Every other Friday or so, my mother and I head out to do some window shopping. It is a great tradition and we both love spending the time together (and doing the shopping!). Well this Friday, we had something in mind that we wanted to buy. Swarovski crystal! Because a friend of ours is a great collector of Swarovski crystal and her birthday is just around the corner, mom and I decided to buy her a piece of Swarovski crystal for the occasion. Well, we hadn’t counted on the selection of Swarovski crystal available to us.

The beauty of Swarovski crystal is unmatched. The distinctive cuts, broad spectrum of colors and selection set Swarovski crystal apart from all other crystal manufacturers. Swarovski crystal jewelry enthusiasts can find Swarovski crystal bangles and bracelets, Swarovski crystal earrings, necklaces and pendants, pins, rings and even tiaras. This is not to mention the many Swarovski crystal home goods, figurines and specialty items. Mom and I were stumped.

Of course being the shoppers that we are and after some time we finally found what we wanted: a pretty little Swarovski crystal pendant. It’s gorgeous! And you know what; I really think our friend is going to love it.

Millefiori, also known as ‘1000 flowers is a glass design characterized by a mosaic flowerlike pattern. The Millefiori technique is used to make pendants, beads, paperweights and other glass products. The most popular Millefiori item is a pendant

History of Millefiori Pendants

Millefiori Pendants are made using murrine, or slender, multicolored glass canes. Murrine are fused together to create Millefiori pendants. The use of murrine rods can be traded back to Ancient Rome, Phoenician and Alexandrine times though the Millefiori technique was developed in Murano, Italy in the 15th century.

The Millefiori technique was created by altering another glassmaking method. Until the 15th century, glassmakers were producing beads from Rosetta canes. Rosetta canes have a center hole. The technique involves layering six layers of glass (white, blue, white, brick red, white then blue) over a hollow cane creating patterns of 5 concentric stars with twelve points. Beads are created when Rosetta canes are chopped. Millefiori was born when glassmakers produced Rosetta using a cane with no hole. Millefiori is made using a seemingly endless amount of colors and layers.

Creating a Millefiori Pendant

To create a Millefiori pendant, glass rod is coated with layers of different colored glass. This creates the intricate Millefiori design. The rod is furnace heated to fuse the layers of glass. After re-heating, the rod is pulled very thin. The trick is to maintain the original Millefiori design. After cooling, the rod is sliced then placed in metal rings, creating the Millefiori pendant.

Creating a Millefiori pendant is an extensive process. Each Millefiori pendant is handmade one by one making every Millefiori pendant one of a kind. Millefiori pendants come in many styles and sizes. They’re beautiful!

Whichever Millefiori pendant you buy, you’re sure to love it!

Recently I was asked by a reader what kind of wire to use in making a charm ring. I had forgotten how difficult choosing the right gauge of wire really is. Although there are few rules set in stone, I thought I would provide you with some basic wire information to help you on your way to jewelry making. Of course, the more comfortable you become with working with wire, the more you should feel free to experiment. Making jewelry is fun and creative, so have fun and get creative!

Wire Hardness

There are three different forms of wire hardness. These are dead soft, half-hard, and full-hard.

Dead soft wire is extremely soft and pliable. It can be bent with your hands. Dead soft wire is great for wire-sculpted jewelry but shouldn’t be used with large or heavy stones. Also, remember that dead soft wire is significantly more fragile than a harder wire.

Half-hard wire is slightly harder than dead soft wire. This is because it has been pulled through a draw plate. A draw plate is a tool. The draw plate has holes the same size and shape of the wire.

Full-hard wire is pulled through the draw plate more times than the half-hard wire making it stiffer and sturdier. The harder the wire, the more tools you will need to manipulate it.

Wire Shape

Wire comes in a variety of shapes. These include round, square, and half-round. Although round wire tends to be more versatile, square and half-round wire is wonderful too. Half round wire is often wrapped around other pieces of wire to connect them whereas square wire is great for wire-wrapping projects.

Wire Size

There are many different wire sizes. The higher the gauge number, the smaller the wire is in diameter. For example, a 20 gauge piece of wire thicker than a 24 gauge piece of wire. In the United States, wire is measured in gauge while wire size is measured in millimeters in most European countries. Below is just a basic list.

26 – 24 gauge (.40mm - .50mm)
This size wire is great for beads with tiny holes. An ounce of 26 gauge wire gives you about 76 feet of wire whereas an ounce of 24 gauge wire gives you about 48 feet of wire.

22 – 21 gauge (.65mm - .71mm)
22 and 21 gauge wire is a necessity to have around as they are pretty thick and can be used with most beads. One ounce of 22 gauge wire gives you about 31 feet whereas one ounce of 21 gauge wire is about 24 feet of wire.

20 gauge (.80mm)
This is a thick wire. 20 gauge wire is great for making clasps and other pieces of jewelry which need to be strong but still easy to work with. One ounce of 20 gauge wire gives you about 19 feet.

Try out different kinds of wire for different projects to get a sense of what you like. Make your own style and most of all, have a great time!

Murano glass beads are arguably the most stunningly fabulous beads in the world. Considering the intricate designs, brilliant colors and careful craftsmanship of Murano glass beads, it’s no wonder the world loves Murano glass beads. Murano glass beads are gorgeous!

The creation of Murano glass beads is a labor of love. The most famous Murano glass beads are made one by one. With this method, colored cane is heated to a molten state and wrapped around a metal rod until the bead is formed. Several layers of colored glass are applied for the perfect effect. Finally, the glass bead is cooled and removed from the rod. Murano glass beads are crafted with the utmost care.

There are many different Murano glass beads. The most popular murano glass beads are Chevron, Wedding Cake, Millefiore and Venetian Foil. These designs boast widely different styles. Whereas a Murano Chevron bead is distinguished by red, white blue zig-zags, Murano glass Wedding Cake beads are decorated with intricate glass overlays featuring roses, swirls and dots. Murano Millefiore glass beads are vibrant and abstract while Venetian Foil beads are elegant and sophisticated, fusing vivid color with gold and silver foil.

Whichever Murano glass beads you choose, you can be sure it will be beautiful. Murano glass beads are always unique and crafted with the utmost care.

Since I just made my own traditional charm bracelet, I thought I’d make my own charm ring too!

A charm ring is a great way to accentuate a charm bracelet or charm necklace (yes you can make a charm necklace). A charm ring is also quick and easy to make.

Lets get started!

Charm Ring Supplies

You’ll need some supplies before you begin making your charm ring. These include one spool of 18- or 24-gauge wire, needle nose pliers with cutter, small jump rings, assorted charms, beads or buttons and a ring sizer if you want that perfect fit. Although sterling silver wire is preferred for your charm ring, it isn’t necessary.

Directions for Making a Charm Ring

To begin, cut off an 18-inch piece of wire. To shape the charm ring’s base, you can use either your finger or a ring sizer. Wrap the wire around four or five times to create a charm ring band.

• For a thicker charm ring band, use a longer piece of wire.

Next, straighten the end of the extra charm ring wire. Position the raw end of the wire at the top of the charm ring’s base. Wrap the extra wire around the band of the charm ring to cover the raw wire end and pull it tight.

Straighten the remaining wire of the charm ring tail. If you want dangling charms on your charm ring, feed the wire through the small jump ring. Secure it to the top of the charm ring so the jump ring stands upright.*

• Make sure the wire end is wedged between wire layers so you don’t get pricked while wearing your charm ring.

Your almost there! You can already see how pretty your charm ring is going to be!

Finally, add beads or charms to small head pins. Attach the head pins to the jump ring by bending the wire over the jump ring with needle nose pliers. For a wilder charm ring look, add lots of charms. For a cleaner charm ring, use fewer.

There you go girls. You just made your own beautiful, homemade charm ring!

• If you don’t want a charm ring dangle, just feed the wire through a bead, button or charm of your choice.

Charm bracelets are fun to wear.  Recently, as I was cleaning my drawers and cabinets, I came across all sorts of odds and ends: a single earring, a ring with no stone, a pretty bead, some sea glass, buttons, shells, little bells and other things.  The idea came to me that I should create a homemade charm bracelet.

I’m sure glad I did!  I love my new homemade charm bracelet!

Because I had so much fun making my charm bracelet, I thought I would tell you how you can make a homemade charm bracelet too.

How to make your own charm bracelet:

You’ll need some supplies to begin making your charm bracelet.  You’ll need a strand of thick chain about 7 inches long for your charm bracelet chain.  You can find your charm bracelet chain at any jewelry store.  You’ll also need about 25-30 medium sized jump rings, 25-30 2 inch long eye pins, needle nose pliers with a cutter, your charms, some beads and a hand drill for your charm bracelet if you want to drill holes in any of your charms that don’t have one.

The next step in making a charm bracelet is visionary.  This is when you decide the look of your charm bracelet.  Sort your charms according to size, color, style or whatever you choose. Try to create a sense of congruency in your charm bracelet.  Lay your charms in a row and switch them around, trying different charm bracelet looks. 

You’ve now chose the look of your charm bracelet!

For the next step in making your charm bracelet, add the smallest charms, then the beads to the eye pins with your pliers. Continue stringing beads onto more eye pins to attach to your charm bracelet.

You will already see your charm bracelet coming together!

To assemble your charm bracelet, connect a jump ring to each charm, using the pliers to attach it to a charm bracelet link.  Keep your charms in order.  To fill in your charm bracelet, add the beaded eye pins. For a busier look, add more beads to your charm bracelet.  For a cleaner look, add fewer beads to your charm bracelet.

However you design your charm bracelet, your sure to love it!

I was recently given some helpful beading advice in regards to off-center beading.  Since I’d been holding onto a beautiful sterling-silver gemstone clasp for quite sometime, I decided to put the newfound advice to good beading use. 

The plan: Beading an asymmetrical, multi-strand necklace with the clasp as the focal point. 

Now if you’re unfamiliar with beading an off-center, asymmetrical design, I’m here to tell you it’s a beading challenge!  The weight must be balanced when beading. 

For this necklace, I was told to think of the necklace as a single strand of beads going all the way around with the beautiful clasp as the right or left focal point.  Beading several strands of beads to the opposite side (weigh your beads!) would counterbalance the weight. 

The counter balancing side of the necklace could be varied lengths, a twist of beads, or another creative beading design.  Either way, it should be large enough to give the asymmetrical look. The heavier the focal piece the more beading I’d have to do to the opposite side. 

A test of my beading ability!

Although I faced some difficulties while beading my new necklace, I’m happy to say it was a beading victory.  The necklace is beautiful and I have new beading skills to boot.  Get creative girls, get beading!

Wanting to celebrate my birthday with a bang, I decided to spend two weeks in Italy this year. Italy is one of my favorite places in the world. With the pasta, wine, people, language, landscape and style how you a girl not love Italy? I had a wonderful trip!

As you may know, I love beading. I especially love beading with Murano glass beads. That said, I decided to visit the island of Murano, home of Murano glass beads. While there I visited a Murano glass factory where Murano glass beads are made.

I learned so much on my trip that I thought I’d write a little about the Murano glass beads I saw:

Murano Glass Lampwork Beads
Most Murano glass beads are made using the lampwork technique. Murano glass wedding cake beads, decorated with glass overlays and Murano glass Venetian foil beads are just two examples of this kind of bead.

Ever since I was little I have loved to collect shells.  Anytime I went to the beach I made sure to search around for the prettiest shells on the beach to add to my collection.  I still do this today.  Well, you can imagine how many shells I have gathered over the years!  Everywhere in my apartment there are vases and cups and jars and bowls just overflowing with these pretty shells.  I love them!

For some time now I have thought this a sad way to display my shells.  Given my love of jewelry and beading, I have always hoped to make jewelry from my favorite shells but have felt a bit afraid of the task.  Not only did I not want to harm my shells, I was afraid that the jewelry just wouldn’t turn out nice. 

Well, a couple weeks ago there arrived in the mail an invitation for a ‘sea-themed’ party that will be taking place in a month or so.  Thinking about what to wear I realized that the outfit wouldn’t be a problem, but the jewelry, well the jewelry was another matter altogether.  Sure I could go buy or even make a lei, or purchase an inexpensive shell necklace, but it seemed to me that this just wasn’t going to do.  It certainly wouldn’t make much of an impact and really, people expect me to wear interesting and unique jewelry. 

Looking about my apartment I decided to take the plunge and make my own jewelry using some of the shells I have collected over the years.  Gathering all my beading supplies and my handy dandy electric drill (a Christmas gift from my father because as he said “every single woman should have a drill at her disposal”), I set to work. 

First I had to choose my shells.  Black and pearly white, multicolored, large, medium and small sizes, there were hundreds and hundreds to choose from!   Finally, after hours and hours, I picked the shells I wanted to use for a necklace, bracelet and earrings, choosing different shapes, sizes and colors for effect. 

Using the teeny tiniest drill bit in my set, I made little holes in the shells exactly where I wanted them and began to bead my shells.  After only four hours, I had completed my first full set of shell jewelry and you know what, it’s beautiful! 

Now I have set to work on other special pieces for my friends, family and loved ones.  I am so glad I took the plunge into ‘shelling,’ I’m just certain my new jewelry is going to make a real splash at the party!

In observance of our most recent tradition, Mary Beth, Jackie and I set out in the Sunday morning sunshine for a leisurely breakfast of mind-blowing sweet and syrupy blueberry pancakes at a local hipster diner. 

Of course, Jackie was running late (as she is has a tendency to do) so MaryBeth and I patiently idled in Jackie’s teeny driveway for almost an hour, chatting about this and that, fashion, family and other things.  When Jackie finally emerged, the reason she was running so late became apparent.  As usual she wowed us, looking fabulous in her summery floral body-tight dress, perfectly coordinated sandals, bag and gems.  That girl is so glamorous! 

Anyways, it was fortunate that Jackie was tardy.  As it turned out, and much to our surprise (because we always stay on top of the local arty crafty events in our area), we happened upon the commencement of a crafts fair on the way to breakfast.  Being the crafty, accessorizing women that we are, we just had to stop and check out all the handmade goodies (despite our growing anticipation over blueberry pancakes). 

Well, between the unique designs of necklaces and bracelets beautifully crafted with Murano glass beads, quirky key chains and sexy body jewelry, the three of us were over the moon. 

We spent hours looking over this and that, talking to the artists and generally having a great time.  I found the perfect jewelry set to go with a brand new dress I just bought and MaryBeth discovered a pretty little freshwater pearl bracelet for her 8 year old niece.  Jackie of course bought the most: jewelry to accentuate her various outfits.  Between the three of us, we had so many bags that we were all a bit embarrassed. 

It was after 1:00 by the time we actually left the fair, goodies in hand.  We were famished.  You know what though, after all that shopping; those blueberry pancakes had never tasted better.  We’d put in a hard days work and darn if we didn’t deserve them!