Did you buy our Resort Chic jewelry making kit? This themed kit was a playful ode to fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer. This batch of beading supplies was so colorful and fun that we wanted to share other experiences with the kit. We checked in on some of our favorite YouTube designers and makers. We watched them unbox our kit and make their own jewelry. If you have never participated in one of our design kit challenges, check out this blog and see what you are missing! Let's look at five unique and creative designers!
There is a lot of talent on our recap this week. We joined Kristen to see what she made with her Resort Chic Design Kit (Sold Out). She used the challenging rubber tubing inside the kit to create a set of stunning earrings. We looked at what Wendy Whitman created with her kit. Wendy sent us an unboxing video a couple of weeks ago, so we were eager to see what she did with her supplies. Our good friend Nealay unboxed our kit and added his own signature touch to it. See how he designed Resort Chic jewelry with SilverSilk Hollow Mesh, Soft Flex Craft Wire and Beading Wire. Aleshia Beadifulnights opened a Resort Chic Design Kit and gave us her thoughts. Lilly Pulitzer lived in Palm Beach, not far from Aleshia, so she was excited to explore the contents. We think we hit a homerun with this theme! Finally, our friend Joyce Trowbridge showed us a fun necklace she made using Soft Flex Craft Wire. If you want to learn how to make a wire wrapped robin's nest, you are going to love this free beading class! Let's make jewelry!
12mm Vintage Preciosa Czech Crystal Faceted Rounds AB Coated
These 12mm crystals were hand cut on old machines, which gives them an amazing look. They were created using a man made raw material that Preciosa Ornela stopped using a decade ago. The glass used to make these lovely beads is a step up from the 00030 glass that is commonly used in glass bead production. These crystals are AB coated and have a wonderful rainbow shimmer and the cut is superbly clean. You are going to love the clarity and beauty of these elegant crystals.
Jewelry Making Videos
Make Drop Earrings with Rubber Tubing, Pip Beads & Soft Flex Wire
This week on Free Spirit Beading, Kristen gave us a jewelry making demonstration with our Resort Chic Design Kit (Sold Out). Resort Chic is a jewelry making kit that celebrated the sunny state of mind of Lilly Pulitzer. Kristen wanted to design a piece featuring the rubber tubing we included with the kit. We like to include challenging colors and items in our kits. We want our kits to be accessible to beginner beaders but we also want to make our seasoned designed pause and consider a jewelry design. Rubber tubing is a challenge - how do you turn it into something elegant and gorgeous? Let's find out how Kristen turned her challenge into a rewarding experience!
If you have purchased our design kits, you might have found this hollow rubber tubing in one of your favorite themes. We have had it in these exciting kits: Cupids Kiss, Dark Heart, Santorini Dreams, and our recent Resort Chic Design Kit. These kits are all sold out. But you can be sure we will feature it again, at some point. We think this tubing adds such a fun texture and look. Soft Flex Craft Wire and Beading Wire can be snaked down the middle of the tube. You can also place the tubing over Memory Wire and other cords and strings. Make something different! Today we will look at ways our community have used this funky design element. Let's get inspired!
Check out our blog featuring finished jewelry designs using the rubber tubing:
Free Beading Project Ideas: Hollow Rubber Tubing As A Jewelry Making Component
Resort Chic Design Kit (Sold Out)
Soft Flex Beading Wire, .019 Diameter in Pink Tourmaline
Beads
Ear Wires
Cutters
Crimping Pliers
2x2mm Crimp Tubes
Learn How To Make A Necklace Using Our Resort Chic Design Kit
A couple of weeks ago, we watched YouTube designer Wendy Whitman unbox our Resort Chic Design Kit (Sold Out). We enjoyed hearing her thoughts about the contents of our mystery themed design kit. This week we got to see her put the kit to use! She showed us how to make a necklace with the goodies we sent her way. We love her finished necklace. It is elegant enough for the resort and fun enough for a day at the beach!
If you enjoyed Wendy's video, make sure you join her Facebook group, ABeadOnAWire Sales, it is a buying and selling group for HANDMADE jewelry items and jewelry making supplies.
DIY Necklace: How to Make a Contemporary Style Necklace with SilverSilk
Nealay opened our Resort Chic Design Kit (Sold Out) this week! See how he intermingles his lovely Hollow Mesh with our Craft Wire and Beading Wire.
Nealay Patel is the owner of SilverSilk & More. SilverSilk is a knitted wire jewelry chain. But, it is like no other jewelry chain out in the craft market. SilverSilk is made by many tiny latch-hook needles that spin around with wire, intricately machine-stitching the wire into an elegant yet strong and supple knitted wire chain. This knitted wire stitchwork offers the crafter new and unusual ways to use it. You can string large-hole beads on it, sew through it, wire-wrap it, glue it, put it in resin or just leave it as a draped jewelry chain. We love SilverSilk chain, it is the perfect complement to Soft Flex Craft Wire or beading wire. These beading elements can be interwoven and wire wrapped into exciting new jewelry. Design something elegant and rich today with these two stringing options. Your finished jewelry will look like you bought it from a high end gallery!
From Nealay:
I often collaborate with my industry friends and use their products with mine. In this tutorial, I take inspiration from the Soft Flex mystery kit, Resort Chic, and use those materials with Hollow Mesh and Capture Chain to create a stunning, minimalist design with big color. This is a great and interactive video, for all of you to follow along with!
Resort Chic Design Kit (Sold Out)
SilverSilk Hollow Mesh
Soft Flex Beading Wire, .019 Diameter in Pink Tourmaline
Soft Flex Craft Wire - 20 Gauge
Soft Flex Craft Wire Silver Plated - 20 Gauge
Beads
Clasps
Cutters
Crimping Pliers
2x2mm Crimp Tubes
Chain Nose Pliers
Be sure to mark your calendars for every Tuesday, 5:30pm CST and hop over to facebook.com/groups/silversilk to watch Nealay's videos live and ask questions.
Nealay's channel is dedicated to learning how to make high quality jewelry with SilverSilk with an emphasis on design. You can follow his journey here:
www.instagram.com/silversilkandmore
www.facebook.com/silversilkandmore
Or join his Silkies group and be a part of the conversation www.facebook.com/groups/silversilk
Aleshia Beadifulnights - Resort Chic Design Kit Opening Video
We love Aleshia Beadifulnights YouTube channel. She has an amazing collection of assorted jewelry making and craft videos. If you enjoy easy to follow and instructive videos, you just found your favorite new channel! She has been making videos on the platform for nine years. You can find unboxings, crafts, tools and supplies, and more! We wanted to see what she thought of our Resort Chic kit. If you want an unbiased opinion and want to know what you can expect to find in our kits, check out her video!
From Aleshia:
Hi I'm Aleshia, designing beaded jewelry and other beaded accessories is my passion. I'm a self taught bead weaver and I love to create new designs and experiment with bead sizes and shapes. All of the designs you see in my tutorials are my own creations. You will learn how to make your own Beadiful jewelry, even if you have never beaded before. I will show you how to make bracelets, rings, necklaces, earrings, hair accessories and anything I can put beads on even shoes. I also do bead haul videos, bead organization and monthly bead subscription reviews. Come watch my beading tutorials and create with me I will take you through all the steps. I always keep in mind that my viewers might be new to jewelry making, so I make sure to inform you of all the important details. I only have the time to bead at night that is why I call myself Beadifulnights. Thank you for checking out my beadiful channel.
If you loved this video, make sure you follow and subscribe to Beadifulnights on YouTube. Hit the like button on the video so Aleshia knows you appreciate her work.
You can find Aleshia on these websites:
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter
Robin’s Nest Necklace - Just Bead It Free Facebook Live Virtual Beading Class
Joyce Trowbridge is the owner of Just Bead It. Just Bead It was a local bead store that operated in Concord, California. Joyce ran her bead store for seventeen wonderful years. Unfortunately, her business was one of millions that failed when hurricane COVID crashed into us. Joyce did not throw in the towel, though. Even if her brick and mortar store was gone, she knew she could maintain an active bead store, online. She is transitioning her catalog of jewelry supplies and beads to her website and Etsy store. She is also taking the classes that she offered in Northern California to a virtual space. You can attend her jewelry making courses on Facebook. You can purchase a kit and make jewelry with her. If you miss a class, you can download the PDF and make the design on your own time.
If you like working with Soft Flex Craft Wire, you will love Joyce's latest jewelry making video. Follow the video and the images below and make your own Robin's Nest made of out Craft Wire. If you would like to participate in a class, check the Just Bead It event calendar. For this design, she used 26 gauge Soft Flex Craft Wire. Support her business and buy your Soft Flex products from her Etsy shop!
Visit Joyce's Links:
More than beads and supplies, Just Bead It is known for classes. They currently hold virtual beading classes most Saturdays at 2pm PST. Catch them on Facebook Live.
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