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A little bling in the spring makes everything sparkle better! Swarovski Crystal Beads not only add sparkle to jewelry designs, but below are a few more ways to bedazzle projects and take them to the next level!!
Project ideas to add sparkle and Bling to everything!
Add some bling to clothing
Bling out clothing with designs made of Swarovski crystal
When I was young metal studs were the in thing to add to jeans, handbags and other clothing. I loved decorating with those, but using crystal would have been so much cooler!!
When it comes to home decor, the sky is the limit for adding a special sparkle with Swarovski crystals.
Dress up a simple gift bag with a charm or bracelet made with Swarovski crystals. Another idea to make a gift really unique is to use beautiful Swarovski crystals to embellish gift bags.
Fire Mountain Gems website has a variety of project tutorials for every room in your house.
Summer projects for teens
Summer will be here soon and crafty teens can spend free time expressing themselves by adding crystals to all their gear!
Create designs on cell phone covers with Swarovski crystal and glitter
My daughters have blinged out their shoes, headbands, notebooks and their Cell Phone Cover with Swarovski Crystals! These are perfect crafts for tweens and teens of all skill levels.
What is the most unusual way you have used Swarovski crystals in a design project?
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St Patricks Day is coming in March and I wanted to share a few Irish Celtic Jewelry ideas! Even though this is right around the corner on March 17, there is still time to make something – in fact, if you love beads, there is ALWAYS time to create!
Irish jewelry ideas for St. Patrick’s Day
First of all, anything green or with a clover will work, but below are a few jewelry making ideas for inspiration!
Irish Celtic Earrings with Swarovski Crystal
There earrings are a beautiful and simplistic design with Swarovski Crystal and Celtic design charms. See the materials list here:
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Christmas crafts and DIY projects for the holidays are fun to make for yourself or to give as gifts. Click through the projects below for step-by-step directions and lists of materials needed.
The tutorials below can be followed exactly or use your imagination and creativity to make them a special custom creation.
Everyone loves handmade gifts, and these tutorials serve to fuel your inspiration.
Super easy to make Christmas Tree earrings that can be made in any color! Also known as “Yule Trees”, they are a popular symbol for the Christmas holiday.
A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top, played with during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. These adorable sterling silver earrings are a great holiday jewelry project to make and share with others.
Make several of these beautiful snowflake Christmas ornaments to give as gifts to family and friends! Experiment with other beads and components to make a truly special holiday decoration.
Check out the great selection of beads, charms and components shown below to add to other Christmas crafts!
I love to read thanks to my parents and their example, do you love to read a good book? I wonder how many still like the feel of a book in their hands and not some electronic device?
Do you read for fun?
My Mom and Dad were always reading for fun and through books I was able to expand my imagination and sometimes escape to magical lands.
We had a large bookcase with many books, including an old Encyclopedia Set – remember those? I did many a school report using those Encyclopedias!
Now you can read books online, purchase ebooks and download them to whatever media device you like, but for me there is just nothing like holding a physical book and turning each page. I can see how much of the book I have read, and how much of the story is left by viewing where the bookmark is located.
Memento Mori book thong shown with the best-selling book “The Shack”.
Some of my favorites
There are so many great books, and over the years I have gone through many different authors and subjects like:
Stephen King Books
Science Fictions Books
Ghost Stories
Spirituality
Great Love Stories
Mystery Novels
Unique Egyptian style sterling silver scarab book thong with “evil eye” and crystal beads
Bookmark your place
I started making beaded bookmarks a few years ago, using art beads and charms that were left over after a project.
These bookmarks or book thongs add a little personality and decoration to books and also mark your place.
Bookmarks also can be a great small gift idea for readers at just about anytime of the year. My Mom loved them and became my best customer! In todays electronic age they are a unique gift and perfect for:
Gifts for children
Friends at work or church
A small thank you to someone who has helped you out
Stocking Stuffer ideas
and many more…..
Do you still read books?
I would love to know how many people still love to read books. What are your favorite types of books to read and how do you keep your place? Leave a comment and let me know!
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Searching for fundraiser ideas that are easy and quick? Many jewelry designers and artisans use their talents and time to raise awareness and funds for a cause. Below are some ideas and inspiration!
Fundraiser ideas that are quick and easy
Want to make some jewelry for a fundraiser, but are short on time? Try easy to assemble jewelry such as Almost Instant Jewelry®. This line of metal settings is calibrated to specifically fit Swarovski® crystal fancy stones or other components. You’re able to produce a professional-looking piece of jewelry in 3 easy steps!
You can also use the settings as a base for other jewelry media such as Magic-Glos® top coat, Apoxie® Sculpt and your favorite polymer clay. Some settings don’t even require glue!! These open-backed settings are held securely closed by stringing onto a chain or cording. Want to switch out the pendant? Unstring the pendant and open the setting back up.
With such a vast selection of settings and Swarovski colors/effect, it’s fun to let customers customize their own jewelry. Lay out the options and allow customers visiting your fundraiser pick their favorite setting, chain and matching Swarovski crystal. They get a piece of personalized custom jewelry and your cause reaps the benefits.
Use beads, charms or both to show support for a cause!
Bracelets full of charms and beads
Charm bracelets are a fantastic and fun way to show support for a cause. Attach lobster claw clasps to charms such as awareness ribbons plus other dangles in matching colors. Add hearts, angels, affirmations and more for a full selection of charm options.
Large hole beads are a popular favorite
Customers will love being able to quickly and easily create a bracelet that stands for a cause they support. Plus, since the bracelet is interchangeable, charms can always be added later giving you the opportunity for repeat customers.
Large-hole beads are favorites for creating personalized jewelry. Dione® Easy-On Chains have threaded ends that twist off and on for putting on or taking off beads. There are even ring settings specifically made to accommodate a large-hole bead and are created simply by unscrewing the decorative top, adding the bead and securing the top back on.
You aren’t limited to just using metal bases though. If you’re a fan of custom cords such as macramé and kumihimo, make colorful cords at least 3mm in diameter and large-hole beads slide on perfectly.
Leather cord or hemp is a great choice for non-metal jewelry
Metal-free zone
Non-metal options include cord and simple loops or knots. Some metals can cause allergic reactions to metal-sensitive individuals, so having a selection of metal-free jewelry ensures no one gets left out.
Knot closures are an added benefit as well since they slide to fit a range of neck or wrist sizes. Fundraiser attendees can then purchase jewelry not only for themselves, but also as gifts for friends and family without worrying about the jewelry not fitting. On the other end use a lark’s head knot to attach gemstone donuts, go-gos and other shapes with center cutouts. This type of jewelry is also a fan favorite with males–further expanding the reach of your cause.
Try cuff links, tie tacs or pendants to appeal to all types of customers
Something for everyone
Want more ways to appeal to both the male and female demographics? Consider quick-and-easy pendant jewelry. Choose pre-made colorful multi-strand necklace cords or metallic chains including ever-popular ball chain. Then let customers select a pendant to match. Voila!
Other potential sale opportunities for men also include tie tac and cuff link settings made handsome by simply gluing a flat-backed component on the pad with a strong jewelry-making adhesive.
While we’re on the subject of gluing, bails turn beads, donuts, cabochons and more into pendants with just a dab of adhesive. You’ll be able to create more, in less time, for your favorite charity or community fundraising event. Decorative bail options give you and attendees more to choose from so everyone gets a piece of jewelry they’ll wear again and again.
Want even simpler? Try pinch bails. No glue required. Simply select a bead, charm, drop or other component with a hole and align the prongs of the bail. Squeeze with a pair of pliers and you have an instant pendant to attach to earwires or slide on chain as a pendant.
What to expect from the crowd
Now that you’re prepared to create for the next event, what should you expect? There are 3 possible outcomes.
Some people will walk away–that’s okay.
Some people will offer a donation without wanting a piece of jewelry–that’s great.
Some people will buy your jewelry to support the cause and spread awareness by wearing it–super!
Not only do you end up helping your cause, but you also end up meeting a lot of caring people. You’ll also form a newfound appreciation of your own talents as you create fundraising design lines. Charity events and community fundraisers are sure to attract attention for your cause when tables are lined with your sparkling jewelry creations to buy or bid on.
Make it your mission to engage in deliberate acts of kindness and use your jewelry-making talents to foster a better community, nation and world one jewelry design at a time!
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Black Friday is a great time for everyone to find deals on gifts for loved ones, but it’s also a great time to buy beads, charms and jewelry making supplies!
Fire Mountain has a fantastic sale going on with almost 7000 items at unheard of prices! Their sale includes many brand names including:
Swarovski
Blue Moon Beads
Hill Tribe
and LOTS more!
Customer Appreciation Coupon Code
Better still they are hosting a Customer Appreciation Event with a coupon code, where customers can save $10, $15 or $20 off their order.
If you’ve been buying your beads at Fire Mountain for any length of time then you know that Fire Mountain Gems coupon codes are super rare, but it’s only good until November 25, so use it now!
Great deal on beads from Fire Mountain Gems and Beads Pre Black Friday Sale
Pre Black Friday Sale at Fire Mountain Gems and Beads
Below are a few products included in the Fire Mountain Gems and Beads Pre Black Friday Sale, which features almost 7,000 items up to 77% off.
Cell phone charms used to be all the rage! That was a short-lived trend because newer cell phones have no place to hook them. Meanwhile crafters and bead suppliers have jillions of them left over.
Likewise, when I was trying to sell my wares at local craft shows years ago, I created some cell phone charms with an assortment of really nice sterling silver bead designs and Swarovski crystal.
Guess what? I still have some of them! They are nearly impossible to sell since no one is interested in them any longer.
So what do you do with them now?
Retired cell phone charm that I used to decorate an incense bottle
Great idea for cell phone charms
I love incense and have several types of incense burners in my home, including bottle incense holders.
They come with a large split ring and golden cord that hangs on the side. You put the incense stick into the split ring and then insert the stick in the bottle so that the smoke comes out of the top and the ventilation holes on the side.
Over the years the silver split ring had become blackened from the smoke and the little golden cord had become frayed. So I took one of those unwanted cell phone charms and attached it to a new split ring. See how nice it looks?!!
Phone charms are a great way to add a little beaded decor to just about anywhere. Check my Etsy shop to see which ones I have left 🙂
Other uses for cell phone charms
Purse Decoration
Zipper Pull
Ceiling Fan Pulls
Giveaways with orders
What great ideas for decorations with beads have you had lately? Leave a comment below, I would love to hear your ideas!
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