Just about anyone can learn to assemble components (beads, wire, clasps, etc.) to create jewelry, but learning how to design unique one-of-a-kind pieces is when a jewelry maker becomes a jewelry artist. While many of us feel we have a handle on the creative process we use to design our jewelry, there is always more to learn. For beginning jewelry makers, learning design elements can be more challenging than learning how to crimp a bead or attach a clasp. In "Tricks of the Trade," a DVD and video class available from Amenbeads.com , Janice Parson offers both the novice and experienced jewelry maker plenty to think about as well as practical techniques for creating beautiful beaded jewelry.

While Janice explains how to make a five strand beaded necklace, she explains the technical aspects of how to string and finish the piece and she also describes her creative approach to bead selection, which she calls "painting with beads," and bead arrangement, which she calls "patterning." Rather than coping ideas from fashion magazines, she urges you to find other alternatives to developing your own creative process.