Grit

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist 65th Anniversary Giveaway, Week 1: Rio Grande's Falcon Diamond Saw Blades

Welcome to the first of a long, hot summer full of jewelry-making tools and supplies Friday giveaways! In celebration of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine's 65th anniversary, we've gathered an impressive collection of new and favorite jewelry
Read More >>

Gemstone Adventures: Mine for Moonstone and Learn to Set it in Jewelry

The recent full moon was so large and bright (earning itself "supermoon" status), so pretty in the spring sky, I found myself gazing at it as I traveled around Louisiana over the past weekend. Perhaps it's the gemstone training (or gem geekiness
Read More >>

Beyond Metalsmithing Basics: Turn Plain Band Rings into Bamboo Stack Rings

Photo by Jim Lawson. Once you've mastered the basic metalsmithing skills required to make simple band/stack rings, you'll probably want to start jazzing things up a bit with textures and other designs. As a follow-up to my Metalsmithing Basics
Read More >>

Make Easy Molds for Easy and Memorable Metal Clay Designs

In a recent meeting of my local metal clay guild, someone shared the idea of using Play-Doh to make metal clay molds. It's inexpensive and readily available, it's hard when it dries, and it comes in convenient little sealed containers that are
Read More >>

Coming Soon!!! Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Magazine's 65th Anniversary Contests

Enter Our Two Anniversary Contests! Help us celebrate Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist ’s 65 years in the gem and jewelry arts by entering our Giveaway Drawings and our 65 Facet Design contests. GIVEAWAY DRAWINGS: To enter the drawing, visit the
Read More >>

Organizing Your Jewelry Tools: Making a File Holder

I found this easy-to-make jewelry file organizer in a back issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. This one is for files, but I think a similar structure could be created for hammers, mandrels, and even pliers, with a little creative re-engineering
Read More >>

Polymer Clay Jewelry Making: Learn How to Make Polymer Clay Jewelry with 5 Free Projects

Versatile. That's the first word that comes to mind when I think of polymer clay jewelry making. The other words that come to mind when I think about making jewelry with polymer clay are forgiving, affordable, colorful, fun, and easy, but the first
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, May/June 2012

Discover the hottest new gemstone, Sonoran dendritic, and learn how to bezel set one in a silver pendant - plus learn to cut this stone yourself or find out what you need to know when buying a cabochon. See what new jewelry pliers are on the market and find out what's cool about them. Learn how Pinterest
Read More >>

Lexi's Tips for Selecting Cabochons: Choosing the Pick of the Litter, Stonewise

Do you suffer from sleepless nights because of your jewelry-making addiction? Are you still awake at 3 a.m. because your mind can't stop designing something elegant for that gorgeous new triangular Rain Forest jasper you just bought? If so, you are
Read More >>

Metalsmithing Techniques, Tips, and Tutorials: Introduction to Broom Casting

Pebbles by Beth Rosengard. Diamond and black drusy garnet earrings. On my ever-growing list of more advanced metalsmithing techniques to try, casting--specifically broom and cuttlefish casting--is near the top. The surprise and randomness of the results
Read More >>

Alternative Metals: Tips for Soldering Copper and Brass

You learn something new every day--if you're lucky, and if you follow the Jewelry Making Daily forums! Likely due to the rising cost of silver, there's been a lot of buzz of the forums recently about soldering copper as well as soldering copper
Read More >>

Stone Setting: Basic Bezel-Making Tips and Techniques from Michael Boyd

by Michael Boyd In our shop, we make hundreds if not thousands of bezels each year--sometimes twenty, thirty, and even up to fifty bezels for one piece of jewelry! Bezels offer the jewelry maker a nicely integrated gemstone setting that is secure as well
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist April 2012

Learn how to create four new exciting jewelry designs using soldering, metalsmithing, stone setting, stamping, riveting, and more in this year's April issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Join the online discussion and get instant help from others around the world that share your passion! Learn
Read More >>

Metalsmithing Techniques: Learn the Zen of the Process for Hand-Finishing Metal Jewelry

Nightfall on the Mesa Shaman pendant in sterling silver and copper by Lexi Erickson By Lexi Erickson Everyone knows my favorite jewelry-making technique is soldering . I should have a bumper sticker that says, "A Day Without Soldering Is a Day Without
Read More >>

Metalsmithing Details: Designing Interesting Pendants (and Speaking French) with Lexi Erickson

These highly polished bails are a stark contrast to the heavily patinated foreground, and they accent the high polished metal of the background. ( Canyon of Remembering from Lexi's Conversations with Harold Series) By Lexi Erickson I love teaching
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist March 2012

Take advantage of Argetium Silver alongside Betsy Porter. Master this new sterling silver alloy and learn how to: anneal, make granules, fuse, polish, harden, and more! Use your new skills and tricks to create projects with step-by-step instructions that feature Argetium Silver: Use lightweight fused
Read More >>

Jewelry Design Principles: Movement, Wearability, Balance, and Durability

As I've spent time talking with professional jewelry-designer friends, one word that comes up a lot is "principles." The principles of design, the mechanics of design, wearability, balance--these are the things that are foremost in their
Read More >>

Quick and Easy: Modern Polymer Clay Earrings

Are you looking for a forgiving, easy to use, versatile, affordable medium to add to your jewelry-making repertoire? Let me introduce you to my friend, polymer clay. Surely you've heard about him, but do you realize what he can do for you? Polymer
Read More >>

Freeform Resin Jewelry: Make Fairy Wings (or Leaves, or Flowers, or. . .) Using Wire and Resin

I finally got over my fear of possibly "wasting" supplies with resin gone wrong, and now I'm hooked! I've been resin-ing all kinds of things--bezels, old pocket-watch cases, even backless shapes (thanks to that little trick of backing
Read More >>

Fun Gem "Facts": Add Color and Intrigue to Your Jewelry Designs with Meaningful Gemstones

I didn't think I could get even fonder of gems, but when I saw all the gemstone slices all over Tucson, my (already substantial) passion for them grew even greater. I've seen gem slices before, of course--who hasn't seen watermelon tourmaline
Read More >>

Electroforming Jewelry: Equipment and Supplies for Copper Plating

I've been collecting a bowl (OK, several bowls) of natural found objects for as long as I can remember. Even before I knew about electroplating (also called electroforming), I saved interesting leaves, twigs, acorn caps, shells, and other organic
Read More >>

Part Three: Make a Custom Reticulated Silver Cabochon Bezel

Continued from part two of Make a Custom Reticulated Silver Cabochon Bezel. 24. Clamp the spread end in a vise and bend to a right angle. 25. Using your hands, bend the square wire 180° around a 3/8" diameter steel rod clamped in a vise. 26.
Read More >>

Part One: Make a Custom Reticulated Silver Cabochon Bezel

As part two of the introductory cabochon-cutting tutorial from last week, Tom and Kay Benham also created a custom bezel to fit that freeform turquoise cabochon that features reticulated silver. Reticulation uses a torch flame to add interesting, natural
Read More >>

Photographing Your Jewelry: Tips on What To Do (and What Not To Do) for Great Photos

I had the pleasure of hanging out with some of my metal clay L'Esprit du Metal guild members recently for a jewelry photography session . I learned some great info and got a little practice using light tents, and we talked about backgrounds a lot
Read More >>

Intro to Stone Cutting: Beginning the Lapidary Journey with Freeform Cabochons

Lapidary work has long been on my bucket list; I've been collecting and cracking open rocks since I was a little girl. The idea of being able to purposefully and cleanly slice into one, to see something inside that no one has ever seen before, is
Read More >>

Jewelry Tools 102: Guide to Jewelry-Making Pliers

I read in Jewelry Making Daily's Facebook feed recently that Rio Grande's fans voted chain-nose pliers as their favorite tool. They're certainly among the most versatile, and I admit to having four pairs of chain-nose pliers on my jewelry
Read More >>

Setting Stones in Bezels: Tools and Tips from Expert Tim McCreight

Creating bezels and setting stones in them are among the most difficult and rewarding skills to master in metalsmithing. The key to a successful bezel lies in making very precise measurements and then making very precise cuts to match those measurements
Read More >>

Etched Copper and Brass Jewelry: Phototransfer Metal Etching

by Lexi Erickson Etching brass and copper plates can result in interesting designs, and the metal may be used several ways. I plan on making this etched copper plate into a piece of jewelry. If I had etched the same design onto brass, it could be used
Read More >>

Soldering 101: Glossary of Terms and Tools

It's hard to feel like you've mastered any technique if you aren't familiar with the terms associated with it. Soldering is no different--even as you get comfortable with moving your flame around while keeping an eye on the state of your flux
Read More >>

Unlimited Possibilities: Making Jewelry with "Delicate, Organic, Exquisite" Polymer Clay

Having spent so many years working in the craft industry, I have been familiar with polymer clay for a long time--but hardly ever in terms of jewelry making . And after spending so much time working with gemstones and the cool hardness of metal, the versatility
Read More >>

Jewelry Soldering Basics: Using Solders, Flux, Tools & Creating a Safe Soldering Space

If you've been a Jewelry Making Daily reader for awhile, you've undoubtedly seen me write about Lexi Erickson, my beloved friend and metalsmithing teacher. Lexi is so generous with JMD readers, sharing her knowledge about all things jewelry related
Read More >>

Gemstones for Jewelry Making: Pantone's Spring 2012 Color Palette

I'm passionate about color and all of its little nuances. I'm fascinated by the different appearances a single color can have based upon the light it's viewed under, and I get satisfaction from identifying multiple hues in an object that appears
Read More >>

Meet Tube, Gypsy, Crown and Bead, the Four Types of Nonbezel Stone Settings

We've talked a lot here on Jewelry Making Daily about creating perfect bezels and making bezel settings , but I think the other types of stone sets are getting jealous--so let's take a look at them, shall we? Beyond Bezels: Try your hand at other
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, January/February 2012

Everyone loves opals! And we have three amazing kinds to tell you about including new precious blue opal and picture opals from Arizona! Learn to cut a free-form opal and make a jazzy ring for it. Plus, learn tab setting as you make a copper and fossil coral pendant; learn bezel setting as you make a
Read More >>

Where Should You Sell Your Jewelry?

by Ronna Sarvas Weltman (Originally published in Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry , Feb/March 2011) Just about everybody who makes jewelry has thought about selling it. Although one obvious reason for selling jewelry is to make money, that isn't the only
Read More >>

Easy Enameling: Make Enameled Copper-Tube Beads

This time last year, I finished up my list of New Year's resolutions, among which were promises to add lampwork glass and enameling to my jewelry-making toolbox. I marked lampwork glass off my list (thanks Marcy!), but I didn't quite make it to
Read More >>

Helen's Top Tips for Aspiring Metalworkers: A Jewelry Expert's Metalsmithing Dos and Don'ts

I meet people on a regular basis who want to learn metalsmithing and other jewelry fabrication techniques, and I'm fortunate to always have a wealth of resources to share with them. One such resource is Helen Driggs, senior editor of Lapidary Journal
Read More >>

Jewelry Tools 101: Guide to Jewelry-Making Hammers

Much gentler than a rawhide mallet, Lexi's current favorite hammer is a paper mallet. "Choosing a favorite hammer is like choosing a favorite child," she says. "Today this one's my favorite, but tomorrow it will be another."
Read More >>

Lights, Camera . . . Gemstones: Lighting Tips for Gem and Jewelry Photography

by Merle White, Editor-in-Chief of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Shoot--it's hard to shoot gemstones! Everything that makes them so interesting to look at also makes them challenging to photograph. Each of these stones alone has its own photography
Read More >>

My Favorite Gemstone . . . at the Moment: Cutting a Spinner Quartz

by Merle White, Editor-in-Chief of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Viewed face up, my spinner quartz shows the same needle of rutile reflected around the stone. Am I ever going to do something with that spinner quartz I bought at last year's Tucson
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, December 2011

Learn how to set gems in new fascinating ways and practice your skills by creating stunning designs with the December issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Prepare for the holidays with 5 projects that are perfect for gift giving! Learn how to make easy yet sophisticated holiday-tree earrings, create
Read More >>

Riveting Ideas: Setting Vintage Buttons in Riveted Bezels

I've been in love with buttons since I was a little girl. Both of my grandmothers sewed and quilted, so there was always a jar of buttons sitting around their houses. As I've gotten older and become so passionate about crafting and jewelry making
Read More >>

Expert Metal Clay Tips from Jewelry Artist Kate McKinnon

I found myself referring back to one of my own articles for a tip recently, isn't that funny? You can't beat Kate McKinnon for smart tips and clever designs in metal clay, so I thought you might appreciate the refresher as well. Don't miss
Read More >>

Guide to Jewelry-Making Techniques: How to Make Jewelry with 5 Free Jewelry Projects

I love being able to share my passion for jewelry making with new makers, especially ones who are learning new jewelry techniques such as wirework and even metalsmithing, including fun techniques like texturing, doming, and soldering metal, bezel making
Read More >>

Jewelry-Making Firsts: Wire Earrings, Gem Cutting, and More

Everyone remembers the big "firsts" in their lives--first car, first home, first kiss. For jewelry makers, their first jewelry designs always stick in their minds. Whether it's the first piece they ever made or the first time they tried
Read More >>

Easy Metal Clay, 2011

Discover jewelry making like never before! You can create marvelous metal jewelry in moments with metal clay. Design earrings, bracelets, pendants, and rings in the versatile medium that gives you the accessibility of clay and the durability, luster, and genuine artisan feel of metal. With this remarkable
Read More >>

All About Ear Wires: Dozens of Tips and Techniques to Make Unique Handmade Earrings

A jewelry-maker friend recently asked me about a good resource for ear wires, and I teased her about buying rather than making her own. She does amazing work in bronze clay (as well as pottery clay) and makes her living creating art and art jewelry with
Read More >>

Tell Me A Story: Fun Facts About Gemstones Add Interest to Your Handmade Jewelry

I love being able to tell people a little something about the gemstones I use to make the jewelry they buy from me. I think a fun response to "What a pretty necklace!" would be "Thank you, it's aquamarine--did you know that sailors
Read More >>

Customer Favorites and Editor's Picks: The Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Magazine

Since I started here at Jewelry Making Daily about a year ago, I've slowly but surely doubled my collection of back issues of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine. Every once in awhile I get a happy email from a coworker that goes something like
Read More >>

Make Successful Bezels, Every Time: Bezel Wire Tips from the Jewelry Making Daily Forums

When it comes to making bezels, the hardest part for me (and, so I've heard, for many of you) is the piecework of cutting bezel wire to fit together just right. While soldering a bezel, the solder will flow up into the seam of the bezel wire--but
Read More >>

Metalsmithing Techniques for Jewelry Making: Free Metal-Stamping Video Tutorial

Even though I'm a writer and regularly write and read how-to instructions for creative projects, sometimes you just have to see something happening to really get it . So when I learned that our newest free metalsmithing tutorial on metal stamping
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, November 2011

Create your perfect workspace and with easy ways to keep your favorite tools at hand in the November issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Go inside the studio of noted goldsmith Michael David Sturlin for expert tips and tricks to arrange your tools, storage areas, and work surfaces. Learn the 12
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, September/October 2011

Score! The September/October issue is the Special Jewelry Design Issue. With this issue you'll have the opportunity to discover 5 artists and their signature styles. Plus, you'll be able to add some more experience to your jewelry making resume with their special tools and remarkable techniques
Read More >>

Making Great Wire Rivets: Cold Connections with Helen Driggs

by Helen Driggs The Ultimate Rivet-Creating Pliers I love cold connections. Don't get me wrong--soldering totally rocks--but I often choose rivets even when I could solder because they can make punctuation-like emphasis on a piece (the other editors
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, August 2011

The August issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist will help you start designing outside your box with tips for a successful partnership. Create resin jewelry with demos for earrings and pendants. Take a look at Topaz with expert dos and don'ts. PLUS . . . Learn one of the most important tricks
Read More >>

Fave Five: Top Jewelry-Making DVDs to Teach and Inspire You

Even though I wasn't an early adapter, I can't imagine not knowing all the jewelry techniques that I've learned by watching a DVD: etching, chain maille, riveting and cold connections, resin, even some wirework. Classes are a luxury that not
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, July 2011

The July issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist is just like the weather, hot, hot, hot! Covering so many topics including mandrels, alabaster, mokumé snakes, and copper, you'll be hooked by the first page. Learn all about ring and bracelet mandrels for an easy way to form your metal. From
Read More >>

Wire Wrapping with the Cougar: Wire Jewelry Q&A with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Even though I've written about wire jewelry many times and even this author in particular, I've never done an interview with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong. High time, don't you think? When I heard she was a rock hound like me, I couldn't
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, May/June 2011

Discover the 5 essential secrets to successful soldering and practice on 3 easy silver rings. Learn to set pearls with pegs in silver wire and sheet design for a pendant plus earrings - and find out why South Sea pearls enjoy such a great reputation. Find out how to make a corrugated copper pendant with
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, April 2011

Learn the differences among jewelry torches and fuels and the flames they produce. Share what you know about jewelry making with others in online tutorials as a way of driving traffic to your online jewelry store. Make a dynamic, hinged silver pendant and learn to set faceted stones in your own cabochon
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, March 2011

At last! A portable, hand-held jeweler's torch that burns hot enough to solder sizable pieces of silver: see the results of a test-drive we put this new torch through. Learn what you need to set up your own jewelry soldering station. Discover wavellite as a gem and make a mixed metal pendant with
Read More >>

Meet Bill Fretz and Master His Hammering and Forming Techniques

First, a little background: A frequent contributor to Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist , William Fretz has been a jewelry designer since high school. Since then, Bill has added a BFA from The Rochester Institute of Technology's School for American
Read More >>

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist January/February 2011

Discover the world of designer gems, fabulous one-of-a-kind cuts and unusual materials that can make your custom jewelry stand out: find gem designers, learn what to look for when you buy, and what setting skills you’ll need to set these outstanding stones. Learn basic gem carving and stone polishing
Read More >>

Jewelry Tool Tips From the Archives: Choosing and Using a Flex Shaft

As my jewelry-making interests have changed in recent years, I've found myself digging through back issues of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist and their old newsletters with a new perspective, looking at the things that apply to my craft now that might
Read More >>

What's Your Favorite? Editors' Favorite Jewelry-Making Magazines on Sale

My brother always wants to know what everyone's favorites are. He's 24 now, but ever since he was old enough to ask, he has asked me (and everyone else), "What's your favorite color? Who's your favorite singer of all time ? If you
Read More >>

How-To: Phototransfer Metal Etching by Lexi Erickson

Lexi Erickson is a contributing author to Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist and the star of several jewelry-making DVDs. If you've ever thought etching was too difficult to do at home, think again! To show you to how easy and almost instantly rewarding
Read More >>

Tell Me a Story: Top Designers Share the Creative Tales Behind Favorite Jewelry-Making Projects

Whenever I sell a piece of jewelry, the buyers (and browsers) often ask me the story behind a piece. Sometimes I can tell them where I found some unusual old metal found object I've used in it, or I'll describe the thing--art, other jewelry, flowers
Read More >>

Decluttering the Jewelry Studio, Step 1: Get Digital Magazine Subscriptions

I'm not sure why there is an endless fascination with seeing other people's jewelry and design studios, but I'm as guilty as the next guy. It's such a popular topic that we have a quarterly Studios magazine ! My corner . . . and this is
Read More >>

Jewelry Design, Inspiration and Ideas: The Value of Keeping a Sketchbook

A rare example of a "whole" design in my sketchbook. Inspiration comes from everywhere, and lately I'm inspired by the intricacies of antique ironwork and the colors and textures of weathered wood that I'm seeing when I explore my new
Read More >>

Sketching Jewelry Designs: Creating an "Idea Book" with Lexi Erickson

When I asked my friend and metalsmithing teacher Lexi Erickson to share with me her thoughts on drawing and jewelry design, she was generous and brilliant, as always. After teaching for more than twenty years, Lexi has encountered her share of students
Read More >>

10 Things to Love About Bracelets and Our New Everyday Bracelets eMag

Do you ever get the feeling that the universe has you bugged? Not in a conspiracy theory sort of way, but just in an "Oh yeah? Well watch this!" sort of way? Because just a few weeks after I wrote about bracelets being mostly special-occasion
Read More >>

Soldering Next Steps: Make My Silver Flower Ring and a 10-Part Soldering Series

Last week on Jewelry Making Daily, I shared how to make the beginner soldering stack rings project that master metalsmith Lexi Erickson taught me to make in her studio last year (also found in the May/June 2011 issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist
Read More >>

Copper Clay Tips from Arlene Mornick

Since I first discovered it about ten years ago at a craft trade show, metal clay has been my favorite medium ever , for jewelry making or any other craft. I can't talk about it without saying the word "magic" over and over. I thought silver
Read More >>

Bezel Settings Love Stones

You can set faceted stones of any shape and flat gemstone slices equally well in bezels. Helen Blythe-Hart's "Watermelon Parfait Pendant." Photo: Jim Lawson. I Love Stones, So I Love Bezel Settings The first time I saw a faceted stone in
Read More >>

Soldering Made Simple: Create Easy Textured Silver Stack Rings

Rings are my favorite piece of jewelry to collect, wear, and make. Fortunately, the ring design possibilities are endless when you combine sterling silver wire with texturing tools such as hammers and files. (I prefer standard 8-gauge half-round, but
Read More >>

Add Interest to Your Jewelry Designs: Texturing and Etching Copper

Copper has been a hot topic in jewelry-making circles for many months now. The price of silver (and don't get me started on gold) has many jewelry makers looking for alternative metals, so copper's rise in popularity has been attributed to that
Read More >>

10 Fusing and Soldering Micro-Torch Tips: Make Wire Findings and Bezels for Found Objects

No matter how often I use a full torch setup, I admit that I still choose my micro torch over the larger torch whenever it will do the job just as well. I like to work with fine silver, too, which is ideal for micro torch use. Perhaps I like fine silver
Read More >>

Free Video Tutorial: How to Fuse Fine Silver Wire Links with a Handheld Butane Micro Torch

If you've hesitated to move away from cold connections and begin soldering and fusing metals with a torch (even a small handheld torch like a micro torch or a butane torch, also sometimes called a crème brûlée torch), we have a
Read More >>

Using Gems in Jewelry: Tips and Advice from the Pros

My gem-geek-ness is no secret; I'm drawn to colorful gemstones--spinel, ruby, tourmaline, and some garnets, especially, and my beloved pearls, of course--like a moth to a flame. Sometimes when I'm working at my bench, I think that I might make
Read More >>

Arm Candy: Learn to Make 10 Bracelet Designs

Layering Bracelets in Fashion When I think of jewelry trends over the past few years, stacking and layering seems to be The Big Thing. It seems the fashion world has decided that instead of some specific style, anything goes--and more is more. So people
Read More >>

Smokin' Stones: The Great "Jasper" Gemstone Riddle

Here's a gemstone riddle for you. When is jasper not necessarily jasper? When it's Red Creek "jasper" from China! And frankly, it's not red either--although there are some lovely red tones in it, along with exquisite shades of yellow
Read More >>

Free eBook: How to Enamel Jewelry With 20+ Expert Enameling Tips and Techniques

Enameled Filigree Beads by Pam East Photo by Frank DeSantis. Apparently, I was a strange little girl. I remember being enamored with cloisonné and enameled jewelry at a very young age--at seven or eight years old, which seems really young to be
Read More >>

Helen's Perfect Rivets: Cold Connections for Metalsmithing and Mixed-Media Jewelry Making

These two photos show a well-fitted tube rivet, one with thick-walled stock and one with thin-walled stock. You should have to coax the tubing into the hole with a little bit of muscle--if the hole is too big, eventually the rivet will fail. A few times
Read More >>

What will 10 cents buy you? Metal Clay Jewelry-Making Lessons!

I'm not a gadget girl. It was a good five or seven years into the cell-phone age before I got one, and then only because I was taking a cross-country road trip. I don't have an iPhone, iPad, iPod, or i-anything else. I'm a very old-fashioned
Read More >>

Learn New Jewelry-Making Techniques: From Wirework to Metalsmithing

I always said wireworking wasn't my thing, until I realized just how much wireworking I was doing without even realizing it. When I read "Exploring the World of Metals" in a recent issue of Step by Step Wire Jewelry , I was struck by this
Read More >>

The Life of a Jeweler's Apprentice

In the past six months or so, I think I've been one of the luckiest girls in the world. I've gotten to learn many new jewelry-making techniques through face-to-face interaction with masters at their arts. I learned to enamel on copper, and I spent
Read More >>

5 Jewelry Techniques + 5 Must-Have How-Tos = 1 Great Jewelry-Making Library

Crafters in general (jewelry makers too) are notorious for our supply stashes, but working in a "making" industry of one sort or another for over ten years now makes mine different, because I have to have all this stuff for work. Riiiight. I
Read More >>

Learn the Complete Lapidary Experience: Hunt, Cut, and Set Gems

I've been a fan of rock-hunting since I was a little girl, when I could find quartz, mica, and pyrite just about anywhere. Now there are some interesting mineral specimens and pieces of lapidary rough in my rock and gem collection, and learning to
Read More >>

More Mixed-Media Jewelry Making: Resin Tips and Tricks from Kristal Wick's New DVD

After watching my Sparkle Sistah Kristal Wick's new Mixed Media: Beaded Bracelets with Fiber, Beads, Crystals, Resin, and Wire DVD, I was overflowing with great things to share with you about using epoxy clay for bezel setting and making mixed-media
Read More >>

7 Ways to Riff on Jewelry Design

Silver-in-quartz in silver bezel setting by Helen Driggs; photo: Jim Lawson One of my favorite effects in jewelry design is echoing some aspect of the main or focal element elsewhere in the piece. I especially love it when a really interesting gemstone
Read More >>

Silver Metal Clay Tips from Expert Jewelry Artist Kate McKinnon

After my PMC guild meeting earlier this week, I couldn't wait to get my metal clay stuff out and start playing with it. It has been boxed up since I used it to make a friend's rosary late last year, so I felt a little rusty. When I haven't
Read More >>

Making Art Jewelry: Why do we do it?

Enchanted Adornments by Cynthia Thornton of Green Girl Studios I had the pleasure of attending my first L'esprit du Metal precious metal clay guild meeting in my new town last weekend and was awed by the friendly, gracious, and talented jewelry artists
Read More >>

Jewelry Artist Roger Halas Talks About Design and Inspiration

Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Through my work on Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist , I've been very privileged in getting to know several top jewelry artists and jewelry makers. One of those artists is Roger
Read More >>

Planning for a Sequel: New Metalwork Essentials from Helen Driggs

Helen Driggs is senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . The most important thing I learned in art school had nothing to do with talent. It was that planning well—but being creative and adaptable if the plan changes—is the key to
Read More >>

Experts Share How To Turn Your Jewelry-Making Mistakes Into Masterpieces, No Foolin'!

Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily. Today is all about trickery and pranks, but messing up a piece of jewelry is no joke. The costs--in materials, time, sanity, and heartache--are too much to trifle with, so I try to never let a jewelry
Read More >>

Where can you learn everything you need to know about colored gemstones?

Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Akoya pearls freshwater pearls Tahitian pearls South Sea pearls Pearl photos by Jim Lawson. Pssst! Can I let you on a little secret? Until I started working at Interweave a few
Read More >>

Polymer Clay Art Jewelry Making: Tips and Ideas from the Pros

Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily. Polymer clay is like an old friend that keeps popping up throughout the years of my crafty how-to career. I'm happy to have it back now in the form of gallery-quality art jewelry, and I've called
Read More >>

Top 10 Wirework Tips for the Wire Jewelry Artist

Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily. Who doesn't love to learn a good tip or trick? You can save hours of time, lots of money, and so much frustration by implementing a clever, useful tip. These wirework tips from our wire jewelry-making
Read More >>

Silver Jewelry-Making for Everyone: Intro to the 5 Silversmithing Techniques

Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily. If the word silversmithing intimidates you, get ready to get excited! I recently had a discussion with Jewelry Making Daily 's Facebook friends about what we wish someone had told us when we first
Read More >>

My Metal Clay Gurus: The Value of Joining a Jewelry-Making Guild

Linda Folks made this flawless and beautiful dimensional metal clay pendant. Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily. Monday night I learned to enamel copper clay and tube beads, was invited to a gallery event showing a friend's work, saw
Read More >>

Behind the Scenes: Making Helen's Metalwork Essentials DVD Set

Helen Driggs is senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . I am a private person with a public job. I cringe at having my photo taken, so when I found out Interweave wanted me to do a DVD on metal techniques, I was green and very quiet for the
Read More >>

Get Hot for Cold Connections: Make a Cabochon Bezel Setting

Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist and Step by Step Wire Jewelry. I love my job. One of the best things about working in an office full of jewelry makers and jewelry artists is that you always have someone close
Read More >>

Merle's Favorite Jewelry-Making Tips from Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist

Merle White is editor-in-chief of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . The three things I love best about the Ask the Experts column by Tom and Kay Benham in every issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist are the questions, the answers, and the tips-really
Read More >>

Wireworking Tips: Before I Read Wire Art Jewelry Workshop, I Didn't Know. . .

Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily. One of the best perks about my job is all of the great jewelry-making books, magazines, CDs, and DVDs I get to review—especially the advance copies. I feel like someone has just told me a wonderful
Read More >>

Color Design Trends: Hot (and Cool) Picks for 2011

Helen Driggs is the managing editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Pantone’s regatta and blue curacao would be in this color family. Aqua and turquoise are generally good colors for any skintone. This group of gems includes amazonite, tourmaline
Read More >>

New Silversmithing eBook: Three Free Silver Jewelry-Making Projects

Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily. If the word silversmithing intimidates you, get ready to get excited! We've just published our newest free eBook, Silversmithing Techniques from Jewelry Making Daily : 3 Free Silver Jewelry Making
Read More >>

Jewelry-Making Essentials, Part One: Confessions of a Jewelry-Tool Junkie

Lexi Erickson is a contributing author to Jewelry Making Daily . Lexi's beloved jewelry-making hammers Okay, I admit it: I love jewelry-making tools . Even if I don't use them all, I love having them in my studio. I'm perfectly happy hanging
Read More >>

Make A Mokume Gane Heart Pendant

Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily. Mokume Gane Heart Pendant by Roger Halas Roger Halas is a self-taught lapidary, metalsmith, and jewelry designer in southern California. When not making jewelry, he works as a professional photographer
Read More >>

Gemstones: The School of Hard Rocks—I mean, Knocks

Helen Driggs is the managing editor for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . I'm one of those students who learns best when I have totally screwed up. In the past year I have destroyed more stone than in my entire life before this, out of pure ignorance
Read More >>

Best Jewelry-Making Blogs of 2010, Best Wishes for 2011—and a Great Sale to Get You Started!

Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily. Hearing all the "year in review" news this time of year always reminds me—time flies when you're having fun, and I've had so much fun being with all of you these past months. Many
Read More >>

Tucson Is Coming! 5 Gem and Jewelry Show Essentials from Karla

Karla Rosenbusch is the associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Every year about this time, I start thinking past the holidays and looking forward to the annual Tucson gem, jewelry, mineral, fossil, and bead shows in January and February
Read More >>

Free Metalsmithing Video Tutorial: Master Metal Jewelry-Making Techniques

Watch and Learn Mandrel Use, Dapping, and Doming Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily. My introduction to metalsmithing was a jewelry-maker's dream. I was lucky enough to have a one-on-one metalsmithing workshop with a master metalsmith
Read More >>

Media Review: Metalsmith App for iPhone, iPad, and iTouch

By Tom and Kay Benham Tim McCreight, internationally renowned metalsmith, teacher, author of Complete Metalsmith and founder of Brynmorgen Press,continues to keep pace with the times. Over the years, Tim continues to release updated versions of his Complete
Read More >>

Helen's Tips on Packing Jewelry Tools for Travel

Protect Your Investment When Traveling to a Show or Class Helen Driggs is the managing editor for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Tools are an essential part of jewelry making. No matter what level maker you are—from occasional jewelry maker to
Read More >>

Wrapping, Coiling, Knitting: Define Your Wire-Jewelry Style

Connie Fox's Life's A Charm bracelet was the cover project for the 2009 Best of Step by Step Wire Jewelry. Denise Peck is the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry and the senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . When I first began concentrating
Read More >>

Merle's Top 7 Holiday Gifts for Jewelry Makers

Merle White is editor-in-chief of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Just out, the December 2010 Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist issue is my favorite of the moment. My favorite is always whatever I've just discovered. I still love the old standbys
Read More >>

Bonus Project: Helen's Steampunk Pendant

The complete necklace can be seen in the December 2010 issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine. Mix Craft-Store Components with Easy Metalwork Helen Driggs is the managing editor for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . This pendant developed during
Read More >>

Best of Wire Jewelry: 100+ Wire-Jewelry Tips Plus Project Previews

Viking Knit by Kathleen Pierce Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily. I had a treat waiting on me when I got home from a business trip this week: The Best of Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine. I look forward to hearing how much you love your
Read More >>

Alternative (and Affordable!) Gemstones for Your Jewelry-Making Projects

Karla Rosenbusch is the associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Well, I admit it. I'm a stone addict. Yes, that sounds really bad, but what I mean is that I love gemstones. And when it comes to the stones I select for my jewelry, the
Read More >>

Wire and Gemstones: A Match Made in Heaven

Carol Dean Naukam's turquoise and onyx wire-wrapped bracelets Denise Peck is the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry and the senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . One of the best things about designing wire jewelry is being able to showcase
Read More >>

Five Free Stone-Cutting Projects and Techniques

Cabochon, Faceting, Inlay, Slabbing, and Trim Saw Setup--Plus Bonus Dopping Tips Tammy Jones is the editor of Jewelry Making Daily. Gemstone faceting has always fascinated me. What optimism and foresight lapidaries must have, to study an unexceptional
Read More >>

Lexi's Tips for Jewelry Designers: Juried Art Jewelry Shows

Lexi Erickson is a contributing author to Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . A postcard example from Lexi's most recent juried art jewelry show. Are you ready to take that big leap from small craft shows to a large, juried art jewelry show? The process
Read More >>

Add Texture and Patina to Your Wire-Jewelry Designs

Denise Peck is the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry and the senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . I have friends who would argue that you just can’t have enough bling (you know who you are, Kristal!). But sometimes what I’m
Read More >>

Helen's 7 Favorite Ways to Texture Metal

Helen Driggs is the managing editor for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . It's All About the Surface Copper is a great metal for the beginner (and advanced) metalsmith because it is very forgiving—you'll need a concentrated effort to really
Read More >>

Easily Explore a Year of Jewelry Design

Merle White is editor-in-chief of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . When I read Lexi Erickson's September 24 post on Jewelry Making Daily about the five principles of jewelry design, I immediately thought about a pair of exercises we featured in Lapidary
Read More >>

Copper Clay Success

By Arlene Mornick Copper and silver metal clay combined in a stunning pendant. Help with Storing, Firing and Finishing This New Generation Metal Clay I've loved working with silver metal clay for more than ten years now, and I particularly enjoy the
Read More >>

Make Great Wire Jewelry: 4 Essential Finishing Tips

My Aqua Waters earrings. Really? You call those wraps?? My Switching Gears earrings--with much better matching wraps! Denise Peck is the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry and the senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Sweat the Small Stuff
Read More >>

Make Easy Spiral Earrings in Just 5 Steps

Denise Peck's Mixed Blossom earrings from Easy Wire . Karla Rosenbusch is the associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Lately, my favorite jewelry-making medium has become working with wire. The thing I like best about wire is that you
Read More >>

Enrich Your Jewelry Designs with the Spirit of King Tut

Helen Driggs is the Managing Editor for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . When I was in art school, I was privileged enough to see the first exhibition of King Tut's treasures at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. I marveled at the gold
Read More >>

Explore the Architecture of Jewelry

Lexi Erickson is a contributing author to Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . This combines many elements and principles of Design. Color, emphasis, line, shape, repetition, and texture of the tiny petrified turtle shell and the druzy play off against each
Read More >>

Overcome the Challenges of Bezels—Let us Help!

Fold Pendant: This piece has two bezels--a hand-textured one around the fold-formed copper metalwork (made with a cross peen hammer) and one around the stone. Helen Driggs is the Managing Editor for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . I've never understood
Read More >>

Free eBook: How to Create with Metal Clay

An example of the beautiful patterns you can create by mixing metal clays. Noël Yovovich is a contributing author to Jewelry Making Daily and Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . I grew up hearing, "There's nothing new under the sun,"
Read More >>

Mad About Copper

Beautifully patinated copper. Helen Driggs is the Managing Editor for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Sure, I love silver and gold. But my one true love is copper. Nothing hammers like copper. Nothing patinates like copper. Nothing is more forgiving
Read More >>

Make Masterpieces from Mistakes

Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Jewelry Making Daily and associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. My new aqua terra jasper and Canadian jade necklace. See if you can spot the mistakes. I would love to tell you that all of my jewelry
Read More >>

Cool Tools Extra

In the October 2010 issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist , my Cool Tools and Hip Tips column features a selection of necklace findings and hangers inspired by antique and vintage jewelry. In the print issue, you'll find directions for hammering
Read More >>

Sliders: What’s in a Name?

by Scott Stepanski Barbara Minor and Christopher Hentz's multi cable and bead necklace in silver and gold tones. Note: In the October, 2010, issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Scott Stepanski focuses on sliders and other hanging devices for
Read More >>

Karla’s Top Seven Jewelry-Making Picks

Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Jewelry Making Daily and associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Happy Labor Day, everyone! Do you have any big plans for the holiday? Personally, I plan to spend the day in my favorite way-curled
Read More >>

Make Your Next Design a Winner

Merle White is editor-in-chief of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Really? Only One? Marcus Gillihan's 18K white and rose gold ring with 13mm freshwater pearl won the People's Choice in the 2010 All That Glitters competition. The jewelry design
Read More >>

Top Tips for Beginning Wire Jewelry-Making

A wire gauge is an essential tool for determining which wire is perfect for your project. Denise Peck is the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry and the senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . W hen you start working with wire to make jewelry
Read More >>

Five Free Designs for Making Wire Jewelry

Sonja Kiser's Beading Heart Pendant. Joyce Tromp's Floating Crystal Cube necklace. Denise Peck is the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry and the senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . When we thought about putting together a free
Read More >>

Tanzanite & Tsavorite Bisymmetric Cut

We challenged Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist readers to create a design based on this cut. In the June 2010 issue of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist , we challenged readers to design a setting for the gem pictured at left. It's actually a 1.33-carat
Read More >>

Cold Connections: How to Make Perfect Rivets Every Time

Helen Driggs is the managing editor for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . What the World Needs Now is Better Rivets These two photos show a well-fitted tube rivet, one with thick walled stock and one with thin walled stock. You should have to coax the
Read More >>

My Gift to You: 50% Off for My 50th!

My new favorite stone, African blue opal, combined with bronze metal clay to make a necklace/bracelet set. Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Jewelry Making Daily and associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. My mother always told me
Read More >>

Helen's Apprentice Log -- Day 10, The Following Friday

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist managing editor Helen Driggs spent nine days in apprentice mode with master lapidary and jewelry artist Michael Boyd at his Pueblo, Colorado studio. This is her day-by-day log of her experiences. Since I'd missed out
Read More >>

Helen's Apprentice Log -- Day Nine, Saturday

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist managing editor Helen Driggs spent nine days in apprentice mode with master lapidary and jewelry artist Michael Boyd at his Pueblo, Colorado studio. This is her day-by-day log of her experiences. I decided I had been relatively
Read More >>

Cabs and Stones: Like Candy for Jewelers

Helen Driggs is the Managing Editor for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . What's Your Favorite Color? This Royal Sahara Jasper brooch was an interesting design challenge. I didn't want to obscure the raw edge on the lower right of the cab, so
Read More >>

Helen's Apprentice Log -- Days Seven and Eight, Thursday and Friday

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist managing editor Helen Driggs spent nine days in apprentice mode with master lapidary and jewelry artist Michael Boyd at his Pueblo, Colorado studio. This is her day-by-day log of her experiences. Documentation and photography
Read More >>

Helen's Apprentice Log -- Day Six, Wednesday

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist managing editor Helen Driggs spent nine days in apprentice mode with master lapidary and jewelry artist Michael Boyd at his Pueblo, Colorado studio. This is her day-by-day log of her experiences. Got to see Michael's
Read More >>

Helen's Apprentice Log -- Day Five, Tuesday

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist managing editor Helen Driggs spent nine days in apprentice mode with master lapidary and jewelry artist Michael Boyd at his Pueblo, Colorado studio. This is her day-by-day log of her experiences. A different spin. I was
Read More >>

Helen's Apprentice Log -- Day Four, Monday

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist managing editor Helen Driggs spent nine days in apprentice mode with master lapidary and jewelry artist Michael Boyd at his Pueblo, Colorado studio. This is her day-by-day log of her experiences. Mastering the "shop
Read More >>

Kate McKinnon’s Five Top Tips for Working with Metal Clay

Kate's fine silver metal clay Brave Chain with beads by Joyce Rooks. Photo by Kate McKinnon. Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Jewelry Making Daily and associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. For any jewelry maker, working in
Read More >>

Helen's Apprentice Log -- Day Three, Sunday

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist managing editor Helen Driggs spent nine days in apprentice mode with master lapidary and jewelry artist Michael Boyd at his Pueblo, Colorado studio. This is her day-by-day log of her experiences. A spool of annealed bezel
Read More >>

Helen's Apprentice Log -- Day Two, Saturday

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist managing editor Helen Driggs spent nine days in apprentice mode with master lapidary and jewelry artist Michael Boyd at his Pueblo, Colorado studio. This is her day-by-day log of her experiences. Michael and I caught up
Read More >>

Helen's Apprentice Log -- Day One, Friday

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist managing editor Helen Driggs spent nine days in apprentice mode with master lapidary and jewelry artist Michael Boyd at his Pueblo, Colorado studio. This is her day-by-day log of her experiences. The first 20 of my 50-bezel
Read More >>

Apprenticeship: 9 Days that Will Shake Your World

Here's me, soldering away at the apprentice bench in the Pueblo, Colorado studio of master jeweler/lapidary Michael Boyd. Too cool for school! Helen Driggs is the Managing Editor for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. I've been so busy travelling
Read More >>

How to Find 100s of Interesting, Affordable Stones

Merle White is editorial director of Interweave's Gem & Jewelry Group and editor-in-chief of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Attractive and Inexpensive Unusual cabochon gems can make your jewelry designs stand out like this dendrite in quartz
Read More >>

Link Up! Create Your Own Chain Jewelry

Denise Peck is the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry and the senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . The Allure of Handcrafted Jewelry My chain bracelet. Long before I knew how to make jewelry, I'd often go to craft shows to ogle (and
Read More >>

Get Your Free Stone Setting eBook!

Tom and Kay Benham's opal and lapis earrings from 7 Ways to Set Stones: Bezel Setting and Other Stone Setting Techniques . Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Jewelry Making Daily and associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. There
Read More >>

Turn Simple Wire Techniques into Your Personal Designs

Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Jewelry Making Daily and associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. My scrollwork and bronze metal clay bracelet. You can find how to make it below. One of the best lessons I've learned while experimenting
Read More >>

Learn How to Personalize Your Jewelry with Stamping Tips and Tricks

This is the finished guitar pick necklace. See how I made the stamped element below. Photos: Michael Richardson. Sara Richardson is the associate editor for Step by Step Wire Jewelry and Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Last year, I decided to take a
Read More >>

Take the Leap--5 Things You Need to Know About Working with Colored Wire!

Sara Richardson is the associate editor for Step by Step Wire Jewelry and Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . More often than not, I choose to work with color-coated copper wire or "craft wire." Part of the reason why, I'll admit, is because
Read More >>

Take Your Jewelry Skills to New Heights with More Techniques

Denise Peck is the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry and the senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Looking To Learn Even More? Jeanette Blix Ryan's Linked Spirals bracelet. Don't be surprised if you start yearning to know more and
Read More >>

Explore the Art of Polymer Clay

My father's "Jazzman" clay sculpture is a focal point and conversation piece in my living room. Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Jewelry Making Daily and associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Most jewelry makers
Read More >>

5 Reasons to Explore Bead Fest Philadelphia

Sara Richardson is the associate editor for Step by Step Wire Jewelry and Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . There's one time of year where I feel like my creative spirit can really soar. It happens to be the third week in August. Welcome back, Bead
Read More >>

Save Money and Have Fun with Alternative Metals

Helen Driggs is the Managing Editor f or Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Fun and Cheap, What a Combo! A fold-formed bronze brooch by Helen Driggs. Photo by Jim Lawson. I've been working on a new series of mixed metal brooches with custom cut freeform
Read More >>

Free Guide: Learn the Ins and Outs of 100+ Jewelry Making Tools

Merle White is editorial director of Interweave's Gem & Jewelry Group and editor-in-chief of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Everyone Loves Tools A "third hand" tool makes jewelry-making easier by leaving both hands free. I love exploring
Read More >>

7 Favorite Cold Connections

Helen Driggs is the Managing Editor f or Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Screw, Rivet, Tab, or Stitch? I love soldering just as much as I love cold connections. Luckily, I've got the equipment and knowledge to go either way when it comes to jewelry
Read More >>

FREE Simple-Chic Chain Maille Project: Handmade Earrings in 5 Minutes!

Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Jewelry Making Daily and associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Sara Richardson's Roller-Girl Earrings. Photo by Jim Lawson. One of my favorite things about working in an office full of jewelry
Read More >>

Turn Hurt Books Into Well-Loved Books

Sara Richardson is the associate editor for Step by Step Wire Jewelry and Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Recently, we had a community yard sale in our neighborhood. My husband Mike and I went through the house, thinking of stuff that we could Princeton
Read More >>

A Cool Bracelet on a Hot Saturday

Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Jewelry Making Daily and associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Jodi Bombardier's 3D Sterling Bracelet Last week, Pennsylvania was suffering through a rare early June heat wave, with temperatures
Read More >>

Discover Timeless Wirework

Sara Richardson is the associate editor for Step by Step Wire Jewelry and Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Jewelry artists have used classic wire wrap for centuries . . . some work even dates back to 2000 B.C. Pieces of jewelry found in ancient Roman
Read More >>

Expand Your Jewelry Skills at Bead Fest Texas

Sara Richardson is the associate editor for Step by Step Wire Jewelry and Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . When I first joined the staff at Interweave five and a half years ago, I had no previous jewelry-making experience. I came from a journalism background
Read More >>

Find 12 Months of Jewelry Making – Fast!

Merle White is editorial director of Interweave's Gem & Jewelry Group and editor-in-chief of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Timeless Information The rich colors in Helen Blythe-Hart's Watermelon Parfait Pendant from July 2007, remind me
Read More >>

Expert Jewelry Artists Share: What Drives You to Make Art?

Helen Driggs is the Managing Editor f or Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . I often wonder where art making comes from. I know I can't not do it, especially when there is an insistent need to. That need wells up from deep inside my chest when I am
Read More >>

Learn the Expert Secrets of Metal Clay Jewelry Making

Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Jewelry Making Daily and associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Thinking about moving up from beading and wirework to another phase of jewelry making? If you're fascinated by the look of metalwork
Read More >>

Soldering & Fusing Made Simple

Denise Peck is the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry and the senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . You Don't Need a Whole Studio Fine silver fuses to itself like magic, without solder. Even if you're dying for one, not everyone
Read More >>

Mixed Media: Chips, Transistors, and Diodes, Oh My!

Sara Richardson is the associate editor for Step by Step Wire Jewelry and Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . When Kerry Bogert's "Waste Not, Want Not" bottle cap collage pendant project first crossed my desk for the February/March 2010 issue
Read More >>

Make Connections with Handmade Jewelry

Merle White is editorial director of Interweave's Gem & Jewelry Group and editor-in-chief of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . Personal Connection This antique ring was made in a time and place I can hardly imagine, yet wearing the ring is literally
Read More >>

Finding Out About Findings

Sara Richardson is the associate editor for Step by Step Wire Jewelry and Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . For a long time, I hesitated making my own findings. I just didn't feel confident enough that I could make them as well as store-bought Earrings
Read More >>

Can You Solder Copper Cleanly?

Helen Driggs is the managing editor f or Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . I've been working on a new series of mixed metal brooches with custom cut freeform stones for about three months now. It's been tough for me to find time after my full
Read More >>

Step Into the World of Wire

Karla Rosenbusch is the managing editor of Jewelry Making Daily and associate editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Every jewelry artist has a different story of how they became one. Maybe their grandmother/mother/best friend/favorite uncle taught
Read More >>

A Day with Harold O'Connor

Class Date: May 30, 2010 Hours: 10-5 Location: Coyote Creek Studio Arts Foundation 419 Main Street Fairplay, CO, 80440 Price: $175.00 +materials Join us for a day of learning with the BEST! Reknowned jewelry artist Harold O'Connor will teach a one
Read More >>

Welcome to the Jewelry Making Daily Community: Inspiration, How-tos, Free Projects, and More

Denise Peck is the editor of Step by Step Wire Jewelry and the senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . You Are So Generous What's struck me the most in my journey through jewelry making is the generosity that defines the spirit of this
Read More >>

Jewelry Arts Awards

The Jewelry Arts Awards are an annual contest for jewelry designers and makers presented by Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist . The contest is open to any jewelry designer/maker. Entries must be submitted by the designer/maker, or in cases of collaborative
Read More >>

Gemmys

The Gemmys are an annual contest for lapidaries presented by Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. Categories include: Faceted Gems Stones must be flat faceted; concave or convex faceted stones should be entered in the Specially Cut division. Cabochon Gems
Read More >>

Renew Sharpening Stones

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist No matter how careful you've been using your sharpening stone to sharpen gravers and other edged tools over the years, one day you will discover that you have developed a
Read More >>

Mohs' Hardnesses

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Beginning rockhounds and jewelry makers are often confused by the Mohs' Hardness Scale for rocks and gems. The Mohs Hardness Scale was set up in the early 1800s by mineralogist
Read More >>

Bonding Opal to Metal

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist If you must bond an opal into a silver or gold setting, we suggest using a high-quality, two-part epoxy adhesive. The secret to achieving a good bond joint is (1) clean both
Read More >>

Tumble Polishing Chains

From Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist If you are interested in tumbling chains to polish/burnish them, but don't like the tangles, here's a simple way to tumble several chains at once without spending hours
Read More >>

Out of the Picklepot

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Sometimes it can be a problem to remove a small piece from your picklepot. At our local kitchen supply store, we found just the solution: a set of four nylon screened strainers
Read More >>

Graver Lubricant

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Oil of wintergreen is an excellent lubricant when cutting with a graver. A very convenient dispenser for the oil can be made from a small empty mint or lozenge tin. Simply drill
Read More >>

Recycled Charcoal Blocks

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist It is common knowledge that soldering and fusing on a charcoal block generates a reducing atmosphere that diminishes silver oxidation and produces stronger joints. However, charcoal
Read More >>

Oversize Sawing

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Have you ever attempted to cut a piece of silver sheet longer than your saw frame and come to a screeching halt? One solution is to use your pliers to twist your saw blade 90
Read More >>

Small Round Cabs

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist If you need to make small, perfectly round cabs (1⁄2 inch or smaller), it can be difficult because the eye can't easily pick out imperfections in the smaller sizes
Read More >>

Excellent Edge

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Metalsmiths often experience difficulty generating a long edge that is flat, straight and square when using the traditional 6" jewelers file. Th e method we recommend is
Read More >>

Drilling Glass or Ceramic

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Drilling glass or ceramic requires the use of diamond-charged drill bits, which can be purchased at virtually any lapidary supply source. Secondly, you need to form some type
Read More >>

Setting Odd Shapes

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Setting trapezoidal or odd-shaped stones should not be more difficult than setting regular shapes. We've found that problems usually occur when stones have been improperly
Read More >>

Quiet Pounding

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Ever notice how loud the sound is when pounding on your steel bench block sitting on a wooden bench top? The bench top reverberates like a drum amplifying the sound. To correct
Read More >>

Sharpest Scribe

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist A really good, ultra sharp scribe is difficult to locate, but you can make your own with a heavy duty sewing needle clamped in a pin vise. This makes the sharpest scribe you'll
Read More >>

Equal Links

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist When producing a large quantity of chain links the same size, simply use an indelible marker or thin strip of masking tape to mark the chain nose pliers for an easy reference
Read More >>

$3 Mandrel

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Many beginning jewelers bemoan the fact that they cannot afford an expensive iron bracelet mandrel. However, a big old wooden softball bat purchased at a garage sale for $2 or
Read More >>

Polishing Apache Tears

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Apache tears (obsidian) are extremely brittle, so the tumbling charge should be filled with a cushioning material and the tumbler speed adjusted so that only a sliding action
Read More >>

Silver Beads from Casting Grain

By Tom and Kay Benham, Contributing Editors, Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist We used to make individual sterling silver beads for adorning our jewelry, until one day when we received a new batch of sterling silver casting grains; while pouring them onto
Read More >>

Mineral and Lapidary Museum of Henderson County

Mineral and Lapidary Museum of Henderson County 400 North Main St., Hendersonville, NC 28792 Phone: (828) 698-1977 E-mail: minlap@henderson.main.nc.us, Web: www.minmuseum.org
Read More >>

Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art

Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art 220 Cottage Hill, Elmhurst, IL 60126 Phone: (630) 833-1616 | Fax: (630) 833-1225 E-mail: info@lizzadromuseum.org, Web: www.lizzadromuseum.org
Read More >>

Gaumer's Jewelry, Museum & Lapidary

Gaumer's Jewelry, Museum & Lapidary 78 Belle Mill Rd., Red Bluff, CA 96080 Phone: (530) 527-6166 E-mail: gaumers@tehama.net, Web: www.gaumers.com
Read More >>

Tuscarora Lapidary Society, Inc.

105 W. Jasper Street, Media, PA 19063 Phone: 610-565-8505 E-mail: information@lapidary.org, Web: www.lapidary.org
Read More >>

Greater Cincinnati Lapidary & Faceting Society

2948 Rontina Drive, Goshen, OH 45122 Phone: (513) 575-1990 E-mail: wisoh@msn.com, Web: www.cincilapidary.org
Read More >>

Summit Lapidary Club

244 Chestnut Street, Cuyhoga Falls, OH 44221 Phone: (330) 929-3798 Web: www.lapidaryclubofohio.org
Read More >>

Parma Lapidary Club AFMS

3488 West 25th St., Cleaveland, OH 44109 E-mail: info@parmalapidary.com, Web: www.parmalapidary.com
Read More >>

Mt. Clemens Gem and Lapidary Society

44314 Macoms Industrial Drive, Clinton Township, MI 48036 Phone: (586) 468-2939 E-mail: ymrolfe@comcast.net
Read More >>

SAC and Fox Lapidary Club

1007 East Jefferson, Fairfield, IA 52556 Phone: (641) 472-0286 E-mail: billrath@iowatelecom.net, Web: www.iowatelecom.net/billrath/show.html
Read More >>

Evansville Lapidary Society

1304 N. Willow Road, Evansville, IN 47711 Phone: (812) 425-4367
Read More >>

West Suburban Lapidary Club

PO Box 783, Lyons, IL 60534 E-mail: mitty27@sbcglobal.net, Web: www.westsuburbanlapidaryclub.com
Read More >>

Stockton Lapidary & Mineral Club

3136 E. Anita, Stockton, CA 95205 Phone: (209) 946-0113 E-mail: footsey1@yahoo.com
Read More >>

Alabama Mineral and Lapidary Society SE

P. O. Box 811, Trussville, AL 35173 Phone: (205) 467-2578 E-mail: doodle_35173@yahoo.com, Web: www.lapidaryclub.com
Read More >>

Norfolk Mineral & Lapidary Society

Norwich, Bristol, UK 10 Lorraine Gardens 10 Lorraine Gartens, NR3 4 DH Phone: (016) 034-04833 E-mail: clansdell@bcinternet.com, Web: norfolkminerallapidarysociety.com norfoldminerallapidarysociety.com
Read More >>

Bristol & District Lapidary Society

Keynsham, Bristol, UK 62 Lays Drive, BS31 2 LA Phone: (001) 011-79865937 | Fax: (001) 011-79865937 E-mail: jimmasticman@talktalk.net
Read More >>

Sidcup Lapidary and Mineral Society

Bexleyheath, Kent, Great Britain 16 Preston Drive, DA7 4 UQ
Read More >>

Kingston Lapidary Society

Hull, East Yorkshire, Great Britain 3 Southern Dr., HU4 6 TR Phone: (014) 825-06281 E-mail: gordonandwendy@gandwbulmer.freeserve.co.uk
Read More >>

Sudbury Rock & Lapidary Society CCFMS

Sudbury, Ontario, Canada 456 Kaireen Street, P3E 5 R9 Phone: (705) 522-5140 | Fax: (705) 522-5140 E-mail: ed.debicki@sympatico.ca, Web: www-ccfms.ca/clubs/Sudbury
Read More >>

Kingston Lapidary and Mineral Club I

Kingston, Ontario, Canada J.K. Tett Building , 370 King Street West Phone: 613-384-4439 E-mail: emoss@cogeco.net, Web: www.mineralclub.ca Meeting Information: http://kingston.lapidary.googlepages.com/calendar.
Read More >>

Victoria Lapidary and Mineral Society

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada P. O. Box 5114, Stn. B, V8R 6N3
Read More >>

Nunawading -- District Lapidary Club

Nunawading, Victoria, Australia P. O. Box 69, 3131 Phone: (613) 985-03499
Read More >>

South Gippsland Gem and Lapidary Club

Leongatha, Victoria, Australia 30 Shingler Street, 3953
Read More >>

Gold Coast Lapidary Club, Inc.

Nobby Beach, Queensland, Australia P.O. Box 12, 4218 Phone: (075) 526-1190
Read More >>

South West Brisbane Lapidary Club

Moorooka, Queensland, Australia P. O Box 172, 4105 E-mail: allanclancey@hotmail.com
Read More >>

Bowen and Collinsville Lapidary Club Inc.

Bowen, Queensland, Australia P. O. Box 780, 4805
Read More >>

Lapidary World I

Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia 3 Plantation Avenue, 2450 E-mail: admin@search-the-world.com, Web: www.lapidaryworld.com Meeting Information: We have a vast data base of information about lapidary and associated hobbies including: gemstones
Read More >>

New England Lapidary and Fossicking Club

Uralla, New South Wales, Australia P. O. Box 82, 2358 Phone: (026) 778-5122 E-mail: kerrytasik @ hotmail.com
Read More >>

Hawkesbury Valley Lapidary Club, Inc.

Richmond, New South Wales, Australia P. O. Box 179, 2753 Phone: (024) 571-1517
Read More >>

Gem and Lapidary Council of NSW Inc.

Revesby, New South Wales, Australia 21 Edinborough Dr., 2122 Phone: (612) 977-35092 E-mail: crystalhabit@bigpond.com
Read More >>

Lismore Gem & Gem Lapidary Club, Inc.

Lismore, New South Wales, Australia P. O. Box 743, 2480 E-mail: bcopper@nor.com.au
Read More >>

Canberra Lapidary Club, Inc.

Canberra, ACT, Australia GPO Box 1257, 2601 Phone: (026) 281-3312
Read More >>

Northern Districts Lapidary Club, Inc.

Beecroft, New South Wales, Australia P. O. Box 59, 2119 Phone: (612) 948-40014 E-mail: ndlapidary@gmail.com
Read More >>

Gemological Institute of America (GIA)

5345 Armada Dr., MS 34, Carlsbad, CA 92008; (760) 603-4000; fax (760) 603-4080; e-mail: eduinfo@gia.edu. GIA provides training in gemology, jewelry manufacturing arts, and business, awarding certificates of completion/diplomas to those who complete a
Read More >>

Australian Federation of Lapidary & Allied Crafts Associations (AFLACA)

5 50/266 High St., Kangaroo Flat, Victoria 3555, Australia; phone 03 5447 4115. Contact Tony Annear, Secretary, at tonygem@alphalink.com.au. Many Australian Clubs are affiliated with one or more of the seven regional member organizations of AFLACA. Contacts
Read More >>

American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (AFMS)

P.O. Box 302, Glyndon, MD 21071; e-mail central_office@amfed.org. Contact Steve Weinberger. Many clubs in the United States are affiliated with one of the seven regional branches of the AFMS. Contacts for regional organizations follow: California Federation
Read More >>

Free eBooks

Topics

Tags

Blogs

Related Posts