Beadalon Blog

Who knew when we posed the question over in the Jewelry Making with Beadalon Facebook Group that we would get so many different responses and opinions about Aromatherapy Stretch Bracelets? Right out of the gate, I need to offer a special thanks to Dakota Stones for providing the beads and Susan Belluci for providing the Essential Oils for our project today! They send us some really cool lava beads, Tiger Iron, matte coins and Bayong wood beads all of which take oil. And Susan sent in her box of good smells that I had a lot of fun experimenting with! A great material to use to make Aromatherapy Stretch Bracelets, and what I demonstrated with, is Beadalon's Elasticity . It is available in 3 sizes: 0.5mm, 0.8mm. and 1.0mm and 4 colors: clear, black, satin silver and satin gold. It is made in the USA, durable, consistent in its diameter, and priced competitively. One of the challenges that you'll be faced with when making stretch bracelets with Lava Beads is that they t...

This week on Facebook Live, we went back to the basics for a simple strung bracelet that goes with everything! This is one of my favorite go-to projects and not only do I gift this design often, I use one of these bracelets as a way to measure other bracelets that I'm making to get the perfect size. It's a great gift for a friend (or yourself), and always a good seller. We did a great Facebook Live a few months ago which is a great refresher for what NOT to do when making your jewelry . I definitely recommend checking it out. This week, we focused again on proper crimping techniques . Since good crimping is the foundation for all jewelry, I think we can all benefit from a refresher! I love the energy that our group generates and how we all learn from each other. It's always good to go back and practice the basics! Let's keep the conversation going over at the Jewelry Making with Beadalon Facebook Group ! Happy Beading, Meredith

I love the project that we featured on Facebook Live this week! The Slide Connectors with Lobster Extension Clasps and the Tube Slide Ends are some of the most versatile components in our catalog. These two Findings are similar in their function, but the Connectors that have the Lobster Clasps attached are slightly larger - with a 3.5mm opening and a Lobster Clasp and chain attached. The Tube Slide Ends don't come with a clasp, and they have a tube diameter of 2.44mm which makes them the perfect size for size 11 seed beads and Delicas. When we first brought these findings in, we were focused on using them for finishing off projects made with the Jewel Loom . However, once we started using them more and more, we realized that there are so many other ways to use them. For example, they are perfect for finishing off cup chain ends. I hate having to wire wrap the ends of cup chain, I don't ever like how it looks, and I never can find official "cup chain ends"...

I'm still playing around with the thick gauges of  Artistic Wire  this week, and I love this trendy bangle that's super easy to make. It's a perfect project because it doesn't take too much wire, and you can use any beads that you have lying around - as long as they have holes large enough to fit over the wire. I like wearing a few stacked together when I want to make a bold statement. To make the bangle, wrap the wire around the  Artistic Wire 3D Bracelet  Jig 3 times. Use an  Artistic Wire Crimp Connector  with a  Mighty Jaw Crimping Pliers  to secure the two wires together. (Here's a great  video  Wyatt did that breaks down this technique step by step.) This is my favorite Cold Connection technique. The  Nylon Jaw Bracelet Bending Pliers  are the perfect tool to put a slight bend in the straight Crimp Tube. Use 20-24 gauge wire to wrap beads around the bangle in a symmetrical or random pattern. Its as easy as that!...

Spring is officially here! What perfect way to welcome the season with the Pantone Color of the Year GREENERY (PANTONE 15-0343).  Per Pantone's website:  "A refreshing and revitalizing shade, Greenery is symbolic of new beginnings. Greenery is a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew. Illustrative of flourishing foliage and the lushness of the great outdoors, the fortifying attributes of Greenery signals consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate." At the Creativation Show (formerly known as CHA - Craft & Hobby Association) in Phoenix earlier this year, we had a full display of vibrant green beaded jewelry against a green backdrop. It was definitely soothing to showcase something so lively during the cold weather, even in Phoenix!  The bracelets on display featured a variety of jewelry making techniques such as bead stringing, crochet, wire-wrappin...