I am a self-taught jewelry maker and designer who enjoys creating jewelry for “everyday elegance”–i.e., the piece looks great with jeans and a t-shirt, as well as a “little black dress”. Many of my pieces involve wire-working and glass beads. I also incorporate kumihimo braids into my designs. Some of these braids are made strictly with silk, cotton or rayon cords. I add beads to the braids to not only enhance the braid’s color theme, but to unify the focal bead with the braid. Texture is an important component of my designs.

All the kumihimo braids are made with the traditional 8-cord round spiral design. For this first necklace, I used a wonderful focal bead by Harold Williams Cooney. The bead is part of his Colorado Trade Bead series. The magatamas I used are the 4 x 7 mm matte metallic patina iris and matte metallic khaki iris. The Sea Urchin necklace design itself is featured in Karen de Sousa’s book, Braiding with Beads.

“Boa Meets Porcupine”: 8/0 delicas in matte metallic patina iris and 4 x 7 mm magatamas in matte met khahi iris for the focus.

“Aqua Bracelet”: 8/0 delicas in crystal aqua-lined and Tierra Cast large-hole pewter beads and aggregate stone & glass for focal bead.

“Pinecone” bracelet: 4 x 7 mm matte met khaki iris magatamas with magnetic clasp

“Gone Fishin’” front toggle necklace: Patricia Healey copper fish toggle with my handmade wire squiggles. The braid is done with 8/0 delicas in trans green/blue iris…they really do look like fish scales! One of my favorite designs to make with either delica seedbeads or 8/0 seedbeads is a front-closing toggle necklace like this one. The metalwork by Saki Silver, Patricia Healey and Green Girls Studio–among many artists (don’t want to play favorites)– is amazing and deserves to be the focal point of the necklace. Again, these pieces are wardrobe-friendly.

Discovering the wide array of seedbeads available from Caravan Beads has taken my designs to a new level. I love working with delicas and magatamas in matte metallic finishes.

See more of Kathleen’s work on her facebook page.

Laura Jean McCabe (b. 1976) is a primarily self taught beadweaver with an education in historical costume reproduction and restoration, and anthropology. She produces elaborately beaded body adornment that combines Native American, African, and Victorian beadweaving techniques with modern materials and color schemes. She exhibits her work in national and international beadwork exhibitions, and sells her finished work at boutiques and galleries throughout the United States, as well as through her website: www.justletmebead.com. She maintains a working studio in the Mystic Area, Connecticut, and teaches beading workshops across the US and throughout the world.

Eiffel Tower Bracelet (materials: glass seed beads, custom cut imperial jasper stone points, fresh water pearls, 14K gold slide clasp)

For centuries those creative acts which have been most often associated with body adornment rarely have been accorded the status of Art. While beadwork has existed in virtually every culture throughout the world since the beginnings of modern man, and has played a significant role both spiritually (with amuletic properties) and socially (as an indicator of status), it is generally viewed as a functional craft rather than an Art form in its own right.

Beads and beadwork have, throughout time, maintained a universal appeal that links people across cultures and across the ages. Beads date back more than 40,000 years, and are a uniquely human phenomenon, not found amongst other primates or even earlier human species. In addition to serving the human needs of vanity, adornment, and social status, beads have a deeper, more spiritual aspect. They have provided us good fortune, protection from evil forces, and a link to a more spiritual realm (both through prayer beads , and elaborately beaded ritual body adornment).

Beetle wing choker (materials: glass seed beads, custom cut green gold stone points, crystal beads, real beetle wings, fresh water pearls, leather, 14K gold slide clasp)

From early hunter gatherers in the pre-agricultural age, to the Ancient Worlds of Egypt, Greece and Rome, onto Renaissance Europe, Tribal Africa, the Orient, Native America, the Victorian Period, and up through the Modern Era, beadwork has represented an uninterrupted tradition throughout time amongst virtually every culture on Earth. In a world of human differences, beadwork is a common link, fulfilling the most fundamental human needs.

It is in this history of ancient traditions, spiritual importance, timeless handcraft, and human commonality that the Art of Beads can be found. They represent more than precision handwork, personal adornment, or social significance. Each bead, beneath its lustrous surface, tells an age old story of human fear, human desire, and the human need for beauty.

Wonderstone Spiked Cuff (materials: glass seed beads, custom cut wonderstone points. crystal beads, 14K gold slide clasp)

By drawing on my education in historical costume and textiles and applying variations of Native American, African Zulu, and Victorian beading techniques to contemporary colors and designs, I strive to create beaded body adornment that celebrates and reincarnates the dying tradition of fine handcrafts, and helps to elevate beadwork to the status of Art , which it undeniably deserves.

Collection of 5 sculptures made using glass seed beads, custom cut stones points, glass doll’s eyes, crystal beads, millinery feathers, fresh water pearls

My current fascination with beading began quite accidentally in 1991 after breaking a pair of beaded earrings. My humble initial efforts at jewelry repair have evolved. After attending a bead show that featured almost no jewelry, I recognized a void and became interested in creating Indian style jewelry, beaded sculptures, and tapestries. This has led me to my love of beading as an art form.

My initial interest was in the study of beaded jewelry. As my knowledge improved, I began to translate different techniques of beads and knots into three dimensional sculptures and tapestries. Inspiration comes from the world around me. Creatures of nature, landscapes, painted ceiling of churches are all ideas waiting for the translation into a beaded piece. My mother taught me that colors have relationships and to inspire emotion with color. For me, color is an important and fun aspect of my creations.

Inspiration also comes with the involvement with other artists of all Medias. Since my recent retirement, I have led a weekly group of artists getting together to share encouragement, thoughts and knowledge of different medias. The involvement with other artists is an important element, encouraging each other to a higher level. I welcome the opportunity to show my beadwork as an Art form. It can be fun, intricate and interesting. And I hope, it will ignite others to express their creativity.

You can see more of Juanita’s work on her site www.beadedfinger.com and her flikr site www.flickr.com/photos/tokay-beaded-art.

I have been a crafty person as long as I can remember. I have dabbled in crochet, knitting, sewing, cross stitch, woodworking, and beadwork, but my first creative love is modular geometric origami. In this medium, several pieces of paper are folded into “modules” which are then assembled together to form the completed origami object. I was quite pleased to discover that I could form similar structures with beads! These “beaded beads” form the basic components of my jewelry designs, and range from simple clusters for a delicate pair of earrings, to highly detailed structures for a beautiful pendant!

I use the highest quality materials in my work; all my glass beads and seed beads are of the highest quality, and I only use sterling silver, gold-fill, or vermeil metal components. While my beaded bead designs work best with regularly-shaped beads such as Czech pressed glass and Swarovski crystal, I enjoy incorporating freshwater pearls, semiprecious stones, and even handmade lampwork beads into my designs.

In addition to creating jewelry, I also write and illustrate tutorials that detail how to construct my beaded designs. These tutorials contain fully-illustrated step-by-step instructions on how to construct the basic beaded structure, tips to troubleshoot possible problems, and numerous photographs of completed pieces as well as interesting variations. I love to see what my students create with my tutorials, and I invite you to create your own inspired designs along with me!

To see more of my beadwoven designs, check out my website at www.beadorigami.com, my blog at beadorigami.blogspot.com, and my Etsy shop at beadorigami.etsy.com.

If I could spend my time doing only 3 things, it would be traveling, beading and cooking! Ok…maybe writing too. But that darn day job gets in my way…so I do what I can in the time I have left once I get home from work.

I have been beading since 1984 (the same year as my daughter was born). To say I love the art of beading is an understatement. Beading and designing seem to consume me. It’s all I seem to think about. What kind of designs can I come up with? What will I bead next? What quirky thing about beading will I find some humor in to write about?

I have had several books published in years past, and I was also a regular writer for Jewelry Crafts Magazine, which is no longer in print. One day, I would like to write another book and submit it for publication. I miss the process.

I especially like the Art Nouveau period and the Pre-Raphaelite paintings. It is a real challenge to create patterns from the old paintings.

In addition to selling kits and patterns on www.beadedbear.com, and keeping up with nonsense on my blog beadedbear.blogspot.com , I sell patterns on www.bead-patterns.com where I have over 2100 patterns to date.

(Caravan Beads is happy to be a sponsor and judge for Sig’s latest Elemental Inspirations Challenge. Take a look at the design contest and more on her blog.)

I blame it on the porcupine!

I started my business by playing around with some porcupine quills and remembering a beaded pair my Mom had made and given me as a kid. Needless to say, the beading took on a life of its own. Not even a year after I started beading, I found myself teaching with Bead Fiesta shows in New England. I started vending right away too and that was, still is, and always will be a work in progress. You can see my schedule on my website. I try to keep it spicy by doing Ren Faires and have even done a few Pow Wow’s and adding local venues as they present themselves.

Blues Traveler 2 by Christina Neit

As a constant learner, I have taught myself how to do some work with horsehair and traditional techniques with quills. I have much further to go in learning to work with the quills, but the attempt has been made, now to find the time. Eventually, I will learn how to hitch with horsehair too. I always have my eyes open on how to incorporate new techniques and items into my bead work, it has opened up a whole new world.

Manja 1 by Christina Neit

I am beyond fortunate to be able to do this day in and day out. I am easily inspired and just cannot bead fast enough. I usually end up spending half of every day on the computer working on my website, editing photos, networking, designing patterns. Thankfully, I enjoy that a lot and have grown to be very fond of making my own graphics, I guess that just goes with the creative flow…

You can see more of Christina’s work on her website or her etsy site.

I’ve worn a lot of hats in the beading community–editor, teacher, designer, writer…I’ve even hawked beads at big shows, worked behind the counter at a bead shop, and have put my mug on tv surrounded by these little gems. With all these hats, I’ve decided to just call myself a “beadist”…plain and simple.

Veve Cuff by Jean Campbell

I have a couple of projects lately that I’m quite happy to toot my beadist horn about. One is my just-released book, Steampunk Style Jewelry. It’s a beautifully designed book on a very interesting trend…a trend I’m so excited about that I fashioned myself a raygun to go with my mad scientist goggles. Check it out here.

The other project that I’m over the moon about is a book I just finished writing…Unfortunately I can’t reveal the title or pictures–publisher’s rules–but know that it involves lots of Crystallized Elements by Swarovski, seed beads, needles, thread, and over-the-top glamor! This baby will be released Fall 2010.

Peyote Buttons by Jean Campbell

I’m also pleased to announce my involvement in CraftEdu, a great new online teaching platform. I’m in the company of not only other wonderful beaders like Marcia DeCoster, Maggie Meister, Sherry Serafini, and Margie Deeb, but also altered book artists, polymer and precious metal clay experts, textile designers, metalsmiths, and more. It’s going to be an amazing site! Visit www.craftedu.com to learn more about the upcoming launch.

If you’re interested in knowing even more about what I’m up to, come visit my website, www.jeancampbellink.com.

Former Caravan Beads employee Tina Chance makes incredible bead sculpture look easy.

Using the smallest seed beads we have to offer, she made this lovely fellow from illustrations of real turtles found in nature. His toes are made from toothpics colored black with magic marker.

Send us pictures of your beaded art and we’ll put them up on the blog for other beaders to admire.

My interest in beading began in 1989 when I purchased my first pair of beaded earrings from a customer of mine at a bank where I worked. Curious as to how the beads had been woven together, I immediately went out to our nearest bead store and purchased my very first book on beading.

Once I had mastered brick stitch I was completely hooked. By 1993 I had enough beaded jewelry to start participating in arts & craft fairs. We would pack up our little car and travel several hundred miles to sell my handmade items. In 1994, with more designs than I knew what to do with, I found a publisher for my first book of patterns, “Beaded Images”. In 1995 the follow-up book, “Beaded Images II”, came out. In 1996 I decided to try my hand at self- publishing. This was “Back to Beadin’”, containing a mixture of amulet purse, earring and crocheted rope patterns.

Our website, BeadedImages.com, came about in 1997, mainly as a place to show off my books. Through this new medium I found I was able to connect better with other beaders. We received many inquiries from individuals who could not find the supplies needed to complete the patterns in my books. Because of this, we decided to add Delica beads to the website.

In 1998 my fourth book, “Amulet Obsession”, came out. This book is strictly amulet purse designs. In 2002 my fifth and final book, “Forever In Beads”, was added to the group. It contains a mixture of purse, earring and frameable beadwork patterns.

Between keeping up our website and filling bead orders, there has not been much time left these days to bead. Fortunately I still have the enjoyment of handling all those glorious Delica colors on a daily basis, so I’m happy.