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Finally! An In-person Bead Show!

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We were so excited to get back to our first in-person bead show since the pandemic started! The last time we were able to be live with our beady friends was at the To Bead True Blue Show in Tucson February of 2020 - right before everything locked down. The world has changed a lot since then, but our love of beads and making jewelry is as strong as ever!  I always say that I love bead shows because I get to hang out with people who love doing what I love doing, and the Whole Bead Show at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center last weekend was a perfect opportunity to do just that! There were beads and supplies and inspiration everywhere. It was just what I needed to get my head back into the beady game.  At the Beadalon booth, we were selling Mystery Bead Boxes filled with all kinds of beady goodness. Everyone who bought one was so excited about the plethora of beading supplies - tools, beading wire, artistic wire, findings, and more - so much more than the $25 price tag! AND….you asked,
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Don't Make These Wire Wrapping Mistakes

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Whether you are brand new to wire wrapping, or a seasoned professional, it's always a good idea to review to basics. I originally wrote this post with my own tried and true tips to make your wire wrapping the best it can be, but during the Facebook Live, my beady friends had so many more suggestions, the list grew and grew! One size does not fit all - don’t use one gauge or one temper of wire for all projects. Choose the best gauge and hardness for what you’re making . You can work harden your wire by tapping it with a Nylon Hammer on a Bench Block , but don't use a flame to anneal German Style or Artistic Wire - the Tarnish Resistant coating will not react well with the flame. Don’t guestimate to make your loops the same size – make a mark on your round nose pliers with a permanent marker or use a Stepped Bail Making Pliers  to insure consistent loops. Don't forget to cut with the flush cut facing your work, hold onto the piece you are cutting off so it doesn't go flyi
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Celebrate the USA with Red, White & Blue Jewelry!

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It's a celebration of red, white, and blue here in America as we celebrate the 4th of July this weekend. Whether you are going away, or staying close to home, Beadalon has you covered with fun designs in red, white and blue. Of course, you could chose any of the projects from the Beadalon Learning Center to make in a patriotic color palette, or use these as your inspiration!  A daisy chain necklace is always in style. Try using Supplemax , WildFire or Nymo to make yours. The Ginkgo Beads in this adjustable bracelet are actually strung on Beadalon Bead Stringing Wire which makes it super strong with a crimped on clasp. The last rows are added with WildFire ! I just love the simplicity of a strung design. Bicone beads, pearls, rondelle spacers and more work up so quickly in these necklaces strung on Beadalon Bead Stringing Wire . Whatever you are making, and whatever you are doing, I hope you have a safe, happy and healthy 4th of July! As always, be sure to post your creations
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New Colors of WildFire - Pink and Beige - are here!

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When I first started working at Beadalon 14 years ago, we had a lot of amazing stringing products, but one thing that we were missing was a super strong, waterproof, stretch free stringing material that was nearly impossible to pierce with a needle and that the color didn't come off on your hands when you were working on it.  Enter WildFire - a stringing material specifically developed by the Beadalon Team for all types of beadwork from stitching and weaving to stringing and even knotting! When we introduced the original three colors (frost, black and green), it was no surprise that they were a huge hit in the beading community. Blue, Red, and Grey followed a few years later, and we are so excited to debut two NEW COLORS - PINK and BEIGE ! Both are available in .006 (10lb break strength) and .008 (12lb break strength) and in 20 yd, 50 yd, 125 yd and 300 yd lengths. The pink is the perfect color to compliment any pink or cool tone neutrals, and the beige is the perfect material for
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Have you checked out the Beadalon Tik Tok yet?

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  Have you spent hours in the rabbit hole that is Tik Tok, yet? We've been having so much fun adding videos to the  Beadalon Tik Tok , and if you haven't already, I definitely recommend checking it out! It's a great way for us to quickly showcase some of our favorite techniques, and hopefully give some beading inspiration, too.  Some of our favorite techniques that are popping up include wire wrapping like in this Rainbow Wire Wrapped Bracelet by Sara Lovecraft. The Stepped Bail Making Pliers  are the perfect tool for making all kinds of wire shapes. Wire Wrapped Rings are popping up all over Tic Tok, and this flower ring is a great beginner project to start with. Another great beginner project is wrapped loop earrings - which are made using the same technique as this  Twisted Wire Bracelet . The  Bead Spinner Family  is one of our favorites to demonstrate in a Tic Tok (we have a great YouTube Video on the Spinners , too!). Watching those little beads climb up the curved
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Beach, please!

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The beach is my happy place, and my favorite place to be! Making these designs should make you feel the sand in your toes, feel the wind in your hair and hear the waves crashing on the shore! Try these  Fringe Earrings  strung on Beadalon Bead Stringing Wire and crimped for extra security. Use the Tying Station to knot up the ultimate  Aloha Bracelet . The blue beads in these Blue Opal Beach Glass Earrings with chain look just like beach glass. A strand of  Knotted Pearls  a perfect compliment to sun kissed skin with a little black dress or blue jeans. And this macrame bracelet reminds me of a mermaid's tail - check out the Michaels Community Classroom to sign up for this class on June 16 ! Hopefully, you have a trip to the beach in your future, but if not, make some jewelry, close your eyes and listen for the seagulls! Show us what you've made in the  Jewelry Making with Beadalon Facebook Group , and on your socials, use #beadalon and follow and tag @beadalon so we can see wh
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Find your Zen

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  In these crazy times we're living in, we could all use a moment of zen. My zen can almost always be found in crafting. I love losing myself in a project and hours later, I feel calm, productive and ready to tackle life with a positive attitude. Looking for some inspiration to spark a feeling of zen? Try one of these projects from the Beadalon Learning Center , and while you're there, poke around and see what else inspires you!  These  Champagne Dreams Earrings  will be taught during an upcoming FREE Beadalon class in the Michaels Community Classroom . Sign up now to reserve your spot! I can almost hear the waves thinking about this  Beachy Vibes Macrame Bracelet . I love the soothing colors of this Graduated Bead Pendant Necklace . The repetitive wire working of the  Tree of Life Pendant  can bring you into a meditative state of mind, and you can add your own spiritual talisman to this  Pearl and Stone Bracelet .  How are you finding your zen? Show us in the  Jewelry Making w
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