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 […]

To solder or fuse, that’s the question! Literally. It’s a question that my students ask quite often. Since fusing and soldering are high on my list of go-to metalsmithing techniques, I want to share some of my observations with you and discuss the differences and the merits of each method. Soldering involves joining metal using… […]

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 […]

Pennsylvanian bead artist, Patricia Parker, is a wonderful designer who specializes in beaded flowers and leaves. I wrote about her book on how to make flower elements in this past post.  Luckily, those who aren’t keen on a whole book can get individual tutorials over on her shop, Roseblubeads. She has many flowers such as […]

Who doesn’t love tools? As you progress in your jewelry making journey, you will surely find favorite tools and also happen upon tools that you never new existed yet now love! As we start adding and collecting tools, it can become a little pricey. That is why I wanted to write this blog showcasing my […]