Handy Jewellery Tips

I'd like to share a few hand hints I've discovered over the years, and hope they may be helpful to some of my readers.

When I am about to start a new project I like to have everything organised, and all together at fingers reach. I went hunting for something to put all my seed beads/gemstones and other beads I needed where they were easily accessible and in view. I found some great paint pallettes, these came in sets of 2 for less than $3.00. I bought them at Big W in the stationery department, if you do not have that store in your location I'm sure they would be available in any large store that carry stationery items.







I like to work with sterling silver, but find the tarnishing that all silver seems to go through in time really frustrating. I now rub Renaissance Wax onto all my completed silver projects and then store them in a ziplock plastic bag. The Renaissance Wax places a coating on the silver which prolongs the tarnishing process. You use such a minute amount, and the tub should last a long time. This product is also used in the British Museum, and is used as a protective coating on metals, furniture, leather, paintings, marble, ivory, etc. Here is a link to one of the stockists, I haven't bought the product from this site so I can't personally recommend their service. Conservation Resources have it available at $20.00 for a 200 ml tin.








As many of you already know I create wearable art using the finger weaving process. When I began in finger weaving I wasn't all that pleased with leaving the knots visible when ending the threads. I now have a method where they are not seen. To do this I place a lampwork spacer bead followed by a gemstone then an 11 seedbead, bring the thread up through the gemstone, then make the knot, add G-S Hypo Cement, cut the thread, and then using my awl I push it up into the centre of my lampwork spacer bead where it cannot be seen.



with visible knots




without visible knots

I found this tip in an old Bead & Button Magazine. If you need to carry seed beads with you to match other beads with them,
an easy and non-spillable way is to string a single colour of beads on a 1" (2.5cm) safety pin. Write a label on a small piece of card for the bead item no. and attach it to the other side of the pin. Slide the loop of the safety pin onto a split ring. Just add as many safety pins of beads as you need.







I hope these have been helpful tips, if you have any you would like to share please add them to the comments.

Bead Dreams Competition Finalist

The Bead Dreams 2008 competition/exhibition is now over at the Bead & Button Show in Milwaukee. If you would like to read who the winners are just have a look at Zoya Gutina's blog on 2008 Bead Dreams ribbon winners and she also has photos of some of their amazing creations.

I was lucky enough to be a finalist and had my work showing amongst these wonderful artists. This was my "African Queen" piece.

The Results of my Cellini Spiral Project

I made my lampwork beads ready to use in my cellini spiral creation -






I chose the seed beads and gemstones that I thought would best go with the colour scheme -






I made my second cellini spiral, giving me two equal lengths to work with -






I began with making the toggle and loop with the finger weaving method, then added a section of seed beads, gemstones and my lampwork spacer beads. I put all the threads down through the cellini spiral tube and sewed each end using the nymo thread I had left as tails. Continued with my finger weaving....and here is the finished project -













What do you think - a successful project? I'm personally very happy with the outcome and have named it 'Persian Garden'

Give Away - Your Choice of Lampwork Beads

Winner has been Announced




I would like to give away a pair of my lampwork beads to a lucky winner. All you need to do is visit my Mix 'N Match section on my website and browse through the 3 pages and select the bead you would like. Add to the comments here the bead you have chosen (the beads all have an item number). All the entries will go into a draw to pick the winner. I will make a pair of your chosen bead for you (ideal for creating earrings with). The winner will be drawn on 22nd June.

Here are a few examples of my mix 'n match beads - there are over 130 to choose from.

My Cellini Spiral Project

I enjoy making my woven pieces a great deal and am constantly searching for inspiration to make them as unique as possible. I'm also very keen to teach myself as many different methods of weaving to incorporate into my pieces. My latest brainwave was to learn Cellini Spiral. Now I made a promise to myself that if anything involved a needle and thread I would quickly run in the opposite direction, as my attempts of sewing and knitting have failed miserably in the past. Given that Cellini Spiral involves a needle and nymo thread, I decided to take the plunge regardless.

I searched the internet for instructions and settled on printing out the instructions from 'Need for Beads'. The start on this type of weaving always throws me into confusion so hence it wasn't the tidiest beginning. I thought I would show you what I have done so far, keeping in mind this miniscule amount of work has taken me many hours, an extremely slow process.




I have woven it fitted onto a biro, I found it so much easier to hold while working, this way. I have left a tail thread to enable it to be attached to the necklace




a close up of the weave




This will be the focal lampwork bead



I'll keep you up on my progress with this project. Fingers crossed it will be a success!

Creative Silver Chains by Chantal Lise Saunders

Creative Silver Chains is another book in my collection which I would thoroughly recommend. It begins with an overview of how-to's for soldering, drilling, ring forming, etc. with a wonderful collection of unique jewellery pieces on each and every page. It covers a section on design and is complete with a beautiful gallery of amazing creations. This book gives clear instructions on 20 projects in sterling silver for a necklace or bracelet and all include instructions for matching earrings. If you enjoy soldering and forming you will love this book. It covers some very unique links that I haven't found in other books.






'Teardrop' Page 72




'Demi-Circle' Page 77




'Joined Snakes' Page 85




'Paddle' Page 91




'Square Scale' Page 94




'Butterfly' Page 98




'Bubble' Page 103





This is a necklace I made using the links from 'Teardrop' and my handmade lampwork beads

My Unique Jewellery

As another new week starts, I have created another new design. As you may already know, I dabble in some silversmithing, I weave and I make lampwork beads. I enjoy creating and incorporating all my loves into the one piece, and this one is no exception.

My handmade chain in sterling silver, flowing into a woven piece of my lampwork beads, gemstones and Japanese seed beads.