Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I thought this would be a fun piece to share tonight. I love the "freedom" charm dangling from the bird and beads.

This is great "ornament" that can be used in multiple ways. I received it from the Cousin Corporation and have wanted to use it for a while.

I don't make a lot of necklaces, but this would make a very fun long dangle on a neck chain or beaded strand.

Wouldn't it also be cute hanging off a purse strap or zipper pull? So adorable!

The little "freedom" charm makes this very special.

New Year Fun & Bead Blogger Friends

Wow, the new YEAR is right around the corner! 2013 seems a little more futuristic than 2012 did for some reason.

Each new year passing probably impacts each person a little differently depending on what is going on in their lives or world at that moment.

Regardless of whether things are "good" or "bad" or "otherwise" one thing rings true, the beat goes on and the BEAD goes on, THANK GOODNESS!

There will be new beads and beading products coming our way this year and that is exciting! Yay, beads!

Here are some fun acrylic beads from Cousin Corporation that would be great in any season, but I'm thinking of the ball dropping!

I also wanted to share a few updates from our bead blogger friends. Stay tuned for more New Year's fun tomorrow!

About.com Jewelry Making
Tammy reviews another bead weaving book from the "I Can" series by Lark.

Art Bead Scene
Rebecca shares some simple ideas to spruce up gift packaging that are good all year round!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean writes about the incredible excitement of working for the brand new magazine, Digital Beading Magazine!

What is Blu-Purp?

Maybe these are better off called "blurp"...actually that doesn't sound much better than blupurp...

While I'm not sure "violet" is good enough for this bluish/purple awesomeness, I guess that makes more sense.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on a color name for these half blue/half purple beads. :)

For now, they are just "yumm".

By the way, if you are making New Year's jewelry, please share a link or email me a picture so I can post it here. It's fun to see how people interpret special holidays into jewelry pieces.

Ooh, I know, how about "blurple"?!

I could probably live with blue-violet....how about you?

More New Colors

Here's the strand of beads I mentioned yesterday. As we move into 2013, it's time to check out some new bead color combos and techniques.

For now, these are the colors I'm considering mixing in with yesterday's strand for a unique piece for the new year.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and also find out what all of you are working on for the new year...whether it's actual bead projects or new philosophies or techniques.

New Year, New Color Combos

It's always fun to contemplate new color combinations as seasons change or as we move into a brand new year...yay 2013!

I think the more I say "Yay 2013" the easier it will be to believe it's almost 2013! It's so cliche, but true...time flies!

New color combos, new jewelry designs and of course, new jewelry pieces to wear, will all make the transition so much easier! :)

Back in November, the Cousin Corporation introduced a new line of beads that can be found locally in JoAnn stores. It's called Second Skin.

I received some of the products at that time and the strand shown here really caught my eye.

There's another strand that I'll share tomorrow, that could be combined with these too. I haven't gotten that far in my thought process yet.

Surprisingly, these are acrylic beads and are designed to appear as though they have some wear and tear, sort of a shabby chic or found object look.

The turquoise and purply colors are cool together. I don't think I would have thought about combining these, but I like the vibe. Stable and grounded, yet eclectic.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on creating with these beads...so share 'em if you got 'em!

Happy New Year & Final Giveaway Winner Announced!

It's almost 2013! Happy New Year everyone! Almost time to set those resolutions...

I had a chance to make some holiday earrings for family and friends on Monday. 

I ran to Walmart for a gift card and found these fabulous, impossible to resist, beads by Cousin Corp. No, I wasn't supposed to be in the bead/craft aisle, but I don't make it to Walmart very often.

Here's a peek at some of the earrings I made. Very simple, but so cute. I made myself a pair of the blue ones too. :) So sparkly!

And now, moving on to announce the final winner of the Cousin Corp Jewelry Making Class in a box...thanks to Random.org, the winner is....Beth of the Meandering Threads blog. Yay and congratulations Beth! Enjoy!

We're heading back to a "Bead A Day" so stay tuned for fun new posts and lots of great beads! 

Thank you all for continuing to hang out with me here. Just holler if you would like to be featured. 

FINAL Holiday GIVEAWAY! Jewelry Making Class in a Box

Well, things are winding down, Happy Holidays everyone!

It's time to announce the winner of last week's giveaway AND share the final Jewelry Making Class in a Box up for grabs.

The winner from last week is: Jamie of Glasstastic Treasures

Congratulations Jamie! Yay...

Pictured here is this week's giveaway...it's the Bright Chain Class in a Box featuring some great colors like red, green and gold.

I love the fact they included ribbon to tie onto the necklace and earrings. Too cute!

Everything you need to make three necklaces and three pairs of earrings is included here along with a beading mat and 3-in-1 tool. Very nice!

In hindsight, this probably should have been one of the first giveaways considering the color palette, but I can also see some fabulous St. Patrick's Day pieces coming from this kit too! :)

Just leave a comment on this blog post through Tuesday of next week for a chance to win. PLEASE make sure to include your email address if your google profile does not lead back to one. I just don't want you missing out.

I'm so glad you're hanging out with me this month, it's been highly enjoyable on this end.

We'll be getting back to daily posts in the very near future and I promised to share the progress of the "traveling" jewelry project very soon too!

New Online Beading Magazine: "Digital Beading Australia"

Congratulations to the NEW "Digital Beading Australia" online magazine! They launched their first issue this weekend, Yay!

You can access/purchase the magazine using the above link. I have a feeling things are moving more and more in this direction. I really like getting instant access to things, so an online magazine sounds like a great idea.

The best part about the new "Digital Beading Australia" magazine is that our friend and superwoman, Jean Yates, is writing for them. She'll be doing a column about current trends. I can't wait to see it!!

Here's a link to Jean's blog if you'd like to catch up with her there or on her Facebook page.

I would also recommend liking the Digital Beading Facebook page, they have been sharing lots of fabulous designs lately.

NEW...Week 4 - "Jewelry Making Class in a Box" GIVEAWAY

Yay, it's always a great day when a giveaway winner is being announced!!

I am happy to share the winner of the Jewelry Making Class in a Box from week 3 is Lisa of Pine Ridge Treasures!

Congratulations!!

You know what that means....

It's WEEK 4 GIVEAWAY time!

Tomorrow I'm going to be posting a fun story about what the other four Cousin Corp Ambassadors and I have been up to this month. We are collaborating on a project using beads from one of these great Class in a Box kits...so fun! It's a traveling jewelry adventure!

For now, this week's new giveaway is pictured here, it's the Natural Glass Jewelry Making Class in a box! The box includes everything you need to make 3 necklaces, 3 bracelets and 3 pairs of earrings in addition to a 3-in-1 tool and instruction booklet!

Enter for a chance to win by leaving a comment on this blog post. Please make sure your profile name includes a current email address. That's it!

Happy Holidays everyone! One more giveaway to go next week!

Bead Blogger Inspiration!

Yay, it's the weekend! Phew, good to see you my friend!

I can't wait to get creative first thing tomorrow morning.

For now, it's time to recharge...After checking out what our bead blogger friends are up to of course.

Enjoy!

Beading Arts
Cyndi is featuring quick and easy jewelry projects all month long for your holiday gift-giving, including this special bracelet...sooo pretty and sooo fast!

About.com Jewelry Making
December's jewelry designer interview focuses on blogger, book author, and jewelry designer Lisa Crone.

Awww, thanks Tammy!! :)

Art Bead Scene
An icy Erte illlustration provides the wintery inspiration for this month's Art Bead Scene challenge

Resin Crafts!
This week Carmi showcases a vintage children's reader in a resin filled pendant.

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean has the most fabulous news from Lark publishing--a big gorgeous sale is going on right now, before the holidays! It is a bountiful cornucopia of beautiful books!

Week 3 Jewelry Making Giveaway - YAY!

"Yay" seems a little tame for how I am really feeling. In my mind it's a bit of a cheer - YAY!

I am happy to announce the week 2 winner of a jewelry making class in a box is Trish Thompson.

Congratulations Trish!

THREE more giveaways to go!!

Here we go, let's get right to it! :)  This week's giveaway is the Black/Silver Chain Jewelry Making Class in a box by Cousin.

This is a great kit that comes with a bead mat, 3 in one tool, instruction book and the pieces and parts needed to make 3 necklaces, 1 bracelet and 3 pairs of earrings!

Just leave a comment here by next Tuesday, Dec. 11, for a chance to win. PLEASE make sure to leave your email address if your profile does not link back to one.

It's that easy! By the way, I use the random number generator at random.org to pick the winners. That makes it easy for me as long as I have an email address. :)

Make the Holidays Bright Project

Yay, my 2012 Holiday Project has materialized! I was inspired to create this project so I had something new to teach for a holiday craft night over the weekend.

Considering I've been making a red/green type project every year for quite a few years, I like to try changing things up as much as possible.

For me, elements of this design are not unusual since I love multiple strands and dangles, but the colors and textures are unique. This design was sort of inspired by the orange/black Halloween project using black craft lace.

All three pieces to this project were found at a local Meijer store on Saturday morning. Yes, I was creating my craft an hour before teaching it! :)

The red craft lace, package of cool acrylic green beads and a bright silver tone toggle clasp are all by the Cousin Corporation. I LOVE being able to see so many of their products in real life. The basic instructions are to cut 4 strands of craft lace, a couple feet each. Knot them to the clasp directly and then just start with one strand, make a knot, slide on the bead, make another knot, to keep the bead fairly secure, etc.

You might have to trim the lace to get the smaller beads on, but it is easy to do. I hope you like it and it makes you SMILE! :)

Before signing off, I also wanted to formally thank my blogging friend and beading pro Tammy Powley for posting an interview with me today on About.com. THANK YOU Tammy! :)

AND, for anyone who hasn't left a comment yet, a beautiful jewelry making "class in a box" kit is up for grabs. Follow this link to leave a comment through Tuesday. A winner will be announced Wednesday and a new kit will be posted for the next giveaway. Yay, love the holidays!

Happy Holidays - GIVEAWAY - Week 2!

Yay, I hope you don't get tired of hearing this, but I have to say these giveaways are making my holiday season very BRIGHT!

You all are so great, I hope you continue to try winning these fabulous kits from the generous Cousin Corporation!

Remember to check out their Facebook page because they give beads away EVERY week and they always share when their products are on sale at local bead stores (Joann's/Michael's) in addition to Meijer and Walmart stores.

So, here we go! AND the first week's winner is....the fun and sparkly, Deb, of the Beetique blog! Yippee! Congrats Deb! and now....Week 2!

The HAPPY HOLIDAYS week 2 kit is so pretty, it's the Brown/Taupe pearl Class in a Box!

It comes with a fully detailed instruction book with project ideas and basic how-to's, a 3-in-1 jewelry making tool and bead mat. The complete kit will make 2 necklaces, 2 bracelets and 2 pairs of earrings. You don't have to follow the guidelines though, feel free to be inspired! :)

As always, it's EASY to enter...just leave a comment on this post and make sure your profile leads back to your email address. If not, make sure to include it in your comment.

I'll announce the winner of this kit NEXT Wednesday. I'll also post the next Class in a Box up for grabs then too! GOOD LUCK! :)

Yippee Skippy - it's a GIVEAWAY!

YAY! I have great news! I will be giving away a fabulous "Jewelry Class in a Box" kit every week through Christmas thanks to our generous friends at Cousin Corporation!

That's FIVE different kits! A new one will be posted every Wednesday through Dec. 19 with the final winner announced on Dec. 26.

Hopefully now you see why the "yippee skippy" was necessary. :)

This makes me SO HAPPY! I love to share. These kits are great for existing beaders or people interested in learning how to bead.

Each kit has a nice bead mat, 3-in-1 tool and thorough instruction booklet that includes all the basic techniques.

So, we're starting things out with the EARRING KIT!

Interested in winning this kit? Just leave a comment by next Tuesday, Nov. 27, and make sure your user name links back to your email address. If not, just include your email address in your comment.

That's it, pretty easy! GOOD LUCK and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Easy & Effortless!

This necklace is so simple and so cute, I can't really take that much credit for it.

Actually my two favorite words describe this perfectly, EASY & EFFORTLESS!

The metal component and ribbon, while very simple, make a real statement. I WILL take credit for knotting the ribbon and adding the clasp. :)

Perfect timing so I have something new to wear on Thanksgiving!

I can't wait to make this with a red or burgundy ribbon to wear next month, it's really going to be gorgeous, especially peeking through the cutouts of the metal.

I am never opposed to taking something simple apart to make it into something else, but in this case, I am going to make a run to JoAnn, Etc. (before the crazy shopping frenzy) to pick up another one. :) In fact, this would make a great gift for a bunch of people. Hmm...

So, did you make or are you still planning to make something new to wear for Thanksgiving?

Easy Projects w/ New Products

The new Cousin Corp. product line called Second Skin is now in JoAnn Stores, yay! There are some really great components in this line as I have been mentioning over the last week or so.

I had a chance to work up a few fun and simple projects to share.

The first is this bracelet using 3 large chain links with the circular/sparkly component layered on top and a simple jump ring on either side holds it all together! EASY!

Then it was just a matter of adding on this double chain and a clasp.

This is something I know I can wear with pretty much any outfit and for me, that is necessary since I get hooked on things and will wear the same jewelry every day.

The second project shown here is a quick and easy pair of earrings. I used the little black disco ball with a head pin and attached it directly to a piece of very cool chain. This chain reminds me of a tennis bracelet (without the gems). I even attached the ear wire directly to the top of the chain, SO easy!

I'll share the necklace I made tomorrow. It is also extremely quick and easy!

Would love to hear if you have noticed these in your JoAnn store yet. :)

Weekend Inspiration

Yay Friday, glad you are here!

I've been thinking about beads all week and can't wait to have time to create. Here's some inspiration from our bead blogger friends to kick things off, have a GREAT weekend!

About.com Jewelry Making
Re-purpose a vintage pin into a pendant for a new necklace that has a vintage look.

Art Bead Scene
November's Art Bead Scene challenge is a graphic illustration by MC Escher, bound to inspire wintery jewelry designs

Beading Arts
Cyndi is celebrating a month of books! The newest book up for grabs is "Simply Stylish Crystal Jewelry", so head on over and get in on all the great giveaways!

Resin Crafts!
A week of samples featuring new Nunn Design components end with a huge give-a-way this week on Resin Crafts Blog.

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean discusses her great love of Basha Beads!

Turn, turn, turn...

It's interesting to note how much we each learn about ourselves every day. I guess that is the inevitable process of evolution. 

At this point in life I am much more aware and eager to learn about my true/authentic self and I recognize lessons learned much quicker and easier.

Here's what I learned about myself since I received my last batch of Cousin products in my 4th month as a Jewelry Making Ambassador...Once I open a box of products, I lose touch with reality.

I regress to childhood...maybe Christmas...maybe a special birthday... It's a no holds barred crazy gift opening time. I pick up every packet, look it over, touch it, imagine what I could be making with it, take it off the package, etc.

When I'm through, I look back over my shoulder and have to laugh. My 5 or 10 year old self did that, not me! :)

So, tonight's chain is no longer on the package and it might be one of the last pieces from the Second Skin line that I got a photo of before regressing. 

I LOVE this chain! It's so easy to be creative with, it's easy to make a 5 minute project or a 55 minute project. It's bright and is going to get noticed. It calls out to be layered and have some bright and colorful beads accompanying it.

So, a long story to get to tonight's "bead", but hey, I do have a tendency to ramble on. That is part of my authentic self so I'm working on embracing it.  :)

Craft Store Update

I was excited to see an update by Cousin Corporation that their new line of products has made it to JoAnn stores a little earlier than expected, yay!

I can't wait to make a trip over to get some pics, there's nothing like a fresh jewelry display with new products. Come on weekend, please hurry!

Here's a little more info:

The Second Skin trend is focused on the look and feel of exotic skins, particularly snake skin. This new program features pendants, connectors and beads fabricated with faux snake skin insets and a snake skin texture imprinted into the metal. Highlighted with luxurious jewel tones and metal accents, Second Skin also features many seed bead and metal chains which emulates the undulation of snakes and their coils.

Yay!

Timeless Styles

Ever since I received some of the new Cousin Corp product line called Second Skin, I have noticed something interesting...

I originally thought this particular piece had sort of a southwestern vibe which is not surprising since many of the other second skin products do as well.

The interesting thing is, I was watching VH1 Classic (no big surprise there), it must have been "Totally 80's" and noticed some jewelry that looked similar to this.

Over the weekend I caught up on the latest version of Project Runway All Stars and saw some jewelry that looked similar to this piece!

Here's the MOST interesting thing...I was watching an older movie from around the late 30's and noticed jewelry that looked similar to this piece!!

I never would have guessed that styles from those particular eras were so similar, but it really makes me smile! I thoroughly enjoy when "something old is new again!" Yay...

Versatility Inspires!

When I come across pieces like this silvery toned metal piece, its versatility definitely inspires LOTS of ideas!

Sometimes it isn't easy to settle on one! Every time I pick up this piece I seem to have a new thought on how to use it.

It makes it exciting, but it also takes patience. The patience is needed so I hold out till I get "THE" idea!

For now, I'm still mulling over all the different types of ribbon and cording this would look great with, but I'm also seeing some great and kind of "out there" ideas involving colored beading wire, lots of crimps and crystals dangling from all those holes!

Thoughts? Please share!

Inspiring!

Looking for inspiration? Well, you have come to the right place! Take a look through these bead blogger posts and you're sure to find something great!

Cyndi of Beading Arts has finished up the 3rd chapter of her book. Wow, these projects are awesome! Thanks to all for sharing!

Beading Arts
Cyndi is soooo excited to let you know that Chapter three of her new book is completed and ready for download. The name? "Bridging the Gap." Are you curious...?

About.com Jewelry Making
Tammy interviews luxury jewelry designer Rebekah Lea.

Art Bead Scene
Erin Siegel takes us on a blog hop full of creative and gorgeous earring designs

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi continues to explored the endless ways to incorporate t-shirt yarn into her projects!

Resin Crafts!
An unusual copper bezel is the inspiration for this "Coronation" themed resin beauty.

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton
Andrew has been hard at work creating four new Premium Mixes!

Fun Pack Project

This is about the easiest project you can find if you have a local Meijer store that carries Cousin jewelry making products!

I recently bought the Fun Packs with 6 rubbery necklaces in different colors along with a package of ready-made dangles for each person.

Each of my craft night crafters picked a necklace and a package of the dangles.

I am showing just one of the choices for dangles.

I also bought the blue tones and there were pearly and crystally options as well.

So easy!

Just open the necklace by pulling one end out of the little cap end, load on the dangles in the order you like and it's done!

I have gotten so many compliments on this fun and easy project.

At first, I thought it was a fun, sort of kid like project, but my necklace looked great on grown ups too!

Connectors & Reptiles

It just occurred to me that I was so excited to start digging into my box from Cousin Corp with the new "Second Skin" line that I took LOTS of pieces off packages before getting pics! Ruh roh!

So, the one piece I did want to show you in relation to yesterday's bracelet project is this 6 hole connector.

The one I used yesterday was in a brushed brass tone, while the package shown here is in a silvery tone.

I used one of the end pieces by knotting the hemp cord to the side with the 6 loops and added a magnet clasp to the other side with one loop. Perfect!

I also wanted to share one of the other fun pieces with you...these little snakes... aren't they adorable?

If I ran into a real snake, I think I would freak out a bit.

However, this bead snake is GREAT!

Simple Knotted Bracelet

After seeing Deb's comment from Beetique on yesterday's post, I thought I'd post this bracelet project using a great Cousin Corp pendant today.

I'll follow up the next couple days by showcasing the actual pieces and parts that went into creating it.

You should be able to click on the photo to get a closer view.

The new "Second Skin" line of beads from Cousin that will be in Joann stores at the end of November include MANY components that are not for people who want to be incognito or fly under the radar!

They are big, "out there" pieces that will get noticed. Rather than use this great pendant on a necklace that, as the wearer, I wouldn't be able to enjoy, I challenged myself to create a bracelet. :)

I LOVED lacing the holes at the bottom of the pendant with this brown hemp cord. The perfect Second Skin product to finish up the side with hemp cord is a 6 hole bar clasp, NICE!

I'd love to hear your thoughts!!

Bracelet Worthy?

Wow, what a great pendant! That shot of red is perfect!

So, want to take a stand? Think this fairly large pendant is bracelet worthy?

I will give you a tiny little hint...I have a project to share. :)

This piece will be in Joann stores at the end of November as part of the Cousin Corp's new "Second Skin" line.

Love it!

Art Deco...I'm a Fan!

For many years I loved things with geometric designs and when I began going to flea markets and auctions realized my heart belonged to Art Deco.

Of course my first thought upon seeing this component was "oh yeah, great bracelet focal bead!"

AND, these colors are great because they can be worn with black or brown! Nice...

This particular package actually comes with TWO of these pieces so you can make something for yourself and for a friend! Isn't it nice how that works out as we approach the holidays? :)

So, tonight kicks off the November bead extravaganza which translates to me sharing all the great pieces and parts I received from Cousin Corp for November!

The cool thing is this new line, called "second skin," will be in Joann stores at the end of November and available through Primabead.com.

Stay tuned for the inside track! Yay!

Craft Night Success!

Oh my goodness, look what I found at a Meijer store yesterday morning! An entire wall of Cousin products...wow!

I've never seen so many of them in one place before!

It was a blast, but I kept thinking the store people were keeping an eye on me because I was dawdling for so long! :)

I still hadn't created a prototype for a project I was going to teach last night, so this was like hitting the mother lode! 

Here's what I decided on...

A Pendant, ribbon clasps and some pretty ribbon. Yes, this Meijer store had several aisles of craft products, nice!

Cutting the pendant loop off was the first order of business so this could be made into a bracelet.

I used to think I was being selfish by only wanting to make bracelets because I can't see what's around my neck and I can see what's on my wrist whenever I want!

Now I just expect that to be my first instinct...Oh, I can make that into a bracelet!

We looped the ribbon on either side, crimped down the ribbon clasps and added a magnet clasp for ease in getting this bracelet on and off. What do you think?

Update:
Here's a quick pic of the closure, hope this helps! :)

Bring on the Inspiration!

Yay, happy weekend! Here's a bit of inspiration to get your creativity flowing!

We're starting off with Carmi's wool kumihimo bracelets....NICE!

Carmi's Art/Life World 
Carmi uses a very unique wool to craft kumihimo bracelets. 

About.com Jewelry Making
Catching up on some book reviews, Tammy finds one with tons of great pictures showing how to make bead and wire jewelry.

Art Bead Scene
Take a tour of some of the jewelry that was inspired by last month's painting inspiration. 

Beading Arts
"Metal Month" comes to an end on Beading Arts, but it leaves with a BANG! 

Resin Crafts!
Resin Crafts blog has a two part series on how to use tissue to cover an open space in a pendant. 

Switching Gears...what's next?

Alright! I have a day off tomorrow, yay!

I am excited about preparing the craft that I will be teaching at my overnight craft adventure with friends and family on Saturday night. Right now, I don't even have a glimmer of an idea.

Once I get everything out and make a mess all over the place, I'm sure it will come to me!

For me, that's when everything starts clicking! :)

Until I figure it out, I thought it would be fun to share a Cousin Corp project called "Girl's Night Out." Instructions can be found here.

I love the fun and colors and think they would be great for winter! Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

It is my pleasure to introduce Lithia's Creations! Lithia of South Bel Air, MD has created such a great piece it really stopped me in my tracks.

I've been saving it to share with you on this fun and sometimes scary holiday!

I know you will be in awe as I was, LOVE the bat and the contrast of the red. Not overdone, JUST RIGHT!

Thanks to Lithia for allowing me to share her talent with all of you...

Happy Halloween!

Halloween Home Stretch!

It's getting down to the wire if you are creating jewelry or other Halloween craft projects...this is the home stretch!

If you have a party this weekend, then you get a few extra days to create, yay!

I'm happy to share the Cousin project gallery where you can find all 5 of the Ambassador's projects with instructions. Enjoy, and have a Happy Halloween!

Fright Night Spikes!

On a recent trip to Joann, etc. while looking for those elusive plastic spiders, I discovered these great acrylic spike beads by Cousin Corp.

Yes, I was in the bead aisle...did I go for beads, no...

Did I buy beads, yes...

I was in the process of creating a bracelet project in my head using the black lace and orange pony beads, so when I saw those spikes all I could think of was, "I hope those holes are big enough to get the shiny plastic craft lace through!"

I thought the irony was sort of poetic. I was working on a Cousin project and found the perfect bead to finish it and it happened to be a Cousin product. :) Yep, poetic...

This is definitely a craft project that is much easier than it looks to complete. AND, most of all, it is eye catching and perfect for Halloween. It shouldn't take more than an hour to finish once you get going.

Don't worry if you don't make it for Halloween, once you know how to make this bracelet, you can modify it in so many ways using many different kinds of beads. One of my faves is using colorful beading wire with crystals.

You can find instructions on the Cousin website. :)

Frankenstein's Princess Choker

Yay, I get to start sharing my Halloween projects with you this week!

The Cousin Corporation very generously sent me and the other four Jewelry Making Ambassadors a box full of beads, hemp cord, plastic lace and lots more to choose from for a Halloween project assignment.

I knew right away that I would be tempted to make more than one project and started having lots of ideas. Sometimes my ideas really go "crafty"...

I made a quick trip to the craft store to look for some plastic spiders and when I walked by the zipper section, I instantly knew I wanted to try making a choker out of a zipper!

We've been watching a variety of kitschy black and white movies, including Frankenstein's Revenge and I thought it would be fun for the zipper to have that Frankenstein's Monster vibe. :)

After lots of trial and error, I came up with this one. It was very fun and actually quite easy! I hope it makes you smile!

Instructions are posted here.

Quick Halloween Choker: Fun to Make AND Wear!

Hee hee... This was a fun project I made with some work friends yesterday. I had searched Joann Etc. recently for the standard spider rings and couldn't find spiders like this anywhere!

I figured there must have been a rush on plastic spiders! The next day I noticed a friend and coworker had decorated her workstation for Halloween and had some plastic spiders!! :)

I think you can probably guess what happened next...

I sweet talked her out of one, in fact, we started talking about all the ways of using them in craft and jewelry projects. We decided it would be fun to see what we could make one day at lunch.

Here's the result. We took the spiders, wrapped black craft wire around the body, covered them with mod podge and sprinkled black glitter over them.

We then cut some neck memory wire and quickly strung beads on. Once beaded, the black craft wire was wrapped around the memory wire in between beads and voila! A fun, scary choker!

I wore mine to the side, but the spider legs were irritating my neck, so I ended up wearing mine front and center at the neck, SO FUN!

One of my coworkers then wore hers as a head-band! I never thought of neck memory wire as a headband! How fun! The black craft glitter really stands out in real life.

Starting tomorrow I'll be revealing all the Cousin projects for Halloween, some fun, some scary and ALL with instructions! Yay!

On a Roll!

Since I'm on a Prima Bead roll, I might as well let you know they have Halloween beads on clearance! Check it out...

I love the red tips on the huge cross pendant! SO Halloweenish!

Here's a question for you...

How could the cute flower beads below seem menacing just by mentioning these are "Halloween" beads?

Is it power of suggestion?

Relativity?

Hmm...

You do think they look a little scary right? I hope it's not just all in my head. :)

Seedy Pumpkins

Seedy as in Seed Beads that is!

These pumpkins are adorable and they make me want to get out all my seed beads!

I don't always have the patience to work with seed beads, but these look pretty easy.

Instructions are located on the Prima Bead site, have fun!

Witchy Earrings

Are these too cute or what? I've never seen these before!

Instructions for these cool witch earrings are on the Prima Bead site!

Check it out if you haven't made your Halloween pieces yet! :)

If you have projects you would like to share, just let me know!

Pumpkins & Candy Corn!

Let's talk Halloween jewelry! These great earrings combine pumpkins AND candy corn, NICE!

They were created by our friend Suzette of Ellie's Bijoux. What a creative way to combine two Halloween icons into one design. You can find more of her designs on the E.B. Blog.

How fun!

I just finished several Halloween projects for the Cousin Corp, but can't share until next week. They are all a little fun and a little scary!

For now, I'd love to share your Halloween designs leading up to the 31st. Send me an email if you'd like your Halloween designs featured. :)

Memorialized in Plastic

Who is more fitting to be memorialized in one of my most favorite crafting mediums than Freddie Mercury?! I might have mentioned previously that I've been riding out a current obsession with the band Queen AND the officially sanctioned band, The Queen Extravaganza...

It's beginning to wane slightly, but I just received the platinum 3 CD set of their greatest hits, probably not the best way to back off from an obsession. :)

At this point in life, I am very familiar with how I go through these phases, so I try to enjoy it as much as possible as I ride it out. I used to resist and not really embrace my obsessions. However, whether it's a performer, a band, a bead, a beading technique, a color, a song, a movie, whatever it might be, nowadays, I just enjoy it. I realize now that is what makes me ME! :)

So, back to Freddie! I made some of these pieces just prior to seeing the big screen version of a 1986 concert at the movie theater about a month ago. It reminds me to embrace the unique and special personality of every person I meet. We ALL have something perfect to offer the world.

Looking for inspiration?

Looking for inspiration? I have two words for you SHRINK...PLASTIC!

If you haven't tried it yet, now is the perfect time. Be advised, it's addictive!

About.com Jewelry Making 
Shrink plastic is back, and Tammy takes a look at a new book all about it.

Art Bead Scene 
Pantone has its Autumn color reoprt out for 2012 and Heather shows some great inspiration for using those colors with a selection of her art beads

Beading Arts 
Cyndi is celebrating Metal Month! Come meet an amazing metal jewelry artist, Judy Grum.

Carmi's Art/Life World 
Carmi starts to teach tarn ring making and learns something from a child instead.


Resin Crafts! 
Lucky vintage coins are transformed into lucky resin bezels!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done! 
Jean has some exciting whoops and yells for the brand new magazine, Australian Digital Magazine, which she will be working for with her beloved editor Kelly with whom she formerly worked for four years at Au Beading. This fab new mag. could not be more exciting. Jean gives just a few of the the reasons why!