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Friday, December 14, 2007

Tourmaline Gemstones in Beaded Jewelry

Watermelon tourmaline has to be our absolute favorite at Crystal Allure Beaded Jewelry!

Watermelon tourmaline is a rare variety that displays three different colors in the same crystal - green (the skin of the watermelon), pink (the sweet fruit) and white (the rind). As in the gem stone ametrine, the colors of the watermelon tourmaline occur 100% naturally. This is a rare occurrence in nature.

According to folklore, watermelon tourmaline brings the wearer love. It is considered a powerful healing stone for immune system disorders and life-threatening illnesses. Watermelon tourmaline removes imbalances (and guilt) caused by conflicts and confusions. The green part feeds your life force, while the pink soothes and harmonizes.

All tourmalines offer strong healing effects and the watermelon variety encourages regeneration of the nerves, helps with paralysis and multiple sclerosis.

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Friday, December 7, 2007

Moss Agate Gemstones in Beaded Jewelry

Moss Agate is a chalcedony (pronounced kal-sed-on-ee) that is formed in the sedimentary process whereby viscous silicic acid has been penetrated with iron silicate solutions without becoming mixed (essentially weathered volcanic rocks). This creates streaked moss green inclusions. It is a semi-precious gemstone, which despite its name does not contain organic matter.

Moss agate is one of the more modest members of the crystal world. It lacks the glitter of lapis lazuli, the radiance of clear quartz, or the chatoyance of tiger’s eye. However, this multi shaded green variety of agate looks similar to moss when viewed from a distance and if you examine a moss agate closely (and especially if you hold it up to the light) you may discover a world within it.

When used in jewelry moss agate is believed to bring the wearer health, friends and riches.

Moss Agate folklore:
The metaphysical properties of moss agate are primarily its strong connection with nature. Moss agate is a stabilizing stone that is said to refresh the soul and reveal the beauty of nature all around one. Healers use it to reduce sensitivity to weather as well as pollution in the environment.

Midwives use moss agate to lesson pain during child birthing and to assure a good delivery. It is considered to be a stone of new beginnings and abundance.

Healing properties of moss agate:
~Speeds up recovery
~Anti-inflammatory
~Cleanses circulatory system
~Relieves depression
~Reduces skin infections
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Saturday, November 10, 2007

Beautiful Watermelon Tourmaline Gemstone Jewelry

There is no comparison to the beauty of watermelon tourmaline gemstones. Typically, watermelon tourmaline gemstones display three different colors in the same crystal - green (the skin of the watermelon), pink (the sweet fruit) and white (the rind).

Although watermelon tourmaline is a rainbow of beautiful colors, we've selected the most perfect rose shaded nuggets and paired them with a stunning ruby quartz gemstone pendant and sterling silver chain.

Sterling Silver Watermelon Tourmaline Ruby Quartz Gemstone Necklace
The perfect complement to the gemstone necklace above is a dainty strand of watermelon tourmaline gemstone beaded earrings!
Sterling Silver Watermelon Tourmaline Gemstone Beaded Earrings
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Tuesday, November 6, 2007

New Moss Agate Gemstone Beaded Necklace

Moss Agate gemstone is a truly beautiful stone to use in handmade beaded jewelry. Each moss agate oval is uniquely different through a natural process that creates bands and patterns within the gemstone.


Moss Agate Gemstone Swarovski Crystal Bali Beaded Necklace (N036)
Creeping Moss. A spectacular show of graduated moss agate oval gemstones are complemented by moss-colored Swarovski Crystals, .925 Bali and lead the way to a wire wrapped gemstone pendant. The light and dark bands of color in each gemstone oval make this beaded necklace truly unique.

Beaded Necklace Adjustable 16 1/2" to 17 1/2"
Drop Measures 1 1/2"
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Thursday, November 1, 2007

Frosted Glass Technique

“Frosting” is a glass-finishing technique often referred to as "frosted glass". Using frosted glass beads in handmade beaded jewelry designs lends a quite distinctive look and texture to designs.

Frosted Leaf Topaz Crystal Beaded Earrings E132

The Illustrated Glass Dictionary at glassonline.com defines frosting as follows: "The process of giving a glass surface a matte finish, thus reducing transparency. Frosting is done through a variety of methods. It may involve treating the glass by pouring hydrofluoric acid on it or exposing it to the acid’s fumes. Frosting also may be achieved by sandblasting, through a special glue application and subsequent removal, or by mechanical etching with a grinding wheel."

Acid etching is used for small projects and to make patterns on the glass while sandblasting is used to frost an entire sheet of glass.

Frosted finishes can vary greatly. Some have a coarse, sandpaper feel, while others have a soft feel and the look of clouded glass. The 19th-century term for glass with a frosted or matte finish was satin glass. Frosting or “satinizing” may be applied to opaque as well as transparent glass.

In the jewelry design shown, shimmering light topaz Swarovski Crystals are paired with topaz-colored frosted glass leaf shaped beads making these handmade beaded earrings truly exquisite and unique.

Crafters learning to make frosted glass usually work with acid etching. Care should be taken while working with acid. Eye and face protection should be worn at all times when making frosted glass.
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Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Fall Leaf Jewelry Additions

The pieces listed below will be available on the website soon. The combination of sterling, gold and indian sapphire crystals make these earrings truly stunning and exceptionally unique.

Want to feel a little closer to nature? The leaves in these earrings are actually genuine oak leaves dipped in 24k gold! You really don’t want to miss out on having a pair of these earrings.




Don’t miss out on these unique fabulous pieces!

Shop the Fall Beaded Jewelry Collection

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Thursday, September 20, 2007

Jewelry Styles Defined

Jewelry is more than just an accessory -it is a statement of its wearers' individuality and style. With the boom of jewelry designers coming into the market, as a consumer who wants to make an informed purchase you should be able to identify jewelry types, as well as, ask relevant questions about the materials used. There are three (recognized) main types of jewelry: Fine, Bridge and Fashion. At times, you might find the terms Bridge jewelry and Artisan jewelry used interchangeably, as well as, Fashion jewelry and Costume jewelry.

How jewelry is classified is primarily based on: (1) materials used and; (2) the price of the finished product. Even though a jewelry designer states they use quality materials, but sells their product inexpensively, does not mean you are get a quality product. There are many facets to making a jewelry purchase and from experience, I know not to assume: (1) I can get a quality product for less and; (2) a higher price means that seller is just "over-priced". The reality is, the value of the piece is directly related to the artists' interpretation, skills used in designing the piece, everyday business expenses to get that product to you and much more. When evaluating a piece of jewelry for purchase, keep in mind the price you are paying is part for the artists' skill but also part of his/her everyday business expenses which allows that artist to stay in business and continue to design quality pieces you will enjoy. With that said, let's take a closer look the three different types:

Fine Jewelry - is high end jewelry primarily crafted from gold and platinum. If set with gemstones usually only precious gemstones are used such as diamonds, pearls, rubies, sapphires, emeralds etc... Fine jewelry is dominated by stone settings and castings and can be found in jewelry stores or galleries. Fine jewelry commands the highest prices. When you think of fine jewelry you might think of Cartier.

Bridge (Artisan) Jewelry - is jewelry that is just that, a "bridge" between fine and fashion. Bridge jewelry is considered to be high quality accessories that can be worn every day. Primary materials used in crafting bridge jewelry include silver, copper, gold fill, vermeil, Swarovski crystal and semi-precious stones such as amethyst, citrine, freshwater pearls, garnet, jade, malachite, lapis, onyx, quartz, turquoise, topaz etc. Bridge jewelry is usually strung beadwork, castings and/or wire-wrapped. Bridge jewelry can be found at craft shows, galleries, art shows, high-end boutiques and the like. Bridge jewelry prices are in the mid-range between Fine and Fashion jewelry. When you think of bridge jewelry you might think of Crystal Allure Designs.

Fashion (Costume) Jewelry - is low end jewelry that is very inexpensive. Fashion jewelry is usually mass produced overseas and sold in franchise stores (but it can be artisan-made as well and sold at craft shows). Primary materials are base metals, rhinestones, plastics, acrylics etc. A lot of costume jewelry is cast and set with low quality materials or machine assembled. When you think of fashion jewelry you might think of jewelry you could purchase at Walmart.

Throughout any one of these types, jewelry can be mass-produced or artisan-made one-of-a-kind pieces or limited edition. As well, there is considerable overlap in styles and materials. When making your jewelry purchase, there are many points to consider. For some, one important point is whether their skin reacts to non-precious metal. If so, they might wish to consider investing in bridge or fine jewelry.

So how does one decide which type of jewelry to invest in? As a proponent of supporting artists and items Made in the USA, keep in mind, bridge jewelry is a unique and affordable option to your jewelry collection. Bridge jewelry provides you a good value because of the combination of quality materials; creativity and workmanship provided by the designers of these unique, one-of-a-kind and/or limited edition pieces.

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Monday, May 21, 2007

Crystal Allure Goes to the Prom!

As promised a few months back, here are pictures of the jewelry pieces I designed for two local girls going to the prom. I was honored to have been selected to design these girls' prom jewelry. Although their prom was this past Friday and Saturday, they will be able to enjoy their sparkling Swarovski crystal jewelry for years to come! Every special occasion deserves special accessories!

One girl requested a Swarovski crystal (clear) bracelet and earrings. I designed this set using a wire-wrapping technique for added elegance as well I added a wire wrapped swirl between the two crystals in the earrings. Absolutely stunning!









The second girl requested a Swarovski crystal AB necklace with a drop. Again, I used a wire-wrapping technique for the entire necklace and wire wrapped a swirl to the delicate drop in the front. This necklace was so beautiful I had a hard time giving it up!! One word best described this necklace -Dazzling!!!
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Tuesday, April 10, 2007

NEW Real Oak Leaf Copper Crystal Necklace

What is so fantastic about this new piece is that the oak leaf comes directly from nature and what better way to celebrate the peak of the fall season than to be adorned by these lovelies.



Oak Leaf Pendant Crystal Necklace N034
Acorns & Oak. Accented by Swarovski crystal copper is a real oak leaf which has been hand-dipped and electroformed in 24kt gold. Each leaf is unique and special, capturing a part of nature, resulting in a beautiful piece of wearable art. Finished with a beautiful 14kt long and short goldfill cable style chain.

Necklace Measures 17-3/4"
Leaf Drop Measures 2"
Oak Leaf Measures 1-1/2"

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How to care for your leaf jewelry

Leaves should be cleaned carefully with a warm cloth and not with abrasives to maintain its longevity. Each leaf is unique and special, capturing a part of nature, resulting in a beautiful piece of wearable art.
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Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Everyone Should Sparkle At Their Prom!!

I am very proud and happy to be a part of my own town's community prom effort (you can read more details by clicking on the link below). Michele Child (aka, Mia) had a wonderful idea...through her blog, she has managed to pull together friends and neighbors to raise money to send two deserving girls to the upcoming prom.

As soon as I read about this, I signed up! I am excited to be offering my custom jewelry design services to this effort. As I said above -everyone should sparkle at their prom! I can't wait to see what dresses are chosen and I look forward to designing custom swarovski crystal jewelry for these two lovely ladies. It's probably a good thing they are both from different school districts because with all the sparkle they'll be displaying that night, the two won't be able to be in the same room together!

Stay tuned for more details and the final designs......
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Tuesday, February 6, 2007

The Glittering Facts About Swarovski Crystals

pronounced: Swore-off-ski

Swarovski crystals are glitzy yet affordable and currently Swarovski offers more than 100,000 different shapes, colors, sizes, and facet styles, and their collection now includes more than 50,000 different articles.

~ The word crystal is based on the Greek word krystallos, derived from kryosk, meaning icy cold.

~ Performer Liberace had a piano encrusted with Swarovski crystals.

~ Marilyn Monroe wore a skin-tight evening gown dripping with 6,000 Swarovski crystals while singing "Happy Birthday" to John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in 1962. This dress fetched $1.2 million at a Christie's auction in 1999.

~The replicas of the British Crown Jewels are made with Swarovski crystals.

~ Swarovski was also a sponsor for The Phantom of the Opera (2004 film), in which the "standing model" of the chandelier was composed of Swarovski crystals. A Swarovski shop window is also visible later in the film.

I honestly don't know if I could even make a guess at my current Swarovski inventory -that's how big it is! Although I will admit I do remember most of the items listed above that used Swarovski crystals -guess that is what made them so memorable in the first place. Which is why virtually all my jewelry designs incorporate Swarovski crystals in some way, or are entirely made using them.
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Friday, February 2, 2007

NEW Hugs N' Kisses Crystal Heart Beaded Bracelet

Give the gift of both Hugs and Kisses with this beautiful handcrafted crystal Valentine's Day beaded bracelet.



















Hugs N' Kisses Swarovski Crystal Heart Beaded Bracelet (B021)
Desgin features ruby Swarovski Crystals, sterling silver X and O heart shaped beads with sterling spacers and finished with a heart toggle clasp. Measures 7-1/2".

Shop all Beaded Heart Jewelry
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Wednesday, January 17, 2007

2007 Golden Globe Awards -Steal The Style!

Personally, we think the best part of the whole Golden Globe Awards show is the red carpet!

What were we interested in -the fashions, of course! If you searched around the internet in the days following the awards you probably have noticed there was no shortage of 'fashion observations' -some say this person looked great, others say they didn't. Some said, these were the hot accessories -others disagreed.

Whatever your observations or preferences, if you are interested in owning accessories similar to some of the more popular ones worn on the red carpet, you'll find them here at Crystal Allure Beaded Jewelry Designs.














Take for example, Kyra Sedgewick (above). She wore a pair of long gold mini-chandelier earrings. You can get this similar style wearing the Diamond Blue Crystal Chandelier Earrings E090, which gives you a little color.














Sheryl Crow's (above) chandelier earrings are strinkingly similar to our Swarovski Garnet Filigree Chandelier Earrings. They are long, elegant and are designed with just a hint of color (although personally I think ours would match her outfit better!)

View the full Crystal Allure Beaded Jewelry Designs Collection
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Monday, January 15, 2007

NEW Dozen Red Roses Crystal Beaded Bracelet

These beautiful red roses will never die!




















Dozen Red Roses Swarovski Crystal Pearl Heart Beaded Bracelet (B072)
Handcrafted beaded bracelet features a dozen wire wrapped charms of red Swarovski Crystals, Swarovski Pearls and sterling silver rose beads on a sterling silver heart link chain bracelet. Measures 7-1/2".

Shop all Beaded Heart Jewelry
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Monday, January 8, 2007

New Ice Crystals Beaded Earrings

Winter is here -BBrrrr!! Why not warm up to the shimmer of Ice Crystals decorating your ears. These handmade beaded earrings were designed to mimic twinkling ice crystals, you know, the ones that form on your house as the snow melts and re-freezes. When light hits these earrings in just the right way, the shimmer it creates against the silver chain and crystals is what makes this design true to its name.


Ice Crystals Beaded Earrings
These 2-1/2" long stunning earrings were made using genuine Swarovski AB crystals, frosted accent beads, sterling silver chain and post earrings.

They are just the right touch for the most formal of outfits or to simply add a touch of glamour to a casual look. Wear them to work, go home and change your outfit for a night out and you never have to change your earrings! That is what is so fabulous about Ice Crystals -you can take them from day to evening and from season to season. They are truly a staple to have in any jewelry wardrobe.
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