Simply Beautiful Beading

by Heidi Boyd

Blend your creative spirit with the quick and easy projects found inside Simply Beautiful Beading.

From casual to sophisticated, and everything in between, you'll find beading designs to fit your personal style. Inside, you'll discover 53 simple yet stylish beading projects for exquisite jewelry, accessories and home decor, including:
•modern glass bead chokers
•semiprecious stone set
•charm bracelets
•wired-pearl barrettes
•wineglass charms
•hanging votive candle holder
•and more than 35 variation projects for even more simply beautiful ideas!

Genres: Crafts, Nonfiction, Beading, Jewellery, Reference, Jewellery Making

128 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2004

Reviews

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book explains the basics very well.

My 9 yo daughter and I made the bee bracelet immediately without a hitch last night. Everyone will be getting beaded presents this year!

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Simply Beautiful Beading is a tutorial and style guide for simple beaded projects by Heidi Boyd. Released 19th Aug 2004 by Penguin Random House on their North LightsNorth Lights imprint, it's 128 pages and is available in softcover and ebook formats.

This is a nice collection of beginner friendly tutorials with lots of simple beaded jewelry, soft furnishings, and decorative objects. Many of them are simple and unfussy, a few are distinctly odd, but even given that stylistically not everything is going to appeal to every reader, there are lots of good ideas for further experimentation. The instructions and materials are general enough that even if the exact materials are not widely available, some substitutes will be easy to source from any good crafts store or online.

Tutorials include tools and materials in a bullet list sidebar, tips and suggestions, and a step by step guide. Each tutorial is accompanied by multiple color photos which are clear and easy to understand.

Four stars. The designs are mostly really simple, but many (most) are appealing and it would be a good choice for readers who are interested in getting started with beading, or general crafting and don't really know where to start. It would also be a good choice for maker's groups, scouts, home studio, etc.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heidi Boyd, hands down, is one of the best beading authors. Let me point out why.

1. There are large pictures of each project. (no need to squint or wonder about colors)

2 You achieve instant gratification creating great looking beaded items for yourself or as gifts.

3. In addition to necklaces, bracelets and earrings there are highly functional projects such as a key chain, eyeglass chain, bookmark, hair accessories and home accents.

4. How does she know exactly what my bead stash looks like? (Some of these items are the perfect things for busting your bead stash)

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

2004 - trade - 745.5 - Non-Fiction - Kingwood Lib - looked at

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kudos to Ms. Boyd! I have been trying to find a beginner's book on beadwork, because I wanted to make a keychain that I can find in the "bottomless bag" I call my purse. Her projects look easy to follow and have inspired me to a new hobby.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some ideas were pretty fun and original!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty simple, definitely for beginners, but some clever ideas that can be expanded on.