Knot-a-Bead Tool - How to Knot Pearls and Beads Perfectly!

Earlier this year I saw Beadalon's cool new Knot-A-Bead Tool in action at CHA. It made quick work of knotting strands of beads and the demonstrator made it look SO EASY. But if you've ever watched a product demo at a craft show, you'll know that it looked much easier when the demonstrator did it than when you tried to do it at home. But I'm happy to say that this is NOT one of those occasions.... this tool is every bit as easy to use as it looks and I'm pretty impressed with how well it works. It's definitely a tool worth adding to my collection! So let's take a look at the knotting process. You'll need: Beadalon Knot-a-Bead tool Silk thread Clam shell bead tips (aka calottes) G-S Hypo Cement Needle Tool Beads or pearls of your choice I'm working with silk thread which comes with a needle already attached. It even has a knotted end (so it won't fray) so I've just threaded on a calotte (from the inside of the hole). Next,......

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Keeping the Resin Dome Level in Earrings with a Post Back

If you've ever worked with chatons and epoxy resin or resin clay in a stud or post-back earring bezel (or any bezel with a post/pin such as a brooch or a clutch pin), you'll know how difficult it is to keep them horizontal and level whilst they cure. Here's a little trick you might find helpful: use the foam protector that comes in the chaton packaging . After creating your sparkly earring, stand the foam upright and insert the earring post in the top.  Place the foam in a medicine cup (or a shot glass) and fill with rice to stablise it. Now your resin can cure without fear of spilling or curing lopsided! You can also try this trick with liquid epoxy resin but just set your earring posts into the foam before you begin pouring the resin - your earrings will have a perfectly level dome. Here's another post with tips on how to stabilise bezels with uneven backs . Pin it for later! 'Til next time..... Subscribe to my email list  and lea......

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Sparkly Golden Shadows Necklace Tutorial

Weddings are wonderful occasions to get dressed up but I think most of us are familiar with that "I don't have a thing to wear" feeling. On this occasion, it wasn't the dress that was causing me angst, it was the fact that I have a fabulous dress to wear but not a piece of jewellery to wear with it! It's times like these that I'm thankful for my jewellery-making skills! So if you're looking for a statement necklace that's not completely over the top and yet still sparkles enough to catch the light, then perhaps this is the one for you. Read on for how to make your own..... in a colour to suit your own special outfit, of course! Here's what you'll need: Golden Shadow Swarovski crystals: 14 x 4mm bicones , 10 x 6mm bicones , 4 x 8mm bicones , 1 x 23mm wing pendant 14 x 25mm gold lined bugle beads 28 gold ball head pins 31 x 4mm gold jump rings 1 x 6mm gold jump ring fine gold necklace chain 40cm (16") gold cable chain (......

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