Welcome to Tammy Powley!

We are so lucky to roll out the red carpet for Tammy Powley as she comes on board our team as Guest Blogger and Facebook Manager. For more than 16 years, Tammy was the Jewelrymaking Guide for about.com where she maintained and wrote a large library of jewelry making content. When Tammy and I first met, we were both early pioneers of jewelry making on the Internet and often collaborated on projects for her site. Projects from The Bead Shop are included in some of her books (more than dozen have been published so far). In fact, Making Designer Gemstone and Pearl Jewelry was her first book, and one of my pieces was selected for the cover....I was very flattered.

Through her blog, Crafty Princess Diaries, her Youtube Channel and Facebook following, Tammy continues to be an active member of the jewelry and beading community and is a force to be reckoned with! Did I say she is also a Professor of English at Indian River State College in Florida? 

After a 10 year career as a technical writer, Tammy returned to academia. She earned her Ph.D. in Texts and Technology in 2008 from the University of Central Florida. Her full-time “day” job includes teaching creative writing, composition, and technical communications. This woman is the real deal and we are thrilled to have her working remotely from her home in Florida, which she shares with her husband Michael, who has been her partner for almost 30 years, and her menagerie of cats and dogs. This is a real treat.

I hope you will all welcome this eclectic, creative, funny, warm, animal-loving crafter into our tribe. Welcome, Tammy! And, if you’d like to reach out to Tammy, you can email her at tammy.beadshop@gmail.com.

Thanks so much,

~janice

New Odyssey Projects

Odyssey, a waxed linen and beaded wrapped jewelry project, has three new samples: Tiger, Tiger; Caribbean Queen; and First Blush. This is a must make project that incorporates colored cord with Hill Tribe silver beads, heishi, and our awesome new cubes.

Follow our easy to use project maps, ingredients list, and free PDF project handout to make any of these new designs.

Beadshop Flash Back Friday

Happy Friday! You have probably heard of Throwback Thursday on Facebook and other social media outlets. How about carrying the idea of looking back at fun jewelry projects into Friday? We can enjoy a flash from the past and look at what was happening a few years ago when it comes to beads and jewelry designing.

Color is one of the most important elements when designing jewelry, and back in May of 2014, a popular quick tip post showed how to use a photograph to inspire the colors for a new piece of jewelry. Read more about this fun color technique at this post, Palette from a Photograph. 

In July of 2014, the shop's Bollywood Earrings tutorial was published, and it was so popular that it inspired a full how-to video:

For a final blast from the past, that same year a really interesting blog post was published that discussed Tribal and Trade beads. Beadshop is well-known for its collection of beautiful beads from around the world, and this blog entry written by Lacey McAdoo in September of 2014 talks about one fun experience the beadshop crew had discovering some amazing bead finds. 

Bead Jewelry for the Holidays

Creating beaded jewelry offers a two-fold opportunity when it comes to making gifts for the holidays. Gift recipients receive a beautifully crafted piece of jewelry made especially for them, and you have the enjoyment of making jewelry using quality beads and findings. If you are thinking of making some jewelry for a few folks on your gift list, it is never too early to start. 

Beadshop has all the ingredients and supplies as well as step-by-step instructions and even some videos to get you started. Below are some projects to consider as you map out your gift-making strategy:

Stretch Therapy: These are one of our post popular projects for a few reasons: one size fits all; easily personalized with charms and color selection; and unisex so both the guys and gals on your list can wear them. You can make multiple bracelets to give so they can be worn stacked, or make one bracelet and then make additional bracelets as future gifts for the same person. 

Poetry: This necklace or bracelet combination design can be worn a variety of ways. Wear it wrapped multiple times around your wrist, or wear it as a long, draping necklace with a focal element dangling from the center. It can even be worn doubled as a shorter necklace. Personalize it by selecting the favorite color of whomever you plan to give it to, or go with neutrals in case you aren’t sure who you will gift it to. (You may even decide that you can’t part with it!)


Frame of Mind Necklace: If you have a few minimalists on your gift list, then this necklace will speak to them. Its style is classic with a mix of chain and a plump potato pearl surrounded by a unique metal frame finding. And, it couldn’t be simpler to make, as the design is available in silver or gold-tone kits. This piece pairs well with other necklaces, such as a pretty strand of pearls or a plain chain.

The Dancer Earrings: Such a unique design, these fun earrings will be a joy to make and wear, and beadshop has mapped out everything you need: kits, project recipe, and step-by-step video as well. While the color selection is almost endless, six color variations are already developed so that you can get into the design process right away. 

These are just a few of many projects ready for you to start making now and give later!

Make Your Bead Wishes Come True

Do you keep a mental list of beads and jewelry making supplies that you hope or plan to purchase someday? With beadshop’s new “Wishlist” feature, when you see something you love, just wish-list it! When an item on your wish list goes on sale, you are ready. Plus, if your “honey” or kids want to know what to get you for your birthday, you already have a list to share with them. 

Setting up your wish list is super easy. Just create an account by first selecting the Login link in the top-right corner of the beadsop home page. You will be prompted for information such as your name and email address.

A few minutes later, you are ready to start shopping and add to your Wishlist. Each product in the shop has an Add to Wishlist link. 

The Wishlist feature is simple to use but also surprisingly robust as it allows you to create multiple lists or share through social media. After logging in, you can view your Wishlist by selecting the Wishlist link at the top-right corner of the beadshop home page, or you can view it at any time through links provided in product descriptions as you shop. Every time you stop by to visit beadshop, you can view your Wishlist, change it, or use it to shop. It is very simple and convenient to use! 

Jewelry Making Tutorials and Throwback Thursday

What was on our bead board a few summers ago? It is fun to take a look back and see what was popular. Yellows in interesting shades of mustard were trending, and chain was also on the bead agenda. Here are a few jewelry tutorials beadshop posted in 2014 that you can still enjoy today:

• Autumn Inspired Bollywood Bracelets
• Chain Tassel Earrings
• Across Cultures Bracelet

Beadshop Shop Tab Quick Tip

Beadshop is always looking for ways to help beaders access the ingredients they need to make beautiful jewelry. That is why the Shop Tab was developed. 

If you see a design you want to create on the Projects Page, you can quickly locate all the information you need with just a few mouse clicks: 

• Select the project you want from the Projects Page.
• Under the image of the project is a list of ingredients needed.
• Select the Shop Tab to the right for a shopping list.
• Then just select what you need to add to your cart.

All of the ingredients are right there. Just review the “Quantities Needed for Project” so you’re sure to add the right amount to the cart. In some cases, you may only need 1 of an ingredient, but it's still good to read the recipe on the left and make sure you only need one and then include that quantity. Then you can add what you need from the list provided under the Shop Tab. 

Within minutes, you will have everything you need in your cart!

New Half Tila Beads

Beadshop is celebrating the new Half Tila beads from Miyuki of Japan. Think of Half Tila beads as the little sister to Full-size Tilas. They still have two holes and work wonderfully for beadweaving, but at 5 x 2.3 x 1.9mm, they are half the size and capable of patterning, like Herringbone. Below you can see the Full-size (top) versus the Half-size Tila Beads (bottom).

The smaller beads help create a more delicate and intricate look to your finished jewelry, but they can be a bit more challenging for a beginner beader. Thankfully, the holes are the same as full Tilas (0.8mm), so you can ladder with Tuff Cord #1 and beadweave multiple passes with Hana Thread or KO and a Size 10 Beadsmith needle. 

In the Pathways project, Linnea Lortsher has creatively adapted the herringbone weave to three colorways, giving the reader choices in what to choose to weave: 

1. Perfect Day in all one color shows off the beauty of the Half Tila without any distractions. It's just really elegant in any color you choose.

Perfect Day by Linnea Lortsher

2. Native Grass features two contrasting colors that highlight both the pattern and the opposite attraction of a matted-finish and a shiny Half Tila next to each other.

Native Grass by Linnea Lortsher

3: Deep Sea features two colors close together on the spectrum, which creates harmony.  

Deep Sea by Linnea Lortsher

In this boldly-colored design, Surf 'n Turf by Beckie TenEyck, the Half Tilas are able to dot their way along the design for more interest. Inspired by Mosaic 4 Wrap, Beckie chose a leather and Tuff Cord in the same color so they won't compete with the beads for attention.

We hope you will enjoy the Pathways handout, the project maps, and find this new bead from Miyuki as much fun as we do. Celebrate along with us as you weave and ladder some beautiful beaded jewelry!