Oct 21, 2022 | JEWELRY MAKING SUPPLIES
November’s stone of the month is the stunning, scintillating topaz. This distinctive buttery orange gem is the most common birthstone for November babies, but anyone can appreciate its beauty and allure.
This month, it’s time to try using this gemstone in your own jewelry-making work. Let’s talk about what this gem is, what makes it special, and how you can use it to great effect in all of the items you make.
What Is Topaz?
Topaz is a silicate gemstone that can be found all over the world. It’s naturally colorless when it contains no impurities. When impurities are present, it may look blue, pale green, red, purple, orange, yellow, or brown.
The classic topaz color used in jewelry and other trinkets is a rich brownish-orange. This color is similar to citrine, another orange gemstone that happens to be the alternate birthstone for November. However, topaz is the rarer and more valuable of the two.
Topaz jewelry is a great gift for anyone born in this blustery month. It’s a gorgeous addition for both everyday and formal outfits – and because its golden coloring is so close to neutral shades, it’s easy to wear with almost any outfit you can think of. This versatility has made topaz necklaces, bracelets, and earrings staple items in many a person’s wardrobes.
Crafting with Topaz
So how can you put topaz to work in your jewelry-making projects? The easiest way is to incorporate our topaz beads and pendants into your work. Our range of bead jewelry supplies includes many topaz products.
Topaz’s near-neutral coloring comes in handy here too, allowing you to match it with a wide variety of different beads to create varied looks. Complement its richness with gold-filled beads, bring out its vivacity with aquamarine beads, or harmonize its natural beauty with some understated stone beads – it’s all up to you.
If topaz’s classic amber color is too subdued for you, we also have Swarovski crystal topaz beads and Swarovski crystal pendants for sale in more vivid shades of yellow and orange. These items are great for making fiery statement pieces that grab people’s attention. Whether you’re making topaz jewelry for gifts, for a business, or just for yourself, you’re sure to be pleased with the end result.
Shop for Quality Topaz Beads Today
Making your own gorgeous custom topaz jewelry is easy with beads and beading supplies from Crystal Findings. Pick up some topaz beads, some accent beads, and some beading cord, wire, or thread and get to work! Even if you weren’t born in November, you’ll love making necklaces, bracelets, keychains, and other accessories with this sunny gemstone.
Oct 7, 2022 | JEWELRY MAKING SUPPLIES, Stone Beads
We here at Crystal Findings are proud to be the #1 supplier of beads and jewelry making supplies in the US, and we take that reputation seriously. We know that consumer trust has played a massive role in our success over the last few decades. What sets us apart from our competition? Here are just a few of the things that we do to show our customers how much we value their business.
Incredible Selection
There’s nothing more frustrating for a crafter than having a project in mind and being unable to find the beads you need for it. Our online-only sales approach allows us to stock an eye-popping number of different specialty beads, including stone beads, sterling silver beads, and alphabet beads. We even have an unmatched selection of luxury products like gold-filled beads, and beads and pendants made from real Swarovski crystals. No matter what type of beads or beading supplies you need, you’ll have no trouble finding them here.
Easy Bulk Orders
We know that a significant portion of our customer base isn’t just making jewelry for themselves – they’re selling it as part of a business. We offer bulk orders on all of our beads and beading supplies to make it easy for business owners to stock up on the things they need. We even offer special pricing for orders above a certain size, making large orders of bulk bead supplies even more affordable.
Fast Shipping
When you buy something online, you don’t want to have to wait weeks to receive it. We ship most of our orders on the same day you place them, allowing us to get them to you as fast as possible. With speedy delivery available all across the country, you’ll never have to wait too long to get started on your next exciting craft project.
Stellar Customer Service
We want our customers to feel confident buying from us, so we’ve invested heavily in improving the customer experience. Got a question, or want to make a return? Our friendly customer service team is always ready to help you out. If something goes wrong with your order, we’ll happily do everything we can to make it right.
25+ Years of Success
We’ve been in the jewelry business for more than a quarter of a century now, and we’re still going strong. Our continued success speaks for itself, and our collection of glowing reviews backs it up. Our customers love our products and service so much that they buy from us again and again. We know you’ll feel the same way.
Don’t Believe Us? See For Yourself
Crystal Findings is the best place to get jewelry making supplies wholesale online. Browse our extensive product listings today to see just how much we have to offer. With thousands of different beads available for purchase, you’re sure to find some you truly love.
Aug 21, 2022 | JEWELRY MAKING SUPPLIES, Swarovski Crystal Beads, Swarovski Crystal Pendants
As Christmas draws closer, you may be thinking about how you want to decorate your home for the occasion. You can add some extra glitz to all of your holiday displays with handmade crystal ornaments constructed using our quality beading supplies. Keep reading to find out what you’ll need for this project and how to turn a small pile of beads into a glamorous icicle accent.
Materials
For this craft, you’ll need
You can get these beading tools and supplies shipped right to your door from our online store. Be sure to order bicones, briolettes, polygons, and at least one pendant.
Making the Ornament
- Start by cutting a four-foot piece of beading thread from the spool and threading it into your beading needle. This might seem like too much, but trust us – you’ll need it!
- Use a bead stopper on the open end to keep your beads from falling off, then begin threading the first beads onto the line. Begin with one 8mm briolette bead, then add two 3mm bicones. Continue with an 8mm polygon, then two more bicones. Then add another 8mm briolette and two more bicones.
- Once you’ve gotten this far, it’s time to start using some bigger beads. Add a 12mm briolette to the string followed by a bicone, a polygon, another bicone, and one more 12mm briolette.
- At this point, you will have reached the very bottom of the ornament. String six bicones together, then add the centerpiece of the whole design: a shimmering crystal pendant. Drop pendants work well for creating a dripping icicle-like effect, but you can use any shape you like. Try one of our Swarovski crystal heart pendants to evoke the warmth and togetherness of the holidays.
- After attaching the pendant, thread six more bicones onto the string to complete the small loop that will hold it in place. Then thread the needle back up through the entire line of beads.
- The final step involves creating the loop that holds the finished ornament up. To do this, thread 18 bicones together, then pull the thread toward the base of the longer string. Tie several knots at the base of the loop to keep all of the beads in place, then trim away any thread that is still showing.
When you’re done, you will have created a stunning statement piece perfect for decorating your home for the holidays. Hang it on your tree, add it to a window display, or string a few over your mantle – however you choose to show off your glittering creation, it’s sure to make an impression on everyone who visits you during this year’s festivities.
Deck the Halls… with Beads!
This ornament is just one of the many gorgeous crafts you can make with the beads and supplies we stock here at Crystal Findings. Our massive selection of crystal and stone beads, wires, beading threads, and other custom jewelry making supplies includes everything you need to tackle projects both large and small. Browse our listings today and see what else you can find to make your home sparkle this holiday season.
Aug 7, 2022 | JEWELRY MAKING SUPPLIES, Stone Beads
Stone-beaded bracelets are simple yet elegant accessories that can add a touch of class to any outfit. There are plenty available at various retailers, but why settle for something premade? It’s easy to make your own custom stone beaded bracelets with some basic materials and crafting supplies. Whether you want to make the bracelet you’ve always dreamed of, create a one-of-a-kind gift for a friend, or start your own jewelry-making business, you’ll have no trouble making an item that’s better than any you’ll find on store shelves.
Materials
Before you sit down to start assembling your bracelet, you’ll need to gather the following:
You can get these supplies from most craft stores or online – and of course, our store has all the beads you could possibly want.
Spend some time browsing our selection before you make your final decision. Think about whether you want to go with a full row of just one kind of bead or incorporate a pattern into your design. Either approach can yield beautiful results, but patterns are typically more eye-catching and unique.
The Crafting Process
Once you’ve decided on a design and acquired the materials you need to make it, it’s time to start shaping the wire into a bracelet.
Start by attaching the hook clasp to the end of your wire. To do this, you’ll need to create a small loop with the end of round nose pliers. Take the wire in your hands and start bending it about one inch before the end. Keep bending it until your loop is almost complete, then slip the hook clasp into the loop. Finish attaching the clasp by twisting the remaining bit of wire around the base of the loop. There should be at least two twists here to keep the clasp firmly in place. Remember to tuck the sharp end away so the wearer won’t cut themselves on it.
Now that you have one end of the bracelet complete, you can begin beading. Simply string the beads onto the wire in whatever pattern you choose. Keep in mind that the center of a typical 7-inch bracelet will fall around the 3-inch mark and not the 3.5-inch mark you would expect. This is because the clasp and surrounding wire twists will take up some of the space. Plan your designs accordingly to make sure they have the impact you intended.
Finally, you’ll need to shape the end of the bracelet into a loop that can fit into the clasp. To do this, use the round nose pliers to carefully twist the wire just above the point where your beadwork ends. Check to see if your loop fits into your clasp and creates a bracelet of the intended size. If anything isn’t right, bend the wire back and rework the bracelet as needed.
When you’re happy with the size and fit, use the flat nose pliers to twist the wire around the base of the loop, leaving a little extra room for the beads to move around. Cut the wire, and just like that, you have a finished bracelet.
Get All the Bracelet Materials You Need at the Touch of a Button
With quality online bead retailers like Crystal Findings, it’s never been easier to get the materials you need to make your own showstopping custom pieces. Our store has dozens of different stone beads available in every shape and color you can think of, as well as other beads that they can be paired with like alphabet beads, shamballa beads, and everyone’s favorite, Swarovski beads. Browse our selection of beads to get inspiration for your next project – and when you’re ready to order, just enter your address to get your beads, wire, pliers, and other necessary items shipped right to your door.
May 21, 2022 | Alphabet letter beads, JEWELRY MAKING SUPPLIES
Alphabet letter beads are fun and quirky beads, each of which features a different letter of the alphabet. Often, alphabet letter beads come as part of any basic beading tools and supplies kit as they are one of the most popular types of beads to get started beading with. Why? Because they are typically a part of the friendship bracelets that are so often the very first type of beading jewelry a young person will make.
Beaded Alphabet Bracelet & Necklace Gifting Ideas
The traditional friendship bracelets that bear each person’s name remain among the most popular beaded jewelry made with alphabet beads, but they certainly are not alone in this category. These types of beads can be used in a variety of out of the box creative jewelry ideas that make for excellent gift ideas, including:
- Spiritual milestones. First communion, bar or bat mitzvahs, and more personal spiritual milestones are popular points of gift-giving, and what better gift than to fashion a bracelet that lists an important verse from a loved one’s preferred holy text?
- Encouragement for life changes. Maybe your best friend got a new car or a cousin is planning a road trip across the country? These big changes bring about new opportunities and a small gift like a beaded bracelet with words of encouragement and inspiration is a fantastic token of your support.
- Celebration of a new family addition. Beaded bracelets are often used to connect friends, but that isn’t the only type of relationship that has to be celebrated. Maybe a friend added a new pet to their life, or a sister is about to become a mother. A bracelet made with alphabet and stone beads listing the name of this new familial addition is a great celebratory gift.
Supplies to Make Beaded Alphabet Bracelets & Necklaces
Are you ready to get crafting? The first step is to make sure you have the right supplies. We recommend the following basics for your first alphabet beaded jewelry gift:
- Alphabet beads
- Decorative beads to place in combination with alphabet beads, such as stone beads or sterling silver beads
- Elastic string or other type of cord to thread your beads on
- Sharp jewelry scissors
- Glue that dries fast and clear
All of these items can be bought at your neighborhood crafts supply store, but for the best deals and the best selection, you will want to buy jewelry making supplies online.
Visit Crystal Findings to Learn More
Here at Crystal Findings, we are passionate about not just getting our customers the best supply of affordable jewelry-making supplies, but also helping them learn more about what they can create and do with those supplies. Browse our blog for more jewelry-making tips and be sure to visit our online store for the best in online jewelry-making supplies!
We also welcome customers to visit our showroom in Philadelphia by calling in advance.
