Beads Baubles and Jewels: Brenda Schweder

Episode #1408 starts today at noon on www.BeadsBaublesandJewels.com and will be available for a week. Tune in!

First, Mark Nelson shows how to set up a workbench and then looks at magnification, lighting, and tool placement.  Then, Brenda Schweder demonstrates an amazing design that is a convertible ring or pendant. Next, Melanie Brooks creates an urban house themed pendant from epoxy clay and old, found hardware. Last, Mary Hettmansperger demonstrates a vintage look necklace featuring lock and key Victorian components.

We have the best guests every single week! This week's featured guest is Brenda Schweder, one of my fellow Create Your Style with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Ambassadors and author of several books including Steel Wire Jewelry (Lark 2011). Brenda is as super-talented and kind-hearted as anyone you will ever meet. In today's episode, she shares her tips and tricks for combining edgy steel wire with gorgeous crystal focal pieces.

 

It took me several times of meeting Brenda before I realized she isn't actually six feet tall!

 

This is one of my favorite pieces made by Brenda Schweder. Find more of her clever steel wire projects at www.BeadsBaublesandJewels.com. 

My New Books: Beading Trilogy 2012

I'm a book lover at heart and I'm super excited to share three new books with you. When I started thinking about them, I thought I would do one or two. Instead, it's three collections of my latest ideas. Maybe I've been influenced by all of the YA trilogies I've been reading!

Each book has a basic materials/tools section and presents a variety of techniques with several interpretations. Whether you use the ideas as patterns and create them as-is or substitute your own beads to make similar designs, you're going to get lots of creative inspiration with these!

They'll be available in Michaels stores soon and are for sale on my website now. Order at http://katiehacker.com/shop.htm for signed copies and free shipping when you buy all three (free shipping for US addresses and for a limited time only).

 

While writing this book, I started thinking about earrings all of the time. If I thought of an earring idea while I wasn't in my studio, I did sketches on the whiteboard in my kitchen and then took pictures on my phone. That's what I mean about a creative whirlwind. It takes over your life. There are 125 different earring designs in Earrings 101, along with a few ideas for displaying and packaging your creations. Maybe it's because I did this one first, but it's my favorite.

For Wire Wrapping 101, I wanted to cover the basics but I also wanted to find some new things to say about wire. Using semiprecious stone, glass, metal and ceramic beads helped me envision entirely different design ideas than those in my other books. The flower pendant in the upper right-hand corner of the cover is one of my favorite projects in the book.

You can never have enough necklace ideas, right? For Necklaces 101, I made 65 different necklaces using some of my favorite, go-to techniques. There's something for everyone, from romantic to classic to tough girl chic. Luckily, I already got the sample jewelry back from the publisher - these are the necklaces I'll be wearing on the next season of Beads, Baubles & Jewels!

Order your copies of my new beading trilogy today: www.KatieHacker.com.

Heading to the Beach?

I have the beach on the brain and I've been thinking about what to pack for the trip. I'd definitely bring an assortment of beads in case inspiration strikes. I've been hoarding this stash of beachy beads for a while now. (Moms Rock by Diane Hawkey = awesome.) I usually travel with a few strands and try to look for some other treasures along the way.

Of course, I'd also bring a little bag stocked with jump rings, head pins, crimps, beading wire and my main tools: crimper, wire cutter, chain-nose pliers, round-nose pliers. That way, I also have the stuff to make a quick piece of jewelry if the inspiration strikes. I'm always on the lookout for meaningful charms from my travels and it's fun to whip up something right away.

I still travel with paperbacks and, of course, you need a good read while you lounge on the beach! I received a review copy of Woodrose Mountain by RaeAnne Thayne - you may have seen the recent ad in BeadStyle. The main character leaves her past behind and finds creative fulfillment in a small town bead store, along with a life very different from the one she had imagined for herself. It's a touching story and an easy read when you need a break from your beady and touristy endeavors.

Leave a comment on this post and tell me what you'll take to the beach. I'll enter all of the comments into a random drawing. The winner will receive a little bead soup and a copy of Woodrose Mountain. (US addresses only, please.)

Beads Baubles and Jewels: Patti Kimle

Have you had a chance to catch the new episode of Beads, Baubles & Jewels? It will be available for online viewing at www.BeadsBaublesandJewels.com until Friday at noon, when a new episode begins. I love this weekly viewing format and hope you're enjoying it, too.

This week's featured guest is Patricia Kimle, author of many books including Perfectly Paired: Designing Jewelry with Polymer and Metal Clays (Kalmbach 2010). I've talked about my early love affair with polymer clay before - I used to rock the caning! - and it amazes me how much the craft has grown.  Patti brings a fresh twist to polymer by combining it with metal clay with beautiful results.

We're getting ready to film the new series next month and we'll have a more inspiring polymer clay projects for you. Christi Friesen and syndee holt will be joining me on the show.

 

Patti Kimle's gorgeous designs from episode #1402

The Method Behind My Madness

Remember this picture of my creative whirlwind?

When I'm working on a big project, I make a big mess.

Here are the results. Three new books hitting Michaels stores and my website later this month!

And, I finally cleaned up that table.

Birthstone Charm Bracelets

Mother's Day is right around the corner! I found this bracelet with a Nana charm on Amazon for my mother-in-law. Then, I dolled it up with a beaded headpin to represent each set of grandkids (there happen to be two kids per family). I used SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Beads in each child's birthstone color. That's it! Simple, meaningful and fun.

Beads Baubles and Jewels: Leslie Rogalski

Are you tuning into our website every Friday for Beads, Baubles and Jewels? This week's episode #1405 starts airing at noon today on www.beadsbaublesandjewels.com and will be available for one week. If you're watching on TV, the new series starts this week! You can see a preview of the new series on our YouTube channel.

Each Friday here on my blog, I'll give you a behind-the-scenes look at one of our guests for the show. Today's featured guest is Leslie Rogalski. Leslie has been a regular on Beads, Baubles & Jewels for several years and is the creator of the popular Doodle Beads DVDs in addition to her many other beady credentials. She first got hooked on beading when she made soft sculptures that needed their own beaded jewelry. When she isn't beading or tap dancing, Leslie is planning trips to watch her talented daughter perform in musical theater productions.

 Here's Leslie, me, Fernando Dasilva and Tammy Honaman at my surprise birthday party last year. We had such a great time! It was really sweet of everyone to celebrate with me.

 

Here's an example of Leslie's imaginative beadwork.

Steampunk Herringbone Cuff by Leslie Rogalski (c) 2011
It's included in the new book Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry .

Watch episode 1405, then download the instructions for all of Leslie's projects using seed beads, Beadalon stringing materials and SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Beads on the series 1400 project page.