Some neat new friends, met at our Houston bead show
(we got the best photo we could with our camera)
Steampunk in person
The crew of the Airship Isabella paid us a visit!
We love meeting our Bead Fans at our bead shows, and seeing how creative you all are.
Come see us this spring, we’re on the road to your town right now!
WILL WE SEE YOU THERE?
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!
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?
BIG L, little l, what begins with L?
you may be pounding metal — but you don’t have to shout…
lower case, italics even
case-insensitivity was never so beautiful
typewriters are gone, but metal letters live on
the fine print is all good news: our price is really competitive (and you won’t find these with many suppliers). the stamps come in rather attractive wood boxes. made in the u.s.a. = quality tempered steel.
what other metal-stamping trends have you spotted? leave a comment (no caps please)