The Beadful Life @ BeadFX

Not abandoned

2017-03-18T10:55:00.002-04:00

We have not abandoned this blog - we just moved to incorporating it on our own site. Continue to stay in touch with us at www.beadfx.com.

😉

Chain + Metal Beads

2016-11-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Some great new chain this week - chain that will inspire you.
If you are trying to think what to make for the guy in your life, how about a nice, rugged stainless steel bracelet or neck chain? With matching jumprings and lobster claw clasp, you can put together a very striking look for the person - man or woman - that likes a non-fussy look.
We also have some really striking chains that are highly decorative. For instance - this Fishbone chain - use a short segment as a decorative element with other chains - makes a truly stunning look.
And this - which I lovingly think of as cheater chain mail, gives you a super look for not a lot of moolah and much less of a time investment - with all due apologies to those who do have the patience for chain maille!
And this one is my personal fave - the Wheat chain. In two sizes, petite and hefty (3 mm and 5.5 mm) - it is a knock-out all by itself.
Check out all the new chain here! And look for inspirations coming this weekend that will help you use them!
We continue to work on reorganizing all the metal findings and beads - based on colour - because that's how you told us you shop, plan, design, organize, sort, and store. This week - we have lots of lovely new Bright Silver beads!

Gift and Holiday tip! Whether for personal decorating or gifts for the hard to give to - a handmade ornament can be the gift that brings smiles year after year. Use these Snowflake Forms to make pretty ornaments that transcend the holidays!
So check out all the cool new stuff in a cool new website! Bead Happy!

We're so excited

2016-11-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

Two weeks into our new website and we're still excited about it. So many new capabilities. Also - vast amounts of time spent looking for stuff that we're pretty sure should be here somewhere ... . Such is the path of the upgrade!

One of the new capabilities will be to resurrect the monthly survey/prize draw that we used to do! In fact - let's do one now! How this works is, you answer some questions, sign up for our weekly emails if you haven't already (or not, your choice), and at the close of the survey period - we draw one responder at random, and they get a $25 gift certificate to use online! Woohoo! Head over to our survey to give us your opinions on handmade gifts!

Other than that - what is new "stuff"-wise?

We are very pleased to start offering some of the lovely items from Nunn Designs - in particular - the open bezel frames that are great for resin pendants!

There are also two new sizes of Bead on it Boards - you know - these make great gifts for the beader who apparently has everything. But then, so do gift certificates!

Also new - a new brand of fine silver metal clay. This is is FYI (For your inspiration!) clay - which is a Canadian brand! We think that you will be very pleased with the pricing!

We also have these lovely handmade Jewel Leaves that have a real vintage appeal, but are modern made.

We are also in the middle of re-designing how we display the findings and metal beads on the website. In store - we organize it by colour, all the silver together, and all the antiqued silver next to it, and the gold coloured, and the antiqued gold, etc. So we are replicating that on the website. I'd like to say that it is ready to go - but as I write this, there is still a bunch of stuff to do move and re-organize - so I'll probably still be working on it at midnight. ;-)

So check out all the cool new stuff in a cool new website! Bead Happy!

InspirationFX: Say It Like It Is!

2016-10-30T08:37:00.000-04:00

Say It Like It Is!
by: Anne Marie Desaulniers
If you have a name, or a simple saying on the tip of your tongue, then this is the bracelet for you! Quick, easy, adaptable, and depending on the components you choose, fairly inexpensive. Perfect for those last minute gifts, to advertise your business, name your children, express your love, mark an occasion, thank your hostess, or even air your frustrations. They'd even be fabulous as party favours! Don't wait! Start your collection now!
Of course, your choice of letters would be your own (search for Tierracast Letter Charms), but I'll list the ones I used (B E A D F X), in the 'Components' section.
Instructions:
1. Add a dab of E6000 Glue to the middle of one Metal Charm - Stepped Bezel (Note: I squeeze a small amount of the glue onto a piece of scrap paper, and apply to charm with a toothpick).
2. Add one SS34 Swarovski Rhinestone to the centre of one Metal Charm - Stepped Bezel.
3. Repeat the above two steps, for the second charm.
4. Wait for glue to dry.
5. Open bracelet, and feed charms onto bracelet, in the sequence of your choice. I chose to add one rhinestone charm, then the letter charms, and finally another rhinestone charm. Of course, your sequence will be personalized, according to the words &/or name(s) you have chosen.
6. You could leave your bracelet at this stage, but when you fasten it, your letters will jumble together. So instead of leaving it at that, I chose to do the following:
7. Take a comfortable length (I chose an arm's length) of the 28-gauge wire (or 26-gauge, if you choose), and start winding it tightly around the bracelet, starting at the loop end. Continue winding until you get about 3/4 of an inch away from your first charm.
8. String on one Swarovski Round, and wind wire around the bracelet (work carefully, as this fine wire does tend to kink. If it does, just straighten out the kink, and continue).
9. Wind wire around bracelet one more time (this leaves a space).
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9, two more times, ending with one wind of the wire, before the first charm.
11. Wind wire around again, but this time, going around the first charm, before finishing the wind.
12. Wind wire around bracelet again.
13. String one Swarovski Round, between each charm (this will help to space them, and keep them apart), with an empty wind of wire at the beginning and the end. Continue until you have reached the end of your letters.
14. Wind wire around the second Metal Charm - Stepped Bezel.
15. Add the remaining three Swarovski Rhinestones, the same way you added the first ones.
16. Adjust the spacing on your wire wraps.
17. Continue wrapping tightly, until you have reached the hook end of your bracelet.
18. When you're satisfied with your wraps, add a small dab of the E6000 Glue, on the bottom of the bracelet, at either end. This will keep the wire from unraveling, and also from slipping off the hook end.
19. Don't worry too much about perfection in your wraps. Just make sure to wrap them as tightly as possible.

Enjoy designing your charming, one-of-a-kind bracelet!

Components

Go to our components list for this project and to buy what you need!
Need some help with some of the techniques? Check our tips page.

New! New! New!

2016-10-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

What's new this week? Well, some new SuperDuos, some pinch beads, a new colour of metal clay, some new beading thread, and, oh yeah - the entire website!!!!!

Yes - a new look, that is fresher, cleaner, faster, more streamlined, and easier on the eyes. Easier to use on mobile too! New features like shopping by colour!
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Of course - as with anything this complicated - there are a few things that seem to be not quite what we expected. So please, if you find something weird, like pictures overlapping or showing up gigantic, or if you can't find something at all! - Please, please don't suffer in silence, just fire us an email and we will track down the bug and beat it to death for you.

Your user id will still work, your saved shopping carts are still there, although if it won't let you log in, clear your cookies, and if that doesn't work, just email us and we'll sort you out.

So if you are into the shaped beads, or the seedbeads or beadweaving, you've might be looking for the Hana thread. Hana is very new to the thread market. Hana is a colorfast, no-ply, strong and pre-waxed nylon beading thread. It’s fray resistant, which makes it perfect for laddering and seed bead weaving.
Hana thread was created by Midori Matsui - a retired ribbon manufacturer. It is consistent with KO and SONO in terms of quality and can be used interchangeably with them in any project that calls for them. Use with a Size 12 Beading Needle and fuse using an Ultra Thread Zap.

Picture this!

Picture Jasper and other stone Pendants - wonderful works of art, painted by Nature herself. Mother Nature paints these very slowly, mind you - over hundreds of thousands of years. You have to admit though, it's worth the wait!

And speaking of stone, how about some Kambaba Jasper? This handsome green stone gets my vote for most likely to be misspelled. Kambaba, Kambara, Kabama ... .

Metal Clay!

Prometheus metal clay! If you've been intimidated by the price point of the precious metal clays, then why not give the Prometheus clay a whirl? Price isn't the only thing to love about this clay - it's very forgiving to work as well. We have the new, Sunny Bronze, to add to the colour line-up. And we have classes in metal clay if you are local and want to learn in person. (We're still working on the classes portion of the website, so that part hasn't changed yet - but we're hoping to set it up so you can actually register online! Woohoo!)

However, if you really do want to use the Silver Clay - we've added the 950 Professional clay. This is a stronger clay, than fine silver and ideal for creating rings, clasps, hinges and other moving parts, and even bangle or cuff bracelets. It cannot be torch-fired, but it can be open-shelf fired without carbon; just place on a regular kiln board or firing blanket. Items made with Art Clay 950 can be hallmarked as Sterling, and have a silver purity of .950 when complete. (Did you know we have a firing service? We will add firing this clay after we've had a chance to test it.)

So check out all the cool new stuff in a cool new website! Bead Happy!

InspirationFX: Wire Braid Bangle & Necklace

2016-10-23T10:10:00.000-04:00

Wire Braid Bangle & Necklace

by: Pam Kearns

First of all, I'm not a wireworker but I see lots of possibilities for the new Artistic Wire Braid and the crimp tubes!

In this set of projects I've created a simple bangle using the 12 gauge Stainless Steel Artistic Wire Braid. I cut the wire using flush cutters to the measurement of the widest part of my hand. The braid is quite stiff but easy to cut. At this point I slipped on a combination of large hole stones. Joining the two ends is quite simple using the tube crimps. Slip the crimp tube so that the one end of wire halfway fills the crimp (you can 'pre-measure' the amount by laying the wire beside the crimp to determine the length and either mark it a sharpie or holding your fingernail in place). Using the ends of crimping pliers (not into the notch), squeeze the tube at one end; the wire will be held in place. Repeat with the other end of the wire into the remaining half of the crimp tube. I then used bracelet bending pliers to create a gentle curve in the crimp tube. The nylon jaws of the pliers will not damage the crimp.

If you don't care for the visibility of the crimp tube, there are ways of covering it. Consider wrapping the tube portion with matching or contrasting wire; covering it with epoxy clay (and adding sparkle with the mica powders); or stitching a small amount of peyote stitch and zipping it around the crimp tube and securing it with glue.

You can get a lot of bangles out of one package of wire braid and crimp tubes. Think about slipping on charms, large hole Swarovski donuts, or beaded beads to really personalize the look.

For the necklace, I created a self-closing 'necklace' using about 19" of the same wire braid. Using round-nose pliers, I created an S-hook with a spiral ending in a vertical plane. I then added some large hole round stone beads, including a small donut onto the wire. To close the necklace, I created another S-hook with a spiral ending in a horizontal plane. The two S-hooks simply hook into each other. Although the wire is already quite stiff, you can gently work harden the wire for more security by tapping the finished ends with a rubber mallet.

The crimp tubes are available in a variety of sizes. Consider also using them to connect thin cording, rubber tubing and more!

Components

Go to our components list for this project and to buy what you need!
Need some help with some of the techniques? Check our tips page.

SPOOK-Tacular Decorations...

2016-10-22T20:41:00.004-04:00

We just thought that you would like to see what the ghouls at BeadFX have been up too lately....

EEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKK.......................

25% off Ripple Pip Piggy Tango!

2016-10-21T09:19:00.000-04:00

Doesn't that sound like something you might have chanted in the playground while - maybe while skipping rope?

Ripple Pip Piggy Tango
Make your Mother buy a Mango
If she won't then try again
Make her buy a big fat hen

Sale! 25% off - until Nov 2

Ripple Beads

Ripple beads - a flat, circular bead with a rippled profile.

Be inspired by these wonderful samples from Preciosa-Ornela.

Pip

A new "Pip" or seed shaped bead - a flat drop - add texture to your designs!

Be inspired by these wonderful samples from Preciosa-Ornela!

Piggy

Piggy beads - another player in the two-hole shaped bead arena - vying for your attention! The two holes, one in the centre and one off-centre, are 3 mm apart. They can be beaded into a sort of clamshell container for other beads -check this out on Pinterest to see what I mean.

Tango

Wedge shaped triangles - two holes running side to side.

Need ideas? Check out these out on Pinterest!

Big Wire - Big Crimps

2016-10-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

New this week, Big Braided Wire, and crimps to join the ends.

Here's a cool idea - you can join the ends of this heavy, braided wire with crimps, to make a bangle bracelet!

It's easy to do - size the wire to fit your wrist - it needs to go over the widest part of your hand - so 9-10 inches, and slide one of these large crimps halfway onto the end, and crimp, and then slide the other end of the wire into the crimp and crimp the other half! Easy peasy. (If you are adding beads or charms onto the wire - do that first, before the final crimping!)

Alternately - you can use crimpable ends (or glueable) and add a toggle clasp, if you are not a fan of bangles.

There is a video here - it takes just seconds to make.

We have 2 new colours as well in the regular Artistic wire, the Pearl Silver and Iron. The Pearl Silver is a frosty white, and the Iron is close to black. I should point out that the "Iron" is the colour, and it is still a copper wire with a coloured coating.

Check out all the cool new stuff every week at BeadFX - Bead Happy!

A collection of random thoughts!

2016-10-19T00:05:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while, the muse needs to step back, reflect, and then deal with all of the random thoughts bombarding her during the day! As the rest of you deal with this as well, perhaps we should discuss some coping mechanisms. Who am I kidding? I have no idea how others cope with life, and I’m certainly not an expert, so I just plan to ramble on until I run out of words!! But isn’t the photo pretty (it's one I took on my river walk)?

Speaking only for myself, I seem to be all over the place with my art lately! Am I a bead, fibre, or mixed media artist? Why should I categorize myself, if I enjoy what I’m doing? I guess the term “mixed media” probably fits the best, because then I can do basically, anything that I want to do. Is that a fair statement? Perhaps the problem isn’t the terminology, but rather the lack of focus on any one thing. Should that be my focus? Should I focus more on focusing? Should I start to make lists? Would that make me more productive? Who knows??

One thing I do know, is that lifelong learning is a very important part of my life. My intent is to continue exploring and expanding my art! I get easily bored, and once I master (to the best of my ability) a technique, my muse tells me that it’s time to learn something new. Granted, not always entirely new, but instead, a marriage of both old and new techniques. Take this week, for example! I’ve started working on a new bead embroidery (future class alert!), but my plan is to adapt and execute it, with some ideas I learned in my fibre life. I’m even considering incorporating hand embroidery into the piece, although it is quite small, and I don’t want to “busy up” my palette! I’d love to show it to you, but it’s an ugly stage, so instead I’ll just say that it involves flowers, land and sky. The colours are red, black, and I’m not quite sure about the sky yet!! As always, more to come later! The colours are correct, but the photo has absolutely nothing to do with my embroidery! It's just one I grabbed off Google Images.

Onwards and upwards to more randomness (and a couple more Google images)! Did you know that right brained people are clutter-holics? Not all of the quotes are clutter related, but here are some of my favourite art and creativity quotes:

“Creative mess equals creative thought” – Timothy Atwood.......... "To invent you need a good imagination and a pile of junk” – Thomas Edison.......... “Perfectly ordered disorder designed with a helter skelter magnificence” – Emily Carr.......... “Life is a great big canvas and you should throw all the paint you can at it” – Danny Kaye.......... “Art is the only way to run away without leaving home” – Twyla Tharp.......... “One of the advantages of being untidy is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries” – A.A. Milne.......... “Imagination is the air of the mind” – Philip James Bradley.......... “Blessed are the cracked for they shall let in the light” – Unknown.......... “Play is the essential feature in productive thought” – Albert Einstein.......... “He who works with his hands is a labourer. He who works with his hands and his head is a crafter. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist” – St. Francis of Assisi

Are you ready to reflect, focus and make some small changes in your life? Review your knowledge base of techniques, and then try combining them into something new and exciting. Change is one of the constants in life, and isn’t it time you embraced it?

Wrap-up October with a 'spook-tacular' class!

2016-10-18T00:30:00.000-04:00

No, our classes aren't scary; we want you to feel comfortable when you come to take classes at BeadFX. We just love getting into the Halloween spirit! Hmm...I wonder how many beads it would take to cover a pumpkin?

We have several new classes coming up with Sue Henry, Christine Woollacott, Maria Rypan, Gillian Clarke and Jen Rosen! We also have many encore classes in all jewellery-making mediums that you'll enjoy, including revamped classes with Bonni Poch for bead crochet. Unfortunately, we needed to cancel our classes with Hannah Rosner due to lack of sign-ups, but don't worry - we have several visiting instructors coming in 2017.

Here are the classes scheduled October 21 - October 31:

Friday, October 21
NEW Make your own Toggle/Bar Clasp with Copper Metal Clay
Instructor: Sue Henry
Style your own custom findings!

Saturday, October 22
NEW Plique-a-Jour with Fine Silver Metal Clay
Instructor: Christine Woollacott
10:00am - 5:00pm
Learn an enamelling technique that resembles the beauty of stained glass! Class continues Sunday, October 23; 10:00am - 5:00pm

Intro Weekend to Lampworking

Instructor: Amy Waldman

10:00am - 2:30pm

Make your own glass beads! Class continues Sunday, October 23; 11:30am - 4:00pm

Tuesday, October 25
NEW Tapered Net Bracelet
Instructor: Maria Rypan
1:30 - 4:30pm
Learn a new way to use 2-hole beads!

Wednesday, October 26
Introduction to Art Clay Silver
Instructor: Jenn Jevons
11:00am - 7:00pm
Create your own fine silver pendants, charms and other jewellery components!

FREE Open Bead Night

Facilitator: Bonnie Cottingham

6:00 - 8:00am

Bring your project and join friends for a fun evening!

Thursday, October 27
FREE Afternoon Bead Tea
Facilitator: Pamela Kearns
1:00 - 3:00pm
Bring your project and be among the first to see the new weekly items!

Embellished Rivoli Pendant

Instructor: Sureka Sriharan

6:00 - 9:00pm

Learn how to bezel a rivoli for a beautiful pendant!

Open Metal Studio: Hot and Cold Connections
Facilitator: Iris Rogers Melamed
6:00 - 8:00pm
Bring your metalwork project and get help and tips from Iris!

Friday, October 28
NEW Shaggy Loops and Scales
Instructor: Gillian Clarke
6:00 - 9:00pm
Learn the basics of chainmaille!

NEW Wild Wire Flowers

Instructor: Ann Shewan

6:00 - 9:00pm

Jigs will be your new best friends for wirework!

Saturday, October 29
REVAMPED Bead Crochet: The Basics and Beyond
Instructor: Bonni Poch
Part 1: 10:00am - 1:00pm
Part 2: 2:00 - 5:00pm
Learn how to do bead crochet and what more you can do with it!

Hot Connections: Connecting Components

Instructor: Iris Rogers Melamed

10:00am - 5:00pm

Take your silver soldering skills to the next level!

Sunday, October 30
Resin: A Mixed-up Media Approach
Instructor: Anne Marie Desaulniers
11:00am - 5:00pm
Discover how to use resin!

NEW Wire Wrapping: 2 Finger Ring

Instructor: Jen Rosen

12:00 - 3:00pm

Create your own trendy ring!

Complete information about each activity is available by clicking on the title. You can also go to www.beadfx.com and click on 'Classes'. Follow the links to the October class calendar and click on the individual classes, events and sessions.

Fall 2016 jewellery trend round-up

2016-10-17T10:25:00.001-04:00

By Cindy Goldrick

It's that time of year again! I've scoured the fashion magazines' reporting on the fall jewellery trends to bring you this summary. Then you can look in your jewellery box for styles that are back, or can be easily upcycled to look current. And never forget that your favourite jewellery store has all the components ( and classes) that will allow you to custom-make on trend jewellery at a fraction of the department store prices.

Chain chain chain: we're not talking about tiny chains or masses of chain. We are talking about padlock the door chain. It's part of the punk revival in jewellery.

Speaking of which...

Safety pins. Yes safety pins. Big ones in your ears, dangling from your lobes and even as components to join sections of chain in necklaces. I'm not kidding.

Big big big: big slices of agate on long chains as well as worn like big plates on your ears as earrings. Also big pearl ropes piled up. Big coins on chokers, as earrings. The XXL necklace that piles it on, stacks it up and looks like it will weigh you down is your best accessory.

More more more: pile on those rings - the bigger the better. Finally style has caught up with me. Lol.

Charms, charms and more charms: on rings and big chunky bracelets. But what I'm loving is the talisman style necklaces that a small company I work with, Bench Artisans, has been making and selling all summer.

Eye glass chains: on the chain theme, these are in your face chains that make your glasses a major fashion accessory.

Chokers: get out the velvet, lace and other tactile textiles. Create or buy a buckle for the back and add pearls, semi precious stones or a brooch.

Ohhhhh, brooches! Look out 80s ladies - brooches are back. Wear them as pairs on lapels with chain draped between them. Attach them to headpieces for instant glamour. Pile two or three on one side that have a theme to bring them together.

What's still in style from the spring:

Tassels galore as duster earrings, on talisman necklaces, on hand bags.

Asymmetrical looks, especially one duster earring.

If you have noticed any other trends, please add them below.

InspirationFX: Simply Grey

2016-10-16T08:09:00.000-04:00

Simply Grey

by: Anne Marie Desaulniers

There comes a time of the year, when we realize that summer has passed, and the grey skies of winter will soon be upon us. Grey has a certain soothing appeal, and will easily coordinate with many of the colours in your wardrobe.
Simple in appearance, and simple in both style and construction. Dress it up, or dress it down! Inspired by a piece I spotted on the internet, a couple of weeks ago. The original necklace showcased pearls, but I decided to put my own stamp on it, by using large hole, stone beads. I'm happy with my choices!
Instructions:
1. Cut leather into three lengths - 2 X 22 inches; 1 X 12 inches (there will be a little waste, so adjust lengths as desired). If you want a longer necklace, then you should probably bump the amount you purchase up to 2 metres.
2. Fold each of the 22 inch lengths of leather into two, and string 3-Distressed Barrels, on each of the doubled up lengths (three on one set; three on the other, by squeezing two of the round leather pieces, into each of the Distressed Barrels).
3. Adjust spacing of the Distressed Barrels as desired.
4. Reserve the 12 inch length of leather, until later.
5. You will have four cut ends of the leather. Attach one 2mm End Cap with Loop to the first end, by adding a single drop of Super New Glue to the inside of the end cap, then adding the leather, and gently squeezing shut with your pliers. Repeat this process for the other three ends and let dry.
6. Attach each of the doubled up lengths of leather to the top of the Radiant Flat Round Ring, with a Lark's Head Knot. You now have two sides of your necklace, almost complete.
7. On one side, join the 2-2mm End Cap with Loop, with a 9 mm Jumpring. Repeat for the other side.
8. On one side, attach 1-7mm Jumpring to both the 9mm Jumpring, and the Swivel/Rotating Medium Hook Clasp.
9. On the other side, attach 1-7mm Jumpring to both the 9mm Jumpring, and the Swivel/Rotating Link.
10. Now you?re ready to use the 12 inch, reserved length of leather.
11. On one of the cut ends, string in the following sequence - 1-Nuggett Heishi/1-Picasso Jasper/1-Nugget Heishi/1- Picasso Jasper /1-Nugget Heishi/1- Picasso Jasper /1-Nugget Heishi.
12. Knot the leather, with a simple overhand knot, close to the end.
13. On the other cut end, string as follows - 1 Nuggett Heishi/1- Picasso Jasper /2-Nugget Heishi/1- Picasso Jasper /2-Nugget Heishi/1- Picasso Jasper /1-Nugget Heishi.
14. Knot the leather, with a simple overhand knot, close to the end.
15. Fold the length of leather, and adjusting so that one side is slightly longer than the other.
16. Attach the folded length of leather, to the bottom of the of the Radiant Flat Round Ring, with a Lark's Head Knot.
17. Adjust the spacing of the beads, as desired.
18. Congratulations your necklace is complete!

Don't be afraid to change up the colour scheme, the beads, or even the length of the necklace. It's incredibly easy to do!
Equipment needed: two pairs of pliers, to open and close the jump rings; and one to close the End Caps with Loop. I used my Chain Nose pliers for both, but you could also use Bent Nose or Flat Nose pliers.

Components

Go to our components list for this project and to buy what you need!
Need some help with some of the techniques? Check our tips page.

20% off Swarovski Bicones!

2016-10-14T13:56:00.000-04:00

Swarovski bicones - if beads were food and lived in your pantry - then Swarovski bicones would be the bag of sugar - the staple that you just can't make anything without.

Actually - even Swarovski has used that analogy, but calls it's crystals "Salt" and names it's magazine "Salt" for the ubiquitousness and usefulness of their crystals.

But I like a sweeter metaphor than that.

Anyway - however you mix your metaphors, crystal bicones are sure to spice and sweeten your designs.

And they are currently 20% off - so sprinkle them on!

3 mm Bicones	4 mm Bicones	5 mm Bicones	6 mm Bicones	7 mm Bicones

8 mm Bicones	10 mm Bicones

Monstrously Good

2016-10-13T08:30:00.000-04:00

We were working at the bead table late one night,
When our eyes did behold a beady sight,
For our Kheops beads on the mat did fall
and they spelled out words in a message for all

We are the beads - the Kheops beads
Like a pyramid shape, we are not seeds
We are the Beads - we fulfill your needs
We are the beads - the Kheops beads!

They're a range of colours from Matte Light Gold
To a Coral Red that's very bold
And all you could hear in the light of the day
Was all the gals singing "My mummy likes it that way."

They are the beads - they are two-hole beads
Like a pyramid shape, they are not seeds
The holes go down the sides, and out the base
They assemble into patterns with ease and grace

Of course, that's not the only thing that's new
We have some beads that are 2mm and true
Tiny firepolish for your beading pleasure,
Genuinely 2 millimeter if you'd like to measure!

They are the Firepolish - the True 2 millimeter
Get 'em by the package - not by the litre
They are the Firepolish - the True 2 millimeter
They might be fiery but you don't need a heater

And then we thought, how about some thread?
If we don't get some colours then we're going to be dead
So we got some Toho beading line
It's called One-G and you'll like it fine.

It's a thread - it's a beading thread
You'll like it fine - that's what we said
Its colours are great, like Mint and Orange
Nothing on the planet rhymes with orange.

And that's the way it is this week at BeadFX - with profound apologies to Bobby Pickett. Wishing you all a great week and see you next week, with more beady nonsense. Bead Happy!"

What's on my bead mat - October edition!

2016-10-12T00:05:00.000-04:00

I thought that it was time to give you an update, on my beady activities! Well, my bead mat is actually a disgrace right now, so I decided to do my bead mat update, off the bead mat this time!! But the good news, is that I finished off a couple of projects this month.

First, my “Silly Goose” doll is now complete. Isn't she adorable? All the beading was finished in September, but I still needed to work out her hair. I normally add it right after I bezel the face, but this time the doll was telling me to mix up her media, and give her some needle felted hair. I had the needles, I had the hair…..all I needed to do, was…..wait for it…….actually do it!!!! I anticipated a lot of down time, at the recent BeadFX, Artisan Trunk show, so I used that free time, to do the deed. I’m not sure why I waited so long, but I did, so no excuses! As a freeform diva, I’m thinking that this doll is my favourite! I’ve been told that she doesn’t really look like a goose, but I’m committed to that name, and am not able to think of her in any other way. So much so, that I’m thinking that a wire nest is in order! What do you think? Although not green, I’m thinking that her riotous hair reminds me of someone else’s hair. I wonder who that could be? Giggle!

Next, I worked on a leaf shape, that I had hanging about. I quickly sketched a flower shape, that I’ve been doodling since I was a teenager, and then proceeded to bead it. This flower would normally have five petals, but there just wasn’t room for all five on this piece, so I elected to go with just four (although it doesn't follow my rule of one, three or five!). As a side note, I’ve drawn, painted, collaged, and free motion stitched this shape in the past, so I just had to bead it! The stitches used are a combination of beaded back stitch, and boucle or moss stitch (I also know it as the bocce stitch, but as I’ve never seen anything about that stitch in writing, I’m going to ignore that name). I’ll let the piece rest for a while, but I think my muse is trying to persuade me to incorporate it into a freeform necklace. Hmm, we’ll see!

Last, but not least, the little bead embroidered pendant, is something I finished off in my Nature’s Mood: Bead Embroidered pendant workshop, this past Saturday. It’s a class sample I started the last time I ran the class. My students were absorbed by their stitching, and the quiet was almost deafening! I hadn’t planned it that way, but It did give me time to get some stitching of my own done. Lucky me! After I initially planned the piece, I thought the stone/shell combination, reminded me of a rickety fence. However, now all I can see are sailboats! I'm not sure how I'll finish it off, but I suspect that leather might be part of the solution! It's not scheduled yet, but if you're interested in taking the class, I do plan to run it again in the spring.

Where will I go next? I have some ideas percolating, about the driftwood I picked up a couple of weeks ago, or perhaps my muse will let me start working on the naked purple doll! Or better still, I should clean off my bead mat! Sheesh! What are you working on, and what does your bead mat look like today?

Catch BeadFX 'at the show'!

2016-10-11T00:30:00.000-04:00

I love going to trade shows that deal with beads, art products and crafts! They are a hub of energy, creativity and inspiration. And, it gives us a chance to meet established customers and greet new customers.

Fall is the time for trade shows and two that BeadFX participates in all of the time are sponsored by local beading societies:

Toronto Bead Society
Fall Bead and Jewellery Fair
Friday, October 14; 1:00pm to 6:45pm
Saturday, October 15; 11:00am - 5:00pm
Central YMCA
20 Grosvenor Street, 2nd Floor, Toronto
(north of College, west of Yonge)

Admission: $7 for one day; $10 for 2 days (pick-up a postcard at BeadFX to get $2 off your admission)

Grand River Bead Society
Bead Show and Sale
Saturday, November 12
Sunday, November 13
10:00am - 5:00pm both days
The Best Western Plus Royal Brock Hotel and Conference Centre
716 Gordon Street, Guelph

Admission: $3

Bead Societies are a great way to meet other like-minded people and see what other members do. Don't let the name deceive you - membership in bead societies cover the entire gamut of jewellery-making techniques! BeadFX will, with proof of membership, provide a 15% discount on regular priced merchandise to all bead society members! For more information, call or email our order desk.

The following bead societies are found in the Greater Toronto area:
Toronto Bead Society (http://www.torontobeadsociety.org)
West Toronto Beading Guild (https://sites.google.com/site/wtbeadingguild/)
East Toronto Beading Guild (https://www.facebook.com/ETBeadingGuild/)
Grand River Bead Society (http://www.grandriverbeadsociety.com/)

Check out what is organized in your area!

InspirationFX: Trick or Treat

2016-10-09T14:27:00.000-04:00

Trick or Treat

by: Erin Singleton

Walking home from work the other night, a strong breeze blew through the trees. The light from the street lamps danced across the pavement, while an eddy of fallen leaves rustled over the sidewalk. It's that time of year again... Halloween!

Inspired by the Jack o' Lanterns now lining the neighbours porches, this bracelet gets into the festivities. Black and orange leather braid together with bright copper and metal noir findings.

To begin, cut 6 strands of black leather and 4 strands of mango leather, approximately 10" in length. This gives you enough length to knot you strands together at the beginning and then snip the knot off once braided. Group the leather into two bundles of black and one bundle of orange and create a simple braid. Once the braid is long enough to go around your wrist, secure the either end with a wrap of painters tape and trim. Remember that the findings and clasp will add about an inch to the bracelet.

Place one end of the braid into an end crimp, dab on a little super new glue and squeeze shut with a pair of nylon jaw pliers. Repeat on the other end and remove the painters tape, once securely in the end crimps. Add a black jump ring to either end crimp and a bright copper lobster claw to finish.

Components

Go to our components list for this project and to buy what you need!
Need some help with some of the techniques? Check our tips page.

50% off Tiny Tims

2016-10-07T13:06:00.000-04:00

It's a big deal on Tiny Tims - cute little droplet beads! Excellent in fringes, edges, picots, earrings and look awesome in a dutch spiral.

Snap 'em up! Click on an image to jump right to it!

Be Inspired by our Classes!

2016-10-06T16:56:00.001-04:00

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all."
- Stanley Horowitz

Autumn colours are glorious and certainly provides inspiration for all kinds of jewellery and creative ideas. Our instructors have pulled out all the stops for their mid-October classes. Pamela Kearns has a new wire macrame project and Kelly Garland is teaching a new sterling silver ring design. We also have a new instructor - Ann Shewan who is sharing how to drill pebbles! If you want to know more about semi-precious stones and other gems, then come out to a new class with Rosemary Beasley and Kelly Garland. Check out our repeat classes too!

Here are our classes and open sessions scheduled October 11 - 20:

Thursday, October 13:
FREE Afternoon Bead Tea
Facilitator: Pamela Kearns
1:00 - 3:00pm
Bring your project and be among the first to see the new weekly products.

NEW Twist & Shout: Spiraling Wire Macrame on Leather Bracelet

Instructor: Pamela Kearns

5:00 - 9:00pm

Learn how to do macrame with wire and beads.

Open Metal Studio: Kiln Enamelling
Facilitator: Christine Woollacott
5:00 - 9:00pm

Friday, October 14
TBS Fall Bead and Jewellery Fair
Central YMCA; 20 Grosvenor Street, 2nd Floor
1:00 - 6:45pm
Continues Saturday, October 15; 11:00am - 5:00pm

NEW Pebble Beach Bracelet

Instructor: Ann Shewan

5:00 - 8:00pm

Learn how to drill your own pebbles and other materials.

Saturday, October 15

Hot Connections: Bangles

Instructor: Iris Rogers Melamed

10:30am - 4:30pm

Sunday, October 16

NEW Queen Crown Ring: Sterling Silver and 14kt Gold

Instructor: Kelly Garland

11:00am - 5:00pm

Wire Wrapping: Coiled Pendant

Instructor: Jen Rosen

12:00 - 3:00pm

Tuesday, October 18

NEW Gemology 101

Instructors: Rosemary Beasley and Kelly Garland

6:00 - 9:00pm

Wednesday, October 19

Open Metal Studio: Fine Jewellery

Facilitator: Kelly Garland

5:00 - 8:00pm

Open Bead Night

Facilitator: Pamela Kearns

6:00 - 8:00pm

Thursday, October 20
Afternoon Bead Tea
Facilitator: Pamela Kearns
1:00 - 3:00pm

Attention: All Seedbeaders

2016-10-06T09:00:00.000-04:00

"Good morning ladies and gentleman and all the ships at sea. This is Bead McBeady with a seedbeady update.

This just in: New colours of both Toho size 15/0 seedbeads and Miyuki size 15/0 seedbeads.

The Miyukis all appear to be of the Duracoat variety, while the Toho's are some of the more exotic colours, like the Gold Lustre Green Tea, the Higher Metallic Pandora, and the Metallic Cosmos. We have it on good authority that seedbeaders everywhere have been waiting for these with bated breath. Later - we will have an interview with famed scientist Dr. Fritz Katz who has researched the eating of cheese and sitting by mouseholes on the topic of baited breath.

In other news, a stampede of Miniduos has been spotted at BeadFX - with around 20 new colours rampaging through the aisles. We go to our reporter Tiny Needles, in the field ... "

"Thank you McBeady - yes we are here in the aisles at BeadFX, and we seem to be surrounded by MiniDuos. As you probably know, MiniDuos are smaller versions of SuperDuos - the famous 2 hole bead that helped to launch the pressed, 2-hole bead revolution."

"Are there any new SuperDuos, Needles?"

"No, McBeady - there are no new SuperDuos this week, but there is a herd of them on Manager's Special, so we suspect those might be endangered."

"Alrighty, thank you for that report Ms Needles."

And back here in the studio - we have a report from our Wire-ologist, Wy R. U. Bent.

Ms Bent - what's new in the world of wire?"
"Well, McBeady - we have some very exciting news in wire today. Today we see two new tools expressly designed to make wire wrapping easier. The wire banding pliers and double band pliers. These tools make a fold in the half round wire for wrapping around 21 gauge square wire. This makes it much easier to get a good, clean wrap started. We go to film with inventor Wyatt White."

"Why - that certainly is exciting news, Wy. And do you have any more news for us in wire?"
"Yes indeedy, McBeady. Bare Copper fans will be happy to see that there is new Bare Copper Wire and longer bracelet blanks too. These are custom cut to 9 inches, making them big enough to solder into bangles, or make cuffs for larger wrists!"

"Well - that certainly is exciting news Ms Bent. And we come back to the studio - wait - I'm getting a news flash - this just in - Clover Mini Looms - for the beader on the go - for travelling, small projects, or for those who always have multiple projects on the go, get more than one!

And that's the way it is this week for the Beady News from BeadFX. Wishing you all a great week and see you next week, with more wonderful beady news. Bead Happy!"

BeadFX Shenanigans!

2016-10-05T07:15:00.000-04:00

I bet you think that we spend all of our time, playing with beads! No so!!! Two big events, and a road trip, over the last few weeks, made for a burst of early fall shenanigans.

We started with the introduction of new Swarovski products (at our evening launch), towards the end of September. Next, Pam and I took our travelling road show of products, to the Needle Arts Fair, sponsored by The Cataraqui Guild of Needle Arts, in Kingston, Ontario (last Saturday), and then back home, to participate in our Sunday, Artist's Trunk Show. Whew! A very busy couple of weeks! Needless to say, getting ready for these events, takes a lot of cooperation, and a small army of Crazy Bead Ladies (and one gentleman). I’d like to say that it’s all seamless, but a few oops, quirks, shipping delays, last minute ideas, disappointments, system and/or equipment glitches, always makes life interesting!

Let’s start with the Swarovski launch! One day, we arrived at the office, to see large wooden letters, spelling out the word Swarovski, laid out on the back packaging table (along with glue and many, many, packages of crystal flatbacks). Rochelle had already painted the letters, but then Marg sent out the “sparkle” war cry, and Rochelle, Amanda and myself, lost more than a few brain cells, applying glue, and sticking on about a million crystals (well it felt like it!). Even Dan got in the act, by getting out his level, and meticulously hanging said letters, high on the wall, early the next morning. The sign still makes me smile, as it’s a permanent reminder, of teamwork, cooperation, and another excellent launch!

Kingston has a rich history in art, textiles and the needle arts, so I jumped at the chance to be included in the Needle Arts Fair (you know that I have a fibre art background, don’t you?). Though smaller than some of the other shows we attend, it was chock full of both artistic excitement, and appreciation for all of the beady goodies we brought to town (size 15 Miyuki seed beads, Czech buttons, Dragon Scales and O beads, were all popular choices). Both Pam and I showed off our bead embroidery (mine also included mono-prints, free motion machine and hand embroidery), and basked in the heartwarming feedback, we received from the membership. There’s talk of a few teaching opportunities, and once the logistics are worked out, I’m sure that we’ll be taking our show on the road again. I wasn’t a witness, but I did hear about some blatant lobbying of the membership (not to mention the fact that my samples, went along for the ride)! LOL! My only regret is that I forgot to take photos of the show (in my defense, we were awfully busy). There were some magnificent vintage purses, life sized fibre art sculptures, and samples of guild members work, that I would have loved to share with you! Not to mention the drool worthy, fibre goodies, products and samples, from the other vendors. (Please note, the photos showing below, are all from the Trunk show).

Finally, we need to talk about the fabulous Artist's Trunk show, that was held at the store on Sunday. What we lacked in attendance, we more than made up with enthusiasm! We sold, and showed off our bead, glass, metal, enamel, fibre, and mixed media wares, while having a great time, chatting up the customers (and each other), giggling, eating and sharing a vast array of techniques. We missed you, but with a little luck, and a whole lot of planning, there’s always next year! An added bonus, is that I was able to finish my "Silly Goose", beaded art doll, but more about her (including photos) in the coming weeks!

Busy for sure, but certainly rich and rewarding in contacts, experience, and shenanigans! The Crazy Bead Ladies (and one gentleman) pulled through once again, and are anxiously awaiting the next chapter of our adventures!

In a pickle

2016-10-03T03:47:00.001-04:00

By Cindy Goldrick

Firescale is the residue layer of oxides that forms on the surface of metal when it’s heated. At high temperatures, oxygen mixes with the copper to form cuprous oxide and then cupric oxide.

Pickle is, at its most basic, a liquid that allows you to quickly and easily remove this oxidation from your metal, especially if you're soldering bezels and need clean metal for further soldering steps.

There are many kinds of pickle. The one you're likely most familiar with is a sulphuric acid that's often sold under the brand-name Sparex. It is a dry acid compound and you use Sparex number 2 for gold, silver and copper. It must be warmed, so get yourself a dedicated crockpot for it and mix ⅛ c Sparex with a cup of water. It lasts for quite a while. Make sure you only use copper tongs in this pickle. If you put steel tweezers into the pickle liquid you will end up copper plating your silver and you'll be very sad. In the metal studio at Beadfx they keep one crockpot for silver and one for copper.

In class I get a lot of questions about when and where to dispose of Sparex pickle. When it starts taking more than five or ten minutes to pickle your metal, and the water turns a lovely shade of blue thanks to all the copper it has absorbed, you have to neutralize it. Wait til it cools, then put it in a container with much more volume than the liquid. Add baking soda and watch the science experiment happen! When it settles, decant it into a jug and dispose of it as you would any hazardous material.

But for those of you who like to work with something a little more gentle on the environment, there are alternatives. Some of them might surprise you with their simplicity, availability and low price tag.

One of my favourite pickles is a simple one and you have the ingredients right in your cupboard: good old white vinegar and salt that does not contain iodine (kosher, sea salt and pickling salt all work.) One teaspoon of salt per cup of water and your work area will smell like a fish and chips shop in no time! This pickle doesn't have to be disposed of in the same way as Sparex. You don't need to neutralize it and I've read that the copper in the liquid can have an interesting effect on the colour of your hydrangeas when you dump the pickle out in the garden by the plant’s roots.

Citric acid pickles are enviro-friendly too. You can buy some specifically created as jewellery pickle. Beadfx carries Nature’s Touch Citric Pickle. A two pound bag sells for around $11. If you're looking for an even lower-cost version though, check out the citric acid at Bulk Barn. Or better yet, get a pack of Kool-Aid out of the cupboard. What's the first ingredient? Yup, ascorbic acid, a type of citric acid. Although I haven't tried it, I suspect if you choose a light colour and pleasant scent like lemon, it would work just fine and bring back some childhood memories while you work. These pickles don't have to be neutralized and are safe to dispose of poured outside into the ground. Google them to confirm mixing proportions for these “home” pickles.

One final thing to mention is that pickle removes firescale but not fire stain, which is embedded deeper in the metal after heating. You often need to undertake further abrasive scrubbing of the metal with steel wool or sandpaper to remove this deeper discolouration. Also, you will likely find that, when you remove your metal from the pickle pot, there is a matte “coating” making it look dull. This too can be removed with abrasive scouring and polishing of the metal to get it back it's shiny, bright state. Happy pickling!

InspirationFX: Maritime Wharf

2016-10-02T15:22:00.000-04:00

Maritime Wharf
by: Erin Singleton
When these polished pearl nuggets first arrived in the store all I could think of was seaweed spreading across the floor of the Bay of Fundy at low tide. I needed to make something that reminded me of the swirling tide pools and fishermen's nets draped across the shore. Pearls, urchins and barnacles all come together in this piece.

For the focal I've created a section of 12-strand spiral kumihimo. A few googled diagrams and a YouTube video later and I was ready to begin with a pattern that reminded me of a nautical rope. As I was working with short sections of C-Lon (only about 9" long), I strung the rizos while braiding the cord. After each spin around the disk, another rizo would be strung into the 'groove' of the spiral. Once I was happy with the length of the kumihimo spiral, the ends were taped, clipped, and forced into a pair of leather crimps. A drop of super new glue and a good squeeze with a pair of chain nose pliers and the kumihimo was ready to be strung.

Lightweight aluminum chain was then attached to the leather end crimps. As this chain is unsoldered, links can easily be opened and closed allowing for the clasp to be inserted and the length to be adjusted.

Now that the basic necklace was put together, it was time for me to embellish with those rich pearl nuggets and a pair of bone rondelles that remind me of urchins! Strung on two pieces of beading wire, the bone and mother of pearl were attached to the leather end crimps on either end of the kumihimo spiral. The opposite end of each strand is then attached to a link in the chain. Wire guardians were used to ensure that the beading wire was unable to slip through the links of the unsoldered chain.

Components

Go to our components list for this project and to buy what you need!
Need some help with some of the techniques? Check our tips page.

25% off Tilas and Half Tilas

2016-09-30T13:38:00.000-04:00

25% off Tilas, and Half-Tilas. Go ahead - TILA someone.

TILAs

Half TILAs