Where beads and makers connect

Bella Jewelry Con is a one-day virtual event taking place on Monday, March 30, 2026, immediately following BellaCon 2026. Sunday, March 29, will be a break day between events, giving everyone a chance to recharge before a full day dedicated to jewelry making.

This special event brings together a talented group of jewelry instructors for a focused day of inspiration, creativity, and learning. Each workshop is designed to offer hands-on techniques, fresh ideas, and practical skills you can use right away.

Listed below you’ll find the instructors joining us for Bella Jewelry Con, along with their bios and the workshops each will be teaching. All workshops are included with your registration, and we wanted to share this information ahead of time so you can explore the workshops and get to know the instructors who will be teaching.

Bella Jewelry Con is centered on education, creativity, and community. We are truly grateful and excited to spend this inspiring day creating together.

Our Instructors and Workshops:

Simply A Conversation: Join Jewels for a special conversation with Jon, sharing the story behind a new partnership rooted in craftsmanship, global sourcing, and innovative design.

This interview explores how Da Beads’ decades-long legacy of direct bead sourcing from around the world pairs naturally with Julianna’s passion for thoughtful tools and modern jewelry design. Together, they’ll discuss the value of quality materials, creative collaboration, and empowering jewelry makers through education and inspiration.

This behind-the-scenes conversation offers insight into the partnership, the creative process, and what’s ahead for makers who love beautiful beads and smart design.

Jon Kubricht is the founder of Da Beads and a globally recognized bead expert with more than 35 years of experience sourcing beads from around the world. His journey began at age 12 on a family trip to New Mexico and quickly grew into a lifelong passion for discovering exceptional materials.

John has traveled over 3.5 million miles worldwide, building trusted relationships with bead makers and manufacturers across Europe, Asia, and Africa. A longtime presence at the Tucson wholesale shows, he is known for his commitment to quality and for bringing beautiful, high-quality beads directly to makers at accessible prices.

Essential Beadalon Tools to Get Started Making Jewelry: Ready to start making professional-looking jewelry but not sure which tools you really need? In this workshop, Meredith breaks down the essential Beadalon tools that set beginners up for success. You’ll learn what each core tool does, why it matters, and how to use it correctly to create strong, polished designs. From cutting and crimping to forming simple and wrapped loops, this class focuses on the foundational techniques every jewelry maker relies on.

This workshop is perfect for beginners, hobbyists ready to level up, or anyone looking for clarity on which tools truly matter. You’ll leave with the confidence to build your own jewelry-making toolkit and create beautiful, lasting pieces.

Meredith Roddy is a jewelry industry educator and product designer with nearly 20 years of experience at Beadalon. She is known for combining deep materials knowledge with a designer’s eye for color, structure, and wearability, helping makers turn ideas into beautifully finished pieces.

Meredith has developed jewelry-making products, color lines, and project kits used by makers worldwide and has taught workshops for retailers, bead shops, and national craft audiences. Her teaching style focuses on clear, confidence-building techniques that leave makers feeling inspired and ready to keep creating.

Stylish Stretchy Bracelet: Learn how to create a comfortable and stylish stretchy bracelet using simple jewelry making supplies. This class will walk through choosing beads, working with stretchy cord, and assembling a bracelet that is easy to wear and easy to customize. You’ll see tips for spacing, balance, and finishing so your bracelet looks polished and holds up to everyday wear. This is a great beginner friendly project and a fun way to explore color, texture, and personal style in jewelry making.

Julie McGuffee is originally from England and has been part of the arts and crafts industry since 1988. She hosted a scrapbooking television show for 15 years and has appeared as a guest and guest host on numerous craft programs over the past three decades.

An accomplished designer and educator, Julie has authored more than 150 how to craft books covering a wide range of creative techniques. She remains an active member of the creative community and was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from NAMTA.

Y-Not Necklace: In this beginner friendly workshop, you’ll learn how to create simple wire loops using eye pins, an essential foundational skill in jewelry making. These techniques will be used to build a beautiful Y style necklace by connecting beaded links to a center charm and chain, then finishing the design with an elegant drop accent.

The finished necklace features a delicate, feminine design with soft sparkle and a touch of whimsy. Clear faceted beads are accented with vibrant blue tones, leading to a charming focal element and a graceful drop that adds movement and visual interest. This class is perfect for anyone looking to build confidence while creating a stylish, wearable piece.

Laura Arellano is a Chicago-born fashion designer and artisan whose work fuses mid‑century pin‑up glamour with vibrant Mexican‑inspired textiles. Trained at the International Academy of Merchandising and Design and taught to sew by her grandmother, Laura grew up on the border of Pilsen and Little Village where community, color, and music shaped her creative voice. Her designs reflect a meticulous eye for detail learned in the family print shop and a lifelong love of fabric and pattern that honors her heritage while celebrating bold, feminine silhouettes.

In 2012 Laura opened Blue Betties, a handmade atelier and retail space where every skirt, dress, piece of jewelry, and home décor item is crafted by hand and held to exacting quality standards. She specializes in custom commissions and statement earrings and skirts that empower women of all sizes to express personality and confidence. An active community collaborator and teacher, Laura has shown work in regional fashion events, led jewelry workshops, contributed designs to charitable causes, and has been featured on KEN5’s Great Day SA, Arizona Midday on 12 News and Arizona Barrio Stories on Roku Channel’s Latino USA TV; she continues to champion local artists and Pilsen’s cultural energy through her collections.

Gemstone Fringe Earrings: Create a pair of beautiful gemstone fringe earrings in this beginner friendly beading class. Danielle will guide you through the process of assembling beads to form an elegant fringe design that is both quick and easy to complete. This project is perfect for those new to beadwork or anyone looking to create a stylish pair of handmade earrings while building confidence with basic jewelry making techniques.

Danielle Wickes is a jewelry designer and artist based in the Pacific Northwest. She specializes in seed bead work, bead weaving, and loom techniques, and also enjoys creating hand knotted mala and yoga jewelry. Danielle works across a variety of materials, including crochet, leather, and wire, bringing texture and thoughtful design to every piece she creates.

Easy Elegant Braclet: Create a beautiful beaded bracelet using simple techniques that result in an elegant finished design. In this beginner friendly class, Amanda will guide you step by step through assembling beads to create a textured and stylish bracelet. You’ll learn helpful tips for design balance, bead placement, and finishing, making this an enjoyable project for both new and experienced jewelry makers.

Amanda Stevens is one of the founders of Pear Blossom Press, a company known for innovative products designed especially for papercrafters. A lifelong maker, Amanda works across many creative mediums, with a special passion for interactive cardmaking. She loves adapting tools and techniques from other fields to inspire fresh ideas in papercrafting. When she’s not teaching or creating videos, Amanda is busy developing new products for the creative community.

Southwest Summer Nights Statement Bracelet: Create a bold and beautiful statement bracelet inspired by warm desert tones and glowing metallic accents. This workshop features a straightforward stringing technique that lets the beads shine while showing how thoughtful spacing and accents can elevate a simple design.

Perfect for beginners and experienced makers alike, this project is a great reminder that stunning jewelry doesn’t have to be complicated. Kits will be available.

Deb Floros is a jewelry designer, educator, and influencer with 17 years of experience creating and teaching a wide range of jewelry-making techniques. A true jewelry enthusiast, Deb is passionate about inspiring makers and helping them grow their skills with confidence.

She designs and educates as part of the Design Teams for Artbeads.com and Jesse James Beads, and regularly collaborates with bead shops and fellow jewelry-making influencers to share the joy of creating. Deb lives in Arizona with her supportive husband and two very enthusiastic kitties.

SilverSilk Loom Bracelet: Creating your own wrap bracelet is easier than you think—especially with the SilverSilk Bead Loom! In this beginner-friendly tutorial, you’ll use 1mm leather cord, large-hole gemstone beads, and SilverSilk Capture Chain to make a layered bracelet full of texture and style. This is a fun, relaxing jewelry technique that’s perfect for gifts, stacking, or just learning something new with your beading supp

Nealay Patel is a jewelry artist, designer, and educator who leads SilverSilk & More, a brand known for its innovative knitted wire chains and creative tutorials. With a background in graphic design and decades of experience in the jewelry industry, Nealay brings an eye for color, craftsmanship, and storytelling to everything he creates. His work blends artistry and accessibility, helping makers of all skill levels craft jewelry that feels personal and professional.

Journal Jewelry Accessories: Add a little sparkle to your journals in this creative jewelry inspired workshop. Eileen will share simple techniques for turning beads, charms, and findings into fun accessories such as paper clip dangles, page toppers, binding charms, and more. This relaxed and creative session is perfect for exploring small embellishments that bring personality and style to your journals, planners, and notebooks.

Eileen Hull is a maker, teacher, influencer, and creative community builder with a passion for helping others discover the joy of making. She licenses her art with leading craft manufacturers, including an 18-year partnership with Sizzix that resulted in hundreds of innovative die designs. Through livestreams, workshops, retreats, and events across the U.S. and Canada, Eileen continues to inspire creatives wherever she goes. She is the author of six books and has been featured in Where Women Create, Creative Scrapbooker, and many other publications.

Ann Butler, Julianna Avelar and Lisa Rojas will be hosting the event and sharing Tips, Tricks and Techniques along the way.

Ann Butler is a licensed artist, instructor, and consultant in the creative industries with more than 20 years of experience teaching workshops and leading creative education both locally and internationally. Her designs have appeared in magazines, books, and manufacturer trade show booths and websites, and she regularly appears as a guest artist on television and web based shows.

Ann is the creator of a patented line of rubber stamps and the founder of Bella Crafts Publishing, home of the Bella Crafts digital magazine and the BellaCon creative events. Through her work, she is passionate about bringing people together through creativity and supporting makers at every stage of their creative journey.

Julianna Avelar is an award-winning innovator, product developer, bestselling Amazon author, and creative entrepreneur with over 25 years in the craft industry. She became a household name through thousands of appearances on shows such as Aleene’s Creative Living, The Carol Duvall Show, and HSN, inspiring millions to create. Known for her sincerity, compassion, and passion for teaching, Julianna has built a loyal creative community worldwide. She is lovingly known as “Jewels” to friends and family and shares life with her constant companion, her Frenchie, Brando.

Lisa Rojas is a designer and instructor in the creative industries whose work has been featured in magazines, manufacturer trade show booths, and websites. She has been creating and teaching workshops for more than 20 years.

Lisa’s love of crafting began early and is rooted in fond memories of creating alongside her mother for an annual bazaar held in their home. Rubber stamping is Lisa’s first love, and she enjoys using it on as many unexpected surfaces as possible, especially those beyond traditional paper crafting.

Bella Jewelry Con Includes:

• 9 LIVE sessions focused entirely on jewelry making.
• One session dedicated to beads, exploring styles, materials, and creative inspiration.
• One session dedicated to tools, covering essential tools, tips, and how to get the most from what you already own.
• Seven project based jewelry workshops, each focused on creating beautiful, wearable projects and learning practical techniques.
• Additional jewelry making tips, tricks, and techniques shared throughout the event.
• Q&A time with instructors during sessions.
• A private Facebook Group where you can connect with other attendees, ask questions, and share your jewelry projects.
• All sessions will be recorded, and you will have access to rewatch whenever you want.
• The opportunity to purchase optional workshop kits directly from instructors before and after the event so you can craft along if you choose.
• Live chat during each session to ask questions and connect with fellow attendees.

Bella Jewelry Con is a one day virtual event held on Monday, March 30, 2026. All sessions will be recorded and available to rewatch. In the unlikely event an instructor becomes unavailable, a substitute session will be provided.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I get a refund? There are no refunds. If you are unable to attend the event live, all sessions will be recorded and available to replay when it works for you.
• Will I be able to get a class supply list or buy a kit? Yes. Class supply lists will be shared in the Facebook Group at least one week prior to the event. Limited kits may be available directly from instructors and will also be listed in the Facebook Group.
• Can I make partial payments? No. Payment is due in full at the time of registration.
• I don’t have a PayPal account.  Will I still be able to register and pay for the event?   Yes. You do not need a PayPal account. We accept both PayPal and Stripe.

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