Around Wire

Nailed Pearl Earrings

2013-04-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

While I was threading pearls onto headpins for another project, the way they were lying on the table brought this idea to me. Of course, you can change the color of the pearls or the metal; or even use crystal beads instead of pearls, to alter this "cluster" design. Making an ear hook from a headpin really saves time too, because its end is already filed!

Materials and Tools

12 8mm freshwater pearl beads
12 3/4" head pins, in a gauge that fits your chosen pearls
2 2" 21-gauge head pins
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers

Slide one pearl on one 3/4" headpin. Do this six times.
Using round nose pliers, make a simple loop on the end of one pearled headpin (headpin 1).
Insert another pearled headpin, headpin 2, into the loop just made on headpin 1.
Make a simple loop on the end of headpin 2.
Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 until you have a cluster of six pearls.
To make an ear hook from a headpin: Using round nose pliers and a 2" headpin, place the tip of the pliers very close to the "head" of the headpin. Roll the round nose pliers, making a loop that resembles the letter P at the end of the headpin.
Using either the widest part of round nose pliers, or 6-step barrel pliers, or even just a round pencil, bend the headpin's wire end around, forming a hook.
Approximately 1/4" from the end of the headpin, use chain nose pliers to slightly bend the tip of the wire away from the loop.
Attach the newly-created ear hook to the last loop on the nailed pearls. Make the other earring in the same manner.

Hope, you enjoyed this tutorial. See more tutorials HERE

Orbital Earrings

2013-04-27T08:07:00.004-07:00

Click HERE for free tutorial

Wire Woven Bangle

2013-03-09T18:16:00.000-08:00

If you want to learn how to make this cool, contemporary wire bangle bracelet, I have a tutorial for you! Perfect for any age, this fun bangle stands on its own.

Supplies you will need: seed beads #6 (or 8 with a large hole) and, of course, wire! The main tools are your hands, but it's good to have a pair of chain nose pliers, round nose pliers, and wire cutters handy :)
This tutorial has 6 printer-friendly pages with 18 steps and 20 step-by step color photos.
Click HERE to get tutorial.

Wire Crochet necklace

2013-01-13T07:33:00.001-08:00

A new class added to my Tucson classes

2/8/2013, 2:30pm - 6:00pm - Wire Crochet Necklace

DIY: Feather Earrings

2012-12-02T13:52:00.002-08:00

Today, I will show how to make Stylish Feather Earrings For Stylish Women.

To make a pair of these earrings you will need:

- pair of ear-wires
- cord ends - 2
- eye-pins -2
- lamp-work beads (or any beads of your choice) -2
- feathers
- round-nose pliers
- chain-nose pliers
- wire-cutters

Insert feather(s) into a cord-end's slot as shown.

Using chain -nose pliers, bend one edge of the tip down over the feather.

Bend another edge to secure all feather(s).

Repeat these steps for the second earring.

Slide one eye-pin into the bead. Bend the pin over the top edge of the bead at 60 degrees, perpendicular to the loop.

Using round noes pliers, make a simple loop. Cut the wire.

Open one lop, slide on cord end with feathers, close the loop. Attach the ear wire to the other loop of the bead.

Finish the second earring in the same manner.

You can buy this pair of earrings here

Angel Earrings

2012-12-01T17:32:00.000-08:00

To tell the truth, I have no time to make jewelry lately. Last night I was teaching Intermediate Wire Wrapping jewelry class at Michaels. Today I woke up an wanted to make something with square wire! Dale Armstrong's earrings were my inspiration.
Copper and bronze wire with some copper beads :)

Available at my Etsy shop

CLOSED.Thanksgiving Day Tutorials Giveаway

2012-11-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Day Giveaway!
If you are jewelry making lover and would like to try some of my jewelry tutorials, welcome to this giveaway ;) The winner will be able to choose any 4 single Jewelry tutorials from my AroundBeads shop

Mandatory entry:

* Leave a comment here telling me what you would like to see (read) in my blog - 1 entry (In Russian: Оставьте комментарий о том, что бы вам хотелось видеть (о чём читать) на моём блоге)

Make sure to include your email address to contact you if you win (comments without Mandatory entry and email will not be counted)!

Extra entries (make sure you leave a separate comment for each). Current fans are eligible!

* Follow my blog - 1 entry
* Follow me on twitter / facebook - 1 entry

* Share about this giveaway on your facebook or twitter -1 entry
* Blog about this giveaway (include a link to your post) - 1 entry

This giveaway will run from November 15th through November 30th, and the lucky winner will be chosen by random.org on December 1st, 2012. The winner will be announced here, and he or she will have 48 hours to respond with his/her email address and list of 4 tutorials. If a winner cannot be contacted or does not respond, another winner will be chosen after 48 hours.
UPD...and the winner is...

Panda8ngel !

2013 Tucson Jewelry Classes at JOGS

2012-11-02T16:18:00.001-07:00

Are you heading to the JOGS (Tucson Expo Center) for the 2013 Tucson Gem Shows? Come take a jewelry making class with me. I have a few classes for you to choose from, so follow the link, choose a class and a date and I'll see you in Tucson! Classes will be Feb. 1 - 12.

You can see all the classes and days I'm teaching here: http://jewelrytools.com/albina
Plus, I have discount codes you can use to save on taking class!

Buy 1 class, get $20 off: AM1320
Buy 3 classes, get $75 off: AM1375
Buy 6 classes, get $175 off: AM13175

Pink Sterling Silver Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelet & Earrings

2012-08-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

I did not post here for a while. I was out of country - in Russia- visiting my parents. They needed (and still need) me. I had to take care of my mom who had a surgery (mastectomy)...

So, I made this pink set, bracelet and a pair of earrings, with sterling silver wire and pink glass beads.

Size of the bracelet 7" .

Earrings are 2.5"(6.5cm) long

You can buy the bracelet and earrings at my Etsy shop.

"Wire fabric" pendant with ceramic beads

2012-05-09T12:30:00.003-07:00

I made another pendant. This time I "turned the fabric upside down". Then, attached ceramic beads. They are pretty, aren't they?

Right side of the "wire fabric" looks like a knitted piece. Yes, I added four 2mm sterling silver beads, just for fun.

You can notice that three beads are attached to the loops, and two are on the sides attached without loops. Well, primary, I wanted to have only three beads, but later decided to make a company of 5, the more the better :)

The ~~wrong~~ other side reminds me satin weave. So, actually, this pendant is double-sided!

This pendant's size is 2"(50mm) x 1 3/4"(45mm).

Sterling silver, sterling silver filled, ceramic beads.

You can buy this OOAK pendant at my Etsy shop here

Silver Wire Woven Pendant

2012-05-08T18:10:00.001-07:00

Today I was itching to make something with wire:) I did not know what exactly I wanted. Maybe something not big, something like a... pendant. Plus, I got a new soldering block* which means I had to try it, and I will use my torch as well.

Sterling silver wire and lamp-work bead from MayaHoney

My husband says that this pendant looks like a bird :)

This pendant is 2" (50mm) long and 13/4" (45mm) wide.

*No real soldering was involved, I just put hot melted wire pieces on the soldering block :)

'War and Peace' Earrings II

2012-04-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

Last summer, I spent a perfect day with my friends Tanya and Alla . We visited a lot of beautiful places of northern and central Arizona. On the way back to Phoenix, we stopped at Bloody Basin and shot a few guns at a target. Well, I am not a sniper, but I found a good use for these brass bullet cases:)

I added gold filled chains, beads, natural fresh water pearls, silver plated clear crystal rondelles, and a pair of one-of-a-king earrings for brave woman was ready! I named them "War and Peace" :) I think it's just a right name for them:)

Yesterday, I made another pair of Bullet Case Earrings with Pearls:

These earrings will bring everybody's attention to you, I bet!

Playing with Square Wire

2012-03-26T17:57:00.004-07:00

I am a "round" wire-worker. Actually. All my designs are made with round wire.

Last week, I ordered some square and half-round wire from Wire-sculpture. This place has not only sterling silver and gold-filled square wire, but also copper and bronze- they are in my favorite price range :)

A couple days ago I got a package and could not wait to play with new wire.

First, I wanted to make a bracelet. Or bangle...

Next, I wanted to make a ring from the book WireWork by Dale Armstrong. Really, I love this ring.

UPD. I have also bronze square wire, so, why not to combine it with silver?

Theses rings look gorgeous on your finger!

Zigzag of Luck

2012-03-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

Hooray! I just got the Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine with my article in!

I submitted my design of Zigzag of Luck

April-May 2012 issue.

DIY: Twisted Chain Maille Bracelet and Earrings

2012-03-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

Fun DIY Chaim Maille tutorial from Olena Bugrimenko

DIY: Crystal Dangle Earrings + Video

2012-03-19T18:15:00.004-07:00

Spring is here, and you want to change your wardrobe and maybe, make new jewelry. Why not to make a new pair of crystal earrings? It's fun and easy!

To make a pair of earrings like mine, you will need:

6mm Swarovski bicone crystals - 6
2.5mm metal beads - 6
2" headpins - 2
Earwires -1 pair
Chain nose pliers, round nos pliers, wire cutters


1. Slide crystals and metal beads into a headpin as shown.

2. Hold the chain nose pliers above the last bead and make a 45degree angle.

3. Using round nose pliers, make a simple loop.

4. Attach your favorite ear wire to the loop. Make another earring

Here, you can watch a video how to make these earrings:

PS. I thank my friend Tanya for capturing video and photos while I was making this beautiful earrings:

Basic Tools for Wirework

2012-03-06T17:53:00.000-08:00

When you start working with wire, you need tools. Often, I am asked, "What tools do I need for wire-wrapping?" There is a huge range of jewelry tools available. I would say you need four tools for sure :) But...The more you work, the more tools you have, believe me.

So, let's look at some tools. Pliers.

1 - Chain nose pliers have tapered tips, smooth jaws and slightly rounded edges for shaping and bending. They are very useful for opening and closing jump rings.

2 - Wire cutters are for cutting wire and headpins. To cut memory wire use special memory wire shears!

3 - Nylon jaw pliers have plastic jaws. These pliers really useful for straightening wire. Hold one end of the wire between the jaws of a pair of flat nose pliers in your non dominant hand and hold the nylon nose pliers in your other hand. Place the nylon nose pliers on the wire, next to the flat nose pliers, then draw the pliers along the wire to remove any kinks and to straighten it. Notice: the more you straighten the wire, the harder it becomes!

4 - Flat nose pliers designed for making sharp bends and right angles in wire. Flat nose pliers can also grip flat objects and work well for straightening bent wire.

5 - Round nose pliers have tapered, conical jaws for making round wire loops and curves. Use them to round ends of memory wire or to loop wire for beading and wire wrapping designs. If you want to make consistent sized loops, mark the pliers with a permanent marker so that you always place your wire in the same place.

6,7 - Bail making pliers have round, barrel-shaped jaws that help you create the perfect bail for any sized pendant.

Also, I have another extra tools that I use in my wire work.

8 - Steel bench block won't go anywhere as you work to texture, flatten and shape your metal pieces. Use this block for your metal stamping work too!

9 - Chasing hammer has a large face for flattening and a ball-peen side for riveting and metal design. If the head of a Chasing Hammer is totally flat, then you will mar your wire if the edge of the hammer happens to hit it. If it is too convex, there is only a small striking area in the middle. Choose a hammer that is only slightly convex.

10 - Steel Ring mandrel for forming and shaping rings sizes 1-15. Unlike plastic ring mandrels, you can use this solid metal mandrel for hammering metal. Form rings directly on mandrel!

11 - Automatic Wire twister. Twist almost any size wire at twice the speed! Also, I use the twister to coil the wire! Just love it!

12 - Pin vise for twisting short-to medium-length wires.

What's your favorite jewelry making tool?

Metal Etching - My First Try

2012-03-05T13:09:00.001-08:00

I never thought I would do anything with metal etching. Well, never say "never", right? Thanks to Meredith Arnold, I wanted to try etching.

I had everything I needed to start: metal (copper and nickel silver) disks, PCB Enchant (ferric chloride), Staz-On ink with rubber stamps, black ultra-fine Sharpie, washing soda, gloves...

First, I started with copper disks. I bought a small stamp with butterfly at Michaels (on sale for $2.00) and a leaf stamp for $1.00. I used to make scrap-booking cards and books. What could be easier to make a nice stamp? Hah! Paper and metal "behave" differently. If it was easy to make a leaf stamp, but my butterfly wanted to "fly" away and smear the print... I had to re-stamp it 3-4 times, I think. But I am happy with the results.

Well, I was happy with copper, but not satisfied with nickel silver disks :( Initially, both metals, copper and nickel silver, were shiny...

After etching, copper came out shiny, but NS etched part was dull even after polishing with Euro-Shine and polishing cloth. Maybe I need something else to polish them...or just give them to my daughter to play with :)

Left butterfly is two-toned (is it copper showing up?)

UPD. Finally, I polished them (and domed)

DIY Tutorial: Handmade Earwires.

2012-02-29T06:00:00.003-08:00

If you love making earrings, you always need ear-wires, right?

You can purchase commercial ear-wires almost at any craft store or on-line.
An average price for 1 pair of sterling silver hook ear-wires is $1.20, the av. price of 20-22ga sterling silver wire - $2.00/foot. To make 1 pair of ear-wires you will need 3"- 4" = $0.50- $0.65. Do you see a difference? Plus, you will have fun making them :)

OK, let's start!It's easy as 1-2-3!

Tools you will need:

Round nose pliers

Flat nose pliers

Dowel (Round pencil )

To make simple loop ear-wires (left on a photo), you will need two pieces of 20-22ga half hard wire 1 1/2" (4cm) each.

1. Make a loop with round nose pliers, so your wire piece looks like a "p" letter:

2. Bend the wire around the dowel as shown:

3. Using flat nose pliers, slightly bend the tip away from the loop, no more than ¼” from the end:

To make Ear-wires with a bead, (right on a photo), you will need two pieces of 20-22ga half hard wire 2" (5cm) each.
1. Using round nose pliers, make a simple loop on one end of the wire, so your wire piece looks like an eye-pin now:

2. Slide a bead (3mm) and bend the wire at a 60 degree angle as shown. Note: the loop and the wire are on the same plane:

3. Bend the wire around the dowel as shown:

4. You may hammer the ear-wires slightly.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.

All your comments are highly appreciated :)

Tree of Life

2012-02-24T03:04:00.000-08:00

The Tree of Life is an esoteric philosophy common to many cultures and mythologies, and the Ancients envisioned the entire cosmos in the form of a tree whose roots grow deep in the ground, branches reaching high into the heavens.

My tutorial has 9 pages with 24 steps, 27 photos.

$7.40

DIY: Beaded Cactus

2012-02-20T05:24:00.000-08:00

Do you like cacti? I love them. I used to have a dozen of them on my window-sill.
Today I will show how make this beaded cute cactus:)

Materials and Tools:
Seed beads, green, size 11/0
Craft wire 28 ga
Wire-cutters
Arranger
Clay pot
Glue (glue gun with plastic sticks)

String a large amount of beads (size 11/0) on a spool of 28ga wire.

Slipping the first 5 beads, insert wire through the next 5 beads, and tighten.

Leave about 1 inch (25mm) of loose wire from one end and 1/4" (6mm) from another. Cut the wire. Now, you have 1 thorn. Make 3 thorns...

Join 3 thorns together twisting long ends.

Be patient: I made more than 100 bundles of thorns for my little cactus!

I used ball arranger as a base for my cactus (diameter -1 3/4" (45 mm). Attach it to the clay pot with a glue- gun... Stick bundles into the arranger.

If you wish, you can make beaded flowers and stick them into the top of cactus.

You can find this tutorial in Russian here .

Video-Tutorial: S-hook Clasp

2012-02-19T05:28:00.000-08:00

"S" clasp is a nice comfortable clasp. Handmade clasps and hooks will add a personal touch to your jewelry. Make sure you use a wire gauge that is heavy enough to produce a strong clasp for your necklace or bracelet. I generally use 14 gauge wire, but, for a delicate piece I may use 16 gauge.You can also use a jump ring with the clasp.

To make this clasp you will need round nose pliers, chasing hammer, steel bench block.
Watch my video tutorial how to make this "S"-hook clasp.

PS. Excuse my web-camera for going out of focus in some episodes.

Tucson Gem Show 2012. Part 2 - Students and Teachers

2012-02-18T14:12:00.000-08:00

My suitcase is finally unpacked from Tucson. I did not buy much stuff there this year, but I met a lot of great people.

As you know, I teach jewelry classes annually in Tucson Gem and Mineral show. This year I was teaching at TEP.

The weather was nice, warm and sunny, sometimes windy (yes, it was a little challenging but fun:))

Free jewelry making demo: Jodi Bombardier and Lena Bugrimenko

Three talented instructors-"Chain Maille Lady" Lauren Andersen, Lena Bugrimenko, Irina Wilson.

Deb, Alice, Shawn, and Ray are taking my "Tree of Life" pendant class. I had fun teaching this class!

It's always nice to see a student from the last year. Helen also took my class "tree of Life". Very good job!

Irina Wilson (on the right) is teaching Celia bead embroidery.

And now, Celia was taking my "Catch a Gem Pendant" class. Well done, Celia!


Fay (on the right) is now jewelry making expert. Right, Fay?

Noshi made her first ever piece of jewelry!

Sally, Cheryl, and Gloria are making wire woven bracelets.

Teachers not only teach, they also learn. Lauren is taking Irina's bead embroidery class.

Dale "Cougar" Armstrong is busy with 7 students:)

Love these two teachers: always funny Meredith Arnold and Bea Grob.

Dr.Ray is taking Meredith Arnold's class "metal etching". I want to try this technique too... some day.

Can't wait till the next February to meet great teachers and talented students!

Part 1 is here.

Chain Mail Bezel for Coins and More

2012-02-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Not long ago, I found a Russian Saint-Petersburg Metro token at home (I guess, I brought it from my last visit of Russia). Turning it in my hands, I decided to make something with it since I cannot use it here anyway:) Besides, coin jewelry has been popular since coinage began.

I did not want to make any holes in it, so the chain mail bezel should work.

Jump rings are woven so that they hold the token firmly in place.

You will not believe, just after making this "Russian" pendant, my daughter found a genuine Slovenian 1 tolar, 1995, coin and Canadian Elizabeth Head Penny 1969 coin. I wanted to make a bezel for them too!

Enough with metal tokens and coins, I thought :) But I wanted to do more... I had a Cameo waiting for its lucky moment. There you go!

Well, coins and Cameo work fine with this technique, now I wanted to try it with a cabochon, which is a little thicker. I had a black onyx round cab.This black onyx cabochon is extremely well-cut and polished. Black onyx has traditionally been used to banish grief and enhance self-control. Oxidized silver plated jump rings are woven so that they hold the coin firmly in place... and it turned out very nice, I think :) Although, it took an hour to "battle" with slippery cabochon to squeeze it into the bezel :)
Diameter of this pendant 1 3/4" (45mm):

If you want to know how to make a chain Mail bezel yourself, I have a tutorial for it here . And, by the way, if you want to purchase the pendant(s), you can find them at my Etsy Shop.

Video Tutorial: Ear Wires

2012-02-15T10:32:00.000-08:00

Ok, this is my first "home-made" video tutorial. I hope you can understand my Russian accent. Please excuse my possible mistakes in English :)