I kind of forgot to do any recaps last week and when I realised I thought it just as well to leave it all for this weekend. So here's three weeks of posts from Manekis Pärlblogg. Includes a few contests and challenges.
Bead and pearl museums in the world
A far from complete listing of bead and/or pearl related museums around the world. Some of the museums are just focused on beads while others include bead, e.g. glass or jewellery museums. More tips, updates, corrections etc always appreciated as I've just found most of them by googling.
Simple woven chain and cord bracelets
Make fun and easy bracelets by weaving colourful cords through the links of a jewellery chain.
Suzahlsa summer contest
Design contest from Swedish bead shop Suzahlsa. The theme is Sun, wind and water (for those of you not Swedish, that is also the name of a song by Ted Gärdestad).
Operation Tackle That Bead Stash
OTTBS is a British blog and project about dealing with the bead stash rather than just buying new beads for your projects.
Donut designs
The shape of donuts, with their big centre hole, makes them a bit special to work with and many don't really know what to do with them. Here you find a collection of projects that use donuts in different ways, using different techniques and materials.
May challenges
New designs challenges for a new month from Vintaj, Art Bead Scene, La Bella Joya and OTTBS. The painting above, Flaming June, is one of the inspirational palettes in the current Margie and Me challenge at La Bella Joya.
Design contest focusing on feathers
Swedish bead shop Stareyes has announced a new design contest with feathers, the latest big trend, as a theme.
Silk
Silk is a popular material in jewellery making, from knotted pearl necklaces to mixed-media sari silk ribbon bracelets. Includes discussions on vegetarian-friendly silk and environmental impact of sericulture.
Mix your own copper clay
There's a tutorial on Instructibles for how to mix your own copper clay using pure copper powders, corn starch, xanthan gum, water and glycerine.
Diamond stitch and double diamond stitch
How to make this pretty bead-weaving technique, including several variations.
Epoxi coated butterflies for jewellery
At the blog Resin Crafts, you can find a way to strengthen and preserve feather butterflies so they can be used in jewellery.
International handmade art charm day tomorrow
April 27th was international charm day.
Make bead links with beading wire
SoftFlexGirl shows you how to make bead links and rings using scraps of flexible beading wire.
Berry Beads new product from Miyuki
Preciosa Ornela's got farfalle, Matsuno's got peanut beads. Now, Miyuki is also presenting a "double-drop" bead shape and they choose to call their version Berry Beads.
Metal Clay Mania -- Bead Unique contest
This contest from American bead mag Bead Unique is now closed.
Artbeads Mother's Day Contest
...and so is this contest by bead shop Artbeads.com. However, you may now vote on your favourite amongst the entries.
Guest bloggers on Manekis Pärlblogg?
How would you feel about guest bloggers on my bead blog? Perhaps you even want to write a blog post yourself? Let me know what you think!
Bead looms
There are many types of bead looms, from the most simple DIY cardboard or shoe box looms to big tapestry looms and handmade quality products.
Why crystal and glass stones are foiled
Crystal stones like rivolis are often foiled, adding sparkle and intensity to it. See the difference your self in my photos of foiled and unfoiled clear crystal rivolis.
Letter stamps with runes and cyrillic letters
Smyckestillbehor.se offers new letter sets for stamping metal and leather. Instead of the regular Roman alphabet, you will find the futhark and the cyrillic alphabet. Rune stamps can be bought as a set of 24 or by the piece.
The difference between chocolate and cocoa
Chocolate and cocoa pretty much sound like the same thing, right? But as a bead colour, chocolate is a (dark) brown with a touch of red, while cocoa is a light neutral (used on pearl imitations etc). Note: as a web colour, cocoa is the same as light chocolate.
Gilded marbled
Gilded marbled is a nice finish from Toho, but you can also find similar finishes on e.g. Czech glass beads. It's a partial -- marbled -- gilding on a coloured bead. Toho also make other marbled colour.
Argentium and Reflections Silver
There are several alternatives to sterling silver that offers an alloy that doesn't tarnish or gets firescale the same way traditional sterling can. Argentium is the most well-known.
Oh, Flaming June - one of my favorite paintings. I love that!
ReplyDeleteYou know, before Marcie posted it on her blog, I'd never seen this painting. I'm glad she did because it's just lovely. That soft orange is gorgeous!
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