Not into metal work but love beading? The way to get the look of luxury without using any metal is to use metallic beads! These are glass beads with metallic finishes. The gold ones are especially gorgeous and very economical when you consider the cost of real gold these days!
Nancy Zellers' latest book,
Metallic Seed Bead Splendor, which I received for review, brings home the beauty of these seed beads.
The author covers a wide range of styles and designs which are sure to please beginner and intermediate beaders. Some of the projects are simple and clearly aimed at those still starting out in bead work. However, that doesn't mean the designs are bland. One of my favorite designs is the St Petersburg choker shown below. It is easy to make but packs a good visual punch with the color combinations.
Nancy covers many different types of stitches in her book which will make working through the designs a pleasure. I also liked her clever use of metallic bugle beads in her Golden Twist design because it does remind me of metal coils!
She also plays with contrasts. Black looks stunning with a metallic palette, doesn't it? Her Opposites Attract bracelet design uses beaded tubes, a focus of her previous book - see link below.
A number of her necklace designs feature focal areas with simpler bead work for the rest of the piece. These do have another advantage - making the necklaces quicker to finish!
One delightful design is the Key to My Heart necklace. The design elements are again easy to accomplish but the end result is so unique.
Her Etruscan necklace is spot on! A great take on the work of the Ancient Etruscan jewelers who first discovered a way of putting gold granulations on their jewelry.
Nancy uses high quality seed beads like Toho (Permanent Finish) and Miyuki (Duracoat) which she finds rarely flakes. She includes some tips on how to test if you are unsure of the finish on your beads.
Disclosure Before You Go: ______________________________
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