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While there is definitely something magical about the look of crystals, my personal style means that I prefer to have crystals play a supporting role, instead of the lead, in most of my beading projects. The good news is that even when crystals take a backseat to other kinds of beads, they can still...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Jun 17, 2013
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Filed under: Peyote stitch, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Mixed Media Jewelry, Bracelet Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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I love a good challenge, don't you? How about the challenge of using a cabochon, without a hole, in a piece of beaded jewelry? When I was learning how to bead, I was thrilled to find out that I didn't need to know metal smithing techniques to include my favorite gemstone cabochons in my beaded...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
May 10, 2013
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Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Gemstones, Peyote stitch, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, Herringbone Stitch, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Mixed Media Jewelry, Necklace Making, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily, Beaded Jewelry, Cabochon, Cabachon
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Whenever I teach a beadweaving class, my students always want to know: what was the first beadweaving stitch you learned? (Followed closely by: which beadweaving stitch is the easiest and best stitch to learn?) It only took me a few hours to make my very first peyote stitch amulet bag, but it took me...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
May 3, 2013
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Filed under: Peyote stitch, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Brick Stitch, Wire Jewelry, Herringbone Stitch, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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Bead artist, blogger, and really good cook Cyndi Lavin There are many reasons why I love bead embroidery , but the Zen-like qualities of the process are probably why I return to it over and over again. On the surface, bead embroidery really is very simple -- just a couple of easy bead stitching techniques...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Mar 8, 2013
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Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Peyote stitch, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Brick Stitch, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Mixed Media Jewelry, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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A few years ago, I landed a teaching gig at a large gem and mineral show in western New York. As I walked the floor after my classes, I marveled at how many different gemstone beads were available. It seemed like there were gemstones for every color, every price range, and every shape that a beader could...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Feb 1, 2013
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Filed under: Gemstones, Peyote stitch, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Necklace Making, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making
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Sometimes, when I can't sleep at night, I try to relax by dreaming up new beaded jewelry design ideas. (I'm not the only one who does that, right?) A couple of weeks ago, as I was trying to fall asleep, I thought about what I was going to do with a hank of beautiful striped seed beads from York...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Dec 14, 2012
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Filed under: Peyote stitch, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Necklace Making, Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making
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Today is 12.12.12! We're almost halfway through December, and there are less than three weeks left in 2012. I always get a little nostalgic in December, and I usually take some time to meditate and reflect on all the wonderful things that have happened during the year. This year is no different,...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Dec 12, 2012
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Filed under: Chain Maille, Bead Embroidery, Gemstones, Peyote stitch, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Brick Stitch, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Steampunk Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Mixed Media Jewelry, Jewelry Stringing Magazine, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily, Beaded Jewelry
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I've really been getting into beading with my glass spike beads from York Beads lately. Now that they come in three sizes, there's a whole new range of options out there for anyone who wants to make their bead-weaving a little more fierce! A few months ago, Melinda Barta posted this great tutorial...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Dec 12, 2012
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Filed under: Chain Maille, Peyote stitch, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Bead Crafts, Beads, Beading Daily
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If I had to choose one thing that I love about creating my own beaded jewelry designs, it would be the unlimited possibilities that are presented to me every time I sit down with my sketchbook and my beads. Really, I can't think of another jewelry-making medium that allows for such expression of...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Nov 21, 2012
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Filed under: Gemstones, Peyote stitch, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, Herringbone Stitch, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Mixed Media Jewelry, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily, Beaded Jewelry
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Silly me. All through high school and college, I thought that jewelry making with materials like fiber, clay, fabric, and paper was just a fun way to make jewelry. Little did I know that it's actually mixed media jewelry, and when I need to stretch my creative muscles a little bit, it's the perfect...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Oct 26, 2012
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Filed under: Chain Maille, Gemstones, Peyote stitch, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Mixed Media Jewelry, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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Last weekend, I started a new necklace making project using a huge crystal stone and an antique Chinese carving I bought from the FamilyonBikes Etsy shop. Designing the focal point of the necklace was structurally challenging, but I had a clear vision in my mind of how I wanted it to look. Making the...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Sep 21, 2012
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Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Peyote stitch, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Wire Jewelry, Herringbone Stitch, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Mixed Media Jewelry, Necklace Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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With so many different kinds of beads out there, it comes as no surprise that beads can be made out of just about anything. Really! I've seen some beads made out of pretty strange stuff -- think moose droppings, bullet casings, and chewed-on pencil nubs. But never fear, even if you're fresh out...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Sep 10, 2012
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Filed under: Peyote stitch, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Polymer Clay Beads, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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Triangulations by Kathie Khaladkar Crystal beads are everywhere these days! When I was at the Tucson bead shows earlier this year, you couldn't turn around without seeing some glitz and glam, and walls and walls of sparkling crystal beads. Truthfully, I was not a huge fan of crystal beads when I...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
May 3, 2012
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Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Gemstones, Peyote stitch, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, Herringbone Stitch, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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I don't often wear bracelets, but I love a good bracelet making project. One of my favorite techniques for bracelet making is bead embroidery using lots of different types of beads and cabochons in all sizes! I used to be of the opinion that bigger was better when it came to bead embroidered bracelet...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Mar 11, 2012
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Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Peyote stitch, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Brick Stitch, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Mixed Media Jewelry, Bracelet Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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What's not to love about beaded bracelets? I've had a longtime love affair with beaded bracelets. Never met a beaded bracelet I didn't like. They're fun to make, fun to wear, and everyone likes a bracelet or two (try pairing up a couple of different bracelets sometime when you feel adventurous...
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Jan 12, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Peyote stitch, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Bracelet Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily