Free Mixed Media Jewelry Project from Beyond the Bead by Margot Potter for North Light Books

(Click on image to view components in close up)

WE HAVE A WINNER! I've announced the winner of this contest here! Check back for more free projects and free stuff!
As promised, this is the first of two free projects or sneak peeks from my new mixed media jewelry techniques book Beyond the Bead available at fine book purveyors everywhere! You'll have to buy the book to see the step out photos. This project made the cover and impressed a book buyer from a major book chain so much, she requested a custom order! That's a good sign! The book focuses on making the bead, pendant or component and shows you a variety of ways to integrate the finished item into finished jewelry, so you're learning how to make the bird charms here.

Leave a comment to win a free copy of the book along with a special prize, I'll randomly select a winner next Tuesday. Good luck!
I’ll Fly Away
Copyright 2009
Excerpted from Beyond the Bead by Margot Potter
North Light Books

Victorian style bird and nest stamped images are accented with soft shades of blue and green and coated with a clear glaze. Can you believe they’re made of paper? Chipboard provides a litany of design possibilities for the jewelry artist, just don’t wear these beads in the swimming pool and you’ll be fine.

*You can do so many things with chipboard. The key is not to over saturate it with inks. If you want to layer inks, let them dry in between so the paper won’t warp.

Supplies
3 Pre-punched 1.75" chipboard circles
Bird and Nest Stamp set
Ranger Archival Ink jet black
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads in shabby shutters and broken china
Diamond Glaze
Ranger Cut and Dry Stamp Foam square
Small Sharpee black
4mm gun metal jump rings
Gun metal head pins4mm olivine Swarovski rounds*
4mm jet hematite Swarovski rounds*
4mm indicolite Swarovski bicones*
(*Order from Art Beads before July 31st and use my code to save 10%:SCF10P-POTTER-0112)

Tools
Round nose pliers
2 pair chain nose pliers
Wire nippers

1. Stamp selected images on cardboard circles.
2. Accent surface of circles front and back with accent foam dipped in distress inks. Use a different part of the foam for each color to prevent muddy results.
3. After achieving desired color layers, add a layer of Diamond Glaze taking care not so shake tube to prevent bubbles. Allow to dry.
4. Repeat for opposite side of cardboard.
5. Lightly drag Sharpee around edges of bead.
6. Place Sharpee in underside of bead hole and accent with black.
7. Thread a 4mm olivine round on a head pin.
8. Thread the beaded head pin into hole in front of bead.
9. Bend pin flush to back of bead and create a loop.
10. Create coil topped dangles, two of each color bead and attach them to a jump ring.
11. Slide the beaded jump ring on the bail at the top of your bead and secure closed with pliers.

Supplies
Bird and Nest stamps Cavellini Papers, crystals Create Your Style CRYSTALLIZED-Swarovski Elements, gun metal findings Rings n’ Things, Distress Ink, Archival Ink, Foam squares Ranger, Diamond Glaze Judikins, Sharpee by Sharpee, jewelry tools Beadalon.