Book Review: Beyond the Bead by Margot Potter

Beyond the Bead: Making Jewelry with unexpected Finds by Margot Potter

Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: North Light Books (February 17, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1600611052
ISBN-13: 978-1600611056

Margot Potter is a modern day Renaissance woman, She’s an author, jewelry designer, artist, TV spokesperson, Mother, blogger, consultant and all around gal about town. Better known as The Impatient Beader, Margot is the author of the very successful Impatient Beader book series and her work is frequently featured bead magazines and she frequently offers free video tutorials on her blog The Impatient Crafter™ . Everything she touches with her crafty fingers, comes up technicolored glittery roses.

After a mishap with Amazon pre-order, then botched delivery-I finally got my hands on her latest book a couple of weeks ago. I love Margot, and this book and spent time looking at it over and over again.

One of the many things I love about Margot is that she has a talent for thinking outside the box, and showing others how to do that as well.

Beyond the Bead shows its readers a variety of techniques for creating unique mixed-media jewelry the “Margot” way. You’ll never be able to use the excuse “I don’t have ANYTHING to work with” again! You’ll learn to make your own jewelry beads, charms and pendants as well as finished projects. Techniques include working with everything from washers from your tool box, paper, polymer clay, glass, resin and plastic, scrapbook papers and supplies and tons more!

The book chapters are divided into seven catagories: The Looking Glass, Plastic Fantastic, Cyber Crafty, Ephemerally Yours, Scrapped, Mud Pies, and Mrs. Fix-It. You can go thru the book chapter by chapter or just open it up and let intuition find a project for you. There are 26 projects for you to choose from and each project also includes a variation or two of the project with a helpful tip. The book also contaings a basic techniques & resources sections.

Some of my fave projects in this book are the jewelry project featured on the cover of the book “I’ll Fly Away”, “Come up and see my Etchings” necklace and “Get Your Grunge On” Bracelet.

This book is for the jewelry maker who wants to shake it up a little, experiment with different materials, delve more into mixed media and those who sometimes need that little creative nudge to get out of a rut. Also, I think this book is one of those rare ones that will appeal to everyone from 10-100. It’s full of mixed media inspiration, and a one you will want to add to your jewelry library.

There is something wonderfully satisfying about a Halloween costume that looks like you planned it weeks in advance, even when the truth is you were rummaging through the craft cupboard at 9pm with a cup of tea going cold beside you. The trick, I’ve found, is not always in making the biggest costume. It’s in the finishing touches — the earrings, necklace, brooch, hair clip, little bit of sparkle or spooky silliness that pulls the whole look together.

Halloween jewellery is one of my favourite ways to make a costume feel clever without having to sew a full outfit from scratch. A pair of blood drip earrings can turn an old ripped shirt into a zombie costume. Tiny ghost earrings make a plain white outfit feel instantly Casper-cute. Spiderweb earrings, pumpkin charms, skull earrings, witch hats and bat pendants are all small projects, but they do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to costume styling.

I also love these kinds of DIY Halloween jewellery projects because they are wearable beyond the party. Pop them on for work, handing out treats, school events, Halloween dinner, or just because October deserves its own accessories. Aloo would absolutely judge me if I wore a full costume to walk him around the block, but spiderweb earrings? Perfectly acceptable. Probably.

Below I’ve paired each Halloween jewellery tutorial with a costume idea so you can make the accessory and then build the outfit around it. Think of it as a mix-and-match costume helper for adults, teens, last-minute makers, and anyone who wants a Halloween look that feels handmade rather than plastic-fantastic.

1. Blood Drip Earrings For A Zombie Costume

Jewellery tutorial: DIY Dripping Blood Earrings
Costume pairing: Zombie Costume Tutorial

These blood drip earrings are gloriously dramatic and surprisingly simple, using hot glue and red nail polish to create that dripping effect. Pair them with torn clothing, smoky eye makeup, and a bit of messy hair for a zombie costume that feels creepy without needing a full prosthetic makeup session.

2. Ghost Tassel Earrings For A Casper-Inspired Costume

Jewellery tutorial: DIY Halloween Ghost Tassel Earrings
Costume pairing: DIY Ghost Costume

These little ghost tassel earrings are sweet, quick, and not too scary, which makes them perfect for a friendly ghost or Casper-inspired costume. Wear them with white, pale grey, tulle, soft layers, or a simple ghost outfit and they’ll add that handmade “aww” factor without turning the whole thing into a bedsheet situation.

3. Spider Web Earrings For A Spider Queen Costume

Jewellery tutorial: Halloween Spider Web Earrings
Costume pairing: Spider Web T-Shirt Costume

These spider web earrings are a brilliant choice if you want something spooky but still stylish enough to wear with regular clothes. Match them with a black spiderweb shirt, black jeans or leggings, and dark lipstick for a Spider Queen look that is easy, comfortable, and party-ready.

4. Witch Hat Earrings For A Classic Witch Costume

Jewellery tutorial: Halloween Witch Hat Earrings
Costume pairing: Easy Witch Costume DIY Sewing Tutorial

These quilled witch hat earrings are a lovely little paper-craft twist on Halloween jewellery. They would look adorable with a black dress, boots, a pointy hat, and a broom, especially if you prefer a cute handmade witch costume over the full green-face version.

5. Pumpkin Wire Earrings For A Jack-O’-Lantern Costume

Jewellery tutorial: Pumpkin Wire Earrings
Costume pairing: Fleece Pumpkin Halloween Costume

Pumpkin earrings are one of those Halloween jewellery ideas that work beautifully for both spooky season and autumn outfits. Pair these with orange clothing, a pumpkin tunic, green scarf, or handmade pumpkin costume for a cheerful jack-o’-lantern look that is more sweet than scary.

6. Skull Earrings For A Skeleton Costume

Jewellery tutorial: DIY Halloween Skull Earrings
Costume pairing: Easy No-Sew Skeleton T-Shirt DIY

These faux leather skull earrings are a great choice if you have a Cricut or cutting machine and want something bold but still lightweight. Team them with a skeleton T-shirt, black pants, and white face makeup for a costume that looks pulled together without being fussy.

7. Bat Pendants For A Bat Or Vampire Costume

Jewellery tutorial: Easy To Make Bat Pendants
Costume pairing: Umbrella Bat Costume

A bat pendant is one of those clever Halloween accessories that can swing cute, gothic, or dramatic depending on how you style it. Wear it with black clothes and bat wings for a bat costume, or layer it with a cape and deep red lipstick for a vampire-inspired look.

8. Eyeball Earrings For A Mad Scientist Costume

Jewellery tutorial: Halloween Crochet Eyeball Earrings
Costume pairing: Easy DIY Mad Scientist Costume

These crochet eyeball earrings are delightfully weird in the best possible way. Add them to a lab coat, safety goggles, wild hair, and rubber gloves for a mad scientist costume that says “I definitely know where the spare googly eyes are kept.”

9. Candy Corn Earrings For A Candy Corn Costume

Jewellery tutorial: Candy Corn All Dressed Up Earrings Tutorial
Costume pairing: Make A Candy Corn Costume

Candy corn jewellery is cheerful, nostalgic, and instantly recognisable, even if you’re in the camp that only likes looking at candy corn rather than eating it. These earrings would be adorable with a yellow, orange, and white outfit or a full candy corn costume for a bright, playful Halloween look.

10. Colourful Seed Bead Earrings For A Fortune Teller Costume

Jewellery tutorial: DIY Colourful Seed Bead Earrings
Costume pairing: Fortune Teller Costume

These colourful seed bead earrings are perfect for a mystical fortune teller costume, especially if you love layered scarves, bangles, long skirts, and a little bit of theatrical sparkle. Add a crystal ball prop, stacked jewellery, and rich fabrics, and you’ve got a costume that feels handmade, dramatic, and wonderfully fun.

More Halloween Craft Inspiration

For more handmade Halloween ideas, browse the Halloween craft projects on CraftBits.com and the Halloween sewing and costume ideas on CraftGossip.com. Both are full of the sort of projects that make you think, “Oh yes, I could make that,” which is exactly how the best craft rabbit holes begin.

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