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Blizzard!

It is cold and yucky and starting to snow. I thought Spring was here! The weatherman says we are in for a blizzard that will rage from 1 PM today through 7PM tomorrow night. 

Weather like this can be very depressing or occasionally inspiring. Who hasn't looked out at softly falling snow and enjoyed the beauty of the snowflakes? 

On one one such day during the winter months I designed the bead weaving pattern called snowflakes. Here is a bracelet made in the snowflake pattern. I chose the red color to cheer up the dark dreary days of winter as well as to contrast with the white snowflakes. 

Do colors influence your mood?

How Much to Charge?

Making jewelry is fun but selling it is a different kettle of fish all together. Figuring out a system of pricing is tricky. How much is too much? What is a fair wage for your time? How do you figure in overhead, packaging, tools, etc. There are many formulas that jewelry designers use. 

There is a very nice price calculator developed by Eni Oken for Microsoft Exel users. You can purchase it here: http://www.enioken.com/jewelry/pricecalc.html

One factor to consider is your market. If you live in a major city you have many more options than you do if you live in a rural area as I do. In a city, selling a necklace for $200-$300 might be very reasonable but in the rural areas $50-$60 is about as much as people are willing to spend.

My formula is 2.5 x materials plus labor. You determine how much your time is worth and add that, per hour, to the materials cost. Some artists just multiply materials by 3, 4, or 5 times and figure the labor will be covered. Whatever formula you use, be consistent so that your prices won't fluctuate wildly. 

I must admit that I still struggle with pricing. It is my least favorite part of selling jewelry. 

The perfect clasp

Following up on my thoughts about finding the right clasp, today I'm posting a new bracelet I just finished called Chantilly. The bracelet is absolutely gorgeous and I didn't want to add a clasp that wasn't as beautiful as the bracelet itself. Pulling out my stash of Sterling clasps I began to try various shapes and sizes. 

The slide clasp was taller than the width of the bracelet so that was eliminated. The spring ring and lobster claws were too small.  I didn't have any Sterling barrel clasps at all. That left me with toggle clasps to sort  through. There were several that were OK but when I got to this beautiful, simple, geometric Saki clasp I knew I'd found the perfect clasp. 

Do you think I've made the right choice?

Picking the right clasp

Picking the right clasp for your necklaces and bracelets is so important. You should consider two things when choosing the clasp for any piece of jewelry, function and style. Will it do the job and how well does it compliment the piece.

A small spring ring type clasp will be secure and while it is not obtrusive, it doesn't add any interest to the piece. These are the most common clasps found on costume jewelry.

Barrel clasps screw tightly together and work well for both necklaces and bracelets. If you have trouble with your hands this is probably not a good clasp for you.

Toggle clasps are much prettier and can even be the focal point of your necklace or bracelet but they need to be tight enough not to fall off, without being so tight you have to struggle to attach them.

Magnetic clasps are easy to get on and a favorite for necklaces with my older customers. Bracelets can also be made with magnetic clasps but they attach themselves to anything metallic such as metal desks, file cabinets, railings, even silverware, so beware!

Safety clasps are another good option for all types of jewelry. The classic pearl clasp stays on but can be hard to attach until you get the hang of the turning around the "u" shaped hook. Adding a chain to each side of the closure is a good way to make sure you don't lose your necklace or bracelet.

S-hooks look wonderful on necklaces and are easy to attach but aren't usually a good option for bracelets since the motion of your hands can make them come apart. 

Hook and eye clasps are another good clasp for necklaces but not quite a good for bracelets. Some hook and eyes have a very small or curved opening and these will work better for bracelets.

Of course there are no set rules about clasps. It is a matter of taste and preference. If one of my customers prefers a different clasp, I'm always happy to make the change for them. It's a good idea to shake your hand when trying a bracelet to see if it stays on. I test all of the bracelets I make to see if I can shake them off. If I can, I change the clasp.

I think Spring is finally here!

I thought Spring had arrived but then we had another 5-6 inches of snow last Monday. Yesterday I noticed that the wind felt softer and no longer chills the bones. My honeysuckle vine has a few green leaves peaking out so it won't be long until the grass greens up and the flowers start poking their heads out after the long winter.

I love this bracelet because the African turquoise beads look like new leaves poking out from under the snow. The freshwater pearls remind me of snowdrops in the Spring.

Chunky is in for summer

After looking at several catalogues recently, I've decided that chunky jewelry is the new in thing for summer. The necklace I just finished fits the bill perfectly for summer jewelry and the red color will even move into fall styles. 

I call this necklace Red Mesa since it reminds me of the red rock formations in the southwest.

Beading for a cause

Breast Cancer

I sometimes wish I was extremely wealthy so that I could donate a bizillion dollars to find a cure for cancer or heart disease. Thinking about what I could do to help various causes led to the creation of my awareness bracelets. For every bracelet sold, $10 is donated to the cause. The list of possible causes is endless. 

I have created both beaded bracelets and chainmaille bracelets for various causes. I also make custom bracelets for people who have a particular cause they would like to support. You can find a list of awareness cause/colors online at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awareness_ribbons

HIV/AIDs

Autism

Support our troops

What are some of the ways you offer support to others through your art?

Badge Holders

Are you required to wear a badge at work? If so, there is no need to wear it on those ugly shoelace type cords. Why not wear it as a piece of jewelry instead? Fancy badge holders may include gemstone beads, Sterling or gold filled accents and lovely Swarovski crystals.

The badge holder shown here is made using carnelian beads, a lovely handcrafted focal, jasper, and glass accent beads. I've also used Sterling daisy spacers to add a little bling. This beautiful badge holder is not only utilitarian but a lovely piece of jewelry.

Badge holders need not be expensive in order to be beautiful. This one is made using acrylic beads with glass spacers. It is a fraction of the cost of the first one but still has a nice sense of style.

Process of creating the Art Deco Bracelet

Today I thought I'd tell you about how I designed my new bracelet. I started out making my Rondo chainmaille weave according to the instructions. I used bronze and stainless steel rings. When I got to step 4, I noticed that the central part of the weave had a nice art deco look when the rings were pushed toward the ends. 

Then the experimentation began to keep the rings in that position. I decided that the best way to "hold" them in place was to add more rings along the sides so that they couldn't shift too much. Adding too many rings made the bracelet too stiff so I compromised by adding enough rings to keep the pattern going but still allowing the rings to shift a bit for flexibility. 

The Art Deco bracelet was born.

For more images and a close-up, visit my etsy shop: http://www.BeadedBaubles.etsy.com

Everything old is new again

Back in the 20's chainmaille mesh purses were all the rage. There were tiny coin purses just big enough to hold a nickel. This was to be used to make an emergency phone call home if your date got fresh and you needed a ride home. And there were larger evening bags that were perfect to wear with your flapper dress. 

My mother-in-law had a tiny coin purse that I was given after she passed away. The nickel was still in it! This inspired me to make a more modern chainmaille coin purse. I couldn't find rings small enough to duplicate the vintage purse and if they were available I wouldn't be able to see them!

I love art deco and 1920's clothing. What is your favorite era? 

Bead Weaving Patterns

Ever wonder where all the bead weaving patterns come from? Do you ever see one in a magazine and think - I could do that? Well you can! When I first started bead weaving I used a piece of graph paper and some colored pencils and started drawing. It was a very time consuming process and I kept thinking, "there must be a better way". 

Then I thought of the computer and set up a graph using my graphics program and again painted in the colors. This worked better but didn't allow me to keep track of the beads I used, sizes, etc. 

I went to an online site for beaders and asked if there was a program that would help me design patterns. Someone recommended The Bead Cellar's Pattern Designer so I purchased it. It runs on your PC and is very easy to use. Now all my patterns are organized and I can see which beads and how many I need to make the pattern again.

These are some of the patterns I've made using the Pattern Designer. If you are looking for good bead designing software I would highly recommend this product.

What time is it?

I've made several watches both beaded and chainmaille. This time I decided to combine the two. The maille weave is shaggy loops and each loop is adorned with teal and fuchsia colored glass beads. It closes with a stainless steel toggle clasp. This colorful watch is both fun and functional.  

What time is it? It's time for some fun!

Do you like beaded watches?

The Maille Mystique

Today I am interviewing a fellow Etsyian and chainmaille artist, Deb, from the Maille Mystique. Thank you for agreeing to be featured on my blog.

How long have you been making chainmaille jewelry?

For approximately 3-1/2 to 4 years.

What is your favorite material to work with?

Sterling silver.

What inspires your creations?

Seeing different weaves on forums or the M.A.I.L. site.

How would you describe your style?

I mostly make 'plain' chainmaille because that is what I prefer. I like classic and streamlined pieces.

What is the most important advice you can give to someone wanting to get into making chainmaille?

Buy good pliers, several pairs and practice with bronze or copper.

What is your favorite piece?

Oh boy. Hmmm. I would have to say a Japanese weave bracelet I made with a focal piece that Hawkwolf made for me. (see photo)

How did you choose the name, The Maille Mystique?

I took an opinion poll on a forum and this name won.

Tell us a bit about your Etsy shop.

For two years a friend, Carol, and I tried 2 different websites. We had a lot of traffic. Plenty of traffic but not many buyers. It was proving to be a site for people to gather ideas rather than a selling site. For the price we werent' getting a return. I decided to re-open my Etsy shop after giving it alot of thought and it seems to be working fairly well. I think people feel the Etsy shop is more 'friendly' and less austere than the website we had. They aren't afraid to ask for something special. I don't think it's as intimidating possibly. I mostly make bracelets because it's what I wear. I also make earrings and have done 2 special order chokers.

It has been nice talking to you, Deb, and thanks for the interview. You can check out Deb's shop at: http://www.maillemystique.etsy.com

The History of Beads

The History of Beads

Beads are a human artifact older than the dawn of civilization. Many millennia ago, in the caves of Ice Age Europe and northern China, in the vast wilderness of Australia, in mountainous Korea, in equatorial India, and in the western Great Basin of North America, humans were fashioning small objects of animal bone and teeth, seashells and colorful stones strung on sinew or plant fiber to adorn their bodies and clothing. During the ensuing eras, humankind’s fascination with the infinite variety, beauty, mystery and charisma of beads has continued to the present day. Every human culture has romanced the bead, and each civilization’s spiritual beliefs, aesthetic tastes, social circumstances, political history, glory and vanity is expressed in its beads. Moreover, the story of the development of human economics and trade can also be traced through the history of beads.

The earliest beads were possibly created to help extend the power of human hunters over their prey, to bring luck, to protect the wearer from danger and harm, and to strengthen a connection with the spiritual world. Very ancient beads have been discovered by archaeologists all over the world, establishing a pattern which speaks of the importance of beads to our distant forebears.

The oldest known beads, dated at about 38,000 BC and found in France, were made of animal teeth and bone by Neanderthal people. Slighter later, about 31,000 BC, Cro-Magnon people were crafting beads representing female fertility figures and game animals. Upper Paleolithic sites dating from 17,000 to 10,000 BC in Russia, Southern France, northern Spain, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Germany and Austria have yielded beads. The Magdalenian culture, known for its famous cave paintings in southern France and in Spain, was also producing beautifully crafted beads by at least 15,000 BC.

Sometime around 8,000 BC there was a widespread transition in the human population from nomadic food-gatherers and hunters to food-growers living in settlements. The ability to grow and store surplus food allowed time for craft specialization. Neolithic, or stone-age people increasingly made beads for adornment and trading. They customarily consecrated a temple area by sowing it with beads, or mixing beads into the mud used for foundation bricks. This ritual was intended to bring prosperity to the temple, which was also a repository of a city’s wealth.

By 6,500 BC, civilizations based on extensive agriculture were rapidly evolving in the Mediterranean region. Artisans in these cultures made distinctive beads of semi-precious stone and shells. Some of these materials were imported as the Mediterranean cultural centers developed trade with mountain cultures of western Asia, including those in today’s Afghanistan. Sumerian and Mesopotamian jewelry and beadmaking had a major influence on the adornment of cultures which followed in western Asia and the Mediterranean.

In 6,000 BC at Catal Huyuk, a great trading center in central Anatolia, beads of Mediterranean coral were made. In ancient Cyprus, the wealthy wore necklaces of imported carnelian beads. In the 3rd millennium BC, the Sumerians of southern Mesopotamia wore beads of lapis lazuli imported from Afghanistan. Beads recovered from the royal tombs at Ur, capital of Sumeria, are among the finest and most beautiful made in the ancient world, and Sumerian goldsmiths developed many of the goldsmithing techniques used today. Semiprecious stone beads made in Afghanistan in the Second and Third Millennium are very similar to those recovered from the royal tombs at Ur.

From about 2800 BC, Ancient Syrians made butterfly-shaped and other beads of agate and serpentine, Sinai turquoise and Mediterranean cowry shells. By 1600 BC the Minoans of Crete were well known for their beads of gold and semi-precious stones. For 500 years starting about 1700 BC, the Mycenaens, forerunners of the Hellenic Greeks, were leading maritime traders in the Mediterranean, exchanging copper and bronze implements for rare amber from the Baltic, to be made into beads. Their artisans also made fabulous jewelry of gold beads, still ranked among the world’s most skilled examples of goldsmithing.

After thousands of years of using natural materials such as bone, shells, and stones, beadmaking took a great technological leap forward. Glassmaking was developed, revolutionizing the world of beads, and in the process international trade.

By 4,000 BC, a new material was invented in either Mesopotamia or Egypt. Called “faience” today, it was the forerunner of true glass. Faience was the first mass-produced, synthetic material to simulate stones such as turquoise and lapis lazuli. Evidence indicates that glassmaking, and the glass beadmaking that followed has a western Asian and possibly a Sumerian origin. The earliest examples of glass beads are from the Akkad dynasty of Mesopotamia, circa 2340-2180 BC, as well as those from the Causcasus region in Russia made between 2400 and 2300 BC By about 1500 BC, a technique to make mosaic glass beads had been invented in Mesopotamia. Faience and glass beads satisfied the desire of almost everyone to wear inexpensive beads that resembled the precious stones of the wealthy.

Egypt’s New Kingdom, circa 1350 BC is generally considered to be the world’s first great glassmaking epoch. At about the same period, the Phoenicians became highly skilled glass beadmakers. By 1200 BC, they had become the leading navigators and traders of their time, trading cedar lumber, purple cloth and glass beads for copper, gold, precious stones, ivory and spices. And by 800 BC, Carthage, a colonial Phoenician outpost which became a great international seaport, was famed for its glass beads and pendants. Glass beads were carried by sea thousands of miles to be traded by ancient Phoenician and later Roman mariners, and over the ensuing 19 centuries glass beads have been traded the world around, becoming one of civilization’s most familiar and popular currencies.

In the ancient world, beads evolved into status symbols based on wealth and social stratification. Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Indian civilizations were hierarchical societies, in which wealth was concentrated in the upper classes. Beads held a dual function as amulets and status symbols for the wealthy throughout most of western Asia, Egypt and the Mediterranean in ancient times.

Conversely, in ancient Egypt, virtually everyone, even the poorest of people, wore beads. This was true throughout the three dynasties which continued from 3100 BC to 30 BC The Egyptian word sha means “luck,” and sha-sha means “bead,” and ancient Egyptians may have believed that beads had amuletic or protective powers. Large quantities of gold, semi-precious stone, or glass beads were buried with wealthy owners, but even poor families buried pottery or faience beads with their dead.

Ancient Persia, which flourished from 1,000 BC to about 330 BC, made beads of many materials, including gold. By the time of Cyrus II, Persian influence extended from North Africa to India, and Persian jewelry influenced that of many cultures. In 334 BC, Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire. The Persian treasure of Darius III was captured by the Greeks, and it included remarkable jewelry that was a rich source of new design motifs for Hellenic jewelers, who developed beautiful jewelry of gold and precious stones from 300 BC to 1 BC

With the ascent and expansion of the Roman Empire about 100 BC, Roman glass factories in Alexandria in Egypt, Antioch in Anatolia, and in Syria, Egypt, Italy, and even Switzerland produced great quantities of glass beads based on Egyptian, Phoenician, Eutruscan, and Hellenic designs. Roman period glass beads have been found in Scandinavia, China, Korea, Iran, Syria, Mali, Ethiopia, where they were transported via overland trade routes and by Roman ships. There were more glass beads made in the 1st century AD in the Roman Empire than in the previous 1,500 years. The material was widely obtainable, relatively inexpensive, and no longer reserved for the elite. Everyone could now afford to wear beads.

The fascination with beads by royalty and the wealthy continued into the Byzantine era, which began in 330 AD and continued for over 1,000 years. But the height of ornamentation was in the court at Constantinopole of the Holy Roman Emperor Justinian I and his queen, Theodora, where beads of precious gems were combined with gold and pearls to make elegant jewelry based on classic Roman, Hellenic, and Persian styles. Byzantine jewelry was worn primarily by the elite, with some gemstones reserved for royalty.

The Celtic tribes of northern Europe as well as the Vikings, who became feared invaders and plunderers, developed their own beadwork of both locally made and captured beads. The Celts of the British Isles and western Europe made beads as early as 1,000 BC. The Franks, conquerors of the late Roman Empire, dominated western Europe from the late 5th century to the early 9th century AD. Frankish glassmakers were inspired by Roman designs, and also imitated ancient Celtic bead work of 1,500 years earlier. Scandinavians were actively involved in the Baltic amber trade, exporting as well as manufacturing beads. The Vikings, from the 6th century to about the 13th century, wore silver, amber, carnelian, crystal and glass beads to show their social status. Beads are among the most common objects found in pre-Christian Viking graves.

In medieval Europe, the wearing of beads and beaded jewelry was surpressed by the Catholic Church as too flamboyant and impious. However beads were allowed to be used in prayer and meditation as rosaries. As the Church became wealthy, and monarchs did likewise, beaded rosaries became jeweled strands around the necks of cardinals and kings, supporting gold crucifixes. Beads of precious stones, pearls, and gold became customary, worn primarily by the European monarchy and aristocracy.

By the mid-1400s, the Renaissance had spread throughout the European continent. Renaissance artists such as Sandro Botticelli and Piero della Francesca portrayed beautiful women adorned with pearls and jeweled beads in their hair and around their necks. Christopher Columbus, Vasco de Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan led an era of European exploration by the sea and subsequent colonizations.

By 1850, Europeans controlled the oceans, and had colonized Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Glass beads and their export to these “New Worlds” were a crucial component of European trade. English, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Portuguese traders distributed glass beads made in Venice, Holland, France, Bohemia, and Moravia throughout the Americas. Glass beads of Venetian manufacture were traded in Africa for gold, ivory, palm oil, and slaves. The profit in commodities and human slaves exceeded 1000%.

The emergence of a large middle class during the Industrial Revolution began a new phase of jewelry design. These newly affluent and educated folk changed customs and demands. New materials and manufacturing techniques brought great quantities of fine jewelry within the reach of a mass audience. Beads of coral, amber, rock crystal and glass were worn by the middle class and nobility alike. Cut-steel and cast-iron jewelry were substituted for precious stones and metals in times of economic recession, thus the saying “I exchanged gold for iron.”

While Europe was in its restless and violent Dark Ages, in the desert lands bordering the Red Sea arose the Islamic faith. The religious art of Islam, which included beadmaking, was to have a profound and widespread influence throughout the world. Glass beadmaking flourished in the Islamic world from AD 700 to 1400 AD. Its manufacturing techniques were adapted from earlier Egyptian and Roman glass bead techniques and styles. Islamic merchants traded with Scandinavia, Africa, China and India. Beads showing Islamic influence have even been found in Viking sites in Sweden and Denmark. Within the Islamic world, beads serve as status symbols, portable wealth, and amulets. Men wear the subha, a strand of 39 or 99 prayer beads corresponding to the 99 “beautiful names” of Allah. The Koran refers to stars as “beads of the sky.”

On the Indian continent, beaded jewelry has been important for millennia to all classes of Indian society. Some of the oldest beads found in India date to from 23,000 BC to 17,000 BC. India has a wealth of agates, and this gave rise to an ancient agate bead industry. Beads produced in India over 3,000 years ago are identical to those found in Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Iran, Afghanistan, Crete and Egypt from the same period. Indus Valley merchants may have traded or sold beads and other goods with ancient Babylonia and Egypt, and between AD 500 and 1500, Indian merchants traded agate and glass beads into East and West Africa, the Middle East, Egypt, and Southeast Asia.

The region known as central Asia has been a major hub of cultural interaction and one of the world’s great melting pots. For millennia, almost every person in central Asia has worn substantial quantities of beads. Beads were and are part of the daily spiritual and secular life of the people, as objects of wealth and social status or as talismans. Overland trade routes crisscrossed central Asia, connecting the great civilizations of the Mediterranean and western Asia to the west and India and China to the east. Beads were usually imported to central Asia, and have always been a component of central Asian trade. Italian coral, Burmese and Baltic amber, Chinese silver and turquoise, and precious gems from India passed through the region.

China, Korea, and Japan also have an ancient beadmaking tradition. The oldest beads found in China were of stone, made about 16,000 BC and found in the Neolithic caves at Shou-kou-dian. Other beads of ostrich eggshell and fossil dinosaur eggshell have been found in the Gobi Desert, and date from about 12,000. BC jade beads, revered in China, have been found which date from 1,500 to 1000 BC, and silver and glass beads were also produced as early as 800 BC. The written character for “jade” and “bead” is the same in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.

Jade, coral, lapis lazuli, glass, turquoise and amber, all to be fashioned into beaded jewelry, were imported into China, then to Korea and Japan via the Silk Road routes over a 1,200 year period from 200 BC to 1,000 AD. Beads were manufactured for limited domestic use by royalty and the aristocratic elite. Quantities of beads of precious or semi-precious materials as well as glass have been uncovered in ancient royal tombs or those of high-ranking aristocrats. Chinese glass “eye’ beads dating from the 4th to the 1st century BC are among the finest and most complex ever made.

20,000 year-old deer toe-bone beads have been found in a cave in Turubong, Korea. Over centuries, Korea imported many beads from China, but also produced some of its own. Korean royalty typically wore crowns and girdles made of thousands of beads of precious and semi-precious gems and pearls. In imperial Japan, artisans excelled in making ivory and metal ojime, or sliding fasteners for personal carrying cases. Those from the 18th and 19th centuries AD are works of high art.

In Southeast Asia and the South Pacific region, beaded jewelry has served as personal adornment, protective amulets, and political badges of rank, as well as dowries, ceremonial exchange goods, and sacred altar objects. The earliest beads in Southeast Asia were excavated from Neolithic caves in Borneo, and date from 2,500 to 1,000 BC Most of the hundreds of large and small islands in the South Pacific have been accessible to seaborne traders, and beads have been an important element in the region’s trade for thousands of years. Because of sea trade routes linking India, China, western Asia and Europe, the peoples of Taiwan, Indonesia, and the Philippines were significantly influenced by these cultures. Other excavated sites contain beads of agate, carnelian, crystal and amethyst from India and Sri Lanka. Glass beads came from India during the 1st century AD, and Roman-style “eye beads” reached Southeast Asia in the early middle ages before the 12th century.

Across the vast Pacific Ocean, beads appeared early in the history of Middle and South American cultures. Snail shells beads from southern Mexico date to 7,500 BC. Beadmaking in Middle America developed as societies based on agriculture were established, and ceremonialism and increasingly complex social and political relationships evolved. Prehistoric Middle and South American peoples produced a variety of beautiful beads, but the most valued were those of jade and gold. But In the twenty-four years between 1519 to 1533 the Spanish conquistadors defeated both the Aztec and Inca empires, essentially destroying them. With the breakdown of the Indian civilizations and the elimination of their elite, their bead production disappeared.

Far to the north lay a wild continent sparsely inhabited by peoples of Asiatic ancestry who were developing their own distinct forms of beads. All North American Indians appreciated beads, and at least 8,000 years before Columbus’ arrival in the “New World,” Indians were making, wearing, and trading beads of shell, pearl, bone, teeth, stone, and fossil crinoid stems. The turquoise, stone, and shell beads of the Ancestral Pueblo of the southwest date from 400 AD to about 1250 AD.

Among the eastern seaboard and Woodland natives, wampum, made from shell beads and woven into belts with sinew thread, was worn as decoration but developed great significance as currency, and was also used an object commemorating major political and ceremonial events.

The first glass beads to reach North America were brought by Vikings, and were found at Vinland, in Newfoundland. Imported glass beads were first introduced to North American native populations by Columbus in 1492. Glass beads had a significant economic and aesthetic impact on the material culture of North American native people. The introduction of glass beads led to the decline of ancient decorative techniques, including quillwork, and beadwork became the predominant Indian craft. Many Indian women borrowed heavily from European motifs, such as those found in embroidery and lacework, and designs found on Oriental rugs brought by settlers.

In the 16th century small “seed beads” became an important medium of exchange in the expanding North American fur trade. By the American Revolution, glass beads were widely traded in exchange for beaver and other fur pelts. Different types of glass beads had varying trade values in amounts of pelts. Red “Hudson Bay” beads carried an exchange value of 6 beads to one beaver skin.

Across another ocean, the Atlantic, beads are central to the lives of all Africans. The earliest known African beads are disk-shaped forms made of ostrich eggshells dating from 10,000 BC from upper Paleolithic sites in Libya and the Sudan. Ostrich eggshell is still used in Africa today for beadmaking, although its use is restricted.

Gold beads, bronze beads, gemstone and stone beads, and shell beads have an ancient history in Africa, but glass beads are the most common feature of African adornment. Glass beads were first imported into Africa from India, Egypt and Rome before the Christian era. Shipments of beads began arriving in Africa by at least the 4th century AD. In the 7th century, Muslim Arabs conquered Mediterranean Africa and exchanged glass beads and other commodities for West African gold, ivory, and slaves.

Starting in the late 15th century, West African people began to trade the Portuguese, followed over the next 400 years by the Dutch, English, French, Belgians, and Germans. Millions of Venetian, Dutch, and Bohemian glass beads were imported to Africa. European-made glass beads were the major trade good bartered with Africans for incense, ivory, gold, tortoise shell, rhinoceros horn, oils, and human slaves. Between the 1500s and 1867, slavers moved some 15 million Africans to the Americas, exchanging glass beads used specifically to purchase their human cargo.

A form of bead used less for adornment than for piety figures prominently in the history of beads. Prayer beads were used universally in all religious traditions. Prayer beads are used by Buddhists in Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan, and Muslims commonly use prayer beads as well. Christianity was the last of the major religions to adapt and employ prayer beads. Even today, the religions of nearly two-thirds of the world’s population utilize some form of prayer beads. The word bead is derived from the Anglo-Saxon bidden (“to pray”) and bede (“prayer”). During the early medieval period in Europe, jewelry was discouraged by the church, but beaded rosaries were acceptable as devices for counting prayers. Men and women in present day Greece, Turkey, or the Middle East hold “worry beads.” Saudi Arabian businessmen finger strings of beads. Worry beads are probably derived from both Christian and Islamic prayer beads.

(Thanks to The International Bead Expo Press for permission to reprint this   History of Beads)

Chains for Him

Chainmaille neck chains and bracelets make wonderful gifts for gentlemen of all ages.  Many young men like the look of stainless steel, copper  or bronze rather than gold or silver. 

Chains are great graduation or Father's Day gifts.  Do you like the look of Stainless Steel or Bronze best?

Green is IN!

I was just shopping for some spring/summer clothes and noticed that the colors this year are more muted and grayed than they have been in the past. The lime green is still popular but a softer shade that I think more people can wear. The same was true for the blues, taupes and greens. Dusty pink is also popular again and crocheted sweaters are back! 

There were lots of greens this season in various hues. This titanium chainmaille necklace would go with just about everything. The gemstone nuggets reflect the muted colors perfectly. 

Buttercup

It's spring and we're waiting for spring flowers. One of my favorite flowers is the buttercup. It is simple and unassuming but cheerful and bright. I wanted to create a bracelet with the same characteristics and played around with several ideas. Finally, the buttercup tube bangle bracelet was born.

What process do you use to come up with your designs? 

 

Ladybug, Ladybug Fly Away Home

When I first saw this little ladybug beads I knew they were meant to be earrings. They are as cute as a . . . . . well, as a bug!

I find inspiration everywhere. In flowers, trees, sky, patterns in carpets, architecture, everywhere. Even in bugs. 

Where do you find inspiration?

What's your favorite color?

My favorite color is purple and blue and pink are close behind. Whenever I'm purchasing beads those colors seem to jump out at me and I find myself buying more of them than other colors. I don't look good in oranges, golds and some greens so I tend to avoid those colors both in my wardrobe and in my beads.

Lately I've been making a concerted effort to go outside my comfort zone and include styles and colors that aren't "me". These gorgeous fire agate beads were a gift from a friend so it seemed like a perfect time to make something orange and chunky.

Of course there are matching earrings.

What's your favorite color? Do you try to "think outside the box"?

Mother's Day Gifts

Mother's Day is a time to remember everything our moms have done for us. Finding the right gift has always been a challenge for me. The things I wanted to give her were way out of my budget and the things I could afford looked tacky. Then I discovered making something for mom and my worries were over. 

My mom loves bracelets, especially my chainmaille bracelets. Here are two bracelets that any mom would love. One is in silver with blue niobium accents and the other is gold filled.

If a bracelet is too much for your budget, how about a beautiful pair of earrings? Earrings come in all sizes and colors and there is a pair for any budget. This pair is Sterling silver chainmaille with green niobium accents and purple drop beads. The ear wires are Sterling.

What is the best Mother's Day gift you've ever given your mom? (Besides yourself of course!) ;)

Dainty or Bold?

When you buy jewelry are you drawn to dainty or bold pieces. Ideally the size of your jewelry should be in scale with your physical size. If you are big boned, tall, and or heavy look for substantial pieces of jewelry that will balance your size. If you are petite, small boned or thin, look for dainty pieces that won't overwhelm your size.

The Sterling maille earrings shown above are very dainty.

These wooden earrings (below) are larger and have a bold look that would be perfect if you are a larger woman. BTW I love the color and look of wooden jewelry!

So which style appeals to you most?

Are you a jewelry person?

Some people wouldn't think of leaving the house without wearing jewelry and others almost never wear any. I guess I'm a jewelry person because I wear it every day. To be specific, I wear earrings all the time. I add a bracelet or necklace depending on my wardrobe and mood.

These are some of my favorite earrings. They are Sterling ear threads with luscious purple pearls. 

What kind of jewelry person are you? 

Smokey Quartz Maille Necklace

Combining beading with chainmail designs is the look I love. Here is one of my favorite chainmaille necklaces with spear head beads and a beautiful smoky quartz focal briolette. I think the beads soften the chainmaille and give it a more modern yet antique look. What do you think?

Speaking of Weddings

Here is a necklace that would be perfect for the bride.

With wedding season fast approaching, it's time to look at wedding jewelry. Not only for the bride on her special day, but also for members of the wedding party. 

Give each attendant a lovely necklace and bracelet they can wear for your wedding and also for years to come. I still wear the necklace my sister gave me for her wedding and that was over 30 years ago!

A girl can never have enough earrings

I love earrings and wear them every day. I have all sizes and colors, beaded and maille. I also love ear threaders and wear them most often. They are so light you can't even feel them and you can change out the beads to match any outfit.

With wedding season coming up I designed this pair with Swarovski crystals and rhinestone square rondelles.

Fleur-de-lis

Another weave that I created is called Fleur-de-lis. It is a beautiful weave for a necklace or bracelet. 

Here is a close-up of the weave.

If you would like to learn how to make Fleur-de-lis there is a tutorial on my website.

http://www.beaded-baubles.com/tutorials.html#Fleurdelis

Thinking of Spring

I don't know about you, but I'm sick of winter. The stores are bringing out their spring merchandise so it's time for some spring jewelry. The colors for this spring are golds and yellows, camel, lilac, soft pink, fuchsia, peach, a soft chartreuse green, aqua blue and silver. Here is a necklace that includes lots of these spring colors and will go with many spring outfits.

Coda Maille Weave Tutorial

The front section of this necklace is box chain but the back is Coda which is one of the chainmaille weaves I designed.

I've had a lot of requests for the tutorial so here it is. Enjoy!

http://www.beaded-baubles.com/tutorials.html#Coda

Stringing

The technique that looks the easiest is stringing. It is very deceptive however because while anyone can string beads on a wire, it takes a lot of practice to come up with a great piece. Color, texture, size, shape and luminescence all come into play and the balance of the piece is crucial. That doesn't mean it must be symmetrical, just balanced overall. Notice the way the neutral beads add texture and luminescence even though they are not symmetrical.

Bead Weaving

One of my favorite techniques is bead weaving. I love to design patterns and weave the tiny little seed beads into a "fabric". Here is one of my woven amulet bags with chain accents and Swarovksi crystals for bling.

Caterpillar Bracelet

The Caterpillar bracelet is a combination of seed bead weaving and chainmaille. I like to see what I can come up with using both of my favorite techniques. Here is a close up of the weave. I love the way this experiment turned out.