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Your Canadian
Online Bead Store Newsletter!
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A New Year to Try Something New!
January 2010
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Greetings! It's a new year and why not try something new? In this newsletter we are drawing your attention to some fantastic products which are fairly new to the beading world. We also would like to show you some products we think are fantastic and not so 'mainstream' so that you can set your designs apart from the rest.
We are really excited about starting the New Year-it will be our first full year as owners of 'The Beading Room' and we look forward in anticipation of what 2010 will bring! As our range fills out we will be dedicating more time to getting design ideas out to you, building a customer gallery and getting a great community going on the blog spot. We are so grateful for your support of our fledgling business and we hope to continue to serve and meet your beading needs in the coming months. Thanks to all our wonderful customers and new friends:)
Kindest regards,
Hollie and Brian Ferrall
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What's New in The Room?
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Chinese Lampwork Beads
We know you love the 9X14mm daisy rondelles as we can barely keep them in stock...so we brought you some more cute and quirky Chinese lampwork beads that you are sure to like! These affordable alternatives to domestic art glass beads (which we love too, but can't always use in everyday pieces!) come individually and in coordinated sets ready for your designs. They are all handmade while the glass is hot and all unique. No two beads are exactly the same. You can mix them and match them up alone or with other types of beads for some really fun looks. And they are sturdier than you would think! Watch out for a design idea coming your way next week-'Too Cute and Too Easy'. It is a pretty girls' bracelet but you can add another couple of beads to fit ladies too!
And of course you can check out all our new items in one click, anytime, at the top of our site page. Go there now
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In a Muddle over Metal?
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Although beads tend to play the starring role in jewelry pieces, using the right metal components and findings will definitely make your jewelry stand out from the rest.
Here are some common questions we receive about jewelry metals and some helpful answers to solve your metal mysteries:
What are 'base metal' beads and findings?
They are findings that are primarily cast in usually brass or steel and then coated to give them the desired metal effect. The quality of base metal can vary dramatically, as poor plating can result in beads and findings that will chip and discolor very quickly. You tend to get what you pay for in this department.
What does 'Antique' mean?
An 'antique' finish means that it is not as bright and shiny looking as its normal counterpart. There is a patina added to them by oxidizing the surface of the metal to cause a more rugged, matte and mottled finish. The y look more aged and give your pieces a more rustic, ethnic and antique look.
What is the difference between 'silver colored' and 'silver plated'?
Plated items have a thicker, standardized amount of silver added over the base metal. All items appearing silver have the same metal electroplating, but pieces described as 'plated' have an industry standard of .15-.25mm metal on top of the base metal. This applies to items described as gold, copper or nickel plated too. So a thicker layer of plating usually means more durability and wear is possible.
What is the difference between 'rhodium', 'nickel' and 'silver' plating-aren't they all silver color?
Yes, they are all roughly silver in color, but rhodium and nickel plating tends to have a darker tone to it-a bit of 'blackening' as opposed to bright silver. It can be tricky to match silver color items exactly, so do not get too caught up in worrying about it-especially since the new trend is to mix and match metals to create color and texture.
What is 'Sterling Silver'?
Contrary to popular belief 'Sterling Silver' is not solid silver. It is a mix of 92.5% silver (hence the stamp '925') and another alloy, typically copper. When your Sterling Silver patinas, or 'tarnishes' over time, don't think this means it is poor quality. It just needs a polish to keeps up its shiny good looks. On the other hand, some items will look more attractive with some patina as if adds dark contours and makes certain features stand out.
Does pewter always contain lead?
No-an increasing amount of jewelry comp0nents are being made with a modified, lead-free version of pewter as we now know lead can be absorbed by the skin. There are legal limits in many states and provinces as to how much lead can be contained in items for resale. It should be stated whether the componen t in question is 'lead free' in the product description.
What is Vermeil?
Vermeil items are actually made of a Sterling Silver base with a thick electroplating of 18 or 22 karat gold. It is a good alternative to solid gold, which can be quite expensive, and of a better quality than base metal with gold plating.
What is the difference between 18 Karat and 24 Karat gold?
The Karat is a measure of the pureness of gold. 24KT is pure gold-very soft and malleable and has a rich, deep yellow tone. 18KT gold is a bit lighter yellow and a bit harder. Most jewelry in North America is made of 14KT gold, which is quite hard and durable. It has a yellow tone as opposed to the deep gold tone of 24KT.
I want to make something unique. What alternatives are there to Silver and Gold?
There are so many great alternatives now to the standard gold and silver items. There's copper and antiqued copper, brass, brass oxide (it has a kind of 'greenish' tone to the brass color), gunmetal (sometimes called black oxide)-a blackish-silver color. More modern and edgy metal components include Niobium (a hypo-allergenic metal which is anodized to create some unique colors) and Titanium, which is very similar to Niobium. And don't forget you can create your own great wire-worked findings using fantastically colored Artistic Wire!
If you
have any questions or comments regarding our metal beads, chain and findings, please feel free to contact us. We would be more than happy to help:)
Have a browse through the variety of Metal Beads and Findings available from The Beading Room
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And you thought 'Bungees' were only for jumping...
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Stretch 'Bungee' Bracelets by The Beadsmith
Get the modern charm bracelet look in a fraction of the time with these great stretchy bracelets. Multitudes of wavy jump rings cover the stretchy elastic core and look fantastic even before you start to embellish it! The bracelet comes in lots of finishes, including Antique Copper, Gold Plated and Brass Oxide. Larger jump rings at various intervals along the bracelet makes it quick and easy to add your own finishing touches.
We have made a great little 'Stretchy Sweetheart Bracelet' using a silver plated Bungee Bracelet, red 8mm Miracle Beads, silver plated heart pendants, heart and key pendants and some some 'Marguerite' silver plated beadcaps. Just contact us it you would like us to point you in the right direction to all the components for this cute Valentine's themed bracelet which you can make in about 20-30 mins!
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Keep that chain in line with the 'Chain Sta'!
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Do you wish you had another hand or two when creating charm and other chain designs? All the flipping, straightening and lying flat of chain takes longer than making the attachments!
Now with the Cha in Sta (pronounced 'Stay') you can get your pieces made quickly, with less effort and more accurately. It holds your bracelets and necklaces with either the pegs or the clips on each side. Now your two hands are free to add your attachments! It is one of those inventions that are so obvious and practical you'll wonder why it wasn't developed before now! Pick yours up today by clicking on the link here. |
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10% off all Czech Seedbeads
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If you haven't experienced the great convenience of our strung 8/0 and 11/0 Czech seedbeads here is your chance. Also on sale are the great seedbead mixes, 4/0 vials, and the beautiful, faceted 13/0 Charlottes at 10% off. Stock up on these beading essentials now by clicking here.
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Offer Expires: 8am Atlantic/4am Pacific 1st February 2010
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