| Home | Forum | Jewelry-Making Instructions | Jewelry-Making Links | Mailing List | Links Links 2 | MarketPlace |
Jewelry, Craft, and Fashion in the NewsBeads Indeed : Jewelry-making taking off as a hobby Today's Sunbeam - NJ.com, NJ Sometimes, if you want something done right you just have to do it yourself. That mentality has found a new relevance in the world of jewelry, where fashion enthusiasts and choosy shoppers have been turning to bead retailers more and more, so they can pick their own stones and make their own pieces. "Beading has become huge," said Jill Gower, assistant professor of metals and jewelry at Rowan University. "There are so many little bead stores popping up everywhere. I think it's definitely on the rise as a hobby." In the era of Wikipedia and YouTube, amateur designers have incorporated jewelry into today's pervading do-it-yourself mentality. And as a cheaper and more expressive option than buying pieces from stores, many have found making their own jewelry to be the more appealing alternative. ... Uganda Beads WKRG-TV, AL In Jinji, Uganda, they met a woman, Miss Agnes, selling beads made by the youngsters in her orphanage. Darlene Winter recalls, "When I saw them I was just blown away. I thought, 'How beautiful.'...We bought all the necklaces from her that day that we could. And when we came home I asked my husband Richard, 'Do you think we could we sell these necklaces here in the States?' and he said, 'We sure can.'" They've been selling beads for about four months now and have sent a total of about $5000 to Miss Agnes. ... Grandmothers' beads bring comfort to those in Africa Montreal Gazette, Canada Heather Lefebvre and about 20 of her fellow Grandmothers to Grandmothers get together about once a month to bead bracelets. These aren't ordinary bracelets - they're called comfort bracelets and while they may comfort the person who buys or wears one, the money raised by the sale of the bracelets. ... Shop Talk Dekalb Daily Chronicle, IL DeKalb resident Allison Johnson, 33, works with glass in her Bliss Beads Studio behind Mattress Warehouse on East Lincoln Highway. She was hard at work Saturday in her studio, creating glass beads in the searing heat of a propane-and-oxygen torch for 12 family members and friends. ÒI think that going to the store and buying stuff is so ... people can buy that themselves,Ó Johnson said. ÒI'd rather make someone a piece of jewelry than something they can buy at a store.Ó Each piece takes about a half-hour to make, and the quality and color of glass rods vary with each bead she makes. Most of her friends get a bead, but her mother gets a necklace and a pair of earrings because Òshe's really into the jewelry thing.Ó Despite the beauty of the glass beads she makes, Johnson acknowledges it's not for everyone. Her Uncle Chad is one such person. ... Swartz Creek store offers locally made gifts The Swartz Creek News, SWARTZ CREEK, MI Drivers can see stained glass sparkle on a sunny day at Stallings Stained Glass as they turn the corner at Morrish and Miller roads. Passers-by might not realize that there's more at the store at 8011 Miller Road than a wide array of colored glass. Oh, there's stained glass, sun catchers and custom-stained glass designs, but there's also jewelry and mosaic gift items. "Everything in the store is either made by me or an employee," said owner Greg Stallings. "It's all locally made. Nothing is made in China here. ... Beaded bracelet is a new twist on jewelry making The Detroit News, MI When Kathy Mamat moved to West Bloomfield Township 24 years ago from Washington, D.C., she brought along her "cottage business of designing children's clothing and decorating nurseries." Little did she know that her business would someday lead to employment at a local bead shop, along with jewelry making and teaching. "I would go into Bead Works to purchase supplies for my business. I didn't know how to make one piece of jewelry at the time. Employees at Bead Works taught me," says Mamat. Those frequent visits to Bead Works Inc. have turned into 17 years of working at the shop, with the past 11 years as manager. Mamat also teaches several classes offered at the shop, including twisted-wire jewelry making. ... Celebrating nature and craft The Hindu, India Over the years, DastkarÕs annual craft and environmental fair, the Nature Bazaar, has become an important and eagerly awaited event in the socio-cultural calendar of the Capital. Every year the fairÕs innovative, holistic and lively themes that intertwine nature with the rich culture of the country make it different from other exhibitions. This year the theme is the elephant as seen through the eyes of craftspeople. Over the past months, craftspeople from across the country have been working to develop products based on the elephant theme. Besides a theme stall exhibiting the elephant products, the fair is displaying elephants crafted in coir, burnt wood, cast in lost wax metal, made into mobiles and hangings. ... Crafts can teach brain new skills Danbury News Times, CT Teens can make jewelry, turn wood, work with clay or learn blacksmithing skills in some new classes the Brookfield Craft Center is offering young people this winter. The center announced 114 classes -- more than ever before -- for its winter schedule, and one-third cover new topics or have new instructors. While the center offers classes in traditional crafts like ceramics, weaving, metal-smithing, woodworking and glass, it also teaches more unusual topics like boat building and decorative arts. Eleven classes are just for teens, though many of the center's other classes are open to those 16 and older, and some allow younger teens if the equipment is not a safety concern and the instructor is willing. The center has scholarship programs plus an innovative hour-for-hour volunteer work/study program. Besides being exposed to potential careers, learning about new techniques and how to solve problems with many different materials, students who learn a craft use their brain in a different way.... The information presented and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Jewelry-Making.com and/or its partners. |
