Jewelry Making

DIY Jewelry, Beads And Patterns

You can be a STAR, baby!!!!!

by

 

Interweave has put out the Casting Call of their inaugural Bead Star competition and the debut of a new magazine, Bead Star.   This is such an exciting event for the beading community—like American Idol, but for beaders! Check it out on their website. The Bead Star challenge will reward the best and brightest bead jewelry designers from around the US and Canada with amazing prizes, professional recognition, and the chance to appear in Interweave’s newest, most original and anticipated special issue magazine ever, Bead Star!

Every project showcased in the magazine will be a winning design and the coveted cover piece will feature our ultimate Bead Star’s winning project.

The deadline to enter an original beaded jewelry design is May 6th.  The “polls” will be open from June 12th – June 18th on BeadingDaily.com.

The judges will be the readers of Beading Daily. They will cast their votes for their favorite designs among submissions in each of nine design element categories:
Crystals, Seed Beads, Glass, Pearls, Stones, Metals, Plastics, Under $25, and Designs with a Heart. Winners will have the chance to donate their projects to an auction benefiting the American Heart Association’s women’s heart health initiatives.  A first-place, second-place, and third-place winner and two honorable mentions will be selected in each category.   One Grand Prize winner will be selected by the Grand Prize sponsor from the first-place category winners. This Grand Prize Winner will receive a trip for two to beautiful Santa Fe for Bead Expo 2009, win $1500 in cool beading stuff from our grand prize sponsor, Fire Mountain Gems, and see his or her design featured on the cover of Bead Star magazine! This grand prize has a value of $5000.  

Prizes are valued at over $12,000 in all! Visit www.Beadingdaily.com/beadstar for complete contest rules.

Comments

Have you read?

Book Review Wednesday: Bead Jewelry Making For Beginners

There is something very satisfying about bead jewelry making. It is one of those crafts that feels easy to start, but still gives you that lovely “I actually made this” moment when you finish a bracelet, necklace, or pair of earrings.

This week’s Book Review Wednesday pick is Bead Jewelry Making for Beginners, and unlike the trinket dish book where I was torn between our polymer clay and jewelry sections, this one sits very neatly here on Jewelry Making. Beads, findings, clasps, wire, earrings — no category confusion this time.

This looks like a useful beginner-friendly book for anyone wanting to move beyond simply stringing beads and start understanding how handmade jewelry actually comes together. Things like choosing beads, adding clasps, using findings properly, and making pieces that sit nicely are the little details that can make a beginner project feel much more polished.

I always think bead jewelry is a lovely craft for quick handmade gifts too. A simple bracelet, pair of earrings, or beaded necklace can be made fairly quickly, and it is easy to personalise with favourite colours, birthstones, charms, or leftover beads from the stash. And yes, if you have ever tipped a packet of seed beads across the table, you already know this craft comes with its own tiny chaos.

This book would suit new jewelry makers, teens, handmade gift makers, or anyone who has a bead stash tucked away and wants a little guidance getting started. Pair it with a basic set of jewelry pliers, beading wire or stretch cord, clasps, jump rings, and a bead mat, and you are ready to go.

My Shellie-style take? Bead Jewelry Making for Beginners looks like a practical, approachable starting point for anyone wanting to learn simple beaded jewelry techniques without feeling overwhelmed.