Custom Jewelry Stores by Tara

Bead For Life - Custom Made Bead Order Received!

2011-08-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

Hand Rolled, Custom, Unique Beads

I was so excited to go to my mailbox and find the custom, hand made beads I had ordered from the Bead For Life website. If you aren't familiar with Bead for Life, please look at my older posts and watch the video or check out their website. Bead for Life is an organization that gives women in Uganda the ability to learn a trade and earn money to sustain their families and in some cases, start their own businesses.

Earth Tone Beads from Bead For Life

I wanted to follow up with my first post and say that I am extremely satisfied with the beads that I received. The shipping was quick and there were also tags included to send with my own custom made jewelry using the beads I bought from Bead for Life. I took some pictures and wanted to include them with this post and I will be making jewelry soon with these great beads!! I chose the multi-colored and the natural colored loose beads, but you can pick from many different styles and colors already made by the talented Ugandan women of Bead for Life. I hope you let me know if you have looked at the site and would love to hear your comments!! Please check back for my custom made creations featuring Bead for Life beads and like always, thanks for reading!!

Beads come with tags for your own custom made creations

Getting Kids Involved in Custom Jewelry Making

2011-08-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

Chloe holding her custom made
earrings!!

Getting your kids involved in custom jewelry making is easier than you may think. Of course, your kids have got to be old enough to know not to put beads in their mouths, however, that should go without saying! Custom jewelry can really be made by anyone from 4 to 94. It just takes a little patience and guidance and your kids can produce pretty, unique, custom made jewelry. Some easy starter jewelry projects for kids are bracelets or basic necklaces, ones that don't require a lot of effort or skill. You want to keep it fun and simple, because all of you that have kids or grand kids know easily they can become bored and lose interest.

Chloe and Jade picking through
my bead organizers for their custom
made jewelry.

Jade with a pair of custom made
earrings that she did all by herself!

I usually pick some beads that I am not very attached to, because some may get lost or dumped by accident. I have three kids that love to custom make their own jewelry, Jade, 9, Cody and Chloe, 4 (twins). I get them a small bowl and place a variety of beads in to start them out with. I then attach a clasp at one end of the wire and let their imagination and creativity take over!! The results have been varied, but very unique and creative custom made jewelry. They wear it for awhile, but then ask if they can take it apart and make it differently, so it works out very well for all involved!! I've included a picture of my little beaders making their own custom made jewelry!!

Pink Sapphire Ring Displays Elegance and Grace

2011-07-31T11:27:00.000-07:00

Available at MyJewelryBox.com for
only $199.00!

Even though I didn't custom make this beautiful ring, I thought it was very elegant and wanted to include it in a post!! I love the heart shaped pink sapphires and since I don't really make too many rings, I thought it would be a good find for some of you that may be looking. The ring is made 10kt white gold and is accentuated with diamonds on both sides. I could definitely custom make something that would go great with this ring!! If you end up getting this ring or have some other jewelry that you want to have matched, please let me know and I can custom make any kind of jewelry, just send me any requests!!

Custom Hand Made Jewelry That Makes A Difference

2011-07-31T10:24:00.000-07:00

www.beadforlife.org

Custom hand made jewelry is making a difference for quite a few in Uganda. Bead for Life is an organization that enables Ugandan women that have been affected by poverty, starvation, AIDS and civil wars to create an income and sustain their families and homes. I was so touched by this video, so I really hope you take the time to watch it.

I also have placed an order for beads from Bead For Life, so I will be featuring unique, custom made designs of my own made with these great beads!!! Stop back soon for an update!! Pictures by Charles Steinberg.

BeadforLife Overview (2011) from BeadforLife on Vimeo.

One of the creators of the beautiful

necklaces for Bead for Life.

Custom made necklaces hand made

by women workers for Bead for Life

Beads For Life helps women to

become self-sufficient providers.

Taking Quality Photos of Your Custom Made Jewelry

2011-07-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

Detail of Jonquil Swarovski Crystal
Necklace - $30

Taking quality photos of your custom made jewelry can prove to be trying at times, especially if you don't have the right kind of camera. The best details of beads and jewelry are captured in photos by high resolution settings, however, you may find that your pictures of your custom made jewelry load slower than they would if they were a lower resolution.

You may have to give up some picture quality to make the overall custom jewelry webpage load faster and smoother, because as anyone knows that surfs the internet "window shopping", you only have a few minutes before they switch to a different site.

Make sure that you take pictures on a neutral background and don't use anything in the background that has a pattern that will distract from your custom made jewelry. You want your custom made jewelry to be the star of the photo, so make sure that it is not too dark or too over exposed either. Just move around your space until you find a good mix of light and dark.

Aqua Glass & Seahorse Custom
Necklace - $30

Avoid shadows also, which will give you uneven results, making your jewelry not as easily seen. The best way to assure that you get good photos, of course, is to have a quality camera. If you don't own one, then borrow one from someone that does have one. It is key to have good pictures of your jewelry for internet exposure. If I can help at all please contact me...my info is on the contact page.

Coral and Lampwork Glass
Bead Necklace - $25

Using Flea Markets and Events to Sell Your Custom Made Jewelry

2011-07-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

A picture of the booth with my
jewelry set up at the Rodeo.

My custom made jewelry

booth set up...check out
the car in the background.

My little candy grabbers.
(L-R Cody, Jade & Chloe)
at the Bonifay Rodeo
Oct. 2010

You can use flea markets and other events to sell your custom made jewelry. Like so many other artisans that are trying to make some money from their crafts, I have found that it is hard to find a venue to sell my custom made jewelry through, especially since I live in a rural area outside of a small town.

There is not a lot of room for exposure in a remote area, so you have to think about branching out in any available outlets. If you have been in that area for awhile, then you probably already know of flea markets, thrift stores, and even some small locally owned businesses that may possibly market your custom made jewelry or other crafts.

I talked to a kind local business owner and he let me set up a booth during the 2010 Bonifay Rodeo weekend and had mild success, but it was still good to get out there and have people stop by and look at my jewelry and get some good feedback.

If you aren't from that area or are looking to go to a more populated area to try to sell, then talking to some locals, in a grocery store or gas station and asking them where things are is a great way to get information. Usually, if you pipe up and ask a question in general to a room full of people you will get a lot of feedback...sometimes the information is not quite what you wanted to know, but that's the way it goes! Also, the other option is via the internet. There are plenty of options that the internet has to offer, but also a lot of scams, so just be cautious! If I can help at all with anything, just let me know! My info is on my contact page!

We were giving a puppy away
and my son, Cody
was lending a hand!!

Using Odd Shaped Beads in Your Custom Jewelry Making

2011-07-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

Green saucer shaped glass
hand wrapped beads. - $5

Custom hand wrapped blue
square glass beads. - $5

.925 Sterling Silver hand wrapped
green saucer shaped earrings. - $5

Using odd shaped beads in your custom made jewelry can prove to be challenging. If you have been custom making jewelry for awhile or you are just getting started, you may run into a problem with beads that you really love and want to make a necklace or other piece of custom jewelry out of, but you don't have any way to drill holes in your beads. The way to get around this obstacle is by wire wrapping the beads.

I know, easier said than done!! Trust me, I know the difficulty that you may have trying your hand at wire wrapping. It can be definitely frustrating to try to hold the bead and then get your wire where it needs to be, wrap it and then when you get done wrestling with it, it falls to the ground with a defiant thud! Just breathe deep, remember it isn't mocking you on purpose and don't throw things and swear! (Just a little advice...I've been there!)

The best way to get the hang of wire wrapping beads, of course, is to practice, practice, practice! And the best way to do that is get some of the cheaper wire and find some beads of different shapes and sizes and just keep trying until you are comfortable with it! The pictures that I've included here are of beads that I have wire wrapped and turned into earrings. Another good tip is that beads without holes are a lot of times cheaper than the regular beads.

Double .925 Sterling Silver
custom wrapped earrings. - $5

Trendy Jewelry: A New Anklet Toe Ring; Flips, No Flops

2011-07-05T17:47:00.001-07:00

Do you love ankle bracelets or toe rings? I have seen other versions of this idea, however, this is my custom made take on the sole less flip-flop. Ankle bracelets and toe rings are a popular choice, however, sometimes can be uncomfortable or not practical for wearing them in certain situations.

I have decided to name my version, Flips - you know, the flip without the flop. Kind of a play on the fact that they look like flip flops from the top, but have no sole on the bottom. They are a cross between an ankle bracelet and a toe ring in the fact that the wire does actually slip over the toe and attach around the ankle. I have always thought that these would be perfect for the beach and being a Florida resident, beaches are always near.

Flips - An ankle bracelet and
toe ring combination. - $20 each
or $35/pr.

You have to take off your shoes as soon as you hit the beach, because it is so hard to walk in the white sand beaches off of Panama City without filling your shoes up with sand or losing them in the sand when you are walking. I love going barefoot anyway, but Flips let you have the bling you want without trying to walk through the sand with sandals on.

They are fine in water, sand, and any kind of weather where you are going to go barefoot. They would not be practical for colder weather, since you primarily have to go barefoot while wearing them! But if you are a lover of the summer, these just might be what you want to finish off your favorite summer outfits from bikinis to skirts!

Just a word of caution - Although the likelihood is not very great, there is still a factor that I must mention. Flips are made out of nylon covered flex wire and do fit around your second toe. If there is any chance that your Flips may get tangled, caught or stuck on anything in the situation that you find yourself in, please remove them since the possibility is there for injury. Please use your best judgement when wearing Flips. Thank you.

Custom made to fit any size and
color requested. $20 each
or $35/pr.

Making Your Own Pendants For Your Custom Made Necklace

2011-07-05T17:47:00.000-07:00

Coral & Lampwork Glass Necklace - $30

Silver Leaf & Clear Glass Crackle Bead

Necklace - $25

Swarovski Starfish Necklace - $30

Custom made necklaces may require that you make your own pendant to match. Sometimes, you will be in the unique position that you have all the other components of your custom made necklace complete, except for one small problem.

You don't have a pendant that you want to use with it or you can't find a pendant that fits what you have in mind. One easy way to get around this problem is to make your own pendants. You can make a pendant from any kind of assembly of beads and the only limit is your imagination.

I have included some pictures of necklaces that I have made the pendant out of several smaller beads that are included in the main design of the necklace. As you can see, you can be simplistic, as in the case of the ruby and Swarovski crystal necklace or you can be more detailed as see in the Swarovski crystal starfish pendant that I created.

If you would like to purchase any of these necklaces or you have an idea of your own that you want me to recreate, please let me know!

Ruby & Swarovski Crystal

Necklace - $30

Custom Jewelry Trends: Cabochons

2011-07-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

Opal & Blue Glass Necklace - $25

Cabochons are still making a climb in the custom jewelry world. Unlike their faceted cousins, cabochons are usually made from an opaque precious or semi-precious stone that is ground down so that it has a flat side and polished and rounded on the other and then it is usually affixed to a backing piece, so that it becomes a pendant or they can be attached to a piece of custom jewelry directly, like a bracelet or the like.

I have put up a few pictures of custom made necklaces that I have made that feature cabochons as the star of the piece, the pendant. As you can see, they are different in the fact that they do not sparkle like a clear, faceted stone, but depending on what they are made of, they can have natural sparkle on their own.

The purple and silver necklace has a cabochon pendant made of purple sun sitara, which is a stone I truly love, while the yellow and silver necklace has a cabochon of yellow adventurine. The other custom made necklace that I have featured here is a man made opal cabochon pendant.

Purple Sun Sitara & .925 Sterling

Silver Necklace - $30

I have got quite a few cabochons in my jewelry making case, so I am getting ideas of some other nice necklaces I can make. If you'd like to have one made especially for you, please let me know!

Yellow Adventurine & .925 Sterling

Silver Necklace - $35

Choosing a Jewelry Tag for Custom Made Jewelry

2011-07-05T06:48:00.000-07:00

Tags for my Custom Made Jewelry

If you are custom making jewelry and you have decided that you are at the point where you are going to enter into the world of marketing it to sell to the public, you need to think about a lot of different things and custom jewelry tags are just one of them. I have found a site that I have gotten my jewelry tags from in the past.

The site is Dolphin Bead Designs and their pricing is quite fair. The have a lot of different choices and styles and a multitude of fonts and bells and whistles. They also feature a really neat interface on their site that you can design your own tags, pick a logo, choose colors and styles of both the tag and font, and a lot of other cool little features. Check out their site and let me know what you think!! You can find them at www.dolphinbead.com/

Different Types of Clasps for Your Custom Hand Made Jewelry

2011-07-05T06:44:00.000-07:00

Silver Heart & Crystal Slide Clasp

There are quite a few different clasps that are out there for custom jewelry making these days, ranging from the basic lobster clasp or round clasp, which are spring loaded and are widely used on most commercial jewelry to more artistic clasps that add to the beauty of the custom jewelry design. The pictures below are examples of the clasps that I have used for my custom made jewelry.

Clasps of all types and sizes can be found online or in craft stores. I have bought a lot of my jewelry making supplies from eBay, but you have to be careful what you get and who you get it from. I have found that while the overseas market may be able to sell the beads and other items for less, they aren't usually that high quality and you have to wait for a long time to receive your items, just use caution.

Silver Filigree Toggle Clasp

Silver Heart Toggle Clasp

Gold & Crystal Flower Slide Clasp

Custom Jewelry Projects for Friends and Relatives

2011-07-05T06:29:00.000-07:00

Custom Bracelet and Earrings to
Match Blue Glass Necklace

Custom Made Blue Glass Necklace

Turquoise & Silver Custom Made

Earrings

Some of the best custom made jewelry that I have produced has been for friends. When I first started custom making jewelry, which has been about 2 years now, I had a neighbor that I had met when I first moved to Florida. She and her family kind of took us in and I became very close to her and if I needed to talk or needed her to help, she has done her best to be there. Her birthday was coming around and I decided to make her a special custom made jewelry set for her present from me. Her favorite color is blue, so of course, that's what color I decided to make her jewelry set.

As you can see, I made the set from blue and white glass beads. Once she received the necklace, bracelet and earrings, she had shown them to her step-daughter and she said she really liked my work. She then commissioned me to make another custom jewelry set for her step-daughter with the request that she loves turquoise. I have included some of the pictures from the turquoise set as well.

The main point to this story, is that revenue can come from a number of different sources, sometimes unexpectedly, so if you are trying to sell your jewelry, try to network with friends and family. Get them to wear your jewelry to different functions, events, etc. You may be surprised with the feedback!

Also, as always, if you have a request for anything custom made, or you see something that I have already made that you like, contact me and let me know, I'd be happy to work with you! Good luck!

Custom Made Turquoise & Silver

Necklace, Earrings and Bracelet

Making Unique Findings for Your Custom Made Jewelry

2011-07-05T06:14:00.000-07:00

Custom Made Finding for Necklace

Custom Made Jewelry Finding

Unique findings can elevate a piece of custom made jewelry over and above expectations if the right one is selected. Since I have started making jewelry, one of the issues that I have faced is when I am getting ready to put a custom made necklace together, I get to the pendant and then I have to decide what kind of finding that I want to use on it. Just a quick note - Findings are basically any component that is used to put your custom made jewelry together. I.E. - clasps, hooks, pins, etc.

Sometimes, just a simple "O" ring is not quite what you looking for in the WOW factor, so you may have to create your own findings. I have included some pictures of some of the different custom made necklaces that I have made findings for in the past to try to achieve the look that I wanted.

As you can see from the pictures, you can be as imaginative as you want, as long as you can get your pendant on the wire. I suggest using a cheaper metal than .925 sterling silver, since it is pricey to start out with. I have a spool of cheaper wire that is about the same density and strength as the .925 sterling silver wire that I use to make all my custom findings from and I do a trial run of an idea first with that wire to make sure that it will work for the final process.

If you see any ideas that you would like to have on your necklace or have any suggestions, please contact me and let me know!! Hope to hear from you soon and happy beading!!

Choosing Jewelry Wire That Works With Your Budget and Custom Jewelry Projects

2011-07-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Example of Silver Wire for Custom
Made Jewelry

Choosing the right jewelry wire for your custom made jewelry is crucial. When I first started out making jewelry, I had no frame of reference in regard to all the different wire that is out in the custom made jewelry market today. When I started trying to choose which one that I wanted, it was look up what I could find on the internet and hope that what I was getting was the right thing. I just wanted to do a post that maybe would help anyone that is going through the same thing I was.

The basic rule of thumb when looking for .925 sterling silver wire is that the gauges range from 4 to 26 and can be either round, square or half round. I have included this chart that I found on Land of Odds:

GAUGE	THICKNESS	ROUND	SQUARE	HALF ROUND
4
6
8
9
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30

Silver Chart for Custom Made Jewelry

I have used all the jewelry wire mentioned above, however, I usually use round wire and try to stay around the 20 or 21 gauge wire, which is pretty versatile for custom made jewelry. Let me know if you would like anything custom made, wire wrapped or crafted especially for you.

Using Soft Flex Wire in Custom Jewelry Making

2011-07-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

Custom jewelry making sometimes needs flexibilty. I have been trying a lot of different wires to use in my jewelry making and I have found Soft Flex wire which is a nylon covered wire that is very durable and strong and it can be coated in any colors, which makes it a popular choice for a lot of different projects. Check out the link to see the different projects and crafts that can be made from Soft Flex wire. www.softflexcompany.com/ Let me know some feedback or send me some pictures of custom made projects that you have done and I will feature them here on my page!!

Recycling Pre-Owned Beads for Custom Jewelry Making

2011-07-05T05:42:00.000-07:00

Necklace found
in thrift store.

Example of great necklace found in thrift store shopping.

In today's economy, money is definitely hard to come by. So, just a tip for those of you out there that want to make your own jewelry or make jewelry for a friend or relative but don't have a lot of cssh. A great way to make your budget stretch is by hitting the thrift stores or second hand shops to find used jewelry. There are some fantastic beads out there sitting on racks in the midst of throw aways.

Recycling Beads and Pendants is a smart
way to custom make jewelry.

Once you find the ones that you want, it is relatively easy to get them apart. Usually, just a snip or two and they will fall loose. However, some of the older beads may have been either glued in place or separately tied into place. Sometimes it can prove to be tough to get them apart. Basically, if you really like the beads and you know you want to use them for a project, then there is usually a way to get them apart without ruining your find. Just keep in mind what material the bead is made from before using any solvents or other materials that may damage them. With a little effort, someone else's trash may be your treasure!

What Defines a Swarovski Crystal?

2011-07-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

Picture of my assorted Swarovski Crystals that I use to
custom make my jewelry.

Swarovski Crystals are just about every where in today's jewelry culture. In fact, you can't go online many places and look at jewelry without Swarovski coming to your attention. For those of you that don't know what the difference is besides a name, I thought I would post some information for those interested.

Daniel Swarovski's father owned a glass factory in Bohemia (now Czech Republic) where he studied as an apprentice and learned glass cutting. In 1892, he patented an electric glass cutting machine used to make crystal glass. Daniel went on to establish a glass cutting factory in Wattens, Tyrol (Austria) where he started making sculptures, jewelry, chandeliers and more.

Swarovski Crystal Color Chart

The company's patented techniques allow the crystals to be made with stunning sparkle and clarity. There are several other crystal manufacturers on the market, but the highest quality crystal is still Swarovski. With unparalleled beauty and luster, the best selling of Swarovski's line are the bicone beads, which means they are diamond cut on both sides as seen above and in the color chart below, so they have a very high shine factor.

If you would like a piece of custom made jewelry using Swarovski crystals, please email me your request and I'll be happy to help you find just the right color, shape and ideas for your very own creation.

Choosing the Right Beads for Custom Jewelry Projects

2011-07-01T14:07:00.000-07:00

Bead Organizers Help Keep Custom
Making Your Own Jewelry Easy

Choosing the right beads for your custom made jewelry projects is essential. Beading or jewelry making is a fun and relaxing hobby, once you get the hang of how things work. If you are just starting out, sometimes you can get lost in the details when making jewelry.

My basic rule of thumb is to start out with a definite idea of what color beads it will be, the length of the necklace, and what pendant will be used and then have fun filling in the blanks with your imagination.

I always use a bead layout board, which is usually a plastic tray with grooves so that you can layout your beads in the shape that they will be once it is strung on jewelry wire; this gives you an idea of what it will look like when its complete. You can pick the layout boards up in most major craft stores for around $5. With these easy tips, you can be on your way to making your own jewelry in no time!

Bead Board Used to Make
Custom Made Jewelry

Types of Silver Used in Custom Jewelry Making

2011-07-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

.925 Sterling Silver Chain for Custom Made Jewelry

The types of silver used in custom jewelry making can differ greatly. Silver has been used since ancient times for creating fine art, currency and jewelry. There are two basic types of silver: fine and sterling. Fine Silver is at least 99.9% pure silver, which makes this grade of silver fairly resistant to tarnish and discoloration.

Also, fine silver is a "soft" metal which is why it is so desirable to artisans for jewelry and art purposes, but along with the benefits also come the disadvantages. Fine silver is too soft to be used for anything that serves a function.

Sterling silver is made of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, which is usually copper. The blending of the metals make the silver stronger and give it the ability to be used to make functional items. However, there has been a number of companies widening the research into sterling silver and have found a number of promising metals to combine with the silver that include zinc, platinum and germanium. Sterling silver products are generally branded with what is called a hallmark.

This hallmark gives an indication of the purity of the sterling silver, as well as what other metals may be used in it. It may also note when and where the sterling silver was produced, and who the silversmith that made the sterling silver was.

Artist Spotlight: TIA KRAMER

2011-06-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

Sway Series

I was searching through different articles about jewelry on the internet and these great custom made pieces caught my eye immediately! The artist that created these beauties is named Tia Kramer. Tia honed her custom made jewelry skills while living and working in Antarctica. Tia relocated to Seattle and decided to make her jewelry full time. You can find her jewelry at her website http://tiakramerjewelry.com

Palpitation Series

Custom Jewelry, Fine Quality

2011-06-29T06:35:00.000-07:00

Black and turquoise necklace made with glass beads

and an oval pendant of turquoise.

Just wanted to get some content down to give an idea of some of the products I currently make.

Why I Decided To Do This

2011-06-29T06:32:00.000-07:00

Being a lover of all things artistic, I am always looking for creative outlets to try. As a little girl, my Gramma Jackson used to make jewelry...of course, it was the 70's, so there were plenty of glass and plastic brightly colored beads in her collection and I have been fascinated by jewelry ever since. I decided to try my hand at jewelry making after having kids and being a stay at home mom. All of my necklaces, earrings and bracelets are unique and hand crafted. I hope you like the pieces that I have created!

Owl necklace inspired by Gramma Jackson who loved owls and jewelry. Made

this custom made necklace for a friend who also likes owls.