Month: August 2018

BeadFX Weekly World News

Beads can add years to your life

 , , , , , , , , , 0

Add years and improve the quality of your life. Repetitive motion activities, like stringing beads, bead weaving, lampworking, hammering metal, even sorting and picking out beads, can trigger a state of “flow” in your brain, in the same way that meditation can. In addition to making an already happy person happier, it is also effective for dealing with stress by activating the parasympathetic nervous system (the involuntary system that controls heart beat, blood pressure, etc.), and – in turn – quieting the “fight or flight” response. Because we all have stress in our lives. We might not be chased by …

A Bead Muse Muses

August 2018 Bead Mat Update: Just playing around!

 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0

I almost hate to write my August 2018 Bead Mat Update, because that means that the summer is almost over. It’s still stinking hot in Toronto, but I wonder how long that will last? Kids go back to school, adults breath a sigh of relief, traffic jams increase, and the bead goes on!!! BeadFX customers start gearing up for the holidays (I can’t believe that I just wrote that), and the workshop season shifts into high gear (our Back To Class Open House is on September 8th)! It’s still warm outside, but we’re all itching for a change of pace. …

There's a Class for that!

Happy September!

0

I love September! There, I’ve said it. I was one of those geeky kids who couldn’t wait to get back to school. September meant new discoveries and a fresh start for a school year. It’s still like that for me – except that exploring new things now applies to beading, metalwork and anything else that catches my creative eye! Our annual Back to Class event kicks off the month! 2018 marks the Fifth Anniversary of this popular and free event. In recognition of this milestone, every who registers for a class on September 8 – either in-store or on-line – …

Inspiration Projects

Flora-Meta-Pendant Necklace

 , , , , 0

Flora-Meta-Pendant Necklace by: Anne Marie Desaulniers I was wandering through the metal aisle, and thesecomponents just started screaming at me! They’re all botanical based, and who doesn’t like flowers and leaves?So, a simple pendant necklace was made! This one is for those times, when you don’t want to wear something splashy! Like when you’re wearing a t-shirt and jeans! Do you think that the piece looks like a little flora person? Entirely unintentional, as I didn’t even notice, until it was finished! Tools Used: Chain Nose Pliers (2) Round Nose Pliers Flush Cutter Instructions: Insert1-3″ Ball Headpin, into 1-Czech Flower. …

Eye Candy

Interchangeable Pendants

 , , 0

I didn’t get around to talking about these new items with the Thursday update, because, well – I got distracted. But I thought you might want to see them, instead of just stumbling across them. Anyway – we have these three new interchangeable pendants, that are really quite clever. The first one is a fairly classic design – it has a screw on ball, and you put the pendant of your choice (forward facing hole) on it, and screw on the ball end.   The design is clean and simple they they look stunning. It’s a very versatile item too. …

BeadFX Weekly World News

Twist and Hex … or The Endless Band Looms

 , , , , , , , , 0

Well, Bead it up Baby Twist and Hex Come on, come on, come, come on bead it now Come on and bead it next ooooo, aaaaahh …. Get your bead on … feel the bead … let your fingers dance to the rhythm … New this week – we’ve added the Miyuki Twisted Hex Cut size 10/0s. The twisted and faceted shape make for an interesting visual texture, and a more unpredictable play of light. Unpredictable is good, right? Oooo, shiney. Ask not for whom the bead looms – it looms for thee! If you are currently being torn between …

A Bead Muse Muses

Bead Mixes: A recipe in creativity!

 , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0

If you like leftovers, you’ll love bead mixes (also known as bead soup)! What do you do, when you’ve finished a project? Some of you choose to re-sort them, but my preference is to jumble them up into a pile! I love to make bead mixes out of them, corralled in small containers, then saved for rainy days! Or, should I say new projects!!! Starting a bead embroidery, or freeform peyote project, requires a combination of new, and stash seedbeads. I add a dash of accent beads, then pour small, tidy piles of beads onto the bead mat. I don’t …

There's a Class for that!

Join us: 5th Annual Back to Class Open House

0

Hammer, stitch, saw, weave, bend, torch, knot, punch, fold, wrap – it sounds like something out of an action movie! The real action is happening in our Fall class line-up and the wonderful projects that you’ll be enjoying with our imaginative and enthusiastic instructors. Preview the action at our upcoming 5th Annual Back to Class Open House! Date: Saturday, September 8 Time: 11:00am – 3:00pm Where: Throughout BeadFX! To celebrate our 5th annual event, when you register for a class during the event, you will be automatically entered into a draw for a $50 Gift Certificate – one ballot for …

Inspiration Projects

Meditation Beads

 , , , , , 0

Meditation Beads by: Dwyn Tomlinson Beads can be soothing and meditative from sorting and organizing to stringing and wearing. This set came from the happy combination of colours that just called out to me. The impression jasper is such a lovely colour and turquoise is always beautifully accented by shades of red. And, of course, black looks great with everything. 😉 By now, you should be familiar with my current obsession with simple stretchy bracelets. Use the elastic-needle to quickly make them up. I tie the opelon doubled for larger beads like these in a surgeon’s knot, and then cover …