Hello,
I am afraid I haven't been as productiv as I should have been this month, due to a small four legged beauty that needed a foster home for a few months. Her name is Peach and she is a lovely little cat, but very active. I have managed to make some new tutorials for you though, that I hope you will like. Not all the photos are of top quality, as I had to fight with Peach to use the (her) photo tent. But I hope you still get something out of the tutorials. Happy beading!

All the best!

Anne Cecilie

In This Issue

• Lucite Jewelry - Valuable And Collectible Plastic From The Past
• Costume Jewelry - Glamorous And Fashionable At A Low Cost

New tutorials

• Elegant Retro Inspired Polymer Clay Bracelet
• Radiant Mica Shift Necklace
• Funky Mica Shift Beads - Part 1
• Funky Mica Shift Beads - Part 2
• Funky Mica shift Necklace
• Swirl-Beads - One Pattern, Three Techniques
• Delightful Puff Beads - Part 1
• Delightful Puff Beads - Part 2

News

Lucite Jewelry - Valuable And Collectible Plastic From The Past:
Lucite jewelry was very popular in the first half of the 20th century. Brought to the market during depression and war as a cheaper alternative to more expensive jewelry, making it possible for everybody to adorn themselves in beautiful jewelry. Today vintage jewelry made from Lucite are highly priced as collectible items, some worth tens of thousands of dollars. But what IS Lucite jewelry, and why did it become so popular?

What Lucite is:
You know it by other names, like Acrylic glass, Plexiglas and maybe by its chemical formula Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).
The first Lucite was made by the Du Ponts Chemical company in 1928, and was launched on the marked in 1933 under the trademark Plexiglass.
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Costume Jewelry - Glamorous And Fashionable At A Low Cost
Costume jewelry, fashion jewelry, vintage jewelry, junk jewelry, fake jewelry are just some of the words used for jewelry that is made from non-precious materials, unlike fine jewelry. The many terms used on this type of jewelry, can be quite confusing. What exactly is costume jewelry? Is it made today, is it vintage, and is it just some cheap junk?

History of costume jewelry:
The term Costume jewelry was first introduced to the fashion industry and the world in 1930 by Coco Chanel.

read more

New Tutorials

Elegant Retro Inspired Polymer Clay Bracelet
This retro inspired polymer clay bracelet was great fun to make. The pattern on the beads remind me of a wall paper I had once, in the late 1970s. To shape the beads, I used a bead roller. Not to roll the beads, but as a mold to shape the beads. You will see how in a minute. So, are you ready to create? OK!
see the rest of the tutorial

Radiant Mica shift Necklace
This mica shift necklace is made with strong radiant complementary and analogous colors, making it colorful, vibrant and warm. The mica effect is not so strong, but still gives it an optical illusion of being 3 dimensional. To shape the beads I have used a bead roller. Not to roll the beads, but as a mold, making the beads square and beautifully domed. They are easy to make, so get your tools and let's start. See the rest of the tutorial

Funky Mica Shift Beads - Part 1 Sometimes it is fun to make something different, like these funky mica shift beads. Not the usual round beads, but something that looks odd, but nice at the same time. And with polymer clay, you can shape anything your heart desires. The only thing to keep in mind when making beads like these, is that they have to be functioning in a design. But, don't worry about that right now, now is the time to go creative and have fun. So are you ready? OK!

See the rest of the tutorial

Funky Mica Shift Beads - Part 2

Funky Mica Shift Necklace This mica shift necklace consist of six different shaped beads. Although the team for the necklace is mica shift, a technique made with clay that contains mica particles, a three color skinner blend is used as well. Held in lovely earth toned colors of moss green, copper and black, one lime colored bead is put in as an accent to balance the overall appearance of the necklace.

Using effect clays with mica particles, you can create beautiful optical illusions of three dimensional patterns. The secret is to first stamp the clay and then shave the raised parts off with a tissue blade. Shaving in the same direction is crucial to have the mica particles align in the same direction, creating the pattern of light and dark clay. The result is beautiful, and looks like it is 3 dimensional. See the rest of the tutorial

Swirl Beads – One Pattern, Three Techniques
These swirl beads are made with three different techniques, but with the same colors and the same texture sheet. Blue and gold together is always a good combination, and it takes a lot to go wrong when using them. The mica particles in the gold clay gives a rich, deep shine to the patterns, both in the mica shift bead and the mokume gane bead. The third bead does not have gold clay, but is painted with metallic rub-on wax. If you don't have metallic wax, you can use acrylic paint. see the rest of the tutorial

Delightful Puff Beads - Part 1
These lovely puff beads are hollow and therefor very light weight. Using a turned over paint palette to shape the beads, will give you nicely domed beads. Joined they become lovely puff beads, which not just look elegant, but are also comfortable to wear. The size of the beads are decided by the size of the shape cutter you use, but also on the size of the pain palette. Since the beads are very lightweight you can easily go for a larger size than you usually would. see the rest of the tutorial

Delightful Puff Beads - Part 2