Stores like Michael’s The Arts and Crafts store?
I was watching a video on youtube. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy7aWE5x8Vw )
Where she was talking about making her own jewelry. She got all of the supplies, the chain and charms and stuff, at Micheals The Arts and Crafts Store.
I would love to make my own jewelry, but there isn’t a Micheal’s near me.
What are some other stores that sell all kinds of stuff like that, to make your own jewelry?
I like in Arkansas, btw. If that matters.
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There are many local stores similar to Michael’s look it up on google.
Maybe A.C. Moore, Hobby Lobby… I know that WalMart has some craft supplies, albeit limited.
Jo Ann and Hobby Lobby both have stores in Arkansas
“Craft stores” like Michaels, Hobby Lobby, A.C Moore, and one other chain in the northeast I can never remember the name of are the most common place to buy jewelry “findings” and also beads for casual jewelry-makers.
Some other places sometimes have “craft departments” that will have some but fewer things too…Joanns Fabric store has a fair amount , and even Target/Walmart, etc, will have some inventory.
If you can find a “bead store,” they will have lots more findings, and many more beads (though not always the cheapest beads), and sometimes odd places will carry a few things for making jewelry.
Also locally, you can often find all kinds of beads and findings at thrift stores and garage or estate sales as completed pieces of jewelry that you can take apart and use quite well (and often have more expensive beads and findings, but not always).
Online, there are lots of craft stores, etc, that sell beads and findings:
http://www.google.com/search?num=50&hl=en&q=online+buy+jewelry+findings+beads
… and also higher-quality suppliers that will also have higher-quality findings and beads, etc:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/jewelry.htm (> Suppliers)
For most simple “jewelry making” –which is really more like jewelry *assembly* than jewelry making– all you need are some beads, findings (clasps, jumprings, eye pins or head pins, chains, etc), plus a pair of *round* nose pliers which are small at the end (“needlenose” etc) which you can also buy at craft stores or even hardware stores if you look for the small ones. A pair of jewelry pliers that has “flat” blades (chain nose, etc) is pretty important too but you really need the round-nose type.
In that particular video, she was also using “charms” (which are small items, sometimes metal, that have a loop at top so they can be hung and dangle from bracelets, necklaces, earrings, keyrings, etc). There are many places online that sell all kinds of charms as well as bead stores, and some can be found in craft stores as well. Almost anything that’s small and you can figure out a way to dangle can be a “charm” though… many people who play with polymer clay for example make all kinds of things like that, and mini-foods are quite popular with the young set these days.**
There are loads of places online to learn all about jewelry making, including the simpler types like this…check out some of these:
http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+make+jewelry
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+make+jewelry
http://jewelrymaking.about.com/od/gettingstarted/a/032307.htm
HTh,
Diane B.
** http://glassattic.com/polymer/miniatures.htm (> Foods)
And there’s more info on making your own findings and on “hanging” little things to make jewelry on these pages of my site too:
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/pendants_cording.htm (> Top Loops)
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/wire.htm (> Basic Shapes)
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/jewelry.htm (same link as above)
Plus, if you want to make your own beads instead of just charms (in other words, round, tube, square beads, etc), you might want to check out all the ones that can be made with polymer clay:
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/beads.htm