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I have just come across a new website called Beaders Showcase. This is a community website dedicated to all beading artists, regardless of the type of beading they do. The site offers a venue for artists to primarily showcase their work, but to also interact with a growing community of likeminded artists. The site is not just for jewelry artists, but for all beading artists.
From the founder: “

Beaders Showcase came about after a number of discussions between my wife Ann and myself (Jeff). Primarily, we wanted to provide a venue for beading artists to showcase their work. As our awareness of social networks grew, we realised the site could be much more. It could include facilities for beading artists to interact with each other, to share experiences, to demonstrate techniques and much more.We then refined what it was we wanted, down to just a few core things -

 

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Angie from the New New York Etsy Street Team was looking at a friends can of soda during lunch and thought they’d make a cute pendant or earrings. And she was right! In this tutorial, she shows you how to take a can and make a clever pendant. You will look at all those cans with a new eye the next time you put one in the recycle bin!

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I’m not saying that any of you AREN’T hip, obviously you are because you are reading this blog (LOL!). But for anyone who may be having a ‘not so hip’ feeling kinda day, this book will bring you back up to being fabulous!  You can take a look inside the book too!

Hip to Bead: 32 Contemporary Projects for Todays Beader by Katie Hacker

  • Paperback: 96 pages
  • Publisher: Interweave Press (March 1, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1931499950
  • ISBN-13: 978-1931499958
  •  This may have been written for a younger/trendier group of beginning beaders, but even us old-timers will find the projects interesting.  I really like the Rock n Roll cuff and the World Beat Choker.  Its a great how-to beading book to encourage creativity in the tweens to 20somethings crowd. Not limited to just fashionable jewelry, this also contains projects such as barrettes, candle wrap and journal.  By branching out from jewelry, this book encourages the reader to look at mundane items with a fresh eye and encourages them to add their own creative touch to them.

    Hip to Bead starts with a section on the basics and explains everything clearly. If you have never stepped foot in a beadstore it can be overwhelming, this section clears up the confusion for a beginner. The book then starts with a chapter called “Easy Assembly” where you build up confidence and skill, and moves on to stringing, wirework, knotting and more. One thing that I really liked about this book is with every project there is a sidebar with one or two addition tips, hints and variations to help you.

    The projects are trendy, fun and easy to complete in a short period of time.  Katie Hacker has written 15 instructional beading books, teaches at National Conventions and is the guest expert on PBS’s Beads, Baubles and Jewels show.  Her blog can be found here.

    I’ll be giving away a copy of this fun book-check back next week for the details!!!!!!

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    Heres a 5% off coupon for Otto Frei online. Coupon code is J7F5  Also check out the deals in their closeout section

     

    **Discount codes expires August 31st 2008. You may use this discount code as often as you wish.**

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    I got an Oriental Trading Company catalog a few days ago. If you have never heard of them, they are the party supply people-with all the crazy cheap favors, decorations and whatnots to make any occasion festive. Everyone loves them, so I was really suprised that I got realized that I recieved a BEAD catalog from them.

    As I looked thru it I was even more suprised that they had a decent selection of stuff! You can get kits, crystals, gemstones, novelty lampwork beads, charms, tools, findings and even some Sterling and GF findings. WOW! Now I can order my Halloween decorations AND beads at the same place LOL.

    You can order a catalog here, and the bead section of the website is here. But do yourself a favor and look thru it all and order the regular catalog too. They may have other things you can use for your jewelry making!

     

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    Check out this FREE crochet jewelry pattern from Roxycraft. This is for the Cherry Pickers crochet earrings pattern. Super sweet and very vintage. You could resize it and make a necklace like this, I have one my grandmother made in 1940. 

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    Some people like to kick it old skool style, but Margot Potter likes to kick it ye olde school style!

    This time, Margot wows us with a custom Ye Olde School necklace in a 7 minute thrill packed The Impatient Crafter™ video jewelry tutorial.  Don’t be fooled by the 7 min playing time, this video has solid information, a variety of techniques, references all suppliers she used and is fun to watch. You could easily pay $50 or more for a class of this quality at your local beading store, but Miss Margot shares her info for free.  Enjoy!

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    Lots of beady blog links to inspire you through the weekend:

    About.com Jewelry Making
    Bronze metal clay is one the way! This new medium is the talk of the metal clay community right now.

    Art Bead Scene
    Whooo is the star of this week’s The Trendy Bead?

    Barbe Saint John
    Steampunk? Learn a little more about gears and brass.

    BeadStyle Magazine
    Cathy Jakicic talks about Tammy Powley’s new book and her gracious gift of a free project download for the BeadStyle.com community

    Jewelry & Beading
    Here’s what to do with an ugly old elastic bracelet that never gets worn anymore!

    Katie’s Beading Blog
    The Triple Take girls are at it again! Get a sneak peek at Katie’s twinkle toes ballet flats for the August issue of Simply Beads.

    Katie’s Beading Blog
    The Triple Take girls are at it again! Get a sneak peek at Katie’s twinkle toes ballet flats for the August issue of Simply Beads.

    Savvy Crafter
    Stars and Stripes Charm Bracelet! Happy Fourth everyone!

    Snap out of it, Jean! There’s beading to be done!
    I was so delighted with how my interview with the fantastic Melissa J. Lee turned out! Come see!

    Strands of Beads
    Melissa shows off her favorite recycled tools.

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    This news comes to us via the viviacious Jean Yates at “Snap out of it Jean, theres beading to be done!” whose bejeweled finger is on the pulse of all the up to date beading news out there. Beadstyle magazine is opening up all the online content for you to browse and check out!!!

    This Weekend ONLY!   From Friday, July 11 at 5:00 p.m. Central Time, through Sunday, July 13, take a free tour of all the great online content that’s usually available only to BeadStyleMag.com registered users or subscribers to BeadStyle magazine. Look around and see what you’ve been missing, and if you like what you see, come back Monday! “ So, go on in and look around- Click the link to see what’s open this weekend! http://tinyurl.com/BeadStyleOpenHouse

    Also via Jean, Art Jewelry  and Bead & Button  magazines are having online open houses too! Its gonna be a creative weekend!

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    Sale starts July 8, 2008; Thats TODAY!!!!! Shop online for 50–75 percent off your favorite craft books–there are FIVE pages of jewelry making books!!!!! I’m looking at the fusing and crocheted jewelry ones.

    Interweave announced today its annual, highly anticipated hurt book and overstock sale, beginning today
    at 1 p.m. MDT at
    http://www.hurtbooksale.com. More than 100 craft books will be deeply discounted and sold online only on a first-come basis until July 18 or until supplies last.

    This is a great time to pick up bargains on both hardbound and softbound
    books about beading, jewelry making, knitting, crocheting, felting, spinning,
    weaving, needlework, sewing, mixed-media and other popular crafts.

    Hurt books are still in good condition but imperfect in quality and have minor
    dings such as a scratch on the cover or a bent page. New this year to the
    sale will be a search engine for sorting books by title or subject and a ticker
    that will count down the quantity available of some of the most sought-after
    hurt books.

    Other sought-after titles to be marked down for the sale include Knit Kimono
    and The Knitter’s Companion by Vicki Square, Crochet Me by Kim Werker, and
    Mastering Beadwork by Carol Huber Cypher. Very limited quantities of some of
    Interweave’s latest releases are also available including 49 Sensational Skirts
    by Alison Willoughby, Step By Step Jewelry Workshop by Nicola Hurst and
    Double Stitch by Erika and Monika Simmons.

    Hurt and overstock books cannot be combined with normal products at check-
    out and phone orders will not be accepted. All sales are final and books are
    nonrefundable. This sale is for online customers only and no phone orders will
    be accepted.

    SOURCE: INTERWEAVE

    Web sites:
    www.interweave.com
    www.hurtbooksale.com

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