Leisure Arts Jewelry Book Collection

Leisure Arts Jewelry Book Collection
Friendship Bracelets: Beyond the Basics, Jewelry on a String, Oh-So-Easy Jewelry, Cords & Bling Jewelry
By The Designers of Leisure Arts
Gifted by Leisure Arts
www.leisurearts.com
Reviewed by Melissa Conner, Editor of FaveCrafts.com

One of my favorite ways to celebrate summer is to update my summer accessories!  Colorful earrings, bracelets, and necklaces are my favorite way to celebrate color during the warmer months.  I also love making my own jewelry, since I know it will be one of a kind and fun to show off to my family and friends. 

If you love to create your own jewelry and make fun accessories for yourself or a friend, you're going to love this awesome collection of jewelry books from Leisure Arts.  Made up of four fantastic titles, including Friendship Bracelets: Beyond the Basics, Jewelry on a String, Oh-So-Easy Jewelry, and Cords & Bling Jewelry, this collection is a must-have for all types of jewelry lovers.

Friendship Bracelets: Beyond the Basics

Friendship bracelets aren't just for kids anymore!  The amazing designs in Friendship Bracelets: Beyond the Basics will show you how to put a modern twist on an old classic.  With lots of bracelets combining embroidery floss and colorful beads, this collection is a fun way to learn how to jazz up the friendship bracelets we all loved as kids and give them a professional and classy look that makes them perfect for wearing for any occasion.

With lots of colorful photos and step-by-step instructions, the projects in Friendship Bracelets are easy to make for all levels of crafters.  I happen to lovet he Sunset Diagonal bracelet.  The colors are perfect for summer and the look of the bracelet gives the illusion of a more complicated design...but it's actually so easy to make!  There are also several bracelets and cuffs that combine simple knotting with colorful beadwork, so you can create professional-looking accessories that you can easily wear throughout the year.

Friendship bracelets are also great for layering and mixing and matching...so make two or three of the patterns in this book and layer them for a fun summer look that's classy and nostolgic.

Jewelry on a String

Let me set the scene for you...you're browsing through your favorite craft store and you're captivated by all the pre-strung beads.  You gather up a few of your favorite strands but, when you get home, you have no idea how to use them.  Sound familiar?  Well, not to worry!  The projects you'll find in Jewelry on a String will help motivate and inspire you to put those pre-strung beads to work. 

The great thing about the projects in this book is that you can use them to motivate other creations.  For example, if you love the featured Turquoise Necklace, Bracelet, and Earring set but can't find the EXACT beads to make it, you can use the helpful guide (included with every project) to find similar beads to get the look you love.  There are also step-by-step photos for each project, making it easy for even the most novice of jewelry crafters to make their own designs.

I happen to love the elegant Burlap & Lace Necklace, Earrings, & Ring set.  made using pearls, floral embellishments, and fun burlap beads, this DIY jewelry set would be perfect for a wedding or outdoor fall celebration.  It combines a variety of textures and looks to create something that's sophisticated, yet chic and country all at the same time!

So don't be scared to buy those strung beads anymore!  You can create all kinds of accessories with the awesome tutorials you'll find in Jewelry on a String!

Oh-So-Easy Jewelry

Sometimes adding a colorful bead to a strand is all you need to create the most beautiful necklace.  Jewelry making does not have to be complicated, and with the patterns you'll find in Oh-So-Easy Jewelry, you'll learn how to create easy breezy patterns that you can make in minutes.  Learn how to use leftover beads to create lovely earrings, or add charms to a bracelet of strappy leather or knotted cording for an additional piece of flair.  With these projects, you'll learn how to create easy, yet striking, jewelry that's sure to turn heads.

The Glittered Bezel Jewelry set is a fabulous way to turn a simple bezel setting into glitzy and glamorous jewelry.  Simply add Mod Podge and glitter to the bezel setting and enjoy you new sparkly creation!  You can also use leftover beads to create Memory Wire Bracelets and fun artistic earrings that are unlike anything you'll see in stores.  There are also fun projects for kids!  The Neon Knots bracelet are great for teens and they're a fun way to get your kids interested in crafting.

Filled with super easy projects that are sinfully simple to make, Oh-So-Easy Jewelry is a fun inspirational guide for simple and quick DIY jewelry making.

Cords & Bling Jewelry

All jewelry fans know that a little bling goes a long way.  Jazz up simple cord jewelry with some colorful beads!  Add beads to bracelets, necklaces, anklets and more...and let the projects in Cords & Bling Jewelry guide you along the way!

Filled with 16 awesome cord tutorials, this book is great for crafters who love a good jewelry project.  Crafting with cord is great for people of all ages, and cord necklaces and bracelets are super comfortable to wear, so they're perfect for those warmer summer months.  Mixing and matching colors also makes creating jewelry really fun and easy...like the Tube Bead Necklace & Bracelet.  Combining teal, light brown, and chocolate brown, this necklace and bracelet set is great for summer accessorizing, and looks classy and professional with just a few simple beads strung on three pieces of cord.

And for all of those people out there who don't think that cord is classy, let the beautiful Pearls & Rhinestone Choker change your mind.  Embellished with lovely rhinestones and precious pink pearls, this choker is simple to make and stunning enough that it could easily be used for a wedding accessory for the bride or her bridesmaids.

It's no wonder that cord crafting is making a comback, and with the projects you'll find in Cords & Bling Jewelry, you'll be able to create fashionable and fun accessories that will never go out of style!