Beadalon Blog

  Rose gold is one of those finishes that just puts a smile on my face. I love how it bridges the gap between silver and gold - and goes with pretty much anything! I'm delighted that Beadalon has so many options in Rose Gold - including some new findings and wire gauges! Check out the  Facebook Live Video  I did going over (almost) all of Beadalon and Artistic Wire's Rose Gold product offerings. Here are some of my favorites: 7 Strand SilverRose in .015 and . 018 Rose Gold Artistic Wire  - 16-24 Gauge Flat Rose Gold Artistic Wire  - 21 Gauge 3mm and 5mm Rose Gold German Style Wire  - 20 Gauge in Round, Square, and 1/2 Round Rose Gold Memory Wire  - both Regular and Heavy Duty ColorCraft Wire  - 16-28 Gauge Findings Variety Pack  - 73 Jump Rings, 8 Spring Rings, 8 Lobster Clasps, 23 Tags Instant Pendants  - Ball End and Cone Ends Head Pins  and Ball Head Pins To make the project in the top photo, all you need to do is make a variet...

ILLUSION NECKLACE I love when classic styles come back around again - the Illusion Necklace is one of those designs that always seems to be in fashion! A few weeks ago, we did a Facebook Live project featuring Swarovski Crystals in birthstone colors, Supplemax , Size 1 Crimp Tubes, and Beadalon Loop Crimps with Lobster Claw Clasps .  Written step by step instructions are now available !  We have a quick and dirty video here  so you can follow along and make the project your own! And if you'd like to watch the whole fun Facebook Live  with lots of extra tips and tricks, you can do that also.  Don't forget to join the discussion over at the Jewelry Making with Beadalon Facebook Group , and hang out every Thursday at 2:00pm EST on the Beadalon Facebook Page for a Live.  Until next time.....happy beading! Meredith 

This easy Bird's Nest pendant works up so quickly and can be customized to your heart's content. In last week's Facebook Live, I showed using 3 different types of wires to use to achieve 3 different looks using the same technique: 1)  22 Gauge Artisic Wire 2) 22 Gauge  Twisted Artistic Wire 3) Wire twisted with the Beadalon Wire Twister or the Professional Coiling Gizmo Instructions for a basic Bird's Nest: Straighten about 24 inches of wire with either Nylon Jaw Pliers or the Artistic Wire Straightener .  Thread beads of your choosing (I like 3 best) onto the end of the wire leaving about a 3 inch tail. Turn the beads into a triangle and twist the wire to secure. Hold the beads in one hand and turn them around so the wire circles around the beads in a nest shape. When your nest is as thick as you'd like, wrap the end of the Wire around it in 3 or 4 places to secure it. Use the end of the Wire to make a wrapped loop on the top. Download step by...

Our last Facebook Live for the celebration of Craft Month featured one of my favorite go-to designs when I need to get my creative juices flowing again. It brings me back to my childhood crafting days, but with a grown up twist. In fact, the Beadalon Acrylic Tying Station came about because I was making macrame bracelets in the office using a clip board, and the product development team (that I eventually became a part of) knew that we could develop a tool to make making knotted bracelets easier! Top reasons that I love the Tying Station: It allows for hands-free macrame knotting. It holds your design tight without crushing your stringing material. You can use it for other techniques - like this braided wire bracelet  and this ladder stitch wrap bracelet .  The ruler printed on the side gives you a measuring device at the ready and helps you space out your beads in your design. The included foam insert allows for making a longer piece like a necklace or wrap bracelet...

It's National Craft Month, and we're celebrating by featuring crafty projects made with Beadalon and Artistic Wire on Facebook Live! The Really Big Jig is a natural choice for making large garden art like this because of its large design area - 11.25x11.25 inches. The design possibilities are limitless! Our in-house designer extraordinaire, Vlad , designed the template that I used in the video, but you could use any line drawing, or what I really like to use are  connect-the-dot worksheets . Materials: The Really Big Jig Beading Awl 12 Gauge Aluminum Artistic Wire You can download the full instructions here ! In the video, I mentioned some additional tips and tricks that I've discovered while working with the Really Big Jig. You can use the pegs from the 3D Bracelet Jig with the Really Big Jig. Use a Beading Awl to poke the holes through the paper before you add a peg. Put the Really Big Jig on a Lazy Susan to make it easier to spin around. Stand...

For last week's Facebook Live, we hit the road again to visit with Studio 36 Bead Shop  in Pottstown, PA. Lisa is the shop owner and she has developed a beautiful and unique line of painted Lucite Flowers. If you haven't checked them out yet, I highly recommend it! She spent three years developing the painting technique and I for one am so glad she stuck with it. We used the flowers as components in a design made with the  Adjustable Bangle and Ring Findings Form  and the Katie Knotter Tool .  We also talked about different ways to make dangles, and shared tips and techniques for jewelry making. Lisa also gave me a tour of the shop at the end of the video, and I can't wait to go back. Watch the video to see how we made the bracelet, you can also find the full, written instructions  to make the bracelet form on the Findings Form web page. Materials: Adjustable Bangle and Ring Findings Form Katie Knotter Tool 14 Gauge German Style Wire We'll be on Fac...

First, there was the Bangle Bracelet Weaver Tool by Kleshna. Then came the Ring Weaver Tool by Kleshna . Now, the Necklace Weaver Tool has joined the family! We are just getting to know this tool, and we couldn't be happier! There are so many materials that you can use to weave with including, but not limited to: Beadalon Bead Stringing Wire, Ribbon, Leather, Polyester Cording, Satin Cord, Hemp Cord, Suede....... the list goes on and on! The Necklace Weaver Tool comes with a Base, 38 Pins, a Foam Insert to hold the pins in place, a Spacer Cord to allow for the extra space needed for the rewarping, and even a Latch Hook to help pull the rewarping material through. Of course, we also included detailed instructions to get you started! This two part Facebook Live series shows from beginning to end how to set up the tool through to finishing off a necklace. Once you learn the basics, let your creativity take over! Please post your creations on the Beadalon Facebook Page  and i...

Today's Facebook Live featured the 4 Holiday Charms Artistic Wire Findings Forms . Findings Forms are great because they are little Jigs that allow you to make the same shape over and over again. You can use 20-24 Gauge Wire, and I used 22 Gauge in the video. Holiday Tree Findings Form Bell Findings Form Snowman Findings Form Star Findings Form There are so many ways that you can use the shapes you make with the Findings Forms! You can make earrings, pendants, ornaments and more! Watch the Facebook Live and each of the videos on the product pages to see how to use the Jigs. Head over to the Jewelry Making with Beadalon Facebook Group for more beading inspiration and join us next time for more holiday ornaments with the Really Big Jig! Happy beading! Meredith

It was a beautiful Spring day here in Pennsylvania yesterday, so we had class outside for this week's  Beadalon's Facebook Live Video ! One of the things Beadalon/ Artistic Wire specializes in is Heavy Gauge Wire -  10 ,  12  and  14  Gauges round out the category that spans from 10-34 Gauge. Originally, we were going to demonstrate a cool bangle bracelet (check in next week for that one!), but it was so nice outside that we were inspired to blow some bubbles - and the 14 gauge Artistic Wire is perfect for making a whimsical, beaded bubble wand! I like using  Memory Wire Shears  to cut the thicker gauge wires. Because they are such a heavy duty cutter, they make it much easier to cut - and easy is good! I cut about 2.5 feet of 14 Gauge Tinned Copper Wire and wrapped it around a  3D Bracelet Jig , but any round object in the right size will work. Then, I made a wrapped loop to secure the circle into place. In the video, I used my ha...

I'll admit it - I'm a girly girl. I like flowers and puppy dogs and pretty, sparkly things. I like seed beads and crystals and stringing patterns. Most of my previous experiences working with wire involved making French Beaded Flowers where the beads are at the design forefront. I've always admired the intricate spirals, the delicate loops, the ability to take a simple cabochon and transform it into a work of art, but my beads had been too needy of my time and attention! With Beadalon's acquisition of Artistic Wire , I'm suddenly surrounded with a rainbow of wire everyday.  How could I not get the itch to try it?   So, I tackled this project like any other, I dove right in with no direction and no idea what I was doing. I floundered around for a while, checking my beading library for patterns, looking in back issues of Step By Step Wire , surfing the Internet looking for inspiration. Nothing really got my fingers excited about wrapping until I found the g...