Beads, Baubles and Jewels

What could be more inspiring than the sights and sounds of the ocean that evoke a sense of calm? Tammy Honaman is up first with a metal clay project inspired by her love of the sea. Then meet Sara Oehler for a seed bead revolution featuring the calming colors of blue and green.

Visit the factories and industrial manufacturing plants for a grittier inspiration. Brenda Schweder creates statement pieces with the wire wrapping techniques. Then meet Julie Sanford for part 1 of the fundamentals of fabrication using found metal and wire. Finally, Tammy Honaman has a lesson on texture hammers.

Being in the city inspires a whole different vibe to your design. Kate Richbourg is inspired by commerce and the use of coins all over the world - using coins to make buttons and clasps. Then part 2 of fabrication with Julie Sanford. Turn all of those wires into a cuff. We finish up with Tammy Honaman and making chain using metal.

Travel is not required to develop a sense of place, certain colors and materials might be the look you gravitate towards. This episode looks at southwest designs and its distinctive color palette and patterns. First, it's knitting with wire with Sara Oehler for a southwest look. Then meet Tracy Gonzales and a curved feather bracelet. Finally, Kate Richbourg has a bonus lesson to share. Desert landscapes and warm colors provide today's sense of place!

Excursions of all kinds whether online, in books or via photos can help us develop our sense of place. Today's designers have 2 different journeys for their inspiration. Lindsay Burke looks to a favorite ocean front locale to create her piece from resin. Then Kate Richbourg shares a design she calls Odyssey using waxed linen and beads for a very international vibe.

India has its own original look, or we should say multiple looks! Whether bold jewel tones, musical metals and bells, or a more mystical element, this is a style easily recognized. Kate Richbourg demonstrates Bollywood bracelets. Then Kim O'Neill introduces us to prayer beads or malas - a traditional tool used to count the number of times a mantra is recited, or breaths while meditating.

Developing your sense of place also includes those imaginary locations you see only in your mind. In this episode we explore ice castles, or more accurately, cold and ice, conjuring up clean lines, colors of white, silver and blue, and sunlight shimmering on snow or ice. Lindsay Burke begins with an architecture inspired necklace highlighted by crystals. Then it's 3 quick projects with Leslie Rogalski featuring crystals and tools. Finally, Tammy Honaman makes chain with loops and crystals.

Not all places are actual locations! We extend our sense of place to techniques and styles that happen in stages. Just as our design style evolves over time, so do many projects plus our own jewelry making can take many turns from hobby to business. The first guest today is Robin Kramer for a more business-like approach to jewelry making and what it takes to develop a cohesive collection. Then Leslie Rogalski has a project on an endless loom – just when do you stop? Learning to know when is another part of design.

Sometime all we need is a walk outside to jump start our creativity. A simple breath of fresh air clears our head and allows to ideas to form. Nature all by itself is inspiring. Today Nealay Patel uses the branches of a tree to prompt a design for a necklace. Then leaves motivate Candie Cooper to create fringed leather leaf earrings. Finally, Tammy Honaman has peyote with a twist.

Sometimes we get our sense of place right at home and other times our motivation comes from far off places and a sense of the exotic; something different from our every day. In this episode designers moved beyond their comfort zone. Up first Tracy Gonzales creates hamsa earrings featuring sari silk. Then Nealay Patel is back with earrings inspired by the exotic peacock. Finally, Tammy Honaman has tips for hiding fibers with an exotic and international flare when using a loom.

This season we're exploring how to develop your sense of place and how it influences our design. One factor we haven't touched upon is designing with a strong focus on the end product and its use. Today is all about cuffs. They provide a different surface and a design aesthetic based on their shape. Leslie Rogalski is first with centerline cuffs with a Native American design. Then Candie Cooper uses leather for her cuff design. Finally, Tammy Honaman is back for another short lesson, featuring safety tips for working with enamel.

Do you consider yourself a jewelry artist? Is jewelry your hobby or day to day job? What happens when your hobby and leisure activity become a real business, how does that change your style? This episode explores 2 aspects of making jewelry making your career. First Robin Kramer offers suggestions for developing a booth; what components you need for a successful venue to sell your creations. Then Brenda Schweder shares her tips for making live videos - an integral part of marketing your work to a larger audience online and thru social media. Finally, Tammy Honaman returns with a continuation of her enamel lesson and the basics to getting started.

In this episode we investigate peaceful pursuits – when the actual making along with the finished product give us a sense of peace and a calm. Kim O'Neill demonstrates a piece entitled "breathe deep for calming" and adding scents to a lava rock bracelet. Then meet Jill Wiseman for bead weaving - the back and forth repetition can give that sense of peace. Finally, Kate Richbourg creates bead lariats in intricate patterns but simply constructed.