JTV Blog

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

June Jewel School Hours: (The times below are EST.)

Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays 10am – noon

 June 16, 17 /Sunday and Monday -  “The ChainMaille Lady is coming!” “The ChainMaille Lady is coming!”   

Lauren Andersen, aka The ChainMaille Lady will be presenting three NEW Beadalon kits featuring chainmaille. Using the NEW Chain Maille Designer: Mixed Media Supply Kit Lauren created this stunning necklace:

You definitely don’t want to miss these next 2 Jewel School shows; besides offering these new kits from Beadalon, Lauren will also be sharing some of the great jewelry ideas shown below, using the kits you may already have!

Perhaps you are looking for a new design (or three) and are interested in something that’s Fresh and NEW? Then  Lauren’s NEW Chain Maille Embellishment Kit in either gold tone or in Silver Tone is the perfect solution, as each kit sold comes with a Free Exclusive Designer Pattern by Lauren, and all you add are your favorite beads. Perfect!

Tip: you might want to follow the links above and order your new kits in advance, that way you can be sure to get yours before they sell out AND then you can relax and enjoy the rest of the goodies in the show!

 Of course, having all of the correct supplies, the right tools and a book or two is great, but there is nothing like taking a class with Lauren Andersen in person! Read more in my “Cougarism” below. 

June 19/Wednesday is Bead Day on Jewel School. Tune in this week to see what beaded summertime delights Guest Artist Susan Thomas has to share with you and our exciting host. New colors, new specials and great surprises await you on Wednesday morning!

 

"Cougarism"— featuring Lauren Andersen

Lauren Andersen is an amazing designer, artist, author and instructor! Born & raised in beautiful southern California. She was blessed with having an extremely talented & crafty mom. Her father was an equally talented Civil Engineer. She has a degree in Accounting, Paralegal Studies, & Pharmacy Technician, but loves learning and evolving. Most of her career was spent being “serious”. Now is the fun part of her life! She loves taking a raw material, like wire, and turning it into a gorgeous new creation. She also loves to bead, macramé, and do various forms of needlepoint. She is inspired by people and nature. She loves the simplicity and the complexity of nature. She also loves to see people's faces when she explains how her chainmaille is created. They always have wonderful suggestions for new creations! And of course her family always inspires and supports her.

We are so honored that Lauren has agreed to teach a 3-Day Progressive Workshop at the JSI titled, “Chain Maille 101: the Basics“.  Imagine being one of Lauren’s students! She describes her course:

“Day 1: We will begin by learning a very simple yet gorgeous chainmaille bracelet called 'Spine of the Centipede' and in the afternoon we will make another bracelet using the barrel weave technique.

Day 2: We will expand on what you have learned in day one by adding another chainmaille weave to your repertoire.

Day 3: We will make a beautiful pair of crystal earrings and discuss how to price your work for sale, venues, booth décor, and a brief discussion on copyright issues.”

Visit the Jewel School Institute and register for your favorite workshop today!

   Until next week, Stay twisted!  Dale/Cgr

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

June Jewel School Hours: (The times below are EST.)

Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays 10am – noon

June 9, 10, 11 /Sunday, Monday and Wednesday -  Visit with our knowledgeable Jewel School host, Kim Prentiss who will be sharing and demonstrating your favorite products; see beautiful designs made by Christiane Ross and members of our Guest Artist team, and take advantage of great prices while stocking up for summertime jewelry making fun!

What do you need to stock up on? Beads….. Designer Cabochons……. Wire Kits……  Tools? Kim will have a wonderful selection for you to choose from, along with special deals and surprises!

"Cougarism"— featuring Kate Richbourg

Have you been thinking about expanding your jewelry making knowledge by adding metalworking to your resume?

Maybe you have played around with metalworking but would like to tune up your skills with an expert?

Kate Richbourg has put together a fabulous 3 day “Mixed Metals Workshop” that will take you progressively through all of the techniques you’ll need to feel confident about working with metals!

 

Kate is so excited to be able to bring this workshop to us, saying, "This class is going to be a lot of fun. Over the three days, students will get a really thorough knowledge of basic metalworking techniques and cold connections. Scared to even turn on the torch? Have a micro-torch at home that you have never used? No problem! I am just the person to guide you through the process and help you make GREAT jewelry. You can easily replicate the set up that we will use in class in your own home, and you'll be making innovative metal jewelry on your own in no time at all!"

Preview of the “The Business of Handcrafted Jewelry Seminar” that you all have been asking for:

Would you like to financially profit from creating your jewelry? Then you need to know about the “Business” end of this venture. Spend two full days with Experts in this industry, learning about: trademarks, copyright, VARA, keeping records, taxes, and advertising, as well as pricing, selling and displaying your work for sale; either in person or on the Internet. What is “consignment”? What does selling your work “wholesale” involve? 

Learn how to photograph your pieces using your smart phone, digital or tradition camera with the fabulous Jim Lawson! For your website, portfolio, press kit, selling on the Internet, tutorials, excellent photographs are a must.

What does it take to get your work into a gallery? Learn from a Gallery Owner! 

Should you participate in shows, and/or have a website? How does one use “social media” to promote their works?

Have you ever thought about becoming a “professional jewelry making instructor”? What does this adventure involve? Experts Meredith Arnold and Dale Cougar Armstrong team-teach this subject that includes a lively, interactive presentation, to answer your questions!

These are only a few of the important topics that will be covered within these 2 jam-packed days, from a selection of very special Guest Speakers.

Space is limited to just 50 participants!!  (Lunch, snacks and standard beverages, instructor handouts included.)

Visit the Jewel School Institute and register for your favorite workshop today!

Stay twisted!  Dale/Cgr

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

June Jewel School Hours: (The times below are EST.)

Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays 10am – noon

 Hint: please read carefully, as this week we have many “overlapping” Guest Artists and you won’t want to miss a single one of them!!

June 2 /3, Sunday & Monday-  Grab your coffee and join the “Sleepless Beader”, Leslie Rogalski on this week’s Jewel School shows, when she will talk about and show some fantastic “NEW Finishing Tips” for handcrafted jewelry, using Beadalon products!

When I asked Leslie if she had any teasers for the blog this week, she replied, "My shows will be all about making it easy to learn new techniques, and improve your craft with the best tools and findings."

“One example is: by using beading wire I’ll introduce a new and elegant finishing technique for round kumihimo.” (As shown above.)

“I’ll also share how super easy it is to enrich your jewelry-making skills with Jewel School’s Art of Making Bracelets DVD Kit –where the supplies are included in the kit with the DVD!"

Also on Sunday, Bead Designer Susan Thomas will join Leslie and our host, sharing new designs you can make when using Jewel School Beading Kits.

June 3/5, Monday & Wednesday- if you missed Leslie Rogalski and her amazing “finishing” tips for handmade jewelry, tune in today to catch up!

And... Jewel School has a Super Special Surprise… Lead Designer from Vintaj, Mackie Mullane will be debuting her “finished” jewelry for sale! (Tip: amounts are limited … call in quickly!) Titled, “Vintaj by Mackie Mullane Signature Series”, below are two of Mackie’s favorite pieces, and her personal description for each.

Ancient Rings  "This statement necklace, I designed to emulate the beauty of each of us as individuals. Every ring is different and beautiful in its own way. The rings signify eternity… eternal love, eternal happiness and eternal beauty. These are all things we strive to have and this necklace says them all. When you wear this necklace, you celebrate diversity; diversity of your interests, your talents, your views of life, your hopes and your dreams. May we forever know ourselves and love each other for our uniqueness."

Falling Waters  "The colors of these earrings are cool, earthy and natural.  Like a river, they are strong and powerful yet beautiful and calm. The crystals are clear like the water and represent clarity. When you have clarity, you are relaxed and calm, which eases you into complete happiness."

"Cougarism"—Seed Bead Extravaganza at the JSI this month!!

The building is ready and our Expert International Instructors are beginning to put their seed bead project kits together…  if you can’t make it to Milwaukee for beading classes this year, join us at the Jewel School Institute in Knoxville, TN!! We have planned four wonderful days, June 27,28,29 and 30, when you can take affordable, fun and fantastic beading classes!

If you are a Beading Beginner, you will find 25 classes to choose from, including this wonderful Renaissance Cuff, designed and taught by Stephanie Eddy:

For those who would like to take their skills to the next level, check out our Intermediate Beading classes. Patty McCourt is coming "over the pond" from Nottingham, England to teach her fabulous Santa Marta Reversible Bracelet:

We also have instructors offering classes in Peyote stitch, on-loom, off-loom and Bead Embroidery.

Visit the Jewel School Institute and register for your favorite class today!

                  It's almost Summertime!! Stay twisted..... Dale/Cougar

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

May Jewel School Hours: (The times below are EST.)

Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays 10am – noon

May 26 /27, Sunday & Monday—Artist, instructor and inventor Patti Bullard is back with her Wubbers line and more! That’s right… Patti will be debuting several Brand NEW products on this week’s Jewel School.

The EnCapture Artisan White Concrete Kit- is a brand new product designed by Patti Bullard that will be making its debut on Jewel School. This kit features new color possibilities when working with the EnCapture Artisan Concrete, and includes ocean blue, golden ochre, and rose colored pigments. You can leave it a natural white color too! By popular demand, this kit will include bottle cap bezels to get you started making your creations as soon as your kit arrives! In addition, the kit will include a full tutorial by Patti Bullard for making irresistible summertime and beach-themed jewelry.

Also making its debut on this show is a Bezels and Embeddables Kit. Carefully selected by Patti Bullard to make lasting impressions, this collection pairs perfectly with both of the EnCapture Artisan Concrete Kits. The square silver bezels will make a complete jewelry set that includes a pendant, cuff, adjustable ring, and matching earrings. This kit also offers a seahorse charm, two types of seashells, and a starfish that will inspire your creativity.

The picture above shows a quick and easy-to-make jewelry set, made by combining the EnCapture Artisan White Concrete Kit with the Bezels and Embeddables Kit. It uses three colors of EnCapture in each bezel to create the look of surf and sand. Embed the ocean-themed charms, and then add a few beads and crystals from your "stash" or "bead soup" to add a little color and glitz. The tutorial written for this project is the one that is included with the EnCapture Artisan White Concrete Kit.

Have you been thinking that you would like to learn to solder with a torch, but that the price of silver makes it a little too "scary"? The brand new All Inclusive Copper Soldering Kit is the perfect solution and will get you started making custom jewelry easily and economically. Tune into the show to see all the items included in this unique and carefully designed kit. This kit comes with a brand new, detailed, easy to follow tutorial by Patti Bullard that is named Copper Blooms. You will learn to solder, hammer and texture wire to create a delightful pendant. You will also learn to put the finishing touches on your creation by using heat patinas or a brushed, antiqued finish.

The photo below shows the Copper Bloom Pendant with a quick and easy heat patina applied.

Patti is also bringing more of the Wubbers Oval Mandrel Pliers as well as some new designs crafted using them. In summary, this show will feature new products and new jewelry designs that will inspire you and keep you in the creating mode!

May 29, Wednesday-  Yours truly, Dale Cougar Armstrong will be joining our host on Jewel School, closing out spring and making way for summer! I will have my Favorite Wire kit from Beadalon, my Jewel School DVDs, and some of Bruce Barlow’s gorgeous Designer Cabochons. Kim and I will also talk a bit about why it is so important that a jewelry artist have a Neck Mandrel from Euro Tool.

Careful shaping and forming of a pattern wire, combined with 21g square wire on a Neck Mandrel, added width and comfort to the above necklace I call, “Eye of Isis”.

"Cougarism"-- (Bonus!)

On this past Wednesday’s Jewel School show, Susan Thomas promised to share the directions for her “Morse Code” jewelry. Here they are!

Morse Code Necklace -- By Susan Thomas

What a fast, easy and fun way to write and wear your own secret or inspirational messages! Use the following instructions to create a necklace, bracelet, anklet or a whole set. You could even make single “message” lengths to wear as matching earrings.

Materials:

Hematite Bead Kit JLW6983; Unfinished Chain, silver tone=3 equal lengths (sample used 8 inches); 24 gauge round wire; Morse Code Chart;

Fancy jump rings=used as spacers between letters 

Tools: Round Nose Pliers, Wire Cutters 

Procedure:

In the sample Susan spelled Faith, Hope and Love using Morse Code, where lengths of chain separate the three words. When you begin, take the time to spell out your chosen words on a bead board. Some letters have multiple dots and dashes and others just have one. Use the small round, faceted beads for the dots and the shorter, smooth barrel beads to “write” the Morse Code letters. 

After the words have been laid out, use 24g round wire to make the connectors:

Begin with a piece of wire 3 inches long. About 1-inch from one end, use round nose pliers to make a 90° angle. Place the pliers into the corner just made, with the round jaw on top of the shorter wire. Use fingers to bend the shorter wire completely up and around the top of the pliers jaw, forming a loop. Immediately under the loop just made,  wrap the tail of the shorter wire tightly around the straight wire 2 or 3 times. Trim any excess wire after the wrap. 

Slide the correct beads for the first letter onto this connector and then attach the other end to a length of chain. Connect the letter to a jump ring on the other side. Connect the next letter to the same jump ring and then to another one on the other side. Continue in this way until the word is complete.  Connect the last letter to another length of chain. Then begin connecting your next word using the same technique. The last letter of the last word should be connected to the length of chain you started with, completing the necklace!

Wishing everyone a safe, creative and memorable weekend, as we honor those who protect our country and freedoms. 

Happy Memorial Day!!

             Stay twisted!   Dale/Cougar

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

May Jewel School Hours: (The times below are EST.)

Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays 10am – noon

 May 19/20, Sunday & Monday— We are very pleased to welcome Katie Hacker back to Jewel School! She will be presenting another Brand New Product, through Beadalon exclaiming,

“I'm so excited to present Leather Cord USA products from Beadalon! Leather is a huge trend in jewelry making and these are beautiful cords that make it easy to make pretty jewelry. I'll have round cords, flat braids, braided bolo and some rocking blank cuffs! It's all made in India using the highest quality leather, with strict attention to safety and the environment. It's gorgeous leather cord you can feel good about!”

Sandra Younger will also be here, with her amazing Knotty-Do-It-All! While teaching and visiting in Colorado a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of visiting with several Jewel School fans, one of whom had made several fun bracelet designs using Sandra’s cool tool. It was so nice of Lureatha to allow me to take the following photos to share with you.

Imagine, with the Knotty-Do-It-All and Sandra’s Colorful New Kits, you will be able to create your own awesome designs too!

May 22, Wednesday--  Tune in not only to see what amazing beads our host will be sharing, but Susan Thomas will be back, showing some of the latest designs she made using the same kits that will be offered to you!

When I spoke with Susan about being a new part of our Jewel School Team, she replied,"I am excited to be a guest artist on Jewel School because I get the opportunity to design with new gemstones and beads every show. I find it inspirational to work with any new material and it is even more exciting when the kits are packed full of amazing gemstones from around the world!"

While watching this week's bead show, perhaps you need some lovely Metal Beads to accent the designs you will make using the Knotty-Do-It-All?

"Cougarism"-- (JSI Happenings)

Next weekend is a holiday. How will you be spending it? My suggestion is to take a class or two at the New Jewel School Institute and kick your summertime designs into high gear.

Join me in my Wire 101: 3 Day Workshop – enter as a beginner and leave as an Intermediate! I will also be teaching a Specialty 2 day Workshop in July, (right after the Annual Gem Lover’s event) - Wire Designs with Faceted Stones!

Jackie Truty is offering 2 different Art Clay Workshops in July too!

Have you seen that Kate Richbourg will be teaching her Mixed Metals: Running Hot and Cold, a Journey through Metal Techniques in July?

AND in August, the amazing Lauren Andersen will be teaching a 3 day course in Chain Maille.

Whatever you decide to do next weekend – stay twisted!

Dale/Cgr

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

May Jewel School Hours: (The times below are EST)

Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays 10am – noon

May 12/13, Sunday & Monday— If you were disappointed that we ran out of Beadalon’s NEW Beading Loom, tune in to Jewel School this week when Julianna Hudgins brings her amazing Jewel Loom back, along with some fabulous beading kits from Beadalon!

Photo by diBeads

Or be totally prepared and order TWO Looms to either bead two different projects at the same time, or have a beading weekend with a friend!

May 15, Wednesday-- It’s our weekly Bead Show! See what great bead combinations, tool specials and supplies that our host will have to share with you!

"Cougarism"-- (JSI Happenings)

Spring has sprung and it’s time to get your jewelry stock ready for upcoming spring and summer craft shows and festivals. Maybe it’s also time to learn a new jewelry making technique? Visit the New {JSI Website} and see what we have to offer this month!

Perhaps you’d like to try seed beading to get ready for our June Seed Bead Extravaganza? Jewel School’s Christiane Ross is offering 3 Beginner Seed Bead Classes this month, including on and off the loom projects!

Hoping to see YOU at the JSI, Stay Twisted!   Dale/Cgr

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

May Jewel School Hours: (The times below are EST)

Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays 10am – noon 

May 5/6, Sunday & Monday— Jewel School is excited to welcome new guest artist, Becky Machinski and her marvelous product called “SilverSilk”! You might be asking, just what IS SilverSilk? Made in the USA, it is a fabulous material that has been created by knitting very fine wires together (as fine as a human hair!). It can be used to string, crochet or knit into fashionable jewelry designs. Due to its flexible and strong construction, although delicate in looks, SilverSilk cannot be crushed or kinked and if you cut it with angle cutters, it will not fray!

Created from permanently enameled non tarnish copper wire, Silversilk comes in a variety of styles that include hollow, capture, pearlesque and flat. Introducing her wonderful product to our Jewel School customers, Becky has put together several Different Kits that include Bonus Project Directions! Wouldn’t you love to make a pair of her “Love Knot” earrings?

Fernando DaSilva will also be a Guest Artist this weekend, with some fantastic new designs made using Aluminum Fabric from Beadalon! One of the new and very affordable Aluminum Fabric kits includes 42 pieces in 3 different colors: silver, gold and black. (Wow, that’s a LOT of possibility!) Fernando will also have several other special “Fashion Designer” kits from Beadalon. Tune in to see his latest creations!

May , Wednesday— Join our host as she shares some exciting New Bead Combinations and perhaps some “Mystery” boxes! (Lots of springtime goodies!)

"Cougarism"-- (JSI Happenings)

Time’s a wasting! Our May Mixed Media event is ready for you to choose and sign up for your favorite classes!

Wouldn’t you love to learn how to make some great unisex Chainmaille jewelry with Ralph Helmrich?

Or how about learning to use a Microwave Kiln to make warm glass pieces with Sam Roh?

Visit the New JSI Website and see what we have to offer!

Stay Twisted!

Dale/Cougar

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

April and May Jewel School Hours: (The times below are EST.)

Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays 10am – noon

April 28, Sunday—Imagine---Lampwork Expert, Carol Crye will be on Jewel School with Textile Master, Anne Dilker. What a fun show! (I can visualize using handmade glass beads in macramé designs right now. Can you?) Both of our Guest Artists will have their New Jewel School DVDs. Carol Crye offers her invaluable patience and easy way of teaching in your choice of 3 different DVDs. She will also be sharing her laughter with our host, talking about how much fun and how gratifying it is to create your own beautiful beads.

You can watch a sample of Carol’s teaching on JTV’s Jewel School YouTube Channel: Lampworking. Be sure to check out the gorgeous samples Carol will bring with her!

Anne’s DVD is titled, Textiles in Jewelry, featuring Kumihimo designs…

that would go well with her book, Kumihimo & More!, AND the beautifully colored S-lon Cord Kit. (Set Of 12 Spools Of S-lon Cord. Each Spool 77 Yards In Length. This Kit Contains 1 Each Of The Following Colors: Periwinkle, Plum, Purple, Vintage Jade, Wineberry, Aqua, Bermuda Blue, Ice Blue, Eggplant, Azelia, Lilac, And Dark Lavender.)

As always, Anne will be demonstrating kumihimo and macramé and, time and product permitting, some of the aluminum wire and chain. New to the Sunday and Monday shows will be Para cord in both standard and fashion colors (with matching buckles!) and a really cool metal carabineer style clasp for macramé. Mood beads will be back in an all new style and just to celebrate spring, one of Anne’s S-lon mixes will be an assortment of 12 different greens.

The photo above shows the Para cord bracelets that Anne has created in 2 different patterns, using two different styles of clasps, that are perfect for use with Para cord!

April 29, Monday--- if you missed Anne Dilker on Sunday, tune in to see her new kits and designs on Monday’s show!

May 1, Wednesday— Yours truly, Dale “Cougar Armstrong will be joining Anne Dilker and our host on Jewel School.

I will have my “Jump Start” DVD series as well as both of my Jewel School DVDs, along with some of my (and your) favorite wire kits. I think I am most excited about showing some beautiful samples made using Bruce Barlow’s Designer Cabochons with rose gold filled and argentium wire; and sharing some lapidary insight about his work, stone choices and more.

Anne will showcase her brand new line of hand dyed silks--a JTV exclusive!  These silks are perfect for kumihimo as well as other jewelry making techniques. If you’d like to learn basic kumihimo, you can watch Anne on JTV’s YouTube Channel Kumihimo and learn how in your own living room!

"Cougarism"-- (JSI Happenings)

Oh Happy Day!! The JSI Team, Courtney Thompson, Judy Jenkins and I are all SO Excited!! The New Jewel School Institute Website is not only Up and Running, but…NOW you can see all of our upcoming events AND securely register and pay for your class choices on-line!! (Can you see me dancing around my studio! No? Hum…that’s probably a good thing.)

One of the JSI classrooms.

So go ahead and treat yourself! At our May Mixed Media Madness you could learn the ancient art of Scrimshaw or take a Crocodile Weave Bracelet class with world renown Linda Chandler!

With all of the activities available nearby in the Smoky Mountains, you could even plan a family vacation around coming to our exclusive June Seed Bead Extravaganza!  

Stay Twisted!

Dale/Cougar

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

April Jewel School Hours: (The times below are EST.)

Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays 10am – noon

April 21/22, Sunday & Monday— Innovative jewelry designer and author Katie Hacker returns to Jewel School, bringing some awesome New Neon Hemp Kits from Beadalon!

Katie said, ”I love this neon hemp cord because the colors are bright and happy and provide an instant pick-me-up!”

“For the samples shown above, I mixed hemp cord with Quick Links, large-hole metal beads and crystals. The techniques are simple but the color packs a big punch. It will be fun for people who are designing jewelry to sell this summer!”

“I'll also have a deluxe variety pack of hemp cord to go with my book, It's Knot Hard that sold out last time I was on the show; several colorful new hemp collections AND I'll be introducing Brand-new Elasticity Chain from Beadalon.”

 

Photo by Beadalon  

April 24/Wednesday--- join us as we welcome our New Beading Expert, Susan Thomas to Jewel School! Tune in to listen to what Susan has to share about this season’s latest beading fashions and trends. Stock up on great new selections of beads for your summertime creations!  

"Cougarism"-- (Jewel School & the MTV Awards)

Did anyone watch the MTV Award show last weekend? It is so cool that JTV’s Jewel School had a complete wire wrapping kit included in each Celebrity Gift Bag! I wonder which music star will be making their own wire jewelry this summer?

Photo courtesy of MTV

 

JSI News Blip – watch as our new JSI Website grows! Day-by-day we will continue to add more information, photos, classes and progressive workshops. At the moment, you can check out a lot of the classes we have scheduled for April and May and create your account. When the last bugs have been worked out, you will be ready to register and easily pay on-line.

Remember, if you’d like to sign-up for our upcoming Jewel School emails, simply send a request email to: classes@jtv.com

                     Stay Twisted!

Dale/Cgr

Jewel School Weekly with Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

Jewel School Schedule

April Jewel School Hours: (The times below are EST.)

Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays 10am – noon

April 13, Sunday—join us on {Jewel School} as we welcome another NEW designer—Nealay Patel! See some amazing beadwork and jewelry designs that Nealay has created using New Soft Flex kits and watch as he charms our host with one of his latest designs, named “Queen-Necklace”.(Please note that I darkened this image slightly, so you could see the lovely and delicate wire work.)

When I asked him about being a Guest Artist on Jewel School, Nealay exclaimed, “I am really looking forward to sharing my passion for jewelry making! I am also very excited to talk about why I love Soft Flex wire and how it is incorporated into my designs in some unexpected ways.”

I can definitely see the magic in Nealay’s creation: “Sparkle”, can’t you? This gorgeous design is included in his brand new book, “Jewelry for the New Romantic”. (I can’t wait to see what else is inside!)

Photography by Kalmbach Publishing

Designer and Author Sara Oehler (aka Sara “O”) will be back on both Sunday and Monday! (Her excitement is infectious!) Sara is bringing several of your favorite Soft Flex products back to Jewel School this week, saying, “I love Soft Flex Beading Wire in .014 Fine, because it is as flexible as a thread but offers the strength and durability of stainless steel. I am really excited to bring the Soft Flex Trio Serenity back on air. It sold out so fast last May and is one of our top selling color combinations!”

The bracelet above is a new design that Sara will be teaching in 2013. She named it the “Russian Spiral Bugle Bangle”. Created using one her favorites, Fine .014 Soft Flex wire; this gauge wire is great for bead weaving, seed pearls and with many other nonabrasive materials. By the way, this is the FIRST time this fine wire will be offered on Jewel School! (Another wonderful product debut!)

April 14, Monday--  Anie and her Jool Tool join our Monday Jewel School show, along with Sara O and lots of special product surprises! (If you’d like to read more about Anie, please see last week’s post.)

April 10/Wednesday--- besides lovely new selections of beads, our host will also have some of your favorite Jewel School products, and great designs created by our talented Christiane Ross to share with you! 

"Cougarism"-- (JSI Happenings!)                                                                 I am more than excited to announce:                                                        we have a Brand New Website for the Jewel School Institute!!!

 Now you can see what types of individual classes and “Progressive Workshops” we have in store for you, as well as read all about the fabulous group of International Instructors who will be coming to teach!

Our New JSI Website has passed all of JTV’s security tests and is now ready for you to sign up for your favorite classes and pay securely on-line!  

Remember, if you’d like to sign-up for our upcoming Jewel School emails, or have any questions about the new JSI website simply send a request email to: classes@jtv.com

(Next week, I'll be able to share some photos from the "Master's Golden Hands" international jewelry making festival, where I will be teaching this weekend in Kiev, Ukraine!)

 Stay Twisted!

Dale/Cgr