Ever wonder how to fill your wrists with deliciously colorful and fun stackable bracelets? Well here’s a super trendy DIY bracelet design you can make in about 5 minutes! Best yet, you can customize each bracelet with charms that match your interests — or the interests of friends, family, and customers. This design works great for making Awareness jewelry and seasonal themes too. Since I made these in November, I was ready for some Christmas Cheer. Continue Reading…
Make Sparkling Wine Charms with Swarovski Beads
November 13, 2014Holiday season is fast approaching, and with the holidays comes holiday parties … And of course wine, lots of wine! If you’re like me, this can lead to a common problem: wine glass confusion. Whose glass is whose? Well, don’t fret! There is a simple and shimmering solution: Swarovski wine charms! And whether you want to make a set for yourself, or give them as a gift to the host of the party, they are sure to add sparkle to your life!
For these wine charms, I have chosen to use the new Swarovski crystal arrow shape, in an assortment of colors, with multicolored crystal bicone clusters. The objective, of course, is to make them all different. This way when you have a guest arrive, they can select their charm, attach it to their glass, and easily know which wine glass is theirs all night.
As for the rings themselves, you have three options when it comes to making them. Whichever option you choose, keep in mind that the rings need to easily open and close, since they will be attached and removed from the stems of wine glasses.
- Swarovski crystal arrow beads
- Color mixes of Swarovski bicones
- Ball-end silver-plated headpins
- Silver-plated eye pins
Well, I hope you enjoyed this festive little post on wine charms! Basically the sky is the limit when it comes to these little glass customizers. Of course, as the wine starts to flow, people may not care which glass is theirs anyway! But either way, they are sparkly and sweet little gems to look at. I know what all my wine drinking friends will get for Christmas this year!
~ Tiffany White
Make Margarita Christmas Tree Earrings to Make Merry
November 19, 2013When you hear the word “margarita,” you probably don’t think of Christmas trees … unless you’re a fan of Swarovski crystal margarita beads! Christmas tree earrings made from these sparkling beauties are one of the most popular Christmas jewelry projects around. Plus, these crystal charm designs are super easy to make! So, grab a tasty beverage and a friend or two and have a good time making margarita trees all evening. Continue Reading…
Jewelry Trends: Top 12 of 2012
January 14, 2013Now that we are halfway though the first month of 2013, I have been reflecting on 2012. It was a great year for jewelry! From neon jewelry to rough gemstones, there was a style of jewelry for everyone. I have compiled a list of my personal favorite jewelry trends from this past year, though I suspect some of these trends are around to stay! For awhile longer at least! If you are interested in buying any of these amazing pieces below, simply click on the picture and it will link you to the item in its etsy store.
1. Noteworthy Neons
Being a kid of the eighties, I remember owning bright hammer pants and neon splattered sweatshirts. So when I started seeing jewelry popping up this summer in those familiar unnatural hues of lime green, bright pink, electric orange and glowing yellow I was thrilled. If you want to create some neon jewelry of your own, check out these new neon Swarovski pearls or brightly painted wooden beads at Rings & Things. Or if you prefer buy a piece already made, check out these awesome works of wearable art below.
2. Love Triangles
I started to see triangles trending early in 2012, and they are still super hot. Geometry has never been so fun! If you want to experiment with some triangular designs of your own, check out these new raw brass geometric blanks at Rings & Things. Or let someone else do the work and pick up one of these great finds below!
3. Some like it Rough
Gemstones that is! When I started seeing rough gemstones coming into our showroom at Rings & Things I was intrigued They came in pyrite, garnet, lapis and quartz, just to name a few. I wasn’t sure what to do with them, but I found some designers below that made amazing jewelry with rough gemstones. Check out Rings & Things here for our current supply of rough gemstones.
4. Lustworthy Larimar
I will admit, I was completely clueless about Larimar until 2012! Suddenly, I had people requesting it right and left. So what is Larimar? It is a magical cool blue gemstone found only off the coast of the Dominican Republic, which is fitting. If you have ever snorkeled in crystal clear water where the sand is bright white, this is what larimar looks like. It has white cloudy veining that reminds me of the sunshine glimmering though the water. Check out these stunning larimar pieces below or get some larimar of your own to play with.
5. Magical Druzies
Druzies are one of my favorite phenomenons. Druzies are when there is a fracture in a stone, and that fracture is filled with a coating of tiny crystals. They are super sparkly and come in a variety of colors and stones. Look at the array of jewelry made with druzies below or check out the current selection of druzies at Rings & Things.
6. Wrapped Leather Bracelets
Unless you have been under a rock for the last year, you have seen a wrapped leather bracelet. They are often referred to as Chan Luu style bracelets. They have been in magazines, stores and on the wrist of every celebrity and I personally love them! They are very modern Bohemian. If you want to attempt to make one yourself, Rings & Things has a variety of kits that include all the supplies you need to make them! Or let someone else do the work and snag one of these below:
7. Shoulder Duster Earrings
I have always been a fan of ridiculously large earrings, so when shoulder dusters came back in style this year, I was psyched! A shoulder duster earring is simply an earring so long that it dusts the top of your shoulder when you wear it! I found some amazing duster earrings on etsy below! Or follow this link to see how to make your own pair of rhinestone duster earrings in our design gallery.
8. Fashionable Feathers
2012 was undeniably the year of the feather! I think my grandma even had a pair of real feather earrings last summer! I personally can’t get enough feathers! There was so much beautiful feather jewelry on etsy it was hard to chose just a few pieces! Oh and I even threw in a piece from my etsy store, Geisha Creations (shameless self-promotion!) If you want to experiment with some feather jewelry of your own, check out all these great feather beads and charms at Rings & Things.
9. Kool Kyanite
I discovered Kyanite a few years back and loved it! It was always pretty hard to find though. Luckily, now that it is so popular, it is also easier to find. Kynanite is usually an icy blue, though sometimes it can be found in green or dark blue. I love all the kyanite jewelry I found below. Click here for the current selection of kyanite available at Rings & Things.
10. Back to the Future
I am secretly kind of a science fiction nerd, so I love futuristic jewelry. I think this trend will be even more mainstream in 2013, so keep your eye out for it this year. I am in love with all the designs I found below! Check out this link for a sparkly modern bracelet in our design gallery.
11. Tassels are worth the hassle!
Tassels are a great way to add movement to your jewelry. I have always fashioned them myself by cutting segments of chain. If you want an easier way to incorporate tassels into your jewelry you can buy pre-made chain tassels at Rings & Things. Or you can just pick up one of these beautiful pieces below!
12. Keys
It is pretty safe to say that keys will always be in style, but in 2012 I started seeing them pop up in jewelry all over the place. I found some really unique pieces of key jewelry below. If you want to play around with some keys in your jewelry, you can also purchase a variety of key charms and crystals at Rings & Things .
Well that’s it for my favorite trends of 2012! Now to see what 2013 has in store! I hope I was able to inspire you to try out one of these trends, whether you choose to create a piece all your own, or purchase a handmade piece from one of these amazing artists. I hope that in 2013 I will be able to post lots of fun and informative jewelry blogs for you!
Signing off,
Tiffany White
Rings & Things Blog Contributor
Season of Giving
December 20, 2011The holiday season is all about giving, yet it has been a tough year economically and budgets are tight. Fortunately, Rings & Things offers a voluntary donation program for employees where a set dollar amount is deducted from each paycheck. At the end of the year, owners Russ & Dee match the deducted funds and give the money to charity. Each employee chooses which charity to support. So, for example, just $2 per bi-weekly paycheck translates into a $100 donation!
Yesterday our HR manager sent out the grand total: through this humble program, Rings & Things employees donated more than $10,000 to charity in 2011! It is really exciting to see a those few dollars we end up not even missing each month add up to something so substantial. The nonprofits selected this year include:
Spokesman Review Christmas Fund ~ 2nd Harvest Food Bank ~ ACLU Foundation ~ Alzheimers Association ~ Anna Ogden Hall ~ Cancer Patient Care ~ American Childhood Cancer Organization ~ Doctors without Borders ~ KSFC ~ KYRS ~ Living Tongues Institute ~ Las Hermanas ~ Meals on Wheels ~ Planned Parenthood ~ SCRAPS ~ SNAP ~ Spokanimal ~ Union Gospel Mission ~ Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery ~ YFA Connections
Christmas is just days away, but to make them easier to find I also wanted to post a recap of the 12 Days of Christmas Jewelry Designs. There’s always next year to plan for, plus many of the techniques are adaptable to any occasion!
Day 1 – Swarovski Crystal Christmas Tree Earrings
Day 3 – Lampwork Glass Bead Zipper Pulls
Day 5 – Swarovski Crystal Holiday Light Charms
Day 7 – Faux Stained Glass Soldered Ornaments
Day 8 – Mini Ceramic Cookies Charm Bracelet
Day 10 – Velvet Ribbon and Bead Bookmarks
Day 11 – Stamped Metal Gift Tags
Day 12 – Brass Fairy Door Sandwich Pendants
Happy holidays everyone! ~ Cindy
Quick, cute and affordable gift idea: zipper pulls! Zipper pulls are actually quite functional when you’re wearing gloves or mittens – why not make them pretty, too? Here are the three things you must do to make beady coat decorations strong enough to withstand a blustery winter.
- Use beads that are large enough to grasp when you’re gloved up. If the bead holes are large, like on many of the holiday lampwork glass beads I used, add small beads on both ends. (Small Czech glass flower beads make convincing cellophane wrappers on silver-foil glass bead candy.)
- String beads on a headpin and make a wrapped loop. A basic loop won’t cut it here.
- Use split rings instead of jump rings to attach your baubles to a swivel clip or clasp.
You’ve heard the song “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy”? Well, save your nails – use split ring pliers! Just insert the hooked jaw into the split ring and squeeze. Now slide both the swivel clip and beaded pin onto the ring.
Well done. You’ve just learned how to make great gifts for under $1 each! ~ Cindy
Celebrate spring abundance: eggs 'n' bunnies!
March 16, 2011Celebrate spring abundance with Easter bunnies + eggs
From the fertile imaginations of our designers, a springtime pairing: SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS pear-shaped crystal pearls with
TierraCast® rabbits make perfect eggs ‘n’ bunnies for Easter jewelry. (See the design ideas below!) Plus, we have a basketful of other Easter jewelry parts!
Swarovski “pear” pearls (Easter eggs!) & TierraCast® bunny rabbits |
Easter jewelry ideas: |
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“Bunny Foo Foo” necklace |
“Easter Egg” earrings |
“Easter Egg” charm bracelet |
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Happy hopping…er…shopping! 🙂
Mardi Gras: A Celebration of Beads!
February 3, 2011Here at Rings and Things, we eat, sleep, and breathe beads. In fact, some nights I think I actually dream about beads! We are by definition bead enthusiasts. Every year I can think of only one day, in one city, that celebrates beads in a way that can possibly rival our passion here at Rings and Things: New Orleans on Mardi Gras!
Each year, 46 days before Easter Sunday, the Big Easy erupts into a Bead Mecca. Beads are thrown from the balconies, collected by party-goers and hanging from the trees. The city is literally decorated in beads like a Christmas tree is adorned with tinsel.
In honor of such an amazing display of beads, I have decided to design some Mardi Gras-inspired jewelry that can be easily re-created to celebrate the big day, whether you live in New Orleans or New Hampshire!
This jewelry features beads in classic Mardi Gras colors; Purple, Green and Gold. (Did you know? — these symbolize respectively Justice, Faith and Power.) There are also cute little gold Fleur de Lis charms, an image synonymous with New Orleans. The jewelry is done using all gold-plated findings.
All of the supplies to make these items are readily available at our on-line store, www.rings-things.com! Any questions on making the jewelry? Contact us at 1-800-366-2156 and mention this blog!
Mardi Gras is on March 8th this year. So hurry and get your jewelry making supplies to celebrate Fat Tuesday in style! These projects are both affordable and fun!
—Tiffany, Designer, Rings & Things
P.S.: Want more Mardi Gras jewelry inspirations? Enjoy our “Mardi Gras Memories” bracelet and “Mardi Gras Choker” designs!
Merry Xmas – ornaments by R&T
December 28, 2009Glitter spoiler — don your sunglasses before you scroll down!
Do you ever phone Rings & Things? If not yet, you should, to enjoy some truly kind customer service. If you have, you know we have a mighty creative bunch working here.
Today they had a Sales department holiday party. Their tiny, tinsely Xmas tree was adorned with handmade ornaments.
Above: Lampwork Santa, freshwater pearl, copper wire wrapping, and leather cord. Below: Chain, wire, crystal bicone beads, brass star charm, and mother of pearl rectangle ring bead.
Below: Copper wire, lampwork snowman and gunmetal link, filigree, chain and filigree bead.
Share your holiday ornament ideas below!
The season for sharing
December 22, 2009I just wanted to take a minute to thank the nice people I work with. They set aside money from every paycheck in 2009, to be donated to charities in this giving season.
I also want to thank Rings & Things’ owners Russ and Dee. They matched our contributions dollar for dollar. It feels nice to be able to give twice as much to a good cause!
R&T has just sent out our employees’ donations for 2009.
Have a look at who we gave to (it’s a window into our soul):
- ACLU Foundation
- Alzheimer’s Association
- Anna Ogden Hall
(“a warm, welcoming, home-like shelter offering a free, long-term, grace-based recovery program to women”) - CERF – Craft Emergency Relief Fund
- Crosswalk
(“an emergency shelter, a school drop-out prevention program, and a group of lifesaving and life-changing programs dedicated to breaking the cycle of youth homelessness”) - Grameen Foundation
(“helps the world’s poorest, especially women, improve their lives and escape poverty through access to microfinance and technology”) - KSFC
(Spokane Public Radio) - KYRS
(“Thin Air Community Radio: a volunteer-powered, non-commercial, listener-supported, Low Power FM community radio station in Spokane, WA”) - Life Center Church
- Los Hermanos
(“working in solidarity with students in Huisisilapa, El Salvador to insure that students can continue their education in their own community”) - Make-A-Wish Foundation
- Planned Parenthood
- Project Safe Place
(“a community collaboration program, operated by youth shelters or youth serving agencies make it possible for any youth to access help”) - Second Harvest Food Bank
- SNAP
(“connecting and providing access to resources which create opportunities, with dignity, for low income people”) - Spokane Homeless Coalition
- Spokanimal CARE
(“dedicated to the placement, protection and health of animals through legislation, education and programs”) - Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund
(“the money is used to open The Christmas Bureau for two weeks in December; it buys thousands of high-quality toys in January, when prices are low”) - Union Gospel Mission
(“since 1951, the Union Gospel Mission has been meeting the physical needs of people in crisis”) - Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery
(“immediate refuge for children and support to strengthen families”)
Here’s wishing everyone a prosperous, generous and healthy holiday season and new year!