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 and a few fancier toggle and hook clasps. Now...

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 be a little confusing. African turquoise is really...

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 come up with something that really describes what...

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 of styles that scream ‘summer at the beach...

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 vacation in 2005, my niece, Natalie, gave me...