Jewelry Blog

Making gemstone bead jewelry was my first love when I began to make jewelry seriously many years ago. While I moved on to learn all types of jewelry making from fused glass to metal work, I still enjoy stringing beads. As a jewelry method, it has many advantages over other forms of jewelry making. First of all, most beginners can learn to do at least the basics relatively quickly. Granted, it still takes some skill and knowledge to make really unique beaded designs, but if you are new to jewelry making, I suggest starting with bead stringing. Another advantage is that you can do it just about anywhere with very few pieces of specialized equipment. I love doing my glass work, but admittedly, I do less and less of it as the space in my garage shrinks and as it gets hotter and hotter outside.

If you’re new to jewelry making, or if you have done other types of jewelry construction but never strung a bead, then this article will explain how you can get started with bead stringing. Read on to learn about simple projects, tools and equipment, beads and findings, and stringing material.

Lobster claw clasps kind of look like the claw of a lobster, and they are one of the most secure of clasps. So, if you have an extra heavy piece of jewelry, they are your best bet. They come in silver, gold, gold-filled, and base metals. They are also available in lots of different sizes.

You probably have heard the news by now - The cost of gold is now over $1,000 mark. Granted, it will change a little from day to day as all metal prices will, but this just brings home the struggle that many jewelry makers are dealing with these days: all metal costs are on the rise. Has this affected your jewelry designing at all? If so, how do you deal with this?

We are brainstorming about this right now over at the Jewelry Making Forum, but feel free to add your ideas in the comments here. Even though we don’t all use gold, in fact most of use have preferred to use lower-costing silver for some time, the overall cost of metal is still a concern for many jewelry makers right now.

There are just times in my life when I could use an extra day or two, or even an extra hour or two. Though I haven’t written, I promise I’ve been productive in the last seven days. In the past week, I’ve:

• Agreed to support a charity fundraiser, “Takin the Ride for Fallen Officers,” which is having a VIP fashion show and silent auction as well as conducting a motorcycle ride at Taser International in Scottsdale. I’m excited about the VIP event, which is charging $1ooo per ticket, and I’ve decided to create a special design for this occasion. Hopefully I’ll accomplish the vision in my head, cuz honestly it involves Faux Bone, and I haven’t had a chance to pick up my new supply of Faux Bone and work with it yet.
• I’ve been busy buying new tools, furniture and supplies for the new studio. I’m finally taking baby steps toward my hopeful goal of starting in metalsmithing after graduation. I bought a jeweler’s saw and bench vise, and I just ordered a 24-piece dapping set. I also bought a small oven for working with the Faux Bone and polymer clay, as well as a heating tool for the Faux Bone. I still need sand paper.
• I just got into an art gallery in Chandler, Art On Boston, as of today. I’m excited about this, as this is a new venture for me. I have done fashion shows at an art gallery, but I’ve not actually signed on to display and sell jewelry for an extended amount of time. [The pieces in the gallery? “Prickly Beauty,” “Firestarter,” “Industrial Pearls,” “Spring Fling,” “Millenium Arrow,” “Spheres of Phoenix,” and “Silver Rosette” earrings.]
• I’ve submitted projects for possible acceptance to a trade magazine, and by the end of the month I should know one way or the other what their determination is.
• I’ve redesigned my website incorporating my new logo.
• I started a chain maille group on Metalchasers, and have been busy trying to keep that active and moving.

And in between the dull moments, I’ve been busy knocking out another three credits at ASU, taking a winter course on the Beatles. It’s been an interesting class, but the pace of taking a 16 week course in three weeks? Well, let’s say even the most assumably easy class can be a killer when crammed into three weeks!

Oh, and I repaired a necklace for a customer today. And she has more jewelry for me to repair.

Just in case you thought running a jewelry business was all jewelry making, please let me dispell that myth. There are so many administrative things that must be done, time for making jewelry is drastically reduced.

Perhaps I could take February 29th and split up as floating hours, to use as I need here and there? Just an idea.

Be BOLD.
Miachelle