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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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Daily Blogs
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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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I've always gravitated towards using metals in my bead-weaving and jewelry making projects. Metallic glass seed beads and metal seed beads are favorite beading supplies of mine, and now I've discovered how easy (and how much fun!) it is to use customized metal jewelry making components in my...
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Daily Blogs
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Oct 17, 2012
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Filed under: Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Lapidary, Jewelry Business, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Magazine, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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There is something so appealing about a beaded bead: It can sparkle with simple elegance or it can demand attention the moment you enter a room. The beaded bead can change your entire look with one color or with a multihued pattern. It's one of the easiest ways to add a little extra charm to a piece...
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Inside Beadwork Magazine
by
Kate Wilson
on
Oct 8, 2012
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Filed under: Crystals, bead crafts, Bead-weaving, Seed Bead Patterns, Beaded Beads, Pearls, Bead Making, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beading Daily
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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...
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Daily Blogs
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Oct 3, 2012
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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
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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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Daily Blogs
by
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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Last month, I was lucky enough to be able to take a basic kumihimo with beads class at Bead Fest Philadelphia from the amazing Jill Wiseman. It was so much fun, and I picked it up so quickly, that the next day, I signed up for her advanced kumihimo class where I learned how to add focal beads and make...
Posted to
Beading Supplies We Love
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Sep 11, 2012
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Filed under: Beading Tools, Bead-weaving, Seed Bead Patterns, Stringing, How to Bead, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Bead Crafts, Kumihimo, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, 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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Daily Blogs
by
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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So before I go making all kinds of jokes about cutting you off, cutting it out, and cutting to the point, I just want to say this: the beading tools that you use for cutting your favorite beading thread can be serious business! Depending on what type of beading thread you prefer to use, there are many...
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Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Sep 5, 2012
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Filed under: Bead Making, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Kumihimo, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beading Daily
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These very cool 36 gauge copper sheets from Lilly Pilly Designs open up a whole new world of design possibilities! Chain stitch using wire makes a great decorative element when working with rustic style jewelry designs. I don't know about anyone else, but lately, I'm really getting into make...
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Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Aug 31, 2012
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Filed under: Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Brick Stitch, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, 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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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...
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Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Aug 29, 2012
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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
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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...
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Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Aug 27, 2012
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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
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If you think it takes a long time to walk through the show floor of a huge bead show like Bead Fest Philadelphia, try doing it where you know just about everyone behind the tables in the booths! Bead Fest Philadelphia was a great time for me to catch up with people that I haven't seen since the Tucson...
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Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Aug 23, 2012
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Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Peyote stitch, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Kumihimo, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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I can't think of another bead-weaving stitch that is as versatile as herringbone stitch . Maybe I'm biased - herringbone stitch is, after all, my go-to beading stitch when I want to make a beaded rope for a pendant, a beaded bezel for a cabochon or a crystal stone, or make a fancy beaded collar...
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Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Aug 17, 2012
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Filed under: Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, Herringbone Stitch, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Bracelet Making, Necklace Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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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
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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
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If you love seed bead patterns, 2011 was a very good year. Beadwork magazine's Designers of the Year included beading legends Carol Wilcox Wells, Sherry Serafini, Cynthia Rutledge, and Kelly Wiese. Beading pattern designers everywhere were pushing the envelope with their innovative seed bead patterns...
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Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Jul 30, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Necklace Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beading Daily