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Why should you learn about beadmaking? Even if you only ever do bead-weaving (or think that you'll only ever do bead-weaving, and nothing else!) knowing a little bit about beadmaking can actually help when you're working on your own beaded jewelry designs, or making a beading project your own...
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Daily Blogs
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
May 17, 2013
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Filed under: Gemstones, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Mixed Media Jewelry, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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It's true -- pearls never go out of style. Whether you like to do bead stringing or bead stitching, freshwater pearls are an elegant and classic addition to any beaded jewelry design. Pearls come in so many different shapes these days that it's easy to find just the right style to compliment...
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Daily Blogs
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
May 13, 2013
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Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Gemstones, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Stringing, Glass Beads, How To Bead, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily, Pearl
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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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Daily Blogs
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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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What I'm about to tell you is something that I've never before declared publicly. You may be shocked. You may be appalled. You may even urge me to seek counseling. But it needs to be said, so here it goes: I designed this necklace using just vintage glass stones and vintage glass pearls. No crystals...
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Daily Blogs
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Apr 26, 2013
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Filed under: Gemstones, Pearls, Crystals, Bead Making, Glass Beads, How To Bead, Bead-weaving, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily, Gemstone Jewelry
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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
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Apr 12, 2013
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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
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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...
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Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Apr 1, 2013
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Filed under: Gemstones, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead Crafts, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making
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A small, flat peyote strip doesn't have to be uninteresting -- there are so many different ways that a strip of peyote stitch can be used! Try this free beading project for an easy peyote stitch bail for use with a crystal pendant or a gemstone donut. String it on your favorite ribbon for a fast...
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Beading Instructions
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Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Mar 29, 2013
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Filed under: Bead-weaving, Crystals, Beading Tools, Peyote Stitch, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How to Bead, Bead Embroidery, Gemstones, Bead Crafts, Jewelry Making, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Necklace Making
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Oh, yes, even though I always seem to have a hard time coming up with designs for beaded earrings, I love to stitch up earring making projects from other talented beading designers! I really can't get enough of them -- earring making projects are great for last-minute gifts, or when I just need a...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Mar 22, 2013
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Filed under: Gemstones, Peyote stitch, Pearls, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Herringbone Stitch, How To Bead, Bead-weaving, Earring Making, Necklace Making, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily
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Warning: Long Story Alert. Last winter, my husband and I took a parenting class with our son's preschool teacher. One evening during class, I started noticing the patterns on the beautiful purple shirt worn by the teacher, and of course, my beady brain got to thinking about how I could re-create...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Feb 25, 2013
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Filed under: Gemstones, Peyote stitch, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Glass Beads, 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
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In case I haven't mentioned it lately, I'm addicted to cabochons. If you take a look through my bead stash, you'll find drawers and drawers full of them -- gemstone cabochons, handmade ceramic and porcelain cabochons, even vintage Lucite cabochons and cabochons made from things like resin...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Feb 22, 2013
Filed under:
Filed under: Bead Embroidery, Gemstones, Peyote stitch, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, Brick Stitch, Glass Beads, Herringbone Stitch, How To Bead, Bead-weaving, Mixed Media Jewelry, Necklace Making, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily, Beaded Jewelry
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My two favorite fashion trends right now (it changes often) are the raw gemstone and druzy components showing up in jewelry! Last weekend I decided to bezel an agate druzy bead with gold to create a new pendant for myself--and I've received a shower of compliments! I used 1.5mm gold cubes for 5 rows...
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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...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Feb 1, 2013
Filed under:
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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One of the jewelry trends that has been popping up on my radar lately is the use of raw gemstones in jewelry. Instead of the polished, symmetrical bead shapes that we are used to, jewelry designers are embracing the beauty of the natural world by incorporating stones in their organic forms into their...
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Like many of you, my daughter has a December birthday. I'd like to create a special piece of jewelry incorporating her birthstone so I've gathered a few tips from some very helpful web sites with information on birthstones and gemstones. This American Gem Society chart provides the history of...
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Ootheca cuff by Rachel Nelson-Smith It's December 1, and that means it's time to start thinking about all those glittery crystal bead jewelry pieces that we're going to wear for the holidays! True, I don't usually wear a lot of beaded jewelry made with crystals. I love to buy crystals...
Posted to
Daily Blogs
by
Jennifer VanBenschoten
on
Dec 1, 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Gemstones, Crystals, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How To Bead, Seed Bead Patterns, Bead-weaving, Necklace Making, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily