Blog for Beaders

Just in time for Valentine’s Day come these wonderful new jewelry and craft ideas from SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS. From cute pins to an elaborate necklace, these cool new ideas are sure to make your special day sparkle! Click on the links below to view the PDF instructions for each project. You can also browse all of our Swarovski instruction guides in the Resources section of our Swarovski page.

Be My Valentine Tie Pin
With a formal black and white feel, this tie pin is perfect for complementing your evening attire. Make sure you’re dressed to impress this Valentine’s Day with subtle, elegant sparkle.

Heart in Lace Valentine Hair Pin
Weave a bit of romance into your hair with this cute hair pin! Accessorize your Valentine’s Day outfit with just a touch of sparkle.

Love Letter and Heart Valentine Earrings
These sweet little earrings will brighten anyone’s day! Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day or another special occasion, you’re sure to find endless opportunities to wear either pair.

Love Collar Necklace
This elegant necklace idea is perfect for any special occasion. It makes a terrific homemade gift for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or date night.

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Riveting metal pieces together in jewelry making is a great alternative to soldering. Riveting is a cold connection method, meaning there is no heat applied. This is useful if using flammable or fragile materials in your design. A rivet looks much like a two-headed nail. The use of rivets provides an easy and inexpensive way to create pieces that are multi-dimensional and also moveable if you so desire.

STEP 1:

Mark where you want to place your rivets using a pen.

STEP 2:

Create the holes with a hole punch in both pieces of metal. For 36 gauge copper metal sheets use a standard hole punch.

For thicker-gauge metal use a heavy-duty hole punch.
STEP 3:

Push the rivet through the two metal pieces you want to connect.

STEP 4:

Turn your piece over and tap the end of the rivet with a hammer until it forms a nail head. The more you tap with the hammer the tighter fit you will achieve.

Your new metal embellishment is now ready to be part of a cool and unique jewelry idea!

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While you’re watching the game you can add an extra dose of good luck charm when you make your own Ultimate Fan Jewelry Set! Whether you love sports or not, Super Bowl XLVI is going to be a truly patriotic fan fare! Both the New England Patriots and the New York Giants have a red, white and blue color scheme, so no matter who you want to win you can create the same style. Read our instructions for making sports fan jewelry that includes two necklaces, a bracelet and a pair of earrings, and then swap out the colors to match the rest of your Super Bowl attire.

Happy Super Bowl Sunday and good luck to both teams!

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After featuring this bracelet on our Chocolate Cake Day blog post a while back, there has been a huge request for the instructions for this beautiful bracelet. Perfect as a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift or for any other day of the year, you can create delightful romance when you wear this simple yet stylish piece. All you will need for this jewelry idea are five 12mm chocolate glaze smoked topaz Beadelle round pavé beads and approximately 8 to 9 feet of satin cord in the color Coffee.

Step One

Cut the satin cord into one strand 4.5 feet and fold it in half. Cut two other strands approximately 20 inches long and place one of them between the two folded strands. Set the other aside for now. You should now be ready to work with three strands running parallel. Tie a knot at the bottom of the center strand and thread the beads onto this strand, pushing them to the bottom. Wrap a small piece of tape around the top end of the center silk strand to make it easier to thread your beads through. You may also find it easier to tape the folded piece and the top of the 20-inch strand to a work surface while knotting.

Step Two

Move the right side of the cord over the center strand and then under the left side of cord. Now take the left side under the center strand and up through the loop you just created.

Step Three

Now, go the opposite direction. Take the left side of the cord over the center strand and under the right side. Then move the right side of the cord under the center strand and over the left cord through the loop you just created.

Step Four

Repeat this process six more times, and then push one bead up to rest against the last knot.

Step Five

Repeat steps Two and Three 3 times and then add another bead.

Do this for the remaining beads.

Step Six

Create seven more knots and then add a small dab of GS Hypo fabric glue to hold everything in place.

Step Seven

Snip off any remaining left and right side cords so only the center strand remains for both ends of the bracelet.

Step Eight

Cross the ends over one another to create two new parallel strands. Use the other 20-inch strand from Step One as your center strand and place it under the two ends.

Step Nine

Repeat steps Two and Three 4times or until you are satisfied with the length. This piece will act as the slider on the bracelet, so check the length to allow this piece to slide over your wrist and then cinch tightly. Tie the ends with a simple knot, add a dab of glue and then trim any excess.

If you’re in the mood for a more colorful idea, replace the chocolate glaze pavé beads with a rainbow collection of other 12mm Beadelle pavé rounds, and try working with 2mm satin cord in the color Plum. Mix and match for new ideas for every day of the year!

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One of the fun stops we make at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is a necklace-making demonstration by Swarovski Ambassador Kristal Wick. She generously offered to explain how to create our Dauphine Street Necklace, designed by Artbeads President and Co-Owner Cynthia Kimura for the demo!

As a Swarovski ambassador, Kristal Wick is part of an exclusive community comprised of other well-known designing experts. Each are established workshop leaders who all share a passion for Swarovski style and design expertise. These ambassadors get to share their knowledge with the public through demonstrations for jewelry making, application techniques and design ideas, as well as on regularly-published blog posts on the Swarovski CREATE YOUR STYLE Sparkling Community.

It’s always so much fun to attend workshops with Kristal Wick, one of our favorite designers. Here are a few photos of her at the demonstration in Tucson this year.

Here’s Kristal and Artbeads New Product Manager Cheri looking over the Necklace

Kristal dispensing her expertise to a few patrons.

Here’s Artbeads CEO and Co-Owner Devin and Kristal Wick going over the demo.

The Dauphine Street necklace design features black and white color scheme using DeCoRé epoxy clay and Swarovski crystal chatons. Dramatic black roses and gunmetal chain complete this feel, sprinkled with a bit of New Orleans French Quarter flair. Learn how to create this by reading the free necklace design instructions on our website.

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Often, the difference between fair looking jewelry and professional looking jewelry is how the piece is finished. The use of clam shell bead tips, also known as calottes, is especially important to the look of hand-knotted jewelry projects. Clam shell bead tips can increase the value of a jewelry piece because they hide the knot at the end of the strand beautifully and reflect the attention to detail that buyers look for. There are several different styles of clam shell bead tips. The style you want to use depends on your application. A single open-loop bead tip is great to use for a necklace design, but may not be strong enough to use in a bracelet design. A double closed-loop bead tip, however, is durable enough for both. Here we will show how to use a double closed-loop bead tip. To see instructions on how to use a single open loop bead tip, click here.

Step One:

To begin your design, you will want to tie a knot in your stringing material. Pull the string through the hole in the bead tip so that the knot rests in the tip. You want to make sure that the loops on the bead tip are pointing towards the ends of your design, where you will be attaching a toggle or clasp. Make sure the knot is big enough to ensure that you cannot pull it through. You may need to tie multiple knots to achieve this.

Step Two:

Trim the excess stringing material and dab the knot with a dot of GS-Hypo Cement to hold it in place.

Step Three:

Using chain nose pliers, gently press both sides of the bead tip together until they close.

Step Four:

Using chain nose pliers, gently pinch the hinge on the back of the bead tip. Do this on both sides to create a tight closure.

Step Five:

Create a knot just behind your bead tip. This will ensure that the metal does not fray your stringing material with repeated wear.

Step Six:

String your beads. We chose to use a strand of pearls separated by knots.

Step Seven:

Finish this end in the same manner as above only this time, create a knot at the end of your bead strand then pull the end of the stringing material up through the bead tip. Make sure the bead tip loops are pointing towards the end of your design.

Step Eight:

Create a big enough knot that it cannot slip through the bead tip hole and trim the excess stringing material. Add a dot of GS-Hypo cement to the knot and close the bead tip around the knot. Be sure to use a pair of chain nose pliers to pinch the back hinge on the bead tip for a tight closure.

Step Nine:

Add jump rings and a toggle or clasp of your choice.

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If you’re planning a spring or summer wedding, here’s a fun treat you can bring to many different aspects of your special day. This stunning Cottage Garden Centerpiece with sparkling pink Swarovski accents will add a romantic, delicate feel wherever you choose to put it. It would look gorgeous on tables at the reception or displayed with larger house plants near the altar. Learn how to make wedding centerpieces by reading the free design instructions in the Learning Center, where you can find even more incredible homemade wedding décor to help inspire your personal planning.

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Try your hands at mixed media and earthy elements with Tanager’s Song Necklace, one of the many free ideas from the Learning Center! This beautiful, vintage-inspired look combines the softness of silk ribbon with a weighty pendant for a stunningly balanced piece. We chose to accent the charming tanager background with our favorite feathers, but you can choose any nature-inspired element you deem fit. Make this bird pendant necklace by reading the free instructions, along with a list of components and tools to get you started. Click this here to learn how to make it!

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Photo Source: Wikimedia.org.

Chinese New Year officially begins January 23, 2012. This year will be the Year of the Dragon, a symbol of power and wealth. Dating back before the Gregorian calendar, which is what most modern cultures follow, the Chinese calendar follows the lunar cycle. This is why the Chinese New Year is also known as the Lunar New Year.

To celebrate the New Year, Chinese cultures decorate the streets in red and yellow. Red symbolizes fire, thought to drive away bad luck. This is also why firework displays rule the New Year celebration. Ancient custom depicted people in China lighting bamboo sticks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten the evil spirits.

Following in line with the Chinese New Year is the Lantern Festival, held on the 15th day of the first lunar month. The festivities include a parade and decorative lanterns, but the highlight of the celebration is the dragon dance. The dragon dance features a long, paper and bamboo dragon, sometimes up to 100 feet long, carried by men who dance the piece down the street.

The Chinese zodiac symbol of the dragon means a year of ambition, where we may face challenges but will overcome them to achieve success. You can celebrate with some of our dragon jewelry components to create fun elements in style. Make a Chinese lantern by following the free instructions for our Emperor’s Landing Learning Center idea, too!

We want to wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year!

Information Source: Infoplease.com.

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End caps and crimp ends can provide professional looking results to your jewelry pieces. As indicated by the name, they are most often used to finish the ends of jewelry. We have expanded our selection of end caps and crimp ends to accommodate your every need. We have a large assortment to choose from and here we will show you some tips on how to use the different styles in your jewelry.

Round End Cap with a Loop

STEP ONE:
When using a round end cap it’s important to add a small amount of adhesive to your stringing material before attaching to the end cap. We will be using E-6000 and rubber cord in this example. If you plan to attach your end cap to a different component that cannot be opened, such as a closed jump ring, you must do so before gluing.

STEP TWO:
Place the end cap on one end of the rubber strand. Be sure not to push the stringing material all the way through the end cap.

STEP THREE:
Place some type of a clamp on the end cap if needed. Allow glue to dry.

Crimp End Caps

STEP ONE:
You may want to finish each end with different types of end caps, depending on the design. In this example, when working with a 3mm braided leather cord, we finished one end with an end cap with a loop and the other end using an end cap with a hook. Both end caps are used in the same way.

STEP TWO:
Insert the stringing material into the end cap. We recommend using an adhesive to ensure a strong hold, although it is not required. If using an adhesive, be sure to use only a small amount to minimize seepage. Slowly and gently squeeze the center of the end cap with a pair of chain nose pliers until it crimps down onto the stringing material.

Tip: If you are having trouble with your glue, scratch the leather a bit on the end with a fingernail to remove the shiny exterior. When it is more porous, the glue holds better. Also remember to let the glue dry for at least 24 hours for a strong bond.

Crimp End with a Loop

STEP ONE:
Here we used a crimp end cap with a loop. Simply place your stringing material into the crimp end cap and gently squeeze with a pair of chain nose pliers or nylon jaw pliers until completely closed. Adhesive is recommended but not required.

U-Shaped Ribbon Ends

STEP ONE:
These style of end caps are generally used to finish ends of ribbons and fibers. Once you have placed your stringing material inside the end cap, gently squeeze with a pair of nylon jaw pliers. We recommend using the nylon jaw pliers for this style end cap to avoid marring up the finish. Again, adhesive is recommended but not required.

End Cap with a Loop

STEP ONE:
This type of end cap is simple to use. Place the end cap onto your stringing material and crimp it down with a pair of chain nose pliers or nylon jaw pliers. Try using this end cap with a jump ring before a jewelry clasp instead of a crimp end. Adhesive is recommended but not required.

You’ll be ready to explore all new stringing materials that you can work into your jewelry designs in no time! Just be sure to always use the right crimp end or end cap for your specific idea.

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