This ebook is part of their “Best of” series and includes 10 projects by different designers aimed at helping you build technical skills and giving design inspiration. There are pendant, earring, ring and bracelet projects included.

The most exciting part about the classes are the instructors.  Tim McCreight himself is teaching the course in Savannah and Pittsburgh and Barbara Simon Becker, winner of the Saul Bell award, is teaching multiple classes as well.  Click here for the schedule.

Sometimes the most adorable designs are the simplest. This 5 petal flower by LemonAura was found on craftster.org

and has inspired me to get out my silver clay and just have a go.

They have an entire page full of great jewelrymaking tips lfrom making interesting findings like the Clover leaf Toggle to how to make your own flex shaft stand to resin jewelry ring to fused glass and SO much more!

 Art Jewelers Susan Lenart Kazmer and her business partner Linda Larsen ; owners of Objects and Elements webstore,  have been busy the last few months.  They’ve been updating the store with all kinds of unique goodies you won’t find anywhere else  like Ancient Roman Glass beads,  antique African   Dougan, unique bezel settings and cast bronze Ammonites . 

I’m a big fan of ICE resin  and it’s what I use in my jewelry work.  You can buy that online at the Objects & Elements store  .  There is also lots of unique  bezels,  fibers,  resin molds and tools for your art jewelry making needs.

In addition to searching out great jewelrymaking supplies, they have just revealed a new blog and a new Objects and Elements Design Team. 

The Objects and Elements blog has just gone live and will soon have lots of content such as  jewelry by Susan Lenart Kazmer and Linda Larsen, design team jewelry inspirations, updates on new store items,  guest artist features, reader challenges and more. You don’t want to miss out on any of the fun, so be sure to add the RSS feed to your blog links or add to bloglines or Google Reader

I am extremely happy to announce that I am on the Objects and Elements Design team. The other Design Team members are:  Jen Cushman, Deryn Mentock, Kristen Robinson, and Jane Salley .  In the coming weeks, you’ll be able to see the design teams creations on the new Objects and Elements Blog.  The team wil be creating some lovely projects using the amazing supplies from the Objects & Elements store, along with various found objects, beads, wire, etc… to inspire you to create your own unique jewelry.

If you are unfamiliar with Susan and her work, please check out her amazing  jewelry work, check out her blog , get her book “Making Connection” or  look at her workshop schedule  to take a class with her.

Allison Norfleet Bruenger is a  jewelry designer who has started up “For the Love of Creativity” , a weekly creative challenge blog.

For the challenge, she is creating 1 to 3 new pieces per week then posting them on the blog.  Allison says ” This has been a great way to keep my creativity up and to connect with other artist and art lovers alike.”   I agree, I think its a fantastic idea. I must tell you,  her mixed media jewelry is gorgeous and that is another source of inspiration for the blog readers.

Please have a look at her creativity challenge blog and let her know what you think.  I’m sure you’ll be as wowed by it as I am.  Maybe it will inspire others to start their own creative challenges as well!

Started by charming Amber Dawn, International Charm day is a day to make, wear,enjoy, share, buy and giveaway charms. Check out the International Charm Day blog for a TON of charm inspiration,tutorials,  links to blogs having charm giveaways and lots more!

Some of the swaps and giveaways you could participate in are:

Julee Herrmann (recently interviewed on CraftGossip!)is hosting a charm swap on her blog,

Life Goes On is giving away 2 charms to lucky commenters.

Tracy from Magic Lantern Musings in Canada is giving away a very colorful charm to one lucky blog reader.

 

Don’t miss out on your chance to be a STAR!!!

The deadline is soon approaching for Bead Star jewelry competition, last day to enter is May 1, 2009. The grand prize is an all-expense paid trip for two to Bead Fest Santa Fe 2010 and $1000 shopping spree from Fire Mountain Gems!!! Who WOULDN’t want to enter with a prize like this!!!

Check out the fun YouTube.com video slideshow of the 2008 winners. Its the first time they’ve been shown outside of the magazine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAfXtM8ej0g

The editors of Bead Star, Stringing, and Beadwork magazines will select the top 20 finalists among submissions in each of nine design element categories:Crystals, Seed Beads, Glass, Pearls, Stones, Metals, Plastics, Designs Under $25, and Designs with a Heart.   Then enthusiasts around the world will be able to log on to BeadStar.com May 15-30, 2009, and cast their votes for their
favorite designs among the finalists.  Check out the Bead Star website for full details and how to enter. Best of luck to you all!

Seems like everywhere I turn, I am seeing spoon rings.  These were quite popular in the 70’s and I think I had spoon rings, bracelet and earrings when I was young..  They are very popular again today.

This tutorial from Ehow.com shows you how to make your rings from flatware you may have laying around you don’t want.  Of course you dont’ have to use just spoons, the ends of forks will work too.

If you are looking for some to buy premade, sites like ForkJewelry.com has a great selection of recycled flatware jewelry.  and Modadesign on etsy has some really CRAZY spoon rings that are right up my alley.

They are really stylish and pretty. If you have the PMC supplies, you could easily whip these up to wear out tonight and ring in the New Year!

 Jewelry Artist Magazine brings us this step by step tutorial on how to make (PMC) Bell Earrings.

Another great gift idea for the jewelrymaker is a class, especially one they can take whatever time of the day they want at home online. You’ll find some great classes at Beaducation!

The newest classes are Gail Crosman-Moore’s Felted Treasure Pouch and Felted Acorn Earrings, which are both stunningly gorgeous!  There are lots more great wirework, beadwork and metalwork classes up for you to choose from as well. They have a great shop of supplies too!

In addition, they have some great freebie classes too!  Kate Richbourg’s Annealing Metal and Sawing Metal (both FREE) are the two newest ones, so check them out and learn new ways to work with metal.

This is such a pretty bracelet and would make a great gift for the upcoming holidays too! Tammy’s blog is a great read as well, so be sure to add it to your bloglinks or rss feed.

Ever get bored and want something new to make??? And if you are like me, you are impatient too-don’t want to spend an hour at a book store searching or waiting for your Amazon order to come in-you want to make something NOW.

Well fear not, instant gratification for inspiration is just a few computer clicks away at Beading Daily! Its free to join and look at all you get:

• Download over 100 free projects
• Get a new free project every week
• Enter contests and giveways
• Talk with other Beading Daily members
• Get the Beading Daily email newsletter
• And much, much more

I’m smitten with the “Gone Fishin’ with Miro” bracelet since Miro is one of my favorite artists. And if you want even MORE-click the SHOP button to go to the Beading Daily Online Store. There you will find more projects that you can purchase and download instantly.