Hey Jewel Schoolers! Fall is almost here, can you believe it? The Jewel School Team has been busy gearing up for our big Jewel School Customer Workshop 2011 in late October. Two New Jewel School DVDs will be debuting soon, including one featuring Jackie Trudy from ArtClay™. Our buyers are always on the hunt for the newest tools, beads, findings and kits that will get your creativity flowing, and this month is jam-packed with new products and guests on Jewel School, along with some return visits from some of your favorite guest experts. Be sure to tune in and see what’s new!
This month’s newsletter includes a fall trend report fresh from the fashion runways. You may be surprised by some of the directional color palettes this fall, I surely was. It’s always good to expand your horizons and try new things. Our project shows you how to combine three of the hot colors for fall along with the big ‘metallic’ trend. I’m particularly mad for using splashes of bright orange in my work right now--it’s so unexpected and fun!
Got design ideas that are uniquely yours? The Jewel School Design Contest offers an opportunity to show your stuff! It begins on September 1, 2011 and will culminate with a Ta-Da! announcement of the winners on Sunday, October 30, 2011 on the Jewel School Show. Go to jtv.com/designcontest or to facebook.com/jewelschool to learn more about the contest. Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of this exciting event! A contest equals prizes so get busy creating your best work so you can photograph it for the competition.
Jewel School Buyer Julie Evans has so much to share about specialty findings and upcoming Jewel School guests. We’re going to keep you busy right on through the end of the year with new ideas, creative options, and exceptional ways of making jewelry right on your kitchen table or in your studio.
You won’t want to miss a moment of Jewel School this month, so tune in every Thursday and Sunday to see what Kim Prentiss and the Jewel School Team have in store. As the weather turns colder, there is no better way to spend time indoors than making gorgeous jewelry and we’ve got you covered with lots of inspiration for your creativity!
Until next time, happy beading!
- Margot Potter, Jewel School Education and Creative Coodinator
Jewel School Workshop 2011
Join us October 27 – 30, 2011 for four days of Jewelry Making with Jewel School! There’s still time to register for our annual Jewel School Customer Workshop here at our corporate headquarters in Knoxville, TN. We offer an opportunity to meet up with other interested jewelry makers and learn from the experts.
Scenes from the 2010 Jewel School Workshop at JTV Headquarters in Knoxville, TN
The Jewel School Workshop All-Star Lineup includes our own Margot Potter, Christiane Ross, and Jerry Sisk. Also joining us will be:
- Jackie Truty - Unleash the fear of fire with Art Clay™ molds and your imagination.
- Katie Hacker - Learn how to Katiedid from the host of the PBS show, Beads, Baubles, and Jewels
- Dale Armstrong – Wire wrap with the queen of professionally created rings and things!
- Wyatt White - Manipulate wire to do what you want it to do!
- Stephanie Eddy - Weave wire like a pro with the Lazee Daizee tool!
- Maureen Oliveto – Put the kibosh on the angst about making perfect knots!
- Barbara Carlton – Plug into pricing your jewelry to sell for a profit!
- Fernando DaSilva – Combine your jewelry with fashion trends!
Attendees of the 2010 Jewel School Customer Workshop were first in line for registration this year. Here is what they are telling us:
"I just received the invitation to this year’s Jewel School Workshop. I am delighted, pleased, jumping up and down!!!! Thank you, Thank you, last year was so wonderful!!!" - Joyce
"I am so excited...I have been calling and waiting for this invite. Please please, please COUNT ME IN!!!!! I had so much fun last year and I came by myself...I will try to bring a friend this year." - Marianne
"I'm sure I'm not the only success story that came out of that first workshop. I learned so much and met so many interesting people. One of them has become my partner in a new jewelry-making business! We've had several successful shows and are about to open a website. And it all started with Jewel School. We are your biggest fans!!!" Lorrain
" Oh, yes. I will be there with bells on my toes and dancing wherever I go. I have called twice about the dates for this experience. As an alumni of the first Jewel School, I am committed to attending whenever you offer the opportunity." Jo Anne
Here is a link for registration! http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dcg6xvgab&oeidk=a07e4gi4g5j9ad17b83 We are limited to 125 registrants, so register today! We look forward to welcoming you to Jewel School from October 27 – 30!
Jewel School Buyer’s Insider Scoop by Julie Evans
Hey Jewel Schoolers! We have been working double time to bring you double the artists and designers, the techniques, and the education this fall. Looking for something new for you jewelry making skill set? Keep watching the Jewel School! Circle your calendar, September is an all-star month!
September 1 at 11:00 a.m. EDT- Lilla Balint from John Bead joins us to introduce metal stamping and apoxy. Lilla has the professional capability of designing through various mixed media jewelry and accessory creations such as; jewelry making, metalsmithing, handbags, hairpieces, scarves, leather working, and whatever connects to the latest fashions. On the show we’ll also become better acquainted with engraving, etching, and stacking!
September 4 at 10:00 a.m. EDT – Jill McKay brings specialty findings including pendants, magnetic clasps, toggle clasps and spacer beads detailing her intricate design work. Jill’s well-known for her design skills and her products sell in over 2000 stores around the world.
Some of your favorites returning in September:
- Katie Hacker is here on September 8 with her fabulous Katiedids in kits, new deluxe tool kits, and assorted memory wire kits.
- Watch out! The Coiling Gizmo is back! Julianna Hudgins will be at Jewel School on September 11with a new wrappers kit, a new artistic wire kit as well as other tool kits!
- On September 15, Barbara Carleton returns with her user friendly Bejeweled software designed to make your business dreams come true.
- Stephanie Eddy is back on the same day with a new twist on the Viking Knit Wire Kit!
- Chain Maille is so popular right now, and who better to show you how to show your metal than Lauren Anderson? She will be rocking the set on September 18!
- We’ve got a secret for you on September 22, when EK Success brings some incredibly exciting…. Oops! It’s a secret. I can’t say!
See you at Jewel School!
- Julie, Jewel School Buyer
Equinox Necklace and Earrings Design by Margot Potter for Jewel School
Though we are knee deep in the dog days of summer here in East Tennessee, fall is not far away! There isn’t much prettier than fall in the Smokies--the leaves are a virtual symphony of color. And speaking of color, this is a piece I designed for Jewel School last year that features three of the directional colors for fall. I’ve combined the bold metal trend in the chain along with an unexpected palette of chocolate brown in smoky quartz, mossy green in grossular garnet with pops of vivid orange in carnelian. The color trends this fall are truly different and a great way to stretch yourself creatively.
Materials
JLW880E 6mm faceted carnelian rounds
JLW3156 Approx. 12 large smoky quartz nuggets
JLW2821 Approx. 15 grossular garnet rondelles
JSWR115D 4” segment aged brass leaf chain
JSWR85C 20 gauge brass colored copper wire
JSWR10B .018 19 strand beading wire
JLW1951A Size 2 crimp beads in gold tone or gun metal
JLW2669A 2 6mm aged brass jump rings
(Earrings feature two 1” segments of chain, two 6mm carnelians and two smoky quartz nuggets and are constructed with 20 gauge wire creating the double loop beaded segments and ear wires.)
Tools
PLIER27 Round nose pliers
PLIER22 2 pairs chain nose pliers
PLIER25 Flush cutters
PLIER21 Crimp tool
JSKIT0040 Chasing hammer and steel bench block
PLIER47 Nylon jaw flat nose pliers
Directions for Equinox Necklace and Earrings
- To create your custom hook, cut a 3” segment of brass wire. Loop one end with the tip of your round nose pliers. Loop the opposite end and use nylon jaw pliers to form a loose spiral.
- Bend wire over a 10mm dowel to shape the hook.
- Hammer the hook flat and add texture with your chasing hammer and bench block.
- Attach a 14” segment of beading wire to the hook using a crimp bead.
- Thread beads on in the following order, you may need to use more beads to reach your desired length as these are organic in size. Garnet, smoky, garnet, smoky, garnet, smoky, garnet, smoky, garnet, carnelian, garnet, smoky, garnet, carnelian, garnet, smoky, garnet, smoky, garnet, smoky, garnet, smoky, garnet, smoky, garnet, smoky, garnet.
- Attach wire to a jump ring using a crimp bead and crimp tool.
- Attach center of folded chain to jump ring and a second jump ring to opposite ends of chain, this creates a double chain segment. Hook threads into jump ring and necklace is meant to be worn asymmetrically.
