Beads and Jewellery Making

Earring components come in all shapes, colours and sizes but there is one in particular from our range here at the Bead Shop that I wanted to experiment with, and that is the hoop! This technique requires a few essential tools that can be fairly costly and wire work can be quite complex at times whereas these hoop components are the exact opposite. The hoops are super easy to use and you can create luxurious fashionable earrings in minuets and within a budget. I have had immense fun playing around... Read More

Here at the Bead Shop we have been slightly overwhelmed by the versatility of this soft natural material and have been really excited to share ideas with our wonderful beading community. 5mm Leather cord is one of the latest editions to our stringing materials range and can be found in a variety of distressed textures as well as more classic finishes of shiny Black and Brown. Sizing Bracelets can be a tricky business, so try not to glue anything into place until you are 100% happy with your sizing. As... Read More

If you have an old handbag that’s starting to look a little worn, or one that was bought as a present that you’ve never really been that keen on, you can easily give your bag a whole new look with buttons and beads. If your handbag is made of a cotton or canvas type material, you can sew almost any type of button or bead on without too much difficulty. If it is leather, faux leather or plastic, it is a little more tricky – but certainly not impossible. Pearl beads... Read More

Mother’s Day is fast approaching and what better way to show the mums in our lives how much they mean to us and thank them for being there for us than with a beautiful handmade jewellery? We showcase a few of our delightful beads and findings to get you inspired to lavish your very own bespoke gifts on your mum on Sunday March 30th! Create a personalised keepsake to really treasure this Mothering Sunday, using one of our pretty locket pendants as your base. Our Swarovski Elements and Pearls in... Read More

jewellery fashion trends This spring you can see a number of different contrasting jewellery fashion trends appearing, over the next few blog posts I will be breaking them down! One of my personal favourites is the mix of Synthetic Earth and Spiritual Nomad’s. Synthetic earth fuses textural and geographical patterns with hints of bold solid colour, creating a new elemental style. The contrast of these two techniques inspired by post-industrial recycling creates a fresh, contemporary textile approach. [su_row][su_column size=”1/3″] [/su_column] [su_column size=”1/3″] [/su_column] [su_column size=”1/3″] [/su_column][/su_row] Spiritual Nomad engages geometric... Read More

The cream of British music gathered together to honour the tradition that is The Brit Awards. 2014 saw a whole host of new acts and old favourites produce some rather wonderful music, and the looks they gave us on the red carpet did not disappoint. Boys and girls alike donned their finery to celebrate the best that this year had to offer. With the “best and worst dressed” list looming, they certainly looked the part! From Jessie J’s sparkles and Rita Ora’s embellishments to Labyrinth’s minimalist charms and Aluna Francis’... Read More

The Bead Shop Beading Supplies I love fawning over all of the exciting new products that we get in here at The Bead Shop; however, there are some well-established products that hold special places in our hearts and that we use time and again to great effect so I thought that I’d showcase a few of my favourite beading supplies. I’ve had a rummage through our stock and chosen some of my absolute favourite beads and findings; you might see things that you’ve never tried before, and I can hopefully inspire... Read More

For this month’s ‘Beat The High Street’ We have challenged not one but two department stores, picking a beaded necklace & bracelet that are glamorous and easy to replicate on a tight budget. It may be the new year, typically known for staying in and trying to replenish our money pots after a lavish Christmas, but there are still parties to attend and people to dazzle. This beaded necklace from Miss Selfridges retails at £14. Beautiful bold pearls glam up any outfit but we thought the bright gold findings and white... Read More

How to use the colour red  Red, whether rustic, mixed with orange or touching the pastel side associated with vintage gingham, are all statements. Red has a strong versatility across younger and older, casual and formal markets. Lustrous deep Red association with luxury is evoked through elevated fabrics, including matt silks and soft leathers. The colour red lends itself to… With a traditional and classic presence, red lends itself well to retro-inspired shapes or prints, such as the pencil skirt or the mini geometric print. The colour’s autumnal association makes... Read More

Whether you are donning the 3D, the retro or the designer festive jumpers this year get involved in this year’s winter wonderland spirit. The Christmas fashions never fall to far from the Christmas tree, its sparkly party dresses, fluffy warming fur and now more than ever novelty knitwear.   

Super Duo beads are machine-pressed Czech glass that has not one, but two holes! They have dimples set into them which allow them to sit neatly side by side creating gorgeous patterns. I love working with these beads because they are so versatile. I find that all glass beads work well alongside Super Duos to create a wide range of styles but seed beads in particular help to add contrast in a subtle way because of their size. I find that bead weaving is the most effective way to show... Read More

In keeping with this seasons ‘Street Jeweller’ trend, I have created these simple yet effective chain and diamanté bracelets using our new Acrylic Stones with mounts. Traditionally these mounted stones are reserved for haberdashery projects, decorative headwear and footwear adornments. However, if like me, sewing just isn’t your thing, then incorporating them into jewellery designs couldn’t be simpler. Of course, should you wish to replace chain in favour of beaded bracelets, simply pass elastic through these holes and string beads your beads as usual. Reduce the size even further to create... Read More

Imperfect customised detailing is used as accents on clothing within Autumn/Winter 2013. Two trends have been plucked out! Street Jeweller; a more youth driven, anarchic end of the spectrum. Made up of customised detailing showcased through sew on patches, raw stitching and studding. The obsession with stud detailing moves on to our second trend;  Androgynous pearl; known for being an ornate feminine detail, is roughed up and applied to leather and tougher aesthetics in a regimented application, a lot of white on white looks. Making the pearls feel newer! This season make... Read More

Inspired to Make Halloween Jewellery October is my absolute favourite month of the whole year, not just because it’s my birthday, but because of the beautiful autumnal colours October brings with it. Its also hosts Halloween, the second most important calendar date of the year, after my birthday of course! This October the theme is Gothic, a perfect excuse to tap into my not so inner Goth. In everyday life I have an overwhelming passion for anything and everything  floral especially roses, so growing up with Morticia Addams on the... Read More

For this month’s ‘Beat the High Street’ we have turned our attention to the Marks and Spencer’s Autumnal collection.  The Diamonte Crescent Collar taps into ‘the trend for chunky necklaces’ yet remains classic in style; appealing to Marks and Spencer’s traditional demographic.   The High Street version retails at £15.00, ‘quite pricey’ we thought, it is after all only two rows of plastic beads on plated chain. Although we were drawn to the techniques applied to the necklace, we felt that the bright silver chain and findings were a poor choice... Read More

Our LOVE affair with romanticised noir continues into this issue. Our fashion focus is Leather in every form. It is BIG for this autumn and won’t be leaving this scene any time soon! Real or Faux, we are talking leather! Dress’s, trousers, leggings, jackets, blazers and skirts,   it is the transitional fashion fabric which you can sport from winter to spring with ease – and it is SUPER sophisticated in parallel to being Super sexy! Transition this trend into your accessories and create a statement oversized necklace or layer up... Read More

 Wire Jewellery Masterclass, an Interesting Read. I only became interested in wire work fairly recently after shying away from it for years thinking it wasn’t for me. I find that from previous experience whenever anyone mentioned anything to do with wire work I thought just that; WORK!  I envisioned amazingly detailed pieces embellished with jewels that had taken weeks to complete. But Oh how wrong I was… Sometimes you find that you’ve spent hours producing a beautifully beaded necklace or a gorgeous pendant and then resort to placing a bog... Read More

Be under no illusion; a hefty price tag does not necessary guarantee precious metals, rubies or diamonds. In fact, most designer costume jewellery is assembled in much the same way as things you’d make at home; making an unaffordable designer look, very easy to replicate.   We want to show you how simple it can be to achieve a designer look on a budget, so to demonstrate this; we selected a necklace by Marquis & Camus from their ‘Victorian Rebel’ Collection.   Marquis & Camus create timeless looking jewellery that... Read More