Resin flower cabochons

2012年6月29日星期五

What take into consideration when choosing jewelry wire

Select a Wire Gauge
Use gauge 20 or higher for earrings and wrapped bead links in bracelets and necklaces.
Buy gauge 18 to 20 for making most bracelets.
Get 16 to 18-gauge wire for making necklaces. Remember that 16 gauge is very large and difficult for most beginners to work with.
Decide on Wire Hardness
Use soft wire (hardness 0 or 1) for making spirals and round shapes.
Choose half-hard wire (hardness 2 or 3) for designs that require sharp angles, or where the wire must wrap around itself.
Buy hard wire (hardness 4) for beads jewelry that must stand up to a lot of wear and won't have any round shapes.
Choose a Metal Type
Use gold wire for aesthetics if your budget allows for it. Gold-filled wire is less expensive and looks and wears like gold. Both are tarnish resistant and come in soft or half-hard. Gold-plated wire is made to look like 24K gold, but the gold will wear off eventually.
Get silver wire for the look of it, but remember that it does tarnish and must be cleaned regularly. Silver-plated wire is inexpensive, but the silver can wear off, and it tarnishes also. Sterling silver is available in soft or half-hard.
Buy copper, brass or other less-traditional wire for its strength, looks or durability as necessary for your project.

2012年6月20日星期三

Possibilities to consider when crafting with beads

The most popular bead craft hobby is that of jewelry. Everything from beaded earrings to necklaces and bracelets are widely available and are handmade by artisans around the world. Found at craft shows, in specialty stores and online, beaded jewelry designers are responsible for hand threading each bead until the desired look is completed. Jewelry beads are available in a variety of metals, including gold-tone, silver-tone, genuine gold and genuine silver. Products used to create beaded jewelry are typically found at most wholesalers that deal in jewelry findings.
If you have ever seen a beaded pocketbook, then you have already seen the workmanship that goes into this type of product. However, many do not realize this, but some pocketbooks are made completely of beads. Understandably so, these are very expensive due to the amount of time and work involved in addition to the cost of the beads themselves. However, they are quite possibly one of the most elegant purses that a woman can own.
Another popular bead craft hobby is that of creating handmade napkin rings. These rings are designed to hold a rolled napkin into place before dinner. With beaded napkin rings, many people choose to use them as decor, but they are actually quite functional and are more than capable of serving the purpose as they are intended.
Yet another popular bead craft is hair accessories. It's all about the added touches, right? When it comes to hair accessories, beadwork is everywhere. It is commonly found in hair pins and other hair embellishments that help to complete the perfect look.
After creating their latest designs, most bead craft artists make their work available at craft shows (either local or national), at online auctions, or through specialty craft stores. In some cases, their work is even sold nationally in retail stores. Bead craft artists are skilled professionals that opt to display their artwork in the form of beadwork rather than on canvas. But, make no mistake, an artist who works with beads is no less of an artist than anyone who uses a pencil or paintbrush.

2012年6月18日星期一

Guides on how to purchase lampwork glass beads

Decide or find the jewelry project that you would like to create. Find out what kind and how many lampwork beads you will need.
Look on auction sites and craft stores online. You will find many options, and save the ones you like under your bookmarks.
Study the pictures of the lamp work beads well. Be sure that that the quality is in good shape. Look for any chips, cracks, or breaks that might be present. Everything should be completely smooth without any rough surfaces.
Ask the seller any questions you may have about the lampwork glass beads. If they do not get back to you promptly or do not seem knowledgeable about their product, that's a bad sign. You should look elsewhere in that scenario. Also, check out any online stores with the Better Business Bureau if they aren't a nationally reputably company.
Determine your jewelry making budget and how much you would like to spend on lampwork beads. Quality lampwork beads are higher, but are more durable and have longer lifespan. The cheaper lampwork beads may come with chips or weren't handmade correctly. While it is not necessary to spend hundreds of dollars on lampwork beads, you do want quality ones to use in projects-especially if you plan on selling your creations.
Have your credit/debit card or checking account available. You will need these items to make your online purchase. Record your purchase and print out your receipt after checkout to have for your own personal records. Be sure to take back any purchased merchandise at china beads wholesale stores should you question the quality or making of your lampwork beads.