Book Spotlight: Decorative Wire Findings

Making custom components and findings is an invaluable skill for any jewelry maker. By learning just a few basic techniques, you gain the advantage of having exactly the right pieces to make your dream designs, every time. Whether you like to string, weave, or wrap, custom findings allow you to personalize all of your designs, make perfectly matched sets - and of course, save money for more of your favorite materials.

In her new book Decorative Wire Findings, jewelry artist and instructor Melody MacDuffee shares her favorite techniques for making one of a kind findings and components for amazing jewelry designs. The book includes instructions for more than 20 versatile essentials such as earring posts and backs, bezels for cabochons, and spacer bars for gorgeous multi-strand pieces. For inspiration and an in-depth look at how each component is used, there are 26 complete projects for earrings, bracelets and necklaces – plus ideas for unique rings and brooches.

Many of the projects feature gorgeous beads from around the world, including Krobo beads created by artists at Soul of Somanya – an amazing non-profit co-founded and directed by Melody in Ghana, West Africa. There are also projects for fans of crystals, pearls and druzy stones – all of them a delight to new and experienced wire-wrappers alike. My personal favorite is an eleven strand bracelet made with stunning teal Krobo beads and golden spirals.

With expert care, Melody guides readers through each of the projects; full color, step-by-step photos provide a look at how each design will progress. The materials lists include everything you need to complete a project, including page numbers for each of the components and findings that you’ll need to make ahead before completing a piece. Several projects offer instant gratification with just a few wraps and tweaks, while others provide an exciting challenge in gorgeous wire wrapping techniques. Never again find yourself without the right components for a project with the easy, professional-looking techniques in Decorative Wire Findings!

Want to check it out for yourself? Melody and the kind folks at Kalmbach Books are giving away one copy of Decorative Wire Findings to an Inspirational Beading reader. For a chance to win, simply leave a comment on this post letting us know what your favorite jewelry components are! One lucky winner will be drawn on Tuesday, April 28th.

Good luck and happy beading!

Update: This giveaway draw has closed.

I would like to thank Meloday MacDuffee and Kalmbach Books for giving me the opportunity to enjoy Decorative Wire Findings. Inspirational Beading has not received compensation for including products or publications in this post.

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading
Melody MacDuffee and Kalmbach Books
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Learn Creative Wire-Wrapping Techniques

Like the basic and versatile seed bead, jewelry and craft wire is a simple material with endless uses in jewelry design. With just a few essential tools, anyone can turn an ordinary length of wire into gorgeous and unique components for finished jewelry. The core techniques are simple and easily interchangeable, so once you’ve learned a few key elements, you’ll be on your way to a vast treasure trove of designs.

In her new Craftsy class, Creative Wire-Wrapping Techniques, jewelry designer Debora Mauser guides viewers through seven informative lessons. Each lesson builds on skills learned in previous ones, and combines new techniques to create some stunning pieces. Starting with basic components like handmade earwires, headpins, and - my personal favorite - paddled wire, Debora shows beaders how to work safely with wire and create professionally finished pieces. Then it’s on to more complex pieces that can be used to make handmade chain, pendants, beads, and earrings. Later lessons also cover coiling, riveting, adding patina and so much more.

New and experienced beaders alike will marvel at the extensive repertoire offered in the class. You'll learn about using different types of pliers, hammering, working with torches, and getting great results with tumblers. What I like most about the lessons is that Debora encourages viewers to try their own variations and offers design tips for transforming the techniques learned into new styles with simple tweaks. She also offers plenty of trouble-shooting tips and ideas for getting the best results from your tools and materials. Like all Crafty classes, you can review lessons as often as you like, replay steps with a single click, and ask questions or share your creations.

If you’re looking to add some new handmade components to your jewelry designs, or want to practice some fabulous wire-work techniques, the Creative Wire-Wrapping class will not disappoint! You can see a class overview and learn more at Craftsy.com.

Want to give it a try? Leave a comment on this post letting us know what you'll make with your favorite wire-wrapping techniques, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win the complete class! Be sure to include a contact method with your comment if you do not have a profile with email enabled. One winner will be drawn on Saturday, March 28th.

I would like to thank Debora Mauser and Craftsy.com for giving me the opportunity to preview this class. Inspirational Beading has not received compensation for featuring products or content in this post.

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading, Debora Mauser, and Craftsy.com
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Victorian Filigree Inspirations

Another giveaway draw has come to a close! Congratulations to Greta, who will be able to learn some amazing wirework techniques from the Filigree Jewelry with a Twist series of lessons by Melody MacDuffee. Thank you so much to everyone who entered, and to Melody and everyone at Craftsy for the amazing jewelry class!

For this giveaway, I asked how you would use the floral filigree techniques in your jewelry designs. Greta’s favorite inspiration is Victorian style filigree, which would definitely be fun to recreate with Melody’s fun wirework florals. I can see it embellishing cameos and smooth cabs, or decorating a bracelet in pretty pastels. From cosmetic tools to momento mori, there’s plenty of inspiration to be found in Victorian antiques. Here are just a few examples of the lovely shapes of the era!

What’s your favorite Victorian trend?

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading and Friends
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Learn Filigree Jewelry with a Twist

There’s nothing quite like attending a class to learn a new skill or technique, where you can follow along with an instructor as you work. If there are no classes in your area, the next best thing is to get instruction from a video. You can see every step of the design process, and pause or rewind any time you need to refresh or start over.

Recently I had the opportunity to try out video tutorials on Craftsy, and it was a revelation. Unlike YouTube, which offers only basic interaction with instructors, Craftsy lessons are built for maximum learning. The video productions are excellent quality, with great lighting and sound, multiple angles from which to view a work in progress, and of course the ability to re-watch any section as needed. In fact, videos are already divided into sections for you, so it’s easy to review a particular portion of your favorite lessons. Once you’ve purchased a lesson, you can interact with the instructor and other students by posting questions, answering polls, or sharing images of the pieces you created.

Melody MacDufffee, founder of Soul of Somanya and author of Lacy Wire Jewelry, invited me to check out her latest class on creating gorgeous twisted wire filigree jewelry. The class includes 7 video lessons for 7 wirework jewelry projects, all featuring a pretty floral filigree technique. Each project builds on elements learned in the previous lesson, allowing students to continuously develop skill with the techniques. It all begins with adorable filigree earrings with a simple design using just wire, beads, and a flair for organic shapes. From there the filigree technique expands into a gorgeous statement necklace, framed hoop earrings, a stunning cuff bracelet, a freeform brooch, cocktail rings, and a cabochon pendant with a beautiful heirloom quality.

The fantasy geek in me – the part that loves fairies, dryads, and vine-covered castles – is head over heels for the look of Melody’s floral filigrees. The delicate wirework is deceptively simple, and works with a variety of beads and jewelry designs to create life-like flower and leaf motifs that look as if they took hours and hours to make. Because the wire can be twisted and shaped nearly any way you wish, and bead options aren’t limited, the design possibilities are endless. I was picturing the pretty flowers transformed by dark gem tones, black crystals, and patinas into elegant gothic jewelry.

Melody is a natural teacher and you really get the feeling of sitting down in a one-on-one class as she guides you through each step. The lessons are very thorough, with plenty of trouble-shooting tips and variation ideas included. The Crafty virtual classroom allows you to re-play the last 30 seconds with a single click, so you can easily get an in-depth look at any steps you need to, and you can add your own notes at any point for future reference.

If you’ve been looking for a new technique to try, or want to get a great introduction to wireworking techniques, Filigree Jewelry with a Twist is an excellent place to get started.

Want to give it a try? Leave a comment on this post letting us know how you would use floral filigrees in your designs, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win the complete class! Be sure to include a contact method with your comment if you do not have a profile with email enabled. One winner will be drawn on Saturday, January 24th.

For a limited time, you can also get the complete Filigree Jewelry with a Twist class for 33% off – visit MelodyMacDuffee.com for details.

I would like to thank Melody MacDuffee and Craftsy for allowing me to preview the Filigree Jewelry with a Twist class. Inspirational Beading has not received compensation for including products or content in this post.

Copyright 2015 Inspirational Beading
Melody MacDuffee and Craftsy
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Book Spotlight: Bead Simple

When you think of the phrase bead bible, what comes to mind? Perhaps a large tome filled with page after page of beading tips and ideas? The trouble with all-in-one beading guides is that they can be frightfully dull, like a textbook – all theory and no fun.

Not so with Susan Beal’s book Bead Simple, which teaches everything you need to know about the basics of making trendy jewelry, and is one hundred percent interesting from cover to cover. There are 150 designs for everything from earrings to ornaments, incorporating all of the most common beading techniques and almost every bead style imaginable. Full color photographs show every finished piece – each one stunning in its simplicity and style.

Bead Simpleincludes a very thorough basics chapter that features clear diagrams for techniques such as using crimp beads, making wrapped loops, and even a little beadwork in the form of crossweave. There’s a quick primer on materials, tools, and beads as well as a design guide to help beginners get into the art of jewelry design.

Then it’s on to the projects. There are six chapters: Earrings, Necklaces, Pendants, Brooches and Barrettes, Bracelets, and finally Embellishments – which includes a variety of wearables and home décor items. Each section features projects with a particular design element that is fully explored with several variations. Unlike many other beading books, the variations all include step-by-step instructions and a full materials list. Many projects are provided by designers such as Jennifer Perkins and Jenny Ryan.

Even experienced beaders will love to flip through Bead Simpleand admire the tastefully designed jewelry, using a variety of materials in perfectly balanced combinations. This is an excellent title to keep near your workspace when you need a little burst of inspiration.

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading
Susan Beal and Taunton Press
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How to Make Bird’s Nest Jewelry Tutorials

Perfect for spring, and ideal for Mother’s Day, there’s nothing quite like a beaded bird’s nest pendant. They are quite possibly the cutest things you can make with wire, and offer so many fun possibilities for personalizing jewelry. You can make them sentimental with Swarovski birthstones, pretty with pearls, and make realistic looking eggs with turquoise or Picasso finish glass.

Although a pendant is the most obvious place to put a little nest of bead eggs, they’re also great for earrings or bracelet charms. Larger versions of the wire wrapped bird’s nest can be made into brooches, and tiny nests make for sweet rings. Here are some fantastic tutorials for making your own bird’s nest jewelry.

A classic three-egg nest with a neat wrap,
by Sarah Ortega.





A more organic look with wire twists,
by Cathe Holden at Just Something I Made.





Even more fun, add a leaf for cute earrings in this tutorial from Artbeads.com.





If you prefer hooks to pliers, these bird's nest earrings
by Mrs. Micawber are made with crochet.






This neat and tidy bird's nest project from
This Lil Piglet lets the beads shine.





A perfect imitation of robin's eggs,
by Beadaholique.





The shape of the beads and number of wraps create a very realistic nest
in this tutorial from A Single Sunbeam.





Wider wraps and loose tension provide a more airy nest
in this pendant project from The Wired Tree.





This tutorial on Lisa's Craft Blog includes tips
for embellishing a pendant with charms, chain, or ribbon.

If you’re not into the simple pendant-and-chain look, or you want a little more challenge, these jewelry projects would make the perfect backdrop for a beaded bird’s nest or two.

Precious Petals Vintaj Earrings by FusionBeads.com.





Decoupage Bird Bracelet Tutorial by Retro Cafe Art Gallery.





Birds Fly Necklace Project
by AuntiesBeads.com.





Birds Nest Bracelet Tutorial
by HandmadeFashionJewellery.com.





And I couldn't resist including this adorable
upcycled bird's nest ring tutorial by SaltTree.

Have you tried the wire-wrapped bird's nest technique before? What’s your favorite type of bead to use in your nests?

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading and Friends
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Inspired Beader: Louise Goodchild

One of the most versatile of beading materials - apart from seed beads, of course - is malleable and adaptable beading wire. Unlike the beads themselves, wire can be shaped, wrapped, twisted and curled into an endless variety of designs. One artist who makes the most of these qualities is the very talented Louise Goodchild. Her creative and detailed wire wrapped pendants are something to behold.

Inspriational Beading: How did you first get into jewelry design?

Louise: I fell into it quite by accident. I was working for a haberdashery wholesaler, and one day I spotted a little box of beads and findings on one of the shelves. The rest, as they say, is history!

Inspirational Beading: Do you remember your first wirework design? Where is it today?

Louise: Ooh, first wirework design, that's a tough one. It was probably a wrapped bead bracelet (which I still enjoy making).

Inspirational Beading: Do you have a favorite kind of bead or jewelry component?

Louise: I'm a complete bead addict, but I'm especially fond of glass - handmade lampwork, Czech glass and most of all, teeny tiny seed beads. They're just so versatile, and they come in the most fantastic array of colours.

Inspirational Beading: Where do you find the most inspiration?

Louise: Inspiration can strike from anywhere! I'm most inspired by nature - trees, water, flowers and leaves. But I also take inspiration from legends, fairy tales and the seasons. I also find it fun but useful to participate in challenges set by the Etsy team I'm a member of - the Wire Goddess Team. There's no prize for the challenges, but I think it does me good to use a set theme as a springboard. It's certainly resulted in some pieces I'd probably never have made otherwise!

Inspirational Beading: What was the inspiration behind your favorite design?

Louise: My favourite piece is probably still my lilypad pendant - it looks quite simple to me now, but I was so pleased with the way it turned out at the time, and I love those colours!

Inspirational Beading: Is there a material or subject that you would love to work with, but haven’t tried yet?

Louise: I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and attempt silversmithing at some point, although the reason I haven't so far is the same one that prevents me from trying out lampworking - I am regrettably accident-prone and I don't want to end up either burning down the house or getting myself sent to Casualty! I'm also tempted by resin, which may be a little safer…

Inspirational Beading: Who do you hope to inspire with your work?

Louise: I would like to inspire anyone out there who fancies having a go, or is like I was, and hasn't even considered it. Making jewellery, and becoming involved in creating handmade work has really opened my eyes to the astonishing wealth of talent out there all around the world. It's quite humbling, really, but it's great to be a part of that worldwide talent, even in a small way. No-one should ever feel discouraged by the work they see that seems so much better than theirs. It's a fact of life that there's always someone better than you - there'd be nothing to aspire too, otherwise!

You can see more of Louise Goodchild’s beautiful designs in her Etsy shop, or catch up with the latest pieces on Facebook. Louise also shares inspirations and ideas on her blog, Confessions of a Wire Worker.

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading and Louise Goodchild
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Book Spotlight: Beaded Bugs

Of all the sources beaders have for inspiration, nature is one of the most abundant. The colors, shapes, and patterns that Mother Nature creates provide an endless supply of ideas for beadwork, and few are quite so intriguing as the realm of insects. For hundreds of millions of years, these essential and enchanting creatures have evolved some of the most wonderful colors and patterns for camouflage, defense, and even courtship. In Beaded Bugs, renowned beader Jean Power teams up with professional model-maker Nicola Tedman to recreate these unique features with beads.

Like all great beading books, Beaded Bugsbegins with a quick primer on beads, tools, and essential materials needed to complete the projects. All 30 beaded bugs are constructed with a simple variation on ladder stitch, using a two-needle type weave with beading wire. The introduction to beading and reading the pattern charts is suitable for beginners and expert beaders alike.

Jean and Nicola have organized the projects from least to most difficult, to guide you through the process of constructing these 3-dimensional creatures with seed beads and wire. Beginning with butterflies and ending with beetles, there is a little something for every nature lover. Each insect featured is modeled after an actual species, including the black swallowtail, banded demoiselle, death’s head hawkmoth, three-banded ladybug, and fiddler beetle.

The instructions and diagrams are very easy to follow, and most of the projects are modeled after a basic structure. Once you’ve mastered the first dragonfly or caterpillar, you can easily try the next pattern, or even create your own. The only thing missing is blank color charts for making your own unique insect patterns.

I can’t decide which of the projects is my favorite - they all have such wonderful qualities. The butterflies are enchantingly beautiful, the caterpillars adorable, and the beetles are delightfully realistic. Imagine having a tiny beaded ladybug to watch over your workspace!

I would like to thank Andrews McMeel Publishing for giving me the chance to enjoy "Beaded Bugs: Make 30 Moths, Butterflies, Beetles and Other Cute Critters". Inspirational Beading has not received paid compensation for including the book in this blog post. I have shared my honest opinions about this book.

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading
Jean Power, Nicola Tedman, and Andrews McMeel Publishing
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Tree of Life Beading Tutorials

I know I’ve mentioned it once or twice before, but I often find myself envying designers who use metal materials like wire in their jewelry. One of my favorite taboo designs is the Tree of Life pendant. The construction is relatively simple, but the results are always amazing - beautiful, mystical trees made from everything from gemstone chips to swirled silver.

In honor of Earth Month, I wanted to pay a little tribute to the variety of Tree of Life designs out there. Here are some of my favorite tutorials, along with some gorgeous original designs.

This very beginner friendly version from Handmade Fashion Jewelry and BeadsOnline
uses a rectangular base frame, and a handful of crystals.




Lots of step-by-step photographs accompany the tutorial for this chip-bead
Tree of Life tutorial from Dana's Jewelry Designs.




This tutorial by Lisa of Lisa’s Craft Blog features beads that
dust the edges of the base hoop.




This top-heavy Tree of Life Pendant by The Beading Gem has room for lots of beads - perfect if
you want to use multiple colors or finishes for a fall inspired or birthstone design.




This video tutorial by Camille Sharon comes in at just under 10 minutes, but it’s worth it!
She gives a very detailed demonstration on making the basic beaded branch Tree of Life pendant.

The concept of a Tree of Life, or World Tree, has existed throughout many cultures and time periods. The metaphor of connection between the earth and sky, and all the branches in between, is a powerful symbol for both peace and the importance of balance in nature. Naturally, this motif translates well into jewelry designs and handmade crafts.

Happy beading!

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading and Friends
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