CHA 2008 AMACO Product Highlights

CHA 2008 AMACO Product Highlights

Bead Rollers, Friendly Plastic and WireForm Products

Bead Rollers


AMACO Beadrollers (designed by Sue and Gale Lee) were the focus of both the designers challenge and Linda Peterson's workshop for retailers. (Photos in booth above are from ads in jewelrymaking magazines with designs by Lisa Pavelka, Karen & Ann Mitchell, and Scott Mizevitz). Both Karen Mitchell and Scott Mizevitz are past Bottles of Hope winners.



Retailers and designers learn how 14 beadrollers make 39 different shapes and sizes of perfectly shaped beads as Linda Peterson leads them through setting up a beadrolling program to create repeat customers for jewelrymaking. All sets are available on-line, scroll down to see all rollers with actual size examples. More information on bead rolling...

Friendly Plastic


Friendly Plastic is back! Friendly Plastic bracelets by Jana Ewy shows how the retro modeling medium from the 80's can achieve expensive looking contemporary designs. Jana sells hi-end jewelry in Las Vegas and other resort communities, many are made with a marbling effect and a dichroic technique that uses a sealer to make the foil-backed plastic medium look like fused glass.


Jana Ewy, author of Friendly Plastic 101 shows how Friendly Plastic can be melted on a skillet with even heating pans. Buyers and designers were overwhelmed with the versatility and ease of the medium. Jana solders her own bezels and settings to further enhance an expensive look for her designs. All the colors (shown far left background) are available at amaco.com.


Jana uses the popular AMACO Craft Marbling Comb for easy and dramatic effect..


Karen & Ann Mitchell gave a Friendly Plastic workshop at CHA that had participants rediscovering the addictive fun and "instant gratification" as Karen describes designing with the retro medium. Designers remembered using FP years ago and are eager to get reacquainted. Younger crafters remember using is as children with their mothers.

Metals Products

Jen Lowe's entry for Hope-on-a-Rope shows how sophisticated handmade beads can be when incorporated with AMACO WireForm products to create jewelry settings. Anne Igou's tip at the MITI metals table: Use AMACO's ArtEmboss embossing tape to cover edges to look like a bezel or setting, and AMACO WireMes, WireRod and FunWire products for all kinds of findings.


FYI: AMACO makes many WireForm products that can be used in jewelrymaking and general crafts. The mesh and wire can be used as easily for armature or for jewelrymaking. Look for these products at crafts stores and on-line at amaco.com.

Designer Lisa Vollrath has used ArtEmboss sheets with innovative techniques.