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Native American beadwork has a rich heritage of symbolism through the use of colors, gemstones, and animal totems to tell stories and convey meaning. If you're looking to infuse your beadwork with a few special and meaningful symbols, check out some of these suggestions for including symbolic beads...
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Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
May 22, 2013
Filed under:
Filed under: Gemstones, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Native American beadwork, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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From beaded bags to full-size headdresses, the tribal-inspired trend dominated fashion blogs and retail catalogs last summer and has continued into fall. Just one fashionable beaded bracelet can be the perfect accent to that earth-toned outfit for an easy weekend look. Or, pair a colorful necklace with...
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When I was learning how to bead, I made loads of mistakes. Nobody's perfect, right? And that goes double for me, especially when it comes to my beading. Now that I've been beading for many, many years, I'd like to say that I make fewer mistakes. I'd like to say that, but I can't....
Posted to
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Apr 19, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Bead Crochet, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Native American beadwork, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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Our friends Claudia and Elena over at Mirrix Looms have a wonderful challenge for anyone who loves to use their beading loom during National Craft Month! Between March 1 and March 31, make as many loom beaded bracelets as you can using your Mirrix beading loom. At the end of the month, take a picture...
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Some of the first beadwork I can remember seeing as a child was Native American beadwork in the collections of our local natural history museum. I was totally captivated by the bright colors of the beads and the intricate patterns that were formed on the buckskin dresses and moccasins in the display...
Posted to
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by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Feb 5, 2012
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Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Peyote stitch, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Native American beadwork, Bead-weaving, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beading Daily
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If you've ever seen the awesome and inspiring bead embroidery of artists like Sherry Serafini, you might have been inspired to try your hand at this particular beading technique. Unlike other types of off-loom beadweaving, bead embroidery is the stitching of seed beads to a fabric or felt-like backing...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Nov 10, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Gemstones, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Native American beadwork, Bead-weaving, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beadweaving, Beads, Jewelry Making
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My Victorian Infinity Necklace was inspired by an antique seed pearl necklace. I can remember how much I loved trying on my mother's and my grandmother's jewelry when I was a little girl. (I think most little girls love to do that, right?) But my fascination with vintage and antique jewelry continued...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Aug 2, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Native American beadwork, Bead-weaving, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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When our basement flooded, my beads sought refuge on top of the radiator! My beads are in need of a really good re-organization, and I'm sure that you'll agree after you read this! For years, I've been accumulating beads and findings and fibers and components, and I've always organized...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Jul 28, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Glass Beads, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Native American beadwork, Bead-weaving, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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Creating a Personalized Gift One of the best things about being able to design jewelry is to be able to create a personalized, unique gift especially for a specific person. When a good friend of mine adopted her second child from China, I created a pair of earrings for her that combined mahogany obsidian...
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by
Michelle Mach
on
Jun 6, 2008
Filed under:
Filed under: Gemstones, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Native American beadwork, Bead-weaving, Necklace Making, metalsmithing, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beading Daily
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Creating the Flower Girl Barrette Writers are often advised to imagine their ideal reader and write for that person. A recent Beadwork challenge proved to me that this advice could be adapted for jewelry designers as well. Free Project: Flower Girl Barrette by Michelle Mach For the February/March Beadwork...
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Daily Blogs
by
MichelleM
on
Jan 20, 2008
Filed under:
Filed under: Peyote stitch, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Brick Stitch, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Native American beadwork, Bead-weaving, Beaded Wedding Jewelry, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beading Daily
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Results of the Kitchen Table Poll, or The Very Strange Domestic Habits of Beaders This poll made me feel like I was channeling Margaret Mead! I learned so much about your your cats, your houses, your families, and, oh yeah, your beading habits . . . It all started with an innocent question: Do you use...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
MichelleM
on
Nov 1, 2007
Filed under:
Filed under: Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Native American beadwork, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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Copper, silver, brass, or ? I'm going through a copper phase. The last few necklaces I've made (including "September" pictured at left) have all used copper. I'd blame it on fall--this time of year always makes me want to wear brown or golden colors--except that I've been favoring...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
MichelleM
on
Sep 30, 2007
Filed under:
Filed under: Pearls, Bead Crochet, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Brick Stitch, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Native American beadwork, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Earring Making, Necklace Making, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beading Daily