Do you know Chrysoberyl?

Sometimes over looked, and some say way under rated is the gemstone chrysoberyl. From what I have read, this gemstone is kinda rare, and that is exciting!!!

It is very hard and durable, being 8.5 on the Mohs scale making it well suited to any jewelry use, including rings. The most common colors range from honey yellow to yellow green (which is what I have!!!) and the colors are quite intense.

Did you know that cats eye and Alexandrite are also chrysoberyl? Alexandrite (Junes birthstone) is "photochroic" - meaning it changes color in incandescent light. Chrysoberyl changes to blue and alexandrite changes to red.


I am going to try it, wouldn't it be cool it they glowed red!!!!!!

Just A Tish Designs presents - Just A Charm!!!

Just A Charm is my new line of a fun, whimsical, bit of everyday magic to accessorize you life.

The charms are natural gemstones hand wound onto silver plated or copper head pens.



Agate - Protection
Pearl - Faith
Lapis - Truth
Carnelian - Courage
Jade - Peace





Jasper - Tranquility
Aventurine - Luck
Amazonite - Health
Rose Quartz - Love

Each 'charm' is tied to a 26" black or brown hemp cord, and the rest is up to you!



Wear it on your wrist!

Use it as a book mark

Wear it around your neck!















Tie it to your belt
loop!

Tie it to your purse!!!
Wear it on your hat!!!


Change em up with your mood, your day, your activity, your agenda - it is up to you to make your own magic!!!!!

Art Beads Gift Certificat Give Away!!!

That's right kids, you heard me!



Art Beads has been so gracious as to offer me a $25.00 gift certificate to give away to one of my lucky readers! Art Beads offers such a vast variety of products, and incredibly low prices, and - get this - no shipping costs!!

Right from the get go, on their front page, you will see all their special offers and great deals. It is littered with with them! You can get lost in page after page of drool time looking through all their beads and components. Items like these, click on the picture, it will take you to ArtBeads.com and give you more information on the product!



Hill Tribe sterling beads





Charoite tumbled nuggets


Golden Shadow Swarovski Elements







Do yo see where I am going with this?

"But I don't make jewelry." I hear you say - not a problem. Have you wanted to learn? They offer jewelry making kits! You can learn to make this!!



They also have a great selection of pendants that are ready for your chain or cord!! Just slide them on and go! Look how beautiful this is.





Already have great pendants? Need a chain? They have them too!! I can't think of any reason not to shop at Art Beads, beader or not!

Here's how you enter, Visit Artbeads.com, poke around and see what you like. Leave me a comment on which item is your favorite. That's all it takes! I am offering this as well to my FaceBook fans. If you are not a fan of mine on FaceBook, stop by and become a fan of my page and get a second chance to enter the drawing! Everyones comment will be given a number and I'll use a random number generator to choose the winner. I'll be drawing the winner on Monday, January 4, 2010. This is a thank you from me and from ArtBeads. Thank you for stopping by, for leaving comments and for all your wonderful support.

If you don't know Art Beads you should.

*FTC compliance disclosure: the gift certificate mentioned in this post credited to ArtBeads. com and was provided as a promotional gift as part of the ArtBeads Blogging Outreach. These items are for review or design purposes. All other items are only examples of products listed on their site

Last minute this and that

Am working a later shift for the next two days, so I had some xtra time this morning to whip up some 'filler' for my booth this weekend. I started making more of the memory wire bracelets and had an idea. Being I am going to have more room than expected I wanted to have a great display and not to too sparse. Normally I put a few of the issues of Bead Trends Magazine out in the display next to the piece that was in that issue.

If I am going to have a book on the table, why not have a book mark or two? I also like to have a diverse offering for my customers, not everyone is into jewelry so I have the key chains, and zipper pulls to fill in that gap.

Today was my last morning for creativity. Tonite and tomorrow I will be getting things organized and stacked ready to pull out first thing Saturday morning.

I am already edgy because I have a couple of ideas knocking around in my head and I know I can't do anything with it till Sunday. I will have to jot it down I think.

What do you do to remember your designs when you don't have time to bead?


Dyed howlite, magnesite, carnelian, glass pearl, quartz


Tigers eye, agate, vintage lucite, glass pearls



Fluorite, crystals, citrine, turquoise, vintage Czech glass.


Fire crab agate, glass pearl, fancy jasper


Fancy jasper, vintatge lucite, Czech crystal, citrine


Rutilate quartz, malachite, vintage lucite, Czech glass


Raspberry 'quartz' glass, banded agate, vintage button, glass pearl, swarovski


Sesame jasper


Crazy horse jasper

Not Knots!! or How memory wire saved my life

I am going into a busy busy time. I have something every weekend from now till the week before Christmas. On top of that I have product in five stores and have to get them ramped up for their holiday shopping.

I don't have enough time!!

I need something quick that will bulk out my inventory, give my customers a choice and work in a retail setting as well.

Something that I can crank out without looking like it came off of an assembly line.

*think* *think*

One thing I get quite a call for and haven't been able to provide to my customers are elastic bracelets. I cant' tie a knot to save my life. I have gotten some great tips from my readers when I reached out for advice on just this very problem a while back, sadly, my fear of elastic has kept me from trying any.

While at Walmart yesterday, I did a quick stroll thru the craft department (one of the few Walmarts that still has a craft dept.) and I saw memory wire. Me and memory wire don't have the greatest history. I used it years ago, when I first started making jewelry, and didn't understand the principles of it and became very frustrated. I thought I would try it again. I got a 5' coil for $2.67. It was worth the risk.

This morning I played around with a couple ideas when the flood gates opened. Out of that 5' length of memory wire, I got six bracelets! They are fun and versatile. No clasp to worry about and no knots!

Here's what I used:

Vintage Italian Lucite Marbled Red w/ White Rounds 12mm 20pc *- A Beadin Path
Glass pearls- Walmart
Bright Sterling Silver Twisted Jump Rings, approx 8mm - Sedona Stones
Round banded agate
Square banded agate
Czech Fire Polished Bead Jet 6mm - Art Beads
Faceted jasper roundelle
Sterling beads
Faceted AB Czech crystal
Repurposed black crystal
Black seed beads

Spice jasper round beads approx.12mm -Sedona Stones
Sterling daisy spacers
Glass pearls - Walmart

Coral
Dyed Magnesite
Sterling daisy spacers


Re purposed wood beads
Sterling barrels
6mm howlite - Rings & Things



Round Snowman Head (Limited Stock) (White) Glass Bead *- Rings & Things
Re purposed plastic beads
Seed Beads

Thanks for stoppin by!


*FTC compliance disclosure: the '*' items mentioned in this post credited to Rings & Things and Beadin Path were provided as a promotional gift as part of the Blog Partner Program. These items are for review or design purposes. Find out more about the Rings & Things Blog Partner Program

Stone of the week - Larimar

I was fortunate enough to go to St. Thomas several years ago and was introduced to Larimar. A beautiful stone found only in the Caribbean islands area.

Larimar is a pectolite, which is found all over the world, but the beautiful blue color of larimar is only found in the Caribbean.

Initially found in the early 1900's but was not mined until rediscovered again in the early 1970's by Miguel Mendez and Norman Rilling, a peace corp volunteer, on the beach. Miguel named the stone after his daughter Larissa and the Sanish word 'mar' for sea. Soon after the Los Chupaderos mine was formed.

it is a beautiful stone and i can get lost in it.

Where can you get yours? Here are a few sites online that sell the beads or the finished jewelry.

A Grain of Sand



Pizazz Beads



Kim's Jewels



Emin Jewelry

Fall color trends 2009

Happy Fall!! It got here so quick!! If anyone finds where my time went, could you let me know???



I wanted to give you a taste of the fall colors for this year, as found at FashionTrendSetter.com. The colors are so warm and delicious - like a berry pie. They really are very appetizing!

I see lapis and mookite, amethyst and citrine, carnelian and rhodinite!! They are all here.

Rings & Things has a perfect fit:


Pendant, Gemstone, Tip-Drilled Teardrop, 65x45mm (Rhodonite)
I LOVE this pendant!!!




Bead, Gemstone, 12mm Faceted Rondelle (Carnelian)





Art Beads has some great selections!






8mm Lapis Lazuli Faceted Coins












Mookaite 6x3mm Disc

so many colors for this years trend are right here in this strand!!!






Bead In Path offers great accents to these gemstones



Vintage Lucite Clear w/Purple Specks hoop w/Top Hole 35mm 8pc.


















Vintage German Glass 10mm Topaz Triangular 15pc.









So many beautiful choices for your next creations! What will you make??

August - Peridot

August's birthstone is Peridot - say it with me - Pair-uh-doe.

Peridot is a beautiful stone, the best known gem variety of olivine. Some historians believe that some of the "emeralds" worn by Cleopatra were actually peridot. Peridot is worn not only for its beauty, but also for the belief it is supposed to bring the wearer success, peace, and good luck.

Here are some stunning examples of jewelry I have found online that use peridot, or use a classic peridot color in their designs.

Peridot Stacking Ring Set - BlackLotusDesign



Apple Tree of Life - wearmejewels


Spring Blooming Vine Necklace - SimplyAdorning



Peridot chainmaille Sterling Silver earrings - Cheli



Dramatic Dimensonal Filigree Medallion Necklace with Intaglio - Dawno



Life is But a Dream...Peridot Vesuvianite Green Tourmaline Vermeil Gold Filled Drama Filled Signature Original Draped Gemstone Scrolled Necklace - bellajewels




Now that you have seen these beautiful designs, I know you are itching to get your hands on some peridot, or some peridot colored glass/crystals. Where can you get them??

4-4.5mm Peridot Rounds - On Sale! - ArtBeads



Bead, Gemstone, Chips (Peridot) - Rings & Things



Swarovski Art 6007 Peridot 7x4mm 20 beads - BeadinPath



5 Strands Carmina Glass Pearls, Peridot (026), graduated 6 to 12mm 16 inch SedonaStones




Now I know you are itching to make your own desings using peridot - why not post a link when you are finished and share your work with everyone!