Instructions are included, and I really like the look of this clasp – would be great with some chunky, funky beads.

Ornamentea have new ceramic beads by Elaine Ray and have posted them with cool earring ideas.  I love these dangling earrings and variety of colors and possiblities  that they show.  It is also great that below the image on their site, they show you exactly which beads, finding and tools you will need to complete the project.

But if you are looking for a holiday gift idea, check out her sterling silver Christmas Card necklaces which come in a selection of styles from the gingerbread man shown here to Christmas trees and snowmen.

Also, check out her blog here.

Also nice about the tutorial is that they give links to suppliers for everything from the beads to the ribbon.

For some color and pattern inspiration check out this excellent beaded bracelet by Snapdragon Beads, a UK artist.

The designs need to be based around the moonstone illustrated here.  The top five designs will be posted on their Facebook page and can be voted on to find the winner.   The winning design will be made into an actual piece by David Kodner Personal Jewelers and will be on display in their showrooms.   The winner will receive $500 and the publicity of having their design made and displayed.

Check out the terms and conditions here.

Feeling inspired?  Why not submit your latest designs to the “Your Designs Rock”  Contest at Rings & Things.  You could win in a number of catagories and receive great gift certificates and the possiblity of having your creation featured in their catalgoue.  That would be great coverage for any designer.

Remember, your submitions have to be made mostly with products available at Rings & Things.

Here is what they have to say about the competition:

Boost your inspiration! Start designing now for Rings & Things’ 2010 “Your Designs Rock” Contest! It’s not just a jewelry contest — your entry can be anything, as long as it includes components sold by Rings & Things.

Entries will be accepted January 1 through February 28, 2010, but don’t wait to start designing. Enter by February 5 and we’ll include you in our Early-Bird Raffle for the chance to win a goodie bag! Never entered the contest before? Enter for the first time and we’ll include you in our New-Entrant Raffle for another chance to win a goodie bag!

The five 2010 design contest categories are Glass & Crystal, Gemstones & Pearls, Mostly Metal, Metal Clay and Found Objects/Miscellaneous. Winners will be announced in June.

The 2010 Grand Prize is a $750 Rings & Things credit. Five First-Place Winners (one for each category) will each win a $250 R&T credit. Honorable Mention Winners will receive $75 R&T credits. Plus, winning entries (with credit to the designer) might be featured in Rings & Things’ catalog and promotions, providing exposure to an estimated million people worldwide per year. You can use this for “as seen in” promotions of your own.

For full details, visit www.rings-things.com/contest. Rings & Things’ beads and findings catalog, plus the latest catalog supplement, is available for $5 (US), or for free with any order. For help and information, Rings & Things Wholesale is available 24 hours a day at http://www.rings-things.com, or by phone at (800) 366-2156.

She has lots of different jewelry which can be found in in Etsy Shop or check out her blog to she what she is thinking about and working on.

I this this series of earrings best as they are so cheerful and stylish.

She has also found some fun and funky colored enamel chains sold by Mimi Lo Lo over at Etsy.

This looks like an easy and fun project with endless possibilities as far as colors, textures and thickness of the chain.

This may not be the way that you are used to working, but if you are hoping to make a profit from your craft, you might want to check this out and think about what your buyers are interested in seeing this season.

She also shares with her readers her recent bargin finds in other stores and how she modified them to fit her tastes. I never would have thought of Forever 21 as a spot to pick up jewelry making findings.

She never fails to inspire and seems to have endless energy for crafting projects.

As usual they have really clear instructional photos and a sense of humor in their instructions.

You can leave this bracelet as pictured here, or there are also instructions on how to patina the bat either with heat or painted patinas.

Have Fun!

There are many great choices for this creepy time of year.  I love the raw brass scarabs and can think of tons of projects to make with them.

There are also candy colored skulls if you are looking for some Halloween silliness.

I do love this magazine and it can be expensive to by issue by issue on the newsstand, so this is a good deal!

She includes a good list of which gauges you might want to use for specific types of projects as well as a discussion of hardnesses in wire.

This might be a good article to keep around for future reference.