Famous Jewelry Collections: April 2012

Monday, April 30, 2012

THE BEADING GEM'S JOURNAL

Shamballa Style Macrame Bracelet Tutorials

Posted: 30 Apr 2012 04:00 AM PDT

I've covered this type of tutorial before. It's a macrame sliding clasp bracelet that some people called a Shamballa style design. This one is by Cindy over at the Rings and Things blog.

The reason why I wanted to feature the style again is because each instructor does things differently. We could all learn from the varied use of beads and approaches. Cindy used crystals and added a metal focal in the middle for a feminine look.

Carolyn of Bijoux By Me has an excellent and thorough video tutorial.She covers the square knotting carefully with a tip at the end on how to tell where you are in the knotting process! I can relate to that as I have forgetten which side I am knotting as I am going along! She also demonstrates how to seal the cord ends with a lighter.

Camila Jacober of Cia Fashion's video tutorial demonstrates Amanda Miola's of Bella Bijoux Art Store's Shambala bracelet. It shows a super way to keep the strings taut - a piece of wood with a couple of nails. You may have to watch a few times to catch it all. I also like the single accent bead in the middle and the rhinestone version is divine. Use Google Translate to check out the Portuguese blog post instructions.

You might be interested to know that the word "Shamballa" is the name of a mythical Tibetan kingdom and it is also the name of a jewelry company.

This style is very popular these days largely because various music artistes have been spotted wearing them and they have been featured in many magazines.

Now we can all be hip!

Before You Go:

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Original Post by The Beading Gem

Sunday, April 29, 2012

THE BEADING GEM'S JOURNAL

Wire Wrapped Coin Pendant or Key Chain Tutorial

Posted: 29 Apr 2012 04:00 AM PDT

Guest Post by Judy Larson
My students said the attached tutorial would be a good one to send to Pearl now with graduation just around the corner.

The few times I was lucky enough to travel I brought back coins to wire wrap into pendants for myself. Then I started making them as pendants and key chains to send overseas with my daughter-in-law when she is on assignment with the government. The wrapped Sakagawea dollar coin and the Bicentenial coin (from the US Mint) make perfect gifts for the people she works with.

Many people have inherited coin collections and wire wrapping them would be a way to pass them on in a decorative as well as useful form to others in the family. My students are wire wrapping graduation and birth year coins to use as graduation gifts.

Enjoy!

More about Judy here.
Please check this past post on How to Download Free PDFs from Scribd for instructions on how to transfer Judy's tutorials directly to your computer or mobile devices. It has been updated to also include information for Apple devices, Android phones and Kindles.
Email and RSS subscribers need to click on either the tutorial link below (to download directly from Scribd or the post title to return to the blog for downloading from the embedded tutorial.

How to Wire Wrap a Coin Pendant Tutorial

More Tutorials by Judy :

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

Saturday, April 28, 2012

THE BEADING GEM'S JOURNAL

Gorgeous Layered Bracelet Inspirations by B'Sue Boutiques

Posted: 28 Apr 2012 04:00 AM PDT

Layering is an excellent way to achieve more complex designs and up the wow factor at the same time. Some drop dead gorgeous design inspirations can be found in B'Sue Boutiques's wonderful A Bracelet's Story post about the transformation of a basic multi-bezel bracelet finding.

Brenda Sue is astonishingly creative as there are a number of totally different bracelet designs in her post. My favorite one is that above. She also illustrates how this bracelet can be made into a necklace.

My second favorite is this ice resin bracelet which is totally different from the one above and yet, they both originate from the same bezel bracelet foundation. It is not what you use but how you use it that counts!

As she says at the top of her blog, " Anyone can make jewelry, you don't have to go to school. For the cleverest designs, just think outside the jewelry box."

I have written about B'Sue Boutiques before who specialize in vintage style jewelry supplies. If you want to learn more about the techniques used, just head on over to their Youtube video channel.

Before You Go:

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