Glass Beads Supplies

When into bead making, it is not enough to just know how to do the job, you also need to have the passion and determination to make the hobby last long. Moreover, if you are indeed into bead making, consider also having these items for a lesser cost. You may not feel the total cost you have allotted for the supplies in just a few days but in the long run, you will eventually see whether you have saved yourself some cost or just made your hobby an expensive one.

Glass beads supplies may not be limited to having some glass beads in different colors and shapes and some strings. If you happen to like bead making and fixed on having it long term, you might as well complete your whole set of glass beads supplies. You need to have some tools and equipments like wire cutters, pliers, glass rods, mandrels and some other stuff. This may sound many to count and can generate greater cost, but how to make bead making more affordable?

First, all you have to do is list down all the necessary tools and materials and filter these to what you regularly use. Will you be using the mandrels often or only in selected type of jewelries? This is helpful since you can only buy those tools that you often need and just borrow the others when you need them.

In addition, you can combine all projects having similar tools to use hence you can borrow them only for that day. Not only will it save you the cost of buying the tools, but also create an awareness to other enthusiast that you are fond of bead making yourself thus you can create a group project or have a slumber party on bead making.

As for the glass beads materials, you can buy these in bulk. Often, stores provide discounts to people buying in bulk orders. If you think about it, you can save a lot from the discount. Moreover, it can also save you the traveling cost as well as your own time and effort in going back and forth to the bead shop just to buy limited number of glass beads. You can buy bulk orders of the same sizes or have these in variety for better selection when doing your beaded accessories.

One hobby or job may be expensive no matter how simple it is if not planned accordingly. However, something as detailed as bead making may save you greater cost if you knew the technique on buying these glass beads for less.

Many people get interested in making glass beads jewelry. But how many of you can make a glass beads rosary instead? It can serve not just as an accessory, but as a tool for prayer and meditation as well.

For those who are not familiar with a rosary bracelet, or how one might pray using a rosary glass beads bracelet, all you have to know is that it consists of 11 beads, rather than the typical 59 of a full rosary. The Our Father bead is the singled out bead, and the other 10 beads are for the decade of Hail Mary prayers. Having a glass beads rosary bracelet is a convenient way to carry your rosary with you, and is also great conversation starter to share your faith.

In order to make your own glass beads rosary bracelet, prepare the following materials:

*Size can vary depending on size of glass beads you are using and size of bracelet you are making.

Directions:

You must first decide the length of your bracelet. Then trim your beading wire, leaving enough towards the end for tying. Add male end of clasp and secure with crimp bead. When you string, do it in this order: 3 crystals, large furnace glass bead, 2 crystals, crucifix, 1 crystal, medal, 1 crystal, glass bead, 2 crystals, glass bead, 2 crystals...repeat this until you string last glass bead. String 3 crystals (or more if you need a bit longer). Add female end of clasp and secure with crimp bead.

Have you ever heard of slave trade? It is a deal between two parties wherein one party will trade their treasures in exchange of slaves. It may sound so brutal these days and anything such as these occurrences can cause rallies in the streets.

However, in the past, this is just a usual thing. This is a common negotiation between European explorers and native Africans. These natives trade African slave people to European explorers in exchange of slave beads.

Slave beads, or also known as Trade beads, are decorative glass beads mainly used for trading goods and people. These glass beads are made in fine quality and variety of colors, shapes and designs. Natives from Africa and even in other continents are fond of these types of beaded jewelries as adornment to their bodies.

Sometimes, beauty is measured in the quantity of jewelries present in the body. Some tribes consider one woman the most beautiful if she has the most jewelry in the body, not to mention some body paint and other adornments. Hence, many natives would rather exchange their people to these jewelries.

Moreover, these beads are used as financial resource. They use these beads for buying food and other services from another person through these so-called money.

The name “Trade beads” is derived from its function as a good trade and its title “Slave beads” comes from the the concept of trading slaves in exchange of these beads. These ornamental glass beads are very rampant in the past. Not only are these available for the European explorers but even voyagers from United States and Canada produced these trade beads.

We can easily acquire these attractive glass beads anytime for as many as we want these days. However, people before even exchange their own kind just for a few of these.

Aren’t we lucky to live in this generation?

You are probably at that point where you have started creating your own glass beads jewelry collection and now you are thinking about selling some to your friends via online. One way you can do this is to be able to show them your creation even if you are just at the comforts of your own home and without having to go from house to house just to sell your beautiful collection. By putting them up online, you can reach more people who would be interested in getting your glass beads jewelry.

So how do you show them your stuff? Yes, you guessed it right. By showing photos of your creation!


Most often than not, photos fail to excite the viewer’s senses or ignite an emotional reaction from them. Therefore, in creating your photo, you have to use different kinds of things to make your glass beads shine. This way, the people who see the photos of your creation will be impressed with what you’ve made and will evoke a feeling of wanting from them.


Here are simple some tips you can use when taking pictures of your glass beads accessories and jewelry. Because glass beads tend to be so small, special skills are needed to make them seem like real in photos.


Lighting possesses the greatest secret in taking photographs. They can help create a dramatic effect which can be achieved by the angle of the direct light towards the glass beads to help showcase the essential parts. Beads that reflect 100% of light are gemstones, diamonds and polished gold. As for glass beads, if you want to achieve a 3D effect, even if light mostly passes through them you would need a place where there is enough light, a pastel colored background and a nifty digital camera of DSLR. Use a tripod to make sure that your camera is well focused and not moving. If you have a good eye for light and detail, you even just use your phone camera as long as you can keep your hand steady.


Always remember that the basic points to good photography when it comes to glass beads are lighting, exposure and focus.

Now try it and see what your glass beads photography will look like!

There are many kinds of beads that are used in making beaded jewelry and accessories. There are the plastic kind, the metal types, the natural kind like nuts and seeds, and there are the glass beads. Glass beads are usually the more expensive kind especially if they are the fire polished ones made from Czech republic.

Glass beads are usually in demand for jewelry making because they have become synonymous with the designer kind. Glass beads jewelry exude fashion, flair, and unique style. There are a wide array of glass beads jewelry to choose from which can suit any motif, theme or fashion design.

Take a look at some of the most popular types of decorative glass beads used in glass beads jewelry:


Frog Beads

Nature and animals are the typical inspiration of this type of glass beads. They are usually good for decorations but are perfect as glass beads jewelry too, such as pendants, rings and bracelets. The kinds of glasses used for frog beads are lamp-work, handmade, venetian, and furnace.


Flower Beads

These beads of course resemble the shape of various flowers like lily, ivy, acorns and sweet pea. As such, they are colorful, lively and pretty. Because of their striking beauty, they are usually made into necklaces and bracelets. But because these beads are usually delicate due to the shape of the petals, careful handling is required for this kind of glass beads.


Heart Beads




Round Beads

These round beads have that shimmering quality because of their round shape, just like those of pearls. They are used to embellish a variety of jewelry items, best for crafting elegant necklaces and bracelets. You can even combine these round beads to other kinds to create a unique glass beads jewelry. The final outcome would depend entirely on your own creativity and design.


Butterfly Beads

As the name suggests, they resemble beautifully shaped butterflies in all colors and styles. They are perfect to be used as pendants for necklaces and bracelets most of the time. By their very nature, they seem very enticing and endearing. Butterfly beads are typically crafted from Venetian, Czech, Chinese and Indian glasses.


These are just the most popular kinds of beads used in glass beads jewelry. Make sure that you include them in your beading supplies so can make your glass beads jewelry collection more chic, stylish and elegant.

Take your lampshade for example. You may see your lamp with manufactured design, plain colors or some stickers on it. Wouldn’t it be great to style your lampshades with some beads? You can have some fire polished donut glass beads in many pastel colors like fuchsia, rose, yellow and orange and create any pattern you want for your lampshade. Place a little flower in the center surrounded by light green glass beads imitating a garden look.

Or maybe your pen and pencil holder. Cats eye beads can look great in this item. Choose some big ones and surround the whole piece or have small pieces of beads and fill half of your canister. You will then have a funky looking pen and pencil holder.Your bags, purses and wallets can be decorated too with glass beads. Think of a good spot in your bags on where to place your design, gather your chosen beads of different colors and start weaving. You can now have a unique and artistic bag you can brag to school.Go deeper into your imagination and adorn your mirror, picture frames, cabinets, lockers and anything else you can think of with beautiful glass beads. Anything beautiful can be created out of an artistic material and a creative mind. Just be sure never to overdo it.

Always have a cool pattern in every design. It makes designing look organized. Remember, if you look good with some beaded jewelries in your body, what more your stuff?