I gotta tell ya, I consider myself a pretty well versed jeweler. I have made my living as a jewelry designer and crafter for almost 10 years now. All that being said when I picked up Mastering the Art of Beading: Essential Tools and Techniques Every Jewelry Maker Must Know
by Geneieve Sterbenz I walked away learning a lot of new things. By God you can teach an old dog new crafty tricks. Wanna learn a few new beading tricks? Read on to see how you can win your own copy of Mastering the Art of Beading.
I'll be the first to admit I don't actually do a lot of fine bead work. Most times I don't have the patience for it. Flipping through Mastering the Art of Beading I am almost tempted to take a little ritalin and get my bead on. Projects with tons of teeny weenie seed beads like the La Vie en Rose Ring and Moonlight Night Necklace seem worth the effort.
Lucky for me there are plenty of "quicker" less intricate, but equally lovely projects in the book. Actually there are 40 different projects and over 800 pictures. This book is hefty coming in at almost 400 pages.
There is a huge techniques section, explanation of various types of beads and tools plus a nice sources and resources section. Whether you are a novice jewelry maker or an old pro like me there is something for everyone in Mastering the Art of Beading.
You have one week to leave me a comment about beadwork and you could be the lucky owner of Mastering the Art of Beading. I have two copies to give away. Do you love beading? Are you a big bead or small bead kind of gal?
If you don't have your email in an obvious place on your blog, please leave it with your comment.
When I was younger, I used to love seed beads and would spend hours threading those tiny beads in specific colour patterns for necklaces. Now, I enjoy mostly mid-size beads, with smaller beads as 'filler' or end beads. My favourite things to make are earrings because they are a fairly quick project and are great for gifts! A girl can never have too many accessories!
ReplyDeleteI <3 Beading!
ReplyDeleteMy dad bought me a paper heading kit when I was a little girl. While I didn't appreciate it much then I wish I had it now! I love making beautiful paper beads out of recycled papers and stringing them with seed beads! I love crafting and I'm so happy my parents bought me artcy gifts for holidays like the beeder, rock tumbler, and the beedazeler!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog- you are so darn creative!
:)
Christine
ChristineArtist@gmail.com
I make jewelry alot in my wednesday craft group. This would really help alot of us out. Cause I like to share. ;-) I love working with beads
ReplyDeletelesleyd at gmail
This book looks amazing. I used to make hair clips, years ago. I want to get into making bracelets now. I love coming to your blog to see what is new. Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitly a big bead kind of gal. I use seed beads as spacers, but have rarely done a whole project in seed beads. Thanks for the giveaway offer!
ReplyDeletellandig@msn.com
Oh I love beading but would love to expand my knowledge. This book looks wonderful. Thanks
ReplyDeleteSue Harvey
ladywolfartz@gmail.com
I started to bead to combine my love of beautiful 'rocks' and jewelry. I am always looking for better ways to show case my 'rocks'.
ReplyDeleteOOoh Oooh count me in your giveaway. I'm fairly new to beading. Just dabbled in it really. Making my way thru trial and error. So i have lots of questions and this book would be sooo handy to have. Thank you so much for offering it.
ReplyDeletedeb
adbt16@suddenlink.net
Wow...these are some beautiful projects. But waaaaay out of my league!
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to get more into beading! I really love big beads, but my stepmom is a genius when it comes to beading with small beads. Would love to hone up my skills. :)
ReplyDeleteI love beading and my favourites are chunky beads in blues and turquoise. This book looks amazing! It would be a great addition to any craft book collection. My e-mail address is mgdubiel@yahoo.com. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteI consider myself a begining beader so I work mostly with mid-size beads. This book looks like it would be fun of wonderful information. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
ReplyDeleteI would love to get my hands on this book!!! I have some very old glass beads that I would love to use to craft with by using this book for a guide...Kinda like the blind leading the blind......LOL! I hope to be a very lucky winner!!! :-)
ReplyDeleterealsungirl
I love shiny little seed beads! But I have a bunch of wooden beads I need ideas for... Anyway, my 10 year old daughter and I would use this book to make gifts for her friends. Sometimes it seems like there is a birthday every other weekend. It's expensive! And who doesn't love a handcrafted gift? my email is ccp6867 (dot) (at) yahoo dotcom.
ReplyDeleteBead work is something i did at a younger age when lettered beads and lisa frank bead kits were soo in. Well now I am going back to my old roots and dipping deep down in my brain and picking out stellar ideas to really get my bead art out there. My mother is my prime example she loves bead art and this is why i love bead art. This book wouldnt only benefit me but the amazing woman who turned me onto bead art. Im from great ol' Corpus Christi and I wanna be able to say I made a change in a boring city because i think people here are a little afraid to step out of there norm and embrase the great things they have infront of them. I wanna shoot for the stars and hey even i miss i'll still land on the moon :) Lets keep this hobby alive ladies <333
ReplyDeletexoxo Tiffany.
withluvtiff@gmail.com
this book sounds awesome!!
ReplyDeletei have always loved beads. younger, i would play with them, sorting the colours, sifting them through my fingers, enjoying the tiny clicks & tinks they would make as i played. now, i try to incorporate them into all my projects, surface embellishment for my quilts & mixed media wall hangings, sparkly accents for my ATCs, fabric postcards and note cards.
thanks, jennifer!
cindylee
PS - i too love that you are an austinite, having been one in my past. i now live 80miles north but still come to town embrace its weirdness every chance i get.
email: fatty_corners_quilts@yahoo.com
Fine beadwork is so beautiful. I first became fascinated with it before my eldest was born. There was a woman in the Dr.s waiting room who had everything spread out on a 'worktable' on her lap. it almost looked like yarn spinning to me as she crafted these beautiful lengths of beads and chain together. I was too shy to speak to her but I will never forget the beadwork.
ReplyDeleteKpenn12@gmail.com
I love beading but I have a lot to learn so I'd love to win a copy. My favorite thing is earrings.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to always try and learn something new, just to keep the creativity flowing. I will say - the fine bead work scares the socks off of me. I am in awe at the detail. Am gonna sit down and do it someday, once i get over my fear of color :)
ReplyDeleteI am brand new to jewelry making and I absolutely LOVE the look of fine beadwork. I need to learn the basics and comfortable with them before I attempt that kind of stuff, but I'm hoping to turn it into a business :) If I could ever pick something to win, this would be it!
ReplyDeletetaznjade at gmail dot com
I love to make jewelry, keychains, crystal hangers etc out of beads but I don't do any fine beadwork. I love beads & the more they sparkle the better.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fun giveaway. Thank you!
Michele
moondazzle16@hotmail.com
It all started with beading on fabric for costumes. I still like to embellish fabric and create bling by beading while knitting or crocheting. Many of the pics you posted look like they could be done with reclaimed pieces that would eliminate some of the (tedious) stringing.
ReplyDeleteI've been making earrings lately, and I LOVE going to the bead shop. I like glass beads best, because there's so many interesting beads made from glass.
ReplyDeleteI love beading with big and little ones together. It makes the big ones seem bigger and the little ones seem smaller. It's hard to make it work and the book will be helpful.
ReplyDeleteHi,I'm Josie and I'm a Beadaholic. There. I've admitted I have a problem. (I can quit at any time BTW) I collect beads and other shiny objects. Some not so shiny. I like to make jewelry/art/mess with whatever. I tried to get over this sickness many times (okay...never) I even got a job in a bead store (aptly named Azillion Beads) thinking that if I immersed myself in my drug of choice it would somehow become so mundane I would lose interest. Didn't happen. So now I find myself having to actually teach classes, enabling others to become as addicted as I.(hard job, but someone has to do it) I would love to find new projects to help them along. This book looks Very Cool. So, Pick Me, Pick Me!! Thanks for a great website/blog. I love your stuff and have your book. (I'm not sucking up, really I'm not... okay maybe a little) jfbmeego@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI like all size beads.
ReplyDeletemelodyj(at)gmail(dot)com
Sead beads can be really beautiful, but lately I've been thinking about working with bigger ones.
ReplyDeleteI've tried the seed bead thing, but it just doesn't spin my bottle the way working with larger beads does. I'm more of an instant gratification kind of girl anyway. Of course, I still have a ton of seed beads that I sprinkle in where I can. Waste not want not and all that.
ReplyDeleteI started beading a few months ago and is really getting into it. Learning more in the beading world would help me take it to another step. Hope I win.
ReplyDeletesanfordalma@yahoo.com
I am soooo close to finishing a project I have been working on for the last 7 or 8 years. It is a wild and crazy cat quilt that I have been embellishing with beads, mostly seed beads, but a few larger ones, too. It is my vacation project and I have taken it with me on our trips to the mountains. I would love to receive the book so that I could learn more about beading.
ReplyDeletersperkins@tampabay.rr.com
I could spend hours looking at all the beads in craft stores. Friends and family no longer want to indure my crafty shopping trips! I started working with larger beads about a year ago to create unique necklaces for my work clothes...I wear a uniform of sorts and it really needed a little spicing up. As a newbie, I would really love to learn more about beading. I have so much more to create and I am absolutely hooked.
ReplyDeletewonderkell@yahoo.com
Beads can really make your day they add so m much finess and grace to jewlery!
ReplyDeleteI am a big bead girl, all the way!!
ReplyDeletemisti.k.websteratgmail.com
Hi! This is my first time on your blog and I am definately saving it in my "favourites"! I just LOVE beads; they are eye candy to me. I would like to start beading and decided to start with the perfect book . . . . this one seems to be just the one! Oh! That would be sooooo great!!
ReplyDeleteThose projects look divine!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely am enamored with these pictures. I used to pass by the beads at the craft store because I did not understand the versatility of beading then PBS changed all that with, Craft in America. I saw the work of Teri Greeves and was floored. I have found my new medium to mix with screen printing. Thanks so much for your post if at all possible I feel a little more in love.
ReplyDelete