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Two Is Better Than One Some things are better done solo. Shopping for unmentionables 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? Well, we’ve both done the solo author thing (check...
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Michelle Mach
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May 4, 2009
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Filed under: Crystals, Stringing, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, metalsmithing, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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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 of MaryLou Holvenstot's Limelight Leopard in...
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Michelle Mach
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Apr 29, 2009
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Filed under: Chain Maille, Bead Embroidery, Bead Making, Stringing, Wire Jewelry, Seed Bead Patterns, Native American beadwork, Bead-weaving, Beads, Beading Daily
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No Business Like Show Business 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...
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Warning: This blog may upset sensitive beaders. Have You Ever Tortured Your Beads? Sadly, my answer is yes . I adore beads, but that doesn't mean they are always safe in my care. I spill beads onto the sofa and sit on them. I vacuum them up. Occasionally, I break them with my pliers. Once, in a scene...
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Michelle Mach
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Apr 24, 2009
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Filed under: Peyote stitch, Bead Making, Stringing, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine, Beads, Beading Daily
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My Mad Men Obsession (and How It Relates to Beading) I’ve been obsessed with the cable series Mad Men lately. If you haven’t seen it, it’s basically a smart soap about Madison Avenue ad execs in 1960. It’s all about sharp suits, Doris Day-style frilly aprons over petticoated taffeta...
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The Little Touches That Matter Most On August 2, 2008, my life changed forever. My fiancé Michael got down on one knee, took my hand, and asked me to marry him. The first words out of my mouth (with joyful tears) were, “Absolutely, 100 percent, yes!” First, we told our families, and...
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Michelle Mach
on
Apr 13, 2009
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Filed under: Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine, Beaded Wedding Jewelry, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beading Daily
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A Lifetime Supply of Wire When I started working with wire, my local bead shop talked me into a 20-foot spool of silver craft wire for practicing wrapped loops. I left there convinced that I had bought a "lifetime" supply of wire. It took me forever to make a single wrapped loop--I was always...
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Michelle Mach
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Apr 10, 2009
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Filed under: Chain Maille, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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Quick and Easy--and a Great Birthday Gift! I've been looking for an earring project for an April birthday gift and this week's free project from Step by Step Beads , Crystal Corona Earrings , is perfect. It's easy to customize with your favorite colors using materials you probably already...
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Michelle Mach
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Mar 27, 2009
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Filed under: Peyote stitch, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Earring Making, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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Mix It Up I met a well-known jewelry designer last year who confessed that she sometimes enjoyed mixing high- and low-end components together--beads from her local craft store with some high-end silver or handcrafted art beads or findings. I admitted to her that I did this, too. Looking back, it's...
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Michelle Mach
on
Mar 20, 2009
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Filed under: Gemstones, Pearls, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Beading Tools, Bracelet Making, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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I'm pleased to introduce today's guest editor, Helen Driggs. Helen is the managing editor of Jewelry Artist magazine in which she writes a regular column, Cool Tools & Hip Tips. She also writes the free newsletter, Jewelry Artist Flashcard , which is published every other week. Helen will...
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Working with Multiple Focals Have you ever created a necklace with more than one focal bead? When I saw Katie Hacker's free Perfect Pinwheels necklace from Beadwork , I admired how she managed to use more than one large bead in her asymmetrical necklace. While I've combined smaller beads together...
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Michelle Mach
on
Mar 13, 2009
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Filed under: Crystals, Bead Making, Stringing, Glass Beads, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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Today's guest Connie Fox has been making jewelry for over 10 years. She teaches at major jewelry events including Bead Fest Wire and is a frequent contributor to Jewelry Artist and Step by Step Beads . Connie writes the "Wire Workshop" column in every issue of Step by Step Wire Jewelry...
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Michelle Mach
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Mar 9, 2009
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Filed under: Bead Making, Wire Jewelry, Wire Wrapping, How To Bead, Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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Can You Design a Necklace for Under $25? Of course you can! The real challenge is to design something for that amount that looks like it came from a pricey boutique--or Stringing magazine. Danielle Fox, Elizabeth Murray, and I all took the challenge for the Spring 2009 issue . I had so much fun, I decided...
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Daily Blogs
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Michelle Mach
on
Feb 27, 2009
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Filed under: Chain Maille, Gemstones, Bead Making, Stringing, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Beading Tools, Necklace Making, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Beading Daily
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4 Ways to Finish Flat Peyote Stitch One of the most common questions I receive (other than “What’s for dinner?”) is “How do I finish a flat peyote-stitched bracelet so I can wear it?” As with most beadwork projects, there are a hundred ways to skin this potato, and those...
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Enter the New Semiprecious Beads Challenge When you're starting out, it's easiest to string one or two types of beads together. Combining three or more can be tricky. You'll need to juggle multiple colors and possibly different shapes and sizes. Because of the design skill involved, I thought...
Posted to
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Michelle Mach
on
Feb 20, 2009
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Filed under: Gemstones, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Wire Jewelry, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Mixed Media Jewelry, Bracelet Making, Step by Step Wire Jewelry Magazine, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily