As a designer, artist and jewelry maker, it is unlikely you spend a lot of time contemplating the rules laid our by the FTC, Federal Trade Commission, but as persons, partnerships, corporations at every level of the trade who are engages in manufacturing, distributing and the sale of products, you too are subject to these requirements. For…
One of our suppliers in Venice came up with a clever way to use the broken beads for the holiday season, which send me right out to collect a box of broken beads and get started. A quick trip to a craft store for the cone and some pins with colored balls on the end…
I have been a member of ISGB (International Society of Glass Beads) for about 15 years and GAS (Glass Art Society) equally as long. So I was a little taken back when I received a pamphlet at the GAS conference here in San Jose, CA (where I spent 3 days volunteering) called “How to Buy Glass…
Using a crimp tube is an easy way to finish off your beading wire securely. It does take a little practice, but done properly, it also look professional. I prefer to use a wire protector along with the crimp. Be sure you thread the crimp on before you thread the wire through the wire protector…
Crimping is an easy way to finish off your beading wire to make it secure, however the result in a flat tube which sits next to the ends of your jewelry. Sometimes those little tubes have rough edges which just drive you nuts as they rub against your neck. So I always add add a Crimp…
Here’s a question we hear often. Frankly I am guilty of using the wrong size often and then wondering why the wire slipped out of my piece, so it’s also good for us to review the sizing. We made this little chart to help explain why it is important. If you use a crimp tube…
This is a question we get often, especially from new beaders who have just been their first bead show. Are all Venetian Beads are annealed. She had heard that annealing makes the beads stronger. What is annealing? The word comes from the metallurgy and materials science where it has long been recognized it increases the metals ductility…
This is a question every new beader asks when they first encounter Venetian Beads. And then they ask, “What size wire should I use?” Venetian Beads, Murano Beads The most common size of holes of Murano Glass Beads is approximately 1mm. Approximate because they are most often made on 1mm diameter copper rods, which heats…
We love this Beadalon Bracelet Jig to make an adjustable charm bangle. It was voted “Hot” Product of CHA in 2015 (CHA is the Craft Hobby Association). It is simple and so very popular this year thanks to Alex and Ani. You’ll want to make dozens. Wear them in stacks. You don’t have to have…
Gold (24kt) is really too soft for daily wear (and expensive) so Gold jewelry is generally alloyed with another metal to maker it stronger. It bears the mark of the karat weight. So 14/24kt Gold is 58.3% Gold, divide the karat weight by 24 (pure gold) to get the actual gold in a piece. Gold…