Bead blog recap weeks 34-36

I keep forgetting that I'm supposed to make weekly recaps of my posts over at my Swedish bead blog... So here's a long list of post from the last three weeks.


The charm group project
We're making charms for a charm bracelet, which will be raffled at the PUSS bead meeting in October. All proceeds will be donated to Cancerfonden. Do you want to be a part of our project?

Cute flower charms
Learn how to make easy and sweet daisy bead charms at Beadsmania.

Fireline
Fireline is a very popular beading thread, used primarily for bead weaving.

How to tumble glass
With a stone tumbler, you can also tumble glass to make beads and pendants for your jewellery. You will get soft and frosted glass, similar to beach glass. No tumbler? Grind down the sharp edges and etch the glass instead.

Faux pearls
Faux pearls have been made for centuries -- and at times they were reserved for royalties. Includes a list of diffrent types of pearls/pearl names used for imitations, from shell pearls to Majorica.

Sharp triangles from Miyuki
Miyuki is know for their chubby, rounded triangle beads. Now they're about to launch a new version with sharper edges.

Harmony theme for bead contest
Swedish bead shop Sirlig is presenting a new jewellery-making contest on the theme harmony.

Art Bead Scene September challenge
This month's inspiration is Persia, an illustration by George Barbier.

Vitrail
Vitrail is a colourful finish that can be found in several version: vitrail medium (or just vitrail), vitrail light, vitrail dark (vintage) and vitrail green.

Bellatrix beading contest
Perle4U is having a small contest based on the pattern Bellatrix: make one or more of these components and incorporate it in a piece of jewellery.

International Bead Awards 2010
IBA is a new international design contest by Best Beads Verlag, the publisher of elegant bead mag Perlen-Poesie.

New from Swarovski for autumn/winter 2011-12
Swarovski Elements have released their new colours for the nex autumn and winter season. New colours is Sunflower, latest effect is Crystal Silver Night and for pearls there's the Light Gold Pearl. New shapes includes a beautiful new heart and cute clover beads as well as a flatback butterfly and more.

Shrink plastic jewellery
Projects for making jewellery from shrink plastic -- includes some lovely silhouette jewellery not to be missed!

Cross stitch your own metal pendants
Among the autumn news from Panduro, you'll find partially perforated metal pendants and bracelets, ready to be cross stitched by you.

Texture hammer with interchangable heads
I love hammers and this is no exception. Instead of getting just one or two textures when you buy a texture hammer, this one comes with nine different heads you can mount of the hammer.

Elytra from Sternocera aequisignata
Elytra is the hard outer "shells" that protect the wings on beetles. In this case the colourful jewel beetle, which has traditionally been used in thai arts and crafts. Unusually but striking components for jewellery (includes examples of finished jewellery).

How to use two-hole beads
Stringing, wirework, bead weaving -- there are many ways you can used two-hole beads. Here you find a long list of projects to be inspired by.

Two-hole beads
As you probably guessed, two-hole beads are "double drilled", having two parallel or crossing holes.

Win beautiful glass beads
In association with Bello Modo, I'm giving away 18 lovely German two-hole beads.

Pearlized autumn contest
Swedish bead shop Pearlized is hosting a new autumn jewellery-making contest.

How to use scallop-edged settings
I show how you manipulated the edge of these simply but useful settings to make pendants and links.

How seed beads are made
Learn how seed beads are manufactured in Japan and the Czech Republic, from the melting of the raw materials to quality control and hanking.

Bolo ties -- not just western jewellery
Bolo ties are mostly associated with cowboys and other American Western styles for men, but here you find necklaces in a variety of styles for both him and her.