I forgot to mention that while at CHA, I met Jean Chatzky , who was the keynote speaker. Jean's book, Make Money, Not Excuses , is next on my reading list! And I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Montano , author of The Big-Ass Book of Crafts and a... Read More

I got to catch up with some of my blog buddies at the CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) show last weekend. I had a chance to visit with Katie Hacker , Candie Cooper , Margot Potter (who, unlike me thought to take pictures--see the shot at right), Kathy... Read More

The back-to-school stuff is already filling the stores, so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that I’m up to my elbows in new books. I seem to get a new one in my in box everyday. Here are some that grabbed me: beadsimple by Susan Beal ( Taunton Press , ... Read More

There are many cool things in the September issue. Two of the coolest are from the creative mind of Roxie Moede, one of our favorite contributors. Roxie's turquoise necklace on page 52 and her vintage-bead piece on page 78 are both must-sees. Unfortunately... Read More

Today, I made a charm necklace from the tags on my dog's collar. Please feel free to read about it (and leave comments, if you want) on my personal blog . Thanks! Read More

I was away at a trade show and didn't get my jewelry gems of the web up on Saturday. So here they are: About.com Jewelry Making If you are looking for some super easy methods for promoting your jewelry business, here are some no-brainer ideas for... Read More

There’s something strangely beautiful going on in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Every 17 years, swarms of cicadas rain from the sky in Sandwich, and this summer happens to be the insects’ homecoming. The live buggers flit and flutter everywhere the eye can... Read More

I have really enjoyed sharing my thoughts and stories with you. I’d like to end this week talking about endings…to necklaces, that is! Even three years ago when I started making jewelry, clasps for necklaces were fairly simple; spring rings, lobster clasps... Read More

You are shopping for gemstones. Hmm, how about some turquoise? Your search leads you to many types of turquoise: Sleeping Beauty, African, Chinese, Viennese, Howlite, and Purple. What to choose? Time for some serious research. And what you will find can... Read More

You’ve perfected your technique, polished your designs and have gotten positive reviews from friends and family. Now, you want to test the waters and try to sell your creations. There are a few things you will have to tackle: 1. Choosing a name: Try to... Read More

I love bold colors, textures and unusual materials. A great combination for summery designs is wire lace and Greek ceramic beads and/or pendants. The wire lace gives the impression of fishnet floating on water, and the Greek ceramic pieces come in a variety... Read More

Hello! My name is Alison Libby and I am the guest blogger for this week. I look forward to sharing my beading experiences with you, and hope you will post your thoughts and ideas. That is what makes the BeadStyle blog such a great resource. During a summer... Read More

What a week for the web! Check out this week's links from some of my favorite sites. About.com Jewelry Making Tammy declares, Red Brass Rocks! Consider red brass wire as an alternative to gold-filled if you have been put off by the price. Art Bead... Read More

Alison Libby, a frequent visitor to the BeadStyle blog, will be our guest blogger next week. Alison won the guest blogger contest we held in May. I encourage everyone to make her welcome and join the conversation all week. Alison is, of course, a beader... Read More

This weekend only! Online subscriber access for everyone! From Friday, July 11 at 5:00pm Central Time, through Sunday, July 13, take a free tour of all the great online content that's usually available only to BeadStylemag.com registered users or... Read More