Review: Timeless Wire Weaving

I've been intrigued by many of the intricate wire weaving designs I've seen lately so was very excited to read Lisa Barth's book; "Timeless Wire Weaving: The Complete Course". It's well thought out with beautiful photos, no surprise since she's also a talented professional jewelry photographer. There are numerous projects covered, from beginner to advanced and everything in between. Illustrations are beautiful and very helpful.

Review: Hot & Cold Jewelry Connections

 

 

The author shares her extensive knowledge in great detail, for the tools required and the techniques for the their use in Hot & Cold Jewelry Connections.

She presents her projects two different ways, cold and hot connections, with excellent

photographs and an explanation for each process. And again, explaining each tool and

technique used for each project.

Excellent book for learning as a beginner or intermediate with metal jewelry.

Review: Weaving Freeform Wire Jewelry

I've done a bit of wire work in the past, but was intimidated by the intricate weaving designs of late. And so was very pleased by the in depth instruction in this book. Kaska Firor breaks down the info in  an easy to understand way, going into the various wire gauges, types of wire, tools, techniques, etc. There are several projects that I now feel a bit more comfortable about attempting after having read the book.

Review: Kumihimo Basics & Beyond

I had the pleasure of reviewing Rebecca Ann Combs' "Kumihimo Basics & Beyond" for Kalmbach books. I haven't done any kumihimo for some time so looked forward to this book. It didn't disappoint. It covers basic braiding, more advanced as well as various beaded kumihimo techniques with wonderful photos for those of us visual  learners. I particularly liked the 1 page, String Theory, in which she discusses some possibly problems and what to do about it. Highly recommended!

Review: Creative Seed Bead Connections

With so many crossover techniques in jewelry design, Creative Seed Bed Connections is a very useful tool for those wanting to incorporate metals in their seed bead designs. Lots of beautiful patterns! My favorite is "A Piece Of The Past", especially the bracelet, which is on my to do list. But you'll have to get the book to see it. *smile*

Review: Metal Jewelry in Bloom

Let me first say that I am not a metal worker, so I was cautiously optimistic about this book since it included beads....lol! Not only does the book cover metals, alone and in conjunction with beads, but also leather and other fibers. Melissa Cable discusses and demonstrates the cutting of metal, bringing out the beautiful colors of copper and also it's use in jewelry design. And she makes it look so easy that I'm inspired to try it myself.

Review: Kalmbach's Multistrand Jewelry: Secrets for Success

The cover of this book intrigued me. I have been on an asymmetric kick lately so was very much drawn to it. I love the clever use of bails in the design. I never would have thought of doing that! This is just 1 of many beautiful pieces in the book. It's a great resource for the beginning jewelry maker up to more advanced.

Metallic Seed Bead Splendor by Nancy Zellers

For those into metallics, this book will inspire you to no end! Each and every beautiful design is made with metallics. Nancy Zellers also give tips in the beginning on how to test for durability since, as many of you know, some of the older metallic seed beads tend to wear off after awhile. I personally would make use of all the fabulous permanent finish seed beads that have been available for some time now. They're more spendy but well worth it in the end IMO. Who wants to spend all that time creating a beautiful piece of wearable art only to have the finish wear off down the road?

Another plus to this book is that since the designs are virtually monochromatic, you can appreciate the beauty and if you wish, use your imagination and add color if you so choose. This book is available directly through Kalmbach directly, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Crystal Jewelry Inspiration

If you like bling, and who doesn't??, then this book is for you! Crystal Jewelry Inspiration from the Create Your Style Ambassadors, is full of fun facts about the history of Swarovski crystals as well as numerous projects using these sparkly gems. There are so many applications covered and all different skill levels, even the new crystal clay.

Japanese Beadwork With Sonoko Nozue

I've long admired the talented beadwork of Japanese beaders, but must admit I'm not as familiar with them by name as I am those from the US. But there is 1 name that will stick with me from now on, the talented Sonoko Nozue. The intricate details in her beadwork is awe inspiring. They are both delicate and complex at the same time. This wonderful Lark Crafts Master Series book covers projects suitable for both beginners and advanced beaders, something for everyone.

Maggie Meister's Classical Elegance

Reading this book, I feel as though I've stepped back in time. Maggie Meister of Amphora Designs has managed to recreate the essence of century's old jewelry designs, but in seed beads. In Chapter 3, she shows a gold seed bead bracelet that is so breathtaking and the original that inspired the design. It's truly fascinating to read the history behind the designs in this book, all museum quality pieces. This is a must have for any serious seed beader!

Jill Wiseman's Beautiful Beaded Ropes

I recently had the pleasure of reading (and drooling over) Jill Wiseman's (of Tapestry Beads) new book, Beautiful Beaded Ropes, a book released by Lark Books. It's a stunning book full of many projects. What I like about this book is that it has something for everyone, from simple peyote ropes, like the Dancing Waves Necklace on pg. 47 to the much more intricate and advanced Abundance Necklace (the cover photo). This book will take you through them all.

Being a lampworker and a seedbeader myself, I also enjoyed seeing how she combined the 2 in her Falling For You Necklace on pg. 27. Definitely on my to do list. But I went ga ga over her Flirtation Bracelet on pg. 30. LOVE the dangling fringe on it! Such a great look!

Review: Kalmbach's Easy Crystal Stitching by Nikia Angel

I had the pleasure (and I DO mean PLEASURE!) of reading Nikia Angel's new book, "Easy Crystal Stitching" published by Kalmbach. I'm all about bling and this book is chock full of it. It's hard to imagine, but all the projects are based on Nikia's Sparkly Wheel or a derivative there of. It's amazing that a single component can have so many different looks. It really encourages people to think outside the box.

And here's my version. I added a peyote bail so it can be work as a pendant. Pretty pleased. :-)

Review: Sabine Lippert's Beaded Fantasies

I had the pleasure of reading and drooling over all the lovely creations in Sabine Lippert's Beaded Fantasies, another in Lark Books' Beadweaving Master Class series. I'm a huge admirer of Sabine's work and have several of her patterns so was anxious to read this book. As an added bonus, Lark is offering 50% off on their books through 12/11 through Barnes and Noble, so don't delay! Get your copy NOW!

The photographs are beautifully done and the illustrations are easy to follow. I really appreciate that she adds dimensions for the finished size on all the projects, both in inches and centimeters. This is a wonderful thing to do, especially since it's often hard to grasp the size of a bracelet, pendant, etc. when there are no sizes posted. Really helps in the planning process in case adjustments have to be made.

One of my favorite designs of Sabine's is covered in this book, her Granada Brooch. It's chock full of blingy goodness! Here's my interpretation...don't look too closely or you'll see some of my threads showing. Oh well, better luck next time because there WILL be a next time. I just love how these come out & am already dreaming up my next color combo.