This idea-ology™ just might change your thinking!
Whether you do mixed metals or mixed media, these new Tim Holtz® components blend in beautifully.
Fuse the charms of old ideas with new styles. This super-fun line of trinkets started out in the scrapbooking world, then successfully made the leap to jewelry-making!
Let us know what you create with Tim Holtz idea-ology trinkets…post a photo to our Facebook Bead Fans album, or tweet a TwitPic!
Drilled river rock rocks!
Our latest special find (May 2010) is drilled river rock beads. (Riverstone. Beach rock. River rock. Beach stone…)
We noticed what enthusiastic reactions this stone was getting…because it makes really cute, teeny little beads:
…and we loved the feel of donut beads with organically irregular, water-smoothed edges:
…plus the fact that drilled river rock taps into a fashion tip going back to the Stone Age:
…you can’t go wrong with petite tip-drilled pendants!
I made a necklace with these and showed it off at our bead shows, to nice reactions…
Go with the flow, check out beautiful riverstone beads made in the USA (by Mother Nature). They’re a limited-stock find!
Extra bonus: enjoy R&T’s Bead Shapes Glossary page, where you’ll learn the difference between tip-drilled and corner-drilled, nibblets and tiles, rings and donuts.
I got into a conversation the other day about “jewelry blanks”…
This is a really versatile (read “vague”) word, when you think about it.
@gingerkittyd tweeted me that her this is what her customers call finger ring findings:
Which are also called ring blanks. Which confusingly also means these ring-shaped blanks for metal stamping:
Her customers also use the name “jewelry blanks” for bezel cups (which are also called pendant blanks):
(And I hesitate to tell you this, but these also sometimes get called “empty cups or empty pendants”!)
Not one to clarify needlessly, @JulieRorden tweeted, “Jewelry blanks? You mean that dark period of time when the caffeine high has worn off & the new supplies are on backorder? ;)”
What are “jewelry blanks” to you? If you don’t totally draw a blank about that, leave a comment to let us know! We’ll probably come up with 10 more definitions.:)
Keep your design in place, with bezel lace.
Style things up with our “setting ribbon”.
Make your own lace-edge bezel–it’s an easy way to wrap your rivolis, set your cabochons and fancify found objects!
You simply bend the cute heart, diamond, or half-circle loops/tabs over both the front and back of the object you want the bezel to hold.
(It’s easy to wire or solder the ends together.)
5 lace bezel setting hints from the awesome R&T shop:
1. Wrap bezel lace around object so that the end loops overlap (or lie flush if soldering). Cut to size.
2. Use your fingers or a mandrel to press loops against both the front and the back of the object.
3. Burnish until the lace lies smoothly against the object on all sides.
4. Secure the overlapping loops with wire (or solder ends).
5. When soldering the bezel lace in place around the object, use a soldering iron. A torch will crack glass, crystal or stone objects.
Try it, you’ll like making your own custom settings!
Red creek jasper is one design route you’ll gladly follow!
Gemstone beads of red creek jasper vary really pleasantly…
…each bead is a unique display of interesting patterns. 
You’ll see shades like rusty reds, earthy ochres, moleskin taupe and glints of gray.
By the way: the distinctive mix of warm and cool tones in red creek jasper pairs marvelously with both copper and silver.
Without going broke!
Cultivate organic shapes! “Baroque” just means irregular shapes, not perfectly round — like a natural pearl.
Sophisticate your jewelry!
Baroque crystal pearls by CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements.
We’ve got them in two sizes and ten mellow hues. You get them by the hundreds, at cents per pearl.
Faux was never so go!
*PS: not to be confused with the excellent Swarovski baroque crystal pendants 🙂
With new CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements colors:
And with some new inspirations in R&T’s Design Gallery!
They’ve been showing up in magazines a lot…
Shimmering & delicate:
Striped mother of pearl beads are in the magazines.
What’s red, or white, and striped all over?
Are they in your jewelry yet? 🙂
4 shapes, many shades…you won’t be overlooked.
Very vogue Vintaj®…
We’ve fallen in love with Vintaj. It’s not just that this is a well-known name you can trust. It also has to do with the strikingly high quality of these “natural brass” findings. And the ingenious, carefully worked-out designs…
I just have to focus in on a big favorite of mine. (Out of dozens of Vintaj items we’ve added!) There are a number of filigree beads they make that open up like petals, and close again if you want. Imagine the different ways you could use this and similar beads:
Surf the link at the top of this article to be treated to more great brass than a marching band.
And by the way, we’re adding exclusive designs using Vintaj items in our Design Gallery, so a search there will be rewarding too.
Have a Vintaj favorite? Let us know!
Washers may be a new term to some of you…but check out how useful these are!
Your basic washer bead
When you hear about washers in connection with jewelry making, it doesn’t usually mean those flat, round donuts of metal that the hardware store can sell you.
‘Washers’ usually means heishi beads. Rings & Things’ enjoyable Bead Shapes Glossary gives this definition:
heishi: a type of disk bead that is usually flat, but sometimes slightly puffed. Traditionally, this shape was achieved by drilling flat chips, stringing them and then grinding the strand against stone to gradually wear the edges into smooth, flat-edged circles. Pronounced hee-shee, this shape is also known as a wafer, wheel or spacer.
A couple of examples of washers…
Tim Holtz ‘Idea-Ology’ washer pack
Copper trade bead washers
So, now you’ll recognize a washer if you see one. (You could even use a Chinese coin, couldn’t you?)
Well now, what are these washers good for?
Cold connections! Riveted metal jewelry. Steampunk designs.
How do you use washers?
