Beading More then Jewelry

Once you’ve adopted a beading hobby it’s easy to find yourself up to your neck in earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Your jewelry box is full, your friend’s jewelry boxes are full and yet you still have the desire to create beautiful objects with beads.  No matter where your interests take you, there are amazing items to be created with beads.

Accessories.  Belts, handbags, and hair accessories all deserve a little embellishment.  Handbags and belts can both be made entirely of beads or you can find a pattern to sew onto your favorite accessory.  Crystal beads, gems, and metallic beads are an excellent choice for an evening bag.  Smaller beads and beads with an ethnic flair work very well for belts.  Hair accessories, headbands, bands, barrets and the like can be made entirely of beads using elastic or hot glued to give a plain band a festive shine.  Accessories are also an excellent place to use those extra beads you have lying around.

Fabric and paper art.  Grab a needle and thread, a piece of elegant paper, silk or other fabric background and create a masterpiece.  Patterns can be found online or you can create your own pattern or design.

Home accessories. Vases, candle holders, baskets, cabinet knobs and much more can be adorned with beads.  Grab your hot glue gun, a collection of gems or crystal beads and create unique accessories.  Napkin holders are often decorated with beads or made entirely out of beads.  And picture frames are the perfect foundation for glass beads.  Use this project to create a one of a kind gift for a loved one.

Holiday decorations.  You can use beads to decorate an entire holiday tree.  Beads can be used to make snowmen, angels, snowflakes, Santa clause and much more.  Hearts can be created from beads and displayed during Valentines, St. Patrick’s, Earth day etc…Any holiday can be a reason to create a beadwork masterpiece.

Create real, usable pieces or art.  Bookmarks can be created with beads.  Lamps adorned with or made from crystals can hang from the ceiling. Vases and candle holders can be created from beads and wonderful figurine project ideas, including some truly magnificent bugs, can be found online.

Stepping outside of jewelry with beads can take your hobby farther than you imagine.  It’s amazing to watch small glass beads evolve into major works of art.  Grab your favorite beads and start exploring non-jewelry options today.

Getting started with beads and findings

Ever catch a glimpse of a beautiful bracelet, earrings or necklace and compliment on it only to find out they made it themselves?  People can make amazingly gorgeous jewelry with just a bit of beads and wire.  Guess what, you can too!  Here’s how to get started.

It’s fairly easy, and common, to get into a crafting mood head to your local bead store and spend gobs of money only to get home and not know what to do with what you purchased.  Instead of going to the bead store and buying everything that looks good, kinda like a kid in a candy store, consider going with a project in mind.  A bracelet for example, is a good beginner beading project to start with.

Make a list of what you’ll need.  This may require a bit of research.  For example a power bracelet is a great place to start.  Power bracelet supplies include:

*  Elastic Cord
*  Beads Of Your Choice
*  One Bead With Three Holes
*  Scissors

It is important to make sure the cord fits through the holed in your bead.  Finishing the bracelet, making sure the beads don’t fall off the moment you slip it onto your wrist, is the final step.  With a three holed bead the process involves pushing the cord through both sides of the three holed bead and up through the top.  The final step is to tie an overhand knot, trim the ends and voila!

Other project options are wire jewelry, hemp jewelry and earrings of all shapes and sizes.  Once you have a project decided upon and a list of supplies, then it’s time to head out to the local bead store.  Now some project supplies, like the three holed bead, can be difficult to find.  There are many online options to locate those hard to find supplies or if your determined to make your project and are willing to compromise on some of the supplies then variations can generally be suggested and purchased at your local bead store.

For example, using the power bracelet supply list if the three holed bead is unavailable a two holed bead can be supplemented using an alternative tying method.  It’s done by looping one of the cord ends through the end bead and then pulling it up and through another bead before making a knot.  It leaves the string exposed so choosing a string that matches your beads is recommended.

Once you get started creating beaded jewelry it’s hard to stop.  There are so many beautiful projects to create and a seemingly endless supply of stunning beads.  Start small, plan your projects well and be willing to ask questions and make adjustments as you go.  Enjoy!

DON’T LET YOUR BEAUTIFUL CREATION STOP THERE.  IF YOU ARE PLANNING OF MAKING THIS A GIFT FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL WHY NOT MAKE YOUR OWN GIFT BOX AS WELL.

Create a Simple Bead Earring Set

Girls of all ages seem to have an affinity for pretty things. They want their clothes just right and their makeup perfect. They like to create beautiful things as well, both for themselves and as gifts for others.

Jewelry is one of those pretty things all girls love so jewelry making is a great fit for just about any girl. There are a few things you will need to begin with if you would like to give jewelry making a try. To make beaded earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, you will need the following items:

• Beads in various sizes
• Head pins
• Earring hooks
• Wire cutters
• Round nosed pliers
• Elastic thread
• Jump rings and other findings

Ready to give it a try? Here are the instructions for a simple bead earring set:

1. Place the desired bead onto the head pin, either as a single bead, or in a particular design.

2. Leave at least one inch between the last bead and the end of the head pin. If there is more wire than one inch, trim it with the wire cutters so it’s only one inch.

3. Use the round nosed pliers to bend the wire away from you, forming an “L”.

4. Place the pliers in the middle of the bent piece and curl it toward you to create a circle. Do not close the circle yet.

5. Place the earring hook onto the curl and then close the curl.

6. Make the second earring to look like the first.

There’s no limit to the earrings you can make with a little time and practice. Who knows, this may be the start of a great craft hobby that may bring a lifetime of pleasure.

Begin Beading: Here

Once you decide to try beading as a hobby there are a few basic items you’ll need to get started. They include beads, beading needles, a good pair of sharp scissors, thread and a beading box to keep all those little beads from rolling around everywhere.

Beads come in hundreds of varieties so you’ll have plenty of options to choose from everything from glass beads to metal, wood or even ceramic beads. You may want to consider seed beads for a beginner, as they are relatively inexpensive and yet offer a variety of project options. Tip: To save yourself some time you may consider buying beads prepackaged by color rather than multi-colored packages depending upon your project needs, that is. If you’ll be using one color more than another, this may be a better option and save you time by already being sorted for you.

Beading needles are smaller than sewing needles. Unfortunately, most if not all sewing needles tend to be too large to use with beads so beading needles are essential. Don’t worry, they are fairly inexpensive too. There are many varieties depending on what type of beads you will be using including: English Beading Needles (used with seed bead projects, they are long and thin), Twisted Wire Steel Needles (twisted wire with a loop at one end), Sharps Needles (short and about half the size of the English Beading Needle mentioned earlier).

Beading Scissors are important as well. Special beading shears will allow you to get close to the knot and will be sturdy enough to cut most wire. Keep in mind when getting beading scissors that you may be working with more than just thread, consider getting some sharp shears that will cut more than just threads.

Beading thread as mentioned earlier is as wide in variety as the beads themselves depending on what you will be beading and what end resulting look you are aiming for. Beading threads are typically waxed with beeswax to keep them from fraying. Beading Cord on the other had is not waxed since it is used when the actual cord remains in some sections without beads. Be sure to use the correct thread or cord for your particular project for the best results.

Beading Boxes can either be purchased or if you are in a pinch or just like to recycle products you may want to just use a few tiny clear jars or even an empty egg carton to hold your beads in. It’s up to you what will work best for you and the space you have to keep your supplies in.

As you continue to grow in your skill for your new hobby you’ll come to find you want to expand not only in your experience and projects but in your supplies as well but for now these few items are a good start. Enjoy expressing yourself with beading.

Beaded Jewlery: Your Personal Touch

If you really want to express your true self with fashion consider beaded jewlery. I’m not talking about buying it, cause then you have to wear what someone else created. I’m talking about your own creations. Show the world who you really are in the jewlery you create and wear. You can make bracelets, earrings, necklaces and more.

Beading is a great craft that anyone of any age can do. Some projects are simple enough for even young children. For older beaders, you can get even more creative by making your own beads as well with clay bead jewlery kits.

Just take a few minutes to Google Beaded Jewlery or bead jewlery kits and you’ll come up with an array of products to help you out as well as books to help you.

With all the options of clay beads, glass beads, ceramic beads and more you can really let your personality shine through.

Beautiful Jewelry For St. Patricks Day

My Friend Erin make some beautiful Beading Jewelry. And now that St. Patricks Day is here Erin has some awesome St. Patricks day Jewelry for sale so stop on by Jewelry By Erin and have a look. I know you will love it as much as I do.

Beautiful Jewelry

A great friend of mine make the most beautiful and amazing jewelry. You have to go and pick some up for Christmas present or get some for yourself. I have dabbled at making bead jewelry but mine has never turned out near as good as Erin’s Turns out. Erin’s Site is called Jewelry By Erin and you can find it HERE. She as everything from Thanksgiving Earrings which you can see to the left to Christmas earrings which you can see here on the right. And she has tons more. SO what are you waiting for. Go and check out Erin’s site.