Article 1 - Jewellery Making - A Great Children's Activity

If you've got a class full of 10-year-olds and you're looking for something to do, gather some jewellery making supplies and set those little fingers to constructive use! There are wooden beads, glass beads, and even Pandora styled beads available for kids to express their imaginations.

Getting Started

Jewellery making supplies can be found at many hobby stores and are available online at crafting websites. It's cheaper to buy in bulk, so locate a seller of jewellery making supplies and pool your funds to get the big bag. Wooden beads make for a good background, which can be set off by selective use of shiny glass beads. Get a variety of small and larger beads - this will add dimension to your jewellery. Don't be afraid to get some really bright colors - that's where the fun comes in! You'll also need wire or string. Select something that is heavy weight enough to handle the type of bead you are using. Wooden beads are lighter, but can have rough surfaces that wear down string over time. For long-lasting bead jewellery, use wire.

How Many Beads Per Child?

The best answer is: as many as they can find a way to use. But on a budget, a bracelet can be made with as few as 20 small wooden beads - but be sure to throw in a few glass beads for accents. These will be the "jewels" of your jewellery. Of course, if you like, you can make them all glass beads - and your piece will have a lot more sparkle.

Pattern Ideas

For those kids who want to color inside the lines, you can set out specific patterns of beads for them to follow. For younger children, this can be a great exercise in following directions. Just be sure you have enough supervision with younger kids so that they don't eat the beads!

Earthy

The Earthy look in your bead jewellery is achieved through mostly using wooden beads. If you use glass beads, pick colors in browns or greens. It'll give you a real crunchy, wood nymph feel.

Sparkly

If you like all things that glitter, then this is the look for you. To achieve the Sparkly look in your bead jewellery, use mostly glass beads to get a shiny, glittery look to your creation. You can use glass beads of a darker color for background, and a few glass beads of a brighter color for places of accent.

Na'vi

The blue Na'vi people in the Avatar movie had their own Pandora styled beads. To get the same look in your bead jewellery, use a similar blue bead with black swirl. The kids will be thrilled to have their own Pandora styled jewellery. Then they can don them and practice a little Hollywood make-believe.

Complimentary Activities

Now that you have made this lovely jewellery, how about taking it out for a spin? The kids can use it as part of activities in which they learn about great moments in history that have involved jewellery of all sorts. How about a lesson on the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels? Or the stories of the Maharajahs collection? Share with them the story of the Hope Diamond and its mysterious curse. They even say Manhattan was bought from the Native Americans for $25 worth in trinkets.

Leftovers

If you find you have excess jewellery making supplies, you can save your beads in plastic Ziplock bags for another day. Wooden beads are light weight and porous and therefore can also be used to be glued as decoration to the outside of other craft projects. Glass beads are heavier and require a stronger glue, but can be used in projects where a non-flammable, heat-resistent material is needed. For instance, you could use glass beads to line the walls of a votive candle holder.

Article 2 - Homemade Halloween Tip – Make Your Own Jewellery

No one wants to show up at a Halloween party to find they are the umpteenth “sexy cat” to walk through the door. Avoid the pitfalls of store-bought costumes by making your own at home! With some basic jewellery making supplies, you can create the showpiece for many costumes. Retailers today offer a wide selection of wooden beads, glass beads, or even Pandora styled beads that you can use in your own homemade creations!

Material Girl

The charm bracelets worn by Madonna and others in the 1980s are back! Get your material girl look by stringing together metallic bracelet jewellery with several regularly spaced dangling charms.

Native American

While wooden beads give a necklace or set of earrings an “earthy” look, the Native Americans have used glass beads in their beadwork for hundreds of years – glass beads were one of the staple trade goods they bartered with the Europeans for since first contact. For an authentic look, use tiny beads in a repeating abstract geometric pattern. Don’t be afraid to mix both wooden beads and glass beads and to decorate not just jewellery, but accessories like shoes, jackets, and purses.

Tribal

While the word “tribal” references the natives mentioned above, it’s more of a sensibility than an actual particular tribe. Wooden beads and glass beads in blacks, browns, and reds, arranged in high-contrast geometric patterns on jewellery characterize this style. Stone chip beads are also an excellent choice for this look.

Flapper

The key to a good flapper necklace is length. For your jewellery making supplies, select one type of bead – black or white glass beads usually work best – and make a very long necklace. The necklace should hang all the way to your waist and should have weight and swing to it – since it will help you show of your shimmy, just like the shag on your flapper dress!

Cleopatra

Along with a lot of black eyeliner, you should grab lots and lots of gold beads. By tying several different lengths of necklaces into the same clasp, you can create a cascaded bundle. The beads you select for this should have weight, as Cleopatra’s jewellery should look like liquid gold pouring over her neck and arms.

Hippie

You’ll need a lot of jewellery making supplies for this one – get lots of wooden beads and glass beads in a wide variety of colours. Mix them together in the most psychedelic way possible on several long strands. Don’t be afraid to mix in shell beads or other oddly-shaped touches. The 70s were the decade of excess!

Island Girl

Along with the tiki drink you will doubtless have in hand, you should also be sporting jewellery made from shells and mother of pearl beads. Stay away from anything synthetic or plastic-looking. Beads that look like pearls are a nice touch, but don’t go for a whole string. Mix them with other textures. Think driftwood, oysters, and anything washed up by the warm Pacific seas.

Na’vi

In case you don’t recall, Na'vi are those blue people from the Avatar movie. You can use Pandora styled beads to create authentic looking Na’vi style jewellery. Look for purple-blue coloured beads with black swirls. You can even match your face paint to your jewellery. Remember: blue is beautiful!

Disney Fairy

For the young or young at heart! You may recall that each of Tinker Bell and her friends has a different colour associated with them. Pick out your jewellery making supplies in accordance with the fairy of your choice – Tinker Bell is always in green, light fairies Iridessa and and Fira wear sunflower gold, for Rosetta wear red beads, Fawn is in Tiger Lily orange, Silvermist wears blue jewellery, and the dark Vidia is decked in purple.

Article 3 Make Your Own Beaded Jewellery

As part of the growing DIY movement, the sisters have been doing it for themselves – including making their own jewellery. It’s much cheaper and allows you to have a uniquely personal piece to show off. Plus, when anyone asks you the perennial compliment “Where did you get that?” you can say “I made it!” First stock up on jewellery making supplies. There are craft and hobby stores in almost every town and several online retailers where you can purchase wooden beads, shell beads, and glass beads for use in your creations. Before you rush out and buy all your beads, first consider what type of jewellery you want to make. There are many different styles, from Tribal to Pandora styled beads to glittering crystal decorations. Some retailers offer bead kits or beaded jewellery making patterns. These are helpful for the beginner - start with something simple. If you’re not using a kit, but really want to wing it, then you’ve probably got the spirit of DIY – but put some planning into your jewellery. A smaller piece like a bracelet is a good place to begin. You’ll need a clasp, plus string or wire. Then buy wooden beads, glass beads, or whatever type you like to achieve the look of your project. Wooden beads will provide a more earthy look, while glass beads give a more delicate feel. Choose your jewellery making supplies so that you will have a good variety of beads to make contrasting points of interest. For instance, a string of several black beads in a row may seem boring, but when they are interspersed with red or white beads – or of beads in a different size or texture – then your design springs to life. When you string your jewellery with lots of beads of an identical size, shape, and colour, these are called “filler beads.” They fill out the length of your jewellery, without attracting too much attention to themselves. They are usually less expensive than the “accent beads” which will be getting all the attention. A well chosen accent bead can really make your jewellery. These are the fire-power of your DIY project. Spend some time thinking about how many accent beads you will need in your pattern, and then choosing wisely. Something creative and unexpected can really turn heads. Perhaps a painted glass bead or an oversized wooden bead? Or an irregularly shaped bead like a shell or carved stone animal? These accent beads are also usually where you will drop the most sterling for your piece. So you’ve made your small piece of beaded jewellery and you’re ready to move on to the next level of DIY expertise? Well, get your craftiness on with these great advanced project ideas!

Special Project – Celtic or Chinese Knots

For thousands of years, the art of knot-tying has been practiced across the world. And we’re not just talking square and granny. Huge, elaborate, decorative knots are frequently used in Chinese and Celtic traditional decorations. They are also often paired with accent beads! Consider making yourself some jewellery (again, start small) comprised of a series of knots with just a few wooden beads or glass beads dotted throughout the composition. You’ll need to buy a thicker and more decorative string to make this jewellery, but you won’t need filler beads. There are lots of great books out there about this subject – just be sure to buy one with lots of pictures!

Special Project – Pandora Styled Jewellery

Who are the ultimate earth-friendly DIYers in the universe? The Na’vi people or Pandora, of course! Since Avatar first blew us away with its 3D world of Pandora and the Na’vi people, we just can’t get that crafty, earthy, Pandora styled jewellery out of our heads! To make your very own Pandora styled jewellery, find some Pandora styled beads and get to work! Pandora styled beads consist mostly of evenly-sized filler beads. A mix of blue and green wooden beads, plus plenty of accent feathers, should do the trick. Then take of your shirt and paint yourself blue!

Article 4 Crafty Ladies Make Their Own Beaded Jewellery!

A lot of young women are into knitting these days – but let’s face it – a sweater isn’t the most thrilling thing to show off to your friends. And frankly, who has the patience? But how about spending two hours of your craftilicious time and having a striking piece of beaded jewellery to style? Now that’s more bling for your homemade buck! The great thing about this project – as with all DIY projects – is that you can make absolutely whatever type of piece you like. Have a penchant for a purple pendant? You can make that. Got a thing for a jeweled ring? You can make that, too. And whatever beaded jewellery you make will not only meet your exact specifications, but it will be unique in the world. You’ll never walk into a party and find another woman wearing the same earrings. Start with buying some jewellery making supplies. You can pick up wooden beads, glass beads, or other types of beads – whatever works for your project. Before you buy your jewellery making supplies, be sure to plan out your beaded jewellery making idea. Do you want a long necklace? A short pair of earrings? Most projects require filler beads, accent beads, thread or wire, and clasps or hooks of some sort. The type of jewellery beads you purchase will also determine the style of your piece. Wooden beads will give it an earthy or tribal feel. Glass beads will have a more delicate, sparkly sensibility. Of course, there are many varieties of both wooden beads and glass beads – so take a look at what’s available at your local and/or online retailers. Not sure where to get started? How about with some crafty vocab about jewellery making supplies?

Filler Beads

– These are beads that you buy lots of which serve as a background or to “fill in” the bulk of your beaded jewellery. For instance, in the movie Avatar, the Pandora styled beads used as filler beads were same-sized blue and green beads.

Accent Beads

These beads are special, eye-catching pieces which should draw the eye. They are the showpieces – the part people will remember. In the Pandora styled beads of the Na’vi people, large globular beads or orange feathers were the accents.

String

You probably know what string is, but did you know how many different types you can buy for making beaded jewellery? String comes in tough plastic and stretchy elastic varieties. Many retailers offer string in bright colours like red or pink that can be an integral part of your design. By stringing your beads more loosely on your jewellery, you can allow parts of the wire to show. You can also place knots along the string, to hold the beads tightly in place on your jewellery, while leaving parts of the coloured string open. The string on the Pandora styled bead jewellery was not visible, as it was covered by tightly packed filler beads.

Wire

If you are making a piece of beaded jewellery that you want to hold a stiff shape, then you should string your wooden beads or glass beads along a wire.

Clasp

The part that ties two ends of your beaded jewellery together. These come in at least a dozen different varieties including Hook & Eye, S-Hook, Springring, Bead, Button, and Filigree. Make sure you pick a clasp for your beaded jewellery that is appropriate for how you are going to use it. A clasp that requires two hands to fasten is a poor choice for a glass bead bracelet.

Article 5 - Home Made Gift Ideas – Beaded Jewellery

Want to make people really feel special when they open their Christmas or Boxing Day gift? Home made gifts come with a certain sentimentality that can’t be store bought. A great way to check some people off of your list is to make them beaded jewellery. You can use a combination of wooden beads, glass beads, or even Pandora styled beads to create a unique piece for every person. Each necklace or piece of jewellery can be made to a specific length and in beads of a specific shade. Is mom’s favorite colour hard to find in store bought jewellery? That’s no problem if you’re making her gift at home. Local and online retailers offer jewellery making supplies in almost every colour or texture you can think of. To get started, make a list of who you’d like to shop for and what sort of jewellery you think they would each enjoy. Then find some place that sells the jewellery making supplies you’re looking for. Not sure where to start? Take a look at these suggestions:

Length

Does your giftee like long, dangling necklaces or tight chokers? This will determine the amount of beads you need to buy for that person. Of course, it also depends on the size of the beads. If you’re using small wooden beads, you might need 40 to make a necklace, but using large glass beads you might only need 20 to complete you jewellery.

Colour

Think not just about your giftee’s favorite colour, but also what colour looks best on them and in their jewellery. Not sure about either? Think about what colours you have seen them wear in the past.

Clasp

These come in over 10 varieties, including barrel, S-hook, bar and ring, lobster claw, and magnetic. Think about the age of your intended recipient. Is she old enough to work a traditional spring ring clasp with her tiny fingers? Might she have arthritis or poor eyesight that would make a tiny clasp hard to work? Sometimes a simple clasp is best, and when it is elegant, it can add to the beauty of the beaded jewellery itself.

Thread

You can bypass the need for a clasp at all if you use a stretchy elastic string to thread your beaded jewellery. Also consider buying string in a bright colour and letting it add to the composition of the piece. You can tie knots in the string to keep spaces between your wooden beads or glass beads and leave the coloured string visible.

Occasion

Where is your giftee likely to wear the beaded jewellery you make for her? If this is a Christmas present, you could use shiny glass beads in red and green. But what about after Christmas? Perhaps some wooden beads in spring greens and pinks.

Personal Style

Some textures suit some people more than others. An earthy feel can be achieved with the use of wooden beads. Stone chip beads make a particularly rustic, tribal feel. Glass beads are a little more polished and sophisticated – what kind of dresser is your giftee? With the right source of jewellery making supplies, you can even make Na’vi jewellery using Pandora styled beads.

Whimsey

Don’t forget to add a little imagination! An unexpected bead in your composition – like a shell bead or carved stone animal – can really draw the eye and pull the jewellery together. If you make jewellery using Pandora styled beads, an accent feather is just the extra touch that can really turn heads.