Apr 25, 2019

Dusk is coming... A special Stone Mix from Kate

I just love this simple yet stunning semi precious mix of 6mm rounds, star cuts and a dash of freshwater pearls.

When I design with these beads, I like to let the stones to the taking, so I add a very minimal background- simple pearl knotting or adding a simple 11/0 or 8/0 seed bead, or a Little Shadow bead as spacers. I used this 11/0 in the sample.

Sort in color order for an overall ombre effect, or string in a completely random mix, the choose is yours.

Here are the beads I used in the mix:

Apr 24, 2019

Introducing the New Beadshop Design Team Member, Faye Luxemburg-Hyam

When I first joined the group and began sharing my pieces I noticed a very kind and thoughtful member responded to all my posts with great enthusiasm. That member was Faye, and to this day, over a year later, she continues to comment, inspire, and motivate. Along with a positive attitude, Faye brings passionate talent to our design team. She thrives on experimentation and loves creating “something from nothing.”
To see more of her fabulous designs, be sure to visit her website:  http://silversagedesigns.ca/
-Alley


Give us a little background on why you chose to venture down the jewelry-making path.
“When I was a very young child, my mother and aunt used to give me their broken or unwanted jewelry to play with. Little did they know at the time, but their influence created a life-long passion for the interplay of colour, texture, and design.

I started collecting beads when I was a pre-teen. Never the demure type, I liked big, bold, textured, and colourful beads and of course the sixties created a veritable circus of sensory madness that I took full advantage of. Mostly self-taught, I experimented with beads of all kinds as well as found objects and flea market finds. To mimic beads that I saw in magazines, mostly from other cultures, I learned to make my own from clay, wood, paper, and paint!

I have studied other bead artists and their techniques and, as a lifelong learner, my jewelry creations are always evolving. I have also had the privilege of travelling the world and with each trip, I was drawn to the beads and ornamentation that expressed the culture of the people with whom we came into contact. I love to celebrate diversity in the jewelry I make and to touch the lives of the people who enjoy wearing it.

After a lifetime of working in Social Services, with jewelry making as my meditation, I am in the process of expanding what was a small on-the-side business that mostly marketed to my circles of friends and colleagues to an online shop that will reach out to a broader international market."

Did you ever have an “ah-ha” moment during your jewelry making journey?
“There have been many…they usually come when I figure something out that was so very puzzling to me, like how can I finish my wrap bracelet with a loop--and my friend Alley Mori provides the fix! Or when I discovered how incredible the Xuron crimping tool is to press in the little bit of wire that sticks out after I wrap a wire, or that I can use two colours to do a macramé piece that are either complementary or totally off the wall weird together; or making a tree of life that is not contained but truly wild. I love throwing out SOME of the rules to get AH-HA moments but sometimes they turn into HA-HA moments. It’s all good, it’s all practice and fun.”

What are some fun facts that our web audience would love to know about you?  
“I have lived in four countries including Canada, Southeast Asia, Israel, and Grand Cayman Island. I write poetry in a journal daily as a way to keep my mind sharp and to exercise my writing skills. My Husband calls me Mrs. Burg.”

What is your favorite piece and what made it special?
“Fluorite Fantasy – I adore making these five row cuffs and this particular one was made for one of my best friends. Two of the qualities found in Fluorite, which is the stone primarily used in this piece, are that it increases positivity and helps to balance both physical and emotional energy. While making this piece and after it was finished, I had a true sense of excitement and serenity happening within me at the same time. I knew my friend would love it and felt our connection as I was making it for her.  


Apr 17, 2019

Introducing the New Beadshop Design Team Member, Kim Golias



A big bonus of attending Beadshop’s Bead Retreat last September was meeting Kim.  After spending some time with her, it became apparent she had a creative soul and loved designing unique pieces.  Kim does not formally sell her jewelry but does create many gifts uniquely tailored to the recipient. She also loves to donate special pieces for fundraisers and charity.  Read on below and get to know Kim…

-Alley

Give us a little background on why you chose to venture down the jewelry-making path.
“Between wandering through craft fairs and discovering Beads Baubles and Jewels, I thought, "I should be able to do this." It's not always as easy as it looks but it's been a wonderful journey.  I started out with basic stringing then added bead weaving and some basic bead embroidery. Finding BDSC has taught me to look at beads differently. They've really renewed a joy that had become stagnant."

Did you ever have an “Ah-Ha” moment during your jewelry making journey?
“Early on it was proper crimping.  Recently, two more are courtesy of Kate and Emily: I avoided wrap bracelets until I learned to wax unruly thread.  Game changer! And, when Emily used the triangle as a tool to pick up seed beads and not just a dish, I ordered them right away!  No more picking up beads one or two at a time.”

How do you get out of creative ruts?
“I tend to make simple earrings. You can combine anything and sometimes that spurs a bigger idea. They're also great to have on hand as thank you gifts.  I will sometimes organize or just walk away. More recently, as suggested by Kate, I'll make components to use later. When all that fails, I go on The Bead Table Facebook Group and look at all the pictures of what everyone else is posting while I'm trying to figure out where to start.  I love this group!”

What’s a fun fact that our web audience would love to know about you?  
“I asked my husband this question.  He says it's that I hate ketchup but that I love anything furry so it balances out.”

What is your favorite piece and what made it special?
“I don't know if I have one.  I love any piece that puts a smile on someone's face.  I'm still learning and evolving so I think my favorite is yet to come.”

Well, Kim may not have a favorite piece yet, but we think these are pretty awesome.

Apr 12, 2019

Free Tip Friday: Bollywood for the Guys!

Hey Gang!
I thought you might like to see how I like to put a masculine twist on the Bollywood Bracelet. This one (pictured below left) is made for my husband, Chris and he loves wearing it.

Ingredients:
1 Spool 1.5mm Distressed Dark Green Leather
1 Spool .8mm Grey Chinese Knotting Cord
1 Tube 2/0 Matubos Matte Nebula Turquoise Green
1 Celtic Knot Brass Button



I also made a variation on-air (pictured above right.) I used the ingredients above except I use the Bonkers Button in Antique Brass, added Distressed Green Leather cord and Smoky Black Matte Picasso 8/0 beads.

You'll also want to grab a Thread Burner. A game-changer for this project!

Here you can see both laid out:

Check out the entire broadcast below. Enjoy!

Apr 11, 2019

Introducing the New Beadshop Design Team Member, Danielle Wickes

I recently had a pleasant experience meeting Danielle in person and can truly say she is a treasure.  So full of energy and with a generous heart, our Design Team is very fortunate to have her. Danielle brings a young spirit to our beading community and her designs give us just the right amount of beading diversity.  To help us get to know her better, I asked Danielle some beading related questions. Check out her answers below and be sure to visit her jewelry focused website.

-Alley
Give us a little background on why you chose to venture down the jewelry-making path.
“My original venture down the design path started in 2005 when I was asked to make something for my mom using some gemstones my dad had found on a trip. I hadn’t done any serious jewelry design. Up until then, I had mainly been a crochet artist and really into sewing bags and clothes. Tasked with the assignment to create this jewelry for my mom, I walked into my local brick and mortar store and asked for ideas. I didn’t realize at the time, but I met a future best friend that day and my journey with jewelry design started there. I learned most of what I know from the store manager, Amy, and the rest on the internet, during a week at Pratt Fine Arts Center and also at home, just playing with beads and wire. Amy also taught me metalsmithing and metal clay. I had an incredibly fun time all those wonderful years; all the learning and friendships made are some of the best memories of my life."

Did you ever have an “ah-ha moment" during your jewelry making journey?
“I think I have had a few 'ah-ha moments' in jewelry making. They’ve come up in different places in my journey. One recent one was photography lighting - really getting educated on that and making it my focus for a while has helped motivate me to create more. For a long time, I didn’t have a way to share my work because my pictures were not really showing my pieces. The other ah-ha piece is having a community to share with.”

What’s a fun fact that our web audience would love to know about you?  
“Let’s see, a fun fact about me, I love distance running and I am into sci-fi shows and movies.”

What is your favorite piece and what made it special?
“My favorite jewelry piece was made during one of the Beadshop LIVE shows. We (my then 4 year-old Patrick and I) created this necklace for my mom. He chose everything: the pendant, every bead, every charm, and the button. The project was a free-form necklace with Kate and Janice (The Zen of Stringing). We spent about an hour before the broadcast filling a bead tray with everything as he dug around and chose treasures and strands, holding up seed bead tubes and shaking them. He asked questions about all the beads and was very selective. He chose shells and honeybees, and man this boy can colorway! He did this earth tones balance with rose and turquoise and some wooden beads. He was not afraid to mix up metal finishes, and then he topped it all with the aurora borealis Full Moon button. When we gave this to my mom she literally cried. It was pretty much the best jewelry I’ve ever made. He also chose the clover charm as his signature: from Patrick.”


Apr 5, 2019

Dance of the Damselfly

We all love a good Monthly Mix, don't we? Well, we especially love Alley Mori's mix! Created while she was visiting the Beadshop offices in February 2019, Alley's Kaleidoscope Mix was inspired by a gorgeous Stev'nn Hall piece of art that has been making the rounds in our private FB Group as an inspirational photo.



Alley put Kaleidoscope to work in this latest wrap bracelet masterpiece...adding O Beads, SuperDuos and CzechMates Tiles to round out the mix, this wrap is just heavenly. See more photos and her ingredients list below! We've added some "or" options to the list, since Alley used a button from her own stash and also because some of these items are very popular and are often sold out! Check out these substitutions on Kate's FTF, which we'll embed below after the Live Broadcast airs.


Ingredients:
1 Small to Medium Silver Button, we suggest  Little Fish Pond Button OR Humble Lotus Button
1 Spool Eggplant Micro C-Lon
1 Spool Grape OR Amethyst Micro C-Lon
1 Spool Teal Micro C-Lon
1 Pkg 1.5mm Metallic Maroon Leather
1 Pkg 1.5mm Metallic Purple Leather
1 Pkg 1.5mm Metalic Teal Leather
1 Tube Kaleidoscope Monthly Mix
1 Tube SuperDuos- Pastel Bordeaux OR Halo Magenta
1 Pkg O Beads- Crystal French Rose
1 Pkg O Beads- Crystal Magenta
1 Pkg O Beads- Crystal Cerulean Blue
1 Strand CzechMates Tiles- Pearl Coat Teal
(Are we out? Take a peek at our other Blue-Green CzechMates Tiles or try these colors: Gold Marble Rosaline, Metallic Flax or Matte Metallic Copper)
1 Dragonfly Pebble Bead OR Bali Dancer Slider
2 Jardin Round Rings- Antique Silver
1 Pkg Transitions Beads- Antique Pewter

**FYI, Alley paired her Leathers and Micro C-Lons as follows:
Metallic Maroon with Eggplant
Metallic Purple with Grape or Amethyst
Metallic Teal with Teal

Additional Learning:
How to Ladder
How to Macramé
Alley's Splice, four on Page 13 of these Episode Notes
FTF 4.5.19


Check out how Alley does her "splice" here...this joining of the leather at the middle of a wrap enables her to use lark's head knots at both ends...isn't that clever? Kate shows this more in-depth on the FTF episode linked above and embedded below. Check out these photos from Alley and Kate's broadcast to take a closer look at how this comes together! Note how Alley's splice can be covered by a variety of large-holed beads...in her sample she uses the Dragonfly Pebble Bead, on Kate's it's the Bali Dancer Slider...but you could also use Czech Rollers, Transitions, Evolve, River Shannon, a variety of Sliders...you do you! You can also see, above, how Alley attaches all three of her laddered sections of her Alley Bracelet (AKA Kate's Favorite on Steroids) by tying one strand in a lark's head knot through the button shank and then attaching the other two leathers to that knot itself rather than to the shank, chichis so smart!










































Finally, here's the video! Enjoy...



Apr 4, 2019

Introducing the New Beadshop Design Team

A Note From Alley Mori, Design Team Lead...

Something tasty is cooking at Beadshop.com and we are serving up a whole lot of beady deliciousness.  Just wait until you see the spread we are creating!  (Hint: another Look Book, maybe?)

It all started with Kate’s vision – she wanted to share a variety of talents and special jewelry designs with all of you.  What better way than to create a design team made up of customers and Bead Table members?

And…never afraid to take on a challenge, I have stepped up to organize and guide the team.  Our mission is to design and create jewelry from Inspiration Boxes of materials and products curated by the Beadshop staff.  Every member receives the same box and it is up to them to interpret the outcome.  Each talented designer has very different aesthetic visions, which in turn, will provide some varied and diverse jewelry pieces.  Oh, what fun!

Without giving too much more away, I would like to introduce the Team (from left to right) - Danielle Wickes, Faye Luxemburg-Hyam, Kim Golias and me, Alley Mori

























Stay tuned.  We will debut each designer and showcase some of their favorite creations coming up on future posts this month. Check out the blog on Thursdays for more!


Alley

Apr 3, 2019

Beadshop LIVE 4/3: Making a Mix

Thanks so much for joining me today. It was such fun to create a color palette and choose the seed beads right on air.
This is the original photo posted in The Bead Table FB Group by member, Faye.

Here are the completed mixes. Both use the exact same base recipe with just two different beads per mix.

The top row in the photo above is the lighter, Dewdrop Blossom. The second row is the darker, Tokyo Cherry Blossom.

SizeAmountColor NameColor Number
11/03.5GOpaque Turq Green11-412
11/03.5GPink Lined Crystal AB11-272
11/03GMatte Opaque Beige11-2022
8/05GTea Rose AB8-155FR
8/02GMatte Transparent Lt Topaz AB8-132FR
8/02.5GMatte Transparent Yellow AB8-136FR
8/05GBlush Lined Crystal6-215
8/07.5GPale Pink Silverlined Alabaster6-555
Toyko 
8/03GMatte Transparent Ruby8-141FR
8/02GGilding Matte Metal See BeadMT8-GLMMT
OR 
8/02GDuracoat Galvanized Gold 8-4202
Dewdrop
8/03GSilverlined Paris Pink8-4238
8/02GMatte Zinc Metal Seed Bead
OR
8/02GSilver Metal Seed Bead

You can download the mixing sheet I filled out at this link.

If you missed the episode, watch it right here:

Flash Sale Friday...get creative!

Last week Kate went shopping for some special strands at a local gem show, and she brought back six stone strands she couldn't live with...