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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

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  #1  
Old 2013-10-19, 10:45am
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SassyGlass9 SassyGlass9 is offline
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Default What kinds of things do you make with beads that ISN'T jewelry?

Such as key chain bobs, book marks, purse charms, ornaments, etc.?

I do soft glass, so I can't make large blown ornaments (although that is something on my list to learn!).

I do a couple local shows here, and am trying to find other uses for my beads to have some pretty, pre-made items to sell (other than jewelry, which is also do), since not everyone is "crafty".

I do buy quite a few of the "add a bead" items and always have those available. I have some already made up with beads, and tell people that they can buy the pre-made item "as-is" or they can pick their own beads from my booth to build their own.

What else do you make with your beads?? And what do you find sells best for you?
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  #2  
Old 2013-10-19, 10:56am
losthelm losthelm is offline
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It depends on the show and the bead.
Bottle and glass charms do well, but my last show was on the wine trail so it may not hold to other shows.
Ornaments for "mini" Christmas trees work well if the beads are more focal size.
Zipper pulls, phone and wallet charms ect.
The little bits on bobbins for weaving bobbin lace.
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Last edited by losthelm; 2013-10-20 at 6:36am.
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  #3  
Old 2013-10-19, 12:04pm
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Last year, I did ornaments for friends. Each used a single focal-type bead with a cord coming out the top and feathers or tassels hanging below.

I've also done bead tassels, with several strands of mixed small beads depending from a single focal bead. They're a lot of work, you might want to make up a few samples and a quickie tutorial, then give away the tutorial to interested people who buy your beads.
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  #4  
Old 2013-10-19, 1:09pm
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I wear a hat to church every Sunday and I put beads on hatpins. I realize that this is a very small market, LOL but I enjoy the hatpins coordinating with my hats. I also make very small glass stamens for my handmade silk flowers.

What a nice thread!

--Helene
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  #5  
Old 2013-10-19, 3:26pm
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Thanks for the reminder I have done quite a few hat and veil pins, as well as hair pins, sticks, and barretts
For the pins I use .045 mandrels with no bead release then cut the mandrel.
Hair pins are usually cabs glued down with e6000.
Sticks are the larger 1/8" or so mandrels.
I have used longer mandrels for plant stakes for orchids and such.
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  #6  
Old 2013-10-20, 5:13am
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I use them in my wind chimes.



Bob
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  #7  
Old 2013-10-20, 6:03am
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I don't do much but a friend who is an assemblage artist makes a lot of things with my beads and her husband's beads. Totems, plant stakes, lamp pulls, lamp finials, mobiles, hanging gardens, ornaments, bookmarks, spiders, flower children, wire wrapped found objects.
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  #8  
Old 2013-10-20, 3:21pm
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Bead pens seem to be quite popular for me, either with one bead sized for the whole barrel, or stacked beads.
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  #9  
Old 2013-10-20, 5:44pm
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Buttons are good sellers for me. Lots of people sew, knit or quilt and want unique buttons.
Hair sticks, bracelet helpers, bookmarks, key chains and zipper pulls are some non-jewelry things I use beads for.
I do make ornaments out of soft glass but not the round ball type. I make them as dangles, using hollow beads and other beads. I make the top piece with the loop on a mandrel without bead release, then make a bottom piece on the end of a mandrel and after stringing the beads onto the mandrel the bottom piece is glued on.
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  #10  
Old 2013-10-21, 10:11pm
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These are all wonderful ideas and great inspiration! Thanks to all who have posted and I hope others will share their ideas as well.

One project I gave always dreamed of doing ...someday... is taking a bunch of my reject beads, those that have broken, just not quite worked for me, etc., and make a mosaic type table top for a smallish table for the patio.

Someday....
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  #11  
Old 2013-10-22, 2:36pm
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Have made "eye" beads to use on fish flies
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  #12  
Old 2013-10-24, 1:00pm
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It must be nice to have only enough fuglies to make a "smallish" table! I think I could do a dining table if I'd kept them all...

Quote:
Originally Posted by SassyGlass9 View Post
These are all wonderful ideas and great inspiration! Thanks to all who have posted and I hope others will share their ideas as well.

One project I gave always dreamed of doing ...someday... is taking a bunch of my reject beads, those that have broken, just not quite worked for me, etc., and make a mosaic type table top for a smallish table for the patio.

Someday....
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  #13  
Old 2013-10-24, 7:23pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steiconi View Post
It must be nice to have only enough fuglies to make a "smallish" table! I think I could do a dining table if I'd kept them all...
Too funny! Trust me, I could easily make a dozen table tops with my fuglies - I just don't have a need for that many tables!
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  #14  
Old 2013-10-25, 6:49am
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I make zipper pulls too. You know, when there's hole in that little thing you grab to open or close a zipper? I put the bead on a head pinand use a small lobster claw clasp.
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  #15  
Old 2013-10-25, 11:51am
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Magnets. I buy cheap magnet discs from Hobby Lobby and epoxy glass cabochons onto them.

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  #16  
Old 2013-10-26, 12:50pm
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I've just done a bunch of bead pens for a show here, and I'll see how they go.


My 10 year old grandson absolutely loved my cat beads, so I'm thinking of making more of those and mounting them on leather for kids' backpacks.
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  #17  
Old 2013-10-28, 6:53am
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Fan pulls sell like hot cakes for me!
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  #18  
Old 2013-10-29, 5:42am
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I've strung my large ocean beads onto fishing line, added something ocean-y to the mix like an ammonite (a real one, not my ammonite beads), a coral fossil or a bit of driftwood, and given them away as window-hanging decorations.

This thread is full of great ideas! Thank you for starting it!
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  #19  
Old 2013-10-29, 8:13am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bshelle View Post
Magnets. I buy cheap magnet discs from Hobby Lobby and epoxy glass cabochons onto them.

Shelly if you don't mind me asking. What do you sell your magnets for? And single or by the set? These are beautiful!
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hand dyed silk ribbons in many colors!
WASHERS & TOPPERS - layering components for interchangeable glass topper and to use in other jewelry/metalwork.:
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  #20  
Old 2013-10-29, 8:20am
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Rene, I make hollow vessels that can be free standing, electro formed magic wands using glass rods, Christmas Icicles, drops and hanging twisties/wig wags for trees and windows, wine stoppers, cheese knives and push pins in addition to what everyone is saying here. I do zipper pulls/cell charms for $5. They seem to sell well. I also put my wonks in a bowl with orphens as 1 dollar beads. Orphens and wonkier (the not so wonkier) are great for the zipper pulls cuz it looks like you made a special matching piece or a truly ooak. It's just one bead, not the set so it works. I typically take spiral tongs to my wonkies just for this reason.

Oh yea I was gonna find you some pics... Brb

Wine stoppers


I forgot about keys... They are cool.
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hand dyed silk ribbons in many colors!
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Last edited by jaci; 2013-10-29 at 8:41am.
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  #21  
Old 2013-10-29, 8:42am
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Sorry they are huge!
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  #22  
Old 2013-10-29, 10:04am
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There is silverware too, I am just trying out this myself. Another thing I did was a huge garden stake with all kinds of junk beads I would have thrown away.
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