Jewelry Making Books Are Ideal To Show You How To Make Your Own Necklaces

If you?ve ever considered making your own jewelry, you can learn all you can on this beautiful art by buying jewelry making books. You can find jewelry books to make all sorts of jewelry, from necklaces to earrings to bracelets and more. Jewelry making books are great if you want fabulous looking jewelry but you don?t want to spend the money it takes to actually buy it.

When you buy jewelry, materials aside, you are being charged for the labor it took to make that jewelry. If you could eliminate the middle man and just make your own from the lessons you received from jewelry making books, you could save a lot of money.

Where Can You Get Materials?

You can get materials for making jewelry in many hobby stores or even online. You can even find many materials for making jewelry inside the jewelry making books. Jewelry making books not only give you instructions for making jewelry, but they also tell you where you can get the various materials you?ll need to make the jewelry that you are most interested in. Whether you?re interested in making gold jewelry, silver, platinum, hemp or any other type of jewelry, there are jewelry making books out there for you and your jewelry preferences.

How Hard Is It?

Making jewelry isn?t hard, it all depends on the type of jewelry you?re looking to make and also the quality of the jewelry making books that you are using. If, for instance, you shop around and take a look at the various jewelry making books on the market, you should be able to find a jewelry making book that makes designing and producing your own necklaces, pendants and more with ease.

In fact, you can even look at reviews people send into bookselling websites to determine if the jewelry making books are worth your time and money. If you can?t trust the company who publishes or sells the books to tell you the truth, you can definitely trust the consumer to tell you which jewelry making books make the cut.

If you?re interested in making your own jewelry, you can just wing it and hope your creations match what you see in your mind?s eye or you can buy jewelry making books and do it the right way. The instructions are easy, as long as you have the materials and chances are you?ll have a blast in the process.

Ann Marier has written many articles on family life and different general health issues. Her latest articles tell you all you need to know about jewelry making as a hobby perhaps even a part time business

Everything You Need to Know in Choosing White Pearl Necklaces

White pearl necklaces are always a beautiful, classic gift and will fit right in with any occasion, whether it?s a wedding, a birthday, anniversary or just about any day that calls for giving. White pearls have an elegance and quiet beauty that is appreciated by any woman of any age. When cared for properly, they can last for years and years, which is no wonder that in any heirloom, pearls are one of those which stand out.

Traditionally, white pearls were given during weddings. It was believed that a gift of pearls ensured the happiness of married couples. Nowadays, white pearls are worn anywhere ? in board rooms, parties, family get-togethers, bars ? in just about any special occasion that calls for dressing up without dressing too much.

Natural vs. Cultured

Natural pearls, as their name implies, are produced naturally by oysters or mollusks. They start off as irritants (a grain of sand, piece of food or a parasite) that enter the shell of a living oyster. As a reaction to this invasion, the oyster produces nacre to contain the irritant. This coating is put over it in multiple layers until the irritant is completely covered and a shining pearl is born.

Since natural pearls are made ?accidentally? and therefore quite difficult to come by, cultured pearls were developed to meet the growing demand for pearls and to protect pearl oysters from over-harvest and extinction. Cultured pearls are also real pearls, except that instead of waiting for an irritant to invade an oyster, pearl farmers introduce a ?nucleus? to stimulate the production of a pearl.

Choosing the right length

White pearl necklaces come in varying lengths for different styles and occasions. When buying one, it?s worth remembering that a white pearl necklace is an accessory and can enhance or affect the entire look of the wearer.

Longer strands are used to make short necks appear longer, while shorter strands flatter longer necks. The most common lengths that white pearl necklaces come in are: the collar, choker, princess, matinee, opera and rope.

Collar pearls are the shortest at 14 to 16 inches long and may be worn with formal or semi-formal evening wear or semi-formal day wear. Chokers are 16 to 18 inches long and are the common choice for dances and balls. Princess necklaces are the most popular length at 18 to 20 inches long and look great on any outfit.

Matinee pearl necklaces are 20 to 24 inches long and can be worn for work because it goes well with work and business suits. Opera pearls are 28 to 34 inches long are often worn during formal parties.

Rope pearls are the longest, starting at 37 inches, although they don?t necessarily need to be worn just hanging from the neck. Like opera pearls, rope pearls may be knotted or doubled and may even be worn as a wide pearl bracelet.

Choosing the right style

Pearls are quite adaptable and will work well with almost any kind of gemstone. Alone or in combination with another gem, white pearls look stunning. White pearl necklaces come in several major styles: the bib, dog collar, graduated and uniform.

The bib is made of several strands, usually three or more, that varies in length and fall over the chest like, well, a bib. The pearls on the strands may either be graduated or uniformly-sized.

The dog collar, like its name, is made of several strands and is worn to fit above the base of the neck, right in the middle of the throat. The pearls that make up the strands are uniform in size and may either be small or medium-sized.

The graduated necklace is made up of either a single strand or several, with pearls of graduated sizes. Usually, the middle pearl is the largest in the strand. The uniform necklace uses the same size pearls in its strands and is probably the most common.

Choosing the right size

White pearls come in different sizes, with the most commonly used and sold ranging from 6.5mm to 7.5mm, while really small pearls measure 1mm or less. Some of the bigger pearls are in the 14 to 18mm range.

Generally, smaller pearls are best for younger women and children while medium to bigger pearls are flattering for older women. One of the reasons for this is tradition. In the past, the size of the pearl reflected the woman?s maturity and social status and so she wore the kind of pearls that were deemed appropriate for her.

The other reason is aesthetics. Younger women tend to have younger necks and the best way to show this off is to wear smaller pearls. Pearls of this size also do not look borrowed and women don?t seem to be playing ?dress up? with their mother?s jewelry. Older women are better off with medium to bigger-sized pearls, which also imply that she has reached a certain status in life.

For more information go to: http://www.unlimitedpearls.com, http://www.bestpearlnecklaces.com, or http://www.bestpearlearrings.com

Buying Guide for a Mikimoto Pearl Necklace

The highest quality cultured pearl necklaces are those produced and created by Mikimoto. These pearls are known for their unparalleled beauty and brilliance. It is said that once you wear Mikimoto pearls, any other kind of pearl will seem second-rate. Mikimoto pearls are so refined in quality that its fans include the royal families of Britain and Japan, Marilyn Monroe and Monaco?s Princess Grace.

Here are some information on what Mikimoto cultured pearls are, where they came from and how to buy them.

How pearls are formed

A pearl is the result of an oyster or mollusks? reaction to an irritant that invades its shell. To try to protect itself, the mollusk secretes a crystalline substance called nacre which builds up in layers upon layers, surrounding the irritant. When this happens, a pearl is born.

Pearls have been cultured for centuries not just in Japan, but in other countries as well. Much of the products result to semispherical pearls, also called mabe pearls from the oyster that grew them, and not in the more coveted spherical pearls. It was Kokichi Mikimoto who developed a special technique to induce oysters to create a round pearl.

The man behind the name

Cultured pearls as we know them, owe a lot to Kokichi Mikimoto, the man who perfected the pearl culturing method that is still used today. Contrary to popular belief, he did not invent the industry although he did play a very significant role in advancing the techniques which contributed to the improvement in cultured pearl quality.

Mikimoto, the son of a noodle restaurant owner, was born in 1885 in Toba City, Japan. He was first introduced to pearls when he started raising oysters. Around this time, Japan was already trading pearls with other countries and pearl oysters were in danger of becoming over-harvested. Mikimoto decided to concentrate on experiments in seeding oysters and producing pearls.

The first endeavors were failures. Mikimoto and his colleagues repeatedly encountered disappointing results, due in part to uncontrollable factors like water temperature and red tide. But this did nothing to dissuade Mikimoto from his dream.

His efforts paid off eventually. On July 11, 1893, with his wife Ume, he discovered a beautiful pearl in one of his oysters. He never looked back since. By the time he died in 1954, the highly honored Mikimoto had successfully advocated and promoted cultured pearls and opened markets all over the world. Today, his name is synonymous to the highest quality cultured pearls.

Buying your Mikimoto pearl necklace

Pearl necklaces come in several lengths. From the shortest to the longest, they are: collar (10?-13?), choker (14?-16?), princess (18?-20?), matinee (20?-24?), opera (28?-34?) and rope (37? and longer). The length of the pearl necklace will depend on the woman?s age, body composition and neck size, although an 18 to 24-inch pearl necklace is a good length for anyone. Generally speaking, the longer the necklace, the more it ?elongates? the neck.

The mark of ?M?

Every jewelry created by Mikimoto including pearl necklaces, has an ?M? stamped on its setting. This is a guarantee of quality. However, in some cases, the mark of ?M? will only guarantee that the setting is genuine and not the pearls, which can be replaced and restrung.

A caveat: there is a black market for Mikimoto clasps, where original Mikimoto clasps are used for cheaper or imitation-quality pearls. Beware also of ?closeout? Mikimoto sales, even if they come in ?new? 18k gold.

The best way to distinguish a true high-quality Mikimoto pearl from other pearls is to look for a unique road map or line pattern on the surface of the pearls under a 10x magnifying lens. Experienced jewelers can recognize this. On your own, you will want to find genuine Mikimoto pearls to compare with your intended purchase. Once you see the difference, true Mikimoto pearls are easily recognizable.

You might also encounter pearl necklaces that are labeled ?Mikimoto quality?. This is misleading. These are not pearls produced under the patented Mikimoto process. True Mikimoto pearl necklaces are those produced under stringent conditions in Ise in Honshu, Japan.

Akoya vs. Mikimoto

Another fine quality pearl is akoya pearls, although this is a general term used to refer to saltwater pearls. These are not Mikimoto pearls and they don?t cost the same.

Grading method

Mikimoto pearls are rated using four grades, with AAA being the highest. There are 4 sub-grades starting with AAA1. Highest-grade pearls are those with the best luster and reflective quality, almost mirror-like, while lower-grade pearls are those with reasonably clear reflection.

When buying your Mikimoto pearl necklace, be sure to ask for grading certificates. This is not only good for insurance, but it is also a guarantee that what you are paying for is a true Mikimoto pearl necklace.

For more information go to: http://www.unlimitedpearls.com, http://www.bestpearlnecklaces.com, or http://www.bestpearlearrings.com

Handmade Beaded Jewelry ? The Girlie Girl Way Of Choosing The Right Necklace Design

You are looking to buy a handmade beaded jewelry piece, in particular a handmade necklace, but how to choose the right one? Not sure of which style or length would look great on you? Then read on and follow these tips:

The most important factor in choosing the correct handmade necklace design for yourself starts with looking at your reflection in the mirror. Consider the following:

? Are you tall with a slender neck? Then chocker or collar necklaces are for you, as well as princess necklaces (18? long) that sit at the base of your neck.

? If you have a short or neck, then wear the longer necklaces ? matinee (23? long), opera (30?-36? long), a graduated necklace, or go for the very long lariats or rope necklaces (+36? long). Their long visual lines will help in extending the length of your neck.

? If you are of average height and weight, then all the options above are open to you.

? If your neck tends to be on the chunky side, then we recommend staying away from the short length necklaces and wearing graduated necklaces, the longer opera or rope necklaces.

? Then ponder the ?cleavage issue.? Are you modest and tend to wear clothing that doesn?t show cleavage? Then necklaces that are short or very long, that tend to draw the eye away from your chest, are the ones you are looking for. Or are you daring and flirty? If showing some d?collet? is your style, then having the knot of a lariat in the center of your breastbone or a pendant ending there will certainly bring additional glances. It makes a difference where a necklace sits on your chest, and you must ask yourself what are you trying to emphasize, or not?

All right, next you are ready to reflect on fashion and style factors. You know that handmade beaded jewelry is the perfect solution ? so many gorgeous styles to choose from. But which one is best for you? That depends on your style and existing wardrobe.

When thinking about your style think about your body type ? is it petite? Then we suggest wearing pieces that are dainty ? smaller beads that, even when layered, will not overwhelm your size. Larger women will feel comfortable wearing the chunkier, heavier beads that are so fashionable today. Lifestyle is also of overwhelming importance, what do you spend your week doing? What are weekends like? No doubt your need for handmade beaded jewelry changes, from causal to dressy and everything in between as do your outfits.

When choosing a beaded necklace, bear in mind whether the necklace will contrast with the outfit and stand out or do you prefer a monotone look where everything blends beautifully together? Will the neckline allow the necklace to sit on your skin or will the handmade necklace sit on the fabric? Is the focal point the jewelry piece or the outfit itself? With so many questions, do you need help with the answers? The great thing about shopping online is that, assuming you are home, you can place the outfit next to your computer and go exploring, all while wearing your jammies?

Choosing handmade beaded jewelry, in particular a handmade necklace, can be daunting task, but there is a great resource available at http://www.girliegirlsjewelrystudio.com website. This is a small Southern California design company that specializes in creating custom handcrafted jewelry. They are Girlie Girls themselves, designing and wearing their one of a kind jewelry comes naturally. Visit their website and let them custom design a stylish and stunning piece for you.

Girliegirlsjewelrystudio.com objective is to raise awareness of CFS/CFIDS/ME through the design and sales of handmade jewelry and handmade awareness bracelets.

Necklaces of the Renaissance Period

The Renaissance began in Italy during the 1300's, it spread to England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and other countries during the 1400's and ending in the early 1600's. This movement was considered a rebirth of the ancient works of art, literature, and philosophy. The Europeans studied these three endeavors of ancient Greece and Rome following the great scholars and artists, becoming themselves great in continuing and even advancing these areas. This movement reached a height in the 1400's and the early 1500's when achievements had become some of the greatest in history.

During the Renaissance jewelers achieved breakthroughs in shop tools, working areas, methods, and advanced techniques. Successful artists came from serving in strict apprenticeships or grew up working with family or close friends in the trade. Jewelry was in high demand during this period in history. In Florence, Italy there were over forty shops dedicated to producing the finest jewelry the world had yet ever seen. The style before the Renaissance was called Gothic which was thought to have expelled all of the possible works from it and had given in to the new more elaborate style.

During the end of the fifteenth century western Europe had become united in many ways and artists freely traveled about expanding their craft. During this time of international freedom, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Hungarian jewelers developed their style at an equal pace. This made it difficult sometimes to distinguish from which country the jewelry was made during the Renaissance period. Italy was considered one of the greatest at the time for many forms of art including jewelry. Throughout Europe, Italian jewelers were sought for their advanced techniques and amazing methods for extracting the finest detail.

The technique at the time was very disciplined and defined. The overall piece would often have a central theme with incredible detail and precision. The designs would be incredible stretches of the imagination, ships, galleons, mermaids, mermen, salamanders, sea horses, and cupids would be laced with beautiful diamonds and other precious gems. Brooches, pendants, and ropes were sculpted from onyx, silver, gold and laced with pearls, opals, and rubies. Necklaces were normally made to end part way around the neck with looped ends and linking done with threading applied to backings in some cases. A necklace with a pendant was called en suite. Portraits were carved with babies and angels, sculpted with such fine detail as to the point of miraculous. Irregular pearls called baroque would be set in a design that made their unusual shape flow and become a necessary part of the piece. Diamonds were often fashioned into triangular chips embellishing the piece with extraordinary beauty.

During this time gems were thought to contain special powers for the body, so these were designed into the piece to touch the skin. Salamanders were said to represent passionate love and cupids were often times given as gifts to enhance a special meeting. An interesting note, Queen Elizabeth enjoyed animal jewels and had various ones in her collection including greyhound, scorpion, turtledove, and dolphin.

Output of South German and Hungarian mines worked at a fevered pitch to meet the massive demand for gold in this period. The Hungarian mines also produced opals and precious stones which were also imported from the Oriental regions. Sea coral was used for carving which came from off the shores of Italy.

In the making of the pieces casting was performed, many times in two or more sections or portions. After casting, various pieces were put into different combinations bringing about different designs. Opaque white enameling would be done with care as to not completely cover all the metal. Carefully applying enamel to recessed areas with deep cuts or cells of metal then sanding the metal down to the level of the enamel was called champleve'. Adhesive used for precious gems was black wax. The wax was used if metal drawn over or embracing the precious stone detracted from the overall design of what the artist envisioned. There were a few methods used for making tiny sculptures. Some of these included wax modeling which was accomplished then careful casting of the tiny art piece then melting out the wax. Small sheet metal shaping and pressing was also done if the piece required it.

Rings were the most popular, then pendants, and then necklaces. Pendants were worn by men, women, and children. Men and children wore them around the neck. Women wore them around the neck or pinned or tied with ribbon on the dress or sleeve.

The jewelry of the Renaissance with all of its passion and romance continues on as talented artists embrace and study this great period. Keeping it still alive with their own masterpieces influenced by this era of artistic achievement.

To see some amazing jewelry visit: www.amazing-adventure.com/Jewelry/AlleJewelry.htm

Glenn Heitkoetter is a part time writer and runs the following websites: www.incredible-items.com and www.amazing-adventure.com