Category: Uncategorized

Murano, Gas Cost & You

The art of Murano Glass we all love is at severe risk. They had barely survived the crisis of COVID when they were required to close, confined to their homes and in fact many did not. Now the cost of gas has increased over 600% from .25 Euro per cubic meter to 1.27 Euro.

Murano Furnace

This rise in cost is felt both in the larger glass furnaces, like the one which produce the canes we use in our beads and is repeated as even the torches used to make beads use gas. And the cost of the raw materials such as sand and the mineral oxides used in the production of the glass and colors has increased as much as 50%.

The hope is that the Italian government (whichever one wins on 25 September) will come up with funds so that the history of Murano and Glass does not die. And so that families can heat their homes this winter.

The Art of Glass of Murano: Born 1291, Dies 2022

This sign in a glass furnace on Murano says it all: The Glass of Murano was born in 1291 and dies in 2022. 1291 was the year the furnaces were moved from Venice to Murano, a solid 731 years of continuing glass making.

Those who can have stocked up on the ever decreasing supply of Effetre glass canes. Effetre is using this opportunity to clear out their enormous stock of glass canes. Already gone are some of the filigrana as are some of the pasta (the solid colors) that we use in our beads. We will have to be creative in making beads.

So in the short time, we are expecting price increases in our beads as they cannot produce and sell at loss. We will do all we can to help maintain this historic industry and maintain prices as we can.

Why I Work-the beads, Venice, the people!

Why I Work – the Views

Today a customer who has been purchasing from us for sometime told me why she works. She works to make money to send her daughter to camp. Most of our customers aren’t huge businesses, but they are the backbone of all societies, the small business. The mom who works to be able to afford a special vacation, or needed therapy for her kids.

For some customers it is the simply joy of creating beautiful jewelry, of starting with a length of wire or ear wires and designing a piece as a gift, to sell or just for themselves. I am always amazed at our customer’s creativity.

Palazzo Barbarigo – Inspiration for Beads is everywhere!

Then I thought about Why I Work….And it is pretty similar. This will never be a company traded on the stock market, it will never be an investment by a VC. But it has given me and my family a wonderful life. A life where my son worked with me. Where my grandchildren have grown up riding their tricycles through the rows of beads, and 18 years later they have worked in the summers picking beads, counting beads. A place and space for us to enjoy each other, to make lunch for all of us, just like our bead makers do.

Traffic in Venice – the commute ;>)

I fell in love with Murano Glass and Venice and above all the people of these islands. And they became our family. So many of them are women whose mothers taught them to make beads and they take pride in their work, always creating new designs for us and our customers. It is a full circle as our customers create designs that make their customers happy.

Beadmaking – the Venetian Way

I work long hours, piecing together technology for our website, writing blogs, making photographs, editing the website and adding products. WHY?

For mornings like this – headed to Murano (but not before a cappuccino)

Well to support my love of Venice. To be able to wander the small streets and courtyards, to pop into a bar and have a cappuccino. To meet friends on the street and share an “ombra” (a little glass of wine). To see the amazing sunsets, watch the vaporetti come and go, to visit the incredible museums. I walk each morning very early before the tourist wake up. I walk late in the evening after the day trippers have left the city. I go to the top of the bell tower and soak in the view. The beauty of this city gives me peace. The kindness of the people of this city give me hope.

Tranquility in Murano

And I hope that the beauty of our Murano Glass beads provides our customers with a little of the same.

Why do you work?

Basilica Beads – How they are made.

When we were working with our bead maker, we made this short video. It gives you some idea of the steps involved in making a complicated bead like this. But even before she sits down to turn on the “canello” the torch used in Murano, she has already assembled the fragments of mosaic canes, color fragments and the 24kt gold foil used on the bead. And she has preheated these fragments so they do not shock the base bead when they are attached. The slices of millefiori are added individually. The tool attached to the cane in the beginning is just a way to use even the short pieces of cane. The tools used to create the shape are made by a tool maker in Murano who is following in his father’s footsteps and without whom, we would be lost.

Making our Basilica Murano Glass Beads

Why are they called Basilica? If you have ever been to Piazza San Marco just looking at the mosaics above the huge doors will give you a clue. And once you enter into the Basilica San Marco, taking a look at the incredible gold and mosaic work on the domes you can definitely see the similarities.

Basilica San Marco with over 8,000 of Meters of Mosaics

The gold is exterior on these fabulous beads and the colors are perfect for the summer season. We made a bracelet with the blues and the design instructions are free.

You can find the instructions on the link to the photos as well as below on that page, you can order the beads. Here are a couple other examples of jewelry (design available on our website, just click on the photo).

Gold and Multi Mosaics Basilica Bracelet

And this over-the-top necklace in Aqua is equally as easy to make.

Aqua Basilica Necklace (Click on Photo for Design Instructions)

Photography of your Venetian Jewelry or Beads

Murano Glass Beads Aqua Basilica Necklace

If you are like most of us, you do not have a photography staff or a person dedicated to photoshop or some similar program.

Over the years, we have always done our own photography. Glass unlike any other medium is extremely difficult to photograph as lights give reflections or your face shows in the image. And then editing the photograph requires patience and time. We have used image companies who will cut out the background of the photos, but that times time and more money.

On a whim, I started playing with an phone app called “PhotoRoom”. There is a free version which you can download to try. After experimenting with it, I moved up to “Professional” because it works so well.

After the time we all take to create our jewelry, simplifying the photography removes the stress. I still spend lots of time on photoshop to cutout the part this app doesn’t quite see. Then there is the issue that if the piece has crystal clear glass, the app things it is not part of the piece. In that case I use a colored background, but even then, the color may show through and require work with photoshop.

You can start by making a photo with your phone or you can select a photo from your photo album and play around with the free app. It also has backgrounds and the ability to post directly to

Here is an example of some photos that I have used.

Home Screen and Jewelry after the background is removed

It has templates for Shopify, Poshmark, eshop, depo and many more. For these marketplaces, you could easily upload directly as well as Facebook. But since we sell our own webshops, I have to go through a few more steps.

I make the photo and save on my photos which are automatically saved on my icloud account. (If you use a different system, it probably works similarly.) But what a time saver. If you have a favorite one you can send us yours and why you like it.

These pieces are ready to go on the web.
VenetianBeadShop.com

UK Customers and Brexit – How it affects you

To answer all your questions on why shipping to the UK from VenetianBeadShop and why our wonderfully low shipping costs to you have disappeared. It’s all about the UK and Brexit and your exit from the European Union.
But a question for UK Shoppers, are you willing to pay the VAT and pay against the total of your order? Let us hear from you. We cannot put a lower value on your order and we would be required to collect the ~20% VAT before we ship.

Starting January 1, 2021, shipping to the UK is becoming more complex due to Brexit.  (This information is from Stamps.com a provider of shipping for the US. The link to this info is: https://blog.stamps.com/2020/12/22/shipping-from-the-u-s-to-uk-with-2021-vat-rules/)
If you’re an online retailer shipping products from the U.S. to the United Kingdom (UK), you will need to change your fulfillment process starting January 1, 2021. The UK has left the European Union trading relationship and the country has implemented new rules for goods and services to be imported into the UK. Brexit Background – UK Exits the European Union Trade Agreement The UK officially left the European Union on January 31, 2020, a process that is commonly called “Brexit.” This announcement triggered a “transition period,” where trade would continue as is with no changes to UK Value-Added Tax (VAT) rules, treatment of transactions or filings through December 31, 2020. 
Starting on January 1, 2021, all UK imports and exports will fall under the World Trade Organization (WTO) terms, which requires changes to many fulfillment processes for U.S. e-commerce parcel deliveries to the UK. Changes for E-commerce Orders Being Delivered to UK: Under the World Trade Order terms, there are four important changes occurring for products being shipped to the UK from the U.S. (along with all countries): 
#1 Register for VAT and Collect VAT Fees: As a U.S. online retailer, you will now be required to register for a VAT number and create an online account from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in order to deliver e-commerce orders into the UK. Once you have your VAT number, you will be required to collect all VAT fees from your buyers at time of product purchase. This VAT fee was previously being completed when a parcel entered the UK, typically with the buyer having to pay VAT to release the package from Customs. The new WTO rules pushes that VT tax collection burden to the online retailer in the U.S. who is exporting the product to the UK. VAT rates for collection depend on the product price: 
 A) Most Goods and Services valued UNDER £135 have a 20% VAT Rate Goods and services shipped to the UK with a value between £0.01 and £135 (between $1 and approximately $180 USD) will incur VAT fee of 20% of the product price (not including shipping fees). U.S. online retailers selling products to UK buyers are require to collect this 20% VAT fee at the time of sale. Online retailers will be responsible to pay all VAT collected to HMRC every three months. 
 B) VAT for Goods and Services valued OVER £135 All shipments with goods and services valued higher than £135 (approximately $180 USD) will be subject to the current VAT procedures, which state VAT is payable as the parcels are being imported into the UK. These types of packages are often cleared through customs via parcel consolidators and all applicable duties and VAT will be paid to HMRC directly by the parcel consolidator, who then normally invoices the online retailer. 
#2 Make Quarterly VAT Return Payments to HMRC: Online retailers must report and pay the VAT Return (taxes) collected from their online sales each quarter to HMRC. You can find your actual deadline inside your VAT online account, but in general the deadline for HMRC’s bank to receive payment is one calendar month plus 7 days after the end of the accounting period (annual quarter). If your VAT Return payment is late, you could be liable for additional late fees. To submit your VAT Return, you can use HMRC’s free online service or one of the many commercial accounting software platforms that HMRC has partnered with. The approved software list includes many popular solutions such as QuickBooks Online, Sage Business Cloud and SAP. Your quarterly VAT Return should include key data points for your UK sales such as: · Total sales and purchases for your account (only orders delivered to UK) · The amount of VAT you owe from your UK sales · The amount of VAT you can reclaim (i.e. order returns, product defects) · The amount of VAT refund due from HRMC 
#3 More Info Required in Customs Documents: All parcel shipments into the UK will be subject to customs clearance and inspections, which could add significant delays for parcels being delivered to the buyer. U.S. online retailers shipping goods or services into the UK will need to provide import or export declarations to UK Customs. A customs invoice will be required for each parcel that shows UK VAT along with the product price in order for the parcel to be released out of customs. 
#4 Elimination of the Low Value Consignment Relief: In addition to implementing the WTO trade terms, the UK is removing Low Value Consignment Relief (LVCR) – a rule that allowed good and products from outside the EU that had a value of £15 or less (estimated $20) to be tax exempt. In 2021, those products will now be subject to the 20% VAT rate. The UK is taking these actions to ensure that goods and services from outside the UK are treated in the same manner as products within the country, so as UK businesses are not disadvantaged by competition from VAT free imports. 
Failure to adhere to these new UK Customs procedures could result in:  · Parcels being refused entry into the UK by customs  · Parcels being returned to sender (including return shipping fees depending on carrier used)  · Parcels and products being destroyed  · Parcels incurring major delays in being delivered to buyer  · Parcels generating additional shipping and/or customs fees, or penalties 
Required actions to sell and ship products into the UK in 2021 Starting January 1, 2021, online retailers selling goods or services to UK buyers will be required to register their business with the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to obtain a VAT number. 
 Here are the steps to complete this process:  How to Create UK Government Gateway Account and Register for VAT   1.  Go to the HMRC login in page by clicking the following link: https://www.gov.uk/log-in-register-hmrc-online-services   2. Click on the Green “Sign in” button.   3. Click on “Create sign in details”.   4. Enter your Email Address and click “Continue”.   5. The site will email you a “Confirmation code”. Enter the code and click the Green “Confirm” button to continue.   6. User ID Issued.   7. Enter your name.   8. Create a Password and hit “Continue”.   9. Set up a Recovery Password and click “Continue”.   10. You will now receive your Government Gateway User ID which consists of 12 numbers.  11. You will then need to register for VAT using your Government Gateway User ID and Password. 
 To register with HMRC for a VAT number, proceed to the following link: https://www.gov.uk/vat-registration/how-to-register 
 Do Sellers on eBay, Amazon or another Online Marketplace Have to Collect VAT?  Online marketplaces (OMP) such as eBay, Amazon, Etsy and others will be responsible for collecting the VAT from the buyer when the sale occurs on their website as long as the price is £135 or less. For sales that are over £135, the OMP will not collect the VAT and existing import rules will go into effect (seller pays at port of entry).

The go-to spring color palette for your spring beading projects

Spring means the onset of new life on earth. It’s all about colorful and beautiful flowers, sunny surroundings, lush greenery, warmth, and a hue of colors around. The spring color palette is in full bloom in nature and so should be in your work. 

Colors affect the way we perceive things. They affect our mood. They also act as a stimulus to the psychology with which we see everyday things. The warmth, coziness, and liveliness that spring brings in one’s life should be reflected in your next beading project of the spring.

Whether you wear your creations yourself, are making some for a project, or are even making for your business, be aware of the latest and most sought-after spring color palette. The shades of various spring colors will help you bring in an ushering freshness in your work. 

Knowledge of these colors will help you determine the impact they will leave when someone sees them. It will also help you bring in a more vivid and deeper feel to the creations. So let’s have a look at some of the possible spring colors that you can work around with.

1. Sunshine yellow

It is considered a color of hope. The color yellow projects happiness, warmth, a sense of sheer likability, and enthusiasm. It greatly impacts the psyche when someone sees it or even wears it. 

Being a pretty warm color, it can be paired well with both dark and neutrals like gray, black, orange, red, green, beige, pastels, etc. It not only makes one think of the warmth of the sun but the playfulness of daffodils and freesias as well. Let this playfulness be well depicted in your work as well.

2. Earthy green

Green, staple to the spring, is all about rejuvenation and newness. After a long winter and autumn, the one color that dominates the entire nature is green. It’s not specific to a particular plant, tree, or flower. Instead, it is everywhere.

It is believed that the color green has a soothing, calming, refreshing, and full-of-life effect when seen once. That’s the reason why any spring color palette is incomplete without a shade of green. Whether dark or light, pale or vibrant, green has to be a shade you need to include in your beading creations.

3. Pumpkin orange

This earthy color tone has a tad chic and a rather resplendent amber-brown undertone to it. This makes it a great choice for the spring color palette. It not only brings a sense of contrast when paired with other colors but is also royal and noble in its high-end vibe. This gingery color exudes warmth and confidence while still being sophisticated and elegant in its own way!

4. Cherry red

It’s not just the roses that make one fall with the color red. It is the color’s grace and vivaciousness that induces a sense of fieriness, dominance, glory, and royalty. It acts as a perfect color-blocking hue when paired with pastels or neutrals. 

Yet another bright color in the spring color palette, red, helps with enhanced confidence and power when seen and worn. There’s no doubt that red is not meant for all! You need to feel confident to pull off the color well.

Find some quality red glass beads here for your next artwork.

5. Subtlety with white

Though a color of the winters, this pure and innocence-invoking color gives a sense of cleanliness and hygiene if incorporated well. White also stands for peace and harmony. So, if your work is a reflection of any of these, white or its various shades have to be a part of your spring color palette.

6. Royal lavender

Being a mix of the calming blue and fiery red, purple is considered a color of the royals. It might not be seen much during the spring, but you can do justice to it! Purple brings a sense of opulence and has a calming effect, just like the green. If used well, it can help achieve a dreamy and flowy, yet soothing and futuristic appeal. Make your pieces distinct and stand out with a color not experimented with much when constructing jewelry.

7. Pinky pink

Often associated with feminism, pink and its bold counterpart, magenta have emerged as genderless colors in the 21st century. This go-getter hue has a more conversational and wacky aesthetic to it making it more eye-appealing and attractive. One can go as creative as possible with this color. Using multiple shades of it can help convey different meanings. Like the lighter shades of it can make the person look and feel shy and introverted. While the darker and more vibrant shades can help radiate confidence and boldness.

Choose what you want to convey with the designs and let it all out.

8. Sky blue

The color of the sky, blue has a more calming effect. But with its navy blue counterpart looks and feels royal at the same time. Turquoise, having a bluish-green color, gives more structure and flow to the pieces. The entire range of colors belonging to blue makes one feel more connected to nature and free just the way birds are in the sky or fishes are in the water.

Note: Whatever colors you choose to go with, ensure that they blend with each other well. Every color combination should complement each other to stand out and also to make a statement. Try getting out of your comfort zone and experiment with colors that you have never worked with before. 

Try choosing some from Venetian Bead Shop here.

So now you must have understood how different colors play with one’s mind and psyche. Keep this in mind, and you’ll be good to go. Venetian Bead Shop has a range of colored beads to choose from. Go and grab some for yourself!

Bead Pendants and Other Creative Ideas To Use Leftover Beads

After making gorgeous bead necklaces or other Venetian Jewelry, you’ll often find yourself with leftover beads. When your bead soup is starting to overflow, there’s only one thing to do: give those leftover beads a new life. Sometimes, a pile of unused beads can seem like an obligation that’s calling to you. Instead, you should see them as an opportunity. Since you don’t have a specific plan as to how to use your leftovers, you can do anything imaginable with them. One of the most flexible choices is to transform them into bead pendants. 

Turn Your Leftover Beads into New Art

Leftover beads tend to vary in size, shape, style, and quantity. That’s why we’ve crafted a diverse list of possible applications for your new beads, so you can find a suitable project no matter the shape of your stockpile. If you have a few leftover beads to put to use, then you should consider making some beautiful bead pendants. On the other hand, you might have accumulated a stock of leftovers so large that you need a more ambitious project. In that case, you can weave your extras into an intricate beadwork tapestry. 

Bead Pendants

No matter the number or style of beads you have available, you can always make a charming bead pendant. With just a few extras, you can make a charming, minimalistic work of art. If you have more leftover beads to work through, then you can create more flamboyant pendants. You can even go so far as to convert a large box of bead soup into dozens of pendants and wear a new one each day of the month. No matter your ultimate goal, you have plenty of options and the process is easy. There are many online tutorials on making bead pendants, but the basic steps are straightforward.

  1. Select your beads and head pins based on your desired look
  2. Slide the beads onto the head pin and string them together
  3. Use a set of round chain nose pliers to bend the top of the head pin
  4. Make a wire loop and wrap the wire ends together

Voila, you’ve completed your bead pendant. Now, you just need to choose an appropriate material to string your pendant onto and you’ll be enjoying your one-of-a-kind work of art.

Beaded Coasters

Beaded coasters are a simple, functional way to put your leftover beads to work. All that you need to do is string your beads together, place them in a spiral pattern, and secure that shape with craft glue. There’s no limit to the colorful patterns you can design. However, it can often be tricky to visualize a spiral design since they’re not as common as others.

Before moving forward with the stringing process, consider arranging your loose beads in a spiral pattern to get an idea of what the coaster is going to look like. Think of it as the beadwork equivalent of making a sketch before proceeding with the final work. From there, you’ll work from the center of the set of beads outward while stringing them and you should accurately replicate your starting design. 

Make Bead Earrings

When your leftover beads are less quantity, more quality, consider using them to make stunning bead earrings. You mostly need basic materials like round chain nose pliers, wire cutters, and beads, but earring hooks and endpins are necessary too. Your endpin resembles a short, stiff piece of wire that you’ll need to cut to your desired length. You’ll use it to hold the beads and add them until there’s about 1/2 cm. to 1 cm. of extra space on the pin. Then, you bend the endpin at a 90-degree angle halfway through the empty space. This hook will hold your earring hooks.

Custom Bead Ornaments for the Holidays

Have any red, green, and white beads laying around? If so, then you have your work cut out for you when it comes to making Christmas ornaments. You can easily incorporate other colors and interesting stylistic touches based on what extra materials you have laying around, as well. Depending on your religion, you might make a star of Bethlehem to hang from the Christmas tree, a beadwork menorah, or anything else. Beadwork is all-inclusive, after all.

Craft a Bead Bracelet

Bead bracelets are one of the most popular forms of bead art for good reasons. They’re easy to make and easily tailored to your whims and preferences, and you can make beautiful bracelets with any leftover materials. All that you need to do is string beads onto a piece of wire, and then secure the ends with a crimp bead. You can design your bracelets so that they’re tightly packed with beads, or you can adopt a looser approach that leaves more movement between beads. The decisions are yours to make. 

Freeform Bead Art

If you have a large supply of beads to burn through, why not use them all at once in a freeform bead art design? By applying the Peyote stitch technique, you can turn any number of beads into an intricate brick wall pattern of colors and shapes. This stitching technique is highly prevalent in Native American artwork, but it’s been independently discovered in many different cultures around the world. That’s because it’s fairly simple and still offers remarkably attractive results. If you have a large pool of leftover beads to work through, then embrace the freedom that leftover beads offer you and craft a beadwork tapestry. 

Find the Right Tools with Venetian Bead Shop

No matter the bead project, you always need to make sure that you have the right tools on hand. Specially designed bead tools have the precision to allow you to work gently with your beads, as well as many quality of life features. Find all the tools and materials to elevate your beading passion to the next level with Venetian Bead Shop. We stock tools from respected, prolific brands such as Wubbers, and carry all the crimp beads and craft wire you could ever need. 

Choosing the Right Tools for Your Bead Projects

Whether bead stringing is a new hobby for you or if you want to turn it into your Etsy side hustle, you should invest in specialized beading tools. Custom designed beading tools don’t just make the work process easier. Using proper tools will also help make your bead projects as high-quality as possible, which helps gives your work a professional look and set your work apart from average bead art projects. While they’re often similar to the pliers and wire cutters that many people already own, you aren’t going to find the best beading tools in your garage, though many of our tools were originally designed for the electronics industry. 

Take a look our our design center in the VenetianBeadShop. We have an abundance of tools, like you will have after you have been doing this for the 27+ years we have. And we all have our favorite, but for sure you need a good pair of side cutters, crimping tools, a variety of pliers, and wire looping pliers. On our desk you can also see that we have glued a tape measure, we have a computer handy to double check our work to the finished product. We always work with a dremel, that helps us smooth end ends of our lampwork beads and sometimes we need a wee bit more space. You can also see our parts list because we don’t make one of a kind, we keep the parts list nearby to update it if we need to make any changes. 

Do I Need Special Bead Tools?

Bead stringing is a delicate, precise art that will reward you for using suitable tools. When it comes to wire cutters, pliers, and the like, several key characteristics separate common tools from specialized craft-oriented ones. While you might not want to spend extra money on new equipment, the cost is small compared to the improvements in quality and user comfort. When you choose the right tools for your bead projects, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:

Suitable Size

Industrial tools tend to look like super-sized versions of what you’d use for beading on. As a result, they end up being unwieldy and awkward. When you’re attempting to tie narrow bead wire, you need tools that are a bit smaller. A delicate craft requires delicate tools.

Spring Action

Having tools that will spring back open automatically is a great convenience and a practical boon, as well. Having to pry pliers or wire cutters back open creates some risk of error in your work. Additionally, the slight resistance to your hands squeezing the grip makes it easier to apply specific amounts of pressure that are conducive to good beading. Choosing specialized tools with a built-in spring action may save you effort and improve the quality of your work.

Cushion Grips

Cushion grips serve a similar purpose to spring systems in that they improve comfort and have practical merits. When you’re working with tools for hours, this kind of comfort is important to keep your hands from growing sore and tired. Additionally, cushion grips will give a little when caught between the pressure you’re applying and the wire you’re working with. This extra bit of control is extremely useful.

Design Details

Most industrial pliers have ‘teeth’ that are designed to increase friction and grab onto metal. When you’re working with copper wire in the home, there’s no concern about leaving surface-level scratches, after all. This scratching will take away from the metal finish of your beads, though, and make your hard work look worse. Custom-designed smooth jaw pliers and crimping pliers allow you to get the job done while preserving the pristine appearance of your beads. Craft wire cutters also have jaws designed to allow you to produce clear, even snips for your bracelets and necklaces. And don’t make the mistake of one tool for all cutting wire. If the gauge is heavy it will ruin your side cutters you want to use with smaller gauge. 

Beading Tools and Materials

Having the right equipment is indispensable when it comes to your bead projects. This includes purpose-built pliers, wire cutters, and similar items. However, it also extends to crimp beads, knotting tools, beading glue, and much more. When it comes to choosing the right tools for bead stringing, you can always count on Venetian Bead Shop. 

Wubbers

Wubbers is one of the most respected brands when it comes to producing specialty tools for bead stringing. Our selection of Wubbers tools includes dozens of unique pliers and other pieces of equipment designed for a specific bead-art job, such as crimping. While it’s possible to squeeze some crimp beads into place by hand, the result you get from crimping pliers is unbeatable. 

Crimp Beads and Covers

Craft wire can be difficult or borderline impossible to knot by hand. This is why you need a technical solution such as crimp beads, which squeeze a section of wire and keep a piece of beadwork together. Good crimps also take some of the pressure off of the ends of the wire and make your work more durable. When you add a crimp cover, it gives a more professional and seamless look to your design. You can also use knotting tools and beading glue to keep a bracelet together.

Beading Glue

Beading glue is a versatile adhesive purpose-designed for holding narrow craft wire and common decorations together. If you use a knotting tool to secure the ends of your craft wire, beading glue will help make sure that the knots stay intact. There is a wide range of glues available that are optimized for specific tasks, such as attaching a bail to a glass pendant or connecting wire ends.

Craft Wire

Choosing a high grade of craft wire that’s durable and reliable is essential when it comes to your bead stringing endeavors. After all, the wire is the foundation that your beautiful jewels and beads rest upon. We believe that Softflex and Beadalon carry the finest thin beading wire and choose to carry their brands.

Once you’ve chosen good-quality beading wire, the remaining concern is thickness. While most beads have fairly narrow holes, some are larger and heavier. If you’re working with large hole beads, then you need to choose a suitably thick diameter of wire that will be able to support them. 

Venetian Bead Shop

<p id="Bead stringing can be a simple hobby or it can grow into a passion, but either way, it has the potential to bring a lot of joy into your life. Our selection of beads, crimps, tools, and much more contains everything you’ll need to create beautiful works of bead art. The hobbyist who creates a few bracelets and necklaces now and then will find everything they need, as will the expert who produces beadwork on a commercial scale. Whatever your bead needs, come to our website and check out our wide range of beading tools and materials.

What Are the Different Types of Murano Glass Beads?

With an endless array of stunning colors and unique designs, Murano glass beads are a beautiful choice for many different types of jewelry.

If you’re new to the world of these gorgeous beads, there are several different types that each have their own distinguishing features.

Read on to learn more about the variety of Murano glass beads available so you can decide which style suits you best.

A Brief History of Murano Glass Beads

These beautiful beads are known worldwide for their stunning colors and clarity. The beads were originally called “conterie,” which is a word that originates in Venice. You may also hear these mystical beads referred to as Venetian glass beads.

For centuries, these stunning beads have been worn as jewelry in may forms. Whether it’s a pair of earrings or an elegant necklace, the wealthy could be seen sporting Murano glass jewelry hundreds of years ago.

The history of these beads is hard to decipher, but many indigenous tribes have been known to wear them. Because of colonization by the Spanish, French, Dutch, and English, the beads were given to the natives as gifts or tokens of peace.

Some historians believe that Murano glass beads were given to tribes in order to take them over and conquer their native lands. Others feel they were given as a token of friendship. Regardless, it’s clear that Murano glass beads have been a part of the world’s history for many, many centuries.

Seed Beads

Thanks to their tiny seed-like size, seed beads are a wonderful choice for jewelry making. These tiny glass beads come in a myriad of colors that range from sunny yellows to rich reds and vibrant blue.

Seed beads are crafted using a long, thin rod made of hollow glass that can be several yards in length. The maker cuts the rod into tiny pieces, and the small hole in the middle makes it easy to string to make bracelets, necklaces, and more.

After the seed Murano glass beads are cut, they are fired until the glass starts to soften slightly. This process is what gives the tiny beads a smooth, rounded edge and helps to remove any leftover glass or rough edges.

Once the beads are cooled, they’re hand-cut and might be made in slightly different shapes and sizes. The beauty of seed beads is that authentic ones have a unique appearance as opposed to mass-produced beads.

Every real Murano glass seed bead has its own unique look. The itty-bitty beads are perfect for making dainty and colorful necklaces and bracelets since they’re easy to string.

Chevron Glass Beads

The first chevron glass beads were made in Venice and Murano, Italy near the end of the 14th century. You may also hear chevron beads referred to as rosetta or star beads.

Chevron beads start out as glass canes that are shaped using star-shaped molds and often contain several layers of alternating colors. Most Murano chevron beads have about six different facets, but older designs may contain four to size layers of color.

Today, these intricate beads are still made in various regions of Italy. What makes these stunning beads so unique is their multiple layers of colored glass. The cored of the bead consists of a molten ball of glass called a gather that is melted in an extremely hot furnace.

Once the glass is melted, the glassmaker blows an air bubble into the center using a blowpipe to create an opening. This opening is what makes the colorful glass design a bead used in jewelry making.

Chevron beads were first used by Dutch merchants as far back as the late 15th century. Many of the first beads were exported to West Africa and the Americas and featured layers of white, blue, and red or green, black, and yellow.

Lampwork Beads

Perhaps one of the most well-known styles of glass beads, lampwork refers to the Venetian addition known as “lume,” which translates to “at the lamp.” These unique beads are worked directly over a flame, and the same technique has been used to make them for thousands of years.

Lampwork beads can have an elongated, ovular shape or they may be stout and round. You can also find Murano glass lampwork beads made in squares and many other designs.

The labor-intensive process to make lampwork beads involves first creating the core of the glass bead using a furnace to melt the material. Next, the delicate bead is re-heated using a lamp (or blowtorch today) to create fine wisps of colored glass.

As the heated glass begins to soften, artists delicately move sections of the glass away from the core to give it multiple layers of color and texture. Additional pieces of glass can be added to create a new design and more color to the bead.

Beautiful Beads of Glass

From tiny seed beads to lampwork and chevron, there are plentiful styles of Murano glass beads to choose from. This age-old process involves a skilled hand and a dedication to the craft to produce awe-inspiring jewelry.

With a rich history, it’s easy to see why these stunning beads are still so popular today. Whether it’s a seed bead necklace or a lampwork glass bead bracelet, nothing compares to the beauty of authentic Murano glass.

To shop our selection of beads and much more, visit our website or contact us today for more information about our beads and accessories.

Everything You Need to Know About Murano Glass

What can people do with glass? We use it to make windows, mirrors, bottles, jars, tableware, tables, covers for watch faces, and more — including, of course, beads. Two distinct items can even be referred to as “glasses” — namely, the vision aid and any cup made from the material. Glass is practical for all of these uses because it is a hardy material in its final form, but can be formed into all kinds of shapes during its creation.

Also notable, though, is a less functional kind of glasswork. Ever since people first began heating and cooling sand, they have molded the material into beautiful and beautiful works of art. Consider the stained glass windows adorning medieval churches, or the more abstract sculptures from modern times. One form stands out for its ability to combine the aesthetic with the functional: Murano glass, a centuries-old artisanal tradition and the subject of this special article.

What is Murano Glass?

Murano glass gets its name from a chain of islands in the Venetian Lagoon. It is also known as Venetian glass for this reason, though the islands lie about a mile north of the mainland city itself. Archaeologists and historians believe the tradition to stretch back one-and-a-half millennia, originating from trade with merchants from the Middle East and the Byzantine Empire. Learning from those regions, Venice soon became the first European capital for glassmaking. Royals and nobles from across the continent considered Murano products a sign of luxury.

In fact, the islands comprising Murano received legal designation as the only place in Venice for factories and artisan shops. This move was partly done because keeping the fiery furnaces away from the rest of the town would prevent fires from spreading. Perhaps a more important reason was to help keep knowledge of their glassmaking technology and techniques away from outsiders, raising the value of their exports. Venice prized their secrets so much that glassmakers needed permission simply to leave the city.

As time passed, other European countries developed their own glassmaking methods, decreasing demand for Murano products. Napoleon Bonaparte’s conquest of Venice in 1797 ended the republic whose laws protected the glassmakers. His closure of the factories ten years later halted nearly all production. Thankfully for world culture, a revival began in the late 19th century. Now, Murano’s artisanal tradition is still going strong. Their unique techniques continue to dazzle.

What Makes Murano Glass So Special?

Although other countries, companies, and craftspeople have their own methods for making glass, none are quite like the method for making Murano glass. Their process involves mixing silica sand — approximately 70% of the batch — with a variety of substances. The precise identities of all the ingredients remains a well-kept community secret. Whatever they may be, their combination has the effect of lowering the required temperature for the glass to melt and take a liquid form.

This one change in its aspect makes for consistently high quality, something on which the artists behind Murano glass pride themselves. Moreover, they can more easily shape the paste into the forms and shapes they want. All kinds of household wares and decorations have been made from this type of glass. Popular examples of the artisans’ creations include glass horses, pristine chandeliers, ornamented mirrors, and cristallo chalices, among many others.

One element that can make Murano glass works stand out is the color. The material is clear and devoid of color on its own, but certain chemicals and minerals can be added to enhance its brilliance. Only a faint trace of selenium, for example, is necessary to spread billows of red through the glass. The colored sections, which can be shaped to create dazzling designs, are themselves transparent. They create new artistic possibilities without tarnishing or compromising the Murano glass. These color effects combine with the intricate sculpting to produce truly stunning works of art.

What are Murano Glass Beads?

The bead is another noteworthy product that can be made from Murano glass. They are as diverse as anything else made from the material, coming in an array of designs, sizes, and glassmaking styles. For centuries, the island’s artisans have worked to refine the process, using copper mandrels to create the beads one at a time. They string the glass paste around metal tubes, making holes so the finished product can be used as jewelry. They then stack layers of colored glass until it takes the desired appearance.

On that note, beads depend greatly on color. Most other Murano glass products, which may have a specific function and a more complex form. A clear cup retains an appeal that a colorless bead does not. As a result, you can find beads with all kinds of stunning color mixtures. No two are exactly identical in coloring because they are made individually, and also because of the sensitivity of the ingredients that create the colors. Artisans must mix and handle them carefully and wield the color canes with great care.

The vibrancy and quality of these glass droplets have given them an enduring popularity all over the world. Even in the dark period following Napoleon’s shutdown of the factories, global demand for beads allowed Murano glassmakers to scrape by and preserve their methods. It seems that any form of art can last, as long as there are those who learn about and appreciate them.

Where Can I Find Murano Glass Beads?

If you are searching for Murano glass beads of your own, then your search is already over. As you could guess by our name, Venetian Bead Shop specializes in beads made with this special and beautiful process. Every product available on our online store is forged, fanned, shaped, and colored by genuine artisans in Venice and the islands of Murano. Our relationship with these geniuses spans over a quarter-century, and their knowledge and methods have been passed down over generations. If you place an order with us right away, you will soon possess their high-quality, completely authentic masterworks.

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