Fossil Ammonite Turquoise

Ammonites are absolutely beautiful fossils and they come in a vast array of color combinations from cool black to crisp fall colors of green, beige, brown and anything in-between. This new design features a handcrafted with brass non-tarnish wire nicely sized Ammonite pendant that has a fiery (slightly red) shimmery backside, which just adds to the dimension of the fossil as a focal pendant in this piece. To bring out the brilliant colors, I paired it with Arizona Turquoise chips and Ivoryite, a hint of faceted light Topaz crystals and gold spacers. A gold vermeil textured toggle and dangle teardrop hoop style earrings to match.





















This and many other custom handcrafted designs are available at our website.

Growing Pains in Studio Storage

There comes a time in every shop, studio, office, or craft room when you just have to stop and stay “I need more space”! In this case, I was the one saying more space was needed to house my inventory. I had really outgrown the drawers in this standup. Practically everything was divided among the drawers and it was making it harder and harder to find anything. I actually during the transition found stones and pendants that I thought I’d used only to find them hidden away under bags of other stones, or worse, miss placed colors (deep blues or dark browns hidden among black).

So, I set out to determine how I was going to change my inventory storage problem with limited studio space. A friend suggested that I should really go ‘up’ rather than expand any other direction in my studio. What I did was look around and research what kind of storage system would allow me the ability to grow as my business grew.

This is what I found, a really nice heavy wire rack shelving unit; the shelves are adjustable and I can add additional shelving units with other types of storage compartments (not just shelves, but hanging compartments!). This really fit the bill for me; with the purchase of clear locking storage boxes (that now need to be labeled), I turned my single storage problem into future growth potential.
What I really like, is that I can actual see the stones and dig through the bins much easier and the lighting just above me makes it much easier to match things up rather than guessing.

We’re every growing and luckily I figured out a system that I can continue to use and grow as the business expands!

To see some of latest creations available for purchase, visit our website.

Pink Rhodonite

Taking its name from the Greek word rhodos, meaning “pink”, rhodonite is popular with jewelry enthusiasts and gem collectors alike. Its rose-pink body is laced with black veins of manganese oxide, called dendrites, which form band, dots or intricate web-like patterns. In color, rhodonite is similar to rhodochrosite, but rhodonite is distinguished by its dendrites. In addition, it is harder wearing and more acid resistant than rhodochrosite, and thus better for jewelry.

In antiquity rhodonite was given to travelers as a protective stone. It was said to warn them of imminent danger by causing the heartbeat to accelerate suddenly. It is helpful in keeping a clear, calm mind in tense situations and in coping with changing circumstances. It is linked to the star sign of Taurus and should be discharged every two weeks under running water and then recharged by being placed in the sun for a few hours.




Rhodonite: Peace, generosity, attention to details.

For this and many other designs to purchase visit our collections.
*Research from gem-mineral-crystal books.

Classic Stunning Chic Blues

If you like blue, this necklace set is for you (and blue if my favorite color). This stunning piece is artisan crafted of faceted graduated clear blue Crystals; accenting a Denim Lapis puffy heart pendant that has a slight cream and black grain; then a scattering of sterling silver beads and finished with a single strand of freshwater cultured Pearls. The earrings are leverbacks that have dangle charms in pearls and one of the faceted blue crystals.

Available for purchase with many other trendy and chic designs in our collections.

Working with Wire

Wire work really adds to a necklace or earrings and is usually the backbone to a bracelet. I really like working with wire because it gives a freedom to bend and mold into different shapes, twist, links, cages, almost anything to touch of flare or spice in a piece I’m designing. It can be very fund but it means having patience (loads of it), a creative and imaginative mind and being able to ‘see’ your piece within the wire are the many talents and gifts of artists around the world.

Wire is one of the essential supplies in my jewelry making business because it gives me the ability to take the jewelry beyond the normal beading limits. One of the questions I get asked regularly is do you know which is the right size and what material is best?

At first when I started working with wire, it was difficult and it much of a ‘trial and error’ method and to some degree it still is when trying out new techniques or creating new designs. But what I do is that once I have down what I’m trying to do with wire, I then write down how I did it, which gauge works best and how much wire I used. You also need to look at durability, malleability, style, color and manufacturer when working with wire before designing.

Wire is measured in gauges, from 16 all the way to 34; with 16 being the heaviest/thickest and 34 being the smallest/thinnest wires. Typically, the thicker the wire, the sturdier it will become. However, the type of material used for the wire also affects how flexible a particular gauge will be.

Rules of Thumb

*For bracelets, heavy necklace pendants designs or winding wire around very large beads, making charms or creating chain links, a 16 to 18 gauge is suggested.

*Gauges 20 to 24 are considered medium to thin thickness and are good for wire wrapping beads, as well as for constructing findings, headpins, and ear wires. This is typically the gauge used for making earrings and 20 or 22 are the best for ear wires.

*The smallest, skinniest wires are 26 to 34 gauges. They are easily manipulated and flexible, perfectly for use with small beads in embroidery and stitch projects.

You can find wire in brass, copper, pewter, or artistic non-tarnish are inexpensive and typically soft wires to work with; while sterling silver and gold filled are more expensive and typically vary in hardness’s from dead-soft to half-hard.

*Sterling Silver is great looking and made soft or hard. The only thing to remember is that silver will tarnish.

*For wire that will not tarnish and will retain its beauty and luster, try working with non-tarnish wires; it is very inexpensive and usually made from a copper core; covered with silver, gold, or colored coating that has been treated so that it will not tarnish.

*While the others run the spectrum of price; the most expensive wire to work with is gold or gold-filled, which does not tarnish. Some wire works will substitute gold-plated wire for cost effective designs.

Whatever your choice for your design, you will find that working with wire brings out the artist and craftsman in every design.

Browse our collections that incorporate metals including wire working on our website.

Spring Fling Beads

This collection of beads is great, provided from Artbeads.com for their Spring Fling. I’ve been trying to figure out different designs, but finding it’s a little harder than first thought. The ceramic beads (yellowish and blue/green tubes and creamy white disks) are great and will probably end up as spacers or earring pieces. I really like how ceramic and porcelain beads can really add to a necklace or earring.

Next up are the two purple pendants and I love the designs in both these, could go either way to look either ethnic, tribal or maybe beach. They may end up in designs with either shells, pearls or maybe even some turquoise. The tiny green oyster shells are really tiny and provide a little challenge for me. I’m looking either use them as spacers or even better earrings and bracelet pieces mixing with other sea gems. The best part is the Swarovski crystals, the Xilion is a new brilliance with colors in Cyclamen Opal, Padparadscha Golden Shadow, and Indicolite Golden Shadow colors new for me and any of these will really add that hint of ‘bling’ to any design. I’m thinking maybe the cyclamen opals will accent some turquoise and coral necklace.

Enjoy wondering through Artbeads.com for a variety of beading supplies, meanwhile I’ll keep working designs with these goodies until I find something that works.

Legal Disclosure/Disclaimer: As a reviewer of products for Artbeads.com, I received the Swarovski crystals, oyster and ceramic beads and pendants products free of charge. I have not been paid nor compensated by Artbeads.com for my endorsement of these said products. I have been asked by Artbeads.com to review these products and provide my own honest feedback, whether it is positive or negative.

Artistic Jasper Crystals

Nature’s beauty in a stunning Artistic Jasper pendant, which has been highlighted by pure faceted crystals of pink and copper and then added a hint of Swarovski black Cosmos and completed with fancy pewter beadcaps and textured toggle.

Visit our website for an array of jewelry designs.