Huichol Style Beaded Daisy Flower and Star Tutorial

From the time I first saw colorful Huichol style beadwork, I have been itching to give it a try.  This week, I finally did - and I was not disappointed in the least. I think I may be sticking with this for a few more weeks.

Huichol beadwork is made using netting stitch. These flowers are all circular netting. Like many other stitches, netting has multiple forms of the stitch - tubular netting, flat horizontal netting, flat vertical netting and circular netting.  What you may not realize is that one of the most popular beadwork stitches is a type of netting stitch. Can you guess which one?

Chinese Knotting Cord Macrame Bracelets

Today will be a challenge. I have been making macrame bracelets with chinese knotting cord since Thanksgiving, and hoping to write about them, but here I am with an hour to go before I leave on a flight and I'm going to get this done!  Crazy!!

This isn't the first time I've made or published macrame bracelets. It's one of my first projects I learned in high school.  But, the new part for me is the Chinese knotting cord. It is, for sure, a game changer!  I also made the pretty heart centerpiece above as part of the heart wire jig tutorial I published last week.

Making Wire Heart Rings Using a Wire Jig

I have a lot of tools - so many that I have a tendency to forget about them. I actually have several jewelry making tools that are still in their packages, unopened. How does that happen?  Most people buy tools because they need them. I buy tools because I think someday I'll want to try something.

A wire jig was one of my early tool purchases. My first one was the purple plastic jig that you buy at the craft store. I used it right away and guess what?

Lisa Yang's Jewelry Group on Facebook

What can I say, other than, it's time!

I've thought about starting a group for people interested in jewelry making for quite a while, but I've held off.  That is, until the beginning of October, when I started playing with  the group feature in Facebook.  Lisa Yang's Jewelry Group was there, but no one knew about it.

I guess there's a part of me that approached it a little like the movie Field of Dreams. If you build it, (s)he will come.  Well, surprisingly I checked this week and a couple of people did come.  So, I approved them and decided that must mean it's time to move forward.

Holiday Earring Designs - Ornament and Christmas Trees

I am feeling a little bah-humbug this holiday season, but you wouldn't know it with all of the Christmas holiday jewelry and ornaments I've been working on. At least I'm trying not to be a Scrooge!

Unfortunately, this year has been a bit of a creative struggle. You could say I've felt unsure of what direction to head. Beadwork? Wire Wrap? Stringing? All of the above?  Something new like jewelry from silverware?

I've given myself a lot of freedom this year to lay off the blog and just create, and honestly I don't have much to show from it. I doubt that is the path I'll follow in the new year.  And I guess I have had some exciting acquisitions lately that could give me new challenges and directions.