The news arrived unexpectedly a short email notice that Bead and Button, the beloved magazine is closing. No one in the industry had heard whispers of this. I quizzed everyone! But alas it was a “corporate” decision that “things are not as lucrative as they once were”. October will be their last issue and of…
Tag: Venice
Another Crisis in Murano: Glass Furnaces Re-Start Costs
I always knew we in the Murano Glass, Venetian Glass and beads world were a small eco system. But COVID19 and the resultant shutdown of Italy, most specifically Venice and Murano have really brought it home. Venetians say we hate tourist and the annoyance to our daily lives they create. UNESCO says Venice can’t maintain the…
Celebrating the End of the Plague in Venice
Who knew something celebrated first more than 400 years ago could be so pertinent to our lives in the 21st Century?The third Sunday of July is Redentore, a celebration of the end of the plague of 1575-1577 which decimated the population of Venice. More than 46,000 or about 25-30% of the population died in this…
Festa della Sensa, Venice Marriage to the Sea
The Festa de la Sensa is held each year to celebrate the marriage of Venice to the Sea. It was first celebrated on 9 May 1000 when the Doge Pietro II Orseolo conquered Dalmatia (parts of which are now known as Croatia) The second was in 1177 when The Doge Sebastiano Ziani, Pope Alexander II…
Update from Murano
The latest from Murano during their shut down. They are in their 9th week and now a few things are beginning to open. It is a welcome for everyone, that they may, hopefully, begin getting their espresso and cappuccino again soon.Venice has been extremely fortunate to have few cases of COVID19 and still in Murano,…
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…
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…
Venice As You Have Never Seen It
Venice during this period of shut down is incredibly beautiful. Thanks to Andrea Rizzo a Venetian photographer who shared this video. .Even Venetians are not getting out to enjoy the beauty of their city. They can only go to the grocery or pharmacy, otherwise they cannot be further from their house than 200 meters. Fortunately,…
Letter from Murano
Since we started importing some 30 years ago, my suppliers have become like family to us. And by extension their families feel the same way. This is an extremely difficult time for Murano whose lifes and livelihoods have been threatened many times in history. The older generation can still remember World War II and the…
Beads Millimeters to Inches Conversion Chart
When you start making jewelry for fun or as a business, you’ll probably wish (not for the first time) that you were taught the metric system instead of the imperial as a kid. Sure, most of us learned it temporarily for science class in high school, but all that has made it’s way far out…