BeadSouk's Blog

BeadSouk
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Amethyst for Valentine's Day

Published: 02-03-2013 12:33pm
Posted In: Featured Products
Celebrate Valentine's Day with Amethyst which is the birthstone for February. A pretty sparkly purple stone that is a member of the quartz family. It is known to bring peace, stability and strength. Soothes fears, raises hopes, and lifts the spirit. It is also used to help overcome addictions. The following crafts are created by the members of the It's Better Handmade Artfire Guild and consist of a variety of amethyst jewelry or purple colored crafts. Be sure to visit their shops for even more fantastic crafts.Amethyst and Pearl Wire Heart Pendant Necklace by zoraidaAntique Brass filigree pendant Amethyst, cobalt blue Swarovski crystal by specialt... » Read More

It's Better Handmade Featured Products for January

Published: 01-05-2013 07:25pm
Posted In: Featured Products
Garnet is the birthstone for January. The Garnet is a stone of purity and truth as well as a symbol of love and compassion. Here are some lovely creations made with Garnet gemstones from the It's Better Handmade Artfire guild. Ruby, Garnet and Lucite Red Leaf Necklace by Amazing DesignsFairy Cameo Dangle Pierced Earrings Sterling Silver Garnet by CameoJewelryArtBurgundy Garnet Wire Wrapped Ring by lindab142Prehnite and Garnet Gemstone Cluster Earrings Sterling Silver Handmade by PebblesatmyFeetEMERALD CUT RASPBERRY RED RHODOLITE GARNET by OntheRockGems... » Read More

Its Better Handmade Featured Products for December

Published: 12-05-2012 01:37pm
Posted In: Featured Products
December's birthstones: Tanzanite, Topaz, Turquoise. December birthstone color is blue. So I selected some beauties from the It's Better Handmade guild to feature on my blog for this month. Wouldn't these make a wonderful Christmas presents.Blue Skies Necklace by AnnasJewelryDesignsAbstract painting dark pink turquoise blue and black on canvas panel by VazQuez StyleRegal Hoop Earrings with Swarovski Crystals by SpecialtivityBead embroidery necklace, freshwater pearls, turquoise and seed beads by RiverValleyDesignTibetan Blue Turquoise Rondelle Nugget and Sterling Beaded Necklace by DianesDanglesYou can find me at: Artfire: http://beadsouk.artfire.... » Read More

Christmas Gifts from the Its Better Handmade Group

Published: 11-27-2012 03:46pm
Posted In: Featured Products
If you don't know what to buy for a Christmas, then take a look at some of these unique hand crafted works of art by this guild. Its always Better Handmade. Hope some of these gorgeous gifts end up in your shopping cart. Visit this guild.Wire Wrapped Multi Colored Moss Agate Pendant Necklace by AvaDesignsHandmade Red/Orange Glass Beaded Cross by AmeliaOriginalsThanksgiving Harvest Family Recipe Card Box by artbysunfireHappy Holidays Handmade Christmas Greeting Card Red and Green by CardsByLibeWrap Bracelet: Chunky Style with Fuchsia and Berry Colors by CatherinesJewelryHealing Hands Painted Gourd Art Bowl with Stone by John and Jeanne Fry - Consci... » Read More

Gemstones and Chains

Published: 11-06-2012 09:16am
Posted In: Featured Products
Unique handmade jewelry that combines gemstones and chain. All created by hand by our talented Artfire artisans. The holidays are here and why not find something unique to give as a gift.Jasper Bead and Gold Filled Chain Link Necklace by Judys GemsSnowflake Obsidian Pendulum by GemTwistsPrehnite Delight by FromMyMindPaua Shell and Turquoise Naked Sandals CalysJewelryCreationsOrange Baroque Pearl and Pewter Charm Bracelet by IrishExpressionsTurquoise Tearshape Pendant, Topaz Colored Glass Beads and Sterling Necklace DianesDangles... » Read More

How to Care for Your Cabochon Gemstones

Published: 07-27-2012 01:57pm
Posted In: Gemstone Talk
Natural and synthetic gemstones need to be cleaned and stored properly . Here are some tips on how to take care of your stones to extend their life and luster. Clean stones with warm, soapy water.Dry stones thoroughly with a soft towel.Some stones can be safely cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner and some cannot such as amber, coral, lapis, opal, pearl, and turquoise.(see below)Rub gems with a smooth soft cloth to remove fingerprints and to help keep them shiny.Store stones away from intense heat and light.Opals and pearls should be cleaned by just using a soft cloth; immersing in water is not a good idea.Should your stone... » Read More

Make a Pair of Chandelier Hoop Bali Style Earrings

Published: 03-02-2012 10:21am
Posted In: Creative Ideas
Unique and ornate Bali style oxidized filigree design chandelier hoop earring component with five rings. Crystal beads added to this style of earring component make for an elegant look. In this earring project, Swarovski 6mm bicone Black Diamond AB crystals were used. If you want to make a shorter pair of earrings then just simply add one crystal to each loop in the earring component. In this design, an elongated look was the goal. Three sections of silver plated chain, each section shorter than the other were used to create the long chain loops and then crystals were added. These earring components are made with five loops but only th... » Read More

Citrine Means Yellow in Latin

Published: 02-23-2012 10:07am
Posted In: Gemstone Talk
Citrine is a variety of quartz and comes in yellow, orange, or light brown (like a topaz color).  The name is derived from Latin citrina which means "yellow". Brazil is the major producer of citrine. Natural citrine is a rare find. Most citrine stones on the gem market are produced by heat treating Amethyst and Smoky Quartz. Sometimes Citrine and Amethyst are found together in the same mineral and is referred to as Ametrine which is a mixture of the yellow of Citrine and the purple colors of Amethyst. Citrine is a protection stone and aids in healing and self development. Citrine energizes, and  invigorates, promotes warmth, comfort, an... » Read More

Fire Crackle Agate Creative Design Idea

Published: 02-20-2012 07:28pm
Posted In: Creative Ideas
Agates are actually a banded Chalcedony which is a variety of the quartz family.  Depending on the trace mineral within the agate, can be gray, blue, red, yellow, brown, black, white, and green. For example, Agates that are red to orange contain trace amounts of iron oxide to give the reddish color. Much of the Fire Agates are natural agates which are dyed to a burnt umber color, then heated to create the crackle effect.  What are some of the ways to use these agates, what kind of colors can you use? For these agates, Carnelian gemstones would provide a lovely contrast. The red in the Carnelian stones go very well with the oranges, r... » Read More

Tree and Moss Agate Stones

Published: 02-09-2012 07:11pm
Posted In: Gemstone Talk
Tree agate is a synonym for Moss agate. This type of chalcedony (chalcedony is a microcrystalline variety of quartz, agates falls under this category) consists of tubular, inclusions and branching, filamentous growths within the stone which resembles moss. This stone contains iron minerals giving moss agates shades of red, brown, yellow, black, and green. Moss agates do not have the concentric banding that agates are commonly associated with. Moss agates can appear messy like overgrown vines. Some moss agates may contain concentric banding in small areas and also have the moss-like inclusions. However, mostly all moss agate does not co... » Read More

Sterling Silver Hoop and Circle Chandelier Earrings or Pendant Creative Idea

Published: 02-04-2012 06:49pm
Posted In: Creative Ideas
The circle design is a modern geometric fashion look. Use this sterling silver hoop with three rings as a circle design pendant or a lovely pair of long dangle earrings. So easy to make these earrings, just use some link chain and Swarovski crystal and some metal charms. In this design, I took three 1 inch strands of link chain and added each strand to each of the loops, then I connected the three strands of chain by adding a jump ring near the bottom of the chain and allowed about three links to dangle. Towards the center, I added several Swarovski crystals and a leaf charm. You can then use this as a pendant. Just add a jump ring to the top ring... » Read More

Venetian Golden Topaz Ca'd'oro Style Glass Bead

Published: 02-01-2012 04:05pm
Murano is the term often used for this type of glass. Murano is a tiny island in Venice, Italy and is where this rich and golden bead is made. The glass used is a soda lime glass and is called Moretti glass. This Venetian bead is Topaz colored and within the walls of the glass is 24 kt gold foil. This particular style of bead is referred to as Ca'd'oro. It is in the shape of two cones fused together. Ca'd'oro (House of Gold) is one of the most elegant buildings on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Venetian Gothic architectureTopaz colored 24 kt gold lined Venetian Ca'd'oro style bead.Topaz Color Silver Foil Venetian Glass Beads©2012 BeadSouk, LLC... » Read More

Angel, Butterfly, and Flower Gold Plated Charms Design Idea For Earrings

Published: 01-24-2012 06:16pm
Posted In: Creative Ideas
There are a variety of uses for these charms. You can add these gold plated charms to your bracelet, necklace, or earring projects, or add them to a key chain to use as an accessory for your purse or even a bookmark. These charms are lightweight and can be used for making beautiful earrings. Each charm has a loop for adding a jump ring. Combine these with Swarovski crystals and dangle them from a silver link chain for a pretty pair of earrings. Blue, peach, purple, red or green crystals go very well with gold. In the second photo below for creative design idea, I added several charms using jump rings, 6mm wire wrapped Swarovski Padparadsch... » Read More

Heart and Arrow Toggle Silver Link Chain Bracelet

Published: 01-21-2012 03:30pm
Posted In: Creative Ideas
Wear this alone or add a dozen charms and make your own sweetheart bracelet. This heart and arrow toggle clasp makes a lovely focal point. The oval curb chain link bracelet in silver plated brass is a piece all by itself or you can add your favorite charms and dangles to each of these links and make a lovely charm bracelet.  Another trend in bracelet jewelry is just adding one large charm to the bracelet. Or another idea would be to add coins to your bracelet if you happen to have a lot of souvenir coins collected from your travels.Below are creative design ideas that you can use to make your own bracelet.... » Read More

Create a Mother of Pearl and Crystal Dangle Earrings

Published: 01-20-2012 06:59pm
Posted In: Creative Ideas
Pearl oysters and abalone are both sources of mother of pearl, which is widely used as an inlay in jewelry. Mother of pearl is referred to as nacre, an iridescent layer of material which forms the shell lining of many mollusks. Mother of pearl can be used in its natural state or bleached and dyed for decorative use. Mother of pearl is very porous which can absorb dye very easily. The shimmering layers within the shell is still visible after dying or bleaching which makes mother of pearl so popular.These earrings are made with mother of pearl that have been dyed in various colors, orange, pink, blue, and pink. Use a 2 inch silver colore... » Read More

Sterling Rope Connector Design Idea

Published: 01-16-2012 05:37pm
Posted In: Creative Ideas
What can you make with this sterling connector? This sterling oxidized rope design connector has three rings for attaching charms, stones, or chain. If you add chain on each of the outer jump rings you can then make yourself a necklace using this connector as the focal point. The center loop can be used to add stones or crystals. In this design (see photo below), 12mm Swarovski round faceted crystals are placed between sterling flower beads caps and sterling beads are added to each end (optional). Silver head pins are threaded through the beads and a loop made on either end. Three of these crystal sections are made, with one section added to the c... » Read More
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