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...

Do you have a better way to accessorize yourself than with a nice piece of jewelry? The problem is that sometimes costume jewelry can also be extremely expensive. Nevertheless, you have another alternative to buying them you can make them. It is easy to learn how to create your own jewelry. And sometimes it is even better than buying them because you can make them to match your outfits and your personality. This way you are not only going to save money, you are also going to have fun. Are you interested in making necklaces? The simplest way to do this is using beads. You will see that you can create a variety of beautiful necklaces just using some heavy string and a various beads of different colors. In the case you are going to cover the whole circumference with beads you may even substitute the heavy string by a dental floss. You should always bear in mind what are you going to wear the necklace with. This way you can compliment the color of the necklace with the color of the dress you are wearing. Once you know the colors, you should start thinking about the pattern, which can be achieved by alternating colors or shapes, or making all of the beads the same size and color. The most important thing at the moment of making your necklace is to be creative. But you should not forget to keep the theme in mind when you start making it. When you go to buy beads you can buy the ones you always use plus some focal point beads that are bigger that the rest. These bigger beads can be use when you choose to employ wire instead of string for your necklace, just one or two beads for the whole piece are enough and the wire show through. Usually you can choose from a great variety of attractive beads, such as wooden, ceramic and glass pieces. If you are thinking of making beads, you have a lot to do. You only need beads and wire to make a great variety of rings. What you have to do is to twist various strands of wire together making a circle that fits your finger. You have to remember to maintain the ends long in order to string beads on the edges. Just make a ball of wire to maintain the final bead on each strand in its place and then keep the beaded strands as individuals strands or twist them into a ball. And use it with whatever you want! Another option is to make earrings. It is not difficult because the majority of craft stores sell earring components that can be used right away; the only thing you have to do is add the decorations that you choose. You can buy almost twenty pairs of earrings for no more than three dollars. You can also include some ribbons or a strand of beads. Just be creative and you will be able to attend any party. Similar techniques can be used to create bracelets and anklets. You have just to twist together bare wire and beaded wire to make a nice combination or create attractive wire shapes with just a pair of needle-nosed pliers. You only need to include a nice object that fits and make some loops in the wire and create your own charm bracelet. It does not matter whether you are a teenager or an adult, you can have a lot of fun making jewelry. It is also a great activity for whole families and a creative way to entertain girls at a birthday party. It is a nice way to create the pieces of jewelry that go with the things you wear. What is more important in creating your own jewelry is that it is a real expression of your creative...