Vintage Beads | Bead Happily Ever After

Captivating Cameos and Cabochons

Posted on October 14, 2008 by crystal

Because I love all things vintage, these magnificent little treasures really caught my eye.

Aren’t they breathtaking?

Vintage Cameos and Cabs

We’re so excited to currently have them in stock in our online bead shop! Depending on their style/shape, they’re called cabochons, cameos, or intaglios.

This collection showcases designs that were used in the costume jewelry of yesteryear. What you see in the photo is called “old/new stock”, which means it was made years ago but has never been used. Technically, these are not beads, as they have no holes for stringing, but they look gorgeous when you incorporate them into your beaded jewelry designs!

To use them as pendants you can carefully drill a small hole at the top, or you can wire-wrap them, or mount them in vintage metal pendant frames, or my favorite – you can create a beaded bezel around them using delicate seed beads! The beaded bezel gives them an elegant old world look. You’ll find an excellent tutorial on beading around a cabochon, here.

In the photo, there are both glass and resin pieces. Some have smooth rounded surfaces, some are particularly three-dimensional, and some have beautiful beveled edges. All of them have flat backs. The colors are soft and the details exquisite. In addition to making a bold focal point for your jewelry, these pretty cabochons would definitely lend themselves to other uses, including sewing/embroidery projects, home décor, altered art, greeting cards, and scrapbooking.

Of course, there’s always the option of simply “collecting” vintage jewelry components just because they’re beautiful!

Whether you use them in jewelry, put them on display, or keep them in a box to pull out and admire from time to time, there’s a bonus when you collect tiny treasures . . . storage space is not an issue. J

Is Consignment For You?

Posted on September 22, 2008 by crystal

So, your friends and family have been raving about the jewelry you make, and urging you to try your hand at selling it? Receiving such enthusiastic encouragement can be truly exciting, but you may be a little nervous about entering the retail market.

One way to stick a toe in the water is with consignment. Although there are a few precautions to take, consignment can be an excellent way for you to start small and “test the market”.

Shop owners are always searching for unique, high quality, items to stock their stores, but because of cash flow, they are not always willing to take a chance on buying merchandise with no track record. This is where consignment comes into play, and it can be mutually beneficial for you and the shop owner.

For you, it’s a relatively inexpensive way to place a few of your designs out in the marketplace to see which ones have selling power. You can then focus on creating those particular items, and thus be better able to plan your budget when purchasing supplies. You’ll also gain experience in judging how much of your time you want to devote to your craft. If time-consuming pieces begin to sell quickly, you may decide to concentrate on smaller items that also sell well, but are quicker to create.

Before you enter into any agreement to leave your items on consignment, be sure to consider the following:

Choose an attractive, well-maintained, store where the inventory is of high quality. This will help ensure that your items will be cared for while they are on display.

Be absolutely certain to have a contract where all terms of your agreement with the shop are in writing!

This written agreement should cover:

Percentage that the shop will keep when your items sell.

Length of time your items will be displayed and given the chance to sell.

Who is liable if items are stolen or damaged while on display. (Most shops will stipulate that you are leaving items at your own risk, so as mentioned above – choose the shop carefully!)

How you will be paid when your items sell and how often payments will be made. (Many shops send one check per month for any sales in the previous month.

You may also want a clause that states that you have the right to remove your items earlier than the agreed upon time frame, if you feel that they are not being cared for properly.

Consignment is serious business. It requires that you ask lots of questions, get things in writing, and make good choices about where you place your treasures. But, with a little luck, your items will be selling soon, and the shop owner will be asking for more

You’ll be in business . . . your friends will be delighted 🙂

Thinking outside the (jewelry) box

Posted on August 18, 2008 by crystal

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but we “bead-lovers” know that you don’t need a king’s ransom to have a collection of breath-taking treasures!!! Whether we favor glittering crystals, lampwork glass, semi-precious gemstones, freshwater pearls, vintage lucite, Czech glass, or tiny seed beads – we usually use our bead stash to create fabulous jewelry . . .

But, besides filling that jewelry box, how about using your collection to add an artful touch to your home or wardrobe!?! Doing so will add a whole new perspective to your design process and, more importantly, will give you lots more opportunities to enjoy your beads on a daily basis.

So many of the beads we collect are truly miniature works of art! The vintage beads of yesteryear were made with painstaking processes that required great skill. They’re precious little pieces of a bygone era that we cherish now – not only for their beauty, but also for their history and the fact that many of them will never be produced again.

Today, lampworkers and polymer clay artisans are the new generation of bead artists. Their talent is utterly amazing and has evolved in such a short span of time that we can only imagine the heights to which they’ll soar in the future.

Incorporating the artistry of beads into our everyday surroundings is a recipe for a smile. There are so many wonderful ways to use and enjoy them!

To name just a few . . .

~ Embellishments for handbags
~ Fringe for shawls & scarves
~ Appliques for clothing
~ Sun catchers
~ Elegant napkin rings
~ Christmas Ornaments
~ Zipper pulls for clothing or purses
~ Bling for your cell phone
~ Beaded bookmarks
~ Eyeglass chains

For a very simple yet beautiful way to think outside the (jewelry) box, why not gather a selection of your favorite beads in a pretty crystal dish. Be sure to display the arrangement in a prominent spot in your home or office. It will make a great conversation piece, but more than that, it will brighten your world!

You are special. (Mr. Rogers was right!)

Posted on August 4, 2008 by crystal

If you make jewelry for gifts or to sell, be sure to keep one of the best pieces for yourself now and then! Too often we sell or give away the items that we consider to be our best work. If we keep anything at all, it’s usually not a favorite creation. I call this the “burnt cookie syndrome”. Do you ever stand at the stove and eat the rejects, so the family can have the “good” cookies?!? I see you nodding out there. 😉

Most women seem to have an innate desire to give the best to others. We’ll eat the burnt cookie, or make sure to take the chipped dinner plate, or select the bent fork. It isn’t necessarily that we don’t value ourselves, or that we are afraid for others to see our imperfections. I like to think it’s more that we actually enjoy making things special for others.

Of course we realize that isn’t always possible, so we allow ourselves a little “breathing room” by personally settling for a lower standard. It’s a compromise that’s not too difficult to accept. After all, we know that if we really want to, we can choose to be fussy for ourselves – anytime!

So tie a string around your finger or stick a post-it note on the fridge, but please remember that any day might just be the day, to make something special for YOU!

Finding Your Bliss With Beads . . .

Posted on July 21, 2008 by crystal

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Did you know that beading can be good for you?

It’s true! Experts agree that a hobby can have a very positive effect on both our physical and emotional health. Studies suggest that we all benefit from the relaxation that occurs when we are deeply involved in an activity we enjoy, and that we should try to set aside a little chunk of time every day to “play”.

The key is to be so absorbed in the hobby, that for a few minutes, we almost forget what time it is or what day it is. It is during those moments that the worries and stress of the day melt away, and our bodies and spirits are refreshed and regenerated. We don’t even have to finish a project to benefit, because it’s the process of planning and dreaming, as well as the creating, that does it!

Beads lend themselves perfectly to this purpose. It’s so much fun to arrange the different styles, colors, and sizes as you imagine and plan a design. Of course, many other hobbies and even listening to music or reading a page-turner of a book will help you achieve this relaxed state of mind. But if you’re looking for a suggestion, I know that bead-lovers everywhere will agree – you’ll find your bliss with beads! 🙂