Wired Up Beads

Victoria and the Wall of Fretz

April 12th, 2012

Victoria is our Wired Up Beads tool expert and a tool lover to the core. Victoria rearranged our Fretz hammer display this week so that it looks nice and neat and is perfect for hands-on touching (not to mention inadvertent drooling). We love for visitors to stop by our shop in Southlake to see and hold all our fabulous tools. In this photo, Victoria is holding one of our new Fretz steel blocks. We have four styles, one flat and three different shapes of domes. They are not even listed on our website yet, but they are available in our Southlake store. We would love for you to stop by and see us–we will offer you a cup of coffee and a piece of chocolate (calorie free of course!), along with friendly service too! We are open Monday through Friday from 1:00 to 6:00 and and we giggle and also say that we are open Saturdays “if you can catch us!” Feel free to give us a call if you are driving a distance. Our number is 817-421-3030. Hope to see you soon!

Posted in New Products, News | No Comments »

Wire Protectors – It’s the Little Things that Make a Big Difference

March 20th, 2012

This tiny sterling silver finding can make a huge difference in the durability and professional appearance of your work. At only 32 cents a piece, they are economical to use too.

Called a wire protector, it not only protects the wire, but adds a very professional look to your jewelry. Wire protectors give movement and flexibility around the clasp, making it easier to clasp your jewelry for wearing.

We here at WUB especially love to use them for multi-strand creations, letting the strands move freely and making them less likely to twist together. The picture below shows a two-strand creation in progress. The wire protectors also give an added sense of security when attaching them to an open jump ring – no more worrying that the strand might pull through a small gap!

Wire protectors have a little channel or sort of a “tube” in them so that you can thread your flexible stranded wire (such as 49-strand Soft Flex) through them. This is how you use it:

1. Thread a crimp tube onto your wire
2. Thread the wire through the wire protector
3. Thread the wire back through the crimp tube.
4. Pull the wire so that you can slide the crimp up snug to the last bead
5. Secure the crimp

We hope you find these wire protectors as fabulous as we do! Know of other ways to use wire protectors? Leave us a comment, we would love to hear!

Posted in Jewelry-Making Tips | No Comments »

Bloopers in the WUB Factory

March 8th, 2012

During our recent inventory we discovered a few big messes. No, make that areas of mass discombobulation and chaos. However, what once could make us want to cry was conquered quickly with our Best Craft Organizers. We’ve been in love with them ever since they arrived at our shop in Southlake, Texas.

We’ve recently sent out a newsletter announcing our 25% Off Sale on the Storage Organizers, and we thought you’d like to see what goes on behind the scenes when we carefully develop these newsletters for you!

Everything is an Adventure around Wired Up Beads. We manage to have fun even when working hard. We’d thought we’d share the fun.

Introducing:

Connie Lindley & Anne Doherty

Little did we know our shy, sweet, and quiet Connie was such a great little actress! She had us rolling on the floor! When we viewed these pictures… Well, to quote Connie: “I didn’t know my mouth could do that!”

Poor Anne tried to get in character, but couldn’t hold off a smile while standing next to Connie’s Broadway performance!

______________________________________________________________

We’re no Mary Poppins, but fun we shall have.

The photo shoot of conquering our mess was easy for our eternally smiling Anne.

Connie continued her debut on Broadway by literally flipping her frown upside down!

All WUB Tales end happily ever after; let us help ensure yours do too.

So don’t let any areas of mass discombobulation and chaos get you down. Feel free to give us a call at (817)421-3030 — We are here to help, advise, and lend moral support.

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

The Rose of Corinthe

March 2nd, 2012

Have you ever picked a petal off a rose and noticed how it looks a little like a heart? Inspiration for making jewelry can come from many sources that are a part of our every day lives. The piece shown below is a beautiful rendition of a 6-petaled rose made from six copper hearts. The copper hearts were “riveted” together in a fashion that I had not seen. The artist used the Wubbers Looping Pliers to wrap loops on each side of the petals. This not only served the function of connecting the petals, they also provided an organic decorative element. The stem is made from 10-gauge bronze wire that is wrapped with 26-gauge Gold Parawire. The flower’s thorns were cut from a brass star and were wired to the stem along with some additional leaf shapes. Glass beads were used to embellish the pendant. The flower was suspended from multiple strands of gold-toned chain, providing balance to the necklace, which has been named The Rose of Corinthe.

Meet Jonathon, the new graphics designer of Wired Up Beads. He had never made jewelry before he joined the Wired Up Beads Staff in mid December. When asked how he developed this design, Jonathon asked me if I had ever picked a petal off a rose and noticed how it looks like a heart. Jonathon has brought a lot of creative inspiration to Wired Up Beads and a new appreciation for things that we might at times overlook. So here’s a little challenge. This weekend, stop and “smell the roses.” See what inspiration you can find as you go about your normal routine. We would love to hear what inspires you.

Posted in Finished Jewelry, PencilBones, The Creative Process | 5 Comments »

Oh Ginny, I’m Beggin’ You Please!

February 22nd, 2012

Before I explain about how Ginny is breakin’ our hearts, we wrote a new Tumbling Tips Tutorial today here at WUB. Ginny came up with the first tip that we listed–we thought that it was a jewel! Ginny’s tip is:

“Repurpose a necklace, bracelet, or earrings you don’t wear anymore – Take it apart and tumble the solid metal pieces to reuse for brand-new parts!”

Ginny happened to be wearing a bracelet that was heavy with Bail Silver beads and spacers. She said that the bracelet was one of the first that she ever made with her lampwork beads. It was made back when the price of silver was in the $7.00 range, so she loaded it with sterling. Oh, and by the way, Ginny’s newbie beads are unlike any other newbie I’ve seen before. Now, imagine the entire WUB staff drooling over her “newbie” bracelet.

Then, Ginny she that she hated to leave all that silver on one of her “newbie” bracelets. She said that she planned to take it apart, tumble all the silver to make it look new, and remake it into several new pieces of jewelry. In response to this, the entire WUB staff groans.

So Ginny, I’m beggin’ you please! Save that bracelet. We photographed it to share with all our WUBbly friends. Don’t you think it’s beautiful? Maybe if we band together, we can save the bracelet.

Want to see the New Tumbler Tips? Click Here

Posted in Finished Jewelry, HotGlass, Humor | No Comments »