Discover the story of the Boss' Bead Bag, a unique mix of beads born from a serendipitous accident. Get your hands on a bundle of beading goodness in one grab bag!

Good light is so important when beading. Here are some ideas about lighting and other ways to improve the beading workspace.

Antique gold-plated brass beads lend this ruby red bracelet a timeless allure. With transparent glass Czech druk beads complementing the rich gold tones of the round cutout beads, this bracelet epitomizes class and good taste.

Ever wonder about using your love of beading for good? Get inspired by the Bead-It-Forward Project

Instagram is one of the hottest ways to promote and sell handmade goods. Read on to learn how Instagram's popularity boom can boost your jewelry-making business.

If one chain is good, wouldn't more be better? This article answers with a resounding YES! Read on to glean 5 tips to help you arrange the perfect layered chain look you and your customers will love.

In this article and video lean everything about pearls ... or at least a good start, such as how they are formed and harvested, pearl quality and how to tell genuine from imitation pearls.

Organic materials come from living things. Knowing their origins and cultivation techniques will allow you to confidently assure your customers that you've considered every detail of your design.

Q: If I make a necklace that has the gems floating, what type of wire is good, and what type of crimp bead is good for keeping the bead in a suspended hold?

Q: I'm hearing that aluminum is a good metal for jewelry chain. What are the benefits to using aluminum vs. sterling silver? Also, what is rhodium? Is it hypoallergenic? Thank you.

Q: I am just not good with knots. I would prefer to use crimp tubes on stretch cord ("powercord"). I would like some reassurance that finished bracelets would last for a long time with wear. Have you had any testimonies from clients on this, and what is your opinion?

Q: I have sold my jewelry and wire work on consignment before, with pretty good success. However, I recently spoke with a shop owner who wanted me to pay a nonrefundable consignment fee to sell my work. I'd honestly never heard this before, and I'm a bit wary. Should I be?

Q: I'm trying to solder Argentium Silver wire. Everything I have read says that I don't need flux, but when I soldered the wire, it went black—like sterling—and didn't melt. Can you suggest a good flux and give some direction on how to solder?

Q: I am new to beading and struggle with understanding bead sizes—especially as I look at websites like Fire Mountain and see beads I like. I haven't been able to find a good size chart to use. Can you recommend one?

Q: I am interested in selling jewelry at craft fairs and shows. I will need to have a pretty large inventory of necklaces, bracelets and earrings. What do you recommend as a good amount of inventory for a fair or show? Thank you!

Q: Is titanium a good metal for someone with allergies?

Q: I have been seeing watch bands made with beads and safety pins and they just stretch. What would be a good choice of stringing material to use so the safety pin will not break it and it stretches.

Q: If the half-drilled pendant findings or screw eyes are too large, what is a good substitute?

Q: Is 0.014-inch beading wire a good size for 10mm lapis lazuli and 16x12mm tourmaline beads? Will a 0.08mm inside diameter crimp work?

Q: I am looking for a thread/cord that WON'T STRETCH and can be used with heavier beads and knotted to finish. I have read that Dandyline braided beading cord is a good one, but you don't carry it. So, which is the correct one to use? Also, I would like it to come in colors. Thank you.

Q: My work is "upscale," yet at shows, people are often wearing casual clothing that isn't a good fit for my jewelry ... any ideas on how to deal with this?

Q: What kind of earrings would make good men's earrings to hang dagger or spider drops from? And if I buy the round rubber or leather cord, black, 3mm, for a man's necklace what clasps or crimping beads do I use on the ends to secure and fasten?

Q: I'm planning a pearl and mystic topaz necklace and my mystic topaz beads have a tiny hole (.24mm), so I need something very thin for stringing. But I also want it to hold up over time. I thought the thinnest Accu-Flex® wire might be good, but I'm not sure how I'd knot them between the pearls. Can the Bead Knotter™ be used with Accu-Flex® beading wire? Would another stringing material be better? Thank you for your help.

Q: I'm making a necklace with a pendant for a sister-in-law who has metal allergies. The pendant measures 3.5" long. I thought of making the necklace long enough to slip over the head so no metal findings would be used, but with the pendant so long, it would hang too low to look good. How would you finish a shorter necklace (16-17") without using metal findings?