If you love the look of antique and Victorian jewelry, you’ll be eager to attempt the projects described in Beaded Elegance by Cheryl Assemi. As a member of The Bead Gang, the author is obviously a lover of beads and beautiful jewelry.

Primarily using crystal beads, pearls, and seed beads as filler beads, 12 projects are detailed with step by step instructions and helpful illustrations. Each project is labeled as easy, hard, or more difficult. The book also includes some basic information for newbies on equipment and supplies needed and terminology used in the book. Though she states that she prefers silamide, I believe you could also use smaller sizes (like .010) of Soft-Flex ® for many of the projects. Also, the designs could easily be adapted to stone beads.

This is a soft back book with a total of 34 pages. Also included are four inside pages with color photographs of finished pieces. Retailing for $24.95, the book can be purchased through the author’s web site and can also be found at most bead shops or through many mail order suppliers. Links have been added to the free patterns they offer on their site under Beads and Projects.