Designing Beaded Jewelry for Family and Friends

The most meaningful gifts that I have received in my life are those that my close friends and relatives have made for me. There is something very special about opening a present and knowing that not only did that person spend their time searching for just the right things to go into it but they also crafted it with their very own hands! It’s something like the difference between a home cooked meal and a restaurant one: subtle but undeniable. One of the important things to keep in mind when you are designing jewelry for someone is their personal taste. I know it may sound obvious but how many times have you received a gift and thought, “Well, it’s nice enough but isn’t this more like something they would wear, eat, listen to, watch, etc,” It’s very easy to get carried away when you are designing something and think, “Oh, these delicate diamond beads look gorgeous with these elegant sapphire briolettes! I ‘ll use them together.” However, when you are designing for someone who would prefer chunky amethyst nuggets beads and huge keishi pearls even though the piece you design with the diamond beads and sapphire briolettes might be stunning they might not appreciate it quite as much as you do. Therefore the first thing to consider when you are designing jewelry is, “What do they like?” If you know them well you will be able to recall their favorite colors. Do they go for anything dramtic and really wild? Or are they more into subtle and delicate? Or is absolutely everything they own neutral? Or do they follow every new fashion? If they love drama and color you might think of some of the more colorful gemstones that come in larger sizes like blue chalcedony, fluorite, lapis, kunzite, turquoise or ruby zoisite. If they really love delicate and elegant then precious stones will win their hearts. Try ruby, emerald, sapphires or for the more adventurous: spinel, tsavorite garnet, tanzanite, apatite, tourmaline (one of my personal favorites!) or diamond beads if you really want to wow them. Don’t be deterred by the expense of precious stones. You can always go for a few briolettes and make a nice necklace by hanging them from an open link chain or you could get a pair for earrings. If you’re designing for someone who loves neutrals you can go with classic pearls or any of the many varieties of agate, mother of pearl, quartz or moonstone. Fossilized coral is also a lovely neutral with interesting patterns: perfect for pendants! If they follow the latest fashion it’s really fun to get them something that few people have ever heard of like hypersthene, chiasolite, bronzite, kunzite, fuschite, or hemimorphite stone beads. There are so many stones to choose from that the most challenging part is narrowing it down. I find that once you have chosen the stones you think they will like best the designing part takes care of itself. You’ve already thought about their personal style so it’s easy to come up with something that will work for them. After you’ve picked out your beads and designed your piece the really fun part begins: giving the gift and if you’ve done your job right watching their eyes light up when they open it. By designing something yourself for your friend or relative you get something really special. Not only do you get to give a wonderfully personal gift to someone you love; you get the enjoyment of watching them wear it and cherish it for the rest of their lives. What could be more...

Are interested in updating your appearance, fashion wise? If you are, your first thought may be to buy a new wardrobe. While new clothes are a great way to update your fashion appearance, did you know that clothes are not all that fashion includes? Fashion also includes fashion accessories, like jewelry. If you are looking for a relatively easy and affordable way to update your fashion, you may want to think about buying new fashion jewelry. When it comes to buying fashion jewelry, there are many individuals who wonder what is the best way to go about researching fashion jewelry, particularly the “hottest,” jewelry trends at the moment. In all honesty, there are an unlimited number of different ways that you can go about doing so. A few of those ways are briefly touched on below. One of the easiest ways that you can go about familiarizing yourself with the latest in fashion jewelry trends is by turning to the internet. Online, you can find a large number of online fashion websites. Many of these websites offer fashion tips, as well as cover some of the latest fashion trends in jewelry, as well as other fashion accessories. If you are looking to not just own any piece of fashion jewelry, but the latest piece of jewelry to hit the stores and make a splash, online fashion magazines are the best way to go. In keeping with fashion magazines, you can also learn about the latest in fashion jewelry by buying printed fashion magazines. Many individual, possibly just like you, prefer buying printed fashion magazines, as opposed to reading online fashion magazines. It is hard to explain, but some people just prefer seeing things in print. The only downsides to buying fashion magazines to learn more about fashion jewelry is the cost of doing so. While affordable priced, fashion magazines can get expensive overtime and they may not necessarily cover fashion jewelry; therefore, you may want to skim through any magazines that you want to buy. Another easy way that you can go about familiarizing yourself with popular fashion jewelry pieces and styles is by going shopping. Window shopping is a great way to learn about new, popular pieces of fashion jewelry or fashion jewelry sets. If you are shopping in a storefront retail location, you will likely find the popular fashion pieces, including fashion jewelry, displayed in the window of a fashion store or positioned on an elaborate display. In addition to traditional window shopping, you may want to think about trying to shop or at least examine fashion jewelry pieces online. You may want to visit the online website of a popular fashion store or a well-known jewelry store. One of the biggest signs that a piece of fashion jewelry is popular or in style at the moment is if it is displayed on the front page of an online retailer’s website. This is a great way to quickly find information on what is hot and what may not be so hot in the world of fashion jewelry. As you can see, you have a number of different options when it comes to familiarizing yourself with the latest trends in fashion jewelry. Whether you are interested in complimenting your new wardrobe with fashion jewelry or if you just want to experiment with it, you have a number of fashion jewelry research methods at your...