How crafty are you??

[tidytaurus]

Thx for the links, hey Lynn have you posted any pics of your jewellry?? I don't remember seeing any

[Lynn49]

No, Tidy, I haven't...our camera is at our DD's so that we can take pics of Jack whenever we're there visiting....hm. I should just take a few pics of what I've already made for her there! DUH!!
Okay....hope to post some next week, okay? By then, I might even have some of my blue/green creations done.
"Creations"...lol. Sounds more sophisticated than they are!!

[pac182]

Lynn do you have any books or websites to recommend to make them? I took the cake decorating class at Micheals and now since I need to lose the weight I gain from taking the class i'm looking for a new things to do. I looked at the beads and stuff there but there was so many I had no idea where to start.... so what would you suggest to start with?

[Lynn49]

Lynn do you have any books or websites to recommend to make them? I took the cake decorating class at Micheals and now since I need to lose the weight I gain from taking the class i'm looking for a new things to do. I looked at the beads and stuff there but there was so many I had no idea where to start.... so what would you suggest to start with?

Of course, Pac!
As for where to start...start with very basic, cheap beads (ie WalMart plastic bead collections which have a variety of beads or buy very inexpensive beads on sale at Michaels)...speaking of Michaels, right now they have their strands, which usually sell for 5.99 each, on sale for 2/$8! BUT...you have to know what to buy, which is where the gallery photos I've listed below come in handy. It's easy to collect TOO much and not have any idea what the heck you want to do with them, so be picky in choosing what you want to make.

You will need, however...
small pliers and cutters (I steal my hubby's...okay...they're mine now) to cut wire
threading material: buy a small spool of Tigertail..it looks like wire, but it's soft, and drapes nicely with beads on it, but it does bend, so always be careful of not kinking it)
clasps: the easiest might be the spring-ring ones...just a pkg of a few to start
jump rings: little round rings that you open by separating sideways, not spreading them apart...if you stick to silver colour in everything it'll all match.
crimp beads: cheap, just get a small pkg.

And that's all you'll need to string your first necklace or bracelet!!
As you go on, if you enjoy what you're doing, you'll eventually want round-nose pliers (to bend long head-pins into loops to hang onto other components), crimping pliers (not cheap, so be sure you enjoy doing what you're doing)...to start, you'll be crimping the beads with your normal flat-nosed pliers for now, but for a more professional look you'll want the crimping pliers. Crimp beads are those things you see that hold the beads in place in 'illusion' type necklaces like this:
http://images.google.ca/images?clien...ed=0CCIQsAQwAw

Here's a great site for the basics:
http://www.thebeadery.ca/instructions.asp

This one even has videos:
http://www.auntiesbeads.com/Jewelry-...ter_c_307.html

Those should give you the basics of knotting, stringing, and starting and finishing basics (ie: various clasps, what to use for striging, how to use crimp beads, etc)

Now. After that, you'll need inspiration! We all do!
I could probably list tons of sites (I bookmark each idea I find such as bracelets, necklaces, etc), but these are great collections:

http://search.rubylane.com/ni/search...jewellery.html

http://www.1000markets.com/categories/jewelry+bracelets
As you can see on the left side...there are also necklaces, etc here, too!

You can also do a search for "beading gallery" and you'll probably get lots of sites where you can find great ideas! But bring a pot of coffee with you!
You'll be on here for at least a few days!

Hope that helps! If you need to know anything specific, you know where to find me! Just pm me!

[pac182]

Thanks, i'll have to check the sites out on the weekend

[tidytaurus]

Lynn, I am so looking forward to the pictures of your creations. I tried making jewellry years ago but I just don't have the artistic flare that is required.

[Lynn49]

Lynn, I am so looking forward to the pictures of your creations. I tried making jewellry years ago but I just don't have the artistic flare that is required.

Tidy, that's where those "gallery photos" come in handy! When I have a mental block, that's where I go for inspiration!

[RobynCD]

Here is some of my new work...I am super-excited because I will be displaying at a womens show on Saturday...first time!! I'll hopefully be up on Etsy soon too....stay tuned PS...they're brooches...lol









And my fav...just finished last night:

[RobynCD]

Sorry for the jumbo-sized pics

[Natalka]

Robyn, they are cool! Could they be adapted as fascinators, or attached to headbands? Though of course, they are way cool as brooches!

[RobynCD]

Robyn, they are cool! Could they be adapted as fascinators, or attached to headbands? Though of course, they are way cool as brooches!

Thanks Natalka! They certainly could be put on an alligator clip/comb to make a fascinator, or on a headband...I just haven't tried that yet, lol

[tidytaurus]

Wishing you wonderful success at your womans show Robyn, I love your artistic flair.

[frugal.tea]

@RobynCD they look so cool. I especially love the blue one with the star.

[DH666]

I can ummm, no, I can't post that here. Oh yeah, I can... darn! can't post that either!

[pac182]

The brooches turned out really nice, have fun at the womens show