Yesterday afternoon I was sitting home working (OK, I was making a necklace) and I got an email from a friend directing me to view the winners of The Washington Post's Sunday Source Peeps Diorama Contest. The first thing you have to know: I love Peeps... Read More

Since our April/May issue will be hitting the newsstand in time for Earth Day (April 22) we decided to include a "green" themed staff challenge. Each of us designed jewelry made from eco-friendly materials to go with a cool top made of sustainable... Read More

TierraCast has launched its Solutions for Large Hole Beads line of jewelry findings. This new line is designed to work with handmade glass beads and other large hole beads. The findings are made of lead-free pewter plated with precious metals. Bead bars... Read More

When I was in New York, I met Suzanne Kalan and saw her collection of gemstone jewelry. Even though it seems trite to say a designer is "good with color," she truly merits the compliment. Not only does she make wire-wrapped hoop earrings in... Read More

Like many other things in my life, my entry into beading was motivated by food. When I was working at the Milwaukee Sentinel as a copy editor, I got in the habit of using my free mornings (I worked 3-12) to take the drawing and painting classes offered... Read More

It’s never too early to start thinking about what to give the woman who brought you into the world and/or raised you and/or otherwise functions as a mother figure in your life. Jewelry is a perennial favorite come Mother’s Day (May 11, this year), but... Read More

This summer I am standing up in my friend Amy's wedding. We've been friends since we were in seventh grade, and I couldn't be more honored that she asked me to be a bridesmaid. My only concern is being able to hide enough tissues in my bouquet... Read More

I am a huge fan of indie crafts — whether it's jewelry or not. If I ever need inspiration, I look at the works of the incredibly clever people who showcase their work on etsy.com. Inspiration usually comes at a price though. I rarely leave etsy.com... Read More

Over 100 beading ideas are presented in Vigdis Mo Johansen’s book, Bead Tempted . The book is organized mainly by color, though there is a section devoted to tools and materials, pearls, types of jewelry, and a list of suppliers — especially useful for... Read More

Last week, I went to New York for the winter JANY Show . The show brings together hundreds of jewelry vendors and is a great opportunity to spot trends. Here's a summary, along with a few links to the things I saw: 1. Diamonds in fashion jewelry that... Read More

I spent quite a few enjoyable afternoons and evenings this past fall and winter teaching troops of Brownies and Girl Scouts to make jewelry. We had a ton of fun. Because they were beginners, I had them all make the same bracelet in different colors. If... Read More

Yep, this post has nothing to do with beading and everything to do with cake! But beaders like cake, don’t they? Plus, us beaders would be a very boring bunch if our crafting interests were limited to beads alone. I love meeting beaders who also enjoy... Read More

The BeadBed measures 11 x 14 in. and has a multi-purpose raised foam ledge — the ledge prevents beads from rolling off the surface, provides an ergonomic cushion for your wrists, and has eight slots that can hold bead containers. On the foam work surface... Read More

I love how Claude Monet depicts the play of light and color in his paintings. It’s also my favorite thing about using crystals when I’m designing jewelry. It’s not particularly surprising then that this year’s Swarovski Create Your Style design contest... Read More

In her last post, Lindsay blogged about families brought together (or temporarily upset) by earrings, and asked for similar stories. Here is one of my own. When I was in third grade, I noticed that many of the girls in my class had their ears pierced... Read More