Book Reviews and Giveaways

Caroline Cox has written a fantastic book that chronicles Vintage jewelry design from the 1830s to the current trends. If you are interested in the history of design, and want some inspiration for your own designs- this is a great book to have on hand. I especially loved the 1920s Streamlined and Chic section of the book. Interesting photos and images showcase lovely vintage style necklaces, bracelets and earrings. It is chock full of colorful photos and made me feel like running to my local antique mall to see what I could find.

Vintage Jewelry Design was published by Lark Jewelry and Beading books.





One thing that I don't have in my jewelry repoitoire is rings. I can't help but be inspired to try my hand at more ring designs with Marthe Le Van's 30-Minute rings. It may seem unlikely looking at some of the designs, that you could actually finish something so cool in 30 minutes or less but after reading through a few of the instructions, I realized it definitely can be done!
One of the artists featured in this book is Victoria Takahashi, of Experimetal. I have admired her work on Etsy for months now.
She has one of the coolest rings in this book that I would love to buy from her- it's soldered silver with thick copper bar. OH! Here's a pic!
You can find 30-Minute Rings (Lark Books) on shelves now!




I know I'm not a lampworker but I know a lot of talented ladies who are! And I'm sure they'll be inspired by this creative How-To book on making lampworked beads and pendants. I like the step-by-step photos in any how-to book and Jeri Warhaftig has included many great tutorials with stepped out photos for most projects. This book features beads from some talented women, and some of the most admirable lampworkers around like: Heather Trimlett, Andrea Guarino-Slemmons, Claudia Trimbur-Pagel and Pinar Hakim to list just a few!!
If making beads is your passion, this is a definite MUST HAVE for your library.

Creating Glass Beads (Lark Books) is available now!




Now the fun part! If you are interested in participating in a giveaway, leave a comment on this post and tell me which of the 3 books listed here, you would like to have and why. I will draw 3 random winners from the entries on Tuesday April 5th, which is my baby sister's 21st Birthday! WOOT!  You may enter only once, leave one comment, and please make sure I can contact you - no anonymous comments please.


i have not been paid or compensated for doing this review.

Comments

  1. I would LOVE to win the Creating Glass Beads because those are some of the best lampworkers and I LOVE their work. Always inspired by seeing beads made by artists I admire!

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  2. I would really like to have Vintage Jewelry Design. I volunteer at a thrift store and sometimes the coolest jewelry comes through. I would like to know more about the designs and get the broken pieces and make a closer match to the style it came from. tucsonblossom at gmail dot com

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  3. would totally love to have 30 minute rings! I love making rings and need some new inspiration :)

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  4. I would *love* the Vintage Jewelry Design book. I am a sucker for all things vintage, from most eras. Always have been. I use a lot of recycled vintage jewelry bits in my pieces, and this might give me fresh ideas on how to use them - or inspire me to keep an eye out for particular vintage items to use in my designs.

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  5. I would like to have Vintage Jewelry Design. I love older pieces, especially from the 20s and 30s - lots of sparkle and clever designs.

    mcclelland@sympatico.ca

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  6. I like you need more rings so 30 minute rings would be awesome.
    Thanks Lorelei!

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  7. I would LOVE to have 30 minute rings! I am venturing into making rings and currently have only learned the wire wrapped cluster ring desings. This would be a great inspiration and help me learn more techniques.

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  8. I would love the book on vintage jewelry. Every time I think I have an original idea, history tells me different and puts me in my place.

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  9. I love vintage jewelry, so Vintage Jewelry Design would be the one for me!

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  10. I would love The Creating Glass Beads. I love new designs and Heather is the master of disks. Andrea makes the most beautiful beads. Claudia and Pinar are new to me so would love to see there talent.

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  11. I'd love Thirty Minute Rings -- thirty minutes is about all I can find in the day these days, and what better way to use it than making some gorgeous rings!
    beadsong@aol.com

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  12. I love beautiful glass beads!Creating Glass Beads looks like wonderful eye candy. That would be my pick.
    Linda

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  13. Boy, it's hard to decide since I would like all of them! I think I would like Vintage Jewelry the most because it sounds interesting, and I think it would be full of inspiration. Thanks for the giveaway!!

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  14. All three books look so awesome. Though I have to say I would love the Creating Glass Beads.

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  15. Ellen Stoune4/01/2011

    That Vintage Jewelry Design book is calling my name. I would love to flip through it and gather inspiration for my own designs!

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  16. Anonymous4/01/2011

    Vintage Jewelry Design. Look at that awesome cover! The photograph of the jewelry worn is as awesome as the jewelry piece itself! I love being inspired by vintage jewelry. I'm nostalgic!

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  17. I would love to have 30 minute rings. I actually submitted a design for this book, but it didn't get accepted. Probably because I suck at making rings. All the more reason I need the book!
    Erin S

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  18. All three are very cool books, but I would like to win the 30 Minute Rings. This books is something that I would love to try my hand at. stepha78@gmail.com

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  19. this is a wonderful giveaway.
    the 30 minute rings is interesting..i love rings but find making them very intimidating.

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  20. Ooh what a great giveaway! I would love to win the Creating Glass Beads book! I'm sooo into making my own beads at the moment but I've been working with clay. I'd love to learn about the process for glass beads.

    Thanks for the chance...
    myearthlyjewels(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  21. Wow! What a great giveaway! I've been wanting to get my beady little fingers on Vintage Jewelry Design since I first read about it a few weeks ago. I find vintage jewelry to be such a source for inpiration in my own designs.

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  22. Vintage Jewelry Design for sure.
    Funny, I'm off to an estate sale today...looking for vintage pieces.
    Thanks!

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  23. Creating Glass Beads!!!! I think I see a Sage bead on the front, I had a class with her once! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  24. Oh, I'd love the 30 minute rings -- I don't really know how to make any, and would love to learn!

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  25. Wow what a nice give-away Lorelei! Funny thing, just today I decided I shall start making more rings. I saw Maire Dodd's latest creation the other day and it just inspired me so much. Rings are not on my normal repertoire either. But today I made one!!! I am wearing it right now. Will blog about it tomorrow. So guess which one of the books I would like if I was lucky. Yes, the ring one!

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  26. All of those are most interesting, but the first one is my choice! I love antiques and I admire the chic vintage jewelry :-D
    Have a lovely weekend!

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  27. OOops forgot to say which book! I would LOVE to have the Lampworkers book!! When you do Lampwork its a really on going learning curve. One can NEVER know too much! There is alot to learn and any morsel is like a very valuable crumb of great knowledge. Thank you for this chance..I would Love to win this!

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  28. If picked, I would love Vintage Jewelry Designs! Designs made during those eras are fascinating, I mean just look at the cover! Would love to explore beyond that cover!

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  29. I would love to have the lampwork book since I *am* a lampworker ;) I would love to see what other techniques I don't yet know or different ways to do them. I learn new things everytime I see someone else do them. People tend to have different ways of doing things I never would have thought of.

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  30. I would love Creating glass beads, although I am not a lampworker.......I hope to be some day, so this book might come in handy!

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  31. I would LOVE 30-Minute Rings - the cover pieces are fabulous, so they must only get better when you open the book!

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  32. Thanks for the great giveaway. Choosing just one of the books is a challenge, they all look great, but I would love to have Vintage Jewelry Design. These styles are so popular right now and I would love to become better informed on the different styles in vintage jewelry.

    gembouquet@gmail.com

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  33. Tough choice!

    I love lampwork. Maybe one day I will learn it.

    I think I the Vintage Jewelry Design book would be best at this point because it would provide the most inspiration.

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  34. Oooooh - it would have to be the Creating Glass Beads book - Jeri is a fabulous artist!

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  35. swopemelmel4/01/2011

    I think I would love to have the vintage jewelry design book. I feel like I have and old soul. I adore old poems and music. Thanks for a marvelous give-away.
    swopemelmel

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  36. I would LOVE any of them all appeal but I think I would like the rings most as I have not made a single ring yet!

    silverniknats@email.co.uk

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  37. i'd like 30-minute rings because i *love* rings and need more in my shop.

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  38. Definitely the 30-minute rings....b/c rings are my current obsession :D

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  39. Vintage Jewelry Design because of the cover ... yes, I am shallow. :O)

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  40. I would pick the vintage jewelry book. I am always looking for vintage pieces of jewelry and would like to know more about them. Thank you for the opportunity to win.

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  41. I would love the lampwork book because i love to play with fire and could always use more ideas. Thanks for the chance!
    Rschneck1 at cox(dot) net

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  42. All the books look great, but I think I'd like 30 minute rings! Thanks for doing this.

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  43. Oh so hard to choose. I think the 30 minute rings. Have made a few rings and could really use some help. Happy Birthday to your sister.

    Vikki
    yogavq@yahoo.com

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  44. Anonymous4/02/2011

    Creating Glass Beads!!! I would love a chance to win it because I just took my first lamp working class a week ago. I now look at glass beads with a new eye, and new appreciation for the talent and finesse it takes just to make two beads the same size!!
    fernald244 (at) gmail (dot)com

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  45. I would love the "Vintage jewelry design" book.
    The reason: It would be of great inspiration for my own designs. And also I love books. There is always so much to learn from them.
    So yes, count me in!

    creacionesnbaena@gmail.com

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  46. What a wonderful giveaway! Lampworking is my passion so I would definately love the "Creating Glass Beads" book. My email is havanabeads@yahoo.com

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  47. Anonymous4/02/2011

    I would love to read this book
    gardnerad@juno.com

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  48. Your reviews are very insightful. When I heard about the 30-minute rings book in one of my mags, I was doubtful of it. You made it sound very interesting and appealing.

    However, I think I would love to have a copy of Cox's Vintage Jewelry book. Big books with lots of pictures are so inspiring! My email is jamberry underscore song at yahoo dot com. :) Thanks for hosting yet another awesome giveaway, Lorelei.

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  49. Hey Lorelei,
    I would like the 30 minute rings or if that is taken I would love to get the vintage jewelry design.
    Oooh la la.
    Kathy

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  50. Great books, thanks for sharing! I think 30 minute rings looks like a fun book to check out :)

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  51. I would love the 30-minute rings book. I am making a seed bead ring right now, and it is taking alot more time than 1/2 hour. Thanks for this opportunity.

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  52. Anonymous4/02/2011

    30-minute rings would be my choice. I love to learn how to make things, especially jewellery.
    Stina
    ca.christina@telia.com

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  53. I would be so happy if I was chosen for the Creating Glass Beads book. I've tried my hand at lampwork glass and all my beads were wonky, but I dream of trying again, maybe this would inspire me!

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  54. OMG! Lorelei! I WOULD LOVE THE VINTAGE JEWELRY BOOK! As much as I love "how-to" books, I feel like I learn more from reading about the history behind jewelry design. There is a fantastic jewelry book about the jewelry of India that has been such a driving force behind my works that I wholeheartedly love history of jewelry books and I am just bursting with eagerness to read this book!

    Good luck, everyone! :)

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  55. Let's be honest, all the books look fab! but I am especially drawn to vintage jewellery. I'm very interested in the history of design and I bet there are some really beautiful images in there too.

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  56. Vintage Jewelry Design because I like looking at and learning about vintage jewelry. You never know when you might find something really neat at a yard sale or flea market. Happy early birthday to your sister!

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  57. All to books look great, but I would have to choose the 30 minute rings. I need to design more rings, too.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Ann
    mycriticaleye.com
    annrishell@gmail.com

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  58. Holy Smokes. . .they're all three great books that I'd love to add to my library. However, if you insist on having me pick one; I think it would be the lampwork book.

    Thanks for your generosity once again!

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  59. Definitely would like to have the 30 minute ring book because I have not yet ventured into making rings. This might be encouragement for me to try or just enjoy others' creativity.

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  60. jsmonkeys@comcast.net4/04/2011

    YoU ArE AwEsOmE LoReLei!!!

    I would not be opposed to Creating Glass Beads as I have dabbled in lampworking some & would loooooove to learn more from the likes of those contributors!

    Many thanks from k!m...

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  61. Eileen4/04/2011

    I would love the 30-minute rings book. I've been wanting to give rings a try, but feel very intimidated to even try for some reason.
    Thanks,
    Eileen

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  62. Oh lordy it's like picking candy from a box! I have to say I am gravitating toward the vintage jewelry - facinates me!!! I love all kinds of books! I would also like to make rings - I think I am afraid of them because they get so much wear I would be upset if they didn't hold up!

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  63. eeny, meeny, miny, moe? man that a hard choice...I think the 30 min. rings one! Great giveaway!
    Marianna
    stargirl@stargirljewelry.com

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  64. Lorelei, you are so generous with this giveaway, and to give us a *choice*? Awesome! Thank you so much :) I'd love to have that 30-Minute Rings book myself...

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  65. I help a friend in her vintage clothing and jewelry shop and would love to know more about the lovely pieces she sells. The Vintage Design book would be just the thing to educate me!

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  66. Was amazed and curious how to make the 30 minutes ring. Looks very elegant and the style is so unique.

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  67. Lorelei, thanks for the love <3
    I am not sure how old this post is, but I actually saved that ring sample we had to send in for the book and I think I may have the original one for the RAD show. I will send you one of them if I can dig it out, for free because you loved it so much. Get ahold of me on FB or Etsy and we will try to make it happen. Victoria takahashi

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