Beaded bracelets are no longer the simple threaded bracelets they once were. These fine pieces of handcrafted jewelry are in high demand as their hand crafted beauty shines through. Everything you can imagine is available, including button jewelry bracelets, crystal bracelets of every color, charm and bead bracelets, gemstone bracelets, clustered beaded pieces, earthy bracelets, and double strand bracelets. These fine quality hand crafted jewelry items are stunning and one of a kind. You don’t want to buy something that’s manufactured when you can get a unique piece.

Now if you are looking for a special gift for someone you know, handmade bracelets crafted out of any of these styles will be wonderful! Beaded jewelry gifts are very popular all the time! Consider the personality and usual dress of the person you are shopping for. Do they like a lot of drama? If so, then consider beaded jewelry that has a lot of flair, such as charms or various colors. Are they more sophisticated? If so, choose something elegant, like a single strand in sparking, shimmering crystals. Perhaps your gift recipient loves to wear unusual buttons. If that’s the case, consider a button jewelry style bracelet!

Consider now, on the other hand, that you are shopping for yourself! Obviously, it is easy to shop for oneself! However consider a few things when choosing between the many beaded bracelets. The first thing you should picture in your mind is whether or not this beaded jewelry will match what you want to wear with it. Will it match one outfit or multiple outfits? Think about what colors you like to wear. Do you like busy jewelry, or a peaceful, subtle, calmer piece? Use these considerations to choose your bracelet. Also, how big is the bracelet compared to your wrist? Jewelry extenders are also available to extend the length of your bracelets or other jewelry items.

Beaded bracelets are always popular and never go out of style. The artistic pieces available today will be most impressive to nearly anyone. You can get just about any style and many colors and unusual sequences. Quality handcrafted jewelry in the form of a bracelet is a piece that will last a lifetime. Handcrafted beaded jewelry is an item that sometimes becomes a family heirloom as well. These fine pieces are works of art that can enhance your appearance when you wear them, as well as become a conversation starter!

Beaded earrings are a wonderful gift for the elegant, eclectic, energetic, eccentric, earthy, or eloquent person in your life. There are many personality styles out there, and just as many earrings made out of beautiful beads! Elegant earrings are the first. Beautiful, gentle colors made in many dangling styles to suit even the most equally elegant outfit are available for purchase. These earrings are always designed in a large array of shapes and styles to match nearly any style outfit or level of elegance.

Beaded jewelry in the form of earrings is especially great for the eclectic earring collector. Some of the designs you can find among beaded earrings are incredibly unusual, and are perfect for that one person you know who tends to walk away from the beaten path! You know this friend. She is always wearing bright colors and making bold statements in her accessories. She probably adores artwork as well. The colors available in this type of handcrafted jewelry varies so much that you are sure to find the perfect item! An energetic person is always likely to wear quality handcrafted jewelry that is made out of dangly beads, because energetic people are always expressing themselves flamboyantly!

Beaded jewelry gifts are always in season, and even more so for the eccentric person you know. This quality handcrafted jewelry is also appreciated by the earthy friend or family member that you know. These people truly appreciate things that are handmade. The eloquent person in your life is sure to appreciate the fine quality of this type of handcrafted jewelry and express that back to you when they thank you for this gift. If you are getting beaded earrings for yourself, you are sure to find the colors, styles, shapes, and unique features attractive and never boring.

Beaded earrings are a great gift for yourself or someone you know who is of nearly any personality. This quality handcrafted jewelry is carefully created by loving hands of the jewel and artist, creating a unique set of earrings each and every time. Whether dangly, earthy, sophisticated, fancy, wacky, or fun, you will be sure to love this style of handcrafted jewelry. It never goes out of style, so you will have a set of earrings to weather all of the changes in fashion! Get a few color sets that match a multitude of colors, and you’ll have earrings to last a lifetime!

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.

For centuries, sapphires have made their mark in the history of our world.  Understandably so—they are beautiful and unique gemstones that come in many different varieties.  In 1912, the American National Association of Jewelers recognized sapphire for its wonderful qualities and named it as the official birthstone for the month of September.  It is the designated gem given for the 5th, 23rd, and 45th wedding anniversaries and if a couple is blessed enough to make it to their 65th anniversary, the unique star sapphire is often given.

The sapphire is actually a gemstone that belongs in the corundum family.  Corundum is a pure aluminum oxide mineral which is crystallized from extreme heat and pressure.  Since ancient times, Sri Lanka has been one of the largest producers of high quality sapphires, but it can be found on all continents including Burma (modern day Myanmar), South Africa, Canada, and the US.

The US has been mining sapphire since they were discovered in the gravels of the Missouri River in Lewis and Clark County, Montana in 1865.  Many other sources were soon to be discovered in Montana, followed by a discovery from the Cowee Valley in Macon County, North Carolina in 1895.

People in the US continue to mine them today, but mostly as more of a hobbyist venture than a serious business.  Tourists in North Carolina will often pay a fee to purchase buckets of gravel or to dig in designated areas in the hopes of finding sapphire or other precious gems.

The most popular color for sapphire is deep royal blue, but they can actually be found in almost all colors including pink, white, green, yellow, orange, purple, brown and even colorless.  Here are just a few different varieties:

·Bi-colored Sapphire – a sapphire with more than one color

·Cat’s Eye Sapphire – a sapphire exhibiting a “cat’s eye effect” where there is a thin band of light down the center of the stone.

·Color Changing Sapphire – a rare sapphire that exhibits different colors in different light.  In natural light the sapphire is blue, but changes to violet in artificial light.

·Fancy Sapphire – any sapphire other than blue

·Padparadschah – the name for a rare orange-pink variety of sapphire

·Verneuil Sapphire – a synthetic sapphire – grown in a laboratory

Historically, there have been many cases in which sapphires have made their appearance.  The Stuart Sapphire, which dates back to 1214, passed through the hands of many kings and eventually ended up adorning Queen Victoria’s State Crown.  In time it was replaced by another gem, and is now on display as part of the British Crown Jewels collection at the Tower of London.

Another famous account occurred when the Russian Emperor Alexander II purchased a sapphire weighing 260.37 carats for his wife, the Empress Maria Alexandrovna.  This stone is now owned by the State Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation, where it is proudly shown at their museum in Gokhran, Russia.

Sapphire hasn’t been absent in modern times either.  Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Crawford and Jean Harlowe all had sapphire engagement rings.  Perhaps the most famous account in today’s time occurred when Prince Charles gave Princess Diana an 18 carat engagement ring surrounded by 14 diamonds in an elegant cluster setting.

As with all gemstones that have been around since nearly the beginning of time, sapphire has its own folklore and legends associated with it.  It’s easy to understand why so many choose it for an engagement ring because it is associated with fidelity, compatibility, and mutual understanding.  Some of its powers are thought to include spiritual enlightenment, and the ability to heal rheumatism, colic, and mental illness. When gazing into a cool blue stone, one can easily understand how it brings peace of mind and serenity to its owner, while promoting a life of truth and sincerity.  The sapphire is truly a royal beauty.

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.