Auntie's Beads Blog – Beading & Jewelry Making

French Hook Ear Wires (Instructions)

Learn How to create your very own handmade french hook ear wires.   And don’t forget to check back soon to view the full instructions for the “Everyday Elegance” earrings.  You’ll get to use the french wires you create from this post!  These earrings were created by Lisa Hughes Iversen of Angel Whispers Jewelry.

1. Using a flush cutter, cut a 2″ length of 22 wire. If using a headpin instead of wire, simply cut the head off the pin.  File if needed.
2. Using a round nose pliers and holding it at the very tip of the wire, roll the pliers away from you, making a very small loop, Turn the wire over so the loop is facing up and place the pliers above the completed loop ( about 1/4″ up the shaft of the pliers)  with your thumb, push the wire under the pliers until it meets up with the small loop.
3. Using an ink pen, or other small cylinder shape, hold the wire against the pen with your thumb, with the edge of the loop snug against your thumb. Using your other hand, bend the long end of the wire around the barrel of the pen.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 with the second wire.
5. Compare the ear wires when finished and make adjustments by bending, or by putting the wires back over the pen together and pulling on the wire.
6. Using a flat nose pliers, hold the very end of the ear wire and make a slight bend by tilting the pliers toward you.
7. If available, place ear wires on a steel block or anvil and tap lightly with a chasing hammer to harden.
8. Open larger loop slightly and slip earring on by sliding it up from the end to the loop area. Close loop and repeat with second earring.

Tools & Materials Needed:

22 gauge wire or 2 inch sterling silver head pins
Flat Nose Pliers
Round Nose Pliers
Chain Nose Pliers
Flush cutter
Steel block or anvil
Chasing Hammer

French Wire Instructions provided by Lisa Hughes Iversen of Angel Whispers Jewelry

CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements is coming out with a new line of Swarovski Crystals.  In fact, it’s a new and improved Swarovski crystal bicone bead called the “Xilion” cut.  This new #5328 Swarovski bead will be replacing the #5301 faceted bicones. So we wanted to give you guys a heads up about how we’re doing this transition. 

The new cut will help prevent imitations of the crystal as the 5328’s will emanate a higher degree of light refraction.

We’ll be adding this as a new category called “Swarovski Xilion Bicones (5328)” at the top of Swarovski Crystal Beads.  New colors will be added as time goes by as we fade out our 5301 bicones.  Some of the 5301’s will be reordered until they’re all gone, some of which have already officially been retired.  If you see a color in the 5328 Xilion Bicones category, then that means there will be no more orders for the 5301 in that color.  So be sure to stock up on the extremely limited supply of 5301 bicones.

Susie and I enjoyed a leisurely road trip from Dallas to the Tampa Bay area to get our store in Clearwater reopened.   I’m really excited about our new concept, which is a great little bead boutique shopping experience at www.clearwaterbeads.com, together with a Showroom/Web Outlet with self-serve kiosk shopping in the store.  If you’re ever in the Tampa Bay area, come see us in the Cypress Point Shopping Center.  Here’s a quick virtual visit with some photos of the store.

Anyway, back to the trip out.  We actually took three days to get here, stopping the first night at Shreveport for a little blackjack.  The next day we drove as far as Biloxi, where we stopped for a little blackjack.  Do you see a pattern developing here?  Biloxi is really coming back after Katrina.  There is a lot of construction going on, but to me it’s so much more pleasant than Shreveport or even the heat of Vegas.  So, yes, Susie and I like blackjack when I can drag her away from work. 

But the highlight of the trip for me was staying on St. George Island in the Florida panhandle.  The eastern part of the panhandle is not nearly as developed and touristy as the western part from Ft. Walton Beach to Panama City.  It was incredibly peaceful and picturesque.  You just have to get off the beaten path sometimes to find these gems. 

I resisted the impulse to make ‘gems’ a hyperlink to our gemstones page on www.clearwaterbeads.com.  Oops, I couldn’t resist after all. 

- Ron (The Real Beadman)

If you are beading on a budget, you are not alone.  With the rising gas prices and the current state of the economy, saving money is something all of us have in common.  So we would like to take a few moments to offer some ideas on how you can save money and still create your beautiful jewelry designs.

One way to save money is to keep an eye out for cost-effective substitute products.  For instance, instead of sterling silver, try using silver plate or pewter.  Instead of a beading board, use one of those cotton ribbed placemats with a ruler handy.  It can be just as effective as a beading board.  You can even try using seed beads as spacers instead of crystal or sterling silver.  If you want the look of Swarovski Crystal, Czech Glass can be used as a substitute and will compliment your lightweight pieces.

If you do not wish to invest in storage containers for your beads, there are many household items you can use instead.  For example, pill boxes, those Sunday through Saturday ones are great to organize your smaller beads.  Some people use sauce trays, those Asian-type plates for separating bead colors, especially for seed beads during a project.  Even Altoid cans or little Sucret boxes are great for small beads.  To get even more creative, you can use the metal CD cases and glue a piece of a bead mat down to one side and travel with your bead work on the airplane.  Just be careful going through the metal detector.  Also, using fingernail clippers as a nipper tool or scissors is helpful because you can use them when you travel too.

Stay away from:  Cheap lampwork beads.  They usually end up breaking so no matter how tempted you get, don’t fall for cheap knockoffs.  In fact, when it comes to glass beads altogether, it would be wise to steer clear of those cheap beads you find at craft stores such as Michael’s.  They skip the annealing process, making the beads more susceptible to breakage.  Also, try to stay away from inexpensive beading wire that may not be as good a quality to use in stringing.  19-strand & 49-strand are the best and most reliable as far as beading wire goes.

For some cost-effective project ideas, check out our Projects Under $15 category. Here is a new project addition.  Another budget project will be included in ”Part II”, so stay tuned.

Mixed Shape Drop Beaded Bracelet - $11.41 to make

Well, summer has come at last. Or does it start in mid-June…..? The point is, it’s hot. At least it is here in Texas. No matter, because either way we’re going to have to accessorize ourselves for the beach!

There are many creative ways to show off your awesome creations. One simple way to add some style to your look is to decorate your sunglasses, sandals, basically anything you wish to sport as you soak in the suns rays. And if you’re a big reader, then why not make a beaded bookmark. Click to see instructions for how to create our “Blooming Bookmark”.

When i go to the beach, i usually just choose my favorite pair of big earrings because, let’s face it, at the beach, bigger is better. But if you like to make a splash at the beach with your jewelry peices, here are a couple ideas that are perfect for such an occasion.

When making your beaded jewelry designs for the beach, it’s always a great idea to use natural beads, such as freshwater pearls and shell beads. Swarovski Crystal is also great, allowing the sun to shine through for extra shimmer. Here are some great colors to try - aqua, colorado topaz, smoked topaz, turquoise, cream, blue zircon, golden shadow & white alabaster.

Anyone who shops at Auntie’s Beads knows that we love giving all you fabulous beaders out there tons of new design ideas.  But, if you just can’t seem to get enough beaded jewelry designs, there is a new bead magazine that is chock full of great jewelry projects called Bead Trends.  It’s very big, more like a book really. And they only have 6 issues a year, so be sure to get them all.

What’s great about this magazine is that there are so many gorgeous projects and the pictures in it look very professional. They have a “Designer Highlight” section where they showcase a particular jewelry designer and share about 5 to 10 of their own creations that include instructions so that you can make it yourself.  If you would like to submit a design of your own to be included in an upcoming issue, just send an image of your creation along with your contact information.  Be sure to look out for Auntie’s Beads coupons when reading Bead Trends for discounts on our beads and beading supplies!