Book Review - Your Seed Bead Style

'Your Seed Bead Style - Accents, Embellishments and Adornments' is published by Bead and Button Magazine. Bead and Button has several books like this with a good selection of the best of the best projects previously published in the magazine. There are complete directions for 27 very lovely projects in this book. The basic stitches and tools are covered, along with sizes of seed beads and various other shaped beads.
I thought this necklace was particularly neat. The chain and half the components can be found at the hardware store. It includes wing nuts, o rings, washer and nuts, small springs and a Quick Link is the clasp.
The book is a good deal if you aren't a regular subscriber of Bead and Button.
You can find it at Amazon for only 12.21 - I love a bargain!

Christmas Tree Earrings

These are just so darn easy and you see them in so many variations.
Swarovski Margarita Beads come in 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 mm. I used one of each here. But you can vary the size of your tree by using less of the larger sizes, making a tiny tree with 6 and 8, or 6, 8 and 10. I used a cube bead for my tree base, but you can use any round bead also. And I used a red topper here (3mm) , but that's changeable too. I think a white tree with silver base and top
will be my next set.
You need 1 head pin to match the finish of your earring wires. Add cube or trunk bead, one each of the Margarita's in the size you are using. Add your topper bead and a simple twisted loop, and add to your ear wires. Being Swarovski beads, they really sparkle. Enjoy!

And the Winner is

The winner of the Second Bead Giveaway is Cornerstore Goddess. Please email your mailing address.
Your bucket and beads will be mailed out on Monday. I hope you enjoy them.
I'll be looking for some special beads while we are on vacation and we will have
another Giveaway in January.
The Bead Bucket contained 871 beads and winning guess was 825

Book Review - Chain and Bead Jewelry

'Handcrafted Chain and Bead Jewelry' by Scott David Plumlee
mmm...mmmm...mmmm...
http://www.davidchain.com/2004/archive01.htm
http://www.davidchain.com/2004/archive02.htm
http://www.davidchain.com/2004/archive03.htm
http://www.davidchain.com/portfolio.html
Now, I don't know much about making chain jewelry, but just seeing what
the gals at the Hive were making, made me think, I have to try this. Then
when I saw this book, chain and BEADS, well, we have to have a look.
The book covers the basic tools you'll need, wire gauges, wrapping your own
jump rings and buying pre-made. The instructions are given for making
some different styles of chain patterns, color coded easy instructions. And
then projects incorporating beads into the project. This book looks great
and it's full of projects and instructions, not a lot of fluff and fillers.
Amazon has it for $13.57 - so happy Santa brought me all the beading
books on my wish list!

Book Review ' Beaded Opulence'

'Beaded Opulence - Elegant Jewelry Projects with Right Angle Weave' by Marcia DeCoster.
This book is also from Lark Books and labeled Beadweaving Master Class. I haven't found any mention if this is a series of books or what.
There are some great projects in the book, some are really dressy pieces. The charts and instruction are clear and easy to follow. All projects are done with RAW. There are some amazing rope necklaces. Marcia makes use of a lot of gold beads and crystals, Opulence is right :)
Again, though, I wish there was more to this book. It's only 128 pages, and probably 25 of those pages eye candy photos (no instructions for these pieces), introduction, and bead basics.
Still it's just $11.72 on Amazon. Eligible for free shipping with a $25 purchase.

WIP Russian Leaf Done in Peyote - Part 1

Most often you see the Russian Leaf pattern done in St Petersburg chain stitch. But done in peyote with Delica's they have an elegant look to them. They are not hard at all, and if you are making something that requires a lot of separate leaves, it's almost boring - lol. I'll do a tutorial on the individual leaf shortly. I find that using the black matte beads for tut's works best for photos :).
For lack of a better term, each leaf is sort of a chevron. I've made 6 of them here and they are
joined together. Then the last one is brought around and joined to the first one forming a circle.
Hmmm, I just noticed if I had stopped at 5 points, I'd would have had a nice star - another project!

Book Review - 'Embellished Beadweaving'

Embellished Beadweaving is written by Laura McCabe. The subtitle is Jewelry Lavished with Fringe, Fronds, Lacework and More. The cover also mentions Beadweaving Master Class. Don't let that scare you.
The book first covers a bit a history of beadweaving, tools, bead sizes, basic stitches. It's only a 142 page book and we don't see any real embellishment techniques for the first 25 pages. Then we get down to business with some embellishment stitches, Simple Bud, Simple Flower, Leaf Cluster, Berry Cluster, Dagger Cluster and some projects with complete instructions for using the various embellishments. There are some fabulous eye candy photos too, but again, full page eye candy photos in a short book seem like fillers. The instructional parts are very, very good, but I guess what I'm saying is, I wanted more! More content, more projects and instructions. Still Amazon has it for sale for $13.03, free shipping if your total purchase is over $25