Look at some of the newest fun items we've posted on OhioBeads.com:

Gold-Plated Earwires #5: Ball-End (5 pair/pkg) $2.50 Antique Copper Bead Frame #2: Round Frame (8/Pkg) $2.50 Antique Copper Bead Frame #1: Square Frame (8/Pkg) $3.25 Antique Brass Bead Frame #1: Square Frame (8/Pkg) $3.25 Antique Brass Charm _#23: 12mm Coin Dangle (10/Pkg) $2.97 Antique Copper Charm _#23: 12mm Coin Dangle (10/Pkg) $2.97

We've also added an Antique Brass Round Magnetic Clasp, Antique Copper 3 inch headpins and more!

Check it out. You should have fun with these new components.

Here's to your creativity!

Cynthia
OhioBeads.com

Antique Brass Fancy Leaf Chain

Antique Copper Fancy Leaf Chain

Antique Silver Fancy Leaf Chain

The people at InAroha have done a great job using this same type chain in bright gold in some of their jewelry collection.

To your creativity!

Cynthia
OhioBeads.com

Organic, bits of randomness and lots of rich color. It's been awhile since I focused on beading, arranging color and texture to my liking. I apprehended this new Lampwork pendant a few weeks back and needed to create something. Joining friends for bead night gave me the inspiration needed to create and finish (almost) this necklace. After fiddling around with the colors and composition, this is what transpired..must say I'm pleased with the results.

Cheers,

Cynthia

ohiobeads.com

Small two toned yellow crystals are paired with gold chandelier findings for a perfect summer earring for that special summer outing. I used this finding as a frame to cluster wrap crystals to the chandelier. I admit I had to become "one" with the wire….it took me a couple of tries and 26 gauge wire works best when making something like this.

Anywho…other pix feature the three finishes we carry; antique copper, gold and silver plate and a dangle design in coppery tones that sold like hot cakes in my store days.

Get Creative,

Cynthia,

ohiobeads.com

It's proven to be a great seller in the smaller version and its big sister is quickly climbing the charts.

Same great chain in antique brass, gunmetal and antique copper with added features like…

• Larger links allow for use as Chain extender
• Handle some weight with larger pendants and chunkier beads
• Mixes well with other styles
• Use for tassels, lariats, anklets, earrings..the list can go on
• Worth mentioning that I always appreciate having the option to cut the smaller in between links opposed to cutting large links when designing with chain.

I'll stop raving about it and here are quick links to get a closer look:

Antique Brass #27 Medium 3 and 1 Chain

Antique Copper #36 Medium 3 and 1 Chain

Gunmetal #35 Medium 3 and 1 Chain

Have a great weekend.. I'm hitting SummerFair this Sunday with friends to enjoy all the great artisan made goods..buying some too!

Cynthia

ohiobeads.com

twitter.com/ohiobeads

Love these new chain arrivals. Solid brass…bathed with a beautiful vintage wash. You'll be psyched hanging your old trinkets and charms from our new chains. Wear these and make your friends and family jealous… in a good way!

Get more details about new antiqued chains by clicking the following links. 

Antique copper textured chain

Antique copper smooth large link chain

Antique silver smooth large link chain

Talk soon,

Cynthia

ohiobeads.com

twitter.com/ohiobeads

Seriously fun to wear earrings can be made with these antique brass filigree components. In this particular example I mixed many colors of green in response to the new spring colors surrounding me these days.

Consider all the colors in your bead collection..try black, purple, pink, aqua or earthly brown hues. Antique brass compliments many colors. AND, still light as feathers after loading them up with lots of drops. 

Show off your free spirited side and make and wear a pair!

Go wild with color,

Cynthia

ohiobeads.com

Component links here:

Antique brass posts

Antique brass filigree

Antique brass 4mm jump rings

Antique brass thin headpins

It just doesn't get any easier.

1.Choose your favorite sterling silver earwires; kidney style, french hooks, long ball end earwires as shown above or even interchangeable leverbacks.

2. Slip these high polished discs right into open ring or notch of earwire.

3. Gently close ring of the earwire.

VOILA!! you have a great pair of modern, ready to wear earrings that look like big bucks and match most outfits in your closet. 

Lookin great while keeping it simple!

All the best,

Cynthia

ohiobeads.com

Like this idea then click these links for other simple earring ideas.

• http://ohiobeads.com/blog/2008/09/24/add-some-sparkle-to-your-gift-givingpart-ii/
• http://ohiobeads.com/blog/2008/10/03/think-pink-earring-making-supplies/

Cynthia last wrote about Curved (Scalloped) Bar Link Chain and hinted at the gold-plated version being available soon.

Its here: in stock and posted online:

http://www.ohiobeads.com/catalog/goldplated-chain-round-curved-scalloped-chain-p-850.html

Paul
OhioBeads.com

Stack..Slide..Connect…Hang!

The possibilities are endless designing with closed rings in these great vintagey finishes. The mixture of smooth and textured finishes keep your designs fresh and unique.

The goal in Jewelry design, I feel, is to keeping your pieces very unique.  So mix things up this season and make something fun and full of rich antique brass and copper rings.

Just so you know

All the above rings are made from qualitly brass and plated with copper flash and then finished off with an antique brass and copper finish.

Cynthia

ohiobeads.com 

Antique Copper Chain 

Antique Silver Chain 

Cable chains are versatile staples for your beading designs. Use these as your primary focus in necklaces and bracelets. These cable chains are excellent choices for chain extensions. Affordabley priced, with a new price break offered at 50ft amounts. Ohiobeads.com carries a large variety of unique chains in many different metals and finishes.

All the Best,

Cynthia 

I posted this easy to make necklace on my brandolina blog site back in March. It generated quite a bit of BUZZ in bloggy land and now that the featured centerpiece ring is back in stock, I wanted to post here for you to see.

This is a make and take weekend project that is especially designed to use those orphaned beads hanging around on your bead board.

Beading supplies you will need: Hey no tools required, just scissors!

• 3 pieces of waxed linen cut in 5 foot lengths ( You can use any cording , thinner silk strands look fantastic)

• Assortment of beads with hole sizes that fit the cord

• A ring that has an opening large enough to fit up to 6 strands. The ring is available in antique copper finish and antique brass finish

Start by folding the cord in half and thread the folded half through the ring from underneath.

Then take the opposite end of the cords and feed through the center of the folded cord, pulling to form a noose.

Size the cord and ring around your neck and make sure you knot beads in place at the desired lengths. Also make sure the beads fit through the center of the ring.

Slide bead on the cord and secure with an overhand knot on the bottom of the bead to hold in place.

Keep knotting beads on all six strands. For added interest you can vary the lengths of the linen. Double knot under the last bead and dab a small amount of jewelers glue then trim excess with snippers.

Have fun wearing your new attention grabbing necklace. 

happy fall,

Cynthia

Don't be shy leave a comment!

New for Fall Jewelry Making!

Rich antique copper bead caps just arrived and posted on the shopping cart. Already a great seller, these fancy bead caps are great for dressing up your beaded jewelry designs that your making during this fall season. Antique copper is an ideal finish that coordinates well with the fall color palette. The "acorn" bead cap is a particularly popular seller. Hope to post some new pics this week using these caps. 

Also just a note… the antique copper medallion is back in stock.  Add a antique copper bail and  hang on your favorite chain, leather or silk. Couldn't be easier, a great make and take project!

Happy Fall,

Cynthia

Vintage with a modern flair!   and…

No wire wrapping skills needed! These lovely filigree and chain earrings are made with pieces of chain attached to the gunmetal filigree with petite size jumprings. Lightweight for measuring 2 and 1/2 inches long.

Tips to follow: 

1. Determine how long you want the earrings to be. Hey they're your creations you decide length.The longest piece of chain used in the sample above measures 4 inches.
2. Start with the longest chain first, then add the shortest section next. From here you can fill in the spaces with chain sections you think look best.
3. You connect the fine gunmetal chain to the filigree with small jumprings . In this case I used 2 sterling silver jumpring to each ring of the filigree. The silver adds a whisper of light to the earrings.
4. I also connected a 3mm sterling silver round bead on the single strand with a gunmetal headpin looped to the chain link.
5. Connect the leverback earwire directly to the top loop of the filigree. The ring on the leverback opens easily using a slight twist of the wrist while holding a needle nose plier. 

The most important advice I can give you is to cut lengths of chain for each filigree at the same time. This helps you have earrings looking like a matched pair, while avoiding frustration and wasting chain.

Ingredients list: 

1 package gunmetal filigree 

Sterling silver jumprings

3 mm sterling silver beads

Gunmetal leverbacks

Gunmetal headpins

1-2 feet of gunmetal double rollo chain #28 

All the Best,

Cynthia 

Tap into your wild side with this big link antique copper chain. This is stand alone chain, just attach a clasp with jump ring in one hand and pliers in another and your off and running lookin good without lots of time. We posted yesterday about this chain in antique brass suggesting other ways to incorporate this chain.

Like the big links, but just need something light and simple?

New cables are now on the antique copper ox chain shopping page ready to buy. These are small cables with 8-10 links per inch. Excellent for earrings, lariats, chain weaves, and layering. The antique copper on these new styles is dark and rich giving an aged look. Perk up your fall wardrobe with antique copper chain and findings.

I've been busy creating earrings this week. Monday through Friday I have and continue to post a new earring design on Brandolina.typepad.com. I liked this pair so much I thought to share it here also. I worked in a monochromatic color scheme using various values and intensities of blue glass beads. The copper findings are complimentary in color and brighten the overall look. The big ring used is a link from a chain customers have named Hippie Chain. The paddle findings are light weight and these earrings can move. If you sell your jewelry at shows these are impressive looking, especially if you had several color versions. Gunmetal components would alos look great, making them a little dressier. Next time around I plan to make these in gunmetal mixed with iridescent colored glass, with a splash of gold and silver.

Thumbing through many jewelry magazines, you'll quickly notice that chain is used as the foundation of jewelry design. Adding centerpieces further personalizes your look. Many jewelry components can be used and look great as center pieces in necklaces. Here's another visual solution for you using this new pretty filigree with gunmetal finish. These are packaged in pairs, which also makes them great choice for creating earrings. Possibilities are endless with the kinds and colors of beads you mix together. Pearls add to the Victorian look , however you could use crystals, glass, or gemstones.

In this necklace I mixed gunmetal and copper chain and findings.

Here's a list of components I used:

• Jumprings- to add clasp to chain and attach filigree components to chain
• Headpins (24 gauge)- to wire wrap the beads to the filigree and in this piece adding pearls to the chain body
• 3 different chain styles and finishes
• 1 pack of gunmetal filigree
• Pearls, 4mm rounds and 6mm oval/teardrop
• Clasp 

Another addition to ohiobeads ever growing jewelry chain supply, this lightweight chain is excellent to use for necklaces and earrings. Layering this chain (like the picture) looks nice. You could mix and layer with beaded strands. Also, this chain would work well in many earring ideas. The antique copper finish will be a big hit for fall jewelry designs. And the silver gives a bright fresh look without the price tag of sterling silver. You can't go wrong at $1.97 per foot. Click here to see other new additions to our store.

I have some design notes about this bracelet sample to share with you. I give Alyssa full credit for this bracelet, as always with her pieces, it drew instant attention the minute we put it on display. A simple design really, but the chain speaks for itself with clear Swarvoski crystal hanging from these large, bold links.

This copper ox chain is a heavier rolo style that could accommodate hanging many beads and charms. In this creation, only 10 crystal beads were used in this 7.5 inch bracelet. The antique copper rolo is well matched with the magnet clasp. I still recommend attaching a safety chain when employing the use of a  magnetic clasps.

In the gunmetal chain bracelet sample we added the beadcap and used a large lobster claw.

p.s.  When I wear the gunmetal version, I kind of feel like I need to hop on a Harley!

Just a quick post about a necklace that always manages a compliment. This meets all the criteria of a great piece of jewelry.

1. Easy to make!
2. Coordinates with many outfits. Dresses up or down, so this has lots of wearing opportunities. 
3. Easy on the budget, but looks expensive.

Here's the list of necklace making supplies.

• 16 -20 inches of chain, depending on your size requirements
• 1 pendant size crystal and 1 smaller complimenting crystal bead (I've made this type of necklace with other kinds of beads, but the crystals take the lead)
• 2 eyepins or headpins that match chain finish and/or metal type
• 1 lobster claw clasp that fits into the link of chain

Here's how it's done…

1. Cut desired length of chain
2. Attach the pendant crystal to one end of chain. This can be done with wire wrapping it permanently to the chain using a headpin. In this case I used a heavier gauge headpin and made more of a semi wrap loop
3. Make loops on each end of the smaller bead after you sliding onto the headpin. Attach one loop to the lobster claw clasp and attach the other loop to the other end of the chain. See the pictures below.
4. 

This next picture shows off a matching earrings. 

and…just a quick insert to highlight different chains that easliy work with this "y" style necklace.

Crystal copper pairs well with the antique copper chain and Silver Shade, Black Diamond and Clear crystal coordinate with gunmetal, sterling and sliver plated chains.

We have featured all these components on a separate jewelry making project page on the shop site. Click here to find, buy and make.

Just got some new antique (ox) silver plated chain listed in the shopping cart. This chain is a textured figaro that is delicate looking and made in soldered brass which adds lots of strength. Then it was silver plated with an oxide finish, giving it an antique look. I wrapped 4mm fire polish jet rounds on the bottom of each chain strand (six in all) and gathered the top links of the chain into a single loop on top with another 4mm fire polish bead and attached to the leverback earwires.  These have a vintage flair and with the sterling silver leverback they measure almost three inches in length. Having 2 feet of this chain on hand would be plenty for this project. Of course this style could be made longer or shorter, your preference. Quick and easy to make and almost a guaranteed compliment when wearing. In case you need more options we carry this chain in the following plated finishes: antique brass,  bright silver, gunmetal, Hamilton gold, antique copper and now sterling silver in antique ox finish. (All these earring making ingredients are now listed on a single project page to make ordering easy as ever!)

We also carry matching leverback earwires in antique brass and copper, gunmetal and have included here sterling silver and goldfilled leverbacks as well. 

Click here to see all these products on a single project page to make ordering much easier.