Making Elegant Jewelry for Special Occasions

Special occasions deserve significant jewelry! Making Elegant Jewelry for Special Occasions, from BeadStyle magazine, offers 30 projects for celebrating life’s landmark events with stylish, sophisticated pieces that add the perfect finishing touch.

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Author: From BeadStyle magazine
Softcover; 8 1/4 x 10 3/4; 80 pages; 300 color photos; ISBN: 9780871164254

From BeadStyle magazine.

Introduction
Basics
Tools and materials

Crystals
Twinkling, light, and airy
Diamonds and pearls
Channel the brilliance of crystals
Clear winner
For a special day
Monet’s colors bloom in a crystal necklace
Focus on simple elegance
Diamond alternative
Light and lively
Extended style

Pearls
Knot this time
Pretty in pink and plum
Pearls extend your style options
Pearl solitaire
Pastel pearls
Subtle and classic
Small touches add charm
Pearls and chain
Pearls, interrupted
Pearls’ night out

Wire
Sculpt a leaf necklace and earrings
Branch dressing
Tiers of joy
Maid to order
Suspended briolette
Briolettes unwrapped

Contributors

This alluring book, Making Elegant Jewelry for Special Occasions, from BeadStyle, is a compilation of a number of talented designers' renditions of crystal, pearl, and wire jewelry for occasions from proms to weddings to daytime casual (yes,you can be casually elegant in the daytime! You will see!). I was attracted to each and every delightful design. Why? Because these creations are easy to make, are very chic and pulled together, and each one is refreshingly different from the other.
After an introduction (stressing the options the reader will be afforded by the book), there is an initial guide to the techniques and tools which he or she will require. This is a good idea in the case of this book because in my opinion you could be a complete novice and make something beautiful utilizing a project of your choice from this glamorous book.You need the tools and techniques, therefore. They are nice and clear.
In that way, this fun book is very down to earth.
No high flying instructions, just simple focused projects appropriate in style from teens on up to ladies celebrating their 20th, 30th, and more! anniversaries.
Are you the mother of a bride? Find your necklace in the wire section. I suggest "Branch Dressing" by Jill Italiano. It is very delicate and has a variation I like as well. Are you the actual bride? Kathie Scrimgeour has your crystal choker, "For a Special day"! What a look with a strapless wedding dress. Perfect!
Other designs I liked: Jenny Van's totally cool "Diamond Alternative" using Swarovski crystal elements in the Galactic shape. I have always been attracted to that very unique shape. Van nailed what to do with it however, and furthermore it's easy. I love her project!
There is a Lucite necklace, "Pretty in Pink and Plum" (make your choice) by Lori Anderson which I found really different and very feminine. The earrings and the earring variation are terrific on that one!
Jane Konkel created a trio of earrings, "Maid to Order", for bridesmaids which are each super and different: classic bride, modern maid, and gypsy maid.
There are so many outstanding designs in the book. I suggest you buy one copy for yourself and one for your best pal or for a niece or daughter who is just starting out creating jewelry. It is a wonderful thing to be able to create something really pretty without confusion. The
technique section and the tool section truly are sufficiently clear so that your teen or you, yourself, will settle in happily using this book, Making Elegant Jewelry for Special Occasions as a reference guide for elegant special occasion jewelry for a long, long time!
-Jean Yates

The focus is elegant, classy designs that could be worn on formal dressy occasions. Classic, simple designs that shine, they are made with crystals, pearls, and metal findings and beads.
It's a very nice book for beginners. Especially for beginning beaders who aren't interested in seed beads but want to make beautiful simple jewelry.
The introduction explains the basics of bead stringing and beginning wire work. How to tie a surgeon's knot, to turn a loop,make a wrapped loop and a simple bail for a top drilled bead, as well as an overview of necessary tools.
The designs themselves are mostly very conservative. Using quality beads and findings, they are necklaces and bracelets that will never go out of fashion. A necklace like Sara Strauss's asymmetrical Pearl and Chain could be worn by a bride, and be passed down to her daughter to wear to prom.
The chapters are divided into Crystals, Pearls and Wire. The projects are almost all fast, in an evening projects.
Crystals has designs that range from lightweight, airy designs that would suit a teenage young lady very well to bold, sparkling designs that wouldn't look out of place on a red carpet. Favorite in this chapter is Focus on Simple Elegance, which combines chains, crystals and a crystal filigree component into a dramatic necklace which would pair with office professional clothing but would look gorgeous over a little black dress as well.
Pearls, my personal favorite, has instructions for knotted strand of pearls. The classic 3 strand pearl choker, and more delicate designs that use pearls as accents. My favorite in this chapter is Pearl and Chain necklace mentioned above.
In wire, wire takes the stage with beads. There are instructions for a simple hoop earring that could easily become a favorite quick project. Other simple and pretty wire projects fill out the chapter, ending with my favorite project, the Suspended Briolette necklace which combines wire components, crystal beads and briolettes into a lovely pendant.
A good book for beginning beaders. The classic designs make them great for gifts, weddings, and formal occasions.
-Shala Kerrigan

Jewelry isn't just for jewelers anymore. "Making Elegant Jewelry for Special Occasions" is a guide for making jewelry oneself with a professional flare for their own applications and style to their accessories. With special touches that can be applied for many occasions, "Making Elegant Jewelry for Special Occasions" is a fine pick for anyone who would be bored with something off the rack so to say and always wants to appear with their own original touch.
-The Midwest Book Review

Making Elegant Jewelry for Special Occasions from the the Publishers of BeadStyle Magazine is chock full of crystals and pearls, lush sparkly statement pieces, and light and airy elegance. The 26 designs are organized into three different categories: pearls, crystals, and wire and are created by several different contributing designers including my friend Lori.
The designs range from quick, simple and sweet, to necklaces dripping with several strands of crystals. You cannot go wrong with this book if elegance is your style because there are some gorgeous pieces and I pretty much want to make one of everything even though I rarely use pearls.
I do recognize a couple of the designs from the magazine, so it's possible (although I am not certain) these designs have all been published in BeadStyle. So if you get that magazine, the designs in this book may be repeats and you should plan your purchase according to your needs. I can see the advantage to having certain designs all in one convenient place.
-Jennifer Cameron, Glass Addictions

Are you a beginner in jewelry design and wire work? Do you like simple but elegant jewelry styles? Then you might be interested in this collection of projects from Bead Style Magazine, Making Elegant Jewelry for Special Occasions. Kalmbach Publishing recently sent it for review.
The book covers some 30 projects using pearls, crystals, wire and chain. What I liked about it was the light and airy design approach. A chain and focal lucite flower with a simply beaded pearl center was one stunning example of the aesthetic style.
Some of the projects used beading chain which I don't see often in books. As these chains are fine enough to go through beads and tubes, they can be substituted for beading wire in illusion style necklaces.
Some of the findings such as the cross tubes shown above might be hard to find. But there are other projects which introduce the beginner to simple wire work - using pliers or a suitable mandrel to form shapes or twisting wire together like in French beading. The leaf necklace and earrings set is such a standout .
The book may not attract the more advanced jewelry maker. However those just starting out will appreciate the subtle tips on how to play with contrasts - as shown in the crystal pendant necklace on the cover - group beads together in attractive ways and adding just enough accents like rhinestones to make designs more sophisticated.
-beadinggem.com

Every elegant outfit needs a charming and complementary set of accessories. Learn the ins and outs of pearls, cryst