Blog for Beaders

Looking for a fun, last-minute gift you can give to Mom? Our jewelry making kits are an excellent way to let your mom discover her creative side and maybe learn a new technique. You could even make the idea yourself and then present the finished product to her for Mother’s Day! Browse our collection, including some recently added seed bead kit ideas, to find the perfect one to match her personality.

-Marissa

[Read more →]

Normally, Swarovski launches its products twice a year, once around February and once around September.  This year, however, following up on the success of the new Gemcolor pearls recently released, Swarovski just announced a new summer launch.  In it will be three new neon color pearls (pink, orange and yellow) as well as a line extension across many existing items of the very beautiful Crystal Astral Pink color, currently only available in a few heart shapes and select other articles.  Stay tuned next week as we get more information to you on this exciting surprise release!

Michael H.

[Read more →]

Discover new ways to play with Crystal Clay! This epoxy clay is a two-part clay that will adhere to almost any surface and requires no heat to cure. Each kit comes in convenient packing and holds 50g of clay, one pair of vinyl gloves, one beeswax applicator and 36 SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS chatons.

Use these kits to create unique jewelry designs that reflect your personal style. Mix and match them with other mixed media components like Swarovski crystals or base metal embellishments for whatever look you’re looking to capture.

If you need more help learning how to use this clay, visit our Crystal Clay resources page for helpful hints.

-Marissa

[Read more →]

We are super excited to launch new Swarovski Innovations for Spring/Summer 2013 today and want you to know! Check out our selection, including new colors like Rose Peach and Crystal Luminous Green and creative new shapes like the trendy Ellipse pendant. We will be adding to our collection soon so be sure to check back often. Just go to our Swarovski Spring/Summer 2013 Innovations page to view the latest colors and shapes and stock up on your favorites now!

-Marissa

[Read more →]

Congratulations to Carole D., Jennifer I. and Dale D. for winning Metal Complex Presents The Princess and the Bead Giveaway! They have each won an amazing metal working prize package worth over $350. Have fun with your new components!

We’d also like to congratulate Yvette F. for having the best happy ending for Princess Beadella. For her fun story she has won a $50 Artbeads gift certificate. You can read her story below.

Thank you all for participating in our contest. Stay tuned for our next contest that we’re sure you will love.

Don’t’ forget, you may still win the Artbeads goody jar! The winner will be announced tomorrow so stay tuned…

Yvette F // Jan 26, 2012 at 2:53 pm

She said, “Easy…a dragon’s shadow.” And she passed through the Seed Bead Forest, found the Swarovski Crystal of Yesteryear, and brought it back to Caspia. When she got there, they immediately treated King Steampunk with the Crystal and he returned to health. Queen Metallite and King Steampunk threw a huge party for her and they lived happily ever after.

[Read more →]

Happy Chocolate Cake Day to every lover of all things cocoa. Today we should all take time out our schedule to sit, relax, and indulge in some instant and yummy gratification. Pure chocolate cake should be on the menu today—no white, yellow or carrot! Pitch in at the office or whip one up at home and share in the joy of chocolate cake with friends and family.

You can even give your looks a tasty treat with our collection of chocolate jewelry supplies, including chocolate glaze Beadelle beads! These dazzling pavé style rounds feature a dark brown surface that’s then drizzled with sparkling crystals across its shape. Happy Chocolate Cake Day to all and happy Friday!

-Marissa

[Read more →]

This contest is now closed. Thank you all for participating and congratulations to our winner! Click here to view our winner post.

Did you miss out on taking a trip to the 2012 Gem and Mineral Show in Tucson this year? Don’t worry! You may still get your hands on some of the coolest beads, findings and other goodies available at one of the world’s biggest shows. Follow the Artbeads crew on our Facebook event page and the blog as they discover fun new items by browsing through thousands of tables, booths, rooms, nooks and crannies, cherry picking a few items to place into a goody jar as they go. Over one crazy, exhausting and exhilarating week, you will see the jar gradually fill with an eclectic mix of beads and other fun stuff.

Now that we’re back, take a look at the full jar above and guess at the number of items we’ve stuffed into the jar. If your guess comes closest to the actual number, you win the jar! Guess it exactly and you will also win a $100 Artbeads.com gift certificate! You can see the progress of the growing jar below, but be sure to look above for the final fill.

To enter the contest, just fill out the short survey below! One entry per person, please. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the survey and click the “done” button.

This contest runs until today, February 5, 2012 and ends Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at Noon PST. Winners will be announced Thursday, February 9. Must be 18 or older to enter. This contest is void where prohibited by law and open to US and Canada residents only excluding Quebec. No purchase necessary. In the event of a tie, one winner will be randomly selected. Winner will be notified by e-mail.

Good luck to everyone!

-Marissa

[Read more →]

We’re super excited to introduce to you our latest addition of headpins! These lovely lampwork floral headpins from Grace Lampwork feature an extra long stem to allow for multiple jewelry making uses, and are each finished with a beautiful handmade flower fixture for the head. With their whimsical imagery offered in a variety of bright colors and styles, these were the perfect way to come up with warm new ideas during the cold, winter season. Their sprouting shapes clustered together under a jewelry cone make these earrings look like tiny bouquets you can wear any time.

Calla Lilly Cuties

The calla lily has been historically known as the flower of magnificent beauty, and now you can capture it in your jewelry! All you’ll need for this idea are two earwires, your favorite 3mm crystal beads, two cones and six floral headpins. We used niobium earwires because they are hypoallergenic. Play with your favorite color schemes to make these earrings your own!

Step One:
Thread three headpins with three to four crystal beads, and then string all three through one cone. Finish the open ends by creating a wrapped loop with them and attaching the wrapped loop to one earwire.

Repeat this step for the other earring and you’re done!

Pretty Peony Blooms

As a symbol for good fortune and a happy marriage, the peony flower presents a delicate feel through a powerful bloom bursting with color. Reflect this emotion in your jewelry and create these adorable earrings! For this idea you’ll need two earwires, green 8/0 seed beads, Czech glass leaf beads, two cones and six floral headpins. We used niobium earwires because they are hypoallergenic. You can mix and match your favorite colors to create unique designs that fit your personal style.

Step One:
Thread three headpins with an alternating pattern of two seed beads and one leaf bead, beginning and ending with seed beads. String the headpins through one cone. Finish the open ends by creating a wrapped loop with all three and then attaching the loop to one earwire.

Repeat this step for the second earring and you’re ready to show off your new design!

-Marissa

[Read more →]

We love these new Lillypilly copper sheets decorated with a lovely patina finish, and we know you will, too! You may be wondering what patina means, so we’re here to explain it!

The patination process for both copper and bronze is a natural progression over time. As copper ages it grows a colored layer to protect it from corrosion called patina. This layer is caused from oxidization and is often blue or green naturally, known as acquired patina. With the help of science, however, manufacturers looking to replicate the process for aesthetic reasons use chemicals to manipulate the colors and produce everything from red to black. This is called applied patina or distressing.

You can discover new dimensions in style with these Lillypilly patina copper sheets. One side shines with its warm copper color, while the other side is exposed to a special patina color pattern. From dark spots to cool blue coloring, browse different colors and patterns for just the right one. Each sheet is coated with a protective wax, and should be coated with another layer of paste wax (like car wax or floor wax) to maintain the colorful appearance. Due to this process, each copper sheet will display its own pattern of coloring, too, so your piece is sure to be one of a kind.

Our designers got to play with some of these new sheets and made a cool pair of earrings, and we want to share their idea with you! To make the earrings, you will need a pair of metal shears, a hole punch, round paper punch, metal files and your choice of copper sheet. Look for some of these components under our jewelry making tools and supplies section. Remember to wax your copper piece before working with it to maintain its color.

Trace your design on the copper sheet and cut it out using the shears.

Use the file to smooth out the sharp edges.

The paper punch helped create the circular pieces. Please note that you should not use a paper punch to cut paper once it has been used to cut metal, and should only be used with the 36 gauge sheets.

The smaller holes at the top were made with a hole punch, and then the earring finding was thread through this small hole.

Check out our collection of patina copper sheets from Lillypilly and find your favorite design to get inspired!

-Marissa

[Read more →]

Check out our new collection of Swarovski chatons! These incredible faceted Austrian crystals feature a rich XILION-cut front surface like the Swarovski flatbacks. Their smooth backs, however, meet at a central point to give them an overall look of a traditional diamond cut with a crown and cutlet. Its pointed end makes this crystal ideal for sticking in DeCoRé clay to design unique pieces for jewelry. Most of these colorful chatons are foiled on the back to highlight their beautiful color and eye-catching sparkle. Browse our cool collection of crystal chatons available in different sizes to add the perfect twinkling element to your next idea!

Our designers got to play with some of these new additions and created the adorable jewelry link pictured above with the help of White DeCoRé clay and chatons in the colors Peridot, Aqua and Siam. Our designer also used some metal stamps to imprint the clay and then colored in the letters with a black ink pen. This fun idea took just minutes to make, so imagine what you could do with the right products and tools at home!

-Marissa

[Read more →]