Did you know Arctic means “bear” and Antarctic means “no bear”. This is not because only polar bears live in the Arctic but because to get to the Arctic navigating by the stars, you follow the bear constellations, the Big and Little Dipper. The Arctic is such a hostile environment and yet some animals and […]

One of my most favorite things to do in the studio is create heat patina on copper jewelry. Some artists call it “flame painting” –and rightly so. The colors and patterns that can be achieved with just a well-focused flame can mimic brushstrokes of paint. ABOVE: Wave and wort pendant by Ann Bruford. Iridescent colors… […]

Anastasia of BeadPatternShop currently lives in Turkiye. She really loves beads as she has many bead patterns using different bead techniques.  Some of her most spectacular are her French beaded flowers. A collection of these sure make a stunning wedding bouquet which will never wilt! She is also adept at tapestries, loom designs and pen […]

Last Friday marked a big day for Beadaholique! We were happily able to bring back our LIVE beading classes! The first new one last week focused on Raven’s Journey Czech glass beads and how to make oodles of earrings out of them. You can catch the replay by watching the video below: Featured Video: Beadaholique […]

Knitting with yarn date back for thousands of years. There are records of these methods being used to make small dolls in China several hundred years ago. During the 17th-19th centuries, the Dutch traded with Japan and introduced knitting there. The samurai in particular, embraced the craft, making garments and decorations for their winter wear.  […]

Crafters are an amazing breed. Their creativity and flare for handmade designs using a variety of techniques and materials never fail to impress. Shown here are some of my favorites – a list I found incredibly hard to put together because there were so many outstanding designs to consider.  Please also see the links at […]

Art can mean so many different things to different people and that is part of its magic. This painting by Vincent Van Gogh was painted in 1889 during the Post-Impressionist movement. The landscape oil on canvas painting is titled Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun and features Van Gogh’s characteristic brush strokes and sense of […]

Remember the wire mandalas from the 1990’s which were fun to manipulate into many different designs? Well, they are back with the handmade work of Canadian wire artisan, Cyrus of MerakiSphere.  He makes them out of different colored beads with tarnish resistant brass and stainless steel. He is incredibly skilful at his craft. He can […]

When it comes to jewellery, Japan’s rich cultural heritage combined with its precise craftsmanship has created some of the most stunning handmade pieces in the world. Japanese handmade […]

When I think of fall, I get very melancholy. To me, fall means the end of so much I look forward to all year and all I enjoy about summer. Once fall begins, though, I do get into the spirit. I enjoy less humidity, bluer skies, the smell of leaves (wet or dry!), decorating for […]