Bead and wire chain is a great beginner/advanced beginner (though time consuming) wirework project. Basically, you make a wrapped loop at one end of a piece of wire, slip a bead on, then make a wrapped loop at the other end, so you have a little beaded unit with a loop on each end. To [...]

I got some great picture frame pendants from artbeads, and I wanted to share how I incorporated images onto two different types of frame pendants. The sterling silver pendant, on the left, has little slots on the back that you can slide an image into. First, I cut an image to size and made sure [...]

My friend Cyndi from Beading Arts has a new e-book out all about bead embroidery – and it’s free! 59 pages of information on various stitches, plus a beginner project. If you’ve been thinking about trying the very versatile medium of bead embroidery, definitely check out this free book. Also – are you a creative [...]

I haven’t tried this yet, but I’m excited to see how it works on my blog – a tutorial that shows how to make a rotating display of photos for your blog sidebar. This would be great if you sell ads on your blog, or if you want to rotate images of your favorite blog [...]

Stamping metal isn’t difficult, and with a little practice, this easy metalworking technique can be used to personalize your jewelry and other metal creations. You will need metal stamps – alphanumeric if you want to stamp things like words and dates, or shapes and symbols to decorate your piece. You’ll also need a piece of [...]

Are you a blogger, and suffering from blogger’s block? In other words, can’t think of a topic for your next post? This list of possible blog topics might help. If you are like me, you can use all the organizing help you can get. This article on organizing your supplies for crafting on the go [...]

For this project, you need: A large circle paper punch Hole punch Cardstock Stickers Ribbon or yarn (or ornament hooks) Pen/pencil/crayon I used a 3-Inch circle punch by the brand Marvy Uchida, which I bought at my local craft store. Everything else I had on hand – as will most crafty moms – the cardstock [...]

Copper is a beautiful metal for jewelry, but it oxidizes (tarnishes) more quickly than silver, so it requires a bit of extra care if you want it to stay shiny. I recommend cleaning your copper jewelry after every time you wear it. Use a mild soap and water, rinse completely, and dry with a soft [...]

Now is the time to start thinking about holiday gifts, especially if you like to give handmade gifts. You need some time to gather your supplies, experiment with the techniques you are using, and of course to make everything and wrap it up beautifully. (And, if you don’t want to make your own gifts, might [...]

I was reading a thread on the etsy forums and saw a link to this great tutorial on oxidizing silver. Oxidizing is something that occurs naturally over time with silver as the oxygen in the air and chemicals the silver comes into contact with gradually darken it – but if you want a piece of [...]