This book is the 3rd in the “Create Jewelry” series by Marlene Blessing and Jamie Hogsett. It follows “Create Jewelery: Pearls” and “Create Jewelery: Crystals”. And like its predecesors, this book is a real treat. I LOVE gemstones of all sorts. I have studied, collected and worked with stones for a long time. I even seriously considered becoming a gemologist after college because I love them so much. This book is a delicious bite of gemstone eyecandy for the wannabe gemologist in us all.

Concentrating on the beauty of gemstones the 23 projects in this book show how really stunning a seemingly simple jewelry design can be.  The book starts with a chapter on the Stone Basic and has a guide to common semi-precious stones from Agate to Vesuvianite

The projects are divided into three catagories: classic, special occasion, and fashion-forward. The techniques used include from stringing, wire wrapping and seed bead weaving techniques. there is an illustrated “how to” section in the back so even if you have no beadweaving experience you will be able to pick it up quickly.  A couple of my favorite designs in the book are: the Earth & Sky earrings and teh Captured Carnelian bracelet. Both of these designs intregrate beadweaving and are really beautiful and unique.

The amazing color combinations and fresh designs are combined with history,  lure, anecdotes,  and tips about the gemstones which make the book an intellectual as well as visual delight.  I know that after you read it, you’ll be running to your local bead store to stock up on facetted stones or searching for the next gem and mineral show .

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You be in LOVE with this super easy wire ring tutorial from Cathie & Steve on Creative Juice! Its fun, and you’ll be obssessed making tons of them for all of your friends too.

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If you are looking for beautiful clasps, look no further than Star’s Clasps.  Just look at the variety of hand crafted unique designs.  You’re sure to find one or more that you’ll love in the selection of clasps made in silver, gold, vermeil, rhinestone, mosaic, marcasite, magnetic and stone.

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Cabs and Slabs

The cab selection isamazing and pretty diverse. There are wonderful stones that range from the gorgeous Ammolite (pictured) to an exotic Stromatolite. Please check them out, and be sure to

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The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girls Guide to Handmade Jewelry by Jennifer Perkins

I will preface this by being completely honest -  its real hard to be unbiased when reviewing a book when A: the author is a friend and B: you have a love for the subject matter that rivals the people on InFANity. So I’ll “keep it real” like as I always do.  I have one word for this SQUEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! Jennifer is also Craft Gossip’s Craft Artist Life  editor. You should visit her section & read all the cool interviews she has up over there.

I got the package as I was going out the door with my dog. I quickly ripped it open as I was walking and it was love at first sight. How can you NOT love it?? The colors, the laughing mannequin with perfect red cat eye glasses-SQUEE!!!! But hang on,  there is more to love, trust me. This first glance is just the tip of the color saturated iceburg that awaits you inside its glossy covers-so much so, my dog and I made an emergency pitstop at Starbucks so I could sit and go thru this book right there and then.

Open it up and be prepared for a full blown blast of colors, kitsch and cleverness.  This is not a book for the shy or conservative jewelry maker. Jennifer wears her heart on her sleeve, a watch on her head and pencils in her ears-and she’ll make you want too as well!

Packed with ideas, tips and tricks on how to turn vintage junque into wearable art I really feel this book will appeal to just about everyone.  Even if you can’t imagine wearing little plastic deer in your ear (hey, I’m a poet and didn’t know it!), you will get a ton of inspiration and tricks in the book that you can use with whatever your style is. 

The book begins an introduction, supplies, tools and the definition of the skill levels of the projects. Remember because this is all about using found objects you are not limited by what you have or don’t have at home.  This book is ALL about being creative and having fun. The projects are broken up into 3 sections: A case of the Mondays, Hump Day and TGIF with 30 projects total and unlimited ways to expand upon them. While its hard to nail it down to just a FEW, I’ll pick three of the top ones that I love especially:  Thank you for Calling bangle (I love those purses too!), Tied Down Brooch and the Specs Appeal Necklace (super clever). Sprinkled through out are little “take a memo”  sidebars with fun info, trivia and tips.

Its a great book for beginners as well the experienced jewelrymaker who wants to expand their boundaries and push outside their boxes. Its a delight to look at and read.

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Book Review:

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Lark Books (June 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600591256
• ISBN-13: 978-1600591259
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.6 x 0.7 inches

Ms. Hettmansperger is an amazing art jeweler.  Hettmanspergers style is organic, abstract, a bit raw and a smidge wild-this is not for everyone.  Personally I love it, other people prefer more ‘tame’ jewelry. Having said that, do not let that distract you from this book. You can do every one of her projects with different materials and come up with some VERY chic and unique jewelry.

This book focuses on using cold connections and using metals like copper and brass. If you have little or no metalworking skills or have limited space/funds/time  then cold connections are the way to go. And many people start their jewelrymaking journey this way too!

 This book shows that you don’t have to be a “professional metalsmith” to craft your own fabulous art jewelry.  Some of my favorite projects are the Bean Pod Pins and the Moving Parts Necklace.

The book is well written with clear instructions. The first section goes over tools, materials and techniques that will be used. The projects start off with projects to get you used to manipulating metal and it ends with using fiber techniques of weaving to make some really cool jewelry.  Each project has gorgeous photos and is supplimented with hand drawn illustrations.  There is a gallery section in the back to keep you inspired.

Some reviews have said “this is not for beginners”, I disagree. It is very MUCH for beginners (and all levels), who are interested in art jewelry. Its a wonderful book for jewelrymakers of all levels to push your boundaries and expand your creativity.

Her other book “Fabulous Woven Jewelry” is another visual feast of using fabric techniques with metal.

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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.

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Today’s Jewelry Artist interview is with ceramic bead artist Jennifer Heynen.  Her business Jangles is located in Athens, GA and her colorful work appeared in many jewelry making magazines. She’s got an amazing array of ceramic products in addition to beads, pendants and charms- toggles, hooks & hoops, buttons, bead cones, and headpins. Please visit her site and her blog to see more of her beautiful creations.

How did you start doing jewelry (or beadmaking) as a business?  I started making ceramic tiles when I graduated college. After a couple years in business, I received a glass bead making kit for my birthday. I fell in love with making beads. I then had my eureka moment when I realized I should be making ceramic beads instead. I got a call a few months later from a person at the Chicago Gift Mart, she wanted me to have a booth and come sell my tile tables. I told her about the new jewelry I was making with my beads and she gave me a booth. That was 7 years ago.

Do you remember the first piece of jewelry you ever made? Oh, yes! I received a bunch of costume jewelry from my Great Grandma. It was really cool stuff, I took it apart and put it back together differently. It was so much fun.

Every artist has a personal “creative process”,  can you explain yours? I pretty much carry a notebook around everywhere I go to jot down ideas. Everything I see, I translate into ceramics. It just happens, I can’t control it. For example, if I see a purple orange, and blue flower, I say to myself, oh I love those colors together, I should make a piece using that combination. Or if I really like the shape of the flower, I will make a bead in that shape.

When people start doing jewelry, they tend to try a lot of different things before settling down to something that resonates with them, tell us how has your jewelry work changed since you began? I was making tiles and had the bright and funky style kind of figured out in my head already. It translated very easily to jewelry. I did not know how to put jewelry together so I was figuring out ways on my own to do it. Once I really got into jewelry making and reading bead magazines, I could assemble the better way. I also incorporate more beads into my work now that I didn’t make.

What would you like to work with/or what skill would you like to learn that you haven’t yet? Wood. I love the idea of making furniture. I know that’s not jewelry but I am sure somehow I would end up making wooden beads.

How many hours a week do you spend in the creative side of your business vs… the business side? I bet it is about 50/50. Sometimes when I am swamped I just make away, but then the paperwork piles up. I really like the business side so I probably do more paperwork, marketing, etc than others.

What inspires you creatively? The more things I make the more ideas I have. It’s a vicious but fun cycle.

Where do you sell at primarily-website, brick & mortar stores, shows, etc? Let’s see, I have my hand in a little bit of everything. I sell beads on my website, my Etsy store, at bead shows, and in bead stores that buy from me. My line of jewelry I sell exclusively through shops and galleries that are all over the country. 

Can you tell us about some important goals you have achieved with your jewelry work? I sell my work in the Smithsonian Gift Shop, which makes me pretty proud. I also wrote my first book, Ceramic Bead Jewelry. That has always been a lifelong goal.

What advice would you give to someone who is interested doing jewelry as a business? If you have the drive, (you know if you do), then try everything you possibly can. Be open to new opportunities, and go with it. My business is every changing and I learn so many new things that way.

Do you have any big/exciting news or different directions for your business this year? I have some new beads coming out in the fall that are a new earthy kind of look  for me.  I am also working on my second annual, ten Holiday Projects newsletter. I send out a project a week for ten weeks to get everyone working on their holiday gift lists. I love the holidays and it’s so much fun to design all of the projects

If you teach, where will you be teaching this year? This is the time of the year when I am scheduling, so I can’t say too many places yet. I update my website with events but I know that Bead and Button is one place. I also will be teaching a workshop in Miami for the South Florida’s Jewelry Arts Guild but we are still working on dates.

Who are some of your favorite artists and crafters? I just got done reading some books on Howard Finster, he was a folk artist, I really liked reading about his lifestyle. In some ways I could relate to him. As for crafters, I really like Michele Goldstein’s beads.  Peter Voulkos was a favorite potter of mine.

What do you like to do in your spare time other than making jewelry? Other crafts, I really can’t stop. I love to paint furniture, making pottery, felting, you name it I probably do it.

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