Famous Jewelry Collections: THE BEADING GEM'S JOURNAL

Friday, October 19, 2012

THE BEADING GEM'S JOURNAL

Posted: 19 Oct 2012 04:00 AM PDT

A jewelry store in North Liberty, Iowa has sure taken the expression "shotgun weddings" seriously. Their October promotion sees them offering a free Remington 870 shotgun with a purchase of an engagement ring worth at least $1,999!

The publicity stunt perhaps encourages couples to "jump the gun" and get married? Along the lines of a hunting gun for him and a diamond ring for her? A bit of a lark for sure as the store owner intended. The free media attention didn't hurt either.

Even more amusing were the wisecrack comments following the news article :

"Better known as the mother-in-law package!"

"When the bride buys the wedding gown, she gets a chainsaw free!"

"No. When you buy a hunting license you get a free bridal gown."

"A real man would buy a cheaper diamond and a better gun."

"OR...take the $2000, buy 3 Remington 870s and stay single."

Before You Go:

______________________________
Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
Jewelry Making Tips - Jewelry Business Tips

Book Review - Bead Soup

Posted: 18 Oct 2012 05:38 AM PDT

I really didn't need to read who the author was when I first spotted the title of this book which recently arrived for review. Lori Anderson is a very active blogger and full time jewelry artisan who writes the Pretty Things blog. Many of you probably know that she is the moving force behind a hugely successful Bead Soup Blog Party she started in 2010.

The blog hop was so successful that it now runs twice a year and involves hundreds of beaders from around the world. People just loved coming up with new designs based on some swapped items and their own stashes. The idea was to encourage beaders to get out of their comfort zone and create something they may not have considered before.

Lori's new book, Bead Soup: 32 Projects Show What Happens When 26 Beaders Swap Their Stash is structured like a Bead Soup Blog Party. The projects all have delightfully food inspired names and the flavor of a cookbook!

The most outstanding things about this book are the four creative approaches. These are great suggestions on how to start the design the design process. They form the basis of the four chapters of the book - Leftover Bead Method, Focal Method, Color Palette Method and the Random Purchase Method.

Even if you don't have time for a bead swap, this book does let you join in the fun with lots of ideas. As you can see from the preview pictures, the process begins with a bowl of beads, focals and findings. The results are wonderfully eclectic designs - tasty feasts for the eyes! It's worth cooking up your own recipes. As with cooking, the same dish is never quite the same with different cooks!