The holidays are a time of warm gatherings and parties with friends and family. As you prepare for these festive events, you might be thinking about what jewelry you are going to make to coordinate with your Christmas sweater or dress. You might also be thinking what dish you are going to make or dessert […]

The thin pour resin technique has some advantages. You don’t need molds and you can cut the partially cured pours into any shape you want!   Shown here is an excellent tutorial from Little Windows.  Their jewelry grade epoxy Brilliant Resin is the safest epoxy resin out there (although those who have sensitivities should take care). I […]

It’s THAT time of year when deals become sweeter everywhere, online and offline including my humble little shops, beadinggem (supplies) and CraftaGems !  Some of my favorite gifts I’ve received over the years are the funny ones. Check out my favorite humorous holiday gift ideas here and see if they tickle your funny bone too! Not your cup of […]

With so many beads out there, it’s hard to see them all! The Beadaholique website has thousands to choose from, and some of the prettiest, in this designer’s opinion, can get lost in the mix. One brand of beads that I love using is Raven’s Journey. These beautiful beads are all from the Czech Republic […]

I featured Spanish beadwork designer Sidonia of SidoniasBeads before. I really thought her work was so dainty and pretty. I wanted to give her work another shout out because her some of her designs really rock Regency style. That’s not how she describes her work but fans of the Bridgerton series on tv will appreciate […]

Family is an important part of many of our lives. From difficult times to times of joy, we offer and can draw comfort and love from each other. Some of us are fortunate to live near family and share time together, forming memories on a daily basis. For many, we have distance between our loved […]

My shops, beadinggem (supplies) and CraftaGems will remain open for all American AND Canadian orders during this crucial holiday shopping season. However, Canadian shoppers are now impacted with the Canada Postal workers strike. Snail mail within Canada has been halted. I have therefore switched to ChitChats for Canadian orders for the first time. I have been using […]

Gemseeker Studio on Youtube is one of my favorite wire work channels.  Canadian wire artist, Andrei, has a set of 8 beautiful wire crochet earrings tutorials which are all must sees!  Most have colored beads added for an extra pop of color. It’s a long view but you can also search out the individual videos on […]

This striking painting by the beloved French painter Claude Monet has always held a special place in my heart. The subjects are Monet’s own family, his wife Camille and son Jean. It is said that he most likely painted this outdoors, in one session, in 1875. He must have been working quickly to capture such a […]

This striking painting by the beloved French painter Claude Monet has always held a special place in my heart. The subjects are Monet’s own family, his wife Camille and son Jean. It is said that he most likely painted this outdoors, in one session, in 1875. He must have been working quickly to capture such a […]