Leave behind the days of gloom and celebrate the things in bloom! Though it doesn’t rain much here at Beadaholique headquarters in southern California, rainy days in April usually make way for wonderful flowers in May. This month, put pretty petals on display and give your pieces a floral theme.

Check out our free beading projects and tutorials for some inspiration and view our selection of flower components for some ideas.

We will select 10 finalists from the contest entries, all of whom will have their work published in our Beader’s Blog and on the Beadaholique Facebook page, for public voting. The winner will receive a $100 Beadaholique gift certificate and further exposure on our blog and Facebook page!

Rules/How to Enter:

Email us a clear, in focus, well-lit photo of a beading project which fits our theme and uses one or more products found at Beadaholique. Email one photo, at least 500 px in width or height but no bigger than 1600 px wide and 1600 px tall, to challenge@thebeadingwire.com (do not use this for questions; contact us here) with the following included in your email:

Subject line: Name of Piece tags: may2012 (Example: Flower Fiesta tags: may2012)

Body: Very important! Include your full name and email address within the body of your email. Optionally, you may also include a brief description of your piece.

Important Dates:

• Tuesday, May 29 @ 4PM PT: Last day to submit
• Thursday, May 31: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email. Public voting starts.
• Tuesday, June 5 @ 4 PM PT: Public voting closes
• Thursday, June 7: Winner is announced in the next issue of The Beading Wire and notified via email.

Other Rules:

One entry per person. If you send more than one entry, you may be disqualified. If your entry does not meet the “Rules/How to Enter” stated above, you may be disqualified. Winner must respond to our email notification within 2 weeks to claim gift certificate. No one person may win more than once every 3 months. By entering, you retain the rights to your original jewelry design but are giving Beadaholique, Inc. permission to use your submitted photo(s) on our websites, newsletter, Facebook, blog and other properties. The terms and conditions that apply to all Beadaholique contests and giveaways also apply here.

Tips:

• Send in a large, clear, and well-lit photo.
• Try to use natural light to illuminate your photos.
• Double check to make sure that your full name and email address are included in the body of your email. We continue to receive submissions with no contact information.

Back to Nature - Inspiration from Free Beadaholique Project Tutorials

In honor of Earth Day on April 22, the theme for this month’s contest is “Back to Nature”—show your appreciation for the natural beauty of our planet and feature plants, animals or other “earthy” elements in your piece. So whether it’s birds and bees, leaves and flowers, or even fish, your options are as vast as the Earth itself!
Check out our free beading projects and tutorials for some inspiration.

We will select 10 finalists from the contest entries, all of whom will have their work published in our Beader’s Blog and on the Beadaholique Facebook page, for public voting. The winner will receive a $100 Beadaholique gift certificate and further exposure on our blog and Facebook page!

Rules/How to Enter:

Email us a clear, in focus, well-lit photo of a beading project which fits our theme and uses one or more products found at Beadaholique. Email one photo, at least 500 px in width or height but no bigger than 1600 px wide and 1600 px tall, to challenge@thebeadingwire.com (do not use this for questions; contact us here) with the following included in your email:

Subject line: Name of Piece tags: april2012 (Example: Curious Forest tags: april2012)

Body: Very important! Include your full name and email address within the body of your email. Optionally, you may also include a brief description of your piece.

Important Dates:

• Tuesday, April 24 @ 4PM PT: Last day to submit
• Thursday, April 26: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email. Public voting starts.
• Tuesday, May 1 @ 4 PM PT: Public voting closes
• Thursday, May 3: Winner is announced in the next issue of The Beading Wire and notified via email.

Other Rules:

One entry per person. If you send more than one entry, you may be disqualified. If your entry does not meet the “Rules/How to Enter” stated above, you may be disqualified. Winner must respond to our email notification within 2 weeks to claim gift certificate. No one person may win more than once every 3 months. By entering, you retain the rights to your original jewelry design but are giving Beadaholique, Inc. permission to use your submitted photo(s) on our websites, newsletter, Facebook, blog and other properties. The terms and conditions that apply to all Beadaholique contests and giveaways also apply here.

Tips:

• Send in a large, clear, and well-lit photo.
• Try to use natural light to illuminate your photos.
• Double check to make sure that your full name and email address are included in the body of your email. We continue to receive submissions with no contact information.

Need inspiration?
Here are some free Beadaholique project tutorials to help you along:

• Butterfly Grove Necklace
• The Beekeepers Necklace
• Crystal Copper Leaves Earrings
• An Owl in the Forest Earrings
• Little Willow Necklace
• Dragonfly Summer Necklace
• Enchanted Forest Necklace
• Shabby Chic Collage Necklace

The Wearing of the Green

The theme for this month’s contest is “The Wearing of the Green”—so be sure to use some green beads or components in your piece. The Wearing of the Green was a song originally written about the color symbolizing Irish rebellion in the 18th century—now the wearing of the green has become a way to avoid getting pinched on St. Patrick’s Day! Check out our free beading projects and tutorials for some inspiration.

We will select 10 finalists from the contest entries, all of whom will have their work published in our Beader’s Blog and on the Beadaholique Facebook page, for public voting. The winner will receive a $100 Beadaholique gift certificate and further exposure on our blog and Facebook page!

Rules/How to Enter:

Email us a clear, in focus, well-lit photo of a beading project which fits our theme and uses one or more products found at Beadaholique. Email one photo, at least 500 px in width or height but no bigger than 1600 px wide and 1600 px tall, to challenge@thebeadingwire.com (do not use this for questions; contact us here) with the following included in your email:

Subject line: Name of Piece tags: mar2012 (Example: Envious Earrings tags: mar2012)

Body: Very important! Include your full name and email address within the body of your email. Optionally, you may also include a brief description of your piece.

Important Dates:

• Tuesday, March 27 @ 4PM PDT: Last day to submit
• Thursday, March 29: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email. Public voting starts.
• Tuesday, April 3 @ 4 PM PDT: Public voting closes
• Thursday, April 5: Winner is announced in the next issue of The Beading Wire and notified via email.

Other Rules:

One entry per person. If you send more than one entry, you may be disqualified. If your entry does not meet the “Rules/How to Enter” stated above, you may be disqualified. Winner must respond to our email notification within 2 weeks to claim gift certificate. No one person may win more than once every 3 months. By entering, you retain the rights to your original jewelry design but are giving Beadaholique, Inc. permission to use your submitted photo(s) on our websites, newsletter, Facebook, blog and other properties. The terms and conditions that apply to all Beadaholique contests and giveaways also apply here.

Tips:

• Send in a large, clear, and well-lit photo.
• Try to use natural light to illuminate your photos.
• Double check to make sure that your full name and email address are included in the body of your email. We continue to receive submissions with no contact information.

Love is in the Air

[The submission period for this contest is now over. Click here to view and vote on the top 10 finalists! ] It’s February, the most romantic of months! The theme for this month’s contest is “Love is in the Air”—think hearts, love and romance with hues of passionate reds, blushing pinks or anything that sparks that loving feeling! Check out our free beading projects and tutorials for some inspiration.

We will select 10 finalists from the contest entries, all of whom will have their work published in our Beader’s Blog and on the Beadaholique Facebook page, for public voting. The winner will receive a $100 Beadaholique gift certificate and further exposure on our blog and Facebook page!

Rules/How to Enter:

Email us a clear, in focus, well-lit photo of a beading project which fits our theme and uses one or more products found at Beadaholique. Email one photo, at least 500 px in width or height but no bigger than 1600 px wide and 1600 px tall, to challenge@thebeadingwire.com (do not use this for questions; contact us here) with the following included in your email:

Subject line: Name of Piece tags: feb2012 (Example: Hearts of Fire tags: feb2012)

Body: Very important! Include your full name and email address within the body of your email. Optionally, you may also include a brief description of your piece.

Important Dates:

• Tuesday, February 21 @ 4PM PDT: Last day to submit
• Thursday, February 23: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email. Public voting starts.
• Tuesday, February 28 @ 4 PM PDT: Public voting closes
• Thursday, March 1: Winner is announced in the next issue of The Beading Wire and notified via email.

Other Rules:

One entry per person. If you send more than one entry, you may be disqualified. If your entry does not meet the “Rules/How to Enter” stated above, you may be disqualified. Winner must respond to our email notification within 2 weeks to claim gift certificate. No one person may win more than once every 3 months. By entering, you retain the rights to your original jewelry design but are giving Beadaholique, Inc. permission to use your submitted photo(s) on our websites, newsletter, Facebook, blog and other properties. The terms and conditions that apply to all Beadaholique contests and giveaways also apply here.

Tips:

• Send in a large, clear, and well-lit photo.
• Try to use natural light to illuminate your photos.
• Double check to make sure that your full name and email address are included in the body of your email. We continue to receive submissions with no contact information.

The Jewels of January

[The submission period for this contest is now over. Click here to view and vote on the top 10 finalists! ] Let’s brighten up those winter blues with some sparkle and shine!  Show us your brilliant interpretation of “The Jewels of January” and you could win big!  We’re looking for sparkling pieces fit for a Winter Fairy or a lovely Snow Queen.  Whether it’s brilliant blues, glittering clear crystals, fiery garnets or any other hues, make sure to show us some sparkle and shine!  Check out our free beading projects and tutorials for some inspiration.

We will select 10 finalists from the contest entries, all of whom will have their work published in our Beader’s Blog and on the Beadaholique Facebook page, for public voting. The winner will receive a $100 Beadaholique gift certificate and further exposure on our blog and Facebook page!

Rules/How to Enter:

Email us a clear, in focus, well-lit photo of a beading project which fits our theme and uses one or more products from Beadaholique. Email one photo, at least 500 px in width or height but no bigger than 1600 px wide and 1600 px tall, to challenge@thebeadingwire.com (do not use this for questions; contact us here) with the following included in your email:

Subject line: Name of Piece tags: jan2012 (Example: Dark Princess tags: jan2012)

Body: Very important! Include your full name and email address within the body of your email. Optionally, you may also include a brief description of your piece.

Important Dates:

• Tuesday, January 24 @ 4PM PDT: Last day to submit
• Thursday, January 26: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email. Public voting starts.
• Tuesday, January 31 @ 4 PM PDT: Public voting closes
• Thursday, February 2: Winner is announced in the next issue of The Beading Wire and notified via email.

Other Rules:

One entry per person. If you send more than one entry, you may be disqualified. If your entry does not meet the “Rules/How to Enter” stated above, you may be disqualified. Winner must respond to our email notification within 2 weeks to claim gift certificate. No one person may win more than once every 3 months. By entering, you retain the rights to your original jewelry design but are giving Beadaholique, Inc permission to use your submitted photo(s) on our websites, newsletter, Facebook, blog and other properties. The terms and conditions that apply to all Beadaholique contests and giveaways also apply here.

Tips:

• Send in a large, clear, and well-lit photo.
• Try to use natural light to illuminate your photos.
• Double check to make sure that your full name and email address are included in the body of your email. We continue to receive submissions with no contact information.

Question: I am new to chain maille, and I was wondering if you had any tips on preventing your jump rings from getting marred while doing a chain maille weave.

Our Answer: When you are just starting out you may find, much to your frustration, that some of your jump rings get scuffed up in the process of learning new chain maille weaves. This is especially true if the rings are plated, or come with a special protective coating like the Artistic Wire chain maille jump rings do. To remedy this, I would suggest practicing a weave on some inexpensive jump rings, using several different types of pliers until you get a feel for what works best for you. You may also want to try using nylon jaw pliers although they may be slightly too slippery to grip smaller rings. Another helpful tip that I learned from a fellow Beadaholique team member is to wrap a thin layer of duct tape around your pliers. He also likes to gently file down the edges of a brand new pair of pliers using a needle file. Once you find the right combination of pliers, and the right touch, you can move onto a project, such as the Japanese 12-in-2 Flower Bracelet. Above all, remember: patience and practice! For more handy Chain maille tips along with clear photo step-by-step instructions on all of the most popular weaves, check out these chain maille books.

It has been over a week now since Julie and I participated in our very first Bead Soup Blog Party. Whew, what a ride! So what is a Bead Soup Blog Party, you ask?

The Bead Soup Blog Party is a semiannual worldwide event started by the prolific blogger and jewelry artist, Lori Anderson, in which beaders from across the globe are paired up to exchange a “bead soup.” The bead soup must consist of a focal bead (or pendant) and an interesting clasp. Other than that, the soup may contain any other types of beads, findings, and various tidbits. Once the soup is sent off to the partner, each participant then takes the soup she was given and creates one (or more) fabulous piece(s) out of it. Then, on a preordained day, each participant “reveals” her bead soup creations on her blog. Everybody then hops from blog to blog, viewing each other’s results, leaving comments, and having an all-around good time. This go-around, the big reveal day was September 17th.

Julie and I were really lucky to be paired with two very talented and fun ladies, with whom we got on like gangbusters. Julie’s partner was the talented polymer clay artist, JuLee Wolfe, and my partner was the sweet (and also talented!), Hope Smitherman.

On the day of the hop, we were only too excited to visit our respective partners’ blogs first. After exchanging comments with our partners and newfound buddies, Julie and I set off on the veritable adventure that was visiting, and commenting on, the other 360 blogs. This was a task that took the better part of an entire week, but it was well worth it. We saw some amazing pieces, some interesting blogs, and made some new virtual friends. I have put together a very short questionnaire regarding our first experience with this interesting beading world phenomenon:

Q: What was your favorite part about the Bead Soup Blog Party blog hop?

Andrea: I know it sounds a tiny bit cliche, but I enjoyed meeting new people from all over the world, and seeing such an incredible wide array of jewelry making styles.

Julie: I loved the challenge of it – working with a set starting group of beads which I did not pick out (but which I loved) was an interesting approach to design. I had a lot of fun deciding what I wanted to do and then “playing” to create it.

Q: What was the most challenging part about the blog hop?

Andrea: Definitely coming up with a cohesive series of pieces, I tend to be all over the place with my designs! Also, going through 360 blogs in the span of a week. If I had to critique one thing, it would have to be the sheer amount of “stuff” on some folks’ blogs; too many large text files, widgets, background images, and music make for a slow-as-molasses loading time, plus all those things sometimes made it difficult to actually find and read the bead soup post. That being said, I still did enjoy exploring hundreds of blogs.

Julie: Probably that I felt I owed it to all the participants to visit each of their blogs in a timely fashion and that ended up being a pretty daunting task. I LOVED seeing what they did and I wanted to really take the time to look at their blogs and other work, but there were just so many blogs that it was exhausting. I think next time I will allow myself a good month to leisurely enjoy the blogs and not feel like I need to see them all in a few days.

Q: Would you participate again?

Andrea: Absolutely, without a doubt… if I can! (Due to the sheer number of participants this time around, the next BSBP participants will be chosen by lottery, with a limit of 200)

Julie: Oh absolutely! I had a blast!

Overall, this was just such a positive experience. Every participant deserves a pat on the back. The biggest pat on the back, along with a delicious slice of pie, goes to Lori for coordinating it all.

Curious to see what Julie and I made with our soups or to learn how you can participate next year? Click here to find out!

Thanks, and Happy Beading!

Where has the time gone? The holiday gift-giving season is upon us and the time to start getting ready is now. Whether you are making gifts for loved ones or selling jewelry at holiday fairs, you need to plan ahead and allow yourself plenty of time to get all your projects done. Here are some hard-earned words of advice to help you stay stress-free this season.

If you are making gifts for loved ones:

Start by making a list of everyone you want to make a gift for. If there is something that really stands out to you about an individual, write that down next to their name. For instance, “Susie loves dolphins” or “Amanda collects charms.” Once you have your list, write down an idea for a project next to each name. You can check out Beadaholique’s new Gift Center to get some great ideas for every taste and budget. Next you will want to order all your supplies. Don’t forget to order pretty organza or velvet drawstring gift bags to package your handmade lovelies in. Do all your ordering as soon as you can. Remember it takes time for supplies to be delivered and then you might have to mail some of your gifts off—plan ahead. Also keep in mind that the holidays mean a very full social schedule so you will actually have a lot less free time each week then normal. As soon as you can, begin your projects. Have fun, make them personal and don’t be afraid to let your creativity flow! Once your jewelry is made, wrap it up and package it artfully.

Let your friends and family know that you hand made this gift just for them; they will treasure it even more.

If you are making gifts to sell:

Think about the type and style of jewelry the most people would want to give or get as a gift. This was a particularly hard lesson for me to learn. I love making very elaborate, very specific (Steampunk, Neo Victorian, etc.) pieces, but what sells best are simple charm necklaces, pretty crystal earrings, and more universally appealing items. Look at your current inventory and make a list of what you are missing to fill in the gaps. Set goals and decide what you are going to make. Order your supplies and do this early, well before your show date. You don’t want to end up beading the night before a big holiday fair. Remember to order bags to package your jewelry in once it sells and also any jewelry displays you need to showcase your art. Start producing and make, make, make! When packing for the show, make sure to: (1.) keep your necklaces separate so they do not become tangled, (2.) bring a tool kit to the show for any last minute repairs or requests to switch out chains or earring hooks, (3.) bring a few extra “common” beading supplies such as jump rings and earring hooks as well as bags or boxes to package your jewelry, and finally, don’t forget business cards or a short printout talking about yourself as an artist. People giving gifts will want to make sure the recipient knows the gift is artist-made and you want to make sure both the gift giver and recipient know how to get a hold of you so they can order more!

Most important tip of all, have fun!

• Getting Ready for the Holidays
• Our First Bead Soup
• Customer Questions: Working with Chain Maille

November Nights

[The submission period for this contest is now over. Click here to view and vote on the top 10 finalists! ] Whether it’s putting on a slinky black dress and hitting the town or staying in with a warm blanket and a favorite book, we want you to show us what “November Nights” mean to you.  Check out our free beading projects and tutorials for some inspiration.

We will select 10 finalists from the contest entries, all of whom will have their work published in our Beader’s Blog and on the Beadaholique Facebook page, for public voting. The winner will receive a $100 Beadaholique gift certificate and further exposure on our blog and Facebook page!

Rules/How to Enter:

Email us a clear, in focus, well-lit photo of a beading project which fits our theme and uses one or more products from Beadaholique. Email one photo, at least 500 px in width or height but no bigger than 1600 px wide and 1600 px tall, to challenge@thebeadingwire.com (do not use this for questions; contact us here) with the following included in your email:

Subject line: Name of Piece tags: nov2011 (Example: Dark Princess tags: nov2011)

Body: Very important! Include your full name and email address within the body of your email. Optionally, you may also include a brief description of your piece.

Important Dates:

• Monday, November 21 @ 4 PM PDT: Last day to submit
• Wednesday, November 23: Top 10 will be posted on our Facebook and notified via email. Public voting starts.
• Tuesday, November 29 @ 4 PM PDT: Public voting closes
• Thursday, December 1: Winner is announced in the next issue of The Beading Wire and notified via email.

Other Rules:

One entry per person. If you send more than one entry, you may be disqualified. If your entry does not meet the “Rules/How to Enter” stated above, you may be disqualified. Winner must respond to our email notification within 2 weeks to claim gift certificate.  No one person may win more than once every 3 months.  By entering, you retain the rights to your original jewelry design but are giving Beadaholique, Inc permission to use your submitted photo(s) on our websites, newsletter, Facebook, blog and other properties.

Tips:

• Send in a large, clear, and well-lit photo.
• Try to use natural light to illuminate your photos.
• Double check to make sure that your full name and email address are included in the body of your email.  We have received submissions with no contact information.