BeadStyle : favorite projects

Summer reading list

Cathy Jakicic — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:43:00 GMT

When I was a kid, I used to spend most of my summers planted in a lawn chair with a pile of books. I don't have the luxury of that kind of a summer reading list now, but I did get a chance to browse three great beading books recently.

The first is Krystal Wick's "Fabulous Fabric Beads" (Interweave $22.95) I picked it up after taking a class from Krystal at the Bead&Button Show. The book contains everything to need to know about making fabric beads (like Krystal's Sassy Silkies) and turning them into beautiful jewelry. It is a tribute to Krystal's creative and generous spirit that she shares for many of reative secrets. It's a beautiful book.

The second to close to BeadStyle's heart. "Jewelry in a Flash" (Kalmbach $19.95) is the book version of our special publication "Under 1 Hour." As the title suggests, the projects are quick and fun, and though we weren't really stressing it at the time, they're also very budget friendly.

Finally, lovers of wirework and earrings should check out Denise Peck's "101 Wire Earrings" (Interweave $19.95). It has lots of great design ideas and it beutifully photograghed. Denise is editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry, so she knows her way around wire!

One editor's favorite BeadStyle projects

Naomi Fujimoto — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:07:00 GMT

Every January, the BeadStyle staff does a one-day retreat at Cathy's house, where we talk about our goals and our wish-list for the magazine. We also review what we enjoyed from the past year. This year, we have a homework assignment: to bring our thoughts about our five favorite BeadStyle projects. In preparation for tomorrow's get-together, I thought I'd share my list here.

What does it mean to select our favorite projects? Could I just say, "Ornaments," because those are my favorite to design, year after year? Or should I evaluate the projects based on what struck me as the most dazzling? Or what taught the reader the most?

As it turns out, I used none of these criteria. Instead, as I paged through the issues from the last five years, I realized that the projects I liked best are the ones I still wear. Here they are, starting with the most recent:

• Pearly girl, by Naomi Fujimoto, September 2005. (Okay, it may seem narcissistic to pick my own design, but I hope you'll cut me some slack.) Even though the pieces are made mostly with round beads, the effect isn't boring. I also like the way the necklace, bracelet, and earrings work with other pieces, too.

• Facet fascination, by Diana Grossman, July 2005. Diana has a beautiful eye for color and has designed more elaborate pieces (like Chandelier cheer), but this is my favorite. I think her simple treatment of the huge glass bead is brilliant; these necklaces have a perfect sense of proportion. It can be challenging to create clean, pretty designs, but she makes it look easy.

• Heart to heart, by Brenda Schweder, July 2005. Brenda is a regular contributor and this is less bold than most of her designs, but just as interesting. The oversized, off-center heart is stylish and not at all cutesy. I layer my necklace with others (it's also very eye-catching when worn solo). You know you love a piece when you put together your outfit around your jewelry.

• Instant heirlooms, by Jan Kostura, July 2005. Apparently July 2005 was a good issue. This necklace is stunning: the combination of hot pink and turquoise with the scalloped settings looks both fresh and retro. And it gives me another excuse to wear a turquoise shirt.

• Hoop dreams, by Jill Italiano, September 2004. I didn't "borrow" these earrings (as I did the other favorites), but Jill's design is both pretty and basic. Plus, this design never goes out of style. She has an excellent design sense and top-notch craftsmanship (check out her portfolio to see more of her work).

So those are the pieces I'm still wearing. I'm curious about what Cathy, Jane, Erin, Stacy, Linda, Carole, and Serene will choose. And what about you? If you haven't already, try our search engine when you're looking for past projects — it's probably easier than going through five years of back issues.

What's "old" is new again

Erin Dolan — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:48:00 GMT

I’ve been working at BeadStyle for nearly four months now, and one of my favorite “perks” of being the editorial assistant is working with readers and contributors. When I answer your questions, find elusive components, or organize jewelry, I get to page through back issues of the magazine. I love spotting great projects, then going to the workroom archives to check out the finished pieces in person. It just goes to show you that classic pieces never go out of style, especially for new staff members and beaders!

What’s great for those of you who can’t just walk down the hall to our workroom is that we post so many of our projects online. We have projects for subscribers, projects direct from the magazine pages, and (best of all), free projects!

Some of my favorite “old” (and by “old,” I mean “pre-Erin-working-at-BeadStyle”) projects include:

Lauren Hadley’s pearl-dangle bracelet, the March 2008 online subscriber project

Roxie Moede’s barbell necklace, from the November 2007 issue of BeadStyle

Yvette Jones’ dangle earrings, from the May 2005 issue of BeadStyle

Rupa Balachandar's necklace with kite-shaped beads, from the September 2007 issue of BeadStyle

What are your favorite BeadStyle projects from the past?