About Jewelry Making News Headlines:
Looking Ahead to Bead & Button Show?
I know that summer seems like a long way off. However, think about for a minute. We are already headed into to mid-March. Yikes! Have you thought about your bead plans for the summer like possibly attending one of the biggest jewelry and beading shows in the US? Bead and Button's annual show by the same name is already in the works including vendors, seminars, and workshops.
The 2010 Bead and Button Show is being held from June 6th to June 13th at the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Whie there are, of course, lots and lots of beading classes to pick from including bead embroidery, various types of bead weaving, and bead stringing, this show isn't just about beads. Other classes include resin, polymer clay, wire, and more.
You can keep up to date with new additions to the class list as well as sign up for class or just find out more details about the when, where, and what (we all know the why!) at the Bead and Button Show web site. Looking Ahead to Bead & Button Show? originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 15:36:49. Permalink | Comment | Email this Jump Rings Videos
 Properly opening and closing jump rings is a pretty important skill to master when making jewelry since jump rings are often used to connect up the various parts and pieces of jewelry items. They are also regularly used on the end of necklaces and bracelets to connect to clasps. I have a pretty good tutorial about jump rings called "Fixing Jump Ring Problems." It covers issues such as how to determine a good quality jump ring from one that isn't that well made as well as opening and closing them correctly so that they stay put.
Watching someone working with jump rings is also a good way to get a handle on how best to work with them, and jewelry designer Elena Adams has started creating a series of free videos focusing primarily on jump rings as well as chain maille jewelry, which is her expertise. You can find her beautiful silver and bead chain jewelry on her web site, Elena Adams Designs, and after getting a little inspiration over there, head over to your YouTube area and view her first two jump rings videos. Jump Rings Videos originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Monday, March 8th, 2010 at 11:01:14. Permalink | Comment | Email this Jewelry Junkie Link Love 03/07/10
Beading Arts
Cyndi is running a contest on Beading Arts, and the prize is an absolutely free advertisement!
A Bead A Day
Want to stand out from across a crowded room? These Electric Sparkly Beads ought to do the trick!
Barbe Saint John - New Jewelry from Forgotten Artifacts
Barbe is avoiding work by showing some pics of recently made creations.
Art Bead Scene
Got cabin fever? ABS has some beady suggestions so you can get out of the house.
Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Ferris wheels, carnivals, and comedians inspire a new Song Lore Saturday post for Melanie
Carmi's Art/Life World
A new spring challenge from Artbeads.com means Carmi has a new brooch!
Cindy Gimbrone aka The Lampwork Diva
Squee! Rings N Things sends shell pearls which Cindy mixes with her single color lampwork beads.
Katie's Beading Blog
Surf on over to Katie's blog for ideas about making your own chain, layering components, and easy earrings.
Lorelei's Blog: Inside the Studio
The answers still hold true in this interview that Lorelei had with herself back in 2008.
Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean made a necklace for a relative. Of course, it had to be perfect. Therefore she turned to Kazuri Beads!
Jewelry Junkie Link Love 03/07/10 originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 11:14:20. Permalink | Comment | Email this Metal Clay Contest Extended
 Metal Clay Artist Magazine and Metal Clay Findings have teamed up to bring readers and metal clay enthusiasts the first of its kind design contest. The original deadline for this contest was recently extended until April 1, 2010. Basically, the premise is that entrants must use some of the supplies from a kit of metal clay findings (pictured) and create a one-of-a-kind jewelry piece that is primarily made up of metal clay. Other materials may be included as well such as fiber, beads, and stones, but at least half of the finally submitted jewelry piece must be made of metal clay.
The first, second, and third prizes win placement in a Metal Clay Findings advertisement plus gift certificates to Metal Clay Findings:
1st place $200 (US)
2nd place $100 (US)
3rd place $50 (US)
You can find out more about the rules of this contest over at Metal Clay Artist Magazine's web site as well as kit information at the Metal Clay Findings' web site.
Metal Clay Contest Extended originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 11:21:50. Permalink | Comment | Email this FMG Fires Up Copper & Bronze Clay
 If you have the March 2010 Fire Mountain Gems and Beads supplemental catalog, flip it open to pages 84, 85, 86, and 87 for some hot metal clay information. First of all, I didn't know that this company carried bronze metal clay (aka BronzClay) and copper metal clay (aka COPPRclay), but yes, they do now. It also has the other supplies you need for firing this such as the carbon material that the clays have to put in while firing, stainless steel pan and lid, firing fork, and of course, kiln.
I have been experimenting with copper clay for awhile now and have really liked the results. In fact, I have a number of free metal clay jewelry projects as well has firing information tutorials. Along with the supplies, this latest FMG supplement also has a list of tips for working with bronze and copper clays, firing schedule, and a free project. All this information was complied by FMG's jewelry making expert, Tammy Honaman, and I think you'll really like the project where she shows how to make "Drum Beads," hollow vessels that you could incorporate into all kinds of jewelry designs.
Other jewelry making tutorials in the March catalog supplement include a quadruple strand bracelet, "Golden Hue," that uses a bronze clay or gold-filled toggle clasp and a really cool bead cap project called "Roped In" that shows how to use jump rings to form a bead cap for a large focal bead. FMG Fires Up Copper & Bronze Clay originally appeared on About.com Jewelry Making on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 11:19:48. Permalink | Comment | Email this | 
