Birthstone traditional and modern list

Birthstones were thought to have supernatural powers. Wearing the stone that was associated with the person's birthday was believed to bring good luck and health. Typically, precious stones such as gemstones were used and still being used today. Birthstones were worn set in rings, necklaces, and bracelets. Although the history of birthstones focused on giving mythical strength to it's wearer, today we may just follow whatever the list says because it is associated with our birth date.

Pebbles as keepsakes

You find yourself walking along the beach and find a beautiful pebble. You pick it up thinking how nice it would be to keep as a keepsake. Months later you forget about this pretty pebble. Perhaps making into a pendant would not only make it more attractive, but add value to it thus creating a beautiful wire wrapped jewelry.

Just like gemstones, pebbles can be made into beautiful pendants to adorn any type of jewelry chain. You can add the pendant to a sterling silver or a gold chain to make it an interesting handmade jewelry.

One way to make pendants out of pebbles is to use a technique called wire wrapping. The most common type of wire used is half-hard or soft wire. The size of the wire will depend on the size of the stone you want to wire wrap. The wire can come in different types specifically square, round, and half round. Normally, square and half-round are easier to use than round ones. They tend to stay put than the round ones.

You can practically wire wrap anything! You can use this technique on broken antique glass, old pendants, rocks, pebbles, rare stones, gem stones, and more. Just add a little bit of imagination and you can create something that will be your own handmade jewelry treasure that you can pass on to generations.

Choosing Colors for your Beading Project

Adding beads to a piece can be easier said than done. You can pick any beads in a store whether it is a high quality glass beads, pearl or Swarovski, the colours you choose can make an eye catching difference. Knowing which colours complement each other are one of the key ingredients to creating your own unique piece of handmade jewelry.

For beginners, choose bead colours that are analogous to each other. This creates harmony in the colour scheme.

Analogous colors are any three colors which are side by side on a 12 part color wheel, such as yellow-green, yellow, and yellow-orange. Typically one of the three colors will dominate the others. Once you have that down pact, it will be much easier to expand to different colour schemes for your handmade jewelry.

Links to colour wheel theories:

http://www.colormatters.com/colortheory.html

This article originally came from Serenbeadity

The Reinvention of Handcrafted Jewelry

Custom handcrafted jewelry has been reinvented as an artisan craft. It is no longer considered your “granny’s” hobby. It has been taken up by sophisticated and artistic people the world over.

Many custom handcrafted jewelry are unique in their own way. Wearing these pieces can make a bolder statement compared to simple gold jewelry. The freedom to mix color and texture is one reason jewelry designers love to create custom handcrafted jewelry.

Some custom pieces may include rare materials therefore having limited availability. Many of these are created as one of a kind pieces that cannot be made with the same materials. Owning something no one will ever have makes custom jewelry highly desirable! However, there are jewelry designers that can mimic their own work with different materials.

The beauty of custom handcrafted jewelry can be found not only in it’s materials, but through it’s unique and one of a kind qualities.

This article originally came from Serenbeadity

Important qualities for jewelry design

Individuality, design, functionality, and quality make your handmade jewelry unique from other designers. In order to appeal to customers and potential customers, ensure to keep up to date with fashion trends and what the market demands.

The fashion industry is always changing which also changes people’s tastes and wants. However, there are times that fashion comes back into the current trend. Perhaps a jewelry piece you’ve made 10 years ago can now be re-introduced to latest style trends.Think about how antiques are always in style even after so many years.

Keep in mind though that a piece that you want to last for a long time should be made with quality materials. Many manufacturers of beads and stringing materials now make their products stronger in order to withstand the test of time. Offer customers tips on how to care for their  handmade jewelry that way they feel that the piece they purchased has special value to you.

Following trends, choosing quality beads, and adopting new techniques will also keep your jewelry pieces fresh and unique. This adds value to your work to a potential customer. Keeping these simple tips in mind will give you the individuality and quality people look for in any handmade jewelry design.

This article originally came from Serenbeadity http://site1.deer-creek.ca