If you’re like me, you’d rather not talk about how much you’ve spent on beads in your lifetime or how many of those beads have yet to be used in a piece of jewelry. Oh, the guilt! Making your own beads out of polymer clay enables you to make them for a tiny fraction of the cost you’d pay for most beads. More important, you can make them exactly the size, shape and color you want. ...

Have you ever used one of those wire bangle bracelets with loops around the edges? They're usually silver and come in several diameters with 16 rings or loops. Typically, people will attach beads or charms to the rings using wrapped loops. I did this myself with my Gypsy Magic project for Creative Jewelry last year. While I liked my finished bracelet, I felt that the bangle form was rather limiting. Other than attaching wrapped loops or wrapping wire around the bangle form, there really wasn't much else you could do with it, right? ...

Some things are better done solo. Shopping for unmentionable comes to mind. Or flossing. Or, in our opinion, diving (we are still shocked that synchronized diving is an actual Olympic sport!). But writing beading books?...

Beadwork Pattern Play Challenge Deadline: August 3, 2009 Did you enjoy seeing how five designers created projects inspired by swatches of pattern in the June/July issue of Beadwork (page 56, Pattern Play Challenge)? Did you check out the two free charts...

If you do craft shows, you know show season is upon us and it’s time to dust off the canopy and prepare for the warm months ahead and a busy schedule. There are so many fun things about doing craft shows: getting outdoors, meeting new people, developing relationships with customers and other artists, and making money! Doing craft shows is also very hard work and there’s been lots written on how to assure success at shows. You’ve probably heard a lot of it. Make eye contact, don’t sit all day, encourage people to come into your booth. ...

I was at the grocery store the other day and ran into Julie, a friend from high school. As we were catching up she mentioned how much she disliked nagging her kids into practicing the piano. I asked if she played the piano, too. She got this faraway look on her face and said, “I can.” She paused, looked at the floor, and said, “I did.” Then she looked me straight in the eye and said “I don’t!” I thought I was going to wet myself I was laughing so hard. Not only because those three phrases beautifully illustrate most people’s piano-playing trajectories, but also because it brought to mind the plethora of “I can/I did/I don’t” skills I have. The piano, of course…but also castanets… tap dancing… calligraphy… ironing… you get the gist. ...

Many thanks to everyone for sending in just under 100 exciting entries to our Semiprecious Beads Design contest. It was not easy to choose just three winners, but ultimately Leslie Rogalski of Step by Step Beads and I both agreed wholeheartedly on why we selected the ones we did. Every winning piece is wearable, attractive, and well-made. ...