added brilliance and reflectivity. The first is the Xilion Rose (hotfix) flatback rhinestone. This versatile component adds instant sparkle to your designs and will be available on the Beadaholique website in sizes ranging from ss12 - ss34.

New Bicone Pendant Cut

The second item to undergo an article upgrade is the Xilion Bicone Pendant. Now these lovely dangles will catch the light even more intensely. The Xillion Bicone Pendant is available in both 6mm, 8mm & 10mm sizes, making them perfect for earring and necklace projects alike.

Dufflecoat Crystal button

Are you inspired by all the buttons being used in jewelry right now? I know I sure am! That is why I am so excited to share that Beadaholique is bringing in the Dufflecoat Crystal Button. This classic shape will look great paired with silk ribbons, leather bracelets, and a multitude of other styles and material. Try wire wrapping the crystal button for a unique focal point. Available in 23mm and 32mm sizes.

Rivoli Snowflake Stone

The Rivoli Snowflake Fancy Stone is a centerpiece in itself with its 6 points and ornate tips. Because of the shape, light bounces off the facets in all directions, creating a sparkling display. Available in a pretty 5mm size. This one is going to look great in DeCoRe and Crystal Clay projects.

Rivoli Butterfly Stone

In time for Spring, we have brought in the Rivoli Butterfly Fancy Stone. The soft curvatures of the wings adds a romantic touch to the popular butterfly shape. Imagine setting these 5mm and 10mm delightful stones into DeCoRe and Crystal Clay. So many possibilities!

Wave Bead

A very unique shape which holds a world of possibilities is the Wave Pendant and Wave Bead. Their gentle "s" shape will look great in modern design applications. The Wave Bead with a center diagonal hole would look amazing stacked end on end, creating a flared, staggered look. A round or bicone bead between each wave bead will showcase their fun shape.

Wave Pendant

For the Wave Pendant with its top drilled hole, hang a single one from an earring hook or several together from a long chain. Both the Wave Pendant and Wave Bead are available in 19mm and 28mm sizes.

Column Bead 1-Hole

Column Beads are new this season and reflect the popularity of square and rectangle designs currently being emphasized in fashion. Beadaholique already offers the Column Pendant and the new 1-hole and 2-hole Column Beads will accent this popular element perfectly. The 1-hole variation is center drilled and available in the following sizes: 14.5mm x 5mm, 19mm x 5mm, and 23.5mm x 5mm.

Column Bead 2-Hole

The 2-hole style comes in even more colors and both the 19mm x 5mm and 23.5mm x 5mm sizes. Think modern designs, pairing geometrical shapes, staggered beads, grids, and bold designs!

Ellipse Pendant

Last but not least is the Ellipse Pendant. This futuristic yet organic looking design adds instant drama to your creations. Group several Ellipse pendants of different sizes together for a clustered look or hang a single one from a chain for a simple and sleek design. The elongated shape will work well paired with the new Column Beads and updated Bicone Pendants. Available in 32mm, 40mm, and 48mm sizes.

So much inspiration! We can't wait to get all these articles in stock. As soon as they arrive in late February or early March, we will have them up on the Beadaholique website and ready to ship. Start planning your designs now (I know I am).

- Julie

BTW: Beading Table Wednesday 2/8/12

2012-02-08T09:30:00.000-08:00

Julie's Table

My beading table at Beadaholique actually looks a lot like my beading table at home this week - scattered! I arrived back from Tucson over the weekend and am still sorting through the samples and brochures from the show. Right before Tucson I took a workshop with Jess Italia-Lincoln from Vintaj, it was so much fun and I am still going over all the new products I was able to try out during the class. To add to my messy table, I am getting my beading supplies ready for the big move to the new design space - which is TOMORROW! Whew.. I am tired... but also extremely excited with everything that is happening at Beadaholique!

Megan's Table

Our new space is full of drawers, cabinets, and shelves to keep our tools and supplies tidy. I'm a total organizer, so I'm super excited about this! I've been busy getting our findings whipped into shape and ready for the move, by sorting them into clearly labeled storage trays, and making sure they all had the correct SKUs. I even went through and wrote down the metal content of the findings so we don't have to look them up to see if they're sterling silver or silver plated! It's much easier to use the supplies we have when we can see what's there! I can't wait to get into our new space and put all of our goodies into their new homes!

Part 1: Swarovski Elements Spring/Summer 2013 Launch - Colors and Effects

2012-02-07T12:27:00.002-08:00

This past week Sarah and I had the pleasure of attending a private meeting in Tucson with representatives from Swarovski North America to go over their Spring/Summer 2013 launch. Only twice a year does Swarovski debut new colors, effects, sizes, and styles; and we look forward to this time with great anticipation. In Part 1 of our launch report, we are very excited to share with you what new colors you will soon be able to incorporate into your designs.

Rose Peach Crystal

Rose Peach is the new stone color and we love it! Swarovski describes it beautifully as "a soft peach to pink tone that evokes cherry blossoms in spring and English roses in late summer to create a sense of something bold, yet subtly romantic and always elegant." In person, the color comes across rich and intense. It would look great paired with bronzes and brasses for a vintage look yet could just as easily be matched with silver or gold for more modern designs. The versatility of this color is going to make it an instant staple in your design box.

Crystal Luminous Green

Also new this season is the effect Crystal Luminous Green. Being a huge fan of greens, this color has my mind already popping with ideas. It is a subtle green with shimmering hints of violet. If I had to choose one word to describe it, it would be "fresh." It is light and airy, not overpowering, and delightfully clean in nature. Crystal Luminous Green would look stunning matched with Crystal Golden Shadow, Light Amethyst, and the new Rose Peach.

Crystal Rose Peach Pearl

Looking beautiful paired with the new crystal color Rose Peach is the new Crystal Rose Peach Pearl. It has a warm luster and softness about it that will work well when used with other pearl colors and crystals. The color itself has a nostalgic vintage feel and would meld harmoniously with the natural brass designs put out by Vintaj as well as highly detailed designs by TierraCast. With Spring and Summer weddings just around the corner, the Crystal Rose Peach Pearl is sure to be a favorite of brides and bridesmaids.

Crystal Pearl Gemcolors

Crystal Pearl Gemcolors are a fun way to add a solid pop of color to your designs. These feature a shiny solid opaque surface and look yummy enough to eat! To accent the Crystal Coral Pearl color we already offer, we are bringing in Crystal Jade Pearl and Crystal Turquoise Pearl. I envision strolling along the beach on a Mediterranean island when looking at these fabulous resort inspired colors. Speaking of resort wear, they will blend very well Beadelle's Resort Collection Pave beads.

Burgundy-Blue Zircon Blend

If you love the look of two colors blending together within a single bead to add organic interest, then look no further than the new Burgundy-Blue Zircon blend and Fern Green-Topaz Blend. Burgundy-Blue Zircon is exotic and mysterious, rich and deep. This blend would look great with modern designs, even to the point of creating a sharp contrast by pairing it with bright sterling silver.

Fern Green-Topaz Blend

Conversely, the new Fern Green-Topaz blend would look great with golds and earth tones. Swarovski shares that it "evokes the meditative tranquility of a secluded woodland at dusk. Perfectly in tune with eco-oriented and tribal looks." However you choose to use them, these two new blends offer great design possibilities.

Tomorrow we will describe all the new shapes, styles, and sizes these beautiful colors and effects will be available in. Check our blog tomorrow for Part 2 of the Swarovski Spring/Summer 2013 launch!

-Julie

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show: We Had A Blast!

2012-02-06T15:37:00.000-08:00

Gemstones!

The Beadaholique crew just arrived back from Tucson and we had an absolute blast! We were there almost a week yet still it did not feel like enough time. From morning until night we were busy talking, shopping, hugging friends, and meeting with suppliers. Our feet were tired by the end of each night but it was well worth it.

Julie and Esther digging through bead

Each morning we started our day with a BIG breakfast so that we would be able to go for hours without stopping. Esther and I both agree that we ate more potatoes in the last week than probably in the last year, but they were so very tasty! After breakfast we would hit the shows and pour over the incalculable amount of beads, findings, and gems. At every turn there was something new and interesting, be it a $1.00 strand of fun shaped plastic beads or a $300 strand of gorgeous rubies. A lot of the vendors had worked their new supplies into inspiration projects, which was great to see and gave me lots of ideas for projects I want to do in the coming months. We also saw lots of offbeat items like giant fossils and hand embroidered jackets. Repeatedly we would say "oh, that is weird.....but cool!" At times I think our giggles could be heard across the giant showrooms.

Julie teaching at Swarovski Event

On Wednesday we had a full day spent with the good folks at Swarovski. I taught a demo showcasing a faux chain maille technique and how it could be worked into a crystal laden bracelet. We titled the piece "Urban Gauntlet Bracelet" and will have a video and instructions ready shortly. We also attended a private presentation by Swarovski North America showcasing their new Spring/Summer 2013 launch. All I can say at this point is "wow" - the new colors, shapes, and effects are so pretty. I will have more details to share about this launch in the coming days.

Nunn Designs

Speaking of more details coming soon, we were in Tucson to shop and boy did we shop! We picked up a lot of the new designs debuted by TierraCast, Nunn Design, Ezel, Beadalon, DeCoRe, and more. But we also found some vendors who we had not seen before and picked up their lines as well (so excited!). A couple of my personal favorites are Lillypilly Designs' aluminum and copper sheets; some super cute lampwork beads; and one of our last-minute finds--gorgeous gemstone chains. As soon as our orders arrive here we will get to work photographing the new items and putting them up on the Beadaholique site.

As we wandered through the shows and parties we were able to speak with some of our favorite designers and artists including Krystal Wick, Leslie Rogalski, Bob Burkett, Fernando DaSilva, Wyatt White, Katie Hacker, Becky Nunn, Andrew Thornton, Greg Ogden from Green Girl, and many others. If you are not familiar with their work, definitely check them out. Their creativity is inspiring.

Julie from Tierracast and Sarah sharing ideas

Speaking of dinner parties, I particularly enjoyed our dinners with Swarovski, Tierracast, and Interweave. It was fun to share ideas and talk about our plans for 2012 and beyond. I can honestly say that "bead" people are some of the nicest people out there. Everyone is passionate about what they do and really enjoy doing it.

We have many more photos from Tucson to share than the few featured here. I will try to put an album together soon :)

Happy Beading Everyone - Julie

Beading Contest: Love is in the Air

2012-02-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

It's February, the most romantic of months! The theme for this month's contest is "Love is in the Air" - think hearts, love and romance with hues of passionate reds, blushing pinks or anything that sparks that loving feeling! Check out our free beading projects and tutorials for some inspiration.

We 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 px in width or height but no bigger than 1600 px wide and 1600 px 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: feb2012 (Example: Hearts of Fire tags: feb2012)

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, February 21 @ 4PM PDT: Submission deadline
Thursday, February 23: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email. Public voting starts.
Tuesday, February 28 @ 4PM PDT: Public voting closes
Thursday, March 1: 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" criteria 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, and 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.

The Jewels of January Contest Winner

2012-02-01T14:51:00.000-08:00

The votes have been tallied and The Jewels of January contest has a winner! Ana Luisa Gomes was a definite favorite with her piece entitled Iced Forest!

This brooch features wire wrapping and a variety of charms, all evoking the feeling of a winter forest. Ana Luisa's interpretation of The Jewels of January has won her a $100 Beadaholique gift certificate! Make sure to stay tuned for the upcoming artist profile on our big winner!

BTW: Beading Table Wednesday 02/01/12

2012-02-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

Happy February! Valentine's Day is coming up, and it's got me using a lot of soft, romantic colors, like these Tila beads in Matte Transparent Crystal AB and Delica Seed Beads in Transparent Pink Mist.

I'm having a lot of fun playing with the Tila beads and trying to figure out different ways to weave them together! What I'm working on right now is sort of a combination of ladder stitch and right angle weave, and I love how it almost makes the Tila beads look like they're floating!

-Megan

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show: Getting Started!

2012-01-31T17:31:00.000-08:00

Sarah, Julie, and Theresa at the airport

One of the most exciting events in our calendar year has finally arrived, the BIG Tucson Gem and Mineral Show! We are having so much fun shopping the many shows, seeing old friends, making new ones, and being inspired by the huge amount of talent gathered in one city at one time.

Gorgeous Czech Glass

This year the team from Beadaholique consists of Sarah, Chris, Julie, Esther, and Theresa. We all have our unique interests and are being pulled in a bunch of different directions - which is great because we end up seeing a lot of cool things that just one of us might have missed. Some of our favorite finds so far are unique bezel rings from Amate, bead cores from Nunn Design, new Ezel earring hooks, and more.

Nunn Design

We are also enjoying visiting with some of our favorite people like Julie from TierraCast, Greg from Green Girl Studios, Kristal Wick, and Becky Nunn just to name a few. In the coming days we hope to see a lot more friends.

Love the display!

Our feet hurt but we are already day dreaming about tomorrow's activities which include teaching a demo at the Swarovski Event, a luau with friends, and more shopping of course!

We will keep you posted with all the latest from Tucson and will definitely be bringing back lots of new goodies to play with!

Julie

Beading Contest: The Jewels of January! 10 Finalists

2012-01-26T15:51:00.000-08:00

A BIG thank you to everyone who entered Beadaholique's The Jewels of January beading contest! We had a great response with lots and lots of wonderful entries. Here are our top 10 finalists (in alphabetical order by last name):

"Parure Tanzanite" by Patrizia Campadello

"The First Snow of the Season" by Dawn Doucette

"Snow Birds" by Julie Gastelum

"Ice Forest" by Ana Luísa Remelgado Gomes

"Cascading Falls" by Jessica Klaaren

"Winter Diva" by Cheryl Marsenich

"Snowy Moonlight Magic" by Karen Raisley

"Frost Princess" by Kim Stewart

"Pearls and Pretties" by Noelle Zambetti

"Snow Queen Snowflake" by Laura Zupko

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 January 31st at 4pm PST.

Best of luck to all!

BTW: Beading Table Wednesday 1/25/12

2012-01-25T12:11:00.000-08:00

Julie's Table

On my table this week is the Lazee Daizee Viking Knit Wire Weaving Tool Kit. I have been wanting to try out this tool kit for awhile now and finally got the chance. So far, I love how easy the tools are to use and am happy with my results. The silver colored 26 gauge craft wire that I am using is really easy to work with too - wooohooo!

Megan's Table

My Inspiration Monday post from this week on Erté still has visions of lovely ladies with dramatic style dancing around in my head. I've starting working on beaded tassels to make into elegant art deco style jewelry. I think these gunmetal Miyuki Delica seed beads will provide the perfect dark, sparkling touch! I can't wait to finish the tassels so that I can decide what to pair them with and what creations I can turn them into!

Inspiration Monday - Erté

2012-01-23T12:07:00.000-08:00

When I studied costume design in college, my professor introduced me to the work of Erté. I can't thank her enough! Over the years I have been endlessly inspired by his amazing art and designs.

Romain de Tirtoff lived from 1892 - 1990 and worked under the pseudonym Erté during his illustrious career in art, fashion, and costume design. He is very well known for designing over 200 covers for Harper's Bazaar and for his costume work in films such as Ben Hur and The Mystic.

Erté's art most commonly depicts women in lavish, outlandish, and extraordinarily creative ensembles. Many of the garments in his art are not actually possible to produce, and others are like a puzzle to figure out. But we don't have to be able to pattern and sew an Erté gown to be inspired by his style!

Looking through these images makes me want to play with strands of beads, tassels, knot work, vintage style metal stampings, rhinestones, and chains. That's quite a list, but trust me, it doesn't stop there! Art deco is one of my favorite styles, and Erté did it best! How do these images inspire you?

-Megan

Beading Contest Update: The Jewels of January

2012-01-20T09:52:00.000-08:00

Have you checked out our current beading contest, The Jewels of January? We want to see your most dazzling interpretation of "The Jewels of January" 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 received some great entries so far, but there is still time to enter if you have not yet sent us your sparkling best! The deadline for submission is Tuesday, January 24th @ 4PM PDT, so get beading!

Other important dates:
Thursday, January 26: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email. Public voting starts.
Tuesday, January 31 @ 4 PM PDT: Public voting closes
Thursday, February 2: 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!

BTW: Beading Table Wednesday 01/18/12

2012-01-18T12:12:00.000-08:00

I've been all about shoe clips the last couple of days! Shoe clips are decorations that clip onto the front of any plain pair of pumps or flats to give them a bit more flair.

I keep seeing beautiful vintage shoe clips, and even new shoes that come with clips to match. I figured we could use some large clip on earring findings to make shoe clips out of just about anything!

On my beading table this morning are some great metal stampings, filigrees, various cabochons and crystals, and a special bit of bead embroidery that I'm working on to make a pair of gorgeous bridal shoe clips. I can't wait to see what else I can dig up to add that perfect vintage touch to my plain old shoes!

-Megan

Choosing A Color Scheme: Tips & Ideas

2012-01-16T15:00:00.000-08:00

One of the most challenging aspects of creating a beautiful piece of jewelry is choosing a color scheme that "works." Whether you are going for a bold look, subtle, romantic, autumn inspired, or modern, it can be difficult to choose colors that convey the feeling you are trying to express and that work well together. We have all seen beautifully handmade jewelry pieces that would have been spectacular if the colors had not been a little "off."

Golem Studios Ceramic Pendant

So how do you go about deciding on a color palette? The easiest way is to take whatever your focal bead is, and coordinate around it. For instance, if you are making a necklace around a gorgeous Golem Studios pendant, then look at what colors are present in the pendant itself and use those colors in your design. You can use red Toho seed beads, blue Czech glass beads, etc. Even if your focal is a solid color, use that solid color as your starting point and build around it.

Swarovski Color Carousel

If you are a fan of Swarovski Crystal, there is a great tool at your disposal: the Swarovski Color Carousel. Choose your main color, and this color wheel will automatically generate harmonious colors, contrasting colors, even the appropriate pearl color. As an example, I chose Siam as my main color and was then told that Ruby, Burgundy, and Garnet are harmonious colors. Erinite and Emerald are contrasting colors to Siam, and the appropriate pearl is Crystal Burgundy. Even if you are not using Swarovski Elements, you can use this tool to generate beautiful color stories.

Sample Color Palette

Other websites to check out include Kuler.adobe.com and Colourlovers.com. Both of these sites are free and offer thousands of color palettes for you to look through. The palettes have been sorted by theme, popularity, etc. so you can quickly narrow down your selections. There are so many choices in just these two sites alone, you will surely be inspired by a color scheme.

A third website to check out is Design Seeds. This site takes a photograph, picks out all the colors from it, and gives you a handy color swatch palette to work off of. Seeing the colors in the photograph is really inspiring and gives you a better idea of how they will work together. Once you have chosen your colors, you can then purchase beads to match. When picking out the beads, I like to have a separate browser window open with the color palette displayed so that I can easily see if the beads I am considering match my color scheme.

Another great way of arriving at a color scheme is to take a piece of fabric, scarf, shirt, or dress where you really like the colors and use those colors for your jewelry design. An added bonus is that if it is a piece of clothing you are working off of, and you know you look good in it, then you know your jewelry colors will look good on you too.

Finally, a tip I learned from a fellow crafter was to go to the paint store and pick up some paint chips. You can then use these to develop your color schemes. You might also find the free booklets offered at paint stores helpful too. These usually have "designer" schemes pre-arranged and you can pick out the one that appeals to you.

Hopefully these ideas and tips were helpful! We would love to hear how you arrive at a color scheme!

- Julie

BTW: Beading Table Wednesday 1/11/12

2012-01-11T13:16:00.000-08:00

The year is off to a great start here at Beadaholique and we are very happy to introduce our new designer - Megan Patton! Here is our first Beading Table Wednesday of 2012!

Julie's Table
My obsession with bead embroidery continues on my table this week. At the end of last year I completed a bunch of videos on Bead Embroidery - however, the one subject yet to be tackled was how do you attach all the bead embroidered elements together. I am preparing to tape a video on the "direct attachment method" as well as one on creating a ladder stitch bail. After bead embroidery, I really want to get back to resin jewelry since we just got in a bunch of yummy new collage sheets.

Megan's Table
It's my first Bead Table Wednesday, and I am experimenting with knotted bead bracelets! These bracelets are made of different types of cord that is tied in macrame knots and they feature all kinds of beads tied into the knots. I've been playing around with waxed cotton cord and beautiful Beadelle pave beads, trying to recall how to make the knots, which I haven't done in ages. I love how the simple knotting process turns into such an intricate looking piece, and it works up so quickly! I think I'll try out a few color combinations, and maybe some black cord, and then perfect my sliding knot to finish the bracelet and make it adjustable!

Quick Tip Tuesday: Flattening Wildfire Thread for Easier Threading

2012-01-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

Recently I was faced with a challenge: I wanted to use size .008" Wildfire beading thread because of its strength for a project, but I also wanted to use a size 12 beading needle for the same project. The problem: the thread did not go through the eye of needle. This was a big deal since a larger needle would not be able to make the multiple passes through a single bead required for my bead weaving project.

The solution: hold the wildfire thread between the fingernail of your thumb and the pad of your index finger about 2 inches from the tail and pull the thread while applying pressure with your fingers. This technique will actually flatten the tail of the thread. Now the Wildfire thread is much thinner and can easily be threaded through the eye of a size 12 needle. Once it is through, you can pull the thicker (non-flattened) sections of thread through the needle.

- Julie

Beading Contest: The Jewels of January!

2012-01-05T14:32:00.000-08:00

Let’s brighten up those winter blues with some sparkle and shine! Show us your brilliant interpretation of “The Jewels of January” and you could win big! We’re looking for sparkling pieces fit for a Winter Fairy or a lovely Snow Queen. Whether it’s brilliant blues, glittering clear crystals, fiery garnets or any other hues, make sure to show us some sparkle and shine! Check out our free beading projects and tutorials for some inspiration.

We 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 from Beadaholique. Email one photo, at least 500 px in width or height but no bigger than 1600 px wide and 1600 px 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: jan2012 (Example: Dark Princess tags: jan2012)

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, January 24 @ 4PM PDT: Last day to submit
Thursday, January 26: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email. Public voting starts.
Tuesday, January 31 @ 4 PM PDT: Public voting closes
Thursday, February 2: 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, and well-lit photo.

Try to use natural light to illuminate your photo

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.

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Shows

2012-01-04T12:53:00.000-08:00

There's a group of Beadaholique employees that are starting to get pretty excited - we just booked our flights to Tucson at the end of January.

A lot of you have probably heard about the "Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. " If you've never been, you could be forgiven for thinking it's just one really big gem and beading show. But that is rather short of the truth. The annual Tucson shows (plural), which all happen more or less during the same 2-week period, now number at about 45. Yes, that's right, forty-five gem, mineral, bead and jewelry shows happening almost simultaneously all over one medium-sized city. And those are just the officially recognized shows! More than 50,000 people will come from all over the world to buy and sell jewelry, beads, gems, minerals, fossils and more. This is THE jewelry event of the year, and it is as fun as it sounds.

The shows really do sprawl all over the city. Some of them are small and low-tech, consisting of people selling outside from picnic tables or bags on the ground in parking lots. Many of the shows are large, professionally produced affairs, occupying community halls, hotel ballrooms and football-field-sized air-conditioned tents.

We at Beadaholique will be going to see old friends, and make new ones. We are also going to be presenting a jewelry how-to demo at the Swarovski Elements Event (more on that in a later blog), and, of course, we will be turning over giant tables of gemstone beads, pearls and hand crafted elements to find beautiful things to bring to our customers. We will be wearing our comfiest shoes and collapsing with groans onto our hotel beds every night. Sure, all that bead shopping is exhausting, but somebody has to do it!

I would encourage every bead lover to try to go to the Tucson Gem Shows at least once. If you can, book yourself in a hotel for at least 5 days--you may even want to stay the full two weeks. Lucky you, if you do! There is a lot of ground to cover in Tucson, and you never know what you will find, from fossils and geodes, to handcrafted ceramic beads, to imported jewelry, to ten thousand dollar cut diamonds ready for the right jeweller's touch. One thing you can be sure of, though, is that you will never, ever be able to see it all.

Lark Crafts Interview with Rachel Nelson-Smith

2012-01-03T15:14:00.000-08:00

At Beadaholique we love learning about artists, how they found their way to jewelry making, and what continues to inspire them. Lark Crafts just posted an in-depth interview with designer Rachel Nelson-Smith.

Here is the start of the interview:

"Rachel Nelson-Smith is one of the most popular and talented beadwork designers and teachers in the world. Rachel is the author of the new book Rachel Nelson-Smith’s Bead Riffs, as well as an earlier release Seed Bead Fusion, and also a contributor to numerous magazines and books, including the gallery book Masters: Beadweaving. Visit her online at www.rachelnelsonsmith.com."

This is a quote from later in the interview "Every moment of life is an improvisation. Every stitch is an opportunity to travel in a new direction." (love this!)

Click HERE to read more!

Interview was conducted by Ray Hemachandra

Artist Profile Of November Nights Winner Susana Kunzli

2011-12-30T13:05:00.000-08:00

Susana Kunzli and her beautiful wire knitted and beaded necklace set has won Beadaholique's November Nights beading contest. Congratulation Susana! Here is the winning entry "Black Cameo":

We wanted to find out more about Susana so we asked her to share with us a little about herself:

I am a retired hair stylist now so I have lots of time to pursue my hobbies which are oil painting, knitting, and now, jewelry making. I became interested in jewelry making about 3 years ago after I was making a beaded purse and wanted to add some beads to it and didn't know how. That was when I discovered this great beading site on the internet and I started to make necklaces from their tutorials. The necklace that I entered in your contest is my own creation made from materials that I bought at Beadaholique, that's why I was so excited when I was picked as one of the finalists.

Thank you to everyone who entered and voted in our November Nights beading contest. Instead of having a beading contest for December, we are hosting The 12 Giveaways of Christmas. This is a great opportunity to win one of twelve great giveaways worth at least $50 each. We will have more beading contests in the new year!

BTW: Beading Table Wednesday 12/28/11

2011-12-28T15:48:00.000-08:00

This is my last Beading Table Wednesday of 2011! Wow, what a year it has been and what a lot of projects have been made. Today I am tackling a challenge - do something unique and creative with Tila Beads. I have just started this project and have actually taken some Tila beads that I had on my table and am working on ways of connecting them in a net-like fashion. Now that I have an idea of my pattern, I am going to go and get some of the new colors of Tila Beads just available and work up the actual bracelet. I am thinking mustard yellow with turquoise accents. Wish me luck!

- Julie

Thank You and Happy Holidays

2011-12-23T08:26:00.000-08:00

Around this time of year, we get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday that we don't stop to think about all of the people who got us here. So we at Beadaholique want to pause for a moment, and say thank you to all our blog followers, Facebook fans, customers, and friends. Thank you for sharing your projects and stories throughout the year and thank you for inspiring us to keep doing what we love doing.

This holiday season was the first time we hosted The 12 Giveaways of Christmas, and it was so much fun for us. We loved reading the comments and seeing your genuine enthusiasm for jewelry making. It feels good to be part of such an amazing group of individuals who share a common passion. Thank you for writing those comments and sharing your excitement with others. If you happen to be one of the lucky winners, we hope you will send us photos of what you make and then we can share those with others to help feed their creativity too.

As 2011 quickly comes to a close, we are so thankful for all of you for making this a wonderful year of friendship, laughter, and inspiration. We can't wait to see what 2012 brings!

Happy Holidays from our family to yours,

The Beadaholique Team

Congratulations To All Our Winners!

2011-12-22T13:36:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who commented and entered into our 12 Giveaways of Christmas!

Here are our lucky winners:

Giveaway #1 Beginners Tool Kit: Deb H. of Oregon
Giveaway #2 Tierracast Toggles, Pendants, and More : Karin V. H. of Germany
Giveaway #3 An Abundance of Czech Glass Beads: Julie B. of New Mexico
Giveaway #4 Complete Kumihimo Starter Kit: Jackie S. of Washington State
Giveaway #5 Mixed Media Extravaganza: Kimberly S. of Illinois
Giveaway #6 Nunn Design Giveaway: Kathy D. of Arizona
Giveaway #7 Sensational Bead Embroidery Book and Supplies: Maria M. of Greece
Giveaway #8 Gorgeous Gemstones: Deb L. of Oklahoma
Giveaway #9 Inspiring Ice Resin: Beth C. of Texas
Giveaway #10 Beautiful Vintaj Brass: Susan C. of North Carolina
Giveaway #11 Deluxe Jewelry Making Tool Kit: Diane G. of California
Giveaway #12 The Ultimate Swarovski Giveaway: Grace L. of Maine

Congratulations to everyone! We will be bringing more contests and giveaways to you in the New Year.

Have a wonderful holiday season.

- Julie, Sarah and everybody at Beadaholique

Giveaway #12: ENDED! The Ultimate Swarovski Giveaway!

2011-12-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

This is the big one! You knew we had to do something grand to wrap up our 12 Giveaways of Christmas, and what is more spectacular then beautiful Swarovski Crystals? These precision cut crystal elements are of the highest quality and their brilliance and clarity is unmatched. Use these crystal beads, pendants, rivolis and crystal pearls to make timelessly elegant pieces of jewelry and treasured keepsakes.

There are over 40 different kinds of Swarovski crystal pieces here - ranging from the amazing crystal helix pendant (complete with sterling silver bail) to cosmic rings, rivolis, pearls, bicones, rounds, cubes, margaritas, navette, pear, baroque and snowflake pendants, wild hearts and more! You get everything you see in the photo, plus some extras, if you win this giveaway (except we're keeping the dishes)!

Estimated retail prize value: Over $250 worth of Swarovski Crystals Elements!

To enter, post a comment to this blog post NOW! Giveaway ends on Wednesday Dec. 21st at 4pm PDT. Winner will be chosen at random.

Remember, only one comment per person per giveaway, and please 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.

Giveaway #11: ENDED! Deluxe Jewelry Making Tool Kit by Beadsmith

2011-12-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

If you win this giveaway, say goodbye to your worn out or cheapy beginner tools! You will be using an all new Deluxe kit containing high quality precision jewelry-making pliers, cutters, and more. Having the right tools is a must for creating beautiful pieces of jewelry. Thanks to Ronnie at Beadsmith for providing this beautiful set!

Included in a lovely zippered carrying case are:

1 Pair of Chain Nose Pliers - Tips are1mm wide

1Pair of Round Nose Pliers - Tips are 1mm wide

1Pair of Side Cutters (not suitable for memory wire)

1Nylon Jaw Flat Nose Plier - Tips are 7mm wide

1Crimping Plier (regular size, ideal for 1x2 and 2x2 crimp beads)

1Knot Cutter - thread and string cutter

1Knotting Tweezer  
1 Split Ring Tweezer

1 ScoopEEZ, a handy tool for scooping up beads and pouring them intosmall bags and containers

To enter, post a comment to this blog post NOW! Giveaway ends on Monday Dec. 19th at 4pm PDT. Winner will be chosen at random.

Remember, only one comment per person per giveaway and please 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.

Giveaway #10: ENDED! Beautiful Vintaj Brass

2011-12-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED! THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED AFTER VERIFICATION.

Who doesn't love the beautiful natural brass from Vintaj? For this giveaway, Jess at Vintaj Natural Brass Co. has provided a sensational assortment of filigrees, charms, stampings, clasps, and more. Each element could easily be a focal point for a jewelry design. What would you make if you won this wonderful assortment?

Estimated retail prize value: over $80.00

To enter, post a comment to this blog post NOW! Giveaway ends on Monday Dec. 19th at 4pm PDT. Winner will be chosen at random.

Remember, one comment per person per giveaway, and please do not comment anonymously if you would like 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.

Giveaway #9: ENDED! Inspiring Ice Resin

2011-12-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a new direction in which to take your art, or if you have been wanting to try resin but are unsure where to start, this is the giveaway for you! You will find a wealth of inspiration and instruction in the book Explore, Create, Resinate by Jen Cushman. To help start you on your resin making path, we have also included an Ice Resin kit and some beautiful bezel settings to play with.

Included in this giveaway:

Explore, Create, Resinate book by Jen Cushman

Ice Resin 8oz kit complete with resin, mixing cups, and stir sticks

1 round brass bezel ring setting

1 round silver toned bezel ring setting

1 Ice Resin bronze bezel setting

Estimated retail prize value: over $65.00

To enter, post a comment to this blog post NOW! Giveaway ends on Friday Dec. 16th at 4pm PDT. Winner will be chosen at random.

Remember, only one comment per person per giveaway and please 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.

Giveaway #8: ENDED! Gorgeous Gemstones

2011-12-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

If you love working with the richness and depth gemstonesprovide, you are going to be thrilled with this giveaway. We have amassed agrand assortment of gemstones ranging from amethyst and serpentine, to peridot and pyrite, to carnelian and pearls for your creativeenjoyment. There are also gemstone briolettes and pendants to use as focalpoints. Some of these stones are from the collection of our founder, Sarah.

All the gemstones (and the stick pearls too) featured above are included in this giveaway. Tree display is not included.

Estimated retail prize value: over $150.00

To enter, post a comment to this blog post NOW! Giveaway ends on Thursday Dec. 15th at 4pm PDT. Winner will be chosen at random.

Remember, only one comment per person per giveaway and pleasedo not comment anonymously if you want to win. You can comment on as many giveaways as you like, but 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.

Giveaway #7: ENDED! Sensational Bead Embroidery Book and Supplies!

2011-12-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

Our designer Julie’s new obsession and favorite book is thefeature of this giveaway. A special thanks to Ray at Lark Books for supplying a SIGNED copy of Sherry Serafini’s Sensational Bead Embroidery for some lucky winner. We are also giving away some of the essential supplies you will need to get started on the techniques in this book.

Bead embroidery is an old art form and one withendless design possibilities. The opulence and beauty of the jewelry pieces you cancreate is awe-inspiring. Once you get started on bead embroidery, you will find ithard to put down your needle and thread!

Included in this giveaway:

SIGNED copy of Sherry Serafini’s Sensational Bead Embroidery

3 colors of Nymo thread

Assorted beading needles pack

4 colors of Toho seed beads

1 8.5” x 8.5” sheet of Ultra-Suede

1 8.5” x 11” sheet of Lacy’s Stiff Stuff beading foundation

1 4.25” x 5.5” sheet of Lacy’s Stiff Stuff beadingfoundation

Estimated retail prize value: over $50.00

To enter, post a comment to this blog post NOW! Giveaway ends on Wednesday Dec. 14th at 4pm PDT. Winner will be chosen at random.

Giveaway #6: ENDED! Nunn Design Giveaway

2011-12-09T08:12:00.000-08:00

Thanks again to Becky Nunn at Nunn Design for supplying this inspiring giveaway! She has handpicked a beautiful assortment of bezels, tags, charms, and more from her new Elements of Inspiration line for your enjoyment. These goodies would be perfect to work into gorgeous last minute gifts for friends and loved ones. Estimated retail value: Over $75!

Wow--Look At All This Stuff!!!

Below are a few project ideas to get your creative juices flowing! Please note, the giveaway is for the items above and not the finished jewelry pieces below.

To learn more about the beautiful new Nunn Design Elements of Inspiration line of jewelry findings, click here.

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 person per giveaway and please do not comment anonymously if you would like 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.

Giveaway #5: ENDED! Mixed-Media Extravaganza

2011-12-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

You can check almost everyone off your Christmas list withthe 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 mediaelements 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 imagesfrom 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.

Giveaway #4: ENDED! Complete Kumihimo Starter Kit!

2011-12-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. CONGRATULATIONS TO JACKIE S. OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON!

If you have yet to try Kumihimo, you are going to be thrilled withthis giveaway from our friends at Beadsmith, which has everything you need to get started.

Have you heard about Kumihimo? It is a Japanese braidingtechnique that allows you to create intricately designed patterns using ribbonand cord. If you already love Kumihimo, thiscollection will definitely be a welcome addition to your stash. A special thanks to Ronnie at Beadsmith for providing all that you see below!

Included in this giveaway:

Kumihimo Instruction Booklet
Kumihimo Braiding Disk
No-Tangle Thread Bobbins
S-Lon Bead Cord Color Mix
Zap Jewelry Gel
3 Kumihimo Metal Findings Sets
2 Kumihimo Braid Color Mixes
Estimated retail price value: over $60.00!

To enter, post a comment to this blog post NOW! Giveaway ends on Friday Dec. 9th at 4pm PST. Winner will be chosen at random.

Remember, only comment per person per giveaway 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.

Giveaway #3: ENDED! An Abundance of Czech Glass Beads

2011-12-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED! CONGRATULATIONS TO JULIE B. OF NEW MEXICO!

An abundance of gorgeously colored Czech glass beads makesup this drool-worthy giveaway. The possibilities are endless with this huge varietyof beads that includes fire-polished, table cut, leaf shaped, cathedral, animal shaped, andmore. We picked out some of our favorites just for this giveaway!

There are over 40 different lots of beads included in the prize pictured above and they can all be yours if you win this giveaway!

Estimated retail prize value: approximately $100

To enter, post a comment to this blog post NOW! Giveaway ends on Thursday Dec. 8th at 4pm PST. Winner will be chosen at random.

Remember, only one comment per person per giveaway 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.

Giveaway #2: ENDED! Tierracast Toggles, Pendants, Christmas Charms, and More!

2011-12-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED. Congratulations to Karin V.H. of Muenster, Germany for winning this treasure trove.

Tierracast and Beadaholique have teamed up to put this lavish giveaway together - thanks Tierracast!

Be inspired with beautiful cast pewter charms, bezels andfindings by TierraCast. Every piece is designed, manufactured and quality plated in the U.S. with genuine rhodium, silver, gold, copper or brass finishes. Create charm bracelets, earrings, wine charms, and morewith these lovely jewelry elements. You will be able to not just make one project, but many - just think of the possibilities!

This giveaway includes:

13 toggle clasps

7 pendants, including 3 bezel frames

22 charms

Lots of jump rings

Lots of bead caps

Estimated retail prize value: over $80.00

To enter, post a comment to this blog post NOW! Giveaway ends on Wednesday Dec. 7th at 4pm PST. Winner will be chosen at random.

Giveaway #1: ENDED! Beginners Tool Kit And Bonus Supplies!

2011-12-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

This giveaway has now ended. Congratulations to Deb H. from Oregon, the first of our twelve giveaway winners!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This prize is everything you need to start on your adventure in jewelry making -- just add beads! This great giveaway consists of a beginners tool kit in a lovely zippered carrying case complete with a pair of chainnose pliers, round nose pliers, flat nose pliers, and side cutters. We havealso included a pair of crimping pliers, 4 different colored crimp tubes, aspool of Acculon beading wire and a spool of Stretch Magic jewelry cord.

If you are already an experienced beader and have all thetools you need, think what a wonderful gift this would make for someone specialin your life. Share the love of beads with the season of giving!

Estimated prize retail value: over $55.00

To enter, post a comment to this blog post NOW! Giveaway ends on Monday Dec. 5th at 4pm PST. Winner will be chosen at random.

Remember, only comment once per giveaway and do not comment anonymously. 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.

The 12 Giveaways of Christmas: How To Win!

2011-11-30T15:58:00.000-08:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.......

In the spirit of giving and with the love of beads in our hearts, we are very excited to present the 12 Giveaways of Christmas. We have hand-picked items which we hope will feed your creativity and maybe even take your art in a new direction. This is one of the most exciting events we have ever hosted--we hope you have fun with it too!

Each giveaway is valued at a minimum of $50 and many are worth much more than that. We will be revealing the details of each prize on the day the giveaway starts in the form of a post on this blog. To enter, simply leave a comment on the giveaway's blog post. The duration of the giveaway and your time to enter will be clearly listed in the post. When the giveaway ends, we will not allow further comments, we will mark the post as "This Giveaway is Now CLOSED", and we will draw a winner at random.

There will sometimes be several giveaways active at the same time. To help you keep track of all the happenings, a schedule is below (complete with hints as to what the giveaway is). We have also created a special page on the Beadaholique website just for the 12 Giveaways of Christmas. Please note, each giveaway will start at 12:01am PST and end at 4pm PST on the dates listed.

Giveaway #1: Dec. 2nd - Everyone's got to start somewhere.....let us help! Ends Dec. 5th
Giveaway #2: Dec. 5th - Time to cast your thoughts towards the holidays. Ends Dec. 7th
Giveaway #3: Dec. 6th - Czech your list twice.......... Ends Dec. 8th
Giveaway #4: Dec. 7th - Ho ho ho, you're going to be fit to be tied..... Ends Dec. 9th
Giveaway #5: Dec. 8th - Holidays are the time to stick together....... Ends Dec. 12th
Giveaway #6: Dec. 9th - Nunn does it better....... Ends Dec. 12th
Giveaway #7: Dec. 12th - What a Lark! Keep a stiff upper lip and lace up tight! Ends Dec. 14th
Giveaway #8: Dec. 13th - Precious treasures, for colorful holidays. Ends Dec. 15th
Giveaway #9: Dec. 14th - Ice and snow are elements that frame the season....... Ends Dec. 16th
Giveaway #10: Dec. 15th - Our favorite Christmas vintage! Ends Dec. 19th
Giveaway #11: Dec. 16th - We've come far and we're worth it. Ends Dec. 19th
Giveaway #12: Dec. 19th - All the Elements come together for a dazzling finish! Ends Dec. 21st

* To enter agiveaway, leave a comment on the giveaway's blog post. You can comment onas many giveaways as you like, but you can only win once. Please onlycomment once per individual giveaway. Multiple comments by the same person onthe same giveaway will result in that person being disqualified for thatgiveaway.

* The duration during which comments (entries) for each contest will be accepted will vary and will be stated for each contestindividually. For instance, there might be a longer comment period for agiveaway started on a Friday vs. a Tuesday.

* Winnerfor each giveaway will be drawn at random from our black bag of hand-numbered Scrabble tiles.

* Pleasedo not comment anonymously; we must have a way to notify the winner. Ifyou comment using your Facebook profile, make sure that your privacy settingswill allow us to contact you.

* We willsend a notification email and/or Facebook message (when applicable) to the winner. Winner must respond within 2 businessdays or a new winner will be randomly selected.

* We are sorry, but we are unable to ship prizes toaddresses in Africa, South America, or the Middle East.

* Byentering this contest, you give Beadaholique, Inc. permission to use your name for promotional purposes.

* The terms & conditions that apply to all Beadaholique contests andgiveaways also apply here.

Beading Gossip: Artists Wanted For Nunn Design's Innovation Team

2011-11-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

Are you super creative? Do you want to be part of a team of artists creating designs with some of the hottest jewelry making supplies out there? Nunn Design is putting together an Innovation Team of talented individuals to help create original jewelry designs using their products.

This is a great opportunity for jewelry designers to gain valuable exposure and be part of an inspiring group of individuals. Last day to apply is November 28th, 2011. To learn more about the Innovation Team and what it involves, please click HERE.

To apply to the Innovation Team, please click HERE.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact Nunn Design.

Inspiration Monday Book Review: Sherry Serafini's Sensational Bead Embroidery

2011-11-21T08:28:00.000-08:00

Haveyou ever had an AH-HA! moment? I had one this past weekend when reading Sherry Serafini's Sensational Bead Embroidery. I am almost speechless over this bookbut I must write something since this is a book review. Wow! Amazing! Fantastic! Woohooo! You probably still want to hear a little more detail thenjust those excited words of exclamation: I will try my best.

Ipicked up this book for the first time on Friday night; having never, not once,bead embroidered before. The first thing that struck me about this book was theawesome photography. Sherry's sense of design and color combinations are simplyscrumptious, a feast for the eyes. Instead of setting the designs against awhite background, they were instead placed against a color, making them lookeven more impressive. So before even reading one word of this book, I was alreadydrooling over the visuals.

Because these projects look so amazing, and lookvery complicated at first glance, I will admit to having been intimidated andthinking "there is no way I can do that." Also, the instructionslooked rather short for each project considering how elaborate they were, so Idid go into this book a bit skeptically. However, I quickly learned otherwise.

Whenyou first open this book, there is a good overview of the materials you willneed and helpful tips about how to use them and what to choose. For instance,when talking about beading foundation, Sherry tells us to use Lacy's Stiff Stuff but she also shares that this can be dyed to match your beads and evenwashed. This is such a simple tip but hugely helpful.

Sherry imparts other wordsof wisdom like this throughout the book, which I find to be just as valuable asthe projects themselves. After the overview of materials, there are very clearinstructions on how to do the common stitches in bead embroidery. Diagrams arealso provided to make learning easier. Even though I had never bead embroideredbefore, it became quite clear that the basic stitches were really not that hard(thank goodness!) and that the designs looked so amazing because of the artist'splacement of the stitches, and her choice of colors and the design and proportion of the larger focal beads. Now it made sense to me whythe directions in the projects looked so short; it is because you learn thebasic skills and then repeat them in various combinations. For the projectsthat have skills not covered in the beginning pages, there are additionaldiagrams and more detailed instructions.

my first attempt at bead embroidery!

Afterreviewing all the projects, I decided to pick the one I thought looked relatively simple, and give this bead embroidery thing a try. The Sweet SimplicityNecklace on page 35 is lovely necklace that has a stunning focal cabochon,several rows of two-bead backstitch, and then an outer single-bead edging. Ifthis does not make sense to you, do not worry, all these terms are explained inthe beginning of the book. Following Sherry's instructions, I glued an antiquebutton (sans shank) on Lacy's Stiff Stuff and then followed her directions tomake my rows. When I got to the edge, I decided to add a picot edge (again, Ilearned how to do this in the beginning of the book) and finished off my round.I felt completely confident deviating from the pattern, because early on in thebook, Sherry tells us "my advice on some of the projects is to let thebeads take "road trips", meaning the beads will literally tell youwhere to go - in a nice way!" When I finished I was SO pleased with how myfirst bead embroidery project turned out. I have yet to finish the necklace portionof it, but my focal is done and I love it! I even made another little focal. Ialso now feel completely confident to try the other projects in this book.

Ina nutshell, I am so very, very excited about bead embroidery anddeveloping my skills. If you are looking for a new beading path to try, I wouldwhole-heartily recommend this book. I feel that beaders of all skill levels canlearn from Sherry's instructions and even more advanced bead embroiderers willbe inspired by her designs. Do not be intimidated by this art form, it is notas difficult as it looks. If you start at the beginning, go step by step, youwill see that you can definitely do this. Whereas learning a new skill isusually frustrating, I found learning bead embroidery through this book to be incrediblyrelaxing and soothing. I hope you give it a try and find it as enjoyable as Ido. A huge thank you to SherrySerafini, her teaching skills, and this book - you have created one very happy,and one very inspired, bead embroiderer over here.

- Julie

Product Spotlight: Epoxy Stickers

2011-11-18T15:15:00.000-08:00

If you enjoy making mixed media jewelry with graphics and images, then you are going to love epoxy stickers. Epoxy stickers create a clear, domed, glass-like appearance over an image. Because they have sticky backs, all you need to do is peel off the protective back sheet and place the sticker directly on top of your image. Then just glue your image (with clear sticker on top) onto your mixed media item, using Crafter's Pick Glue or Nunn Design Glue.

Epoxy stickers mimic the look of resin and glass but at a fraction of the cost and without all the work!

Here at Beadaholique we offer epoxy stickers to custom fit scrabble tiles, mini dominos, bottle caps, and even bracelets. These perfectly sized stickers have a soft dome shape to them, tapering down at the sides. They really are so easy to use; you will be pleasantly surprised with the number of finished projects you can complete in a short amount of time. They are great for kids too (with adult supervision of course).

If looking for some inspiration, you can visit our free projects page for bracelets, earrings, and necklaces which have been made using epoxy stickers.

Also, check out some of our videos showing how to use them:

One final thought: with the holidays quickly approaching, projects using epoxy stickers make excellent and inexpensive gifts!

- Julie

Congratulations Kathy, Winner of the Nunn Design Giveaway

2011-11-16T13:19:00.000-08:00

Thank you to everyone who entered our Nunn Design Giveaway. We had almost 80 entries! We were actually thankful that this was a random drawing because many of your stories were very touching and your ideas very inspiring - it would have been impossible for us to pick!

Our random drawing!

The lucky winner is Kathy Kurke! She will be receiving her prize soon, directly from Becky Nunn at Nunn Designs. Please keep keep an eye on this blog as we have lots of exciting giveaways and contests planned. We also have a new page to our website, aptly titled "Contests and Giveaways". Check out this page often to see what is currently going on.

BTW: Bead Table Wednesday 11/16/11

2011-11-16T12:04:00.000-08:00

Julie's Table
Experimenting! My table is an absolute mess this week and I love it! We are always looking for new products to offer here at Beadaholique and I have the fun job of trying them out first. There are at least 10 different projects and product tests going on on my table right now. I definitely have my favorites, I hope you like what we choose!

Giveaway! Nunn Design Elements of Inspiration

2011-11-11T11:38:00.000-08:00

We have a special treat for all our friends and fans. Nunn Design, the company who produces the Patera, Accenti & Adorna lines of findings, bezels, charms, chain, clasps, multimedia components and more, has been gracious enough to sponsor a wonderful giveaway just for you.

One lucky winner will receive this fantastic assortment of jewelry findings and collage sheets worth over $90:

We especially love those glass apothecary bottles and the deep bezels with ornate engraving on the sides!

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this blog post telling us why you would like to win, maybe even share with us what you would make with these elements if you win them! Winner will be chosen at random from all the entries this coming Monday November 14th! The winner will be notified and announced on Tuesday November 15th.

Please note: When commenting, make sure to use your contact information so we can notify you if you win! Anonymous entries will not be entered into the drawing.

Feeling inspired? Check out the wide selection of Nunn Design elements, the folks who bring you Patera, available at Beadaholique!

Here are some designs to spark your creativity:

Good Luck!

BTW: Bead Table Wednesday 11/9/11

2011-11-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

Julie's Table
The holiday theme continues on my work table this week. We have started making a new series of videos called "Just Bead It!" where each video will focus on a simple jewelry making technique with a wide range of applications and pretty instant results. On Monday I taped the "charms" one, and then yesterday I realized that I forgot to show a charm bracelet! What was I thinking! So today on my table I am making a holiday inspired charm bracelet using TierraCast charms which I am connecting using our new lock-in jump rings (available soon). When this project is done, time to re-tape the video - again, what was I thinking!

Beading Gossip! Soft Flex Company's 2011 "Flex Your Creativity" Beading Contest

2011-11-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

Psssttt.... we have some gossip to share!

Soft Flex is in the midst of their 3rd annual Flex Your Creativity Beading Contest. They have already narrowed it down to 10 finalists, all of whom have amazing and inspiring designs. From now until December 1st they are asking the public to go vote for their favorite design. The first, second, and third place winners will be announced on December 5th.

You can view all the entries and enter your vote HERE. Have fun looking at the designs, we were sure inspired by their creativity and hope you will be too!

- Julie

Inspiration Monday Book Review: Steel Wire Jewelry by Brenda Schweder

2011-11-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

Review by Julie Bean

We love jewelry making books here at Beadaholique. Not only are they indispensable in terms of teaching us designers new techniques, but they are also amazing sources of inspiration. We have teamed up with Lark Books to bring you a series of book reviews of some of the hottest jewelry making books on the market today. This week I had the good fortune to review the new book Steel Wire Jewelry by Brenda Schweder.

If you have followed my blog posts before, you know that I love mixed media designs and found objects. I have even trained my husband to keep his eyes glued on the sidewalk as he walks to the coffee shop each morning so that he can pick up old rusted gears, shards of glass, and odd springs which have come off cars. Most men bring their wives flowers, mine brings me dirty and broken metal objects - and I love it!

This book hooked me right away with a forward by Keith Lo Bue and his almost sexy writing about steel wire - who knew? In the following pages Brenda introduces us to steel wire, its appeal, workability, affordability, and versatility--"In the raw, it's dirty, it's heavy, and it's most certainly lack-luster. It's the proverbial lump of clay (but not clay at all). I guess it's just that - that diamond in the rough quaility - that's so gripping."

Throughout the beginning of the book there are highlights of other artists' work showing the wide range of projects which can be made with steel wire. The layout of this book makes sense, first introducing you to the medium and its properties, next teaching about tools needed, general working tips, and fundamental skills to get started. Because steel wire is so affordable (we are talking about the steel wire from a hardware store for around $3 or $4, not shiny and fancy "jewelry making" steel wire) it is an attractive avenue to explore without having to make a big investment. I like the idea of taking the wire, twisting it, bending it, and seeing what happens. I agree with Brenda that it is very much like a lump of clay, something you can mold to your own designs and really just play with and see what happens. There is a sense of freedom with steel wire because it is not "supposed" to look like anything, there is no right or wrong way of doing it, and your only limitation is your own imagination.

Brenda's projects in this book are not what I would call "soft" or "feminine", and for me, there is a definite appeal in that. They are more structural, industrial, and architectural in nature. They have an edge to them, like pieces you might find at a modern art gallery. What I like best about the projects is how I see certain elements in them that I want to take and apply to other applications. For instance, in the "Flies Have Dreams, Too" cuff bracelet project, I can see using this same cuff pattern and then wire wrapping gears and cogs to turn this into a Steampunk piece. I love it when the projects in books are spring boards for new designs of my own.

I would recommend this book if you are looking for a new challenge in jewelry making. Perhaps you love wire wrapping and want to expand your skills and range. Or maybe you have been working with more traditional jewelry making elements and have been craving that new medium to try. If this sounds like you, then find your hammer and bench block and grab some steel wire and give this book a try!

Beadaholique Beading Contest: November Nights!

2011-11-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

You could win a $100 gift certificate and tons of internet publicity in our November beading contest! Just submit a photo of your piece, using at least one Beadaholique product, inspired by the theme "November Nights."

Just a little inspiration...

Whether it’s putting on a slinky black dress and hitting the town or staying in with a warm blanket and a favorite book, we want you to show us what “November Nights” mean to you.

We will select 10 finalists from the contest entries, all of whom will have their work published 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!

Important Dates:

Monday, November 21 @ 4 PM PDT: Last day to submit
Wednesday, November 23: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email. Public voting starts.
Tuesday, November 29 @ 4 PM PDT: Public voting closes
Thursday, December 1: Winner is announced in the next issue of The Beading Wire and notified via email.

For a complete list of rules, how to enter, and tips for a successful entry, click HERE.

Profile of Nancy Dale - Bead Artist and October Contest Winner

2011-11-03T03:00:00.000-07:00

Beadaholique's first publicly-voted beading contest has come to a close, and out of all of the wonderful finalist entries, a clear favorite emerged. Nancy Dale wowed hundreds of voters with her fantastically ornamented piece "October's Goddess," featuring a bead embroidered pendant of mahogany obsidian, and also including freshwater pearls, Swarovski Crystals, seed beads, garnets, and many other beads. More leaves were embroidered with seed beads in Russian Leaf variations .

We had to know more about the artist behind the piece, so we subjected Nancy to a short interrogation!

Tell us about yourself:

My name is Nancy Dale and I have been beading for over 20 years. I dearly love putting beads together in any form imaginable; I never stop loving their versatality. I live in Vermont with my husband and my four dogs, and spend a whole lot of time in the dining room with huge piles of delicious shiny beads.

How did you get interested in beading/jewelry making?

I became interested in beading as a form of therapy, a calming, meditative pursuit that helped me with many things in my life.

What are your favorite materials to use in jewelry making?

My absolute favorite materials are seed beads and Fireline beading thread - there are no limits to what can be created with these.

Who or what inspires your creative process?

I am mostly inspired by nature, and very very much by trees and leaves. I also like to just let colors and bead sizes inspire me themselves and to let them do all the work.

Is there somewhere we can see or purchase your work?

My website is www.nedbeads.com if anyone would like to see more of my pieces.

BTW: Bead Table Wednesday 11/2/11

2011-11-02T15:28:00.000-07:00

Julie's Table

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Ok, so I am in Los Angeles and that is not likely to happen, but my mind is filled with Winter scenes of snow covered tree tops, holiday lights, and brightly colored ornaments as I begin to make jewelry for the holidays. It is such fun to play with TierraCast charms in shapes of rocking horses, nutcrackers, and angels. The colors of the season are so cheerful that I can't help but smile when working with bright golds, antique brasses, reds, and greens. My next project is to make an ornament using a Swarovski pendant; I can already envision how pretty it will look hanging on a tree!

Vintaj and Beadaholique Giveaway!

2011-11-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

The excitement just keeps on rolling here at Beadaholique! In celebration of Beadaholique being Vintaj's Online Bead Partner for November, we have teamed up with them to offer a great giveaway of an assortment of Vintaj Artisan Copper, copper findings and Swarovski Elements in Crystal Copper!

Just think of everything you can make with these!

For a complete list of details and how to enter, visit the Vintaj blog HERE. Hurry though, this contest is on NOW and ends on November 3rd!

Inspiration Monday: Seasons - Fall & Winter

2011-10-31T11:24:00.000-07:00

For many people, Fall and Winter can be the hardest seasons to design and be creative in. In most parts of the world, both seasons signify dark, cold, and rainy times. They also are the busiest seasons in terms of holidays and events on your social calendar. So how do you find that spark of creativity? For me, the inspiration is in the fact that the weather has changed, the color palette is darker, and there are so many places to be.

With it being cooler outside (or rainy or snowy), I no longer feel guilty staying at home on a Saturday and designing. This time of year I like to sit at my table with a warm blanket on my lap, our dog snuggled at my feet, and a cup of hot cider or hot chocolate waiting to be sipped. Some days I will not leave the house at all and I will get so much done!

For designing, I use the colors of the season. Fall is captured in tones of rust, olive green, mustard, and burnt umber. Winter is striking with its dark and brooding colors of grey, deep blue, and black, which can be contrasted with pure white, silver, and glistening pearl.

As to what to create, I look outside for inspiration: a pile of dried leaves with their textures and layers, pumpkins growing in a field, a lone red flower peeking up through the earth, or even a frozen over lake (wouldn't Swarovski Crystals be gorgeous to represent glistening ice!).

Pumpkin Fun Earrings

You can also design for the holidays coming up - make something Halloween specific, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years, etc. There are a number of great charms available (nutcrackers, wreathes, pumpkins, stars, etc.) and you can make instant holiday-themed jewelry by hanging them on earring hooks or a chain.

Lrg. Round 38mm Filigree

One of my favorite tricks for finding inspiration is to build a jewelry design around an outfit. With all the holiday parties to go to, pick out your attire early and then spend time creating original designs to match. For instance, if you have a little black dress with jet beading and a lace cut-out design along the hem, perhaps make a black velvet choker with an Ezel filigree which you bedeck with Swarovski jet black flat back rhinestones.

If your dress is gold and black, try making some beaded beads in gold and black seed beads then pair them with Swarovski faux pearls in black. When designing around an outfit, pull out the colors of the clothing, take into consideration the neckline and sleeve, and decide if you want to make earrings, a bracelet, and/or a necklace.

Fall and Winter are beautiful seasons, embrace their diversity and their potential for creativity. Have fun playing with colors you might not have worked with before and show off your jewelry to friends by wearing it to holiday parties. You will find that these two seasons can be your most productive time of the year - embrace them and have a blast doing so!

- Julie

Announcing Our 10 Finalists: Falling Leaves Beading Challenge

2011-10-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who submitted a design for October's beading contest: Falling Leaves. We received so many wonderful designs, all of them lovely. We had a difficult task narrowing all the entries down to 10, we hope you like our choices. To vote on your favorite, click HERE. You will be instantly taken to the Falling Leaves Beading Challenge album, and to vote, please scroll through the images and then "Like" the design you prefer. Make sure to hit "like" on the actual photo you prefer, not the entire album.

Drum roll please.............

10 Finalists
(in alphabetical order)

Entry #1 Designer: Susie Bedell

Entry #2 Designer: Nancy Dale

Entry #3 Designer: Amelia Davenport

Entry #4 Designer: Carrie Grabowicz

Entry #5 Designer: Kristie Jones

Entry #6 Designer: Brenda Killackey-Jones

Entry #7 Designer: Cortney Phillips

Entry #8 Designer: Kim Shaver

Entry #9 Designer: Sherri Stokey

Entry #10 Designer: Una Valtere

Make sure to get your vote in early! Voting closes Tuesday November 1st at 4pm PDT. The winner will be announced on Thursday November 3rd and will receive a $50 Beadaholique gift certificate!

BTW: Bead Table Wednesday 10/26/11

2011-10-26T16:26:00.000-07:00

Julie's Table
This week on my table is a bead woven toggle clasp I just created. I always have a hard time finding the right clasp for my bead weaving projects, so this week I was inspired to make one! The base is a 20mm quick links round and I am using size 11/0 and 15/0 seed beads. It's a technique which combines brick and peyote stitches. I am taping a video right now showing how to make this, it's so much fun I think I will make a bead weaving project which somehow uses two toggles in the design!

Quick Tip Tuesday: Removing Diamond Glaze from Glass

2011-10-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

Being a huge fan of photo collage jewelry and any other artistic form where I can turn paper and images into art, I am also a big fan of glass cabochons and diamond glaze. Diamond Glaze is my medium of choice for adhering the images to glass cabochons.

However, there can be a frustrating aspect to using these two together - if the Diamond Glaze accidently smears onto the top side of the glass and fully dries, it can be difficult to get it off. Unlike white glues which just peel off, Diamond Glaze acts almost like a nail polish and creates a lacquer-like (and very hard) streak. The solution? Perhaps unsurpisingly, you can use nail polish remover to get it off.

All you need to do is take a clean Q-Tip and dip the tip in a bottle of nail polish. Gently rub the saturated tip over the area of dried Diamond Glaze that you want to remove. Swipe it back and forth gently several times until you have removed the glaze. Wipe the top of the glass with a clean cloth when finished.

- Julie

Falling Leaves Beading Contest - Just 6 Days Left To Enter!

2011-10-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

To all those who have submitted their beautiful designs to our Falling Leaves beading contest, a HUGE thank you! We have received some absolutely beautiful submissions.

If you want to enter, there is still time. The last day to submit your project is next Wednesday, October 26th. The 10 finalists will be announced on Friday, October 28th and public voting will begin. A winner will be announced on Thursday, November 5th!

Winner will receive a $50 Beadaholique gift certificate!

For a complete list of rules, details, and how to enter, please click here.

BTW: Bead Table Wednesday 10/19/11

2011-10-19T16:13:00.000-07:00

Julie's Table

Crystal Clay! Have you tried this stuff? It is a two-part epoxy clay which is so easy to use and comes in 17 different colors. No firing, baking, or sealing is needed as the clay cures on its own in less then a day. I like that the Crystal Clay actually comes with a pair of gloves to use as this stuff tends to be pretty sticky. So far this week I have made compacts, rings, purse hangers, and more. I keep trying to think of new ways to use the clay - some free-form shapes, beads, and bails are coming to mind!

Beadaholique is Vintaj's November 2011 Online Bead Partner!

2011-10-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

Weare very excited and proud to announce that the creative team over at Vintajhas chosen Beadaholique to be the their very first Online Bead Partner!

Charming Discoveries Project

Asyou can see in many of our free projects, we are big fans of Vintaj. With their widerange of hundreds of products stemming from altered blanks, to filigrees, tocharms and chains (and everything in between), Vintaj has become a staple formany designers, us included! Their innovative pieces feed one'screativity. Whether you are looking for afocal piece, special clasp, journal page, or ornate bead cap,Vintaj always has that special element to turn an ordinary piece of jewelryinto something extraordinary.

Ourlatest Vintaj obsession is the Vintaj Big Kick machine by Sizzix, which has specialetching and embossing plates to use with metal blanks. The machine is extremelyeasy to use and the results are pretty amazing. The first time we used it, we looked at each other and said “Wow! Did that machine really just dothat? It was so simple!” To make the etched and embossed images pop, it justtakes a few swipes of the Vintaj Relief Block.

Ifyou have yet to check out the Vintaj blog, you must do so! Get ready to be inspiredwhen you click on the “Idea Gallery” link which is full of projects, many with step-by-step instructions. Also learn tips and new techniques; see new productannouncements, contests you can enter, and more. The Vintaj blog is constantlyupdated and Jess Italia-Lincoln adds a personal touch to her posts and sharesher words of wisdom.

Abig thank you to Vintaj for choosing us as their first Online Bead Partner!Over the years, Vintaj and Beadaholique have worked together, sending beads andprojects back and forth. We have gotten to know many of the team members atVintaj and can say with certainty what a great group they are. It is such a joyto see their line expand and new innovations emerge. Thanks Vintaj!

-Julie

Inspiration Monday: Pearls

2011-10-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

Freshwater Pearl Mix

Pearls are a classic and timeless jewelry design element. Usually they are paired with a formal or tailored outfit, but as seen with the Tin Cup necklace, they can be dressed down as well. If you are a jewelry designer who is stumped and looking for a burst of inspiration, challenge yourself to do something creative using one of the many sizes, shapes, colors, and styles of pearls available.

Most people think of pearls and instantly envision a classic single row of round white pearls knotted together to form a necklace. While this is a lovely piece of jewelry, pearls offer so much more fuel for your creative fire.

Available in colors ranging from neutral tones of pale cream, golds and browns all the way up to vibrant peacock hues like purple, green, and blue, pearls blend well with any color palette. Further expanding your design choices, pearls come in all sizes and shapes - including unusual shapes such as stick, coin, potato, keishi, and faceted.

Swarovski Petrol Crystal Pearl

Some designers prefer not to deal with the natural variations characteristic of freshwater pearls. For the perfectionist, beautifully uniform Swarovski faux pearls are availble in dozens of colors in rounds, pear shapes, twists, baroques, and even half pearl cabochons. Newly released is the vibrant "Petrol Crystal Pearl" color - a striking deep blue. Since underneath the glowing, natural looking coating is genuine Austrian Swarovski Crystal, you know these pearls will stand up to the test of time and wear.

To inspire you on your designing journey, here are a few of the projects we have come up with using pearls:

Vintage Wedding Necklace: Here we have used Swarovski faux pearls, Baroque shape, in Vintage Gold. Since the pearls were used sparingly, this does not look like a "pearl necklace" but instead a romantic interpretation of a vintage wedding which happens to use a few pearls as a carefully chosen design element.

Classic 16" Knotted Pearl Necklace: This is the classic! So simple yet so pretty. Round white pearls have been knotted using Griffin Silk and attached to a sleek gold box clasp. If you like this style but want a less formal look, try using some vibrantly colored pearls or even some unusually shaped ones. Pearl knotting is an addictive jewelry making technique, which to me feels very relaxing, much like knitting.

A Midsummer's Night Necklace: taking full advantage of the vibrant heliotrope purple cultured coin pearls, this necklace is bursting with life. This same necklace design would have been very interesting to see in peacock blue coin pearls. It would have muted down the boldness of the piece but still have kept it's originality and uniqueness.

I think my next pearl project will use some stick pearls paired with a mixed-media resin piece, something organic and salvaged looking. What will you make?

- Julie

Give Handmade Gifts this Holiday Season!

2011-10-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

As hard as it is to believe, the holidays are almost here! Halloween candy has been on the shelves for over a month now at the supermarket, and warehouse stores already have Christmas decorations for sale. Despite the deluge of commercial goods available, I think we all are feeling cost-conscious this year, so why not make some gifts instead of buying them!

Jewelry is an excellent gift to give and one which is always appreciated. It can be worn year-round which also adds to its attractiveness as a gift. It can also be extra personal if you incorporate a photo or a particularly poignant quote into the piece.

Besides, making the jewelry, alone or with others, is just as fun as giving it. You can create lasting memories with your children by having them help with some of the designing and simpler steps (under adult supervision of course).

Here are a few great gift ideas and some videos to help you get started:

How to Make a Bezel Bracelet with Epoxy Stickers:

Make A Name Stamped Necklace:

Make Easy Swarovski Crystal Earrings:

We have also just created a Gift Center on the Beadaholique website. From Quick & Easy Crafts to Under $20 Projects, from Fun & Funky to Easy & Elegant Jewelry - there are great ideas for everyone on your list and to fit every budget. Check back often to our Gift Center as we are constantly adding new projects, ideas, and videos!

Remember to let all your friends and family know that you handmade their gift - they will treasure it even more!

- Julie

BTW: Bead Table Wednesday 10/12/11

2011-10-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

Andrea's Table
On my bead table today is a strand of Czech seed beads, spelling out the word "bye", accompanied by a glass cabochon in the shape of a heart, and a sad face of Miyuki cubes with a chalcedony briolette for a nose. It is with a very heavy heart that I have to announce my departure from Beadaholique. Due to health issues, I have had to make the difficult decision to move back to my home state of Michigan so that I may be closer to my family. However, I will very greatly miss my "family" here. The past two years have been incredible; not only did I get to have my dream job, designing jewelry for a fantastic bead company, but also I have made SO many friends in the beading community. I plan to continue beading wherever life takes me, and I will most certainly keep in touch! Thank you, everyone, for two years of fun, inspiration, and camaraderie. And thank you, Sarah, Chris, Julie, and everyone here at Beadaholique... for everything, from the bottom of my heart. Love Always, Andrea

Julie's Table
On my bead table is the brand new Vintaj special edition Big Kick machine by Sizzix along with some of the stamping blanks I have already embossed and etched. I am having such fun playing with this new gizmo, I feel like a kid again and am constantly smiling in amazement at how easy it is to use and how great the results are. Tomorrow I will be making a series of 4 videos showing how to use the machine itself, how to etch, how to emboss, and how to add finishing touches to your pieces to really make the designs "pop". As happy as I am to be trying out the long awaited Vintaj Big Kick, I am so sorry to see Andrea leave. It has been such a delight to work with her and to learn from her awesome beading skills. We plan to stay in touch and I can't wait to see where her journey takes her! Lots of love and happy wishes to Andrea!

Inspiration Monday: Halloween

2011-10-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It is a time when adults get to be kids again and kids get to become their favorite heroes for a day. It is a time of merriment, laughter, and dreaming. The world is transformed and suddenly the scary is wonderful and the odd is celebrated.

Most historians conclude that what we today call Halloween started as an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain. During Samhain, villagers would wear costumes and light fires to scare off ghosts. Pope Gregory III in the eighth century declared that November 1st was All Saints Day and he incorporated many of the traditions of Samhain into this holiday. However, All Saints Day was not to ward off ghosts but instead meant to celebrate saints and martyrs. The actual name "Halloween" did not pop up until the 16th century and was a Scottish variation on All-Hallows-Even - meaning the night before All Hallows Day (also meaning All Saints Day). Our traditional ideas of Halloween with children trick-or-treating and candy are all modern conventions - coming about in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Are you dressing up this year, or helping make a costume for a friend or loved one? If you are, one of the easiest ways to instantly make it "pop" is to add some fabulous accessories. We have created a couple of "costume" inspired designs to spark your creativity. This first set is based upon the character of the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland:

Here is a fantastic necklace titled "Spider Queen" and would look great on a witch, gothic gal, or vampire this Halloween:

If you're not dressing up this Halloween but want to show some festive spirit, try out one of these fun designs:

You can find all the project instructions and ingredients for these spooky creations on our Free Beading Projects page.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Beadaholique Beading Contest: Falling Leaves

2011-10-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

We are very excited to announce the first ever Beadaholique beading contest! Enter a photo of your original jewelry design for a chance to win a $50 Beadaholique Gift Certificate and lots of exposure on our blog and Facebook page. The theme is "Falling Leaves" and you can interpret that however you like, let your creativity and inspiration flow! Just make sure to use at least 1 item from Beadaholique and follow the contest rules.

From all the entries we will narrow it down to 10 finalists, all of whom will have their entry pieces published on the Beadaholique blog and Facebook page. There will then be public voting to decide the winner.

We can't wait to see all what everyone comes up with!

Here are some important dates to keep in mind:

Wednesday, October 26 4 PM PDT: Last day to submit
Friday, October 28 @ 1 PM PDT: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email
Tuesday, November 1 @ 4 PM PDT: Public voting closes
Thursday, November 3: Winner is announced in the next issue of The Beading Wire and notified via email.

Click here for a complete list of rules, deadlines, and more specifics.

Happy Beading!

BTW: Bead Table Wednesday 10/4/11

2011-10-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

Andrea's Table
Today, on my beading table, I have... BEAD WEAVING! What a big surprise! With the holidays right around the corner, I couldn't resist teaching myself a new weave (flat spiral, I LOVE IT), and working up a very Christmas-y bracelet, complete with an adorable Christmas wreath toggle clasp from Tierra Cast. How-to video soon to come!

Julie's Table
On my table today I am working on quick and easy craft items which you can give as gifts this holiday season. I have a romantic bookmark and a pretty butterfly Aanraku bezel key ring. I am thinking that my next project will be some beaded eye glass holders and maybe an ornament or pair of holiday earrings.

E6000 - Our Favorite and Most Unusual Uses

2011-09-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

If you have enjoyed trying out some of the free projects available here at Beadaholique, you will have probably noticed that we are big fans of E6000 adhesive. This industrial strength glue creates a permanent tight bond between materials which usually present adhering challenges - metals, plastic, glass, ceramics, rubber, etc. When we are looking for an extremely strong, waterproof bond, we know that E6000 will do the trick!

We often use E6000 to glue our Vintaj brass elements together, set our Swarovski rivoli stones, and attach our Aanraku bails to scrabble tiles, bottle caps, and resin creations. However, just about everyone on staff here at Beadaholique has a tube of E6000 at home and has used it for some other, rather unusual, applications.

My favorite E6000 story is from several years ago when I awoke one morning to find the side mirror of my car smashed off and dangling by some wires. I got a quote from the repair shop and they wanted $300 to repair it! Well, that seemed pretty steep to me, so I grabbed my E6000 and put a generous helping all around the part of the mirror that was supposed to join to the car body. I then pressed it in place and used packaging tape to hold it there. After 2 days, I removed the tape. My E6000 fix has still held to this day - almost 6 years later! My second favorite use was when I accidently broke the head off of the woman in King Kong's hand on my husbands very expensive and very large (over 2 feet high) King Kong vs. T-Rex statue. E6000 saved me and you can't even tell that she was ever headless!

Andrea had this to say about her E6000 experience: "One day at Beadaholique, an interesting thing arrived in the mail. It was a trinket from someone trying to solicit our business. As a promotion, this company had sent out miniature shopping carts. We all thought it was quite clever, the only problem was that our cart came broken. The bottom bracket which held the wheels had completely detached from the basket portion. Being a person who has a hard time throwing anything away, I began to think of ways to repair this fun little gimmicky toy. Getting ready to attempt wire wrapping the bracket back on, I suddenly had an idea: E6000! There was a little bit of skepticism floating around the office at first, but after I did the deed and set the cart aside to dry... You seriously cannot move the bracket now. Not a wiggle. E6000 has held up better than the original welding job!"

Esther, a fellow team member here at Beadaholique, has used E6000 to glue the Honda emblem back on her car, fix her garage door opener, and add decorative embellishments to book shelves. Fig reattached the rubber soles to his shoes and glued his apartment number back on the front door. I have also heard of people repairing picture frames, gluing drawer pulls and handles, and fixing all other types of assorted knobs, cases, and devices.

Have you found and interesting and unusual use for E6000? We would love to hear it!

- Julie

BTW: Bead Table Wednesday 9/28/11

2011-09-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

Andrea's Table

My BTW today is extra super-duper glamorous. I whipped up some right angle weave bracelets using Swarovski pearls, Czech fire polish beads, and some ultra special clasps. The one on the right is inspired by my love of Autumn, bees, and art nouveau. The piece on the left I made because I couldn't wait to use our new fancy box clasps, and I wanted to try to make something that looked very "special occasion". Now, I just need to figure out how to attach my new fancy clasp.

Julie's Table

I am playing with dominos this week and having so much fun! We just received in these cool small dominos and perfectly sized epoxy stickers to match (coming to the website soon). I was challenged with a way to connect the dominos into a bracelet and then it occurred to me that I could hole punch copper stamping blanks and then link them with jump rings!

Inspiration Monday: Doing Good

2011-09-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

I am bringing you a little different type of inspiration this Monday, one might even title it "food for thought" vs. inspiration but I hope you still feel motivated after reading it. This Monday I want to focus on organizations and groups which use beading and jewelry making as a way to give back to their communities. The individuals who make up these groups are very inspiring to me and their deeds inspire others to create, heal, and find greater happiness in life.

There are lots of organizations internationally who make/sell beads for charities and who do amazing work; however, for this post, I want to focus on groups in the US. Also, I know that money is often something we can not spare, as much as we would like to, so all the groups listed below focus more on the donation of time and talent instead of dollars and cents (although any group would love cash donations as well).

Layne's Legacy Beading For A Cure is an annual beading challenge which raises money for the National Colorectal Cancer Research Association. The program was started by a group of beading friends to honor one of their own, Layne Shilling, who lost her battle with colorectal cancer in 2002. Here's how it works: every year participants purchase a beading kit, then they create a unique piece using what is in the kit (you can add one more bead and then non-bead items), then all the finished products are auctioned off on Ebay and the proceeds are donated to charity. Make sure to check out their website and gallery page highlighting all the amazing beading artists who have participated in past events.

YMCA - lots of local branches of the YMCA offer beading and jewelry making classes to kids and teens. This is a great way to get involved hands on. If your local branch does not currently offer a beading activity, try talking to the operations director and volunteer to teach one!

The Children's Healing Art Project (CHAP) "brings the healing power of art to children in crisis and their families through a mobile team of teaching artists working in partnership with hospitals, schools, community organizations and local businesses, creating programs through which children are known for their creativity and ingenuity and not by their disease, diagnosis, or disability." If you look on their website you will see photos of volunteer artists working with the kids and their families. The pure joy shown on some of the childrens' faces is heartwarming and inspiring. This is a Portland based organization but I wanted to include it to show not only what a great program it is, but to encourage you to look in your own community for such a program - they are out there!

Dress for Success' goal "is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life." If you have jewelry projects which you want to donate, you can give them to Dress for Success and they will TRULY be appreciated by a woman who is looking to better her life. We all know that happy feeling you get when you put on a beautiful piece of jewelry and the extra confidence it gives you. Now imagine giving the gift of that feeling to someone who really needs it.

If you are inspired after reading this and would like donate your time, beading skills, jewelry, or beads in your local community - try doing a quick google search for the name of your city and the word "charity". You can see if adding "beading" into the search parameters narrows your search. Often groups which would love your beading skills will not be bead specific - such as foster care programs, community centers, YMCA, or others. In my community, I had the best luck with the local community center - just 3 blocks from my house and they have arts & crafts programs!

Happy Beading!

Julie

BEAD SOUP BLOG PARTY!

2011-09-17T01:10:00.000-07:00

BSBP is here!

Hello, and welcome to the Bead Soup Blog Party!

To view Julie Bean's Bead Soup reveal, click here.

To view Andrea Morici's Bead Soup reveal, click here.

Thanks, and have fun blog-hopping!

source