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Gemstones

Spring 2013 Pantone Color Trends Giveaway

April 29, 2013

Pantone Spring 2013 Giveaway

Enter to win our Resin Flower Gluing Kit. Just comment at the end of this post  — by May 6, 2013 — with your favorite Pantone Spring 2013 Color Trend to be entered into our drawing.

win a resin flower gluing kit

In celebration of Spring, here are the Spring 2013 Pantone Color Trends. Just click on any of the color swatches below and find the treasures available in our online store. Also visit our Design Gallery  for all the designs you see here and many more. All designs are FREE – no login required!

banner-spring13_emerald banner-spring13_grayedjade

banner-spring13_tendershoots  banner-spring13_lemonzest

banner-spring13_nectarine banner-spring13_poppyred

banner-spring13_linen banner-spring13_africanviolet

banner-spring13_duskblue banner-spring13_monacoblue

Comment now with your favorite Pantone Spring 2013 Color Trend to win. Contest ends May 6, 2013.

~Jan

Gemstone and Leather Cuff Bracelet Tutorial

September 24, 2012

Gemstone & Leather Cuff Bracelet, simple & fun!

How many times do you open up a magazine and see photographs of adventurer type models wearing simple, but chic leather jewelry? I see it quite often when I’m thumbing through the usual magazines at check out while I’m shopping. It’s easy to see why these types of bracelets are oh, so trendy. They’re simple, stackable and easy to customize! Plus leather is pretty durable if you’re like me – a little too hard on your jewelry.

I’m going to show you just how easy it is to make this bracelet in a few photographs!

Continue Reading…

Birthstone Jewelry: March is Aquamarine

March 15, 2012

A couple of weeks ago at our Spokane Bead Frenzy, I was demonstrating how to use microtorches to solder pieces of metal together. Much to my shock, since I was doing 10 things at once and answering questions, some of the pieces actually turned out to be quite adorable! I turned one into a necklace with our new “Zambian aquamarine” beads as March birthstone jewelry project inspiration.

Aqua Love necklace composed of 6mm round gemstone beads with copper findings.

Notice my use of quotes – these beads are neither “Zambian” or “aquamarine.” In actuality they are quartz beads that have been dyed to look like the ultra-rare and ultra-spendy Zambian aquamarine. (You can learn more about gemstones in our Gemstone Index. ) I did a quick Google search and found many examples of these beads being called Zambian aquamarine by both bead stores and jewelry designers. I don’t think they intend to be dishonest, but are merely using a descriptive name. It can be confusing, but if you’re ever in doubt, the price tag can be a good indicator of whether the beads you’re looking at are a pretty imitation or the real deal. Materials such as quartz, magnesite and howlite can make pretty convincing substitutes for pricier stones, and in fashion jewelry, affordability is often a huge factor! There is nothing wrong with using less expensive stones as long as you are honest about it.

When designing birthstone jewelry, some people select their beads based purely on color, like I did for this necklace, while others like to use the traditional mineral or material. Both colors and materials are believed my many to have metaphysical properties. Here is a list of the traditional birthstone(s) for each month. Our Gemstone Index lists many of the metaphysical properties for the stones, so below I have added just a few tidbits about the colors themselves.

Birthstone colors and meanings

January – Garnet. Red is known for warmth, energy, love and passion.
February – Amethyst. Purple is a color of transformation and renewal.
March – Aquamarine. Blue is a color of truth and peace.
April – Diamond. White/clear is the “perfect” color since it combines all colors.
May – Emerald. Green represents balance and harmony.
June – Pearl. White is also known as purity.
July – Ruby (red). Physical strength and energy are also attributed to red.
August – Peridot. Because of its balancing nature, green is very healing.
September – Sapphire. Blue is cooling and brings tranquility.
October – Tourmaline or Opal. There are too many color options here! 🙂
November – Topaz or Citrine. Orange is cheerful and stimulates creative thinking, as well as appetite! Brown is stable, like the earth.
December – Zircon or Turquoise. This color is said to help increase intuition.

What do you think – is it more important to use the traditional mineral/material or the appropriate color in birthstone jewelry? My vote is actually to give people their favorite colors and stones, no matter what the chart says! ~ Cindy

Pretty in pearls – freshwater keishi pearls for jewelry designers

February 24, 2012

Hi bloglandia! Pearls are a standard in jewelry, yet the shapes and colors available these days are anything but!

swirls-pearls-rings-things sondra barrington santa me teresa harkins

Sondra mixed freshwater keishi pearls with keishi-shaped sterling silver beads and Swarovski crystals. The clusters of pretties hang from Santa Me sterling silver swirls.

Keishi pearls are actually collapsed pearl sacs. To me they look like shimmery, shiny souffles that have drooped into ruffly, lacy waves. The picture below shows several shades of tip-drilled keishi pearls, including the rose ones Sondra used in the above earrings. Virtually all freshwater pearls are enhanced in one way or another, but I love how the colors still have such “natural” variation. Quite lovely.

tip-drilled-keishi-rings-things.com

Tip-drilled keishi pearls add great texture to strung designs too.

Pearls are very soft compared to other gem materials. Since earrings are generally safe from much wear and tear, they are a great way to feature pearls, like with this Rosie Posie design:

center-keishi-sparkle-rings-things

Wavy brass disks, 3mm sparkly glass rondelles and antiqued brass findings paired with center-drilled “cornflake” keishi pearls.

In addition to being soft, pearls are also sensitive to chemicals and solvents, so it is always best to put your pearl earrings on *after* you’ve applied your hairspray, perfume and such. They are pretty enough to warrant a little TLC!

I had a bit of sticker shock when I first saw the price for center-drilled keishi like the ones in the earrings above. Compared to our other freshwater pearls, they seemed pricey. But then I realized just how many of these guys you get on a strand: about 100!

keishi-rings-things.com

Each cornflake pearl is only 1-3mm thick – so 16″ strands hold a LOT of them!

If you’d like to learn more about how freshwater pearls are cultured and created – and more care recommendations! – visit our Gemstone Index. One last pointer on pearls: unless specifically noted, pearls almost always have small holes – even standard size head pins are usually too thick. Thin pins or 24-gauge wire works much better!

Bead Shows!

February 7, 2012

“For beading fanatics, it’s like being a kid in a GIGANTIC candy store.”

bead-shows-rings-things

Prepare to be dazzled.

What’s that? Tasty beads at sweet prices? Yes indeed! Our 2012 Bead Shows are starting up again in just a few weeks! Our crew kicks off the season with our Spokane Bead Frenzy and then travels all across the continental United States with a truckload full of beads and other jewelry-making goodies. We actually do put out candy dishes to help customers maintain their energy as they peruse the thousands and thousands of beads available!

If you haven’t already, now is a great time to sign up to get an invite to our shows! Admission is free. Bring a friend to help you decide – or to help carry your haul! Plus, if you plan a week or two ahead, you can have a regular stock order delivered to the show for no charge. Translation: free shipping! Then, if you purchase more than $100 at the show, you’ll get a free shipping coupon for your next phone, catalog or online order. We visit most cities on our route 2x per year, so if you keep up this cycle long enough, you might not ever pay for shipping again!

Still not convinced? Here’s what some of your beady friends have to say about Rings & Things Bead Shows:

“For those of you near the cities below, check out this schedule to make sure you don’t miss it!!” http://abeadaday.blogspot.com/2011/09/rings-and-things-bead-tour.html

“So much goodness – I can’t begin to tell you.” http://justatish.blogspot.com/2011/06/rings-things-bead-tour-and-give-away.html

“Clients want something unique, handmade, not mass produced. That’s why these trips are worth it to me…” http://lexibeads.blogspot.com/2011/06/rings-and-things-bead-tour.html

“They set up a sea of beads and allow you to browse with no pressure to buy.” http://karenlandis.com/2011/05/19/rings-things-bead-tour-in-charlotte/

“When I walked into the room, I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were tables lined up with strands and strands of beads.” http://trendygal.com/?p=77

“For beading fanatics, it’s like being a kid in a GIGANTIC candy store.” http://donnahuebsch.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/rings-things-bead-tour/

All the Bead Show details are right here. Have questions? Contact us here on the blog or via Twitter, Facebook or regular old email. Hope to see you there! ~ Cindy

Five designers: Five very different gemstone and chain jewelry pieces!

November 9, 2011

We’ve recently changed our jewelry design contest at Rings & Things. Instead of just one big contest, we’re now going to have a series of jewelry design challenges peppered throughout the year. The first of these is our Rock n’ Rollo Design Challenge. The rules are simple: just use any style of our rollo chain and either rainbow amazonite or larvikite gemstone beads in your design! And also – the design doesn’t even have to be jewelry! Any type of art or craft is eligible, so long as it incorporates the challenge supplies.

Oscar Wilde is quoted as saying “A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament.” Design challenges like this one really highlight this truth. Given the same basic building blocks, it might seem like you’d end up with the same basic designs. Not true! Five of our designers created inspiration pieces that meet the contest guidelines, and all five use chain and gemstone in completely different ways:

etched-copper-bird-necklace“Wee Bird” riveted metals and rainbow amazonite necklace by Mollie Valente

A sweet etched copper bird pendant, riveted to brass. Mollie used a mesh choker for the back of the piece. Rollo chain is used as a stylish alternative to jump rings to link the gemstone connectors.

copper-clay-gemstone-necklace“Unfurled” copper and rainbow amazonite necklace by Cindy Morris

I created the leafy bead cap with copper clay and strung a river of copper and swirly gemstone oval beads flowing from it. I used chain in the back to keep the necklace from feeling and looking too heavy.

black-labradorite-ribbon-necklace“Reverse Stack Effect” larvikite necklace by Amy Mickelson

Amy combines a lavish and unexpected mix of materials (larvikite, dotted lampwork glass squares, wavy silver-plated disks, chunky rollo chain, hand-dyed silk ribbon) into a colorful statement piece. The full parts list is available in our newly reformatted design gallery. The gallery is now integrated with our online store, so it is much, much easier to find and buy the supplies that catch your eye!

larvikite-chain-bracelet“Slated for Chain” larvikite and silver-plated chain bracelet by Val Nygaard-Pouzar

Clean and classic: the shimmery larvikite (or black labradorite, as it is commonly known) gemstone bead anchors this symmetrical design.

ceramic-enamel-eye-necklace“Eyeball in My Martini” necklace by Polly Nobbs-LaRue

With a “raku” ceramic flying eyeball, C-Koop enameled gear and swirly TierraCast copper links, you might not even notice the rollo chain and single rainbow amazonite bead on this necklace!

No matter what type of jewelry you design, I hope you will stretch your imagination and enter the 2011 Rock n’ Rollo jewelry design contest! With hundreds of dollars in gift certificates (and the possibility of free advertising for your work!) as prizes, and nothing but a emailed photo required to enter, why wouldn’t you rock out a stunning rollo chain design? Be sure to check out the contest page for all the details! ~ Cindy

Prepping for the big Anniversary Event (August 12-13)

August 10, 2011

Josh is busy organizing all of the discounted strands – our entire truck bay is full of them!

39 years…that’s how long Rings & Things has been in business! Tomorrow our Spokane showroom will be closed in order to finish preparations for this weekend’s big anniversary celebration. Here’s a sneak peek at a few of the lovelies that will be available starting Friday – doors open at 10 am!

Fancy faceted tourmaline in shades of watermelon.

A great selection of turquoise!

Super sunny citrine.

Mini gemstone donuts – the perfect size for earrings and bracelets!

A basket full of bundled cloth bangles.

Event hours are from 10-4 both Friday and Saturday, and there are a variety of demos going on throughout our warehouse. The anniversary event is the perfect time to get your questions about metal stamping, metal clay, soldering and other jewelry-making techniques answered!

If you need to stock up on findings, chain and other essential regular stock items, save time by placing a showroom will-call order now, so it will be ready for you to pick up at the sale.

Hope to see you there!

The secret discount code

March 23, 2011

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Update:
See current Sales and Clearance items
— no codes required!

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I admit it: there is a secret discount code at Rings & Things.

Through Sunday, anyway.

Here it is — SALE1C4-10.

How do you use it??

Order these before March 27th passes you by:

5-Day Sale!

Thru Sunday, March 27, 2011: Roll into springtime with great deals: sparkling SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS round crystal beads, striking gemstone donuts and easy-to-use donut bails! Save 10-20% on these quality components.Your savings will be visible in your final Order Review (after entering payment info), just below the “Place Order” button. (No coupon needed, yay!)
Swarovski Elements rounds 10% Off: SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Rounds
Use versatile #5000 round crystal beads from SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS, and add sparkle to an endless array of designs in an endless array of colors! 2mm through 10mm rounds are on sale now for this limited time. (SALE1C4-10)
Gemstone donuts 20% Off: Gemstone Donuts
Add natural beauty to designs with gemstone donuts in a huge variety of semi-precious stones. Find round donuts in 7 sizes (from 15mm to 60mm), plus rectangle, oval, trillion, and new octagon & square styles! (SALE1C4-20)
Donut bails 15% Off: Donut Bails
Make connections with ease using donut bails in white, silver plate, antiqued silver, gold plate, bright brass, antiqued brass, bright copper, antiqued copper, gunmetal and sterling silver. Perfect for hanging focals & more! (SALE1C4-15)
Click here for free projects that feature sale items!
Click here for free projects that feature sale items!

Now, does that get a comment out of you?
Let me know what you think 🙂


How to make wrapped leather bracelets

March 8, 2011

 

Triple-wrap leather bracelet with blue tigereye beads

Let me begin by stating the obvious – this style of wrapped leather bracelet is EVERYWHERE this season. Everywhere! Even my athletic clothing catalogs – which only have maybe three pieces of jewelry – are featuring this style. Why? Because it is casual yet chic and infinitely customizable! The catalog (which shall remain nameless) priced each bracelet at $120. Needless to say, you can make your own for far, far less using supplies from Rings & Things!

leather wrapped gemstone bracelets
Five different leather wrapped gemstone bracelets designs: green opal, mookaite, African turquoise, hematite and rhodonite

The supply list is pretty short:

  • 4-6mm round beads We used gemstone beads, but glass, crystal beads or pearls would also be lovely. The number you need depends on how many times you want to wrap the bracelet around your wrist. Larger beads work too – but they will start getting heavy on multiple-wrap styles. All the bracelets pictured in this post use 6mm. Our new wrapped bracelet kits use 4mm beads. <– The kits are great, because once you make your first bracelet, you’ll have plenty of thread and needles left over with which to make many more!
  • Leather cord Our examples use Greek leather. Both the 1.5mm and 2mm worked great.
  • Thread Needs to be sturdy and able to pass (doubled) through your beads twice. Pick a color that matches your leather or that provides a pretty contrast. We used earth assortment). We now have tubes with all black or all brown bobbins available too!
  • Button or bead for the clasp. Rings & Things has some pretty buttons from TierraCast.
  • Required tools: needle (size 12 is a good general choice), scissors, work surface with clips or clothespins.
  • Optional tools: needle threader, thread conditioner, glue (GS Hypo Cement, Bead Fix or other fabric-friendly adhesive for extra security on your knots).
Wrapped bracelet made with green opal gemstone beads and natural Greek leather.

The technique:

  1. Choose your bracelet length and cut your leather. The formula is double your finished bracelet length plus extra for making the knots. For single-wrap bracelet, measure your wrist and then triple that number to get the length of leather needed (7″ wrist = 21″ of leather). For a triple-wrap, multiply your wrist by seven (7″ wrist = 49″ leather). It is better to leave your leather too long than to end up with not enough.
  2. Cut a long piece of thread (10-12 feet) and thread your needle. Knot the end of the threads.
Knot the leather and thread together, leaving a loop on the end.

Holding the thread by the knot, let the needle fall to the ground so it is centered on the thread. Fold your piece of leather in half, leaving a loop large enough for your button to fit through. Holding the knot-end of the thread with the leather, tie an overhand knot so that your thread and leather are now connected.

Make sure your button will fit through the loop before you tighten the knot.
  • Attach your piece to a work surface.

    Using binder clips or clothespins, attach your loop to the top of a piece of cardboard. Use a second clip to attach the leather ends to the bottom of your board (leave the thread loose).

  • Starting with your thread in the middle of the two strands of leather, wrap the thread OVER the right strand to the outside, then UNDER the right, OVER the left to the outside, then UNDER the left and OVER the right. It is a simple figure-8 stitch.
  • how to stitch a wrapped leather bracelet
    Over, under, over, under – once you get a rhythm going, the bracelet is super easy to make!

    Do this 5-6 times, pulling the thread tight around the leather to form a binding. (The pattern could go either way, but since I’m right-handed I’m going to describe it this way. Reverse it if needed!) Here is a close-up of the lashing:

    A few stitches without beads secures the thread nicely on the leather.
  • Now you are ready to start adding beads. After your thread has passed UNDER the left leather, add a bead. Hold the bead between the two strands of leather, and stitch the thread OVER the right, back UNDER the right, THROUGH the bead hole again and OVER the left. Bring the thread UNDER the left and add another bead in the middle. Repeat many many times! Keep the beads pulled in snugly against the leather. Pay attention so that your stitches all face the same way. If your thread seems to snag a lot, use a bit of thread conditioner or beeswax on it.
  • Adding the first bead to a wrapped bracelet – but really I’m posting this picture to show off Jaci’s manicure!
    A work in progress. See how the beads line up inside the leather?
  • To finish the bracelet, form several stitches without beads, just like you did in step 5. Now you are ready to attach your button or bead. Ideally, you’ll have enough leather left to tie on a button with a nice knot on the back and trim the ends.
  • button end for wrapped leather bracelet
    Long tails makes it easy to tie on a button closure.
    If your button has a small loop, you might need to miter (angle) the leather end and pull it through with pliers.
    Buttons, disk beads and crimp ends can all be used to finish the bracelet ends.

    If somehow you come up short, all is not lost. You can tie a disk bead onto just one strand of the leather (use glue to enforce your knot), like on the 2nd bracelet from the left. Or if your ends are really short, use a hook-end crimp, as shown on the pink bracelet on the right.

  • If desired, add a touch of glue to the knots to ensure the thread is gripped securely by the leather. Trim ends as needed.
  • Other design options:

    • String your button or bead clasp first, then tie a series of knots on the end to make the bracelet length adjustable.
    • Use jump rings to attach a couple of charms, like on Mollie’s Belle Star bracelet.
    • Leave the leather tails long and add beads or decorative knots.
    • Substitute a different type of cord for the leather, as in Tracy’s rattail and dragon blood jasper design:
    wrapped gemstone bracelet with rattail instead of leather

    Have fun creating your own wrapped bracelets! You’ll find it is quite addictive once you start. Please feel free to post questions – I will do my best to answer! ~ Cindy


    Need supplies? Rings & Things ships around the world! The most popular wrapped leather bracelet supplies are:



    Q: “How do you start a new thread in the middle of the bracelet?”

    (answers selected from replies to blog comments)

    A: It’s best if you can avoid running out of thread (start with 10-12 feet to avoid running out). But if you do, start a few beads back and go through them again. This means you’ll have to go through some of your beads 4x, which (depending on your beads and cord) might be impossible. Other problems are that your bracelet will be weaker than if you were able to use 1 continuous thread, and you’ll be able to see the section that has twice as much cord as the rest of the bracelet.

    A2: Get really good at hiding knots in your beads. =)

    A3: If you’re down to just a tiny bit of thread, it is going to be hard to tie the ends onto new strands, but if you realize you’re not going to make it and cut off the needle, rethread and knot the strands together, you can probably pull the knot inside of a bead. I hope this makes sense – basically, you’re not “starting anew” but pausing, adding on some extra thread, and picking up right where you left off. 🙂

    www.rings-things.com

    Edited December 2021 to update links.