I am proud to announce that my second book is finalized and will be released in July 2009.

Chain and Bead Jewelry: Creative Connections takes you on a wire-wrapping adventure through 28 jewelry projects and dozens of techniques. Join me through this 160-page quest to balance metal and mineral, from the basics of metal wire, aspect ratio-precise jump rings, gemstone beads, and simple hand tools to the essential techniques you'll need to master jump ring assembly, setting headpin beads, forging S-clasps, and bending identical earring backs from teardropped Argentium silver wire. Discover wire-wrapping techniques that progress from simple earrings to embellished bracelets. More complex techniques are explored in the later chapters where gemstone beads are used to embellish a variety of age-old chains, from the Byzantine, Flower, Dubious, Japanese, Inca Puño, and European, to the infamous six-sided Snake chain. There are three options for you to reserve your signed copy today.

For the beaded chain projects in the second book, I assisted Swanstrom Tool Company in developing these Mandrel-tip pliers. As shown, one mandrel jaw is a consistent 3.1mm and the other jaw is a consistent 3.9mm diameter. This gives my students and me the ability to wrap perfect double-loop bead settings. There is a second version of this Mandrel-tip pliers, which has a 3.5mm and a 4.5mm jaw, for working with larger 18-gauge wire.

For a full demonstration on how to utilize this revolutionary hand tool, and why they are superior to the standard round-nose pliers. I have posted several beaded chain tutorials, including the Beaded Rosary, Beaded Byzantine, and Beaded Inca Puño tutorials.

After a busy year leading 42 jewelry workshops in 12 cities, I am finally home for the winter in Taos, New Mexico. I already have a dozen dates on my 2009 teaching schedule; please let me know if you would like me to teach in your area. Waiting for more snow, I have found time to redesign the website's navigation buttons to allow more options and organization.

Contracts are signed and in progress with an amazing findings manufacturer to assemble Artisan Kits with 'kerf-less' jump rings, custom headpins, and forged S-claps for the jewelry projects in my first and second books. In the meantime, if your needing a winter project, check out my currently line of ring-n-bead supply kits.

If you are looking for Christmas gifts, I have a sampling of finished jewelry on my purchase page. Any questions, commissions, or comments can be emailed to me on the contact page.

Take care my friends, until our paths cross again may your path be paved in gold and enlightened by bliss, sdp.

Copyright © 2008 Scott David Plumlee, all rights reserved, Author's photo credit : Sophie Lenoir