Making Your Own Bead Jewelry
Creating your own bead jewelry is a creative hobby that allows you to produce unique pieces for yourself, family and friends. Here is how you can get started. If you ever asked yourself “couldn’t I do that myself?” as you looked through rows of bead bracelets, necklaces or earrings at a trendy boutique, the answer is “yes”. Beading is a creative and entertaining hobby that not only will have you produce unique, handmade items of jewelry, but will also be a great source of gift ideas for family and friends. The first step would be to find a good local bead shop. While there are wonderful mail order catalogs and websites that will sell you all the supplies, nothing substitutes for the support and advice of experienced sales personnel. Ideally, this store would also offer a number of beginners’ classes that would help you learn basic techniques (if there is no bead shop in your town, some introductory books such as The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Beading will have to do). Start with a simple project, such as a bracelet or basic necklace, and do not go overboard with expensive beads and findings (clasps, hooks, etc.). You might be wanting to use Swarovski crystal, sterling silver and semi-precious beads right now, but you can work up to that...
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Designing Beaded Jewelry for Friends and Relatives
The most meaningful gifts that I have received in my life are those that my close friends and relatives have made for me. There is something very special about opening a present and knowing that not only did that person spend their time searching for just the right things to go into it but they also crafted it with their very own hands! It’s something like the difference between a home cooked meal and a restaurant one: subtle but undeniable. One of the important things to keep in mind when you are designing jewelry for someone is their personal taste. I know it may sound obvious but how many times have you received a gift and thought, “Well, it’s nice enough but isn’t this more like something they would wear, eat, listen to, watch, etc,” It’s very easy to get carried away when you are designing something and think, “Oh, these delicate diamond beads look gorgeous with these elegant sapphire briolettes! I ‘ll use them together.” However, when you are designing for someone who would prefer chunky amethyst nuggets beads and huge keishi pearls even though the piece you design with the diamond beads and sapphire briolettes might be stunning they might not appreciate it quite as much as you do. Therefore the first thing to consider when you are designing...
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