Cousin Announces Call for Applicants for Creative Circle Ambassador Program

COUSIN ANNOUNCES CALL FOR APPLICANTS FOR CREATIVE CIRCLE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM

Five New Ambassadors To Be Selected To Join The Inaugural Group

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LARGO, Fl., May 10, 2013 – Cousin Corporation of America is pleased to announce a call for applicants for the Cousin Creative Circle™ Ambassador program for the 2013-14 term. Cousin is a premier manufacturer of jewelry making components that supplies products to craft stores, retail chain stores and professional jewelry makers all over the world.

The Cousin Creative Circle™ is a diverse group of talented jewelry makers who have a strong commitment to the craft of jewelry making and who use Cousin products because they are the best in the industry. These brand ambassadors have a platform to share ideas with the product development team, receive Cousin products to incorporate into their work and attend a team building retreat at Cousin Headquarters in Florida.

“Our Creative Circle program has absolutely surpassed our expectations,” said Jeff Cousin, President. “We want to keep the craft of jewelry making relevant and maintain it as a growing art. The Ambassadors have shown thousands of people that jewelry making is accessible and rewarding, and as a result we have introduced those people to the Cousin brand.”

The selection committee will choose five additional Creative Circle Ambassadors to join the original members chosen last year. To be considered for the Cousin Creative Circle™, each applicant must complete a comprehensive application form and submit at least 3 images of their work. The deadline for submissions is Monday, June 17, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. EST. To apply, please visit www.cousin.com/CCC.

About Cousin

Cousin Corporation of America is a family-owned company founded in 1970 as Enterprise Art, a retail craft store in Largo, Florida. Today we are a premier wholesaler of jewelry making supplies. Our focus is to design, manufacture and provide quality jewelry making products at an exceptional value to customers who are inspired by the craft of jewelry making. For more information about Cousin Corporation of America, please visit www.cousin.com.

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Media contacts:

Jessica Ringelspaugh, Sales and Marketing- [email protected]

Nick Dautrich, Sales and Marketing- [email protected]

727.536.3568

If you like your Halloween crafts with a little bit of spooky charm and a whole lot of handmade personality, this Beaded Halloween Skeleton from CraftBits is a fun little project to add to your October crafting list.

This project uses simple supplies — white seed beads, black seed beads, 24-gauge wire or beading thread, scissors, and wire cutters — to create a small beaded skeleton that can be used for Halloween decorations, charms, party favors, or even spooky handmade jewelry. The original tutorial walks you through building the skeleton row by row, starting with a black bead at the top and working through the skull, body, arms, hands, legs, and feet.

What I like about this project is that it has that lovely “old-school craft book” feel. It is not overly complicated, but it does ask you to slow down and follow the bead pattern carefully. This is the sort of Halloween bead craft that is perfect for a quiet afternoon when you want something seasonal but not messy. No glue gun strings across the table, no glitter stuck to the dog, just beads, wire, and a little bit of patience.

The finished skeleton would be cute added to a Halloween keyring, made into a zipper pull, tied onto a treat bag, or hung from a mini Halloween tree. You could also make a batch of them for party decorations or classroom craft swaps. If you enjoy tiny seasonal makes, you might also like browsing the Halloween Crafts section on CraftBits for more spooky little projects to pair with it.

This is a good project for confident beginners who have used seed beads before. Younger crafters may need help with the wire ends and keeping the rows tight, but older kids, teens, and adults who enjoy bead crafts should find it very satisfying. I would suggest using a bead mat or a shallow tray, because seed beads have a special talent for rolling into the one place you cannot reach. Ask me how I know.

For supplies, small packs of black and white seed beads are easy to find, and Amazon is handy for basic beading wire, bead mats, and small jewelry pliers if you are building up a Halloween craft kit. If you prefer more unusual beads or want tiny skull charms to add alongside your skeleton, Etsy can also be a fun place to look for Halloween beading supplies.

This little skeleton is proof that Halloween crafting does not need to be huge or expensive to be fun. Sometimes the best seasonal projects are the small ones you can make in multiples, tuck into gift bags, or hang around the house for a bit of handmade Halloween mischief.

Best for: Halloween bead crafts, spooky handmade charms, beginner-friendly wire bead projects, Halloween party favors, and small seasonal decorations.

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