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Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Sardonyx, Blue Goldstone and Tourmaline Gemstones Used in Bead Jewelry

I went to my first local bead show back in June and although I didn’t know what to expect, I certainly didn’t have any problems finding beads I liked. And it didn’t hurt that the show was held at a winery either!

For as much as I’ve read and heard from other artists about what to expect, and how to prepare for your first show, I didn’t set a budget or create a list of beads I wanted. I went with an open mind, mostly expecting to have more options for bead purchases than I can normally find locally. I was pleasantly surprised to not be overwhelmed with wall-to-wall beads. Tables were set up by type of bead, then by color and each group had a variety of shapes to choose from.

It goes without saying that I could have come up with a use for just about every bead I picked up, but after an initial scan of the beads available, I set to work finding beads that would work in a few partial creations I’ve had sitting around my studio for quite a while. Luckily, I was able to find just what I was looking for. I purchased a strand of Sardonyx and Blue Goldstone, as well as two strands of petite tourmaline nuggets.

I’ve always loved Goldstone for its added “sparkle” but when I found the Blue Goldstone I was in heaven. These beads have thousands of tiny copper particles that glitter against a dark blue background. As soon as I picked up the strand I had an idea for using them as these beads are absolutely stunning. They are subtle enough to wear everyday to work against a business suit, but easily transition to a night on the town with the most elegant of evening wear.

It’s been some time since I purchased these beads that I have been able to begin working with them (so many beads, so little time in the day!). BUT, the wait was good because just recently I visited a local bead store and found a spectacular Blue Goldstone pendant. For me, it was akin to the find of the century. I can’t wait to begin working with these beads to get them into a finished design….if the end product is anything like what I’m picturing in my head -I may not be able to part with it!

Below is a glimpse of the beads I purchased and although the picture does not do the Blue Goldstone justice -stay tuned for the finished design and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.


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Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Genuine Swarovski Crystal Used in Beaded Jewelry Designs

The World’s Finest.
Of the entire world’s crystal, Swarovski has the most sparkle and clarity.

Virtually all Crystal Allure jewelry uses genuine Daniel Swarovski crystal -either exclusively or in combination with other stones. Swarovski makes the world’s finest lead glass crystal and is a leader in jewelry component manufacturing as well as industrial glass and precision optics.

The Swarovski Company uses only high lead content crystal glass. Typically, a full thirty-two percent of the glass is lead and lead oxide. The presence of lead increases the glass’s refractive index, bringing it closer to the same sparkle that a diamond has. By cutting the glass in just the right way, internal reflection from inside the shiny surfaces of the glass cause the light to reflect internally. This internal reflection results in sparkle as the glass is tilted, adding to its beauty and to the beauty of your jewelry.

Aurora Borealis Effect (AB)

Jewelry made with AB crystals displays more colors. This shimmering prism effect is caused by the reflections of light from surrounding colors in the environment. Think of the extra sparkle your jewelry would have if it was coated in millions of microscopic mirrors. This is the jewelry effect you get with Austrian Swarovski crystals coated in Aurora Borealis.

During the 1950’s the Daniel Swarovski company made important advances in the development of its crystal production. It experimented with manufacturing processes in which the stones were coated with wafer thin metal particles in order to increase their sparkle. This process required the material to be steamed in a vacuum. In 1956 Manfred Swarovski, the grandson of the company’s founder, created the Aurora Borealis effect which shimmers in every color of the rainbow.

To this day, Swarovski continues to demand the highest possible quality of their products to distinguish themselves from the rest of the market. They are incredibly secretive about their processes. Even their workers in the factories do not see what other workers are doing so that they cannot share any secrets with others.

So when you are ordering crystal jewelry, and you want that extra shimmer, ask for the Austrian Swarovski Aurora Borealis crystal.

Crystal Allure Beaded Jewelry always uses genuine Swarovski Crystals in their handmade beaded jewelry designs.
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Crystal Allure Supports American Cancer Society Charity Auction

We are once again pleased this year to participate in the 2nd Annual American Cancer Society “Toast to Hope” charity event (2008). This event celebrates breast cancer survivors, honors those who have lost the fight, and raises money for breast cancer research and support programs.

This year we donated the Sterling Southwestern Swarovski Crystal Lariat Necklace for the silent auction.The lucky winner of this handmade bead necklace will truly love its delicate chain, dazzling crystals and feminine details.
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Friday, March 7, 2008

Custom Rose Garden Crystal Lampwork Bead Necklace

A lovely lady, visiting Rochester from Tennessee, had visited my booth at the 2007 Chil-E Festival and purchased the Crystal Rose Garden Lampwork Bead Bracelet and matching earrings. I included my business card with her purchase and the next day she called me to request a coordinating necklace. I was very happy to create this custom piece for her and immediately had a design in mind.

I very much appreciated her calling so soon after the show because she was only in Rochester until August 6th. So I quickly set off to the local bead store to be sure I could still obtain the special Rose Lampwork bead used in this design. Luck was on my side and soon I was in my studio working on the design.

The Crystal Rose Garden Lampwork Bead Bracelet had been strung and the earrings were wire-wrapped to the french ear wires. But for the necklace I really wanted to give it an added elegance using a wire-wrapping technique for the entire necklace. I kept with the overall theme sequence of the bracelet but just jazzed it up a bit with some small bead sequence changes. I made sure to make it adjustable up to 18-1/2″ for the best fit and I had completed the design within a few nights.

My customer was so very happy I was able to get a necklace made and was very appreciative. As well, I was thankful she allowed me to create a custom design for her to treasure well into the future. I hope she had a wonderful time in Rochester and has a safe trip back home.

Custom Rose Garden Necklace


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Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Free Jewelry Article Submission Opportunity

If you love to write or ever wanted to become a writer, you can gain valuable exposure by submitting a free handmade jewelry article to the BeadedJewelry-Blog. Here’s how it works:

Submit an article that is written to target women ages 30-50 on the topics of jewelry, fashion and/or birthstones. The article must “flow” in its topic, be easy to read and free of grammatical errors. Please minimize emphasis of words and do not write in all capital letters.

If accepted, a summary of your article will appear in the jewelry newsletter for Crystal Allure Beaded Jewelry Designs and will contain a direct link back to the BeadedJewelry-Blog to allow our readers to read the entire article. As well, a link to your bio and/or website will also be made available.

Please submit the following:

~Article Title (75 characters or less)

~Article Author (50 characters or less)

~Article Summary (300 characters or less)

~Full Article Text (200-1500 characters)

~Website Title (75 characters or less)

~Website URL

~Website Description (250 characters or less)

~Author Bio (200 characters or less)

If you have photographs/images (maximum 350×350) for your article, please provide either a photograph or image URL (such as Photobucket) via email (after prior approval).
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