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The fashion decade in review
For my fashionistas, I found a treat for you! Emma Sibbles has taken up her pen (or more likely, her keyboard) and has scanned the decade from 2000 to 2009 to find the winners and losers for us in the fashion wars.
Her observation that hit me hardest was concerning the ever-quickening pace of the fashion cycle. Thanks largely to the internet – and also to a billion cable channels – we see, fall in love, buy, and wear the latest… More »
The Basics: Suppliers to get you started
Over the years that I’ve been working with beads, I’ve complied some pretty extensive lists of various Suppliers that I’ve found to be reliable and good to deal with. I’ve broken them down into material type, including seed beads, gemstone, crystals, antique and vintage beads, metal, and different types of clay. I’ve also included my favorite full-service catalogs in the links list.
I’d love to hear if you’ve got any suggestions to add :-)
Complete list of links… More »
Jewelry at the Luce Center
The Luce Foundation Center for American Art has a fabulous jewelry collection. The Luce is one of the less well-known of the Smithsonian Museum family. If you won’t be taking a trip anytime soon to Washington DC, the Luce’s website thoughtfully displays a certain amount of the collection for your viewing pleasure right online!
Ginny Ruffner
You’ll find everything from modern lampwork and fused glass to mixed media assemblage, fabricated metalwork, bead weaving, and historic pieces. This museum is well worth the… More »
What would you do: valuables for sale
Everyone loves a bargain, and we all like to get a good deal, but can the deal ever be too good?
Some friends asked me recently about my own ethics when it comes to flea markets and junk shops. I don’t do too much buying at bona fide antique shops, because I usually want to take the pieces I buy apart to reuse rather than to collect them. Flea markets and junk shops are a better source for me of non-valuable… More »
How to get your work featured on Jewelry & Beading
There’s really no mystery! If you’d like to share a piece you’ve made, all you have to do is shoot me an email to cyndi @ b5Media.com (remove the spaces). Please put jewelry & beading image to share in the subject line. We love to read about things like what inspired you to make the piece and any challenges that you faced, so tell us a bit about yourself and the image that you’re sending. Please size… More »
What would you do: teaching vs stealing
A friend of mine told me that someone was caught making and selling kits based upon one of her projects. This person had basically just rewritten her article (with very few changes in wording even!) and was now marketing their own article along with the materials needed as a kit.
I think that most of us would agree that’s over the line unless you’ve been given permission. But how about these questions:
Is it ok to teach a class based upon an… More »
Artist profile: Helen Breil
Artist: Helen Breil
Business name: Helen Breil Designs
Location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Website: Helen Breil Designs
Helen, how do you describe your gorgeous work?
I work in polymer clay and recently launched a line of Focal Art Beads. I would describe my work as contemporary. I like bold but elegant. I love color and texture. I am more interested in design rather than technique.
What is your creative process like?
I am often driven by some element that has inspired me. For example if… More »
Starting a jewelry business
Think twice! But do it if it’s really your dream.
Too Precious, an award winner by Kaytee
More than two years ago, Kaytee of Simplexities had some very wise advice to share. At the time, she gave me permission to repost her list on another blog, which has since gone defunct. (See, not only jewelry businesses, but also jewelry blogs are a tough business!) The advice is timeless, so here it is for those who are thinking about launching your own jewelry… More »
Eco-fashion trends for 2010
Jasmin Malik Chua, at Ecouterre, has interviewed the eco-fashion giants to see what might be the newest and biggest eco-trends for the coming year. Several statements by these “movers and shakers” centered around a wish that the sustainability issue would become less superficial and more of a way of life. Worrying about your suppliers’ sources, adopting green practices, and reducing waste shouldn’t be used just to stamp the word “GREEN” onto our products.
Other buzzwords besides “organic” and “sustainable” that I… More »
More local jewelry classes: Michigan
Debbie Fehrenbach of Fehrenbach Jewelry sent me her teaching schedule for the next few months. This is a busy lady! If you live in the Michigan area and would like to take one of Debbie’s classes, you can contact her through her website link above, or through the Flint Community Education program linked below.
Keumboo Rings
Class held at the Shiawassee Art Center:
Contact (989) 723.8354, sac@shiawasseearts.org
Mokume Gane Ring
Date: Feb 13, 2010
Learn to fabricate a forged ring out of a mokume gane cane…. More »
Jewelry making with awareness: New York
Elizabeth Wald sent me information on a unique educational opportunity held at the The Rye Arts Center in Rye NY. The center, which is celebrating its 50th year, holds many workshops, two of which have a special focus:
Session I, 4 weeks: Introduction to Beading, with Awareness. Here, you will not only learn the basics of beading and wire wrapping, but also incorporate Awareness Pendants for Cancer, Heart Disease, Arthritis, Lupus, Diabetes etc. You will… More »
Jewelry and beading school classes
I told you about the John C Campbell Folk School in North Carolina because their literature crossed my path. Then I started to think that there several other really good schools, not associated with a particular product or brand that I should gather up the information on and share with you.
American Jeweler’s Institute in Oregon
Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts in Tennesee
Boca Raton Museum of Art – The Art School in Florida
Colorado School of Jewelry & Metalarts
Idyllwild Arts in California
Jewelry… More »
More local jewelry classes: Florida
Don Dietz contacted me about classes that he teaches in Florida. He has been a jewelry instructor at the Boca Raton Museum of Art – The Art School for 9 years. He learned gem cutting and silver/goldsmithing in Taiwan in the early 1970s, pursued it as a hobby and upon retirement, went to Florida where he connected with the school. Now that’s my type of “retirement”, Don!
Here is some student work from Don’s classes:
Don writes:
I teach four… More »
Miami Jewelry School classes
Adriana Wiesner, admissions director of the Miami Jewelry School sent me information on their programs. The school, founded in 1987, specializes in teaching students how to fabricate and design fine jewelry by hand.
MJS is the only licensed school in Florida taught by a German Master Jeweler. With its professional jewelry program that teaches through demos, hands-on projects and practice, the students learn all the essential professional jewelry making skills and so much more. Our MJS Diploma Programs include courses like… More »
What would you do: source of materials
Try googling “child labor”, “slave labor”, or “sweatshops” together with the term “jewelry”. You might be shocked by what you find, or maybe not so shocked. I think that many of us know instinctively that where there are large profits to be made, there are also likely to be people who will unscrupulously take advantage of others. This is the topic that I want to think about for this installment of our series What would you do?
Edahn Golan, writing for… More »
More local jewelry classes: Massachusetts
Kinga Kerr, owner of Bead & Pearl which is located in Newton Highlands MA, wrote to me about the classes and design studio that her full-service bead shops has.
One of the most popular classes is the Precious Metal Clay (PMC) Basics class. Here is the class description that Kinga sent:
Precious Metal Clay (PMC) is real silver in clay form that is shaped and fired in a kiln to make beautiful, original designs. In this class you will make… More »
The Beadin’ Path beading classes
In beautiful Freeport Maine, The Beadin’ Path offers a wide variety of classes, many aimed at beginners. To see the schedule for the year, visit the Beading Classes page of their website! The prices are very reasonable.
… More »
John C Campbell Folk School, 2010
In western North Carolina, the John C Campbell Folk School is only two hours from Asheville, Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Knoxville, with a shuttle that will pick you up at the Atlanta airport if you make arrangements! How nice is that? Dozens and dozens of classes are running all the time. You can browse the list by date and by subject! There are dozens of classes being offered under the subject headings of jewelry and beads, not to mention glass…
From Basketry… More »
More local beading classes: New Jersey
Maria Delgado-Pontani has come up with a clever idea to reach more customers for her store, Caribbean Dreams, located in Cherry Hill, NJ. She has partnered with a nearby antique shop, the Medford Company Store, which has been morphing into a handcraft cooperative. Maria will be holding classes at the store on metal clay, wire work & wrapping and chainmaille. She will be scheduling classes to meet customers’ needs, so they are being held by appointment Tuesday through Sunday, 10am… More »
Know your jewelry terms
Don’t know your dohickey from your whatchamacallit? Well, it’s past time to learn. There is a specialized vocabulary for most disciplines, and jewelry making and beading are no exceptions. Here are some resources to help you get your vocabulary straight and up to date!
Jewelry making supplies
A fabulous chart of terms by Jean Campbell
Seed bead finishes, sizes, types, and manufacturers
Susan Mandel…bless her!
WigJig Dictionary of Beads and Jewelry Making Terms
Glossary of Jewelry Making Terms on All Info About
Fire Mountain Gems
EncycloBEADia
All About Jewels
Illustrated… More »
