-
Of all the jewelry-making supplies out there, my favorite (next to seed beads, of course) has to be wire. I wasn't always a fan of wire wrapping techniques, but once I saw just how versatile it is, I started reading up on my wire wrapping tutorials wherever I could. Wire and beads can be used to...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Apr 12, 2013
Filed under:
Filed under: Gemstones, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, Seed Bead Patterns, Mixed Media Jewelry, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making
-
I recently rekindled my love of the glass druk when I started designing my Hoarder of Beauty necklace using a handful of Czech glass gumdrop beads. As I was designing the individual components that went into the finished design, someone suggested that I use bicones. I knew I didn't have enough bicones...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Apr 1, 2013
Filed under:
Filed under: Gemstones, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making
-
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,...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Dec 12, 2012
Filed under:
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
-
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...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Oct 26, 2012
Filed under:
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
-
I get some great inspirations for my beading and wire jewelry making projects from the things my son does in preschool. Just the other day, we made weavings using popsicle sticks and yarn -- do you remember making those as a kid? You glue the popsicle sticks together to form a cross, then start weaving...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Oct 3, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Gemstones, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Beading Tools, Jewelry Business, Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine, Bead Crafts, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
-
Have you ever learned a new beading technique that just sent you over the edge, creatively? Ever since I learned how to do kumihimo at Bead Fest Philadelphia this year, my brain has been on creative overload with all kinds of ideas for using this fast and fabulous Japanese braiding technique to make...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Aug 29, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Gemstones, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Kumihimo, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
-
On my recent trip to Bead Fest Philadelphia, I made a trip across the river to southern New Jersey, where I got to meet up with the fabulous Amy Blevins and see her gorgeous bead shop, Bead & Glass Boutique . When I travel, I like to seek out small, independent bead shops and do a little shopping...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Aug 27, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Gemstones, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Polymer Clay Beads, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making
-
I've really been getting into working with easy wire wrapping projects lately, and these two blank metal cuff bracelets from this month's A Grain of Sand Bead Hoard Curiosities Club just spoke to me as soon as I saw them. They wanted me to wrap them with wire and beads to make a couple of fun...
Posted to
Beading Instructions
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Aug 8, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Wire Jewelry, Seed Bead Patterns, Beading Tools, Pearls, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How to Bead, Gemstones, Bead Crafts, Wire Wrapping, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads
-
I've been doing a lot of wire jewelry making projects lately, thanks in no small part to my ever-improving wire jewelry making skills. I've discovered that just knowing how to make simple loops, wrapped loops, and jump rings can translate into a whole wire jewelry project! So after seeing some...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Jul 23, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Chain Maille, Bead Embroidery, Gemstones, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
-
If you haven't seen it yet, there is some serious beady eye candy over at the Battle of the Beadsmith group on Facebook. Eighty beaders from around the world were selected to compete, and the finished beaded necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and accessories are just amazing! As I was looking at all...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Jul 17, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Gemstones, Peyote stitch, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Necklace Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beading Daily
-
Hello, my name is Jennifer VanBenschoten, and I am a cabochon addict. I admitted that fact years ago, although I'm not sure how much it's helped me. My cabochon collection seems to be growing exponentially every year with no end in sight. As long as I keep coming across gorgeous hand-cut gemstone...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Mar 4, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Gemstones, Peyote stitch, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Mixed Media Jewelry, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beading Daily, Beaded Jewelry
-
These easy wire wrapped beads make great spacers with more antique trade beads or more organic gemstone beads. Being sort of a newcomer to wire work and wire jewelry-making, I have always admired those folks who can take a piece of wire and bend it (like magic!) to transform it into a bead or jewelry...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Nov 27, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Gemstones, Bead Making, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Bead Crafts, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
-
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
-
So, the first thing that you should know about me is that I'm a total cabochon freak. I love beading with cabochons. One of the things that I always find to be a fun challenge when I'm stitching up a beaded cabochon necklace is what kind of fringe and strap I'm going to add to turn my beadwork...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Jun 15, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Gemstones, Peyote stitch, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Necklace Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beading Daily, Cabochon
-
Ever since Carole Cypher returned from her adventures in Japan last year, I've been hearing about these amazing new beading needles that she brought back with her. Tulip needles were reputed to be stronger, more flexible, and less likely to bend and break than other types of beading needles. Tulip...
Posted to
Beading Supplies We Love
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Jun 8, 2011
Filed under:
Filed under: Peyote Stitch, Crystals, Beading Tools, Bead-weaving, Seed Bead Patterns, Gemstones, How to Bead, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads