Monday, February 8, 2010

Ideas for Katiedids™ Creative Components



This is an easy, elegant necklace using the Katiedids donut, Bead Ready™ wire and 4mm round crystals. Pass the wire through an outside hole and 15 crystals, then pass it through the first 7 crystals to form a beaded circle. Place the circle inside the component, then pass the wire end through the opposite hole. Adjust it so the component is at the center of the necklace, then attach the clasp.





The pendant is really dramatic! String 4mm crystals onto beading wire to form a circle and place it in one of the channels. Repeat for the other channel. Pass a head pin through a 8mm crystal and through the drilled holes on the component, then make a wrapped loop for a bail.








The long stick components make great earrings or you can incorporate them into necklace designs. For the earrings pictured here, I passed a head pin through 4mm crystals and the upper drilled hole to add extra movement.

-Katie Hacker

www.KatieHacker.com



Thursday, February 4, 2010

Visit Us in Tucson

Visit us this weekend, February 6-8, at The Tucson Bead Show at The DoubleTree Reid Park in Tucson, AZ. Fernando Dasilva and Wyatt White will be demonstrating new products from Catalog 30 and you'll have a chance to ask questions, get jewelry making tips, and learn how to perfect your beading techniques.

If you've never been to the Tucson gem shows before, you're in for an eye-popping experience! There are more than 40 shows located throughout the city. Learn more and plan your trip using the Tucson Show Guide.

-Beadalon Blog Team

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Catalog 30 Now Available

Check out all of the newest Beadalon products, including more than 2000+ SKU's of Artistic Wire! Catalog 30 boasts more exclusive products than ever before, plus, tons of inspiration, techniques and tips to take your jewelry making to the next level. Browse new products on the website or click here to download Catalog 30.

The Design Team is especially excited about all of the exciting things you can do with Artistic Wire – check out our new projects in the Design Gallery. That's Fernando's Technicolour Bracelet on the cover of the new catalog!

Fernando specializes in unique color combinations and lots and lots of texture. He used a Wire Twister to create his own twisted Artistic Wire strands, then he used the twisted wire to make jump rings. By layering several rings together on each section, his bracelet looks great and is more durable, too.

-Beadalon Blog Team


Monday, January 25, 2010

Craft & Hobby Winter Show

Your Beadalon Blog Team is spending some quality time together at the Craft & Hobby Association Winter Show in Anaheim, California this week. Stay tuned for pictures from the show! In the meantime, check out this slideshow of pix from other shows and watch our Facebook page for updates.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Introducing Katiedids™ Creative Components












Catalog 30 has some exciting surprises in store, including my new line of co-branded products with Beadalon! I invented these specially engineered Katiedids™ Creative Components to make it easy for people to add a customized, hand-beaded look to their findings. Each of the seven different pieces provides a channel-set effect for beads, flatbacks, fibers, polymer clay, resin, and more.

The donuts, sticks and pendants can be filled in a simple manner, allowing beginners to easily add a high fashion look to their hand beaded jewelry. Or, designers can use more advanced techniques to personalize and set their work apart. The channels in the components provide a framework, but you make them your own.

I can't wait to see all of the amazing jewelry you make with Katiedids Creative Components!

-Katie Hacker

www.KatieHacker.com

Monday, January 18, 2010

New Jewelry Inspiration

Catalog 30 is coming soon…here's a sneak peek at some of our latest designs:












All of these designs and more will soon be available in the Design Workshop. Prepare to be inspired!

- Beadalon Blog Team

Thursday, January 14, 2010

New Videos Online Now

Have you checked out the Beadalon videos on YouTube lately? That’s product manager Wyatt White demonstrating a variety of techniques, from working with wire to creating the perfect, knotted strand. Wyatt has spent years in the jewelry industry and, although he prefers to be behind the scenes, he is an accomplished jewelry maker. Watch and learn from the only man we know who has knotted pearls while driving a car and lived to tell the tale!

-Beadalon Design Team