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Beaded Jewelry Designs for Thanksgiving!

Beaded jewelry designs can be inspired by the Thanksgiving holidays. I am in awe of the beautiful fall colors in my neighborhood as the leaves fall off the trees in shades of rust, yellow,greens and reds. What a beautiful site! I love leaves and the shape so I took some left over leaf beads and added some seed beads and came up with this beaded jewelry necklace. You can copy this project with your own beads and color scheme. Here are the materials:

3 tubes of seed beads 11/0 in bright lime green,sparkle brown, and gold

2 feet of small gold chain

3 gold split rings

5 assorted focal beads of your choice

26 or 28 gauge gold wire about 12 inches long

1 gold magnet clasp

Start with your large focal bead and string to the middle of the gold wire. Twist the wire at the top and then separate the wire and alternate twisting one wire and one bead on one side and one wire, one bead on the other. Make a wire loop at the top and add your split rings to add to the loop to attach your seed bead and chain strands. 

Now enjoy your beautiful beaded jewelry designs for thanksgiving!

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Jewelry Making Beads and Findings at the Bead Show

I got my list of jewelry making beads that I need and a list of what I want. It is always a compromise within my budget. I am headed off to the Rings and Things Fall show in San Mateo, CA this Saturday. It is not a big show so I like it a lot and the savings is great- 15% off of wholesale. 

With the holidays approaching, I want to get a bunch of cute lampwork beads. They are great for making stretchy bracelets that my daughter can give out as gifts to her friends or teachers. They are always a hit, look great, and are easy and fast to make. 

I am very cautious about buying silver because of the high prices. So I will be on the lookout for silver plated chain, headpins, and wire. I love what some other artists are doing with copper,brass, and gunmetal in their beaded jewelry designs. I hope to start doing some of my own designs using these elements. 

People ask me what are "findings". That is usually a term for little metal things we use in jewelry making like, clasps,headpins, crimp beads, wire guardians, etc. These are must haves for finishing your beaded jewelry designs.