Customer Reviews

Beading From Nature: Creating Jewelry with Stones from the Earth

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The title doesn't tell half the story, hence the 4-star rating.

Does your taste in beads include the following: bone and wood, brass and copper, Peruvian ceramics, Ghanian powder glass, Tibetan and Nepalese silver capped gemstones, Ethiopian crosses, resin beads, Kazuri beads, Taureg and Hill Tribe silver as well as rough cut gemstones and chips, amber and mother of pearl? And if it doesn't, you still get the idea.

"Beading from Nature" does have natural materials and more. As such, most of the projects have an earthy look but some are quite elegant. There's a peridot neckace that's really lovely.

The spiral bound book starts with line drawings of the essential skills. Many of the projects use memory wire and various types of leather and fiber cord. Each project has its own full-sized photograph on the facing page opposite clear step-by-step instructions. Most projects are in the beginner to intermediate range. This can serve as inspiration to explore the world of beads and origins instead of just making projects. It's a keeper.

This book is a indispensable guide to designing and fabricating your own necklaces and bracelets using everything from fine turquoise and lapis stones to recycled glass and brass beads - even shells and drift wood. Full color pictures and step by step instructions show you how to master every technique, some I had never seen before. A glossary of terms and a guide to the bead market provide useful tips on how to make your projects come to life. I have been making my own necklaces and earrings for the last five years and I'm always looking for new ideas. This book has helped breathe a fresh organic vibe into my creations and I will definitely make sure to keep it handy in my workshop for years to come.

Crystal McDougald offers a real winner with this edition and I hope more are to come. It has appeal for the raw beginner to jewelry making and for the more experienced artist. The project selections are interesting and varied. The illustrations are eye-catching and provide beautiful examples of 'finished' products. I found the 'Tools and Materials' and 'Techniques' chapters very helpful and enjoyed the 'fun fact' and 'tips' inserts throughout the book. This is a user friendly manual which is a great addition for one's own library. And - it made terrific gifts at the holiday season.

This is the worst book I have ever purchased. It sounded so good so I pre-ordered sight unseen. The words "From Nature" included in the title compelled me to purchase. I invisioned beautiful natural stones included in jewelry or objects of art. After-all Nature is beautiful. There were a couple of items that were okay but the rest of the projects in the book looked like they were making jewelry from scrap metal. Beading From Nature: Creating Jewelry with Stones from the Earth

Loved the book and all it had to offer in using natural gem stones in beading.

The pictures in this book are lovely, but I was very disapponted to find that this book is not for artists who already know what works with what and have their own style. For someone just starting out, it has useful information, but the cover photo is probably the best project in this book.

I am new to beading and am looking for ideas and instruction on making natural stone jewelry. The book has beautiful pictures of natural stone jewelry and good instructions, techniques and supply lists. I can't wait to start using the book and making some of the necklaces and earrings.

This book has beautiful color photograph of jewelry made from natural stones. The photos are very large and give you exquisite detail. It is a book that will inspire ideas for your own jewelry design!