Make your own glass globe landscape memories.

Our exciting new range of Glass Globe Jewellery  has now been  featured in the January issue of 'Make & Sell jewellery' magazine.

The versatility of Glass Globe jewellery is perfect for letting your imagination and creative juices run wild.

The magazines front cover features our 18x30mm Glass Teardrop Vial with our 8x10mm Cone Pendant Mounts.

Beads have been threaded onto a Headpin and suspended in the 18x30mm Glass Teardrop Vial with Plastic Flowers, Water, Glitter and Washing-up liquid, and then finished with Flatback Crystals and Fish Hook Earring findings.

As you can see from the Glass Globe Rings featured in the magazine, the possibilities are endless.

Our 25mm Glass Globe with 14mm mouth and our 14mm Glass Globe Bezel Ring Setting have been used to make the ring on the right and is also featured in the magazine.

This wonderful pendant has been created using our 25mm Glass Globes with our 8x10mm Cone Pendant Mounts, filled with Sea Shells, Water, Glitter and Washing-up liquid and then sealed with Crystal Clay and the 8x10mm Cone Pendant Mount, and then finally decorated with Flatback Crystals and Cabochons using clear Glue.

The Power and Pull of Birth Stones and Zodiac Stones

Birth stones are gemstones associated with each month in the Gregorian Calendar (Christian or Western calendar). These are either precious stones, which are the more rare and expensive gems such as diamonds, emeralds, rubies, pearls, and sapphires.  Then there are the semi-precious stones, including ameythst, opal and bloodstone.

Amethyst Gemstones

All of them are considered lucky for their particular months and their healing powers are seen to be heightened during their months. Because of this some people will buy a set of all twelve and rotate them for each month.

Origins

The first time a special gem was associated with a particular month was recorded in the Bible.Moses made a breastplate for the High Priest of the Hebrews according to instructions he received during 40 days in the mountains. The breastplate featured twelve gems which were later linked with the signs of the zodiac, and later still, associated with the months in the year. 

The birth stones are connected to each month as follows:-

Turquoise Beads

January - Garnet
Feb - Amethyst
March - Aquamarine & Bloodstone
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Pearls, Moonstone and Alexandrite
July - Ruby
August - Peridot and Sardonyx
September - Sapphire
October - Opal & Tourmaline
November -  Topaz
December - Turquoise & Zircon

Zodiac stones

Zodiac gem stones are also called Astral Stones.  Ancient astrologers, typically from India and Babylon, believed that the influence of your astrology sign over your fortune in life is strengthened by wearing, holding or carrying the stone associated with the constellation under which you were born. There was no formal classification, the gems were assigned to the signs of the zodiac via a colour system. The astrologers believed that the colour unleashed the magical powers from the stone. 

Whereas the Birth Stones are more typically associated with healing powers, the zodiac stones are associated with how your life follows its path in relation to your birth sign's characteristics.

The zodiac stones are as follows:-                         

Aries - Mar 21 – Apr 20, 
Diamond, Opal

Pearl Beads

Taurus - Apr 21 – May 20, Emerald, Sapphire

Gemini - May 21 – Jun 20, Alexandrite, Agate, Amethyst 

Cancer - Jun 21 – Jul 21, Ruby, Pearl, Moonstone

Leo - Jul 22 – Aug 21, Peridot, Jade, Sardonyx, Diamond

Virgo - Aug 22 – Sep 21, Sapphire, Zircon, Agate

Libra - Sep 22 – Oct 22, Opal, Sapphire, Jasper

Scorpio - Oct 23 – Nov 21, Topaz, Citrine, Pearl

Sagittarus - Nov 22 – Dec 20, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli, Onyx

Capricorn - Dec 21 – Jan 19, Garnet, Garnet, Emerald

Aquarius - Jan 20 – Feb 18, Amethyst, Bloodstone

Pisces - Feb 19 – Mar 20, March, Aquamarine, Bloodstone, Jade

For your jewellery making, International Craft have the majority of these precious and semi-precious stones and beads in stock, to buy, CLICK HERE

Preciosa Crystal Beads & Jewellery Making

 

Preciosa crystal colour of the year - Emerald

Preciosa Crystal Beads & Jewellery Making

 Another jewel in the Czech crown is the perfectly cut Preciosa crystal.  Generations of crystal cutters have devoted themselves to producing a unique stone of quality, respected throughout the international market.

Preciosa Czech Crystal Bicone Beads

The brand was officially registered in Bohemia in 1915, although history tells us that the glassmaking in the Jablonec region goes back to the 14^th century.  In the 18^th century the art of crystal cutting and polishing were brought to North Bohemia by the Fisher Brothers.  Soon after the first factory specialising in the manufacturing and export of Bohemian chandeliers was established, many of which were sent to Royal Courts.  World War II halted production, but in 1945 seven crystal factories and 18 small firms around the Jablonec region merged, forming the Preciosa company, which was officially established in 1948.  Since then, the Preciosa company has grown and developed, now encompassing Preciosa Inc, Preciosa Chandeliers, Preciosa Figurines Ltd and Preciosa Ornela Inc.

Preciosa Czech Crystal Bicone Bead, Sapphire

To reach perfection, Preciosa use only the most High-Tech machinery and genuine, pure Czech Crystal sourced in an ecological way, meeting all environmental standards. When you buy a Preciosa product you can be assured that it comes from the heart of Bohemia and cut in such a way it will not lose its’ shape or brilliance.

Preciosa Czech Crystal Bicone Bead, Amethyst

The Preciosa Fashion Jewellery Stones come in 43 colours, some traditional, but many designed by Preciosa themselves, unique to them as a supplier, reflecting the latest seasonal trends.  These colours catch the light perfectly and truly enhance the sheer quality of these beads.  In fact, their glass bead range has such a high reputation, that Preciosa  are classed as the leading producer of glass seed beads (rocailles).

Preciosa beads can be applied by gluing, clay modelling, sewing, beading, stringing, wiring, knotting, knitting and crocheting.

International Craft give the crafter an opportunity to purchase the Bicone Preciosa Czech Crystal Beads.  Bicone is a three dimensional shaped bead (think of two cones back to back), in a variety of colours and shades.  The beads come in three sizes, 4mm, 6mm and 8mm.

Preciosa Czech Crystal Bicone Bead, Jet

To view all the Preciosa Czech Crystal Bicone beads at International Craft, CLICK HERE

Beadalon Stringing Wire

Beadalon, in the USA are, undoubtedly, the leading manufacturer of flexible bead stringing wire.  Beadalon manufacture their own wire, strand and cable for stringing and have done for the past 30 years, with a factory operating 24 hours a day.

The new wire products, produced in-house, include the first Kink-free titanium wire, silver plated and 24 carat gold wire.  These come in addition to the metallic and satin coloured wires that Beadalon are renowned for.

7 Strand Beadalon Gold 30ft

Beadalon have the largest range of colours, wire flexibities, spool lengths and diameters.

In 2009 Beadalon acquired Artistic Wire for wires that are permanently coloured.  These include coloured copper wire, non-tarnish brass, non-tarnish silver and non-tarnished silver plated for jewellery and crafts.  The two products complement each other well and are manufactured easily side by side.

Beginner Thing-a-ma-Jig

How is a Beadalon wire different?

A Beadalon stringing wire is composed of many tiny wires twisted together and nylon coated.  The flexibility of the wire depends on the number of strands used, ie a larger number of strands equals greater flexibility.  There are three sizes, 49 strand, 19 strand and 7 strand, 49 strand being the more flexible.  Beadalon recommends that if you are new to stringing, a 19 strand is ideal.

Design Tips for Beadalon Wire

Use the largest diameter wire that will fit through the smallest bead hole.  Too small a diameter, then you risk abrasion of the wire.  The wire should be comfortably snug.

Increase bead spacing –  this will help reduce abrasion.  Bead bumpers are small squishable beads that can be used at either end or within the pattern, giving a tight look whilst giving the beads more space.

Choose a wire with the appropriate breaking strength dependent on size and weight of the beads.  Beadalon 49 is the most flexible wire, therefore ideal for jewellery that will go through a lot of wear and tear ie bracelets.

Choose the right type of flexibility for your particular design and how you want it to look.

Beadalon Big Eye Beading Needles

Use wire guardians to reduce abrasion at the clasps.

Occasionally, Crafters may feel that their beading wire is stretching.  In these cases the wire is not stretching but gradually untwisting.  This could be a result of using a wire that is too small in diameter or stringing the beads together too tightly.  Use Scrimp findings for maximum strength and bead bumpers in between crystals and glass beads to maximise protection.


Find Beadalon on Facebook (7,508 likes).


For all your Beadalon requirements, visit the International Craft website

Photo & Mixed Media Jewellery Inspirations

Jewellery Making Project - Using Photo Jewellery Products
By Nicky Townsend

Use Altered Art techniques along with our Photo Pendants range to create a multitude of fabulous pendants and jewellery with a vintage look or even a fresh, modern feel.  You can use scrapbook papers, copyright free images or even family photographs to decorate.  Finish off with charms or, for a steampunk style, add a scattering of tiny watch components which are also available on our website.  You can use glass cabochons to complete the pendants or set charms inside using a super product called Glossy Accents, which sets clear and hard and holds the charms in place.

MATERIALS REQUIRED

Bezel settings - see full range here

A selection of images, photos or fancy paper

Glue ‘n’ Seal  - see here

Glossy Accents (see here) or Glass Cabochons - see full range here

A selection of Charms (see here) or Watch parts (optional) - see here

TOOLS

Scissors

Paintbrushes

Pencil

STEP 1

Choose a photo, image or paper that you’d like to use as the background in your piece.  Place a Glass Cabochon onto the paper and move around until you’re happy with what you see through the glass then draw around the glass to create a template.

STEP 2

The next step is to seal the paper or photo to lock in the colours and prevent any ink from bleeding out.  Use Glue ‘n’ Seal for this.  Paint a thin coat over each of your templates; you must seal both sides back and front.  Leave to dry and then paint on another coat and leave that to dry completely.  It’s easier to do this before cutting out the template especially for smaller templates

STEP 3

Cut out your sealed paper templates.  Take a small dab of the Glue ‘n’ Seal on a paint brush and paint into the base of the Bezel setting.  Press in one of your paper sections and use a dry paintbrush to smooth down from the centre outwards this also removes any air bubbles that may have got trapped underneath the paper.  Don’t forget to pay attention to the edges.

STEP 4

In my design I used a simple striped background paper and decided I’d like to embellish this with some detail.  I picked out some tiny images from a scrapbook paper; these also need to be sealed with Glue ‘n’ Seal and cut out once dry.  I then painted an extra layer of Glue ‘n’ Seal onto the background paper and placed the images inside the Bezel.  To finish, coat with another layer of sealant and leave it to dry thoroughly.

STEP 5

To finish with glass cabochons squeeze a thin and even coat of Glossy Accents over the back of the tile, let it spread out naturally to cover the whole area and press firmly into the Bezel.  You will need to press firmly from the centre out to the edges to squeeze out any air bubbles that may have got trapped underneath.

To set charms or watch components into the bezel place your chosen Charms into the Bezel and arrange them.  Now squeeze Glossy Accents  into the Bezel starting close to the charms and working your way out to the edge.  Fill the whole recess, completely covering the charms with Glossy Accents .  Once the recess is filled take some time to prick out any air bubbles which may have appeared.  Use a pin or gently tap the surface of the bubble with a dry paintbrush.  Leave to set completely, this usually takes around 24 hours to set to a hard clear finish.  Once dry you may notice that there are some areas that have appeared unfilled, simply squeeze on another layer of Glossy Accents  and leave to dry.  You can repeat this as often as needed.

TIP - When using Glossy Accents  it is important that the bottle isn’t shaken at any time as it creates air bubbles. These air bubbles will then pass through the nozzle and appear in your finished piece, which you don’t really want. 

STEP 6

I finished my pendant with a tiny resin rose cabochon from my own bead stock to add another dimension to the finished piece.  If you don’t have any of these available you can simply use a charm attached with a jump ring to finish or one of the Lucite Flowers which are available on the International Craft website.

RESOURCES

All materials available at www.internationalcraft.com

Free scrapbook papers are available to print at http://freevintagedigistamps.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/free-digital-scrapbook-paper-circa.html

DESIGNER CONTACT DETAILS

Nicky Townsend

Website: www.enchantedhandmadejewellery.com

A Guide to Selling your Handmade Jewellery (or Craft Shows for Dummies!)

by Lyn Sanderson

Whether it is called a Craft Show, Craft Fair, Craft Market or any combination you have already made the difficult decision, to sell your handmade jewellery to strangers!  People who don’t have to say ‘how lovely’ or ‘aren’t you clever’.  They are usually hard-nosed craft devotees who can spot a fake from a mile away.  Don’t panic!  They will love your work, and will usually have an understanding of how it is made and, therefore, are more inclined to buy your lovely stuff!

Now all you have to do is convince them!  Have a glance through my short guide, and learn from my 10 years of experience in selling to the public!

1. The very first thing to do is collect together all the things you think you want to sell (have to sell, how will you buy more materials to make more stuff!).  Then find yourself a nice big table (most tables at Craft Shows are 6ft x 3ft), a pasting table is ideal, and display your items as you would at the real event.  Then take away about a third of it.  I know, you think you want to show everything you have, so people can see how versatile you are.  Big news, if you watch people when they are shopping, they scan the items in front of them, picking out the items they like the look of, if there are too many things to look at, they give up!  That means no sales = no new stuff!  Just take the extra items with you, and replenish what is sold.

2. Then think about the actual display.  You need to have interest (apart from your handmade jewellery and crafty items!).  That means, height, colour and depth.  This adds ‘texture’ to your display and makes it both easier and more interesting for people to scan your display.   Think about it, unless you are selling carrots, it’s going to look bad if all your jewellery making hard work is just plonked flat on the table!  Use the same creativity and imagination that you used to make your jewellery, to create your display.  Place shallow boxes or wooden blocks on the table and cover with a fancy cloth to create   depth and layers to showcase your jewellery from.  Use simple jewellery display stands and jewellery presentation boxes to show off your creations.

3. Once you have done this, you need to think about pricing your items.  There is lots and lots of information out there telling you to do this and that.  My experience tells me that roughly 3 times the cost of making is what hits the right note.  Add a little bit more for ‘wriggle’ room.  That means that when someone is wavering, you have room to knock a little bit off and let them have the bargain they were looking for.  The price is not cast in stone, there is no law, you won’t get into trouble, it’s your work, and you can charge what you like.  The one thing that all the books and advice websites tell you is that you should charge so much for your time, sadly, these days that is the one thing you cannot charge for.

4. So now you have contacted the organiser and they have a space for you, yippee!  They all have their own little ways; some will have application forms as long as war and peace others are a little more realistic.  Whatever it is, just fill it in and send it back, once it’s done, it’s done!  Some organisers will also insist on you having Public Liability Insurance (PLI).  It’s their party, they can insist if they want to.  It is not (yet) a legal requirement; however, it is for your benefit to have it.  A good insurer will charge only £50 per year.

5. While you are waiting for your crafty event to arrive, and in between rushing to make even more stuff to take with you, think about how you are going to get people there to buy all your lovely stuff.  It is not only the organisers’ job to do the advertising; even if they don’t ask you to, make sure you tell all your family, friends, neighbours, put it on your Facebook page (open one if you haven’t got one), put it on your own website, in fact anything you can think of to help, it will help you too!  You need to play your part in driving people to the event rather than sitting there wondering where everyone is and moaning about it later!

6. The day has finally arrived, follow my steps above to help you to set up, take your time, it’s not a race (unless you get up late)!  Remember, all those other crafters you see are not your sworn enemy, even if they make the same things you do, they are not taking your customers, they are not out to get you!  You need to be aware of what other people are doing but, and here’s the hard bit, not let them affect what you do!

7. Always bring some of your beads, jewellery making supplies and unfinished (or unstarted) work with you; it gives you something to do, it also gives you a couple of seconds before you have to acknowledge a customer if you are nervous and it shows living craft.  It can also help nervous customers to strike up a conversation with you.  Don't forget your jewellery making tools either.

8. Perhaps the hardest bit of all, how to deal with customers.  You need to make them feel that they are welcome and you are friendly without getting on their nerves!  I find that the easiest way, is just to give them a smile and a hello, they then feel able to talk if they want to or wander about if they don’t.  Customers don’t like to be ignored and they don’t like over the top friendliness either.

9. Now it’s the end of the day and you are packed away, tired but thankful, you think it’s all over.  WRONG!  The least you can do is put your table away, see if anyone else needs help with their stuff, a lot of people get into selling their craft ‘full-time’ because they are in some way unwell, and may need a little bit of help.  You won’t know until you ask and just think how nice they will think you are if you do!!

10. And that’s all there is to it. Simples!

I hope that my little guide will help you, I have been making items for other people for over thirty years, selling full-time for 10 years and now organise my own events at Creative Craft Markets.  Feel free to contact me if you ever need any help, (you won’t, but just in case!).  http://www.creativecraftmarkets.com/

Voluntary Teaching and Jewellery Making with Children

One of our Customers Laura Cassidy from www.lauracassidydesign.com who specialises in Millinery and Jewellery Making has just returned from Cambodia where she was part of a voluntary teaching project run by the SCOOP Foundation. She spent 4 weeks teaching the pupils (whose ages ranged up to 19 years) English and various Arts and Crafts which included Jewellery Making . The children only have access to notepads and pencils so she had to supply her own resources for what ever projects she had in mind to teach the children.

Laura approached us with her dilemma and we were very touched and taken by what she was about to do. The whole trip including the flight tickets was funded by Laura, so when she asked for help we were more than happy to supply some Beads, Elastic , basic Jewellery Findings and Jewellery Making Tools for her to take with her.

Here's a email from Laura to us after she had returned.

I returned from Cambodia last week and I have just sent you a link to my photographs of the children and teenagers making jewellery with the tools and resources you kindly donated. 

The projects were amazing and the children, teenagers, volunteers and local teachers were delighted with the resources. We made simple bracelets with the younger children in the school and used the pliers and findings with the teenagers. The photographs speak from themselves in showing you how engaged and delighted the students were.

The school stemmed from an orphanage that is now called a children centre with additional classrooms. I brought the tools and resources here after completing the projects in the school. I worked with the small group of children and teenagers who live at the centre. The older students were then teaching and helping the younger ones. The jewellery they made is now displayed in a cabinet and on sale to volunteers and visitors to the centre. An American charity who is also involved in fundraising are going to take some of the jewellery back to America to sell them there.

All in all it was an amazing trip and an amazing experience to teach the children and watch them create. This could not have been possible without your donations.

Many thanks again,

Laura Cassidy

Here are a few of the images Laura sent to us - they just go to show what an amazing thing Laura and the SCOOP Foundation are doing. 

The smiles on the children's faces speak for themselves and just goes to show how much fun making jewellery can be.  

The ''Scoop Foundation'' is a Dublin based charity and has the mission statement

'Turning new ideas into new schools…Our mission is to support local grass root organisations who share our desire to build schools and to create opportunities for children living in the poorest and more corrupt parts of the world. Every child has the right to a home. Every child has the right to an education. Not one child should be left behind….'

They are continually looking for volunteers to help with various teaching projects in India and Cambodia.

Jewellery Making Basics

Making your own jewellery is not as difficult as most people seem to assume. Once you have a grasp on the basic techniques envolved in making Jewellery then thats when the fun starts. You'll be able to make your own Earrings, Necklaces, Pendants and Bracelets.

For most jewellers, making jewellery started off as a bit of fun which eventually led to them turning it into a business - either full time or just part time to supplement their existing income.

Tools required :
Round Nose Pliers
Flat Nose Pliers
Wire Cutters

How to open and close a jumpring

Grip the jumpring with flat nose pliers and twist it open with your other hand.  Never pull apart to open as this will distort the shape and the jumpring won’t close properly.
Attach the open jumpring to another jumpring, chain or jewellery finding and twist back to close.

How to form a loop using a Headpin






1. Thread beads onto a Headpin.  Using Flat Nose Pliers  bend the excess pin to form a right angle.






2. Trim the end using cutters to leave approximately a 1cm length.  Then grip the end with round nose pliers and roll the pliers back to create a loop.

3. You may need to release the Headpin and continue the rolling action to complete the loop.

How to form a wrapped loop using a Headpin





1. Thread beads onto a Headpin.  Using Flat Nose Pliers  bend the excess pin to form a right angle.






2. Use Round Nose Pliers to grasp the Headpin near the bend and wrap the tail of the pin all the way around to form a loop.







3. Hold the loop in place and wrap the remaining wire around 2-3 times to cover the gap between the loop and bead.  Cut away any excess wire and gently flatten the end.

Vintage and Steampunk star style as featured in Make Jewellery Magazine.  Wholesale supplies from www.InternationalCraft.com 

Choosing the best Beadalon bead stringing wire for your jewellery design

It's important for beaded jewellery to start with the right foundation. In this blog we'll be explaining how to choose beading wire - what construction, what diameter. It's all about flexibility, hole size and break strength.

Flexible beading wire is made of several strands of very fine nylon coated stainless steel. It combines the softness of thread with the strength of stainless steel. It's the most abrasion resistant stringing material that you can use. Use it to create durable, flexible designs.

The main thing to know about jewellery beading wire is that the higher the number of strands, the more flexible the wire.
For example, 49 Strand is more flexible than 19 Strand, and 19 Strand is more flexible than 7 Strand

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing the right beading wire for your design. The first thing to think about is how much flexibility your design will need. A bracelet, for example, needs more flexibility: it needs to wrap around the wrist in a small circle; it's likely to get caught on clothing or a corner. Bracelets have to be able to withstand a lot of wear and tear. A simple beaded necklace may not need to be as flexible. Choose 49 Strand beading wire for designs that require extreme flexibility, 19 Strand for designs that require good flexibility and  7 Strand for designs that require some flexibility.

So you've chosen a type of wire. Now it's time to consider diameter. Look at the holes on the beads you're using and choose a beading wire that fills as much of the hole as possible. Our range of wires come in a wide variety of diameters, from .010"(.25mm) which would suite seed beads, to  .018"(.46mm) which is a good general-purpose diameter suitable for medium to heavy gemstones, crystals, seed beads, glass and metal beads

Consider the weight of the finished piece. The wire's packaging will list the break strength of the wire. That's how much weight it will take for the wire to break. Choose wire with heavy break strength when using large or heavy beads. It's also wise to choose a heavy break strength for pieces like bracelets that may snag.

Other things to think about when selecting a jewellery wire include:
How costly are the beads to be used in the design?
How much wear and tear will the design get?
Will it be worn daily?
Or just once for a special occasion?

For higher-end beads and clasps, use 49 Strand. The superior flexibility and suppleness of the 49 Strand will allow the rich beads to drape elegantly, giving your designs a threadlike appearance; the superior strength means you don't have to worry about breakage. For a quick, fun piece with more budget-minded materials, you  might use 7 Strand or 19 Strand instead. For designs that will be worn often, the flexibility of 49 Strand will help them withstand daily wear and tear.

All in all, If you are new to bead stringing or unsure how much flexibility you require, we recommend starting with the middle grade, 19 Strand wire

Design Tips for Using Beadalon Wires

• Use the largest diameter wire possible that will pass through the smallest bead hole in your design.

• Increase bead spacing. Spread contact with the wire over a greater area to reduce the effects of abrasion.

• Choose a wire with the proper breaking strength consistent with the weight and type of beads being used. The diameter of the wire is not always a good indicator of the strength.

• Choose the type of wire with the flexibility that will allow your design to look, feel, and drape the way you want.

• Use Wire Guardians to minimize the effects of abrasion at the clasp.

• Use Scrimp findings for maximum connection strength.

• Use Bead Bumpers in between crystals and glass beads to cushion and protect beads from contact and wear