28.12.09 / Blog / Author: admin / Comments Off
As a jewelry making teacher, I often talk to ladies who want to learn how to make jewelry, but they aren't sure how to get started. I can understand this because it isn't always obvious from looking at jewelry pieces to know what would be easy to make, and what would be difficult to make.
Like most things, if you jump in to soon and work on something you're not ready for, you will probably end up being frustrated, start to think you can't do it, and quit. My suggestion is always to crawl before you walk before you run. That way you can quickly build confidence in your abilities and you will enjoy seeing yourself improve as you start to take on more challenging jewelry making projects.
From my experience with new students the best way to learn to crawl when it comes to jewelry making is to learn simple bead stringing techniques first. Doing so will get you comfortable with simple jewelry making techniques, materials, and tools before you move on to try something more difficult. And the nice thing is that you can still make a lot of very beautiful jewelry pieces even with simple bead weaving techniques.
For the most part, bead stringing simply involves running a thin wire or a nylon filament string (that's where the word "stringing" comes from) through the holes in an assortment of beads to create beautiful necklaces, bracelets, or anklets. With all the colors and types of beads available these days the number of different jewelry pieces you can make is virtually limitless.
To complete your jewelry stringing pieces you just need to learn a few simple finishing techiques like how to add a jump ring and a clasp so that you can wear the jewelry piece. You can master those finishing techniques in a short period of time. Once you've done that you will be equipped to create some very nice handcrafted jewelry pieces in no time at all.
05.11.09 / Blog / Author: admin / Comments Off
Silver is a white metal that is soft, which makes it highly malleable. It is easy to draw out into thin wire or made into different shapes. It is very attractive when used in jewelry because it can be polished to a high shine that ill reflect 95% of the light that shines on it. The use of silver for jewelry and ornaments has existed in the world since the time of the ancient civilizations. Egyptian writings dated about 3000B.C. referred to the use of silver jewelry and in 77 A.D. Pliny the Elder, a Roman writer, actually described in his writings the process by which the silver jewelry was made. The discovery of large silver deposits in Central and South America during the 16th and 17th centuries sparked the quest for silver in the New World. In fact, there were large silver mining operations in place in Mexico and Bolivia as early as the middle of the 1500's.
Pure silver is not used in the manufacture of silver jewelry because it is too soft. Silver jewelry usually contains alloys because they are harder and resist tarnishing much better than pure silver. The silver alloy that most people are familiar with is sterling silver. Sterling silver jewelry contains approximately 93% silver and 7 % copper. Silver and copper are closely related and when they are combined, the silver does not react when it is exposed to the air. Some other kinds ofsilver jewelry contain a higher percentage of copper and also have traces of gold.
Silver jewelry is not as expensive as gold jewelry, perhaps because silver itself is fairly inexpensive. Many people prefer sterling silver jewelry to gold because of the price and the fact that it often looks to be shinier gold and therefore is more noticeable.
08.09.09 / Blog / Author: admin / Comments Off
Author: Kingfisher
Clean jewelry looks better and keeps its finish better than dirty jewelry. Cleaners and cleaning methods can damage your jewelry. Ask your jeweler, when you buy a new piece what is the best way to clean the jewelry. Here are a few do’s and don’ts and some tips to help you keep your jewelry looking its best.
Do
* Store your jewelry individually wrapped or in a box with compartments so they don’t scratch each other
* Use an Ionic cleaner if you can find one even on opals, pearls and emeralds
* Use a soft cloth to colean porous gems like lapis, turquoise, jade and malachite
* Avoid heat and strong light on your Opals because it can dry them out
* Put a ring holder next to the sink to catch your rings while washing your hands so they don’t wander down the drain.
Don’t
* Use a sonic cleaner on anything but diamonds, rubies, sapphires, gold and silver without consulting the manufacturer of your jewelry
* Get lotion, perfumes, oils or other chemicals on your jewelry.
* Wear your jewelry when it might be subject to sharp blows or chemicals as in cleaning, gardening or playing sports
* Wear Kunzite or Zircon in sunlight as it could cause them to fade.
* Use paper towels for cleaning as they can scratch your gold or silver.
Tips for Cleaning your Jewelry
1. Clean your earring posts and wires with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer
2. Try a Water Pik® to clean imbedded materials in chains.
3. Diamonds are brittle and can be chipped, so wear them with care.
4. Check with your jeweler to see if your stones are treated and what special care must be given to treated stones.
5. Don’t wear your metals in a swimming pool as the chlorine is not good for them.
6. Your stones can crack if they are subjected to sudden temperature changes.
7. Soap film can dull your jewelry
Source: Free Articles
07.07.09 / Blog / Author: admin / Comments Off
Author: Muna wa Wanjiru
I am sure that you love to buy and wear fantastic pieces of jewelry. You can buy all of your jewelry from jewelry stores in traditional high street and department stores. Today you also have the choice of buying all of your jewelry needs from online jewelry stores. These online jewelry stores are in many ways similar to the regular jewelry stores.
When you look on the internet you will see that you have a wide choice of online jewelry stores that you can buy the various jewelry that you want from. These online jewelry stores will feature costume jewelry, fashion jewelry and traditional jewelry designs. In addition to these there are online jewelry stores where you can buy hip-hop jewelry as well as the other jewelry that is in this style range.
With these hip-hop online jewelry stores you can see the various styles like iced out jewelry and what is known as bling-bling jewelry that are part of the hip-hop jewelry range. These types of jewelry are not the only ones that you can find when you look for jewelry on the various online jewelry stores. As with the regular high street jewelry stores you can find online jewelry stores that have expensive designer jewelry, diamond studded jewelry and other expensive jewelry sets.
You will be able to buy bridesmaid jewelry from the various online jewelry stores that deal exclusively with bridal jewelry and bridesmaid jewelry. These are excellent places for you to choose the type of bridal jewelry and jewelry that you want to have for your wedding. These types of elegant and beautiful jewelry are not limited to bridal jewelry alone. Instead you will find that some of these online jewelry stores can sell you a wide range of jewelry from different countries.
While some of these jewelry can be termed ethnic jewelry, and these jewelry from other countries will just enhance the beauty of the various other pieces of jewelry that you have. Therefore you should choose the various jewelry that will look stunning on you. These types of jewelry can be bought from online jewelry stores also. The best way for you to choose jewelry from the vast range in these online jewelry stores is for you to look at the many different selections that can be gotten from these stores.
When you are satisfied that you have found a piece of jewelry that you want you will need to look at the different ways that you can buy these jewelry pieces that you want from that online jewelry store. Online jewelry stores make the selection process so much easier and with their wide selection you are bound to find something that you will absolutely want to wear.
Source: articlesbase.com