When you hear the word “beads,” do you immediately think of jewelry? Or do you think of Rosary beads or some other non-jewelry use of beads–beaded dresses, headbands, belts? Perhaps you think of a country and western outfit, a studded, head-to-toe piece of jewelry.

The first thought that enters your mind when you hear the word “beads” may date you and give away your age faster than physical attributes. If you’re a product of the 50′s, your mind may wander to pop beads, those plastic pull apart, pop together baubles that have risen in value from pennies to $20, $30 or more. If you’re a product of the 60′s, you may think of “love beads,” which complemented the long-haired, unkempt look, or your mind may wander to the long strands of beads that once adorned inside doorways in Haight Ashbury with sounds of The Mamas and the Papas blaring in the background. Thanks to television, it’s difficult to forget the beaded belts of the 70s.

From Ancient Trade to Modern Computer Applications

Beads predate the mid-20th century by eons. Remember the abacus? Of course, you can’t actually remember back 2000 years unless you possess powers unknown to this author, but you can remember learning about the abacus in school. In Europe, Venetian glass beads and German metal beads served as currency in trade as early as the 16th century. Beads also played a central role in Native American jewelry.

Bohemia (aptly named) was the center of the European bead trade from as far back as the Middle Ages. Through the twists and turns of history, bead making moved to Bavaria and now, has once again found its home in the Chezk Republic, in the Bohemia area, home of Swarovski Austrian crystals.

In 1990, Native American traditional beadwork intersected with computer sciences. Several college campuses introduced a pilot program in which beadwork shaped the foundation for courses AutoCad and other design program courses for Native American students. The popularity and applicability of these courses continues today.

Modern Beads

Now that we’ve strolled down memory lane and taken a quick look at vintage beads, beads no longer in production, where do beads fit into today’s jewelry scene? They’re everywhere you look from casual chokers and necklaces to fine Swarovski Austrian crystal designs.

Think beyond a single strand of beads. Start by thinking of a single strand of beads from which a pendant dangles. From there, think pins–yes, pins adorned with beads, beaded bracelets, barrettes, earrings, etc. In fact, think beyond jewelry to purses and other accessories. If you look closely at your surroundings, you’ll find beads everywhere.

The Many Faces of Beads

Another thing that you might rethink is the composition and shape of beads. Today’s beads come in a myriad of shapes and materials, with Austrian crystal topping the list. Today’s look du jour of transparent, translucent and iridescent beads don the bodies of the rich and famous along with everyday mortals. Venetian glass beads often encapsulate swirls within the beads for a unique, timeless quality.

The latest in fashion trends includes little beaded silk purses. While you wouldn’t want to cover yourself in head-to-toe beads unless you’re auditioning for a singing gig in Nashville, a silk beaded purse with a complementary beaded necklace turns an ordinary evening outfit into a walking work of art.

Open your eyes and look for one-of-a-kind, handmade beaded jewelry. It’s everywhere, and it’s calling your name.

M J Plaster is a successful author who provides information on shopping online for beads and jewelry in general. M J Plaster has been a commercial freelance writer for almost two decades, most recently specializing in home and garden, the low-carb lifestyle, investing, and anything that defines la dolce vita.

Author: M J Plaster
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Transform your world with wholesale beads. With them you’ll unearth a world of possibilities that is limited only by your ingenuity. Add a unique sense of style to everything from shoes to jackets. Below you’ll find some quick tips and ideas that will have you beading like a pro in no time. 

Jewelry

Glass beads come in several different colors and designs. You can also find turquoise and pearl beads each in a plethora of sizes, shapes and pendants. It’s best to purchase them at wholesale for a discounted price and a larger quantity to experiment with. Once you’ve figured out the kind of beads and colors you want, the fun can begin. Necklaces can be made to include any pattern imaginable. Put together a wild assortment of swirled glass bead to make a bright choker. Don’t want to make a necklace, try assembling a bracelet or anklet. With the variety of beads you’ve bought, a hundred different styles of jewelry can be made. You’ll have an accessory for any occasion, for any outfit. Diagrams can be found online to help you make the more complicated pieces. Practice and diligence will help you find a unique style that won’t be replicable in any store. If you follow these jewelry tips, your fashionability will never be stale.

Youth Groups

Volunteering with a youth group is a wonderful way to spend your and concurrently give back to the community. Arts and crafts are always an activity that goes over well. Wholesale beads are an inexpensive way to boost the kids’s artistic confidence.  They can make key chains to give their parents as gifts; remember, Father’s day is coming up. Another good idea is making animals, like lizards or elephants, out of beads. Instructions can be found online with a quick Google search. This will help grow the kids’s imagination without costing the youth organization a hefty sum. A myriad of beads, both in type and color, will ensure none of the kids have similar designs. These activities are guaranteed to result in a good time that simultaneously produces art the kids will be proud of.

Beaded Life

Wholesale beads work great for sprucing up a jacket. Hang the beads from fringe or glue them to lapels. Take a tip from the youth group section, make a beaded animal and attach it to the back of a jean jacket or backpack. Are your shoe laces coming undone? Fix a few beads at the end of them and they’re good as new. If you’re feeling adventurous make a landscape using different beads. With the right perspective and sequence of beads, you can make a beautiful sunset. At the right angle it will look three dimensional. Using wholesale beads will affect the aesthetic of your entire life. The art you create will enhance your attitude and worldly perception. 

Tap into your creative vein with wholesale beads.  You’ll be taking a unique stance on fashion with your personally crafted jewelry or clothing. Wholesale beads are a great way to begin working with arts and crafts. There’s no telling where your beaded designs will take you. Working with beads of any style and shape will help you discover your inner artist. 

Sedona Stones offers wholesale beads to jewelry artists, hobbyists, resellers and everyone else. You can find beading patterns, supplies and guides to spark your creative side. Make sure to check out the ever expanding glass beads section.

Author: Daniel Cruse
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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I was in my local bead shop the other day and browsing through all the new pendendants they had gotten in when I saw a woman on the other side of the table who was piling on pieces like there was no tomorrow. Most of them were cross pendants of one form or another, most were sterling silver but a few were made of jade or some other colored stone. I said hello and we started talking. It turns out she was teaching a class at the local senior center on how to make your own prayer beads just in time for Easter. But then she told me that she normally makes her own Rosaries and regularly sells them at craft shows and church bazaars!

I came home and started looking into this and it turns out the the Rosary is just one of many different types of prayer beads one can use in a variety of different faiths and religions.

In fact, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam many different faiths of Christianity and even some Native American and African faiths and cultures all use different types of prayer beads! And since over 75% of all Americans claim to follow some sort of faith, whether it be an organized church or simply a belief system, it would only make sense that a lot of people would be interested in beads which could help them celebrate their spirituality.

Prayer Bead are not really bead jewelry in the typical fashion sense, but rather the beads are usually used as a counting mechanism where the person says a prayer or thinks about certain things for each bead on the string. Prayer beads can be made out of just about any material, including cheaper material like glass and plastics to more expensive materials like crystal, stone and some unique wood.

There are lots of bead jewelry artisans making prayer beads on the Internet, but not very many are going to craft shows or local artist fairs. This means the market is wide open if you’re going to try to expand your jewelry business with prayer beads.

If you’re going to make prayer beads then I suggest you pick you craft shows carefully, do your homework and think carefully about packaging. You’ll want to make sure you are creating bead pieces that are faithful to whatever faith the beads are used by, and you might want to go to a local house of worship and show your wares to the people in charge there. Some churches and other places of worship will even bless your items for a nominal donation!

Prayer beads in particular often come with sample prayers, instructions on use or even a written history of the prayer bead tradition for a particular faith. I suggest you carefull research this and always include something written with each set of prayer beads you sell. You could even put that information on the back of one of your business cards for repeat business!

Laura Kay runs http://www.beadboard.net, a Bead Jewelry Resources Blog that highlights bead jewelry resources, supplies, artisans, design ideas and more! She is a bead jewelry artist who delights in exploring all aspects of bead jewelry, from new ideas to new designs to new trends in what is hot now.

Author: Laura Kay
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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I have always enjoyed making things from scratch. It feels good building something with your bare hands and maybe even saving a few bucks along the way. In this article, I will attempt to show you a simple way to make beads from scratch. It takes a little practice to get good at this, but after a few tries I am confident you will be a pro. Making beads from scratch can be done relatively easy. I am even going to show you how you can make them from newspaper! So lets begin by making a list of what is needed to accomplish this:

1. Newspaper
2. Glue
3. A Pot
4. Sandpaper
5. A Drill
6. Varnish
7. Craft Paint

After you have gathered your supplies, you can begin the process of making beads from scratch. The first thing you will want to do is take the newspaper that you have gathered in step 1 and rip it into small pieces. Once you have many pieces of paper ripped into small pieces you will need to place them in a Pot. You want to get some boiling water and pour it into the Pot just enough to cover all the paper. After you have completed that, you are going to want to leave it sit for around an hour before continuing.

Next, after it has sat for around an hour, you are going to want to stir it up a bit to help break down the paper. Additionally, you are also going to want to drain as much water as you possible out of the paper. You are then going to want to add some glue to the paper. You want to add enough so that the paper can be molded into ball shape. You are free to use any glue that is clear after it has dried. I usually just use PVA glue, it has always worked just fine for me. After you have applied the glue, you can begin rolling the paper into ball shapes. You can make them any size that you would like. After you have done so, you are going to want to let them sit for a few days. During this time you can occasionally roll them to remove even more water.

After the waiting period is over, you will want to have your sand paper handy. You want to sand each individual bead down slightly, just to remove the rough edges. You can then drill a hole in each bead in order to make room for any material that you would like to string them with. You can apply whatever color paint that you want in order to add some aesthetic appeal. Finally, after you have painted them, you will want to add a coat of varnish to each bead to complete the process.

It is really that simple. You can imagine the infinite selection of beads that you could create using this method. I have accumulated a rather large collection of these homemade beads and I really think some of them are pretty neat. It took me a few times to get the hang of it, but it is really not such a difficult time at all.

Joseph Affner enjoys writing articles on a variety of subjects including, but not limited too, arts and crafts, gardening, and scrapbooking. Check out two recent articles by Joseph about finding the best places to purchase 3mm beads and Bicone Beads.

Author: Joseph Affner
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Have you always wanted to create your own beaded ornaments but have little experience with bead work? Provided in this article are some simple tips that will help you create stunning and beautiful hand made beaded Christmas ornaments that will make your home more festive this holiday season.

If you have never made bead Christmas ornaments, you will first need to select either a pattern or a kit. There are many kits available that typically include the beads, needle, thread, glue and any other materials required to begin making bead Christmas ornaments. The next step is to assemble the proper tools.

Tools Needed for Your Hand Made Christmas Ornaments

Pliers are the most important tool for getting started in making your hand made bead Christmas ornaments. Important pliers that are used with bead making include Flat Nose Pliers, Round Nose Pliers, Chain Nose Pliers, Crimp Nose Pliers, and Split Ring Pliers.

Another tool you will need is a good pair of wire cutters. If you are making wire bead Christmas ornaments, then wire cutters are absolutely essential. When selecting wire cutters it is important to select the appropriate strength wire cutter for the wire that you will be using. Wire cutters come in both lightweight and heavy-duty strengths. Light weigh cutters will suit your basic needs for the beading wire you will be using.

Lastly, when making hand made Christmas Bead ornaments purchase bead needles. These needles come in a variety of sizes. Choose needles applicable to the project you are making.

Different Types of Hand Made Christmas Bead Ornaments

A simple bead ornament recommended for a young child to make may consist of little more than stringing “pony beads” or other suitable bead onto pipe cleaners. Children can simply place the beads on the pipe cleaners then twist them into various shapes such as bells, stars, candy canes, and Christmas trees.

Here is another way that you can create sparkling and beautiful hand made Christmas bead ornaments no experience required. First gather your supplies. These will include fabric paints (or other dimensional paint), small glass beads (or seed beads) satin finished ornaments, a small tray, and a small cup. First, sketch a simple shape on the ornament with the fabric paint. Ideas for shapes typically include simple snowflakes, trees, and stars, but ultimately the choice is up to you. Create your pattern as simple or as elaborate as you like. After you have drawn your design on the satin ornament with the fabric paint, hold the ornament over a small tray, and sprinkle the tiny beads over the ornament using a small cup. This is similar to projects where you apply glue and then sprinkle glitter over the glue. After your ornament finishes drying, you can hang it with a beautiful cord or complimentary satin ribbon.

It’s as easy at that! So go ahead and gather your supplies and get started making your own personalized hand made Christmas ornaments for the holidays!

Rob Buenaventura invites you to Christmas Ornaments 4 U, a website focused on your Christmas Ornament needs. Find out how thousands of people have made their house more festive this holiday season with the perfect Christmas Ornament! For additional tips and ideas for homemade ornaments ideas, go to http://www.christmas-ornaments-4-u.com/homemade-christmas-ornaments.html

Author: Rob Buenaventura
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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