A stunning collection of original design featuring Swarovski crystal beads. Includes clear instructions for dozens of contemporary, wearable designs.

For the true aficionado, nothing’s more exciting than a one-of-a-kind, beautiful bead--be it a flameworked glass orb or a glistening cut gemstone. But what can the obsessed beader do with all those amazing collectables that never fail to catch the eye? They can make these 30 spectacular pieces of jewelry, all dedicated to showcasing the most exquisite beads available! Even newcomers can achieve success, thanks to a thorough basics section with enough hand-holding for the most intimidated beginner. The instructions cover it all, from fashioning a simple ear wire to enlarging the bead’s hole. Create a lariat with one large, stunning bead on each end. Coil silver wire around a purchased chain, and add carved wooden beads. Loop candy-colored resin beads onto stretchy elastic cords for bold, slip-on bangles. They’re fun to make and to wear! A Selection of the Crafters Choice Book Club.

A diary, a King, and a young girl's heart. Love Beads from Elvis: The Diary of Kathy Tatum I wasn't looking for it, but I found it just the same. The red leather covering is well worn, and the locking clasp that once kept my secrets safe from the world is missing. There is duct tape on the binding, and the page edges have yellowed over time, but it is, after all, almost fifty years old. A well-worn Polaroid photo slips out... I remember vividly the night it was taken, oh, to be held in his strong arms. He was beautiful then-his skin tanned to a golden brown, his jet black hair neatly combed straight back, how it felt when he gently kissed the back of my neck and sang softly into my ear...

With a hilarious, tell-it-like-it-is, girlfriend-to-girlfriend tone, author Carolyn Evans provides married women with an innovative method that is sure to breathe new life into their marital relationship. The Forty Beads Method works by dissolving the negative tension that builds around sex (specifically, the frequency with which it does or does not occur) and replacing it with the sex life you always thought you should have, which in turn creates the relationship you've always wanted. In 40 short chapters, author Carolyn Evans illuminates her readers in psychologically-savvy detail why sex is so important to the success of a marriage, and exactly how to put it to the front burner of their relationship in a playful, fun way.

Learn to craft one-of-a-kind miniature boxes in a variety of shapes no matter your skill level with this assortment of twelve charming beadwork designs. Julia S. Pretl offers crafters her original method for creating decorative beaded boxes and lids in a wide range of surface designs and shapes. Working only with cylinder and seed beads, needle and thread, crafters can create an impressive array of clever and colorful miniature containers. With step-by-step illustrations and easy-to-follow word graphs and patterns, Pretl leads the reader through the techniques for creating three-sided, five-sided, and six-sided rectangular, square, and stacked boxes. Four-color photographs of each of the 12 designs introduce each set of instructions. Detailed drawings illustrate the beading techniques.

Keiko's unique approach to ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, combines traditional techniques with modern tastes. Her influences--which range from sculpture to today's Western floral design--come together to create one-of-a-kind arrangements that are authentic and eye-catching, simple and graceful, and possible for anyone to achieve. This book presents step-by-step instructions for creating 20 stunning ikebana arrangements in a range of sizes and styles. Each of the flower arrangements can be completed in just three simple steps and uses easy-to-find floral materials and containers. The book also includes an introduction to the history of ikebana as it relates to Japan and Japanese culture, as well as a guide to the basic rules of ikebana design and floral techniques. Suggestions for finding and choosing materials and supplies make it easy to learn how to arrange flowers and gain a hands-on appreciation of the art of Japanese flower arranging.

"This beautiful and inspiring book gathers photographs of 500 of the most breathtaking beaded jewelry designs created in recent years. The techniques the beaders employ are as varied as the aesthetic sensibilities they bring to their gorgeous creations and include beadweaving in every stitch imaginable, embroidery, quilling, loom weaving, and kumihimo braiding, as well as basic stringing, simple wirework, and fine metalwork. Sometimes, a bead maker's focal piece simply is set in a straightforward, unpretentious, and beautiful design. Virtually all of the world's most famous beaders who make jewelry have pieces included -- including Carol Wilcox Wells, Diane Fitzgerald, Marcia DeCoster, Jamie Cloud Eakin, Huib Petersen, Paulette Baron, Sabine Lippert, Sherry Serafini, Margie Deeb, Maggie Meister, Melanie Potter, Ann Tevepaugh Mitchell, Laura McCabe, Suzanne Golden, Jean Campbell, Rachel Nelson-Smith, Eva Dobos, and many more -- but we also present work from many artists who have never been published before. All together, this extensive, international, and fabulous survey of 500 pieces includes work from nearly 300 artists from 30 countries and reveals the striking vision and ambition of today's beading community. Every beader, jeweler, and crafter will want Showcase 500 beaded jewelry in their collection"--