The Shape of Beads to Come

Once upon a time - beads were round and had a hole in them. One round bead, one round hole. It was very zen. What is the sound of one bead rolling across the floor? If a bead falls in the forest, will a squirrel find it and wear it and become king of the squirrels?


But then, there came shapes. And multiple holes. And now - there is an explosion - a multitude of shapes, a panoply of holes. An array, a collection, a range.


The mind boggles.


Boggle at these - Czechmates 2 Hole Crescents! This gently curved Crescent bead was designed by Nichole Starman, and is ideal for sculpting arches, wedges, and frames in your designs. They share the same hole spacing as the rest of the CzechMates, and we have already seen some lovely designs with them. Like this Chrysanthemum Bracelet. (free pattern here.)


Maybe that's not extreme enough for you. Maybe you crave beads with more than just two holes.


Maybe you want ... QuadraLentils and QuadraTiles!


Four holes apiece and also part of the Czechmates line, so the holes are spaced for compatibility! This is modular design at its best.


Alternatively - you might be feeling that this is all a little too much for you.


What you really want is some nice normal 2 mm and 3 mm Firepolish rounds, in some lovely new colours.
Of course - nothing to say that you can't use both together ... shaped beads don't have to be only used with seedbeads you know!


Well - if the excitement and possibilities of that doesn't do it for you, I don't know what will, so I leave you to check out all the new items here or click on a link above! Go forth and create and be happy!

Amee's Soutache Classes Just Got Sweeter!

Amee K. Sweet-McNamara

As Class Coordinator, I have the wonderful opportunity to really get to know our visiting instructors. Amee K. Sweet-McNamara is very much looking forward to coming to teach in Canada (her first time!) that she wants to give an extra reward to her students:

Register for any of her 

classes by  

Sunday, May 1 

and receive a free 45-yard bundle of Soutache cord compliments of Amee herself!

This is in addition to Amee offering her class kits at par for our students!

Haven't done Soutache or bead embroidery before? Not to worry! Two of Amee's classes are designed for Adventurous Beginners. That means you will learn Soutache and bead embroidery elements in-class with Amee! If you have taken a Soutache course before (such as with Angela Peace), then you'll love Amee's Intermediate class and learn how to use SuperDuos to create interesting shapes and layers.

Amee's three classes at BeadFX are:

Potpourri Pendant
Friday, May 13; 10:00am - 5:00pm
Experiment with an assortment of techniques. Adventurous Beginners will learn the basics of Soutache & Bead Embroidery, working with Shibori Ribbon, Traditional Bead Embroidery & Kumihimo braiding and more. Pendant templates include a variety of shapes and kits will be offered in a variety of colour-ways.

Sou-Tassels
Saturday, May 14; 10:00am - 5:00pm
Tassels make beautiful, textural enhancements for everything from clothing to jewelry to home decor. But the solid, upper portion of traditional tassels, are worked around wooden forms which can be expensive, difficult to find and time-consuming to cover. The bodies of our "Sou-tassels," are created using Soutache & Bead Embroidery which makes firm but opulent, sculptural outer forms to surround the fringe of the tassel. This technique can be easily modified, changing size and shape. Adventurous Beginners will learn many of the Basics of working with Soutache while Intermediate Soutache artists will be delighted to add this brand new technique to their creative toolbox! Kits will be made available in a variety of color-ways and include soutache, beads, tassel skirt and thread and will make one “jewelry-scaled” tassel – ideal for a pendant which can be strung on student’s choice of chain, cord or ribbon (not included).

Tuffet Lily
Sunday, May 15; 10:00am - 5:00pm
For Soutache & Bead Embroidery Students looking for “the next big thing,” “Tuffet Lily” has arrived. Learn the secrets of making rich, truly three-dimensional pieces by working “inside out,” “Sculpting with SuperDuos” and “Border Backing.” The finished pendant may be hung on ribbon, chain or bead-chain (not included). This is an Intermediate-Level Class so students should come having a firm grasp of Soutache Basics including Stacking & Aligning, Shaping Stitches, Two-Sided Joins, Backing & Edge-Beading.  Project will not be finished in class but Amee Runs with Scissors’ “Whole Story,” step-by-step, full-color instructions will make it easy to finish at home. Kits will be offered in a variety of colourways.

Take more than one class with Amee and save! 

• One class: $200 + HST 
• Two classes: $380 + HST (Save $20) 
• All three classes: $565 + HST (Save $35)

Note: Kits are required for purchase from Amee for her classes which will include all materials needed for the projects. Remember, Amee is offering her kits at par for her students at BeadFX! Thank you Amee!

For complete information about each class, including applicable kit fees, is on the class page. Click on 'Classes' and follow the links to the May class calendar and Amee's classes.

DIY jewellery storage!

If you’re anything like me, your jewellery storage leaves something to be desired! I use a combination of bowls, boxes, tins, bags, jewellery boxes, and any available doorknob space. Everything is jumbled together, and it’s generally too much of an effort to root through the mess!! Probably my most organized solution is a hanging jewellery organizer (complete with plastic pockets on both sides), gifted to me by my sister. It keeps my earrings organized, when I actually remember to return them to their proper place. No photo of course, as it currently resides on the inside of my linen closet door. What to do, what to do?

So I guess it’s time to search the Internet!!!! I know that Pinterest is a DIY’ers dream, but I get tired of drilling down, looking for the originating entry. Instead I chose the lazy route, simply typed “DIY jewellery storage” into my Google search engine, and was delighted with the results!! Of course, some of the more complicated options are way beyond my DIY skills, but I may try a few of the simpler hacks.

Like the one shown below! Finally a use for those glass pop bottles that I’ve been saving. Of course, I don’t own that many bracelets, but I’m sure that some of you do.

Google didn't find the one I spotted on Facebook a week or so ago. They recycled an old wooden hanger, by sawing off the dowel at the bottom (originally used to hang slacks, I believe), spray painted it a pretty colour, and then screwed cup hooks in, all along the bottom of the hanger. Genius! Who wouldn’t want a couple of those? Also, how about using vintage muffin tins, jars or ice cube trays for your earrings and rings? Or you could try hanging a series of skinny dowels, on the side walls of your closet?

Finding and then hanging the perfect branch, or branches on your wall.....DIY and inexpensive!

How about visiting swap meets, garage sales, or your local thrift shop? I remember seeing some fabulous wooden frames, being used for jewellery display, at one of our local craft shows. Not exactly like these examples, but I think the addition of chicken wire and corks is particularly inspired! The ones I saw had wire strung across them in a diagonal fashion. I own a couple of great frames, now I just need to do the work?

Jewellery is art, and we should certainly showcase it! How will we ever be able to wow our peers, if we can’t find some of our favourite pieces? Do you have any good solutions to share? Any and all tips would be appreciated! Meanwhile, I think that I’ll dig out that wooden hanger from the back of the closet. Perhaps I should do more, and Internet less? What do you think?

On Behalf of The Corsage Project: Thank You So Much!

Earlier we had posted about The Corsage Project and how they provide dresses, jewellery and other accessories for free for economically-challenged high school students so they can go to their prom in style.

BeadFX volunteers, staff and customers were busy creating lots of blingy pieces of jewellery which were picked-up by Corsage Project volunteers to be sorted in time for the Boutique Ball. Well, the Boutique Ball has been held and they were thrilled with the assortment of jewellery that were provided through BeadFX!

Through your generosity and hard work, more than 125 young women will have beautiful jewellery. Many of the jewellery donated through BeadFX were 2- and 3-piece sets! Here is just a sampling of some of the donations done by our staff, customers and students:

Thank you all very much for your hard work and creativity! We plan to be involved again in 2017 and look forward to working with you to help make young women's prom dreams come true.

Yes! breaking the rules feels good

II've been teaching jewellery classes for over five years now and one thing I've noticed about my students is that they fall into roughly two categories: those who like their jewellery big and bold and those who don't. Often, we big-boned girls like our jewellery big and bold, since that suits our body type and we can, as they say, "pull it off." But I've seen lots of tiny women pull off big and bold jewellery magnificently. And that's down to personality. An example of someone like this we all know is Iris Apfel. 

I say, be yourself and wear what you want when you want. And always try something new and/or unexpected: you WILL get noticed. And more often than not, complimented.

There are so many fashion and jewellery rules too. It used to be that you weren't supposed to mix your metals. So much for that! Mixed metal jewellery is hot. I'm sitting here writing this wearing silver rings, a copper necklace and a brass and leather bracelet. As a collection they work well. 

Pearls used to be worn in sweet short strands around your neck. They were creamy, matched and carefully knotted on silk. Now pearls such as biwa pearls, stick pearls, drippy pearls, huge glass pearls and brightly dyed pearls are strung on steel wire, Beadalon wire, stretchy cord and linen thread in unconventional and beautiful designs. The picture below is a necklace I made for a TBS bead challenge several years ago featuring bead embroidered biwa pearls and river stones. 

Jewellery used to match. In fact, parure is a French term for a matching set of jewellery that can be taken apart and reassembled into one long necklace or a short one with bracelets, brooches, etc. (See picture of a vintage parure below) These days, matching is not necessary. Near matches are great, or perhaps a rhythmic repetition of pattern or colour can tie your jewellery together. 

And the stylists of Hollywood starlets seem to be shunning necklaces altogether on the red carpet lately. A bare and plunging neckline apparently should be clear of distraction. The bling factor comes in with long, dangling diamond earrings. 

Body jewellery is fairly new to the Western style world. Delicate chains adorning ankles, torsos and the back of the hand highlight some of the most alluring parts of the body. 

Adornment is as old as humans. Our ancestors drilled bone, shell and stone and strung them together, wearing jewellery to denote status. This ties us together through the ages and we wear many of the same materials today, perhaps in different ways and in combination with different materials, but with the same intent - to draw attention, look attractive to the opposite sex and show off wealth.  

I guess that styles in jewellery change but the great thing about right now is that we have the freedom to break any and all of the rules for wearing and making jewellery to express ourselves and our individuality. We can find inspiration in techniques and styles from the past and find new materials and ways to modernize and individualize them.

Above all, I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to create and design for myself, for my friends, for my students and for public sale. And although I may use the same material in many of my designs, I have to say that, because they are handmade, each one is unique. And that pleases me and drives me continually to (re)create. 

InspirationFX: Tanzanite Jellies

---

Tanzanite Jellies
 
by: Dwyn Tomlinson

Are these too much? Are they too over the top? Of course they aren't. Wear these and hold your head up high - which helps to take the sag out of your jawline and make you look younger. See - big earrings are more
flattering.

They are surprisingly comfortable, actually, and really are flattering.

These two new shapes from Swarovski look like they were designed to fit together, and perhaps they were. The centre stone is from Swarovski's designer of the year (for 2016) - Celine Cousteau - a designer with her
soul in the oceans, like her pioneering father and brothers. This Jelly Fish inspired stone is accented with a matte finish and scalloped edges.

The accompanying twister stone evokes starfish and tornadoes, and x's and kisses.

First - set the stone in it's finding. (We sell the stone and the finding together for these fancy stones.)

Line up the stone with the shape of the mount, drop it into place, and bend the prongs down to hold the stone in place. The nylon jaw pliers work especially well for this - no chance of scratching the stone.

Once you have mounted all the stones, cut a piece of wire about 10 inches long (25 cm). You can use any wire of the right colour 22 gauge or thinner. Fold the in half, almost at the centre. Fold it around your round nose pliers so that there is a tight u shape, not a v shape. One end should be about a little more than 1/2 an inch (1.5 cm) longer than the other - if not, trim one to make it shorter.

Thread the wires through the two holes in the side of the stone mount of one of the Twister stones. You will find that having one wire end shorter will make this MUCH easier - as you thread one, and then the other, and the first one doesn't come unthreaded while you struggle with the second.

Then add the Jellyfish, and the next Twister.

Once the two wires have come out of the top, give them a couple of twists, and then fold one out of the way. Make a wrapped loop in the second wire end, and wrap back down to the stone mount, wrapping over the twist. Then cut both wire ends off nice and flush. Make sure the loop faces forward for the earring to hang facing frontwards.

Open the loop on the earwire, add the assembled dazzlingness, and close it back up. Hey presto! You are done! Enjoy!


If this appeals to you, but you want to go even bigger - you could string them into a bracelet - just get enough to do the full length and use a heavy gold softflex instead to string, or make segments of three - like these earrings - and link them together with jumprings.

Have fun and remember to be dazzling!

Components

Go to our components list for this project and to buy what you need!
Need some help with some of the techniques? Check our tips page.

Colour Comparison: Swarovski Graphite

Graphite - one of the new colours from Swarovski - is a pure, neutral grey - a much needed addition to the colour palette. The existing greys are not truly colours - they are "effects" - meaning they are coatings - so they have a tendency to look different from different angles. Not necessarily a bad thing - but definitely a true grey is a welcome addition.

Think of it as a darkish neutral gray - leaning a little to the bluish side. It seems to happily want to reflect little flashes of blue.


Here we see, from the left, Montana Sapphire, Denim Blue, the new Graphite, and the classic Black Diamond. 

 And again, in the same order, all in the 8 mm round (5000). Montana, Denim, Graphite, Black Diamond. Black Diamond has been the go-to grey for many years, but in reality, it is rather more greenish than a pure grey.

Here again - changing the order to sort by shade - Denim, Montana, and Graphite. These look pretty good together. 

 And here's your handy reference chart. ;-)

Cheers!

The New Swarovski Colours will Make an Impression

I'm impressed. You're impressed! Everybody is impressed! You can whale away and have a whale of a good time making your mark, or hammer out what lady-bugs you.









And if that strikes you as a bit of a challenge, maybe you need our Simple Strike jig - which holds the stamp perfectly upright and keeps your fingers safe! You need one for each size of stamp, 3 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm. I did ask the manufacturer about this, and they apologize - but they couldn't find a good way to make the jig hold any size as securely as they wanted, but still easy to pull the stamp out to change it.



Also new are the 3 mm Deco letters, UPPER and lower, and the numbers too.



But perhaps you are not charmed by this sterling offering? Maybe something more Grotesque is to your liking? These Sterling Silver charms, hand-selected for originality, can be made into striking earrings, definitive pendants, or unique dangles on a bracelet or a key chain or purse.


Perhaps a Viking Dragon Boat - this boat is all dragon - or this Ouroboros Dragon - about to have a snack on his tail! Our affinity for dragons is legendary - High Five - I know I'm Raven, but some of it is Moosed-have!






Wait a minute - I hear you say - you promised me the new Swarovski colours - so have at it! Where are the new Swarovski colours! Well - yes indeedy - I've saved the colours for last!

The new colours this season are (drum roll please)
Yellow Opal
and
Graphite.


Yellow Opal is an intense, translucent, sunny yellow - the colour of dandelions and fresh new highlighters and warm summer days with buzzing bees. It will make an ideal accent colour to make other colours pop - although I strongly suspect that only a few people will make it the primary design colour. Yellow Opal is a true colour, not an "effect."



Graphite is a neutral grey - with perhaps a smidgeon of blue to it. It is more clearly a true grey than the slightly greenish Black Diamond, and I can see it being incorporated into your designs as being very close to a true grey. It also combines well with Denim and Montana for a nice gradation. It also is a colour, and not an effect, like the more glittery Silver Shade or Silver Night.



Also new - is a new Pearl colour - Pearlescent White. This softly iridescent pearly white is truly pretty - you will ooooh and ahhh over this - unless you are feeling particularly curmudgeonly. And if you are - well - beads will make you feel better!
This year's Designer of the Year for Swarovski is Celine Cousteau - a designer with her soul in the oceans, like her pioneering father and brothers. Her ocean-life themed shapes include this Jelly Fish-inspired stone which is accented with matte finish and scalloped edges and comes with its own gold-plated setting - designed expressly for this shape. You set the stone in yourself and fold the prongs down to hold the stone in place. Each setting has two holes on opposite sides for stringing, wiring, or you can glue the setting or set into epoxy clay or other media. Comes in Tanzanite or Crystal AB (for now!) Pair them with these Twister Stones for something really gorgeous! (Also in Crystal AB)

Also inspired by the ocean are these Sea Snails - drop dead gorgeous in Bermuda Blue. I have a pair of these on my desk right now - just crying out to be earrings!



Well - if the colour and dazzle of that doesn't do it for you, I don't know what will, so I leave you to check out all the new items here or click on a link above! Go forth and create and be happy!