Craig Thornburrow asked:


Mardi gras beads are throws that are tossed from the floats as they pass during a Mardi gras day parade.  It is so much fun to try to catch as many beads as you can, but you end up with bags and bags of beads of various sizes and colors.  What can you possibly do with all the beads?  Here are some ideas for bead control:  use the beads to decorate, crafts, and easy party identification.

One way to use Mardi gras beads is to decorate your home for the holidays.  You would choose the beads with the right colors for the holiday you are decorating for.  You can cut the strand to attach another strand by twisting the end of the beads together.  This will allow you to form a strand of beads in whatever length you need.  For example, you can twist red and green beads or silver and blue beads and form a strand long enough to wrap your Christmas tree.  You could also use a curtain rod to drape beads or put strands together to form a longer curtain of beads in the colors of your choice. 

Another decoration idea is to fill an acrylic or glass box (vase or other container of your choice) with beads that coordinate with your décor and prominently display the box on a shelf or table.  You could even fill a glass lamp with beads to add a touch of color in the room.  You could also use the container of your choice filled with beads and add a lamp kit and shade and you will have made your own lamp.

Mardi gras beads can be used in craft projects as well.  You can use the beads to decorate a frame for Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or whichever holiday is being celebrated.  Another craft idea is to attach the beads to a tote bag or backpack to personalize it for school.  Of course, you can cut the beads apart and glue them anywhere your imagination takes you.

Have you ever attended a barbeque and lost track of your glass?  You set it down beside someone else’s glass and couldn’t remember which glass is yours when you went to pick it back up.  Mardi gras beads can help keep that from happening.  You can cut a small strand from your beads that can be wrapped around the stems of the glasses.  By assigning a different color to each guest, you will always know which glass is which.

Catching Mardi gras beads is great fun.  Now when you bring all your beads home you will have some ideas for ways to use them.  Of course you can always give the beads to your friends as souvenirs or have a party with your friends to make some of the crafts.  Whatever way you decide to use the beads, you will always have a wonderful reminder of your time at Mardi gras and you will be able to use the Mardi gras beads when you get them home.



Bruce

Paul Shane asked:


One of the most commonly used beads in beaded jewellery – are seed beads. Seed beads are tiny beads, quite the size of seeds, and hence the name. They are frequently used in jewellery and jewellery making. They make good accompaniments with bigger pendants or as embellishments with bigger beads. They give a feeling of completeness when they act as concomitant to other kind of beads in a necklace, bracelet or any kind of jewellery and ornament.

The usage of seed beads is not limited to making of jewellery or ornaments. They are also used in craft and bead work. These days we find the seed beads in cushion covers and bolster covers. They are also used in other kinds of tapestry work. They make marvellous ending to the curtains, making the tussocks look gorgeous. Some of the modern day carpets and throws also have bead work with seed beads. The usage of seed beads is as limited as is human imagination.

Beads, especially seed beads are used in hand crafted objects for beautification purposes. They are used in show pieces and stationery items. Often, we find the usage of seed beads in home decorating objects like wind chimes and wall hangings. Also they are used in handicraft, to make things look pretty and complete. Not just seed beads, we also find the frequent usage of bugle beads, glass beads, crystal beads, silver beads and gemstone beads.

When we talk of jewellery, we simply can not discount the beaded jewellery. Beads can be used both for junk jewellery and also otherwise. Seed Beads make junk jewellery more funky and cool, while they play an integral part in other kinds of jewellery. They are essentially used in our everyday jewellery while they can contrast well with the pendants in different kinds of exclusive jewellery.



Pedro

Hazel Dennis asked:


Handmade beaded jewellery comes in a range of unique and original colours and designs. Beaded jewellery designers make use of lovely handmade glass beads, beautiful crystals and rare semi-precious beads and pendants to create wonderful and unique handmade jewellery articles. This type of beaded jewellery can be found for both men and women. Men’s jewellery is mostly composed of beaded watches, bracelets and necklaces. Copper, silver, black, gray and brown colours are common in men’s handmade jewellery articles.

Most of the time organic and natural materials are used in the making of beaded bracelets, beaded earrings and beaded necklaces. These materials include wood, shell, glass, pearls, crystals and handmade lampwork beads etc. Some jewellery designers also make use of semi-precious beads and pendants combined with gold and sterling silver to enhance the beauty of their handmade jewellery articles. Using a large gemstone in place of pendant is a unique jewellery idea. Such necklaces look truly magnificent. These articles can be found in a variety of colours pertaining to different gemstones which are found naturally, such as aquamarine, green emerald, agate, turquoise, tiger eye, and jasper.

Italian Figaro chains are quite popular in men’s jewellery design. These chains can be complemented with beautiful beads and crystals to give them a look of handmade beaded jewellery. Beaded lanyards and key chains are liked by men of all ages. These articles are made of genuine leather with distinguishing materials such as silver beads and onyx. Unique key rings in this category can also be found made of exceptional and beautiful semi-precious gemstones set in 14k gold or sterling silver. Double-strand and hematite magnetic bracelets for men are also used as trendy and stylish beaded jewellery articles.

For women there is an entire range of handmade beaded jewellery available out there. This includes beaded bracelets, beaded anklets, eyeglass leads, beaded earrings, pendant necklaces, beaded bracelets, and jewellery sets. One can also find long beaded necklaces in this category with double and triple strands. Beaded jewellery for women are available in a multitude of thrilling and exotic colours. Such jewellery articles can be easily matched with an outfit. Multi-colour beaded bracelets and anklets look lovely and attractive. This type of chunky jewellery is particularly liked by young girls in their teens and women in their early twenties. Amber jewellery for women which comes in a beautiful golden honey colour is well-liked by women belonging to all age groups.

These handmade jewellery articles can be given as lovely handmade presents. Many people like to collect exceptional semi-precious jewellery made of rare semi-precious beads and pendants. Holiday jewellery, Valentine’s Day jewellery and patriotic jewellery can also be located in this category for both men and women. In addition to these, you can narrow down your search by specifying the semi-precious stone you are looking for or checking out the exclusive Swarovski crystal gallery. Many new and exciting handmade jewellery designs are out there for us to find and in your search for that beautiful piece of jewellery I am sure will have lots of fun.



Vernon

Krista QQ(www.123giftfactory.com) asked:


Foreword: In 2009 you’ll see more bright and natural colors in fashionable beads jewelry…



Spring of 2009 is right around the corner and there’s no better time to plan for the upcoming bead jewelry trends than right now, before the 2009 spring and summer seasons really begin! Predicting future fashion and jewelry trends is always a little bit of a game, but I’ve been reading a lot of fashion magazines, listening to my customers that visit my bead jewelry display table and generally talking to people about what they are looking for. There are some definite trends for 2009 and here are some of the things I’m hearing:

Colorful and Natural

I have seen some emphasis on “nature” influences which sometimes shows itself in the materials such as wood or stone beads use in jewelry, but I’ve also seen a lot more “flower” and “leaf” shaped beads and pendants on the scene. Any sort of botanical or organic looking jewelry pieces or beads are still popular from what I’ve seen. I don’t make much, but I’ve actually had people asked me if I have anything that has “natural warmth”.

Big and Beautiful

It sounds like the days of dainty shiny pieces of metal jewelry are gone for the moment and the big and colorful gemstone jewelry and beads are still pretty hot right now. People are still asking for more “chunky” jewelry, sometimes with larger stones and crystals that catch the eye, sometimes with asymmetrical patterns or at least oddly cut beads and gemstones.

Cocktail Rings

If you’re shopping, wearing or making rings, consider “rings with bling!” Cocktail rings are generally over-the-top diamond or gemstone rings that are overly colorful, shiny and, yes, sometimes a bit gaudy. But that’s part of the fun! These go along with the bright and bold bead jewelry you might be wearing and could even match or compliment it with similar gemstones or beads. You can make cocktail rings with gemstone beads, crystal beads or just about any other shiny materials.

Charms and Pendants

Again, going with the bold and bright bead jewelry, what stands out more than a beautiful chain that meets with a large bold diamond or gemstone charm or pendant on the end?

Modern Metals

Yes, natural and chunky are in, but there is still room for metals in beaded jewelry, especially when it is sleek and modern looking or even mixed with natural materials like wood and stone beads. There are always people who like the more “modern” beads and jewelry as opposed to the more traditional bead jewelry designs. You can buy modern beads for jewelry making or you can go for a more unique look and actually make

beads jewelry out of hardware washers!



Silver and Gold

Silver has been popular for the last few years and that will probably continue, but you’ll also see more gold and even two-tone chains and metals being used in both beads and jewelry pieces. Some of those silver and gold Trollbeads are excellent examples of mixed metals being used as a charm or pendant in bead jewelry pieces.

Faux Foreign Influence

I’m still seeing a lot of Asian and Moroccan influences in fashion, home furnishings and even jewelry. The influences don’t have to be completely genuine or “realistic” but that sense of something coming from a foreign country and past time are still popular. Even the big chain stores are catching this vibe and a lot of their house wares and jewelry give off that “Pier One” vaguely Indian or Eastern Orient vibe. When you’re creating bead jewelry necklaces or bracelets you could think about using dark wooden beads (natural) and mixing it with large metal Oriental looking coins and rings with a hole through the center to bring in the foreign feel!

Colorful

You’ll want to think about bright and bold, but remember that natural element! Neons and wild synthetic colors are not popular, but bright natural colors definitely are in, both in clothing and jewelry fashion. Once again, I have to turn to the color experts at Pantone who have picked out the trendy colors for 2009. Don’t forget to look at the 28 page Adobe Acrobat guide there! It’s fun and inspirational! I’m thinking about printing a few of the pages out and hanging them around my beading area for inspiration when I’m creating my jewelry.

Last, if you have seen any other bead jewelry trends for 2009 that I missed, pls don’t hesitate to let me know…



Mildred

Claire Humpherson asked:


Making jewellery with beads is a rewarding and enjoyable hobby. Semi-precious beads are an ideal medium to work with in order to produce a special, meaningful and long lasting jewellery design. There are many different types of gemstone bead but those most popular for jewellery making are listed below. Read on for details of the properties, appearance and how best to use these special beads when making a necklace, earrings or bracelet.

Agate Beads

Agate beads tend to be available in red and black, and often display stunning banded markings in white. Yellow and green agate are found less frequently but are hugely popular due to their vibrant colouring. Agate is ideal for making striking pieces and is often available in larger bead sizes which make fabulous feature beads for necklaces. Try using black and red agate together for a stunning contrast. Make sure banded beads stand out by stringing them with plain beads.

Amethyst Beads

Amethyst makes beautiful beads which vary in shades of purple. A-grade amethyst beads are top quality, displaying a beautiful clarity and an even colouring. Lower grade amethyst beads may display some cloudiness and natural inclusions.

A great stone for jewellery making, amethyst is often available in various sizes of round beads, gem chips, tumbled nuggets and faceted beads. These beads look fabulous simply spaced with small silver spacer beads. Swarovski crystal beads are available in an amethyst shade which adds real glamour to your amethyst jewellery designs. Contrast these purple beads with greens to make more vibrant jewellery.

 Fluorite Beads

Fluorite is a popular gemstone that is usually green and purple in colour. Colouring can be dark or pale, and each bead can vary individually.

Fluorite pendants are such a  popular item for jewellery making. These can be matched with fluorite beads, hung on a simple chain for an effective yet simple design or matched with a stone that brings out the purple or green colouring in the pendant. It is best to try not to overpower the natural beauty of fluorite as it can be subtle.

Jasper Beads

Jasper beads and pendants vary widely in colour and appearance. However, in general jasper is recognised by its beautiful and intricate patterning. Types of jasper such as picasso jasper have such unusual markings they look as though they have been painted.

When making jewellery with jasper beads or pendants it is best to match with a plain coloured stone, silver or gold bead as anything too busy will fight with the gorgeous patterns in the jasper.

Quartz Beads

Quartz is also known as crystal as it is clear in appearance. Clear quartz beads are useful to space between brighter or more patterned beads as they won’t fight against them in a jewellery design. Faceted quartz beads catch the light beautifully.

Another popular type of quartz is rose quartz. Soft, pale pink in colour, rose quartz is a very romantic stone. Using rose quartz with silver beads creates jewellery that is beautifully simple and sophisticated.

Using semi-precious beads to make jewellery is a fantastic way to make a personal gift for a loved one. They can even be used to make keyrings, handbag charms, mobile pohone charms and more. If you haven’t already started making jewellery and accessories with semi-precious beads then I recommend you have a go!



Doris

Sally Hughes asked:


When it comes to trying to find presents for friends and family it is nice to be able to find something a little bit different and unusual. When it comes to buying gifts for women beaded handmade jewellery is always a good choice.

You will find a huge range of beaded jewellery available in many designs and styles and you will find beaded earrings, beaded necklaces and beaded bracelets. Any of these pieces of beaded handmade jewellery will make a beautiful present.

If it is a young girl that you are looking for a present for then you might want to have a look at a pair of beaded earrings. These will come in many shapes and sizes. If it is a young girl you may want to go for a fun and funky pair that have been handmade from bright beads. Or if the receiver of your present is someone older maybe they would like a classic pair of beaded earrings handmade from pearls or made from crystals.

If you are looking for a present for older women then maybe a beaded bracelet would be a good choice. There are many available in many designs using an eclectic mix of beads in their designs. You may want to go for a classic beaded bracelet made from semi-precious beads like Rose Quartz, Tigers Eye, Turquoise or Carnelian. These can come with either a gold or silver clasp or there are many beaded bracelets that are strung on elastic so that when it comes to buying that present it does not matter if you know the size of the ladies wrist.

There are so many places to look when you are looking for that piece of beaded handmade jewellery for your present. The internet is a good place to start looking for a piece of beaded handmade jewellery; there are many internet sites that specialise in selling their beaded jewellery online. This is an easy way to do your present shopping as it can be done in the comfort of your own home. Many of the internet sites will gift wrap your present so that that is on less job for you to do when giving your gift.

Maybe it is a necklace that will be the ideal gift. Again you will find many different types. Classic beaded necklaces that have been crafted from pearls and crystals will make a beautiful present for that sophisticated lady or what about looking for a beaded necklace made from jet beads, now that will be a very special present. If it is for a teenage girl you are looking for a present for then a bright and funky piece that has been made from a collection of glass beads that have been strung together to create fun and fashionable necklaces that would please any young girl. Each of these being a beautiful piece of handmade jewellery.

So which ever piece of beaded jewellery you are looking for, beaded earrings, beaded bracelet or a beaded necklace I am sure that it will be a beautiful present.



Sheila

Paul Shane asked:


Before we jump on to why we need a bead mat, let us first see what seed beads are. Seed beads are tiny beads that come in variety of sizes and a vast range of colours and colour combinations. They are tiny, but when lots of them are strung together, they make beautiful and fantastic jewellery. They can be used to make necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and lots of other jewellery.

Now they are so tiny that when we actually get down to work using seed beads, they may just run and scatter here and there. This may result in loss of beads as you might not be able to fetch all of them. And this can also lead to crumbling of your concentration at work, which is quite frustrating at times. Jewellery making is an art and a fulfilling hobby. Getting disturbed continuously may just result in your losing interest and might just damage the design of your jewellery.

Therefore, it is necessary to have a bead mat while working on beads. A bead mat is a small mat made up of felt or velvet. These materials prevent the beads to bounce and scatter around when they fall. Also, they make is easy to pick the beads with fingers or tweezers.

Bead mats are easily available with online shops that provide jewellery making tools and equipments. You can search for ex beading accessories and with that you can get bead mats. You can select from a range of colours that you would find comfortable to work on.

And if you are looking for seed beads of different colours, then you can also get them on some very good online shops for beads and other jewellery materials. You can shop for all kind of seed beads, including Toho seed beads, Czech seed beads and Russian seed beads.



Sheila

Roberto Luongo asked:


Turquoise beads are a rage with women across the world, thanks to their classy yet bright appearance. Green turquoise beads are used for making a variety of jewelry. They are stringed into necklaces and bracelets, fashioned into hairclips, and used even on shoes, belts, clothing, and bags. Contrary to fashion belief, turquoise beads will not clash with colors except green, white and black. In fact, a chunky necklace made of these beads can complement any outfit if you wish to make a bold and unique style statement.

 

Turquoise beads are expensive compared to synthetic beads. This is because each bead has to be manually fashioned from turquoise stones. Imagine shaping a stone into dozens of tiny beads of the same size! The labor and skill needed for creating these beads adds value to them. However, turquoise beads are more affordable compared to pearls or precious and semi-precious stones.

 

Buying Guide:

 



Chinese turquoise beads are the products most in demand today. These beads are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are stringed into many arrangements. However, most of the Chinese turquoise beads are machine made, and do not always carry proof of genuineness.



 



If you are looking for something rare and genuine, the heishi beads crafted by some Native American communities are a good choice. These beads are expensive, because turquoise is hard to shape into beads. The raw materials are expensive; the artisan needs to put in hours of labor at his cutting and grinding machine before a few dozen beads are shaped. Most of the raw products have to be discarded, because untreated turquoise chips easily during processing, no matter how skilled the artisan.



 



Most of the turquoise beads you see cannot be called “natural” in the strictest sense. Because turquoise is so brittle in its natural form, some amount of treatment is necessary to make it more stable (except the heishi, mentioned in (2)). If you are not sure about the quality of beads, ask for a certificate of authenticity from the seller.



 

Chinese turquoise beads, handcrafted beads, green turquoise beads, treated beads, untreated beads – the choices are many. All you have to do is be a little alert when shopping for these beads online.



Phyllis

Paul Shane asked:


Speaking in lay terms, seed beads are spheroidal beads that come in a variety of sizes. Mostly rounded in shape, these beads can range from one millimetre to several millimetres in size.

Generally used for loom and off-loom bead weaving, they make for amazing jewellery material. A number of artisans use large-sized beads in fibre crafts for the purpose of decoration. You can also string these beads into multiple strands to form chic junk jewellery.

Seed beads are available in a wide variety. Most of them are classified in accordance with their nation of origin. Some of the best beads are made in Japan and the Czech Republic. The ones coming from Japan are more uniform in terms of shape, size and finish. The beads from Czech Republic have smaller holes in comparison to the Japanese beads.

France is renowned for manufacturing beads that resemble historic times, and are therefore commonly used in repairing antiques. Taiwan, China and India are also popular makers of beads. Be careful when using dyed Chinese beads as there is a possibility of the dye wearing off to your clothing or skin.

Seed beads can also be categorised on the basis of their transparency or finishing. The transparent beads have glass that is completely see-through. In the translucent ones, you can see diffused light through the bead. As far as finishing is concerned, they are available in silver, copper and bronze coatings.

Cylinder beads have gained immense popularity in the last few years. Uniform in shape and size, they have large holes and flat ends. This ensures that jewellery made of them has a flat and smooth texture. Even the pattern work made of these seed beads has an accurate and uniform finish. Just another form of the Japanese bead, cylinder beads are being increasingly used by jewellers all over the world.



Brittany

Imran ali asked:


Designing own jewellery is extremely appreciating. Feeling which comes after designing and making own jewellery is unique. However, numbers of decisions are needed to make which are important for the outcome of designed jewellery. Beaded jewellery is an example, which can be quoted, because this jewellery is based on handmade techniques. So while making this jewellery some important decisions are needed to make. Selection of beads is an important thing because the selection of beads would decide the shape of the finished item which may be surprising or may be disappointing. Following are the few tips which may be useful for avoiding frustrations.

Material to be used is the most important decision. Wide variety of materials is used to make beads. Few materials like metal and gems should be carefully looked out. If these materials are really looked after carefully, they will keep with you for the whole life. Other beads might not remain the same for the whole life because beads which are dyed can be faded and the paint of the beads that are colored can be flaked off.

Only those beads should be chosen which match with the long term requirements and are complimentary with the other materials used for making jewellery. If the beads are going to be used with metals like gold and silver, then only those beads are best which will not spoil and tarnish the finished item within the short period of time. Even the qualitative beads lose their effects too, if are used with low quality materials.

While making the design of Beaded jewellery, selection of bead which have right size and weight is very significant. If heavy beads are selected they can spoil the shape of neckpiece. Light beads are very selective and perfect for the jewellery making if matches with the other material of the jewellery. The condition that only applied here is that they should be durable, fine and of good quality.

If the jewellery being made requires large beads, then the hollow metal or wooden beads are suitable. With the use of these beads the jewellery would be saved from being too big and heavy. Bali silver beads are light weighted and also look stunning.

If you are going to make and sell your own Beaded jewellery items than the cost of the jewellery should be decided according to the budget. For instance, cost of beads, cost of other materials used, time spent and overheads, etc. If the proportions of finished items are known then the requirements of the beads can be calculated and the end weight of the finished items can be easily estimated.

When the issue regarded picking of beads arises, then all the beads which are selected for designing own jewellery should be poured in a glass vessel. With this act matching of different colored materials with beads would become easy. If it is observed that the beads which would look smaller in the finished items then the bigger size of beads should be selected before the making of the jewellery.



Annie