Using Seed Beads In Jewelry For That Casual Colorful Touch

When you want to accessories a casual outfit, the first thought that comes to mind is of beaded jewelry. Beads are a very handy lot if you think about their uses, not just in jewelry, but also in the bags, shoes and other accessories we use. These beads are available in numerous colors and shades and in various sizes too. They can be used to produce beautiful designs in various ways. When beads of different sizes and colors are mixed in jewelry, the effect is a colorful casual look.

Seed beads can be strung together to make delicate jewelry to enhance the beauty of a slender neck, a delicate wrist or a petite ankle. The markets are flooded with seed bead jewelry of all kinds from necklaces to anklets and everything in between. Seed bead necklaces are easy to make too and are interesting projects for children who are dexterous enough to hold the small beads and thread them.

Seed beads can also be interwoven with other beads, gemstones, precious and semi-precious stones. Not just that, you will find trinkets in the markets that blend seed beads with crystals, cowry shells, wood and what not. Seed beads blend wonderfully with all these materials to make the prettiest drop earrings, necklaces and bracelets.

Depending on the materials used and the designs that are made, seed beads can be used to give jewelry a very ethnic touch. It is a testament to their versatility that the very same seed beads can be used to create casual, funky jewelry too. Beaded necklaces and accessories in contrasting colors and shapes can give a very Bohemian look to the wearer. Combined with pearls and other gemstones, seed beads can be used to achieve an elegant look. The same beads can be strung together with bigger beads to form rosaries that are used in counting prayers.

Seed beads are extremely versatile in their uses. Since they are so easy to use, they also lend themselves beautifully to children’s projects. Beading projects need not be limited to just beaded jewelry. Craft projects can go on to include making beaded flowers, hearts, various shapes and objects too. These items can be included not only in jewelry like necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, but may also be used to decorate clothing accessories. The uses of seed beads are limited only by your creativity.

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Selecting The Right Sterling Silver Jewelry

Selecting the right sterling silver necklaces for anyone is exciting, although with the myriad choices and options, it can be a daunting task. Sterling silver lends itself to being fashioned into various forms to make artifacts that are long lasting and naturally attractive. These artifacts – be they necklaces or statuettes or cutlery or whatever – make wonderful gifts for any occasion. Jewelry made of sterling silver is a sure fire winner when you are gifting it to a woman or buying for yourself.

Sterling silver is the purest form of silver than can be used to make functional objects, since pure silver is too soft for this. There is enough and more evidence to show that people have been using silver artifacts and jewelry from long back in ancient history. This metal can be used with any type of outfit to make a fashion statement.

There are various kinds of necklaces made of sterling silver. You can select a lovely chain link necklace that will be fashionable and add a sparkling touch to your favorite outfits. You could wear them by themselves or with a pendant. There are various options available when it comes to the shape of the links and also in the length of the chains. Some people prefer short, nearer to the neck kind of necklaces, while others prefer long necklaces that reach their navels. It is a matter of personal preference, so if you are buying for someone else make sure you are aware of their preferences.

If you are buying this for the special woman in your life, you could go for a heart-shaped garnet pendant surrounded by round sparkling CZ stones. Beautifully set in sterling silver, it suspends from a sterling silver Rolo chain and is secured with a spring-ring clasp. This chain with the deep-colored garnet pendant will surely convey to your special lady how very special she is to you. If you feel that a heart-shaped pendant is too clichéd then you could select from a wide variety of pendants made with precious or semi-precious gemstones set in sterling silver.

There are also neckpieces that lie closer to the neck. These pieces called chokers and bib necklaces are excellent accessories for dressier occasions like formal gatherings or social dos. Heads are bound to turn as you, or your woman, walk into a room wearing one of these blazing pieces of jewelry. Every cent invested in such an item of jewelry is worth it in terms of the glamour it adds and the admiration received.

The best thing about these pieces of jewelry – be it necklaces, earrings, bracelets or finger rings – is that the prices are not sky-high. For the amount of elegance it brings, these pieces are priced very reasonably. There are some pieces, no doubt, that are expensive, but you are sure to find something you love well within you reach too.

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Getting To Know Your Freshwater Pearl Jewelry

Pearls are renowned since ancient times as a valuable gemstone. It is one of the rare items used in jewelry that is derived from living organisms. Produced by shelled mollusks, they are synonymous with anything that is rare and valuable. Thanks to their sophisticated beauty and timeless elegance, they are valued in jewelry the world over. The two major types are saltwater pearls and freshwater pearls, the names being self-explanatory.

The process of making natural freshwater pearls and natural seawater pearls is exactly the same. A foreign body somehow gets inside the mussel or oyster. This intruder can be anything from a tiny parasite to a bit of sand. The oyster tries to oust this unwelcome guest, but if isn't able to do so, it reduces its irritation by coating the intruder with nacre. Nacre, also known as mother of pearl, is a secretion of mussels that is strong, resilient and iridescent. It is the stuff that makes your pearl necklaces luminous and long lasting.

Earlier there used to be a good supply of natural pearls, but with the passage of time, finding the pearl-producing oysters has become a more and more difficult task. But the demand for pearls has never dwindled. Hence cultured pearls came into being with cultured freshwater pearls being priced above natural pearls due to the amount of human intervention involved in the production. The process of farming pearls has been perfected over time in various parts of the world with Japan making its mark on the cultured pearl market first. Now, however, China is the leading exporter of cultured pearls.

The process itself, in a nutshell, starts with trained divers prying open oyster shells and inserting mantle tissue from a donor oyster. This causes the oyster to start producing nacre. By controlling factors like water temperature, the oyster's health, and so forth, pearl farmers can predict the quality of the pearls they produce. Thus, freshwater pearl necklaces can be found to have more uniform pearls than those made using natural pearls.

Freshwater pearls, whether they're natural or cultured, have a soft surface which can easily be scratched or damaged. Hence it is best to keep them separately in soft pouches than with other jewelry. Also make sure to wipe them clean after every use to keep them safe from the acidity of your sweat and perfumes and moisture from the atmosphere.

Pearls are amazing not only because of their natural beauty but also because of the amount of hard work that both humans and nature put into their creation.

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