All Time Favorite Beading Blogs

As many of you may already know, Google Reader is being put out to pasture. Although I don’t technically make much use of the reader itself, I do have a long, long list of blogs that I’ve followed over the years, and I took a little time this weekend to comb through them and decide which ones I wanted to rescue. About once a year, I check out the 2 or 3 hundred feeds I’ve collected and remove any dead blogs or those that aren’t of interest anymore. During every cull, there are always a handful of blogs that stand out - the ones that are always up to date, on topic, and full of inspiration. These are some my favorites:

Beads for Brains: 365 is a great example of creative determination.
The best way to learn new beadwork stitches and styles is to try them!
This blog explores the amazing variety of projects and tutorials available through
books, magazines, and more.





Beverly Ash Gilbert never fails to provide simple, straightforward,
and often breathtaking inspirations for beading and photography.





If you like to learn about beads, where they come from, who makes them, and how then you need to check out
the Happy Mango Beads Blog. Regular posts about bead origins of every kind are mixed in with
project ideas and gorgeous bead market pics.





Laura Bracken makes some gorgeous jewelry, but she also has a knack for teaching.
Every time she learns something new, she passes that information on through her blog.
If you’re always craving tips and tricks for marketing your work,
Laura Bracken Designs is a blog to follow.





Smart, sassy, hilarious, and full of ideas, Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter loves to make stuff,
and she wants you to want to make stuff, too!





Art Bead Scene is always filled with gorgeous, delightful, and to die for beads -
all handmade by talented designers.





Bead Origami is updated regularly with innovative beadwork and beaded beads, in amazing color palettes.





Jewelry, crafts, photography, marketing, business…it’s all there with daily posts on Randomcreative.
Rose has a great community and pool of resources that she shares to keep you entertained and inspired.

Google Reader is still available until July 1st of this year, but now is as good a time as any to find a replacement for you favorite blog list. Blog Lovin’ is an excellent option if you like creative blogs. You can upload your entire Google Reader list, sort your blogs into groups, and set up email updates for those blogs you want to check in on instantly. What service are you moving to?

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading and Friends
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Beaded Laughter

December can be a pretty hectic time of year, when everything seems to happen at once, there’s never enough time to get it all done, and there’s always something that you forgot to add to your list. Personally, I feel like I’m being pulled in a dozen different directions at once this year. I’ve learned to let go of a lot of the expectations I pile on myself during the holidays, but I’ve still got gifts to make, shopping to do, and there are only a few weeks left to finish up the destash challenge - not to mention keep track of all the fantastic beading ideas that keep popping into my head at random.

If you’re even a tiny bit stressed out during the holiday rush, you deserve a little break. So go put on a cup of tea or some cocoa, then put your feet up and feel the tension melt away as we pay a little tribute to an excellent blog for beaders. You’re probably already familiar with Beaded Laughter - a humor blog dedicated to pairing dreamy photos with sentiments only a beader would melt over. It’s been on hiatus for most of this year, but the laughs are still there to enjoy! Here are a few of my favorites.

When we're rushing to finish projects for gifts, keep our shops up to date, and all the rest, it's easy to forget that our hobbies and our passions are meant to help us relax. I hope that all of my fellow beaders are able to find a little stress-free time with their beads this season!

How are you coping with the holiday rush and crush?

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading and Beaded Laughter
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Blog Spotlight: Randomcreative

It’s been far too long since we’ve had any blog love for Inspirational Beading readers. I appreciate each and every comment - except for the spam - and I only wish I had more time to really explore all of the great blogs by writers and beaders that visit every month.

Today I want to share one of my favorite beading blogs - The Beadings and Buttons of Randomcreative. If you love crafts, this is one of the places you want to be every week. The author, Rose, has lots to say about jewelry, beading, buttons, sewing, paper crafts, and all kinds of handmade goodness. Her regular segments like I Heart Macro and Saturday Link List are full of inspiration from a wild and exciting variety of sources. Readers who love beading will enjoy plenty of sneak peaks of beautiful projects in progress!

Rose is a very talented designer and writer. She also creates amazing tutorial and inspiration articles like Czech Glass Dagger Beaeds: Patterns and Stunning Jewelry Inspiration. She even shares some helpful tips for taking fantastic jewelry photographs!

More fun blogs you might like:

Shadow Dog Designs

The Cheeky Kea

Wild Sally Road

My Bead World

A huge thank you to all of my fantastic readers. Happy beading!

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading and Randomcreative
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Blog Spotlight: Torque Story

One of the tips that I often give to new bloggers is to post often. The more frequently you add new content, the more often readers will come to see what you’ve got. But this concept in blogging also poses a few problems.

First, coming up with new posts and actually sitting down to research, write and format them is a lot of work. Second, unless you have email subscriptions set up - something I think all blogs should have! - readers are more likely to miss the posts that you work so hard to turn out. And even then, some of those emails might start piling up when readers get busy. I know I’ve missed quite a few posts from my favorite blogs of late.

Sometimes, posting really great content just once in awhile can be a good thing. This is one of the things I love about Torque Story. This is a newer bead blog, written by the funny and talented Geneva, whose jewelry designs are delightful. Along with these gems, posts on Torque Story include lots of interesting insights into beading and jewelry making, craft fairs, color and inspiration. At Torque story, every post has a purpose - there’s no scrambling for content and no regurgitation. It’s a great place to catch some good beading vibes.

A few other great blogs to add to your reader:

Crafts by Amanda
Inner Muse Jewelry Design
Gem Trails
MadDesigns with Marcia DeCoster
Wild Roses and Blackberries
Sprinkles on Everything
My Bead Journey
Wild Sally Road

Happy reading!

Blog Spotlight is a special tribute to all of my wonderful readers. Featured blogs are chosen from the previous months comments. Thank you so much for reading Inspirational Beading!

Copyright 2011 Inspirational Beading and Torque Story
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Blog Spotlight: Beads for Brains 365

If you’ve been following along on Inspirational Beading over the past several months, you know that there’s nothing I enjoy more than a good challenge. Whether it’s entering a single piece into a competition, or creating a set of personal beading goals, I’m up for it. Not only are beading challenges great for creativity, but they can make for excellent blogging as well.

Enter Beads for Brains: 365, a beading challenge inspired by Noah Scalin, the mastermind behind the Skull a Day project, and author of 365: Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life! I thought that making a project every day for a month, or once a week for a year, was a great challenge. Imagine beading every day and sharing your experiences, trials and triumphs with readers in a countdown blog for one full year!

The blogger and bead champ, Mandy, is determined to master the art of beading through this challenge, and is using a variety of on and offline resources to tackle new techniques like tubular square stitch, and projects like Sue Jackson’s Fleur du jour, and the Bead Journal Project.

What I love about Beads for Brains: 365, is that readers of any skill level can learn along with Mandy, discovering new techniques to try, and finding unique insights into bead and stitch styles from a trial-and-error point of view. If you’re just getting started with beadwork, or you just want to follow along as one beader blossoms, this blog is worth a visit!

A few other beading gems to add to your reader:

Linda's Bead Blog and Meanderings
The Beadings and Buttons of Randomcreative
My Bead Journey
Backstory Beads

And some of my favorite craft and style blogs of late:

Elegant Musings
Broke and Beautiful
Already Pretty
Honestly...WTF

What have you been reading? If you’ve got a favorite must-read creative blog, share a link in the comments!

Blog Spotlight is a special tribute to my wonderful readers. Featured blogs are chosen from the previous months comments.
Thank you so much for reading Inspirational Beading!

Copyright 2011 Inspirational Beading
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The Best of Beading in 2010

Let’s take a look back at some of the fantastic things that happened in the beading world, and here on Inspirational Beading, during the last year of the decade!

Blogging Fun

I started quite a few new segments for this blog, including a new set of interviews based on our favorite beads. My favorite by far is the Wear It Twice series, which allows me to play around with clothes. It’s like dressing up Barbie, but with way more selection, and it all starts with one great necklace!

This is my favorite collage of 2010, and I hope to top it many times next year!

Fringe Benefits by Mortira featuring a drop waist tunic

New Bead Styles

In February, Miyuki launched the prototypes for their new Tila shaped seed beads. These two-hole 5mm glass squares are a delightful addition to the seed bead family. I’m ashamed to admit that trying out Tila seed beads is on my list of 2011 resolutions. If you’ve already got some in your stash, try out this awesome Square Stitch Tila Bead Bracelet by Caravan Beads.

Marathon Beading

Beading challenges kept me pretty busy this year. At first I thought that making a ring a day was tough, then I lost my mind completely and thought it would be fun to blog a necklace a day. I’ve had to completely rework my storage system to make room for all of the new designs that appeared in so little time. But it was fun!

Jewelry Wars

Etsy accidentally rocked the jewelry boat with an ill-advised look at the environmental impact of red coral, hosted by an artist who isn’t exactly a friend to handmade. The beads were flying as many different shock waves of debate and disaster followed. One of the better side effects? Lots of artists in business are now enjoying discounted pro-seller rates at ArtFire.

Fantastic Blogs

I adore every comment and compliment that readers share on Inspirational Beading. Without fantastic readers and bead lovers, who would I write for? Starting in May of 2010, I picked some of the best blogs from each month’s comments. Here’s the short list of blogs in the spotlight. It's interesting to see how much a blog can change over the course of one year!

KSK Designs, bstudio, Artful Living on the Bluff,
My Everything Corner, Little Bear’s Mom, My Bead Journey

Therapy with Bite

Assuming you don’t mind the occasional dose of snark, one sure way to get your creativity back on track is to visit Regretsy. It’s been a great year of horrible, odd, and outrageous art! The jewelry category is full of eye-popping designs.

No matter what the disaster of the day is, chances are it will make you appreciate your skills, or take yourself a little less seriously. Either way, it’s great place to unwind when you’ve had a bad day at the beading bench. (Warning! Regretsy posts often feature nudity and profanity.)

Tutorials

I started sharing basic bead weaving tutorials last year, but I’ve done the best ones in 2010. Here are the top five most popular stitches this year:

1. Double Spiral Rope
2. Double St. Petersburg Chain
3. Peyote Bezelled Rivoli
4. Spiral Peyote and Cellini Spiral
5. Flat Right Angle Weave

So that’s a quick recap of some of my most memorable moments in beading. I hope to have many more in 2011, and I can always use a little help with planning. So I’m taking requests!

What kinds of beading techniques would you most like to see for next year’s tutorials?

Happy beading, and happy new year!

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading and Friends
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Blog Spotlight: My Bead Journey

Quite often, I find myself wondering if I should share more works in progress on Inspirational Beading. After all, some of the best beading bloggers do it. It’s fun to see beadwork through another’s eyes, and take a look at the workspace of a fellow artist.

This month, I want to share a really special blog called My Bead Journey, which often gives you a glimpse of a fine beader's studio. Kristen, the author, has a wonderfully friendly voice, and great taste in beads. My Bead Journey is always full of inspiration, good humor and plenty of magpie eye-candy.

When you’re looking for a fun blog to relax with and talk beads, My Bead Journey is a very safe bet. Kristen often promotes her favorite giveaways, too!

More great blogs to try:

The Beading Gem’s Journal
Wildwood Flower
Spyder Jewels
RE-Bead It!

Blog Spotlight is a special tribute to my wonderful readers. Featured blogs are chosen from the previous months comments. Thank you so much for reading Inspirational Beading!

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading and My Bead Journey

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Blog Spotlight: Little Bear’s Mom

When I first started blogging, my posts were all written without I statements. I thought, who wants to hear about me? It turns out that just being yourself is the best way to connect with people who enjoy the same things, and that’s what blogging is all about.

One blog that makes these connections with flair is Little Bear’s Mom. Molly, a fellow Canadian artist, writes about many topics related to the art of handmade. Her posts are full of inspiration, often drawing on one’s roots as a source for ideas and finding an identity as an artist.

Every post is filled with fantastic images, from colorful treasuries to stunning outdoor photography. If you’re looking for a great blog to read and relax with, Little Bear’s Mom is a great place to start.

Today’s necklace design was inspired by some wonderful charm bracelets from the Little Bear’s Mom shop. These colorful baubles feature lots of movement and sparkle, and really embody all the things jewelry lovers love about jewelry.

To make this piece, I gathered up a selection of assorted top-drilled beads, drops and magatamas, then choose some seed beads in contrasting colors. After carefully counting and arranging the drops so that they would get larger at the center, I strung them on a thread scrap in the order that I wanted, then gradually added them to rows of spiral rope.

I love the way this necklace looks complex and simple at the same time. There’s not a lot to it, but it stands out. Here’s to being inspired by our peers!

Here are a few more great blogs to check out:

The Zen Veggie
MidnightCoiler
Christine's Beadworks
Bead Journal Project 3

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading and Little Bear's Mom

Blog Spotlight: My Everything Corner

Have you ever heard the expression “Keep it simple, Stupid.”? The phrase might be cheeky, but I think that keeping it simple is the key to writing a blog about a variety of topics. It’s not always easy finding readers who want to commit to your blog, so if you’re offering a combo platter of topics, bite-sized posts keep them coming back for more.

This is a metaphor that really describes my favorite blog of the month. My Everything Corner covers a variety of topics like gardening, cake decorating, scrap booking, jewelry design and running an Etsy store. It’s a great mom blog, with lots of examples of fun activities for school aged kids.

With all of these different themes, you’d think it would be hard to keep up, but the author, Andrea of Blue Jeans Jewelry, keeps things simple. Each post is a little morsel of warm thoughts and good ideas. Reading My Everything Corner feels a lot like getting a postcard from your favorite pen pal.

With a crisp, clean layout, My Everything Corner doesn’t feel like a shopping mall, but more like the foyer of a spa. You’re just listening to quiet music and drinking cucumber water, and catching up on some light reading. Sounds like a great way to spend the day!

Some other great blogs to check out:

Designs by Dawn Marie
Trash-Cat
Little Bear's Mom
Haute Ice Beadworks

What's your favorite blog? Share a link in the comments!

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading

Blog Spotlight: Artful Living on the Bluff

This blog feature segment began as a way to say Thank You to all of the wonderful bloggers that visit me every month. Today I want to share a very special blog with you: Artful Living on the Bluff, by Cindy Caraway.

I’m not usually a fan of fancy HTML graphics and layouts, but there’s always an exception to the rule. Artful Living is gorgeous, without being over the top. I love the rustic blue background, and there are always plenty of inspiring images to see.

With just one glance along the top of the page, it’s pretty clear what this blog is all about: Live Simply, Make Stuff, Play Music, Save the Planet. I can certainly relate, and plenty of other faithful readers do, too. Although Cindy is from Iowa, near the Mississippi, there is a real beach bonfire/Saturday farmers market vibe to her blog that reminds me of the locals here on Vancouver Island. West Coasters like myself will feel right at home.

There are plenty of topics to please just about any visitor. Cindy uses this space to share news from her beadwork and vintage Etsy shops, her creative process, plus treasuries, nature and landscape photography and more! The Morning Coffee segment is a fun way to get motivated for the day, and features inspirational quotes and other great tidbits.

If you’re looking for some great new blogs to read, you’re sure to enjoy Artful Living on the Bluff!

Need more? Here are a few great blogs to try:

soapstar
Windy River
r-anne-dom
Designs by Dawn Marie

Happy reading!

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading and Cindy Caraway

Blog Spotlight: bstudio designs

As we rush and scurry about in our busy lives, trying to reach our next destination or goal, we often forget to just do things that make us happy. Even when your job or role in life is to do something that you love, it’s easy to get caught up in things and overlook simple pleasures.

Catching up on your favorite blogs can be a great way to relax, relieve stress, or even get a few laughs. You can put the brakes on for a few minutes, sip a cup of tea, and let the world wait for you while you learn something new about your favorite topics.

Today I would like to share a very special blog from one of my favorite Etsy sellers. What I love most about bstudio designs is the easy-going nature of every post. There isn’t the usual pitch, urgency or catch that often goes with Etsy related blog posts. You will find news from the bstudio silk ribbon embroidery shop, along with many other pleasant posts about crafts, nature, green living, treasuries and even a delicious recipe or two. Each one is written with a cheerfulness that can truly brighten up your day.

Ring # 28 - Buttercup

If you’d like to see some of the amazing designs behind bstudio, you can see what’s new on Etsy and on Facebook. My personal favorites are the Ruffled Rings, made with beautiful colored silk. This unique design was the inspiration behind today’s ring. Thank you bstudio!

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading
bstudio and The Sage's Cupboard

Blog Spotlight: KSK Designs

Every week Inspirational Beading is visited by so many wonderful bloggers and blog readers. I love reading each and every comment - even the spam! My visitors often spark some wonderful discussions on beading techniques and inspiration. I would love to return the favor each and every time, and leave comments for all of my visitors; but the to-do list always seems to get longer instead of shorter, and before I know it, another day is at an end.

When I visit a blog, I like to really read and absorb what the author has shared. Although there isn’t always time for reading and commenting, there’s always time for one more blog post! So, I’m going to share some of my favorite blogs each month, to say thank you to all of my fellow bloggers. The first blog I would like to spotlight is KSK Designs, by Kim.

Writing a journal-style blog is a tough job. If Angelina Jolie or Michelle Obama were to log in to Blogger or Wordpress and start writing about assorted things that they do every day, people would eat it up. Not so for the rest of us. When we go to the grocery store, it’s usually not worth writing about.

Kim, on the other hand, is a pretty fascinating person. On her blog she writes about a variety of topics from her day-to-day, including the techniques and inspirations behind her handmade jewelry. She shares her home and studio with a menagerie of interesting pets. She also raises exotic plants, supports important charities, loves nature, and is a real shutterbug.

What I love about this blog is that the posts are casual and meaningful all at the same time. Each one includes ideas, information, or just something to make you smile. I’m always amazed by how much I enjoy reading Kim’s posts. When I’m following a jewelry blog, it's not so that I can read about vet visits. The KSK Designs blog is so much more than just a handmade blog though; the author invites you into her world, and shares the things that she is passionate about, whether they be good or bad.

If you’re interested in animals, jewelry design and nature photography, I know you’ll love KSK Designs as well! You can also see some of Kim’s inspirations in her Etsy shop, and on Facebook.

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading and KSK Designs