Beading Journeys Around The World

Beading Journeys Around The World

I’ve somehow managed to revolve my life around  beads and travel. My love affair with both began back in the 1980’s when I lived on the Navajo reservation. I fell in love with the challenges that come from living in an unfamiliar culture, and I also fell in love with their beadwork. A simple three-hour class in basic  stringing and looming techniques was all I n…
History of Beads III: Iron Age To Modern Beaded Jewelry

History of Beads III: Iron Age To Modern Beaded Jewelry

Beading is an ancient craft. Beaded necklaces and bracelets had crude beginnings. The humble egg and stone beads that graced early man developed into a thriving craft and beading become an artisan occupation. Trade and travel carried beaded treasures across the globe.The desire to adorn and be different was a primal impulse. Beads were a mighty symbol of privilege and…
History of Beads II: Bronze Age Beaded Jewelry

History of Beads II: Bronze Age Beaded Jewelry

A single spark ignites a bonfire. The crude beginning of beading and jewelry making evolved into a wildfire of creativity and jewelry design. Bead stringing began with egg and stone. It escalated into an art with shaped glass beads and standardized beads that allowed for uniform designs. The Stone Age ended with a simple foundation. The Bronze Age erupted wi…
FREE Beading Project Idea: Beading Wire and Plazko Chain Earrings

FREE Beading Project Idea: Beading Wire and Plazko Chain Earrings

We love earrings. Earrings are probably the most versatile piece of jewelry you can have in your wardrobe. Earrings can match necklaces or they can stand on their own merits. They can enhance an outfit or draw attention from an outfit. They can be slender dangles. They can be chunky affairs. Earrings can be a discrete post or a monster hoop. One fantastic thing about stringing your own jewel…
DIY Men's BRACELETS & NECKLACES | Men's Jewelry

DIY Men's BRACELETS & NECKLACES | Men's Jewelry

Let's look at men's jewelry. Men's bracelets and necklaces never get a lot of love. Men's beaded jewelry tends to be less flashy and less fun than an elaborate multi-stranded necklace that would find a home on a woman's neck. The color options for His jewelry can be more muted and earthy than Her jewelry. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun designing a necklace for the fellow in y…
Reduce, Reuse, RESTYLE | EASY Ways To Recycle Jewelry

Reduce, Reuse, RESTYLE | EASY Ways To Recycle Jewelry

Have you ever wondered how you could reduce your environmental impact? Recycling is a great way to lessen the weight of our footsteps. We think it should be fun. We think  stringing beads can be part of the way we reduce, reuse, and recycle. We look at ways to think outside of the box and create jewelry with the very things we normally consider trash. Bottle caps can be beautiful focal beads.…