Jewelry Extenders – Attractive Jewelry Extenders Lengthen Beautiful Pieces
Author: SWCreations

Jewel extenders in the past have often been plain and without an attractive appeal. However, today’s extenders are perfect for fancy pieces of jewelry of all kinds.  The clasp style of these extenders varies greatly so that it will match any handcrafted jewelry you might own that is just not quite long enough to sit well on an outfit perfectly.  Sometimes when you receive beaded jewelry gifts, you might find that it’s not quite long enough, so adding an extender to the quality handcrafted jewelry makes it fit just right. Extenders are perfect for beaded jewelry of all kinds, but especially necklaces.

Today’s jewelry extenders are impressive and very highly attractive.  They are almost like beautiful beaded jewelry themselves, and add a little something special to that too short necklace you own.  Whether for every day wear or a special event, an extender that itself is a fine piece of quality handcrafted jewelry is best.  You can find extenders in a variety of beadwork, including freshwater pearls, glass beads, cubic zirconia, and Swarovski Austrian crystals.  These can make a fine addition to your beaded jewelry.  This is a very cost effective way to make your jewelry fit just right.

There are a surprising number of jewelry extenders you can get as well.  You can get just about any type of extender.  You can buy extenders for bracelets, which is great because everyone has seen a tiny bracelet that is simply too small for some wrists.  Another good type of extender is anklet extenders.  Anklets are so attractive, so it’s really disappointing when you have one that’s too small. Gold anklet and necklace extenders are also available at a very reasonable price.  Of course, necklace extenders are the most popular form, and are very helpful when you have a fine piece of quality handcrafted jewelry that isn’t quite long enough.

Jewelry extenders are a great option to lengthen just about any form of jewelry on a chain and using an extender of equally fine handcrafted jewelry quality is important.  Since you can get an extender for your necklace, anklet, or bracelet in just about any matching material, why wouldn’t you get that inexpensive extender and enhance your handcrafted jewelry and its appearance when you wear it?  Extenders are made of the same materials, whether it is beads, pearls, gold, or even find items such as cubic zirconia or Swarovski crystals!  Extenders make your beaded jewelry and non-beaded jewelry work well for you!

Beaded Anklets – Beaded Anklets Great Gift for Others or Yourself!
Author: SWCreations

One very popular piece of jewelry that’s always popular and less common is the anklet.  It adds a little something special to the warm weather wardrobe that a necklace simply cannot do.  There are a lot of styles available to get when you are shopping for beaded anklets.  When choosing an anklet for purchase, you will need to consider several types, including designer anklets, beach anklets, and the various sizes of anklets.  These sizes are 8-9 inch, 9-10 inch, 10-11 inch, and 11-12 inch.  It not a bad idea to measure your ankle or the ankle of the person for whom you are buying the anklet prior to purchase. When choosing beaded anklets for designer wear, consider the personality of the person who will wear this anklet.  Are they into art, or do they enjoy solid colors?  Do they like a huge variety of colors, or prefer monochromatic color schemes?  Choices vary greatly depending on these factors.  Some anklets are designed with cute little dangling charms while others are plainer.  Some of them even feature artistic-looking beads to enhance their beauty and charm.  Quality handcrafted jewelry such as this is hard to find, and you’ll want to give the very best if this is a gift item. Another anklet type to choose is the beach anklet.  These are ideal for a day by the pool or ocean.  When lounging in the sun, these swivel and snap beaded anklets won’t fall off and will stay securely attached to the ankle.  Brass and nickel are ideal materials to make the swivels out of so that they withstand the environment that they will be in.  This type of beaded jewelry is very popular and makes great beaded jewelry gifts!  There are many color combinations to choose from, and the use of Swarovski crystals is an option on these.  No doubt anyone wearing an attractive beaded anklet at the beach will get a lot of attention when they have on the anklet that matches their personality well. Giving the gift of quality handcrafted jewelry is easy when you choose beaded anklets!  Whether your recipient is more into designer choices or is more of a beach-lover, they are sure to love this item.  If it is for yourself, you are sure to love the quality and craftsmanship that go into each and every one.  Beaded jewelry is a jewelry trend that never dies.  It is one of those universal styles that are always in, so you’ll never have to worry about your piece going out of style.

Handcrafted Jewelry- Imparting the Special Touch
Author: Suzanne

The desire to stand out in the crowd is common to everyone. This is not unusual, as we all love to be admired and talked about, thus providing reason enough for the growing obsession of things that promise to be unique or different. You might have a pleasing personality and good brains; but it’s more important to let the whole world appreciate your qualities. Always remember, appeal originates through sight. Herein lies the necessity of creating your own style statement.

It’s not just the clothes that contribute to your style. In fact, they must be teemed with proper accessories for that killer look! Apart from shoes, bags, or watches, it’s the kind of jewelry put on that makes or mars your appearance. The perfect accessory for any occasion, jewelry, highlights any outfit. Gone are the days when jewelry was considered the sole possession of women. Men too have shown great affinity for these decorative pieces and are now worn by many to create that ultimate fashion statement. Commonly observed, it seems that the great demand for jewelry across the world has led to the abundance of duplicate or imitative designs and products. Tennis bracelets, pearl necklaces, solitaire earrings- these are possessed almost by everyone. Even the fashion jewelry and costume jewelry sold in the shopping malls are losing their uniqueness on account of being sold on retail. The solution then lies hunting for the right place for your unique jewelry piece.

The best places to look for some truly unique jewelry, especially the handcrafted ones, are antique stores or your grandma’s collection. It might sound a weird notion initially, but these antique pieces hold the promise to set you apart from the rest. Handcrafted jewelry is an artistic creation, where every jewelry item is individually crafted to lend the essential uniqueness for which the product is valued. Handcrafted jewelry is designed as per the changing trends and lifestyles of the contemporary world. These ornamental pieces come in a wide range of designs, catering to the tastes of the buyers who generally prefer to pair them with both formal and informal outfits. Earthy woods, textured brass, semi-precious gems, gold, silver, brilliant crystals, or unusual elements are used to craft some of the most stunning designs.

An essential thing to remember while buying handcrafted jewelry is its theme and style. If you are a person who loves dressing formally, then colorful gemstones, precious or semi-precious stones would be the plausible choice. However, for the younger and the hip lot, trying out new styles would just do the trick. For instance, it would be a great idea to experiment with handcrafted Bohemian style jewelry. Use of simple material with bold designs would definitely help to create a free-spirited funky appearance. Another unique handcrafted jewelry style is the poetry engraved jewelry, where beautiful poetic lines are engraved on gold and platinum. These handcrafted jewelry items are ideal for all ages and are especially preferable for informal costumes.

So give up your common fashion jewelry this season to try out the chic and trendy handcrafted jewelry. The mixing of different styles, in combination with the artist’s vision and creativity, makes every jewelry item one of a kind.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/handcrafted-jewelry-imparting-the-special-touch-296436.html

About the Author:
Suzanne Macguire is an Internet marketing professional with keen interest in trendy jewelry.

Women take fashion very seriously, and many view the clothes and accessories that they wear as the paint with which they create their own artistic story about who they are and who they want to be. We’ve all shopped for jewelry at big chain stores, and been disappointed with the selection and the quality of the piece that we find. If it’s not made out of plastic, it’s been mass produced by a machine in a factory, without quality or uniqueness. If you are tired of wearing the same earrings as everyone else in your community, you must seek out handcrafted earrings that have been made with care.

If you’ve never considered looking for beaded earrings that have been handcrafted by an artisan that takes pride in each piece, you should know that they are often the most stunning part of any outfit. No matter whether you like to dress in flashy, loud prints, or more subdued solid colors, there are handcrafted earrings that will compliment your style and cause other people to take notice. You will be able to wear your earrings in confidence because you know that there are only a few pairs just like it in the entire world.

When choosing your handcrafted earrings, be sure to choose styles that complement your face shape and the length of your hair. If you have longer hair, you will want to choose beaded earrings that have a longer length, so they will be able to be seen when you wear your hair down. These types of earrings typically have longer wire clasps, and will feature at least three or four different sizes and shapes of beads. If you have shorter hair, you might want to choose a lighter style that is only made of one or two types of beads.

Don’t forget that beaded earrings can often be made especially for you by the artists that design them. If you are interested in helping to design your own unique pair of earrings, of have been looking for handcrafted earrings that will match one particular outfit, but haven’t been able to find anything that satisfies you, be sure to contact the artisan about your trouble. In most cases, they are happy to work with you to develop the perfect accessory for your favorite dress or blouse. If you are interested in learning more about the wonderful world of beaded earrings, there are many places online where you can look at the work of handcraft artists.

History of Handcrafted Beaded Jewelry
- by SWCreations -

You might feel that the history of handcrafted beaded jewelry cannot possibly be very interesting, but in fact, it is quite intriguing to learn where this part of culture began. Some say that the beginnings of beaded jewelry began more than 70,000 years ago when man found the beads and gems and thought it was incredibly beautiful. Beaded jewelry has been used in many ways. One way is simply for beauty. Another is for value. Some would trade and buy with beaded jewelry or beads. And some cultures even used them as talisman. So how was beaded jewelry initially created? Let’s take a look.

Although a man or a woman living in those times would not possibly have any practical use for them; however, they could not carry them around without modern day bags or carrying devices, nor did they have pockets. So, as legend tells us, they attached the gemstones or beads to leather straps and wore them around their neck to create the first handcrafted beaded jewelry. Over time, handcrafted beaded jewelry started to become a status symbol. Those with power and wealth were the ones who had beaded jewelry. Beads even have been used as an item of value for which trade could be made.

Handcrafted beaded jewelry has been made out of many types of beads. Beads have been known to be made out of glass, bone, porcelain, shells, paper, clay, metals, gemstones, ivory, and even wood. Bead craftsman often held the trade secrets in confidence. They were expected to keep the bead-making skills a secret. Some of them even risked themselves if they failed to keep the information to themselves. Mass production of beads didn’t even begin until the 1800s when glass beading became widely available. It was at this time that Swarovski created their process for making their special beads which are still in high demand today. Even today, the secrets of how their beads are made are kept secret.

Different parts of the world created different types of handcrafted beaded jewelry. Central and South America are known for their wampum and quill creations, while Native American beadwork usually included a lot of turquoise and silver. Bead making in France began as early as 38,000 BC! Worry beads, Filigree, and highly decorated ceramic beads originated in Greece, while Italy specialized in the Murano glass beads. There are dozens of other countries not yet discussed here, but beaded jewelry has a rich and vast history that is incredibly interesting. Suffice it to say that there is a rich cultural tradition with wearing beaded jewelry.

A Muted Fall/Winter Fashion Pallet—With Three Great Exceptions
- By SWCreations -

This fall and winter, fortune favors a muted pallet.  Those lucky few fashionistas that decide what everyone wears each season have given the new colors spunky names like the light tan “Nomad,” and “Iron” that is, by any other name, dark grey.  Mix these with a light rose pink, a Warm Olive, and a burnt salmon sienna, and this fall is less autumn leaves and winter cheer and more cozy gothic.  But for jewelry lovers this isn’t tragic, it’s lucky.  The muted pallet makes accessorizing with the season’s three more deeply hued colors a cinch.  They can rejoice in the gem colors American Beauty, Purple Heart, and Majolica Blue.

American Beauty is a perfectly balanced true red, flattering all skin tones.  The color is brilliant as glass beads in earrings or on necklaces and goes great with black.  The designers had a patriotic feel in mind for this tone, but this is a new red for rougher times and the tough, but still romantic, strong woman.

Purple speaks of royalty, but this is a new take on the old favorite.  No longer aloof like the old purple, Purple Heart is a little more sensual and a lot more creative.  Think eccentric high school art teacher, but with better taste in earrings.  Think handcrafted beaded jewelry, but refined and runway ready.  This purple borders on lilac but leans toward true royal purple.

Majolica.  Don’t you just want to say the word until it isn’t in season anymore?  Originally, the term “majolica” came from the ceramics of the Italian Renaissance that had an opaque white glaze with a brilliant overlay of colors.  The Victorians used the term for pottery with vibrant leaden glazes.  Majolica Blue is the same, deep, throaty, with a smoky sense of tranquility.  The new blue is a cross between 2008’s teal and traditional navy.  It complements oranges, like Burnt Sienna, and is best as handcrafted beaded bracelets resting on a Warm Olive lap.

Then there is the vixen in a woman who wishes to be covered in vibrant colors, and the mute clothing pallet isn’t good enough.  True red, rich lilac purple and deep teal have their place as overcoats, dresses, and cardigans too.  These pieces need accessories of their opposites, in their muted counterparts.  Balance is the key.  These tones become vibrant as crystal beads and on bold bangles.  Or, when in doubt, wear Majolica and sterling silver as well.

How to Choose a Piece of Handmade Jewelry
- by Kristie Leong M.D. -

When you choose a piece of handmade artisan jewelry, you are purchasing a piece of work directly from the artist’s hands. This gives it special meaning and value. Much thought and design knowledge has gone into creating your special handmade jewelry piece. Here are some guidelines to help you make the best selection:

1. Are you buying handmade jewelry for yourself or as a gift?

Handmade jewelry makes a very special gift. It shows you’ve taken the time to find a piece of jewelry not found in a department store or produced on the mass market. This will be reflected in the beautiful craftsmanship that the individual artist adds to the piece. There’s also the option of having a custom design created by the artisan for a special, one-of-a-kind gift.. When you buy handmade jewelry, you’re getting the highest quality components and design because the artist has complete control over each phase of the process. You’ll have a unique design that you can wear with pride knowing that it won’t be seen on everyone else in town.

2. Do you like a classical look or do you lean more towards a funky, eclectic style?

If you prefer the classics, you may want to consider purchasing a simple, single stranded necklace with matching bracelet and earrings, possibly in a solid color. This kind of look never goes out of style and looks elegant with almost everything you wear. If you lean towards the funky, eclectic look, consider wearing a larger, chunkier necklace or layering several smaller necklaces for a unique and offbeat look. Who says the earrings have to match the necklace? You can choose necklace and earring combination that suits your own unique personality. The sky’s the limit!

3. What is your basic body build? Are you tall or short, petite or big boned?

If you have a petite build you may find more delicate pieces are appropriate so that you aren’t overpowered by your jewelry. A petite woman can look quite dramatic in a large necklace if it’s worn with a solid colored outfit and is the focal point of her look. In a case like this, you might want to choose a smaller, more delicate pair of earrings to avoid looking overdone. If you’re tall or larger boned, the sky’s the limit! You’ll find big and dramatic pieces to be quite flattering and you can easily pull off the layered look. Although the above is a general guideline, there are no hard and fast rules. Jewelry is all about expressing yourself the way YOU see fit!

4. What is your basic skin tone and hair color?

Again, there are no hard and fast rules here at all. Sterling silver can be particularly flattering if you have dark hair or grey undertones. Blondes tend to look stunning in gold, goldtone, and brass shades. Copper shades are just made for the rare redheads of the world, although copper looks great with almost any hair color!

Jewelry is fantastic for drawing the eye to your most flattering features and pulling the eyes away from your less desirable ones. If you have an overly round shape, a round earring shape will only accent it. Why not try an interesting drop style to draw the eye downward. If you have a long, narrow face, you might want to avoid the drop style earring and go for a shorter button type. Do you love your hands? Accent them with a beautiful handmade bracelet! Likewise a nice manicured hand can be accented with a handful of artisan rings.

As you can see, handmade jewelry can change the way you look and feel. Use these guidelines to help you select pieces that are right for you. The result will be a stunning collection of artisan jewelry that you’ll treasure for many years to come.

Pearls: Classic and Stylish
- by Linda Blatchford -

Pearls are June Birthstones: along with Pearl, Moonstone (Traditional: Alexandrite).

There is so much history about pearls that five (5) months claim them as their birthstone: February, April, June (traditional), July and November.

Pearls are an astral stone for the signs Gemini and Cancer are linked to the moon. Pearls have been called the “teardrops of the moon”. Some believe that pearls were formed by the passage of angels through the clouds of heaven.

Spiritual Benefits of wearing pearls:

* Stimulates spiritual transformation
* Promotes prosperity and success
* Encloses you with an aura of calm and beauty
* Helps with stomach, digestion and emotional stress
* Amplifies focus, meditation skills and wisdom
* Helps balance the solar plexus chakra

Over time, the pearl has become the symbol of purity and innocence and it is often sewn into bridal gowns, or worn as jewelry by the bride.

Pearls are classic, elegant and may be expensive. They are very popular at the Gem Shows.

Queen Alexandra’s Pearls*

Most fine jewellery in the 1900s was white and made from either diamonds or pearls. Queen Alexandra initially wore dog collar chokers, called a ‘collier de chien’ to cover a small scar on her neck.

For state occasions and formal events she plastered herself in arrangements of pearl necklaces.  The rarity value of real pearls then was such that an American skyscraper exchanged hands for the price of a pearl necklace . This is not as ridiculous as it seems, since fine south sea pearls still command a high price.

Pearls were very fashionable, but still very, very costly.  After the 1890s, Kokichi Mikimoto of Japan, produced highly acceptable cultured pearls by placing a small bead into an oyster shell. The bead coated itself with nacre (mother of pearl) and so good looking pearl jewels became more affordable.

Various combinations of pearl necklaces come in and out of fashion with regularity so pearls too are a must.  Both fake and real freshwater or cultured pearls are very affordable today. The price of pearls has dropped by about a fifth in the past 10 years and the Chinese are making waves in the pearl world with their cheaper prices. The Japanese have suffered disease in their pearl beds as well as facing competition and are finding it hard to compete with China’s prices.

Value of Pearls

In the early 1900’s, the financier Morton F. Plant exchanged the building for a Cartier two-strand Oriental pearl necklace much coveted by a woman he admired.

A pearl is judged by its luster, size and markings. Although baroque, or unevenly formed, pearls have often been popular, it is the perfectly round ones that are now most desired. The best have a creamy, slightly pinkish glow. Black pearls (actually, a sort of silver-gray shade) are also coveted. Pearls are measured in millimeters, with 7 to 7.5 considered respectably modest while something larger than 10 millimeters becomes pretty important. For the last 70 years, they have been ”farmed,” which means the deformities have been given a helping hand. These pearls are called cultured, and today natural pearls are extremely rare.

Most of the cultured pearls, Mr. Mondschein says, come from Japan, while the largest ones come from the South Seas, Burma, Tahiti and Australia. Pearls should always be kept in a soft pouch; they can be professionally cleaned with soap and water. ”But spray perfume is the killer,” says Mr. Mondschein. ”I’ve seen people ruin pearls that way. And once the bloom is off the pearl, it can never come back.”

Beaded Jewelry
How to Find Lovely Designer Beaded Jewelry
by Imran Ali

Skillfully handcrafted designer beaded jewelry is not difficult to find nowadays. Due to the massive growth of the internet in recent years hundreds of creative jewelry designers from all over the world now display their beautiful work online. One can locate such a jewelry store and buy as many jewelry articles as they want. On these websites you will find all kinds of jewelry articles including bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. Some designers create wonderful beaded accessories such as eyeglass chains and cell phone fobs. One can also find different types of beads and crystals on wholesale to try making these lovely jewelry articles at home.

Handmade jewelry articles are often based on a theme. Antique and vintage themes are quite popular and well-liked by men and women of all ages. In addition to this, seasonal and holiday jewelry articles are also appreciated all over the world. Beautiful colored beads are used on these types of beaded articles to give an overall effect of summer, winter, spring or autumn. Falling leaves in gorgeous orange and cool summer breeze are popular ideas for making lovely beaded articles. You will find many themes in designer handmade jewelry which make them even more striking and wonderful.

Many of the beaded jewelry designers offer free shipping on a purchase of jewelry worth over $50 or $100. Individual bracelets and necklaces are available in the price range of $20 to $50, whereas jewelry sets can be found in the range of $70 to $150 depending on the materials used. Some designers also make use of pure 18k gold in their beaded articles. These bracelets, necklaces and earrings are a bit more costly. If you are looking for affordable designer jewelry, check out the gorgeous sterling silver collection. Stainless steel and titanium jewelry is also available in the designer category.

Designer beaded jewelry is sometimes categorized as chunky jewelry sets, birthstone jewelry, bracelets and anklets, glass jewelry, fossil jewelry, pendant necklaces, survivor bracelets, magnetic bracelets and necklaces, and wedding jewelry. In addition to these, you can also narrow down you search by specifying the color and the material you are looking for. Rare gemstones like cat’s eye, garnet, goldstone, sponge coral, sodalite, peridot and jasper are often used to make these beautiful and one-of-a-kind jewelry articles. You can also find mesmerizing Swarovski crystals in exotic colors, such as copper, Indian pink, brilliant white and emerald green.

Survivor and hope bracelets are becoming popular for spreading awareness of various diseases like breast cancer. These bracelets are made by using special charms and various colored beads. Big and chunky beaded bracelets and necklaces are loved by young girls. These bracelets are made by using large gemstones and crystals. In addition to this, borosilicate glass beaded jewelry is also very popular across the globe. This type of jewelry comes in unique and exciting designs. Grand Canyon and teardrop glass beads are exceptional and very special. If you are looking for unique gift ideas you can check out these extraordinary designer jewelry articles which are easily available on the internet.