Monday, March 7, 2016

Teaching at Michaels

Would you like to learn some jewelry techniques and are in the Cincinnati area?
I will be teaching at Michaels in Colerain. My first class is a FREE class to learn basic jewelry techniques and make a beautiful initial & birthstone necklace - Tuesday, March 8th from 6:30-8:30pm. (You can purchase supplies while you are at Michaels).
Click here to sign-up:
http://www.michaels.com/classes-and-events/classesandevents

https://classes.michaels.com/OnlineClasses/control/classDetails?classId=17789 &storeScheduleId=3714413&sessionId=3298702 &storeId=5053&categoryId=


In the future, there are some more classes from Michaels line-up that I can teach or if you are interested in other specific techniques - everything from wire-wrapping, stringing, beadweaving, kumihimo, stamping, riveting, knotting and more - let me know and I can add on classes.  I can teach how to make the latest styles - tassle long necklaces, chan luu style leather wrap beaded bracelets, chunky cuff bracelets and birthstone jewelry. 

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

CRAW - My New Favorite Pair of Earrings

I love learning new techniques!  I've done right angle weave several times but here's the next step - cubic right angle weave. 

Marcia DeCoster had a tutorial for circle earrings in the October/November 2015 Beadwork magazine as a precursor and advertisement for her cubic right angle weave videos. 

Even my color choices feel inspired by Marcia DeCoster - I really like the metallic and bright colors paired together.  Her jewelry is a style I definitely strive for (after I learn all these different bead weaving techniques!) 

Beyond the initial set-up stitches, I thought the tutorial in the magazine was a little vague but that may have been because it was an advertisement for her CRAW Shapes video.  Luckily, I also have the  Beadweaving Beyond the Basics book and it helped me figure out what I was doing.  After the second unit of CRAW, I feel like the beads just fall into place.  A very fun stitch and I can't wait to make more.  On Pinterest, I keep seeing heart pendants that look like they are made with CRAW and Swavorski Crystals.  I keep pinning them, so maybe that will be the next inspiration.