Inspiring Links: March 2013

With the season of renewal upon us, it’s the perfect time to take a look at new inspirations, unique ideas, and crafty opportunities. Not only is it time to shake off the gloom of winter and start fresh, but there are so many fantastic new products and projects appearing as well. Here are some of my favorite inspirations of late.

If you’re a fan of DIY projects outside of beading, this Suitcase Cabinet project featured by Fine Craft Guild might be just the thing you need to spruce up your craft room. The original project is meant for a cute kitchen cubby, but just imagine the possibilities for storing and sorting supplies!

I also love Everyday Inspired’s recent post on arranging oodles of framed photographs and portraits to enhance your décor. I love the collage look when it comes to wall art - my craft space is just one big mess of pasted and stapled treasures right now. These tips could apply to just about any style or situation, even my inspiration wall.

If you love using Swarovski Elements and Beadalon in your designs, this is the perfect opportunity to show off your beading talents! The Crystal Glam 2013 jewelry design competition is now underway. The winning design will be displayed at Treasure during London Jewellery Week, and there’s a fabulous bead prize! Entries must be submitted by May 16th, 2013. For full details, check out the I-Beads Facebook page and contest FAQ.

Speaking of London, the bloggers at The Bead Shop have compiled a list of ways to incorporate current trends into your jewelry designs. In Key Trends from London Fashion Week, they explain how to transform runway looks into ideas for color palettes and more.

New bead innovations aren’t always compatible, but the designers and Fusion Beads have found a great way to combine the new Czech spike beads with Tilas, and our favorite leather wrap bracelet style in their Femme Fatale bracelet project. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out the 24 Carrot crystal earrings for a little Easter inspiration.

The beady bloggers at Cousin Corp have invited some favorite jewelry designers to share their stories and inspirations for the next year. Check out the Cousin bead blog on Fridays to spot the beader of the week.

Combine oodles of lovely round beads in your favorite colors to create a fabulous sculptural donut pendant, designed by Justyna of Eridhan Creations. Check out the full tutorial in parts one, two, and three.

For a splash of spring color and some beady eye candy, check out Cindy’s beaded bead Easter egg earrings at Bead Origami.

For an even bigger dose of color, the Proud Mary Necklace project at Artbeads.com really delivers. The combination of seed bead embroidery and gorgeous Czech glass buttons is definitely a win. And the best part? This project leaves the button shank intact - no snipping required.

And last but not least, the amazing beaded flowers, trees, and floral sculptures of Oksana Konovalova will amaze and delight you! Check them out in the spotlight on Beads Magic.

What are your favorite inspirations right now?

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Inspiring Links: September 2012

Although fall can sometimes mean penciling in creative time between so many other tasks, like making school lunches, planning Halloween costumes and parties, harvesting the last of our gardens, and cooking heartier autumn meals, there is still plenty of inspiration to go around! Here are some of my favorite beading and craft links of late.

First, I want to extend a very warm welcome to Inspirational Beading’s newest sponsor, The Best Beads - bead distributors direct from the Czech Republic. I hope you’ll stop by to browse through their beautiful selection of glass beads and buttons!

If you’re looking for a little project inspiration, the Global Genes Project has put out another call for denim inspired pieces for the 7000 Bracelets for Hope campaign. Anyone can create and submit a blue bracelet to help give hope and support to families living with rare genetic diseases.

Polymer Clay Bracelet - Falling Leaves Mobile

Good posture is an important part of crafting - for beaders and knitters especially. This quick Crafting Calamities video from Interweave explains how to avoid repetitive stress injuries and back pain while doing your daily creative work.

It’s always fun to make a project that turns single beads into a new object, like the adorable lucite pumpkin earrings in a video tutorial from Beadholique. You could make all kinds of variations with melon beads or rondelles!

Beaders who sell their jewelry are always comforted to know that even the most famous and fashionable people of the world like to buy unique and one of a kind pieces. Someday it could be yours! Although My Flash Trash isn’t exactly in our circle, it is nice to know that someone as posh as the Duchess of Cambridge likes indie designs.

Are you thinking ahead to next year’s jewelry designs? Pantone has already released their picks for 2013’s spring fashion colors. This line up has fantastic harmony, with lots of pretty hues that work together or in pairs. Which is your favorite?

Afternoon Stroll by mortira featuring black jewelry

Avoiding metal in beadwork is never as hard as when I just want to string. I’ve been meaning to take the time to really learn how to make a great sliding knot for metal-free necklaces and pendants. This sliding knot bracelet tutorial from Honestly…WTF might help!

If fall has you feeling leaf inspired, a super cute Swarovski earring tutorial from Fusionbeads.com may do the trick. The No Leaf Unturned project uses emerald and fern green sew on leaves, which makes them perfect for year-round wear.

Do you like to wear holiday themed jewelry? For a little Halloween inspiration, check out this very wearable witchy necklace by Margot Potter.

Have you ever gone forward with a project, even if you had a lot of doubts about it? I’m very pleased - though still a bit sheepish - to announce that Inspirational Beading’s companion vlog series, Bead Show and Tell will continue, whenever there are new beads to share. The first two videos were not my best work, but everything improves with practice, and I hope that I can continue to get better! Here is part three, featuring lots of seed bead hanks:

What is your favorite inspiration this month?

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading
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Inspiring Links: August 2012

It’s been a very long time since we’ve had a roundup of delightful and inspiring links! With two of the most crafty seasons of the year coming up, and a new school year looming, the bar on creativity is now going up, up, up. Here are some of my favorite articles, products, and tutorials of late.

I love the way that the ribbon and bead embroidery perfectly complement each other in this beautiful Daybreak Frost necklace project from the Artbeads.com Learning Center. The giant Swarovski cabochon in my favorite Montana Sapphire blue helps, too!

A picture is worth 1000 words - no matter what language you speak. We all know that beading ideas and inspiration aren’t held back by language - just look at the popularity of the infamous White Russian Beading Book. So I was thrilled to learn about a wonderful Egyptian Facebook page, care of one of my fans. El Antiquo Egipto is written entirely in Spanish, but the pictures are amazing.

Are you a fan of the TLC show Craft Wars? It’s received a lot of critisism lately for making a mockery of craft, and failing to live up to the inspiring and creative qualities of its predecessor, Project Runway. Even with guests like Margot Potter, the over-usage of odd materials and hot glue does leave something to be desired. If you were in charge, what would you do to make Craft Wars better?

Speaking of Margot Potter, check out this fun damask pattern locker magnet tutorial on Make It With Madge! It’s perfect for back to school, and was inspired by some of the store-bought trends for locker accessories this year.

The best thing about fall is the colors, followed closely by the tastes. This is a bit of a shameless plug, but I can’t resist sharing my favorite fall recipe, Perfect Blackberry Crisp. The secret ingredient ensures that your dessert will be perfect for fans of both sour and sweet!

We’ve already seen some fantastic beading accessory tutorials in the form of fabulous pincushions, but what about storage spaces? Back to school time provides great opportunities to discover ways of refreshing your work space with decorative jars for holding scissors, pencils, dowels, and rulers. Crafts by Amanda has a cute neon pencil holder tutorial, and here’s a more stylish version in burlap from Simply Chic Treasures.

If you’re a creative over the age of 20, and grew up in North America, chances are you know and love the work of PBS painting personality Bob Ross. If you haven’t already seen this fantastic Bob Ross Remixed video, it might bring a tear to your eye!

I’m a thrifty bead shopper. Getting the most value for shipping costs is a big factor when I shop online, so one-stop-shopping is a must for me, and I’m really excited about some new additions to two of my favorite bead stores. FusionBeads.com recently added 125 yard Fireline spools to their amazing selection - a definite must have for obsessive seed-beaders like me.

And, one of my favorite methods for trying out new bead colors and styles is to add a few fun pieces to my regular seed bead orders. Auntie’s Beads is a favorite destination for fun focals, and now I have an excuse to visit them more often. They’ve recently added tons of new seed bead colors to their inventory!

Nature is one of our very best sources for inspiration, and it’s wonderful when we can find new ways of looking at these bounties. Check out this fantastic rainbow ocean collage by the inspiring folks with the David Suzuki Foundation, and Marine Detective.

And last but not least, I want to extend a huge thank you to AllFreeJewelryMaking.com for adding Inspirational Beading and myself to their desiger profiles. Many of our favorite beading tutorials are featured in their enormous database of jewelry and beading techniques.

Are you getting excited about fall? What’s your favorite inspiration right now?

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Inspiring Links: May 2012

It’s been a long time since we’ve had a round up of interesting and inspiring blogs and articles, and I have some fantastic things to share with you this month. The first is very exciting - the creators at All Free Beaded Jewelry selected Inspirational Beading’s Potawatomi daisy chain tutorial to be a part of their latest beading eBook Seed Bead Patterns and Projects. There are 11 projects in all, and it’s absolutely free to download.

In an excerpt from Margie’s Muse, color expert Margie Deeb discusses the ways that patterns can enhance beadwork and create a unified, eye-catching design.

Cuffs are in! Cindy Caraway of Artful Living on the Bluff shows off some gorgeous freeform cuffs, and how to use a two-color bead soup two ways! And what do you get when you add ribbon to right angle weave? Gorgeous beadwork corset cuffs by A Rose by Name.

New Beginnings by mortira featuring platform shoes

The idea of working with metals might make me cringe, but when another artist does something spectacular with them, I can’t help but appreciate it. This Handy Dandy copper bracelet project from the Artbeads.com learning center really caught my eye!

In honor of their 15th anniversary, Beadwork magazine is hosting a beaded bead bead-along and contest. In each 2012 issue of Beadwork, you can find a new beaded bead tutorial to try. Share a piece of jewelry using one or more of the beads, and you could have your design published in the first issue of 2013!

Neons have been a fashion staple for the past few seasons, and now they are finally part of our bead palettes too! Three new bright and bold Swarovski Elements crystal pearls offer some fun possibilities for summer designs. So far we have hot pink, orange, and yellow to choose from. Check out the Bright Back Atcha Bracelet project from Fusionbeads.com to see them in action.

Source: quiltrobin.com via Mary Anne on Pinterest

If you’re thinking of making some jewelry gifts for dads this Father’s Day, Fire Mountain Gems has some tips for dressing up your favorite guy in sophisticated black and blue beads. And for the bead embroidery lovers, here’s a fun tutorial for making your own sewing tool and pincushion caddy, from Flamingo Toes.

There’s a little something missing from this list of beautiful upcycled light bulb projects on Dishfunctional Designs. Imagine some of them filled with beautiful beads!

What’s your favorite inspiration of late?

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Inspiring Links: October 2011

Flatback rhinestones go on an adventure
on zombies wearing helmets

October is the start of a steady stream of inspiration throughout the end of the year. There are so many fun and festive holidays coming up, beautiful colors outside, and tasty seasonal treats. Here are some of my favorite inspirations of late.

If you love Halloween and vintage ephemera, A Nostalgic Halloween is sure to delight! This simple but stunning blog highlights gorgeous mixed media collage, vintage Halloween advertisements and lots of Halloween goodness.

Remember the 7000 Bracelets for Hope blog hop? The campaign is still going strong, and now you can view some of the amazing jewelry donations on the Global Genes Project Facebook page.

Do you keep a certain palette in mind when designing jewelry throughout the seasons? What about your wardrobe? At Elegant Musings, Casey shares her fall palette must haves and vintage fashion inspirations.

Margie Deeb wants you! In preparation for a new book titled The Beader’s Guide to Jewelry Design, Margie wants your input on the topics and features. To add your thoughts, respond to the question of the day on Facebook, or sign up for the beader’s color newsletter at MargieDeeb.com

Whether you like to dress it up all the time, or just need a little extra something to make your Halloween costume complete, this bow tie brooch tutorial from Honestly…WTF is as easy as it is cute!

My favorite fashion house, Rodarte, took a surprisingly girly twist with their upcoming Spring 2012 collection. The combination of bright yellow and aqua is stunning!

Does your sewing machine have a special story to tell? SINGER Story has been gathering up amazing tales of the origin of sewing machines, and how they have helped to shape hobbies and lifestyles. You can add your story, track the history of your machine, and read about other passionate sewers.

One of them most wonderful things about beading, is that it’s an international passion. Through our beads and techniques, we can connect with people all over the world, without ever saying a word. Beadweavers will love the browsing gorgeous designs of Polish beader Jolinka. For more eye candy without borders, check out Les Perles de Pencio.

Staying up to date with fashion, jewelry and color trends is the key to making wearable designs. Whether you use a blueprint or just a pinch of inspiration, having a good source for current fads and favorites can help. New Found Lust on Facebook has lots of inspirations and insights for designers of all mediums.

Incredibly bold jewelry
by FLorian

A fun tutorial from Artbeads.com combines cute bead caps and Swarovski pearls in fall colors, to create a collection of adorable acorn charms for pendants, earrings or ornaments!

Metal stampers will love a fun, fall inspired variation on the book locket from FusionBeads.com.

Glitter Guide has a quick and easy chunky necklace tutorial using big chain and chandelier sized crystal briolettes. A topaz or citrine colored variation would make a gorgeous statement necklace for fall.

Is your favorite celebrity modern or vintage? If you love photography and unique art concepts, you’ll love George Chamoun’s Iconatomy series, which carefully blends color and black and white portraits of different celebrities into one unique image.

Are you an Etsy seller? There have been many changes this year to the way Etsy listings are seen. Market My Shop has a list of 23 tips for getting the most out of your listings and in house search algorithms.

Learn the truth about free patterns from La Bella Joya, with insights into the value of both sharing and selling designs and tutorials.

Melinda Barta shares five tips for submitting your beadwork and jewelry designs for magazine publication, specifically for Interweave’s Beadwork Magazine.

What’s your favorite inspiration of the moment?

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Inspiring Links: September 2011

There are lots of exciting things happening in the beading and crafting world. Here are just a few of my favorites of late!

Earlier this year, the Artbeads.com design partners participated in a fun challenge called “What’s Old is New Again”. We were asked to create jewelry using old beads or components, such as found objects, upcycled jewelry, or vintage beads. Now you can see all of the fabulous designs in the Artbeads Facebook galleries: Part One and Part Two

Arguably one of the greatest inventions in the realm of DIY, the sewing machine has been around for generations. To celebrate 160 years in the business, SINGER has started a fun new genealogy site just for sewing machines, called My SINGER Story. You can share stories about how your sewing machine came to your studio, and track the history of used and vintage machines.

Speaking of sewing, if you like to make your own clothes, or want to give it a try, this handy guide from Casey’s Elegant Musings will show you how to measure yourself or a friend for a circle skirt.

Learn to make a slinky variation on the slave bracelet with this DIY Handpiece tutorial from Honestly…WTF, created by Amanda Thomas of Luv Aj.

If you want to take a break from beads, fiber jewelry is a fun diversion. This combination pin and multistrand necklace tutorial from Michaels uses fabric ‘jewelry twist’ to make a pretty and lightweight statement piece: Three Flower Pin Tiered Necklace.

Have you ever looked at jewelry in stores, magazines, and on the runway, and wondered how your beaded designs fit into a world of mass produced metals and gemstones? No matter how many trends come and go, classic jewelry seems to always be on top. But there are a few high end designers that are making ripples, which could pave the way for beaders and rustic designers.

Check out this Regatta Bracelet by Chrisbeads!

On the other hand, sometimes when we get so wrapped up in our design process, we forget that the world sees beading and jewelry in totally different ways. Here’s an interesting view on pearls and pearl jewelry from the eyes of a fashion blogger.

The messy wire bail is a very trendy way to showcase a gorgeous crystal drop or gemstone briolette. This step by step tutorial from Fusionbeads.com will show you how to master the messy wrap bail technique.

Who says beads are just for jewelry? I think these DIY sparkle sunglasses from Glitter Guide could use a few Swarovski flatbacks!

I love to learn about how beads are made, don’t you? This week, Artbeads.com shares a little insight into the making of Czech fire polish beads.

If you like to work with patterns or geometric shapes, this showcase of Diagonal Stripes of Goodness over at the Naughty Secretary Club may provide some colorful and angular inspiration! Or check out some fabulously decorative doors at Everyday Inspired.

We know why we love jewelry, but why do we wear it? Sally at Already Pretty explains the very good reasons why we accessorize.

If you enjoy using fibers and knots in your designs, you might get a kick out of Macramé Mondays over at zombies wearing helmets. It’s like a time warp of crazy crafts.

New beads are coming! Just like fashion, beads get their seasonal refresh with new colors and styles. Fusionbeads.com has a sneak peek at the Swarovski Fall 2012 lineup. There are also 30 new Miyuki Tila colors, which should be available sometime this month! Some of the most exciting colors are the opaques in bright hues like yellow and turquoise.

In other news, I spent part of the Labor Day long weekend picking wild blackberries with my little guy. We whipped up a batch of blackberry crisp that was so yummy, I just had to share the recipe for Perfect Blackberry Crisp.

And fresh blackberries means that fall is really here! I hope it brings plenty of new inspirations and ideas.

What are you exploring right now?

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Inspiring Links: August 2011

I hope all of you beaders are having a fantastic and creative weekend! Here are a few things that have caught my eye lately. Perhaps they can inspire you, too!

In warm weather, lightweight jewelry can make all the difference. Karla Schaffer at Auntie’s Beads has an easy, breezy necklace and earrings set with crystals and chain that won’t weigh you down in the heat.

Right on the heels of leather wrap bracelets, the friendship bracelet is making a stylish comeback. The trendsetters at Polyvore show us a few fun examples of these colorful and stackable bracelets.

Last month I participated in the Cherished Collections Blog Tour with readers of Elegant Musings. One of my favorite collections from the tour is by Sarah of Vintage Bobbin, who shared an amazing assortment of costume jewelry, along with tips on finding, collecting and caring for vintage jewelry.

Papernstitch shows us 5 good reasons to use surveys for improving online business.

Do you have a lucky number? How about a favorite date? Perhaps you could wear it on your fingers so you never forget! Check out these very interesting stackable numeric rings on Honestly…WTF.

80’s meets 70’s and is still going strong with the fantastic neon and neutral color blocking trend. Glitterguide shows us how to wear it, but perhaps you can find some color inspiration for beading as well!

We've probably all seen examples of how hardware makes for great found object jewelry. But what about beadwork with washers as a base? Tamara at Vanishing Pearl shows us how to bead around washers, and create a stunning collage bracelet with them!

The Sartorialist captures two fun trends together in Milan. Neon and neutrals work perfectly with this pink maxi skirt.

Beading Daily has some of the best collections of fun and easy beading projects. They recently launched a new, free eBook with 6 adorable earrings designs that use seed beads and other favorite materials.

This simple flow-chart cartoon by Happy Mango Beads shows us just how things go in the making of Czech glass beads.

A trendy new jewelry site called Bauble Bar is offering up all the best designer jewelry at below retail prices. While it may not be the place for your handmade jewelry, it could provide some excellent inspiration and insights into current jewelry trends.

A Conversation on Cool is my new favorite blog. As a Tumblr, it’s pretty straightforward - just really fantastic photographs that make you think, “Cool…”.

Beth Terry’s plastic free life is an inspiration to many environmentally conscious people. Recently, she shared a recipe for making your own liquid soap for use around the house, using absolutely no plastics or petroleum products.

Do you like frilly, pretty things? If you do, you’ll love this handmade apron giveaway on The Drapes of Wrath. Contest closes on Friday, August 12h.

If you’re crafty all around the house, and not just at the beading tray, you might just love this DIY net bag project from Honestly…WTF. In just a few minutes, you can turn a plain net bag into a fantastic purse!

Irene at Heirloom Attire shares how she turned an old serving tray into the perfect jewelry display. All it needed was a little paint and some magnets!

A new tutorial video from JewelrySupply.com shows us how to do the beautiful Egyptian coil technique. My metal-free philosophy has never been tested quite so much!

So, what’s your favorite inspiration of late?

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Inspiring Links: July 2011

Check out Ilenia’s gorgeous Haberdashery Cuff!
Design by Callie Mitchell/Beadwork Magazine

Inspiration can come from just about anywhere! Here are just a few of my favorite things from the past few weeks:

Crafts by Amanda shows us how to create a giant, lightweight sand dollar sculpture for beach-themed décor.

Leafy gold jewelry dresses up a simple summer outfit from Fashion in My Eyes.

Gorgeous lampwork glass Unicorne Beads are now available at Artbeads.com. Imagine good quality lampwork beads at affordable prices in large quantities…and they are made in the USA!

Bead bloggers and nerdy beaders will appreciate this clever USB flash drive locket on Honestly…WTF.

What could be cuter than a 40’s inspired polka dot top for a day at the beach?

Have you checked out Google+ yet? Apparently it’s just like Facebook, except that it’s not Facebook, which would be great, except that it’s Google. But it could be a channel for online sellers.

A new beading video from Beads Direct shows you how to recreate the super sparkly earrings worn by Beyoncé at the 2011 Glastonbury festival.

Organization is one of those things that beaders are constantly working at. Check out this ingenious spice-rack inspired seed bead drawer on My Two Cents!

Every piece of jewelry needs a good outfit as a backdrop. In summer, finding the right balance of clothes and accessories can be tough. Check out this helpful overview on dressing comfortably on Already Pretty.

Having a tea party on the patio this summer? Why not dress things up with these adorable DIY butterfly napkin rings from Bugs and Fishes?

I’d be lying if I said I’m not really excited - and a little sad - about the final installment of the Harry Potter series finally making it to film. My fellow HP fans will enjoy these Summharry parody comics featured on If Zombies Were Supermodels, We’d Be Them.

Check out these cute Tinkerbell Earrings on Bead for Brains: 365!

Is your inspiration strongest in the night or day? Andrew Thornton shares a tale of creating in the moonlight.

On A Bead a Day, Lisa wants to know if you’re bead obsessed, too.

Busy beaders have to eat, and who says our food can’t be gorgeous, too? Vegancraftastic shows us how to make swirled frosting on cupcakes!

Are you brave enough to reinvent your designs? Happy Mango Beads wants to see your best work - twice! - in the On Second Thought beading contest. Entries are due on August 1st.

What's your favorite inspiration this month?

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