Our VIB jewelry making community is full of creative crafters and uncommon artists. Talented jewelry designers from all over the world post their creations daily. It is an exciting hub of inspirational media and educational messages. Today, we are putting the spotlight on one designer, Robin Wilke. Robin is a talented artist that is always willing to embark on a challenge. Each month, she wows us with exceptional designs from our mystery themed jewelry making kits. She is able to use a diverse variety of colors and mixed beading supplies to create a gorgeous piece of wearable art. We love Robin's talent for creating beaded lace jewelry. Her seed bead lace bracelets are incredible. We wanted to know more. Let's learn about Robin and her wonderful eye for jewelry design.

Have you joined our Facebook group yet? VIB (Very Important Beading Studio) is a group with thousands of jewelry designers and hobby/ craft creators. We have members that have been designing necklaces for decades. And we have members that have strung their first bracelet a day ago. We welcome all talents and styles and we foster an atmosphere of creative energy. We want to share the joy of creating and we want to learn a new trick or three. Check out the group and get advice from a pro.

Would you like to be a part of our ' Spotlight On Our VIB Jewelry Making Community' series? If you are a member of our VIB group and an active jewelry designer, we may be asking if you would like your name in the spotlight!

Spotlight On Jewelry Maker Robin Wilke

Robin Wilke - Designer, Maker, Owner Of Bunny's Handmade Jewelry

My name is Robin Wilke. I am 57 years young. I have a wonderful supportive husband, 3 biological children and 7 stepchildren I consider my own. A few of my children have given me grandchildren,16 total. We lost our oldest grandson earlier this year to a road rage incident. He was just 16. The murderer has been caught and is in jail.

I have been crafting since I was 5. I began when I was in the Brownies, with the help of my Aunt and Mother. I started with embroidery and hand sewing my own doll clothes. By the age of 10 I was needle pointing and sewing on a machine. In High School I was making dresses for the young ladies for prom and homecoming dances. Also I was repairing jewelry and un-knotting chains for a small donation. In my 20s I started making home decor items from plastic canvas and I learned how to make my own patterns for this with the help of my grandmother. We would make items and would raffle them off at her place of employment and near by bars. We did not make a lot of money doing this, but it did get the word out about our goodies. As grandma was retired I gave my earnings to her. After I moved away she had a very good little business going for herself.

I continued to make my plastic canvas items and opened an eBay store to sell them. I did pretty good, but not enough to make a living so I also started making Barbie houses and furniture for my youngest daughter. She is in her 20s now and still has everything I made for her. She is hoping to have a little girl one day and pass them down to her.

In 2011 I moved from Milwaukee, WI to Austin, TX. I have COPD – emphysema and the cold winters in WI was making it very hard for my breathing. I had no idea that Texas has cedar trees and in 2012 I wound up in the ER for Cedar Fever with then turned into something worse and I was in a coma for 2 days. After I woke up I could no longer breath on my own and am now on oxygen 24/7 and can not walk very far anymore.

During my recovery I discovered and online auction place and decided I could sell my plastic canvas items there. While looking around this site I decided to start making jewelry and selling it too. In the beginning I did not know a lot about crafting jewelry so I started watching YouTube videos on jewelry making. I was doing pretty good at this and then the site changed and my friends and I decided to leave and we started selling on Facebook.

Not long ago I found a YouTube video of  Soft Flex Beading Wire. I was hooked, lol. James Browning was my first video and then it was Kristen Fagan. I found the VIB Facebook group and got hooked on Sara Oehler's videos. I then ordered one of the monthly kits. I have to say I am a Soft Flex Company addict. The beading wire is the bomb and I only use it now. I donated all other kids of wire to a women's shelter along with a huge bag of beads and findings.

Robin's Gorgeous Seed Bead Lace Jewelry

I started making my seed bead lace designs with cheap thread and found that they would break apart very easy. I did a lot of research on beading thread and found that FireLine worked for me.

Soft Flex Company Note:

Check out our Soft Touch premium beading wire. Our Very Fine .010 diameter can be a great thread or FireLine replacement in some cases. It is constructed of marine quality stainless steel wire. This diameter can be knotted and is incredibly flexible and soft. Soft Touch Wire is strong as steel and soft as silk. Very Fine is Ideal for embellishing, weaving, crocheting and stringing very small beads. We suggest finishing with 1x1mm crimps.

Soft Touch Wire is a lead-free beading wire for designers that want a premium product for their designs. Soft Touch Wire has the softest drape on the market, your pieces will lay like they were strung on thread. Soft Touch Wire is constructed of either 7, 21 or 49 micro woven stainless steel wires. It is supple enough that it can be knotted and comes black and white (.010) and Premium Satin Silver. It is available in 4 diameters: .010, .014, .019, and .024. We recommend Soft Touch Wire for designers that want their pieces to last and eliminate the frustration of restringing.

My first designs were done with not only bugle beads and seed beads, but also with 6mm, 4mm and chip stone beads. I would make a fringe were the stones would hang. They looked beautiful! I loved them and have sold a few in the past. Because I used stones and crystals for the fringe it does cost a bit more and not many people are willing to pay what I was asking.

I personally have not found a money making venue yet for my seed bead lace bracelets, but I love making them and giving as gifts. Giving as a thank you gift is a great way to get new custom orders. People love getting a special gift when they order an item that they have purchased.

Robin's Thoughts On Soft Flex Jewelry Making Design Kits

Soft Flex Company Note:

Soft Flex Company kits are great for skill building. We want our kits to feel challenging. We want them to be accessible for beginners and advanced designers alike, but we love to throw in elements that may seem difficult to test our beaders skills and make them think out of the box. We think jewelry is great when it is easy. But when you really have to engage your mind and process your materials and tools, we think that your jewelry has the potential to be life changing.

Supplies are very limited. Don’t miss out!

Now for a few thoughts on the Soft Flex monthly kits. I just adore these kits. You get everything you would need to make earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc. So many beads!  Soft Flex beading wire, crimp tubes, and more. You can't go wrong when ordering one or more of these kits.

Each month there is a different theme. With each theme there are beautiful colored beads. Just opening the package will get you mind a flutter with ideas. The creativity with these kits is endless. Join the Soft Flex  VIB page and post your pics of the items you make. You just might win a free kit the following month. Who doesn't like a chance to win a give away.

I personally can't say I have a favorite kit so far. I am in awe of the Soft Flex company and Jesse James Beads for their inspirational kits. I love emptying the contents onto my beading mat and letting the beads tell me how want to be made into. I would love to see a purple and silver kit or a purple and black as those are my favorite colors.

I can say though that I have learned many new techniques in beading by watching the live videos from Kristen, Sara and James. If you have never seen one of their videos please check them out on the Soft Flex YouTube channel or the Soft Flex  VIB Facebook page.

Visit Robin's Links

My online stores:

Shop my  eBay

Shop my  Mercari

Shop my  eCRATER

Shop my  Amazon Handmade

Join our Facebook group – VIB. Stay in the know. Stay up to date. From our bead shows to our video shows and sales, you can stay in touch with us. The community is full of artistic and helpful beaders and crafty people. Inspire and be inspired. Share your pictures and get the beading bug from others!

Visit the Soft Flex Company YouTube Channel!

Blog contributor Thomas Soles loves Jazz Age writers and crunchy french fries. His favorite gemstones are Lapis and Pietersite. His favorite hobby is day dreaming. And his favorite mustache is Freddie Mercury's. As you can see, he has a healthy (or possibly unhealthy) sense of humor. You can write to him at Thomas@SoftFlexCompany.com