This year is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen (1775-1817), one of England’s most celebrated authors.  Her romance books show her sharp observations and sometimes biting wit on the social divides and mores of her day. The stories she told are still relatable today, hence the continued popularity of her work. There […]

Wire work is always popular. Ready to try your hand with this collection of wire wrapped Christmas themed tutorials for ornaments and jewelry? These are not overly difficult and can be made by beginners to those who are more advanced in this technique. So here we go! First up is the filigree style ornament design shown […]

The historical era known as the Regency marked the time when the then Prince of Wales (the future George IV) had to become the Regent after his father, King George III of Great Britain became permanently insane. The Regency era  officially spanned only 9 years from 1811-1820. However, the era and its influence on design, […]

What makes contemporary beaded jewelry modern looking? I think the most obvious is the simplicity of the design. Clean lines with sometimes a play on basic shapes and geometry. That’s what I found when I spotted the tutorial patterns by the young designer behind jujujewelrypatterns. I particularly loved her use of long chains to augment her […]

Claire of MaPetiteFeeGift is a New York based micro crochet artist who delights with her wonderful creations. She is also talented in resin and polymer clay work but micro crochet remains her main passion.  She has unique earrings which range from flowers to her homage to the famous Girl with a Pearl Earring to adorable […]

Using a jeweler’s saw requires precision and practice to achieve accurate cuts in various materials. In her Artful Metalsmithing workshop series, instructor and metalsmith Julie Sanford shares tips for many jewelry making techniques including using sawing. Before starting, make sure the blade is properly tensioned by adjusting the saw frame’s tension screws. A loose blade […]

I have featured Canadian bead artist, Kim of BeadWithBugs a few times before (see links at the end).  But as with other prolific creators, there is more to discover in her awesome collection. This time I picked my favourites from her brick stitch and peyote earrings selection. She certainly delivers if you are looking for […]

Holiday gift guides like this one can be useful for those of us who are scratching heads this season. However, I wanted to look for positively glowing handmade gift ideas which morphed into a collection of real glowing ones! First up is the incredibly illuminated and interactive glow in the dark t-shirts for children and adults […]

Can’t afford or not willing to wrestle with dedicated beading software programs to design your own 3D beaded creations? Graphed charts are the way to go!  Check out DiMarcaOnline’s fabulous collection for making 3D pods, stars, kaleidocycles and balls. She also has a bundled offer to save on the cost of getting all four shapes. Each […]

There is probably only a small number of queens from history which most people know of. Queen Marie Antoinette (1755-1793) was definitely among the most famous. She was known not just for her tragic story but as one of the foremost fashion trendsetters of her day.  Her style continues to inspire designers, nearly 250 years […]