When looking for jewelry beads to make your own bracelets, necklaces and other jewelry, you have a myriad of choices. You don’t want to end up with beads that worthless to you or the people that you are going to give them to or sell them to.

Choosing the right beads requires a lot of forethought. What kind of jewelry do you want to make? Do you want to make jewelry that is ultra modern? If so then you will probably want to go with beads made of different colored glass and plastic as well as some that are shiny in silver or gold colors. If you want to make higher quality jewelry stay away from the cheap plastic beads and go instead with glass or Lucite, they are much more durable and they retain their shine unlike the plastic ones which will become dull quickly.

If you are going for a more ethnic look then you will probably want to choose more earth tones and natural colors like blacks, browns, and tans. You can also mix in painted wood beads in basic colors like red, yellow and green to bring more attention to the piece. These also go well for making recreations of Native American jewelry, African American Jewelry, and beach jewelry in combination with shells and sharks teeth.

If you are buying your beads online make sure that they have a liberal return policy in the case of damaged beads. You don’t want to have to pay for beads that are broken and unusable. Even if the offer to discount them that won’t do, you never want to use inferior quality beads for any reason.

Most jewelry beads are sold in bulk lots so if you are doing this as a hobby you may want to get a friend to go in on them with you. It would take you a long time to use up the beads in the typical wholesale lot. Since you will probably be buying these through the internet or via mail, you probably won’t have the opportunity to pre-inspect the beads, so again be sure to ask about the exchange policy. Will you be able to exchange the beads that are less than perfect no matter what the reason? Depending on how the beads are packaged and sold, and the policy of the business selling the jewelry wholesale beads, this may not be possible. If they refuse to offer an exchange policy that is acceptable to you look for another vendor.

Jewelry is useful and fabulous in numerous ways, from conveying your unparalleled personality, enhancing a simple casual outfit and adding a stylish edge to your set of clothes. In the case of couples, they can express their never ending love through engagement and nuptial rings.

Nevertheless, trendy fashion jewelry plays an important role of accessorizing every person’s individual preferences. When we speak of deciding which type of fashion accessories suit you, no strict standards are set. The general rule is to accessorize according to personality.

Here are some suggestions to help you achieve both functionality and style in accessorizing:

- Chokers and shorter necklaces, the fancy, stylish ones go well with low necked dresses.

- Necklaces which are longer, slimmer will look flattering when paired with high necked tops.

- Trendy arm cuffs will look good when you have slender arms.

- So will, a belly ring. The last two jewelry will look good if you have well toned arms and sexy tummy.

- Dangling earrings are popular now and perfect for whatever outfit you put on. Just stay away from over the top pieces to avoid having your dress look as though it were a costume.

- Cocktail fashion rings are celebrities’ favorite bling. For that glam look, get a hold of these bold eye-catching rings. If you are not sure which style suits you, look at any of your favorite celebrities and copy their style.

- Stackable bracelets give an amazing style to your outfit. It’s an alternative to flashy rings, in case you need a change of style.

- Whatever the piece of jewelry you prefer, just remember that they need to be stunningly bright. So, store them in a good jewelry box to prevent damage and keep them beautiful for a long time.

With regards to color, you may opt for whatever is “in” as of the moment. But whether you choose yellow, reds, oranges, violets, pinks or blue, no need to worry about being fashionable; colors can always come back.

I feel it is best you stick with your favorite color or choose one that can complement most of your existing clothes. But if accessorizing is your thing, you may stack more than enough pieces since this kind of jewelry is readily available at very affordable prices.

You may keep several pieces of trendy jewelry, but don’t wear them all, at once. The key is to infuse your subtle style into bold and bright jewelry.

Nowadays there are all sorts of jewelry boxes available in the market. You can choose from modern boxes, handcrafted jewelry boxes and even the more practical models. However, handcrafted jewelry boxes are a class apart. Not only are they durable and long lasting, but they also look elegant as well.

These boxes were quite a rage in the olden days. Generally in this category, the wooden boxes were more popular since they were easier to make and decorate. Hence, people in the Victorian Era and the Renaissance period preferred to keep their precious and semi precious trinkets in these wooden boxes. These boxes were appealing in more ways than one.

Whether it was the little wooden latch in the box or the feel of the wood, these boxes were more individualistic in nature. These days, many companies are trying to recreate the magic of the olden days. Handmade jewelry boxes are being recreated which is leading to the revival of the small scale industry.

With the advent of the modern day equipments, the beauty of handcrafted jewelry box has increased many folds. Not only are they beautiful to behold, they are also quite practically made. You can get them in all shapes, sizes and designs. These boxes can be used by both men and women and should have an aesthetic value. These boxes can be used for different purposes for both men and women.

Standard handcrafted jewelry boxes come with compartments for different kinds of jewelry. They are quite spacious as well; hence you can store your bangles, necklaces and even watches with ease. You can get them in different designs. Some are pretty plain and have very little carvings or other artistic features. The more expensive ones have inlaid carvings and miniature designs as well.

Some handcrafted jewelry boxes are made from a single block of wood without any kind of joints. These boxes have lovely crafted covers and are seamless. It’s made from a chunk of wood which is cut and the inner portion is carved out. Sometimes you may get carvings on the outer portion and in some other boxes you may just get a more rustic or plain look.

Band saw jewelry boxes:These boxes come in different shapes as well. The main shapes are Tsunami, tides and whale play. The whale play kind of box has miniature drawers and handles which can be used to store your trinkets. Cherry wood is used to make the tsunami variety of jewelry box which is modeled like a wave and has a double drawer. Each drawer has two sections which can be used to store all the small trinkets and even money.

Many people do not know about the benefits of purchasing jewelry from wholesale jewelry dealers. It can be a bit tough task to find a good wholesale supplier but once you find, then it proves to be very beneficiary. It is especially a must to find a good wholesale jewelry dealer if one wants to purchase a bulk of jewelry products. If you want to sell jewelry or want to own a shop of your own then you should have trade id number for that.

There is a huge range of designs and variations available in the market these days. In addition to the silver jewelry, there are beautiful ornaments of wholesale fashion jewelry and artificial jewelry. This type of apparel and items are hugely liked by the young ladies who love wearing designed jewelry. After all, every one of us cannot afford to wear ridiculously expensive metal ornaments. So, many people prefer to wear a nice selection of high quality artificial jewelry and costume jewelry. So, if one is going to purchase jewelry from wholesale jewelry dealers to set a shop on his own; always keep in mind the demands and rates all the time.

Initially wholesale gold jewelry was very famous among the people but now silver and other gemstones also present a fine business opportunity. No one is really crazy about gold any more, unless it is necessary to buy gold ornaments especially. The reason of decline in the gold business is majorly due to high prices of gold as everyone can not afford it.

In contrast silver, stone and gold coated ornaments provide a better alternative, with good quality. One can easily see the silver or platinum ornaments around him. These alternative metals have enabled jewelry to reach the common people as well.

If one is little interested to make a research, one will surely find some wholesale jewelry suppliers with decent rates. Make a good search on the internet about the best companies around. One can visit the nearest wholesale jewelry stores as well. You can consult the people known to jewelry business for the best dealer in business. It is a costly deal to purchase jewelry accessories so it is important to find a suitable wholesale supplier so that you may get enough discounts.

As the jewelry one buys must satisfy the person himself, so one should choose the kind of jewelry that suits the demands. Like some people want to wear them in the parties, while others may need to wear it for modeling. Some young ladies want it for their daily use.

There are large numbers of sites available on the internet which specializes in selling wholesale fashion jewelry. Generally people are affected by the celebrities and what they are wearing. Therefore the choices keep on changing every now and then. Many wholesale jewelry suppliers keep the accessories which are trend of the current season. Wholesale jewelry business is paying good dividends to the people engaged in it.

It is very important to buy the jewelry from a credible supplier. Make a wise decision to choose a wholesale dealer. Make sure they sell you the jewelry with guarantee and are ready to replace or return if one does not find it according to taste.

A great way to re-design your teen’s bedroom is by working together to pick out teen bedding and matching room d

Pricing handmade jewelry seems to one topic that jewelry artists never agree on. There are lots of different viewpoints and philosophies. This article will discuss some of the things to think about as you consider how to price your jewelry, and some of the common pricing models that jewelry designers use.

Keep in mind that you do much more than make jewelry as a business owner. In order to cover costs and overhead it is essential to charge more than your hourly rate + material costs, or keep your hourly rate on the high side (i.e. $18/ hour is much more realistic than $10/ hour) if you want your business to be profitable.

One mistake that new jewelry designers often make is to price their work too low.

Here are a few pricing tips:

-Don’t compete with imports on pricing! Your quality is better, and you can never compete with those that make $2 a day. Instead, position yourself as the high quality artisan that you are, and command reasonable prices.

-As a newcomer, you can start lower if you would like, and move your pricing up as you become more well-known.

-Lower pricing also can work against you because it cheapens the perceived value of your work. People tend to think that you get what you pay for, so if you charge too low, people tend to think you make garbage.

I have another reason for not charging too low. This is kind of my personal soapbox:

If you charge too low, you are not only cheapening the perceived value of your own work, you are also cheapening the work of others because the public learns to think that some artisans who charge what they are worth, are charging too much.

Those artisans that charge what they are worth then have to work so much harder to convince customers that their work is worth the cost.

That said, as a jewelry designer, you need to consider 2 types of pricing: wholesale and retail.

Wholesale and Retail Pricing Models

Common wholesale pricing models used by jewelry designers:

-3 x the material cost

-3.5 x the material cost

-$18/hour-labor plus 1x materials plus 50% (or whatever you want your hourly wage to be)

-Eyeballing i.e. guessing at what it should be worth (not recommended, but common)

-$35/hour-labor plus 1x materials

-$26/hour-labor plus 1x materials plus 50%

-$20/hr.labor + mat. + 5%overhead + 20%profit

Common retail pricing models used by jewelry designers:

-1.4 x wholesale

-1.5 x wholesale

-1.6 x wholesale

-1.7 x wholesale

-1.8 x wholesale

-1.9 x wholesale

-2.0 x wholesale

-The ever common but not recommended “eyeballing” method

Feel free to use any of the wholesale or retail pricing formulas to price your own work.

Both my partner and I come from an old school approach to making jewelry models. He was very traditionally trained in Russia as an Master Engraver. I come from a graphics background which is driven by computer based software tools. We do not design slick engineered pieces typically sold to the retail jewelry market. For 5000 years or so the basic method of casting anything has remained the same. Most of the techniques have be tweaked and improved but the process has changed very little. This brings us to a discussion about jewelry CAD programs, drawing and the two processes of producing molds for casting.

The creative process of taking a drawing is very organic. I find I never draw the same thing the same twice. Each time some element changes during the creative process. Other ideas are born with some things hitting the floor. Because my partner and I collaborate on designs at different stages this moves in many directions. There is a point where you let it go and just make it, a prototype. Usually I draw at a larger scale then the finished piece will be produced. It can be a little tricky. The overall detail once reduced can change the entire feel of the piece. It’s best to do a dummy check as your progressing. Note we are still designing/drawing by hand for this discussion. From my experience drawing, detailed things become very small and lost overall once reduced. Not to misunderstand, the very smallest detail can be reproduced it’s just a matter of design expectation. One important thing worth noting is if you work in silver and oxidize be instinctively aware of what’s polished and what’s black during the creative process. I can make or break a great design.

Once the design is “finalized” we cut a wax model, by hand. Moving from 2D to 3D can make or break the concept. The wax itself has it’s own detail limitations. For our work an hand cut lends character. Where we loose too much we go back and work the sterling metal by hand, engraving more detail. Summary- 2D drawing, wax model cut, cast in sterling, engrave the casting and make the final mold. The process can be painstakingly long when your in the creative moment. Patience!

Jewelry and CAD. Coming from years of computer graphics which changed the face of commercial art here are some thoughts. CAD can be an terrific tool. It’s pluses can also be it’s downside depending on your design taste. If you work with complex stone settings it’s and incredible tool. You can accomplish the seemingly impossible in very little time. The limitations are almost nonexistent. For me it’s too exact at times. Perfect symmetry can look too “machine” made. We do very little with CAD but when we do we will rework the metal to take it back to the hand feel. CAD is great for link bracelet designs. It is easier to generate variations of designs from one concept. Some programs will generate extremely accurate renderings in near photographic quality.Moldel are “printed” and “machined”. Printing is done with a 3D wax imager. Usually take hours but is extremely accurate to the finest detail. “Machine” or CNC is tool cut by computer.

Truly amazing technology.

Summary: Keep your arms around both. It’s always good to change guitars every now and then. As for a recommendation on CAD software, there is nothing cheap that works well. If you’re contemplating a leap into CAD consider it an investment in your career. Look at the companies history, financial condition, yearly upgrade cost and what release they are on. Dig! I’ve seen so many “good” software companies come and go leaving their clients behind.

You mention “Kate Spade” and visions of designer handbags instantly come to mind; however, she has broadened her horizons once again to now include designer style Kindle Covers. No more “nerdy”, plain, unattractive covers for Amazons newest generation e-reader. Now it’s style all the way with the Kate Spade Kindle Covers.

This isn’t the first time Kate has expanded her horizons. Starting out designing handbags based on the simple fact that she couldn’t find what SHE wanted when she shopped, she took her designing abilities long strides since those beginning days and has created quite the designer empire. While her newest product line may be the versatile Kindle covers, she has everything from handbags to jewelry, perfumes to bedding and everything in between. But she doesn’t do it alone…from the very beginning she’s held tight to her man and he’s played an important part in her life as both business and life partner.

So who is Kate Spade? Here are 10 Fun Facts

Kate Spade was born Christmas eve in 1962 as Katherine Noel Brosnahan in Kansas City, MO.

Kate Spade has been in business with her husband, Andy Spade, since January of 1993 when she decided to design sleek, utilitarian handbags she had been searching for to buy for herself for years.

Kate’s brother-in-law is the one and only comedian, David Spade – hmmm, wonder if THAT’S why her handbags are often spotted on the David Spade comedy series “Just Shoot Me”?

Kate was a former accessories editor/senior editor of accessories at Mademoiselle Magazine from 1986 to 1991.

The Kate Spade Company prides itself with “utility, wit and playful sophistication” as hallmarks of their style and creates handbags, stationery, home products, shoes, perfume and more (including the newest Kindle 6″ covers)!

Kate’s husband is the main man in charge of the “Men’s Line” of complimentary items. The men’s line is called ‘Jack Spade’ – a fictional name and compliments many of the items available in her line.

In 2007 the company was acquired by design powerhouse Liz Claiborne, becoming an American Icon with a strong backing of an established company; while using their core values and exclusive styles

Kate Spade Kindle Covers are designed with a touch of “playful sophistication” in mind… focusing, as always on color and design they also honor some of the great classics like “The Great Gatsby” and “Great Expectations”. But what makes them truly unique is the fact that they are built for protection of your Newest Generation 6″ style Kindle with knapsack like features, a strong locking mechanism that holds the Kindle in snug without fear of dropping out and includes a storage pocket. The covers are much like the rest of her line of goods, completely usable, sturdy and serve a purpose while looking designer fantastic!

She has a strong voice for women and her company has taken part in an organization called ‘Women for Women International’. The organization speaks out and helps organize women in need from many countries such as Bosnia, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Rwanda and more to encompass women’s talents with the abilities of large corporations such as Kate Spade NYC to create a better life for women in these countries. By utilizing their talents and employing them in their countries, they can sustain a livelihood. In the end Kate Spade NYC provides a market for the goods and talents of the women in countries with deplorable conditions.

The couple had a daughter in 2005, Frances Beatrix Spade which is the apple of their eye. I wonder if she will be the inspiration of a new “Children’s Line” to compliment the already beloved Kate Spade styles?

The most popular compound for making clay art jewelry today is polymer clay. This versatile, durable modeling compound is not actually a clay at all, but is made of plastic materials. It doesn’t dry out, remaining pliable until you cure it in your home oven, creating a permanent, durable piece. The durability of polymer clay, along with its ease of use, makes it ideal for jewelry pieces. The wide variety of colors, textures and finishes available can even let you create clay bead jewelry and pendants that look like stone, glass or ceramic. Here are some tips to get you started making beautiful polymer clay jewelry pieces.

Preparation

As with most modeling clays, polymer clay must be worked and softened before you can use it. The easiest way to do this is by breaking off a small piece of clay and working it in your hands, as the heat from your hands will help soften the clay. For larger quantities of clay, some polymer clay artists choose to use a small food processor to chop and work the clay to get it started. This saves some effort, but keep in mind that once you’ve used the processor for clay, it can’t be used for food anymore. You should work the polymer clay until it is very soft and pliable.

Making Beads

Clay bead jewelry can be whimsical and colorful, it can be subdued and sophisticated or it can be anything in between. The sky is the limit when you’re creating beads from polymer clay.

The simplest beads are created by simply rolling a bit of clay into a ball, then poking a hole through the ball with a toothpick. You can also make beads that are quite elaborate, incorporating different colors, shapes and textures. Don’t be afraid to experiment and be creative. To help your beads keep their shape while curing, you can thread them onto a skewer or thick wire, and lay it across a baking sheet.

Making Pendants

Here is where your creativity can really soar. There is a little more leeway with pendants, as they can be larger than beads, and are generally the focal point of your finished jewelry piece. To make flat disk shapes to use as a base for your pendants, you can use a pasta roller to flatten your polymer clay, making it perfectly smooth without much effort. You can then cut out your desired shapes and embellish them as you wish.

Putting It all Together

Once you have created beads and pendants from polymer clay, you will need to assemble them into finished pieces. There are various strings, wires, clasps and findings available at your local craft store, to help you turn your handcrafted clay pieces into beautiful necklaces, bracelets, earrings, key chains and more.

Wholesale jewelry and wholesale fashion jewelry can be found in many stores in the United States. When a store buys wholesale, it is buying products in bulk and therefore it is able to buy them much cheaper. Consequently, more people have easy access to the great name brands we love, as they don’t have to run off to some far away place to get the products but can go to their neighborhood stores. Some stores that buy wholesale are Nordstrom, Marshalls, JCPenney, and Ross.

Marshalls has a great selection of jewelry. You can find name brands such as Calvin Klein, Diesel, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, Juicy Couture, Vera Wang, and Krizia. They carry jewelry such as watches, rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. Marshalls also carries purses, DVDs, belts, underwear, shoes, household appliances, gifts, men, women, and children’s clothes and so much more.

Ross carries similar products to Marshalls but it all depends on the time of year you go. Both stores get new stock in all of the time, almost on a weekly basis. So you really need to go on a weekly basis if you want to see all the new items they get in, as opposed to the GAP or Banana Republic that get in a selection of clothing every season.

JCPenney has yet similar products to Marshalls and Ross however it is a bigger store and probably carries a more variety of home appliances. They carry bedding, coffee makers, lighting fixtures, furniture, bath products, mattresses, electronics, and pet accessories. You can also set up a wedding registry at JCPenney. Wedding registries are becoming more and more popular in many stores in the United States. The store carries name brands such as Adidas, Liz Claiborne, Puma, and Calvin Klein.

Nordstrom is probably on the top of the pyramid of all of these stores. They carry higher end products and the store is more expensive. Nordstrom has suits, ties, shoes, and hats for men, a variety of name brands for women and children, jewelry, purses, and accessories, and you can even get your makeup done at Nordstrom. The women’s section of Nordstrom is so vast, there are different parts of the store for different ages of women and styles they are looking for. For instance, there is Brass Plum, that caters more to a teenage audience and then there is Savvy that is more expensive and fashionable for women in their twenties and thirties. Nordstrom has a huge makeup department where you can find Estee Lauder, Clinique, Mac, Trish McEvoy, Lancome, Bobbi Brown, and Stila. Sales people in this part of the department store will be happy to try some makeup on you but usually they want you to walk away with buying one of their products.

To conclude, wholesale jewelry and wholesale fashion jewelry can be found in many stores all around the country, in addition to a lot of other types of wholesale products. These stores try to make it convenient for the consumer to find the product they want at the price they want.