Easy How Tos: Beaded Jelly Jar Tealight Candle Lantern, Fridge Magnets, and Remember Mama!

We've been dreaming of spring for awhile here at Rubber Nation Crafts! Our friend and co-worker Anne has been busy creating some wonderful inspired projects for spring. Here's a recent favorite of ours!

Beaded Jelly Jar Tealight Candle Lantern

These are perfect for spring or summer events - plus they're GREEN - using recycled clear jars that you already have on hand in your recycle bin. This design could be made up in our glass pearls for outdoor weddings - just add a little tealight, maybe a little sand in the bottom and hang. Send us your ideas!

You can find the detailed project sheet on our site by clicking here ~ or just e-us - we can send you the instruction sheet by e-mail. Go play!

Remember Mama!

It's that time of year again - graduations, Mother's Day, weddings ~ we've got some very easy ways to give your gifts a thoughtful touch with ourpersonalized keyrings, photo bracelets or photo charms.

Each of our photo jewelry items comes with a simple instruction sheet.  We even have photo key chains for kids!

Our ready-to wear photo bracelets have been customer favorites for many years now for MANY reasons! Mainly, they're well-made and VERY easy to use. They're ready-to-wear - lead and nickel-free silver plated solid metal alloy - all you need to do is pop in 6 of your index prints or cropped photos under the acetate sheets in each frame - The only supplies you need for this project are a pair of scissors! Voila! Your gift is done! Now that's EASY!

Lip Balm for Photo and Altered Art Jewelry!

You might not realize it just yet, but the lowly lip balm stick at your neighborhood drugstore IS your favorite new craft supply!

To prevent your ink jet print outs from running before you apply your clear sealer (we think 3D Crystal Lacquer works best), just spread a very thin layer of generic lip balm (the simpler, the better) across your art work and allow it to air dry a few minutes. Then continue with your glaze layer. The lip balm forms enough of a water-resistant barrier to protect your art, but still allows the sealer to do it's job. Try it! It's a life changer for altered and photo jewelry artists!

Peel n Stick Magnet Squares 3/4" 10pc Fits Our Scrabble Tiles for Fridge, Art, Photo Magnets

10 rectangular/square 3/4" adhesive-backed magnets. Fits traditional Scrabble game tiles. Make scrabble tile letter fridge magnets and much more! Scrabble tiles sold separately, by letter or by lot. We also stock circular 1" magnets which fit our bottle caps and glass tiles perfectly! Finish your art with our 3D Crystal Lacquer for professional level results!

Price: $2.99

Buy Now

Unmounted Rubber Stamps Return! African Textiles, Mayan Carvings, Celtic Designs, Vintage Suns, MORE!

Our unmounted rubber stamps return! Each is a 4x5.5" sheet deep-etched red rubber sheet with freebie adhesive indexing sheet (for tops of mounts or for your storage binder or flat storage system) along with a free Rubber Stamp Primer on the basics of using unmounted rubber stamps. We have lots of really interesting designs restocked - from African to Tribal, Vintage to Snickers, Celtic, Mayan -  there's some really great high-quality images ready to use in your altered art, jewelry, scrapbooking or clay projects.

I like to combine some of the cultural imagery with our bamboo domino tiles, along with metallic inks for some really interesting ready to wear pendants. I'll post a new pendant pic shortly! We also stock some beautiful unmounted rubber alphabets - also very fitting for a personalized piece of jewelry. Send us your finished project to post here - we'd love to share them!

By the way ~ one of the fun freebies we have available on our site is an inspirational Fun With Bamboo Tiles ~ you can find it by clicking here. Enjoy!

Make your Own Message or Photo Gifts, Necklaces, Typewriter Charms

Wow! We are having so much fun with these new word sticks and typewriter charm kits. Just add our jump rings, ball chains even a memory frame to personalize or complete the message or theme. I made these necklaces for my kids for Valentines Day - they are really FUN and very EASY to personalize with different words, messages and initials. An A+ beginner's project!

These also work great with our mini dog tags and photo charms. Plan in advance for Mother's Day, Father's Day, wedding and graduations. Have FUN and happy creating!

Combine with our memory frames to make a customized two-sided altered art or photo charm/pendant in an instant! Get the look of a soldered custom art piece with the flick of a hinge! Add a few doo dads with eye pins, head pins, a couple simple flourishes (like our friend Betsy did in the sample above) and you've got a fun little arty treasure on your hands.

A crafty reminder - our  embellish any of these little treasures with our gorgeous Jewelry Maker's Mixes, some jump rings, ball chains or cords, some headpins, bali bead spacers, and some millefiori glass beads from our smorgy selections.

Save $5 off your next order of $10 or more through end of next month! Good once per month per subscriber. Type your subscriber's savings code: SAVE5MAR10 in promo box at checkout on our site.

Newsletter subscribers - save BIG with your special subscriber discount - 20% off everything in the store thru FEB 28th (end of this month) with your savings promo code FEB2010 entered in the promo box on your payment page.

Armchair travelers! Looking for some instant inspiration?Check out our South Seas collection! Over 100 beachy-related items - have fun!

We've been very busy around here loading up the site with so many cool new goodies there's no good way to show them all here - please check out What's here's what's NEW for February click here! And, here's what's NEW for March click here!  Lots of treasures! We now stock 3D Crystal Lacquer Glaze starter kits for use with all of our dimensional photo charm blanks. The best of the best. Acid free, won't run water-based artwork. Use where dimensional and glass like finish is wanted.

3D Crystal Lacquer  is a recommended finish for our deeper walled pendant blanks, scrabble tiles, glass tiles, altered art jewelry! You rim the edge first with the needle-point tipped applicator, then fill, pull the glaze toward the middle. Less bubbles and crystal clear results! Use as a gel glaze on flat and thicker walled pendants - see our Diamond GLAZE for thinner projects. 3d Crystal Lacquer is a dimensional adhesive that dries to a clear glass-like finish or can be thinned with water for a lacquer-like finish. Needle point tip and instructions included.

3D Crystal Lacquer is the perfect crystal clear finish for our fridge magnets too - front or back. Check out our jewelry maker's glass tiles - they're crystal clear ~ just divine.

Customer favorites sparkle beads are back - along with some new cousins ~ our collection of glass pearls, lustre mixes, and confetti foil swirl beads.

They all look way fancier than their actual price and they're SO much fun to create with ~ make sure to check them out!

Don't forget to check our all-new Dollar Bin! The deals keep stacking up - we add new items several times a week - watch out - it's habit forming!

Make a Sparkling Cane Glass Necklace, Happy Hearts, Scrabble Tiles, Glass Art Jewelry Supplies!

January Project Idea: Cane or Furnace Glass Necklace with Color-Core Seed Beads (click to enlarge)

Our friend and co-worker Anne created this fresh, sparkling necklace using a combination of our USA-made cane glass beads mixed with our color-core translucent seed beads, tiger tail beading wire, and some simple necklace findings. The finished effect is just glowing! You can recreate this look in a color theme of your choice. Here’s the basics you’ll need to complete this necklace ~ colors are up to you!

• 
  
  1175 Fire Designs Cane Glass Beads Pinks Blacks
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  1125g Color-Core Translucent Seed Beads (Dark Plum, Purple interior)
  
  
  
• 
  
  763 Tiger Tail Coated Steel X Strength Silver Beading Cord,
  
  
  
• 
  
  858 .925 Silver Plated Lobster Clasp
  
  
  
• 1606Q Silver Crimp Bead Tubes
• 1606S Silver Crimp Bead Covers
  

To Make this Cane Glass Necklace:




Thread beads onto the silver tiger tail beading wire. Keep track of seed bead count between the larger cane glass beads.


Slide one crimp bead and then the loop of the lobster claw clasp onto one end of the beading wire. Insert the end of the beading wire back through the clasp's loop and crimp bead.


Pull the beading wire to tighten it, leaving a little room for clasp to move around a little.


With pliers, crush/close the crimp bead tightly around the beading wire.


Use wire cutters to trim off excess.


To finish, cover up your raw crimps by closing a bead cover over them.


Voila! You're brilliant! You've just created your very own art glass necklace! Keep it going with a simple and elegant set of matching earrings!

About the designer: WHO KNEW that our friend Anne Strasser was keeping her inner crafter all to herself! Well, no more! She has made some wonderful jewelry designs for us over the past year - including the sparkling cane glass piece above. Anne wears many hats - when she's not here she is mom to two high school daughters, usually while she's also baking, cooking, thrift-shopping or gardening. Let's face it ~ she's a Martha in waiting!

New this month! Happy Hearts, Scrabble Tiles (by Letter and Finish), Superb Quality Glass Art Jewelry Tiles, Make your Own Typewriter Charms Kit, Glass Jewelry Sets! Plus, the Dollar Bin is IN!

Ooooh! A New Year and a TON of NEW goodies have arrived! Not the least of which are these adorable 3/4" lampwork glass Happy Hearts in peppy colors featuring sputnik dots. They coordinate beautifully with our Bumpy Dot mix and our Happy Swirls if you're into that sort of thing. Otherwise, a simple headpin, some top/bottom spacers coupled with our ear wires, cords. jump rings or bracelet forms and you've got a darling pendant or bracelet charm set to go!
We're thrilled to announce the opening of our Dollar Bin - yes, everything in this bin is under $1.00 ~ this is a really fun way to shop for first quality craft and jewelry items at bargain basement prices. Click to see what's NEW for Jan10, and review what treasures you might have missed for Dec 09! We also are still cataloging the very END of our Fall 09 Boatload shipment - all worth checking out ~ especially with 20% savings!
Meanwhile, LOVE is in the air and we've got some great inspirational goodies for Valentines Day ~ which also tend to work out very well for Mother's Day too. Our number one hands-down favorite for Valentines Day designs would have to go to our Pink Hearts Jewelry Maker's Mix.
Sneak peek alert! Some of our Feb10 items are in including all new handblown lampwork jewelry sets - featuring butterflies, hearts, or starfish. Some on cords, some on organza - great gift ideas for Valentines, Mother's Day and Teacher appreciation time!
New scrabble tile single letters are here! In addition to our scrabble tile lots, we've added Scrabble tile singles, in either vintage/used or new finishes. Just glue a bail to the back with e-6000, Weldbond or Diamond Glaze, seal the front if desired, String on our ball chains, cords or necklaces to finish, and you have an instant personalized gift on your hands.


Somewhat related - perfect for customized bracelets and necklaces - our brand new Typewriter Key charm kits are here - complete with 16 rimmed charm bases, 16 adhesive epoxy domes (very hard to find!), and 32 distressed alpha typewriter stickers.

Combine with our memory frames and altered art/photo charm blanks, ball chains, jump rings, neck cords, large-holed beads, bali spacers, jewelry maker's mixes, etc. to make beautiful altered art jewelry in a flash!

4-Day 20% OFF SALE THANKS to YOU! Thru TUES Dec 1 Midnight

Great news for our DIY crafts, lampwork glass, millefiori and jewelry fans! We're celebrating YOU our fantastic customers ~ save 20% on every item on the site through TUES midnight Dec 1! Use code THANKS09 at checkout!

There's plenty NEW to see for November and December 09 A few of the highlights: Gorgeous new single flower and mosaic millefiori glass bead strands, New Pawprints! Zebra, Leopard, Animal print lampwork beads, amazing new Peacock Foil Millefiori Glass, by request ~ NEW deep-set thick-rimmed photo/altered art charms for use with resin and thick glazes, new 1oz TRIAL sizes of our popular clear dimensional Glaze and Gel, millefiori "thousand flowers" art glass heart pendants gift-boxed and ready to give, great new findings, charms, and color-coated steel beading wire necklaces in 10 rainbow colors.

Time savers! Our ready-to-give gift boxed jewelry items are that perfect "little something" for your beading and arty friends - take a peek!

Newsletter subscribers: Make sure you are registered on our site. Choose the "Sign In" option at checkout when prompted - your promo code box will appear. Enter THANKS09 to save 20% on your entire order before shipping.

Shop our Boatload Trunk Show Now!

Our Most Recent Newsletters

#1 Make it Tonight 5 Free Project Ideas for You! (Pawprints Necklace)

#2 Make it Tonight! 4 Free Project Ideas for You! (Holiday Jewelry),

#3 Home for the Holidays (Craft, DIY Custom Jewelry),

#4 The Boatload of Beads, Findings, Cords is IN!

Made with Love ~ Our silver and gold plated heart charms are perfect as jewelry components, package toppers, scrapbook embellishments too. Tis the season!

We stock these little message heart charms in silver and gold plated, Made with Love, Handmade with Love, and Made for You!

Click here for FUN Jewelry, Crafts Ideas!
FUN with Bamboo Tiles
3 Easy Keepsake Gifts

Tell a friend about us.

Sign Up for Savings!

Make it Tonight! 4 New Inspired Holiday Project Ideas for You!

Get inspired! October's a great time to get a relaxed start on gift-making projects. Here's four wonderfully elegant yet simple jewelry ideas ~ easy and beautiful, you can make these tonight. Each project below includes a clickable supply list. Click any picture for detailed view.

Christmas Flowers - Our brand new single flower shaped millefiori glass beads are the inspiration for this sweet bracelet. Cheryl used the flowers as dangling charms and more millefiori glass coins in red and white as the core of the bracelet. Our new magnetic barrel clasps makes putting on your new bracelet a snap.

• 1168 Millefiori Flower Beads
• 1870X Millefiori Glass Coin Beads Red and White
• 1326 Iridescent Glass Spacers
• 1125j Glass Seed Beads, white
• 1505z Ball End Headpins
• 858a Silver Plated Magnetic Barrel Clasps
  

Blossoms of Red & Green Necklace Get in the Holiday spirit with this necklace using our Millefiori Single Flower Glass Beads. These 12mm beads are cut out in single flower shapes in a rainbow of colors. For this project, Cheryl chose the red flowers and green flowers only out of the 30 beads on a strand. Combined with red, green and clear seed beads as well as bright silver ridged spacer beads, Cheryl has created a very festive necklace. She chose to make her design in a matinee length at about 22 inches. We are sure you will be inspired to make your own holiday creations to enjoy this party season.

• 1168 Millefiori Flower Glass Beads
• 514 Bright Silver Ridged Spacer Beads
• 763 Silver Tiger Tail
• 1606R Silver Crimp Beads
• 1606T Crimp Bead Covers
• 1505V Antiqued Silver Metal Floral Toggle

Snowflake Ice Earrings and Bracelet, features our antiqued silver metal snowflake charms. Cheryl combined the snowflakes with our Aurora Borealis Crystal Cube spacer beads for a cool winter look. Add some bright silver ridged spacers and you have a darling set ready to wear or give for holiday parties.

Snowflake Ice Bracelet, features our antiqued silver metal snowflake charms and coordinates wonderfully with our snowflake earrings above. We used another of our super strength magnetic clasps for no fuss easy on/off.

You will need:

• 633 Antiqued Silver Metal Snowflakes
• 716a Clear AB Crystal Cube Spacer Beads
• 514 Bright Silver Ridged Spacer Beads
• 1558 Silver plated french earring hooks
• 1300 Square Rainbow Cubes Mix
  
• 763 Silver Tiger Tail beading wire
• 1505Y Toggle clasp
• 1606R Silver crimp beads
• 1606T Silver crimp covers
• 858a Silver Plated Magnetic Barrel Clasps

About the designer: Our friend and co-worker Cheryl Satterlee wears many hats here - packer, designer, copywriter and inventory tracker. When she's not here, she switches hats to mom and grandmom!

Newsletter subscribers ~ use promo code SAVE5OCT09 to save $5 on any order over $10. Good once per month per subscriber. Click here to join our subscriber list.

Make it Tonight! New Miami and Phoenix Necklace Designs

October is a great month to get a relaxed start on your gift-making and gift-giving ideas. Here's two wonderfully elegant yet simple jewelry ideas you can make tonight ~ easy to string samples and supply lists shown below.

This Miami necklace, by Shenoa Satterlee, makes you want to hop on a plane today! The aqua blue shell beads combined with olive green crystals and white clear seed beads invoke the sky, sea and sand of a tropical paradise. You will need:

• 2 1001A Aqua blue coin shell beads
• 1 1180N 6mm olive green crystal bicones
• 1 1125j 2mm white clear glass seed beads
• 1 763 Silver Tiger Tail beading wire
• 1 1505Y Toggle clasp
• 1 1606R Silver crimp beads
• 1 1606T Silver crimp covers

Phoenix, an orange tabby cat, is the inspiration for this whimsical design A classic combination of bicone crystals and bali bead spacers is transformed with the addition of our cat charms and a cat/fish toggle clasp. Another inspired design from Shenoa. This is an easy project with dramatic results.

• 2 1180W 6mm gold amber crystal bicones
• 1 1503B Bali spacer beads
• 1 1505X Cat face charms Toggle clasp set
• 1 763 Silver Tiger Tail beading wire
• 1 1606R Silver crimp beads
• 1 1606T Silver crimp covers

About the designers: Cheryl and Shenoa Satterlee are our dynamite grandmother and grandaughter jewelry design team. Cheryl wears many hats here - packer, designer, copywriter and inventory tracker. When she's not here, she switches to her most favorite hats of all as mom and grandmom!