Exploring the History of Jewelry

By admin December 16th, 2010, under beading discussion, jewelry making

Humans have been decorating themselves with jewelry for thousands of years, and apparently the preference for using beads goes way back. In fact, according to the National Geographic, people may have been wearing ornaments as far back as a hundred thousand years ago, with evidence of ancient seashells being used as beads.

Throughout the histories of many communities and cultures, jewelry has been used to adorn and symbolize. From bones being strung on fiber to ward off spirits – to – royal families wearing glass beads to symbolize strength and power, jewelry has played a pivotal role in many cultures. People have worn jewelry with a variety of intentions, and the styles and trends of jewelry have been through many transformations.

Woman with Jewelry

Every piece of jewelry and every bead has its own unique story. While some date back thousands of years, others have more recent stories. For example, relatively recent technology in industrial processes and factories allow us to make beads from recycled glass. Recycled glass beads would not have been possible thousands of years ago. As technology develops and we continue to improve our craft, it’s incredible to think about what is possible for the world of beading.

It seems that it might be human nature to decorate ourselves, or celebrate the latest advance by drilling a hole in it and wearing it on beaded necklace. The history of beads is so closely related to the history of many cultures, that it must be a topic worth exploring. Do any of you have recommendations on where to look for information on the history of beads or beading? Perhaps you have a story to tell, or have recently contributed to a new way of making jewelry? We would love to hear from you, and welcome your comments below!

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Homemade for the Holidays

By admin December 13th, 2010, under beading project, seasonal beading

Using your beading skills to make homemade gifts does not always mean making jewelry for your loved ones to wear. Sometimes, homemade gifts can be made for the home.

In one of our recent posts, “Homemade Gifts Cost Less and Mean More,” we mentioned that while a brand new iPad would surely light up anyone’s face, homemade gifts from the heart mean much more than any new gadget – and they’re more affordable too. We gave a few examples of ways you can incorporate your jewelry making skills or beadwork into gifts for your loved ones. Though, after we posted this, I got to thinking – what if you are attempting to make gifts for people who do not like jewelry, or just don’t wear jewelry often?

The answer to my question came from a phone call with a dear friend.

I was sitting on the couch brainstorming, thinking “hmm beads, gifts, beads for gifts, beads for things besides jewelry…” when the phone rang. Thank goodness it did, I really wasn’t getting anywhere at this point. On the line was my dear friend, who works at a Spa here in Texas. She had just returned home from an office workshop, cleverly called “Homemade for the Holidays.” She was so excited to tell me about the many crafts and gifts she learned to make, and was even more excited to tell me about how affordable the gift options were. She learned how to makeHomemade Holiday Vase scented scrubs and soaks, ornaments, and much more. They were all really great gifts, but the one that caught my attention most was a lovely lit vase with scented potpourri. And thus, the inspiration for a homemade gift for the home. A gift that incorporates beading and jewelry making skills, but is suitable for someone who doesn’t wear jewelry.  Here’s how to create this unique homemade gift..

You will need:
A clear vase
A strand of 35 multi colored lights
A few ornaments
A bag of potpourri
A handful of glass beads or crystal beads of your choice
Ribbon or string of your choice

First, plug in the lights to make sure they work – you won’t want to find this out at the end of completing the craft. Place 1 to 2 inches of glass beads or crystal beads at the bottom of the vase. Then, place 1/3rd of the lights on top of the beads (be sure you place them so the side of the cord that connects to an outlet is left for last).  Fill the vase with around 2 inches of potpourri (you can add more or less depending on the height of your vase), and place a few different sized ornaments on top of this layer. Add more lights, and cover with another layer of  potpourri and ornaments. Continue to layer lights, potpourri, and ornaments as you please. Once to the top, make sure that the lights are all inside the vase. String your leftover beads on a ribbon or string to tie around the vase.

The beads in the vase catch the sparkle of the lights to create a warm and welcoming look, and the lights very subtly warm the potpourri to create a lovely scent in the home. A crafty and affordable homemade gift for those who don’t like jewelry!

What kind of homemade gifts have you made that incorporate jewelry making skills or beading, but didn’t involve making jewelry? Do you have any suggestions for other homemade crafts?

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Beading Reading

By admin December 9th, 2010, under beading discussion, jewelry making

The holiday season is a wonderful time to slow down, get organized, and most importantly – catch up on some leisurely reading! Reading a sci-fi thriller or a romance novel can be fun, but we suggest you to take this extra time to read up about your work and/or hobby.  Whether you are new to working with beads or a jewelry making professional, you will benefit from staying up-to-date on the latest industry news.  Reading about your craft can provide you with tips to make your work more efficient, and may even inspire your next big jewelry making project.

There are a number of diffeBeadwork Magazine Coverrent sources that you could go to in order to learn more about beading and the jewelry making industry. However, one of the greatest resources that you might consider is  magazines. There are a lot of advantages to reading industry magazines. Once you are familiar with them, you might consider a subscription and incorporating them into your schedule. After all, you wouldn’t want to miss out on the latest beading happenings!

To help you get started in your search for resources, we have put together a list of several magazines we find beneficial to those interested in beading and jewelry making.

Bead & Button Magazine offers a variety of beautiful jewelry projects for every skill level. This is a good resource for those of you who love stringing, bead weaving, wirework, polymer clay, bead crochet, and other unique jewelry-making techniques. This magazine is published 6 times a year, and has some really useful online components as well, including: tutorials, videos, blogs, forums, and newsletters.

Stringing Magazine provides stylish and intriguing jewelry designs for the fashion conscious beader. Creative inspiration for fashion jewelry, and  beading your own earrings, bracelets and necklaces. This magazine is published 4 times a year.

Bead Unique Magazine showcases how beads can accent every aspect of life. Each includes projects with easy-to-follow step-by-step photos and well written instruction, as well as an explanation of the creative inspiration behind the featured beadwork. There is lots of useful information about working with crystal beads and glass beads. There are also many member exclusive online resources. This magazine is published 6 times a year.

Art Jewelry Magazine presents today’s most unique and distinctive jewelry, along with concise step-by-step how-to instructions. This magazine has a strong focus on education. It also showcases a wide variety of materials including wire, metal, metal clay, gemstones, and other media. Subscriptions are available for 6, 12, and 18 months.

We hope these suggestions help you get started in your quest for reading material to match your interests. When you find something you like, sit back,  have a cup of hot chocolate, and savor the free time the holiday season has allowed you by enjoying some good beading reading. Don’t forget, most magazines let you purchase gift subscriptions. So, if you know someone with an interest in any of these topics, a magazine subscription makes a great holiday gift!

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From Trash to Treasure

By admin December 7th, 2010, under beading project, beads how to

We recently wrote about how jewelry makers and beading pros can turn old or unwanted gifts into personalized new gifts for their family and friends this holiday season. Using old material to create new gifts got us thinking about recyclable material, and how we can use our craft skills to turn trash into treasure.

Try creating handmade jewelry using material that may otherwise have gone to waste. Using recyclable material in place of your traditional beading supplies is a great way to “go green” with your beading. There are plenty of ways to make cool jewelry with materials you most likely already have.

Two of our favorite “green beading” projects involve making handmade jewelry with supplies you already have around your home.  Paper beads and bottle cap jewelry are two examples of easy projects to get you started.

Below is a video from ThreadBanger that takes you step-by-step through how to make your own bottle cap earrings.

Also from ThreadBanger, the following video walks you through how to create beads using paper

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Ornament Hooks with Beaded Flair

By admin December 2nd, 2010, under beading project, seasonal beading

Redesign and reinforce your ornament hooks with beaded flair.

No Christmas tree is complete without being beautifully adorned in ornaments.

Christmas Ornament

Whether they are new, or if they have been part of your family traditions for years, these ornaments are cherished and adoredby all who see them, giving your tree a style and persona that is unique to you and your family.

However, I’m sure that you have noticed that over time the hooks of the ornaments tend to get flimsy, worn out, and even broken. Occasionally resulting in an ornament falling, and dare I say shattering into pieces.

To avoid such catastrophes around this already hectic holiday season, I suggest creating your own personal ornament hooks that will not only be sturdier, but also add flair to your decorations and bring the family together to work on a craft.

In order to do this you will need:

First you will need to cut the wire into about 3.5 inch long segments. Each one of these segments will serve as a hook for your ornament.

From here, use your pliers to make a tiny loop at the bottom of end of the wire. This will serve as the latch to where the ornament will attach.

Next, bead the remaining bit of wire with the beads and pattern of your choice. You can use crystal beads, plastic beads, or even ceramic beads. Make sure to leave enough room to be able to bend the wire so that it will hook onto your Christmas tree.

When you have successfully beaded your hook, clamp the other end with your pliers and curl to keep the beads from falling off.

Connect your ornament to the wire and hang on your tree!

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Homemade Gifts Cost Less and Mean More

By admin November 26th, 2010, under beading project, seasonal beading

Homemade Gifts

During tough economic times, the gift giving season often feels more daunting than it does joyful. While a brand new iPad would surely light up anyone’s face, homemade gifts from the heart mean much more than any new gadget – and they’re more affordable too!

You’ve likely shared your creative skills through gifts to your family and friends for birthdays and other occasions, why not do the same this holiday season? Grab your jewelry making accessories, beading kits, and pick up a few extra Christmas color themed beads and you’ll be checking off your gift to-do list in no time.

Here’s a few ideas for inspiration:

  • Use red and green magnesite beads to string together a Christmas color themed necklace
  • Crystal beads are great for making dangle earrings that will sparkle in holiday lights
  • Add a few cracked glass beads to a headband or to a pair of cuff link pads to create a one-of-a-kind fashion accessory

If you plan on being extra frugal this year, you can even use your jewelry making skills to turn old or unwanted items into new desirable gifts.

For example, you loved the scarf your grandmother sent you last year, but you’ve never worn it, because you live in Texas where cashmere scarves are simply not practical. However, you have a friend who lives in Vermont, and you know she would love this scarf – and get much more use out of it. So, instead of letting it sit in your closet, customize the scarf with some crystal beads, semi precious beads, cracked glass beads, or even natural stones. You could sew the beads on the edge of each side of the scarf to create an elegant detail, or you could sew the beads on to spell out your friend’s initials.

Whatever you decided to create (or re-create), your friends and family will be happy to receive a one-of-a-kind homemade gift and you’ll be happy to save some extra money!

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Holiday Beading Project for All Ages

By admin November 23rd, 2010, under beading project, seasonal beading

Snowflake
This Christmas, bring your family together before you even buy the Christmas tree, and create some beaded ornaments together.

Here is a simple beaded tree ornament project that the whole family can do together, even the little ones!

For each ornament, you will need:

  • 2 tinsel pipe cleaners
  • Blue, white, and silver plastic pony beads
  • Scissors
  • Metal ornament hanger

Cut the pipe cleaners in half. Twist three of the halves together in the middle to make a six pointed snowflake. String the plastic pony beads on each pipe cleaner, alternating between the three colors. When it’s almost filled with beads, bend and twist the end of the pipe cleaner just enough so the beads won’t fall off. Add an ornament hanger through one of the loops to hang the snowflake on the tree!

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Thanksgiving Crafts for Children

By admin November 19th, 2010, under beading project, seasonal beading

You’ve purchased all the supplies you’ll need to prepare a true Thanksgiving feast. Your home is clean, you’ve put away embarrassing photos, and you even made sure to mow the front lawn. You’re so excited to have your family and friends over to your house for Thanksgiving this year. But wait, your sister is bringing her two children, and your cousin is bringing her kids as well. How will you keep them entertained throughout the evening?

As many of you are creative jewelry makers, beading experts, and generally crafty individuals, I’m sure you can think of ways to use your skills to create fun projects that will keep the children entertained. Below are a few of our ideas to help get you started.

Paper plate turkeys

What you’ll need:

  • Paper plates
  • Craft feathers
  • Tape
  • Colored pencils or crayons
  • Beads
  • Craft glue
  • Colored paper
  • Scissors

Before the children arrive, you can create a small work station. Layout the paper plates, feathers, beads, tape, glue, and colored pencils. Use the scissors and colored paper to cut out the shapes of turkey feet, and place two at each pape

r plate. When the children arrive, everything will be set up for them to begin. They can tape the feet cut outs to the back of their plate. They can also pick out feathers to tape to the back of their plates. On the front of the plates, they can use the colored pencils or crayons to color in the turkey. The beads can be glued to the front of the plates to create the turkey’s eyes and beak. Any beads you have will do, glass beads, clay beads, crystal beads – as long as they are not too big or heavy. Once the glue is dry, the children have a turkey of their own to take home!

Homemade beads

What you’ll need:

  • Polymer clay (you can get a variety of colors)
  • Wax paper
  • Tooth picks
  • Oven

Creating clay beads is a great project to keep children entertained before the meal, and afterwards as well. Place a sheet of wax paper in front of every child to use as a work mat – the clay will not stick to the wax paper. Each child can pick out different colors to create their clay beads, they can even combine colors. For traditional round beads, they can pinch off a small amount of clay and roll it around until it forms a ball shape. Square, triangle or any other shape can also be formed by hand. Once the bead shapes are created, a wooden toothpick can be used to make a generously sized hole in the middle of each bead for stringing. An adult can then bake the beads in the oven according to the instructions on the clay packaging. After the meal, and after the beads have baked and cooled, the children can string their beads on woven string or plastic wire to create necklaces, bracelets or key chains.

Thanksgiving Turkey

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Set the Thanksgiving Table with Beaded Wine Glass Charms

By admin November 18th, 2010, under beading discussion

It seems like just yesterday we were gearing up for Halloween festivities, and now it’s the middle of November! Time sure does fly during the holiday season.

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and we know many of you are preparing to gather with friends and family. Some of you may enjoy Thanksgiving meals at someone else’s home. If you’re like me, you don’t like to show up empty handed; however, if you have not been assigned a specific dish, choosing an edible item to bring can be tricky. Not to worry – there are ways to show your thanks without bringing food. This Thanksgiving, arrive with a gift that not only contributes to the holiday meal experience, but also makes use of your jewelry making skills: beaded wine glass charms.

Beaded Wine Glass Charms

The Thanksgiving meal is an experience. It’s about re-connecting with people, socializing, eating turkey, and of course the occasional glass of wine (or two). People often enjoy a glass of wine before their meal, as they catch up with friends and family, and at large gatherings it may be a challenge to keep up with whose glass is whose as people move around. Beaded wine glass charms help people keep track of their glass, complement the table settings, and are a great way to show your appreciation as a guest.

The beaded charms can be as unique and creative as you want them to be. You can use glass beads to create an elegant look, or crystal beads for a more playful feel. There are many ways to personalize each charm. You can place lettered beads on each charm, so that each one has its own letter. You can choose a different color bead, or color pattern for each charm. You could even add a unique pendant to each charm.

Personalized beaded wine glass charms are sure to be a hit at any Thanksgiving occasion!

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(Not so) Tricky Treats! Spooky Patterns

By admin October 25th, 2010, under beading discussion, beading tutorials, seasonal beading

Okay, so you’ve bought all the candy, you’ve dragged your trunk full of disco pants down from the attic, you’ve dusted off your wigs, and you’ve shoved the kids into their respective disguises. Now what?!

As we like to say here at Brazos Collection… there’s always time for beading. Always.

Check out some of these cool Halloween inspired, spooky jewelry pieces that you can put together to scare the neighbors!

http://jewelrymaking.about.com/od/halloweenornamentsjewelry/a/082908.htm

http://jewelrymaking.about.com/od/halloweenornamentsjewelry/a/083008.htm

http://beadwork.about.com/od/freebeadpatternsdf/ss/CandyCorn.htm

These are just a handful of examples that you can toy with. Does it bring any of your own ideas?

Leave a comment on some Halloween inspired jewelry that you’ve made!

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