Bead Table Wednesday - Vintaj Patina Paints and Stencils

Today on Bead Table Wednesday I shared how to create painterly pendants using stencils and Vintaj patinas on brass blanks.

You can watch the video here:

Resources mentioned in the video:

Adornments Retreat

Vintaj

Vintaj Salvage

Tim Holtz Mini Stencils Set 25*

Renaissance Wax*

Grobet Swiss Pattern File Half Round Cut 2*

(*Amazon affiliate links)

Vintaj Patinas: Rustic River Finds

Vintaj Patina colors used today: chalcedony, coral, green opal, white gold, rose gold

The Painter's Garden Pendant 

Supplies:

34mm hand-painted brass pendant 

Painted leaf pendant

13-15mm polymer clay disk

flower bead cap

4 Czech glass leaf and flower beads

English cut glass bead

Brass flower bead cap

2 4mm Czech glass rondells

2 6mm Czech glass melon beads

Arte Metal leaf charm

2 4mm spacers

2 11/0 nickel seed beads

15" 20 gauge brass wire

26" gunmetal chain

15mm brass etched jump ring

8mm gunmetal jump ring

5mm brass jump ring

2 2" copper ball headpins

Directions:

1. String the glass flower onto the headpin, create a messy wrapped loop. Repeat with the English cut glass bead and flower bead cap. String both dangles on a 5mm jump ring.

2. Attach an 8mm jump ring to the bottom of the hand-painted pendant, slide on the painted leaf pendant, small leaf charm and jump ring with the two dangles. Close the jump ring.

3. Cut a 5" length of wire, create a large loop. Open the loop and slide through the top of the pendant. Wrap the wire around the top of the loop, tightly two times and then two more times loosely. String on a disk bead and create a wrapped loop on top of the bead.

4. Attach the 15mm jump ring to the top of the wrapped loop.

5. Cut two 5" lengths of the wire. Create a wrapped loop, string on a rondell, spacer, glass leaf bead, nickel seed bead and glass melon bead. Create a loop on top of the last bead, open the loop and string on the chain, close loop and wrap the wire under the loop tightly two times and loosely two - three times to create a messy wrap. 

I have a limited number of complete kits on my website for today's project. You can find them here.

Bead Table Wednesday - Wire Flower Wreath Pendant

Today on Bead Table Wednesday I share some of my Bead & Button loot and a fun new project featuring wire wreaths embellished with glass leaves and flowers. Watch the video below.

Resources featured in the video:

Polymer clay leaves and disk beads: Humblebeads.com (There are a few kits on my website too!)

Glass leaves, flowers, wire and butterflies: Limabeads.com

Raw brass chain and jump rings: Yadana Beads

Supplies used in the pendant:
30" 20 gauge Antique Bronze Parawire
Vintaj brass butterfly
Humblebeads leaf pendant and disk
4 Czech glass leaves and 4 flowers
25" raw brass chain
1 6mm brass jump ring
2 8mm brass jump ring

Bead Table Wednesday: Leather and Bead Ladder Earrings

Welcome to Bead Table Wednesday. Today on my table I share a leather knotting project to make a simple pair of earrings.

Video Resources:

Bead Cruise

Embossed and printed leather - Peggy Sue Also

Leather cord and starfish button - Classic Elements

Disk beads - Humblebeads

Electroplated Hematite 6mm beads

Cut two 12" lengths of leather .5mm leather for the earrings. 

Stop by my Etsy shop and use code CRUISE25 for 25% off orders until Friday.

What's on your bead table today?

12 Days of Christmas: Day 11 - Hollow Clay Beads

Hi There!  I'm Terri Del Signore from artisticaos.  I am a ceramic bead artist and I'm looking forward to sharing a tutorial with you! This is something that I have been experimenting with, and I am quite excited to show you what I've learned so far! Hollow clay forms using paper.

I work with ceramic clay but this concept could also suit polymer and metal clay projects.  In fact, somehow, somewhere, I came across paper beads used to make hollow polymer beads.  I don’t make polymer beads, but round paper beads are sold on Etsy for this purpose.  The idea is that you wrap your polymer clay around the paper bead, bake it, drill holes, and soak the bead to soften the paper pulp. Then remove the paper pulp with fine tip tweezers. You are left with a hollow polymer bead.  Even though I don't make polymer beads that idea sparked a different idea for me.

This seemed like something I could try with ceramic clay because extreme temperatures in the kiln would completely burn away paper, leaving only a hollow ceramic bead.  I wanted to play around with this idea because I have a background in papermaking (as we artsy folks tend to dabble in more than one medium;).  I figured this way, I could make various shapes to be used for hollow beads, and not be limited to just round beads. Who wants limits right!!??

I always have tons of ideas, and many that don’t work – but not this time! It worked! Here is a completely hollow bisque bead that I made using a paper bead.  The paper is completely gone, and all that is left is a hollow ceramic bead!

I will share what I did and some things I learned.
And the best part is that it is really simple!!
Making paper shapes to use to make hollow clay beads.

Materials needed
Cotton paper pulp and warm water

Equipment needed
Blender and dehydrator 

See that is not a long list of materials! If you don't have a dehydrator you could improvise with an oven, on the lowest setting, left open - or a heater even!  Cotton paper pulp is purchased through paper-making supply places. I have had mine for a very long time.  I bet you a good quality cotton toilet paper or paper towel would work too!  If you try it - let me know how it turns out!

Add warm water to your blender and add some ripped cotton paper pulp. Exactly how much is difficult to tell you, but, it's better to start with less and increase as needed. I say this because I once killed a brand new blender by adding too much pulp.  Now I have a Ninja, and it would take a lot more than paper to kill this beast!!  I love this machine!!  The left photo is paper pulp sheet.

Blend to a pulp (literally)!

When done, slowly lift out an amount in your hand that would suit your size and shape for your design.  Try to get the correct amount the first time, because adding to it is not ideal. You will learn this as you go and get better at it. Gently squeeze water out while forming your desired shape.  Don't try and get all the water out to the point you distort your shape. You will get a feel of what I mean. Working gently is key to maintaining shape. A little practice will help but I promise it is really easy!!

To remove the remaining pulp, you will need to use a fine strainer once the pulp starts getting low and hard to grab.

Once you have your wet paper shapes. Put them in your dehydrator to dry. Does anyone see my winking emoji;) in the photo below? I got my husband’s smaller dehydrator when he upgraded to a commercial one.  I snuck these into my husband’s, while he was making jerky. I kind of expected him to ask – but he is so past asking questions about my seemingly strange art projects about the house – even when they end up next to his jerky!

Once dry - they will be ready to use for your clay creations!! 

The clay you use to put over the paper will naturally want to take on the shape of your paper shape.  If your paper shape is really rough and bumpy texture (as thick handmade paper tends to be)  you will have to compensate by how you shape the outside. Either go with the rough texture and work it into your design or spend the time smoothing it out.  I did come up with a way to make your round beads smooth so that you can easily make nice smooth, round, hollow beads.  

The technique is to gently roll your rough round beads between two perfectly flat surfaces.  As you can see I am using really advanced equipment for this;) A plastic plate and a flat table top. The important thing is that both have a smooth, flat, textureless, surface!

Here is a pic of the difference it makes.

Now wrap clay around your paper shape and let the creative juices flow!


Important to remember is that there needs to be a hole that reaches into the hollow part of the clay for ceramic and metal clays (can't say for sure about polymer but my guess would be the same) - otherwise air can't get out and that is when things explode in the kiln.

You will see with my elephant head- that my design idea did not allow for air to escape, so I actually put a hole at the back.

Here is another hollow designs I made using this technique.

GIVEAWAY!!!! GIVEAWAY!!!!

And this hollow hummingbird bead is for one you readers who are still reading, and leave a comment. Winner will be chosen using random number generator. The winner will be picked next Thursday. 

I look forward to exploring with this technique much more and I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial!


Terri Del Signore – artisticaos.com

12 Days of Christmas: Day 10 - Owl Forest Knotted Necklace

This has been my favorite necklace for the last few months. It matches all my winter clothes, it feels great to wear and I just love anything with an owl on it. The design is a breeze to whip up and I made several variations.

Supplies

Pewter owl charm

Polymer clay oblong bead

12mm lampwork bead

10mm ceramic round bead

8mm polymer clay wobble

66 11/0 nickel seed beads

200 4mm cube seed beads

48" Irish waxed linen

22mm leaf button

I always over estimate how much linen to use, better to have too much than not enough!

For this project I used 8 different colors of cube seed beads with different finishes like metallic, matte metallic and transparent. 

Necklace length: 28" long 

Directions:

1. Fold the linen cord in half, insert the end loop through the pendant. Open the loop and pull the cord through the loop to create a lark's knot. Create a knot above the pendant.

2. String on the oblong bead, create an overhand knot. String on the ceramic and wobble bead, knotting between each bead. Create a knot on top of the wobble.

3. Separate the two cords. On one cord string a nickel seed bead, 10 square beads, one nickel seed bead. Knot the cord. Repeat the pattern 9 more times. 

4. String on 26 seed beads, form into a loop and tie the loop with a simple knot. Knot the cord 2-3 more times to create a secure loop. Trim excess linen cord.

5. Repeat the pattern on the other side of the necklace. String on the button and loop the cord 2-3 times through the button before trying a knot under the button, securing it tightly to the necklace. Tie 2-3 more knots under the button. Trim excess cord.

Resources: Owl, waxed linen, cube seed beads, nickel seed beads and leaf button: Lima Beads. Lampwork: Julie Miller. Ceramic: White Clover Kiln. Polymer Clay Beads: Humblebeads. (I'll have more soon!) 

Deer pendants from Allegory Gallery. 

12 Days of Christmas: Day 8 - Feather Earrings

Use artisan headpins to whip up earrings in minutes! These lovely ceramic feathers are from Artisticaos. They can be hard to find as Terri works in small batches, but you can adapt this project with any artisan headpins.

Supplies:
2 ceramic headpins
2 brass flower bead caps
2 8mm faceted rock crystal rondells
2 6mm rhinestone rondelles
2 6mm faceted pearls
34 11/0 nickel seed beads
2 brass earwires

Directions: 
1. On the headpin string on one seed bead, bead cap, stone rondelle, rhinestone rondelle, pearl.

2. Bend the wire on the headpin over at a 45 degree angle from the headpin. String on 16 seed beads. Form the wire into a loop and create and wrap the wire under the seed bead loop 2-3 times. Trim off access wire and tighten the end with chain nose pliers.

3. Attach earwire in the center of the seed bead loop. 

Supplies: Ceramic feathers: Artisticaos. Bead caps, earwires and rhinestone rondelles: Hobby Lobby. Pearls and stones: Rings & Things. 

12 Days of Christmas - Day 6: Frosted Evergreen Necklace

Mary Harding offered these mini tree ornaments a few weeks back and when it arrived I couldn't help but think it would make a great pendant and plan to wear it through the winter season. I mixed the evergreen pendant with a collection of ceramic and polymer clay beads paired up with matte amazonite beads and a small jasper rounds beads. To open up the strand of rondelle beads I added tiny 11/0 antique copper seed beads and the whole create is knotted on sage green Irish waxed linen.

Supplies:
ceramic pendant
15mm ceramic round beads
20mm polymer clay disk
81 8mm matte amazonite rondelles
16 6mm round jasper beads
1 6mm bronze electroplated hematite
2 4mm copper flat spacers
96 11/0 antique copper seed beads
8mm copper jump ring
15mm brass jump ring
6" 19 gauge steel wire (or 18 gauge copper wire)
22 x 18mm large hole clasp
52" waxed Irish linen*

Length: 26"

*I have a terrible habit of underestimating how much linen I use. I would rather have extra than not enough for a project. You can always use the tiny bits for accents on earrings.

1. Create a large loop 2" from the bottom of the wire. Open the loop and slide on the pendant. Close the loop and wrap the wire around the top of the loop two times. Trim excess wire and tuck in the tail. 

(If using steel wire be sure to treat it first by rubbing it with paper toweling, then rub the surface with extra fine steel wool and a very light coat of Renaissance wax.) 

2. String on a rondelle, spacer, ceramic round bead, spacer and hematite bead. Create a wrapped loop on top of the last bead, trim extra wire and tuck in the tail.

3. Attach the jump ring to the top of the pendant. Fold the the waxed linen in half and slide the center through the jump ring, open the loop of linen and reach down to grab the other cords, pull them through the loop to form a lark's knot. 

4. On one side the linen string on one seed bead, one rondelle. Repeat four mores. String on one seed bead. Create a simple knot. String on one jasper bead, knot. 

5. Repeat step 4 six more times. And repeat the pattern on the other side of the waxed linen. 

6. Attach the clasp and jump rings with simple knots, knot the cord several times to secure them. Trim off the excess cord.

Resources: Tree Pendant: Mary Harding. Ceramic Round: Gaea. Polymer clay disks: Humblebeads. 15mm jump ring, stones and waxed linen: Lima Beads. Clasp: Stink Dog Beads. Copper seed beads: Fusion Beads.

Mary sent me two teeny tiny charms as a gift and I had to make holiday earrings with them! I used a brass eyepin with a spacer, polymer clay disk bead, Vintaj flower bead cap and pearl. A wrapped loop finishes the top. The tree charms are attached with an 8mm jump ring and brass earwires are attached to the top.

5th Day of Christmas: Eternal Summer Bracelet

“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.

And that makes me happy. 

For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, 

within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”

― Albert Camus

Today's free project is a bracelet that would make a great gift, include the quote and gift to it someone who needs to be reminded of their inner strength! 

The bracelet is a simple, strung design with the clasp that doubles as the center piece of this creation. 

Supplies:
Flower & bee pewter clasp
Wedgewood polymer clay bead
10mm ceramic round bead
5 10mm English cut glass beads
5 Czech glass leaf beads
6 Czech glass flower beads
6 6mm copper electroplated hematite beads
6 2" brass ball headpins
2 4mm glass o-beads (use any 4mm spacer)
10 11/0 copper seed beads
2 2mm copper crimp tubes
8mm copper jump ring
2 5mm copper jump rings
12" beading wire

Finished bracelet 8" long. Adjust size as needed.

1. On the beading wire string on the crimp tube, thread wire through the bee part of the clasp and loop back through the crimp tube, pull the beading wire tight. Use crimp pliers to close the crimp bead.
2. String on two closed 5mm jump rings over the crimp tube.
3. String on an english cut bead, seed bead, repeat. String on a leaf bead, seed bead, repeat two more times.
4. String on 6 hematite beads. String on seed bead, leaf bead, repeat. String on seed bead, English cut bead, repeat two more times.
5. String on o-bead, ceramic bead, o-bead, polymer clay bead.
6. String on crimp tube, string the beading wire through the other side of the clasp and loop back through the crimp tube. Use crimp pliers to close the crimp tube.
7. On a headpin, add a flower bead, create a messy wrapped loop using the remaining wire of the headpin. Repeat with five more flower beads. Open 8mm jump ring, thread the jump ring around the crimp tube next to the polymer clay bead. Add the six flower dangles, close the jump ring.

Resources: Flower clasp: Green Girl Studios. Wedgwood Bead: Humblebeads. Ceramic bead: White Clover Kiln. Seed beads: Fusion Beads. Czech glass and English cut beads: Lima Beads. Hematite: Happy Mango Beads.

1st Day of Christmas: Victorian Ornament

This year we are bringing back our popular 12 Days of Christmas series! This is 12 free projects from our stellar Art Bead Scene contributors with jewelry and craft projects featuring art beads.

Some will be holiday or winter themed and others are just great gift ideas or projects you'll want to try. Our series will run between our regular features from now until Christmas day. 

We hope you enjoy them. Happy Holidays!

A simple wrapping of the bonbon bead onto a piece of filigree gives your bead instant Victorian charm. Makes these as holiday ornaments or on a longer chain as a pendant. Use a bead in floral colors for a necklace that can be worn year around. 

Skill Level: beginner, wire work

Supply List:

Bonbon bead

40mm Garden Trellis brass filigree

2 7mm brass jump rings

2” brass ball headpin

10mm pearl

7” brass cable chain

4” 22 gauge brass colored wire

Necklace option: 3 7mm brass jump rings and 24” brass cable chain

1. String the bonbon bead on the center of the wire, string the wire through the filigree. Twist the two ends of the wire tightly several times to secure the bead to the filigree, trim wire and bend flush to the filigree.

Necklace option: tuck the wire so that it’s inside the open area of the filigree and not sticking out at all.

2. Position the filigree so the long center pieces are vertical. Add the pearl to the headpin, form a simple loop. Add to the bottom of filigree with the jump ring.

3. Attach the chain to the top of the filigree with the jump ring.

Necklace option: Attach one end of the chain just off center with the 4mm jump ring, repeat on the other side of the chain.

Supply List:

Bonbon Beads: Humblebeads. Filigree: Vintaj. All other materials: Hobby Lobby. 

Tutorial Tuesday: Wooly Wire Wrapped Beads

I had seen Wooly Wire in jewelry designs for so long but didn't know what I was missing until I met the creator Nellie Thomas at BeadFest this year. Nellie explained her process begins with preparing and dyeing each batch of wool. It's quite a process that she shared on the Wooly Wire Etc. blog here. I love wool, roving, felting, fibers so these magical strands certainly called to me at the show. My favorite thing to do with them is create tiny beads and thought I'd share a quick tutorial with you today.

Supplies:

2.5" 18 gauge copper wire

4-6" sari silk ribbon

4-8" Wooly Wire

Wooly Wire Wrapped Beads

1. Cut two 1 1/4" pieces of wire.  Create simple loops at the end of each wire, have the loops facing opposite directions. 

2. Cut a 3" length of silk ribbon. Wrap it around the wire link starting at one end, going to the other end and wrapping back around the center of the wire link. If the ribbon is too bulky, trim off 1/2" to 1". 

3. Hold the end of the ribbon firmly while wrapping the Wooly Wire securely around the wire under the loop. Continue wrapping the Wooly Wire around the silk until it's securely in place. Finish the bead by wrapping the Wooly Wire around the other loop of the link to secure the wire. 

You can use a little Fray Check to secure the ends of the Wooly Wire if desired.

Resources: Wooly Wire: Wooly Wire Etc. Silk ribbon: Design Talented One. Copper wire: Ace Hardware

Another variation, wrap the Wooly Wire directly onto the wire link and then use 26 gauge wire with seed beads strung sparingly to wrap around the wool, crossing over in opposite directions of the wool as you wrap around the bead. This uses more of the Wooly Wire and works better when the wool is a little thicker.

Supplies:
Ceramic Leaf pendant
Polymer clay raven bead
12mm polymer clay birch disk bead
Enameled acorn top
14mm buri bead
2 Wooly Wire wrapped beads
1 4mm copper spacer
2" ball headpin
2" 4mm copper cable chain
18" finished copper chain
2 6mm copper jump rings
5" 20 gauge copper colored wire 
15mm Arte Metal jump ring

Autumn Treasures Necklace:

1. With the 20 gauge wire create a large loop 2" from the bottom of the wire, open the loop and slide on the pendant, close loop and wrap above the loop several times, trim wire if needed and tuck in the end of the wire.

2. On the wire string the disk bead, copper spacer, raven bead, create a wrapped loop above the raven bead.

3. On the headpin, add the buri bead and acorn top, create a wrapped loop.

4. Cut 1" of 4mm copper chain, open the bottom loop of the Wooly Wire wrapped bead and slip on the chain, close the loop. Repeat with the other Wooly Wire wrapped bead. Add the other side of the chain pieces to the 15mm jump ring and add the pendant, close the jump ring.

5. Cut the chain in half, add to the ends of the Wooly Wire wrapped beads with the jump rings.


Supplies: Leaf pendant from Firefly Design Studio. Birch disk and raven: Humblebeads. Enameled acorn top: Gardanne Beads. Buri beads: Wanan Beads.  Chain: Beading House (shows only, alternative: Yadana Beads). Art Metal jump ring: Vintaj.

 Variation with leaf, birch bead and bird from Humblebeads.

And another version with a maple leaf pendant from Firefly Design Studio. (If there aren't any in stock, send Michelle a message, she will be happy to help!)

By bead serendipity I noticed that Nunn Design is having a big Wooly Wire Giveaway, go check it out and enter for a chance to win!

Growing Garden Earring Tutorial - Free Project

I created these fun matchstick charms for a quick and easy earring option.  What I didn't know when I made them is how adorable they are as flower stems paired up with Czech glass beads. This simple wire project can be made in just a few minutes.

Supplies:

2 matchstick charms

2 14mm Czech glass coin flowers

8" 20 gauge brass colored wire

2 brass kidney wires

10 2mm copper beads

Directions:
1. Cut 4" of wire, center the wire in the middle of the matchstick charm and pull both ends up and around the top of the charm.

2. Bend one wire straight up, above the matchstick charm and wrap the other wire several times around the first wire.

3. String on the flower bead, create a wrapped loop above the flower, trim the wire and tuck in the end of the wire using needle nose pliers..

4. String the earring onto the earwire, add 5 copper beads. Underneath the last bead add a tiny drop of glue applying it with a piece of scrap wire to the earwire.
.

Resources: 
Matchstick Charms: Humblebeads. Flowers: Nirvana Beads (wholesale only, here is an alternative retail source.) Wire, earwires and copper beads: Rings & Things.