Here are some of the boards you’ll see on Pinterest:

• Beading on a Loom – Everything you want to know about looms, including one of our most popular items, Ricks Beading Loom
• Treasure Trove -  Featuring our favorite and unique finds
• Old World Collection – Collectible beads and jewelry from all over the world
• Books – From basics to specifics
• Kits – Everything you need to get started
• And more!

We also want to follow you! If you aren’t already on Pinterest, join today! Pinterest is a great site to showcase and organize everything that is important to you! Make sure to follow the Global Beads page so we can connect with you and see what motivates your creativity!

We’ve posted an excerpt of her review. Read the teaser and then visit the website to read the entire review.

I went to a jewelry making class this week at Global Beads. It was called Braided Bracelets. The store was closed and the instructor, Kathleen, who is also the owner of the store, is incredibly knowledgeable and gave each student lots of guidance and direction. I really liked that she didn’t just show how to make the bracelets, but she told us all kinds of tricks to make it easier and faster. Her emphasis was on teaching the technique, so that the students would be able to go home and make more, instead of just helping everyone finish their bracelet in an hour and a half.

I’ve been going to Global Beads since they first opened. Did you know that the original Global Beads was in Los Altos over 20 years ago? Yes, that’s when I first met Kathleen. I remember bringing in half-finished projects or things that were broken and asking her to show me what to do. I still have the little beading pliers that she sold me over 20 years ago.

Click here to read the rest of the review.

It’s a new concept in looming, and a significant one at that! Unlike traditional looms, which leave you with multiple warp threads to weave into your design, Ricks Beading Loom leaves you with only 2 warp threads at the end of your project.

Its ergonomic design and adjustable lengths make this an inegnious device which will quickly replace all other Beading looms. It comes with a comprehensive user guide and is made of quality wood. Each beading loom is handmade!

Save 10% on your purchase of Ricks Beading Loom!

Until August 30th, automatically save 10% off a purchase of Ricks Loom. Buy now. 

Check out this great video about the Ricks Beading Loom:

Silk Size Chart for Beadsmith and Gudebrod Brands

Griffin Silk Bead Cord: 2-meters per card, and a flexible needle

S-Lon Nylon Bead Cord Sizes

Conso Thread and Cord

Tuff Cord

Purchase:

Tuff Cord

Hemp Thread and Cord

Beading Thread

Fireline – available in 50 yards and 125 yards

“Double clad” gold-filled sheet is produced with 1/2 the thickness of gold on each side. 1/20 14Kt double clad gold-filled has a layer on each side of 1/40th 14Kt making the total content of gold 1/20. The thinner layer on each side does not wear as well as single clad gold-filled.

The Federal Trade Commission allows the use of “Rolled Gold Plate” or “R.G.P”. on items with lower thicknesses of gold than are required for “gold-filled.” A 12 kt gold layer that is 1/60 the weight of the total item is designated as 1/60 12kt RGP. This lower quality does not wear as well as gold-filled items.

Gold-filled items, even with daily wear, can last five to 30 years but will eventually wear through. The gold layer on gold-plated jewelry varies greatly depending on manufacturer, so there is no single, simple comparison. Gold-filled items are 50 to 100,000 times thicker than regular gold plating, and 17 to 25,000 times thicker than heavy gold electroplate (sometimes stamped HGE or HGP—usually found on flashy cubic zirconia “cocktail rings”).

Sterling Silver:
Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925.

Fine silver (99.9% pure) is generally too soft for producing functional objects; therefore, the silver is usually alloyed with copper to give it strength while preserving the ductility and beauty of the precious metal. Other metals can replace the copper, usually with the intent to improve various properties of the basic sterling alloy such as reducing casting porosity, eliminating firescale, and increasing resistance to tarnish. These replacement metals include germanium, zinc and platinum, as well as a variety of other additives, including silicon and boron. A number of alloys, such as Argentium sterling silver, have appeared in recent years, formulated to lessen firescale or to inhibit tarnish, and this has sparked heavy competition among the various manufacturers, who are rushing to make claims of having the best formulation. However, no one alloy has emerged to replace copper as the industry standard, and alloy development is a very active area.

Rhodium:
Rhodium is a chemical element that is a rare, silvery-white, hard, and chemically inert transition metal and a member of the platinum group. It has the chemical symbol Rh and atomic number 45. It is composed of only one isotope, 103Rh. Naturally occurring rhodium is found as the free metal, alloyed with similar metals, and never as a chemical compound. It is one of the rarest precious metals and the most costly.

Rhodium is a so-called noble metal, resistant to corrosion, found in platinum or nickel ores together with the other members of the platinum group metals. It was discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollaston in one such ore, and named for the rose color of one of its chlorine compounds, produced after it reacted with the powerful acid mixture aqua regia.

The element’s major use (about 80% of world rhodium production) is as one of the catalysts in the three-way catalytic converters of automobiles. Because rhodium metal is inert against corrosion and most aggressive chemicals, and because of its rarity, rhodium is usually alloyed with platinum or palladium and applied in high-temperature and corrosion-resistive coatings. White gold is often plated with a thin rhodium layer to improve its optical impression while sterling silver is often rhodium plated for tarnish resistance.

Niobium
Niobium or columbium , is a chemical element with the symbol Nb and atomic number 41. It’s a soft, grey, ductile transition metal, which is often found in the pyrochlore mineral, the main commercial source for niobium, and columbite. The name comes from Greek mythology: Niobe, daughter of Tantalus. 

Niobium has physical and chemical properties similar to those of the element tantalum, and the two are therefore difficult to distinguish. The English chemist Charles Hatchett reported a new element similar to tantalum in 1801, and named it columbium. In 1809, the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston wrongly concluded that tantalum and columbium were identical. The German chemist Heinrich Rose determined in 1846 that tantalum ores contain a second element, which he named niobium. In 1864 and 1865, a series of scientific findings clarified that niobium and columbium were the same element (as distinguished from tantalum), and for a century both names were used interchangeably. The name of the element was officially adopted as niobium in 1949.

It was not until the early 20th century that niobium was first used commercially. Brazil is the leading producer of niobium and ferroniobium, an alloy of niobium and iron. Niobium is used mostly in alloys, the largest part in special steel such as that used in gas pipelines. Although alloys contain only a maximum of 0.1%, that small percentage of niobium improves the strength of the steel. The temperature stability of niobium-containing superalloys is important for its use in jet and rocket engines. Niobium is used in various superconducting materials. These superconducting alloys, also containing titanium and tin, are widely used in the superconducting magnets of MRI scanners. Other applications of niobium include its use in welding, nuclear industries, electronics, optics, numismatics and jewelry. In the last two applications, niobium’s low toxicity and ability to be colored by anodization are particular advantages.

Surgical Steel:
Surgical stainless steel is a specific type of stainless steel, used in medical applications, made out of several components: chromium, nickel and molybdenum.

The chromium gives the metal its scratch resistance and corrosion resistance. The nickel provides a smooth and polished finish. The molybdenum gives greater hardness and helps maintain a cutting edge.

Although there are myriad variations in the recipes, there are two main varieties of stainless steel: martensitic and austenitic; see the stainless steel article.

The word ‘surgical’ refers to the fact that these types of steel are well-suited for making surgical instruments: they are easy to clean and sterilize, strong, and corrosion-resistant. The nickel/chrome/molybdenum alloys are also used for orthopaedic implants as aids in bone repair, and as a structural part of artificial heart valves and other implants. However, immune system reaction to nickel is a potential complication.  In some cases today titanium is used instead in procedures that require a metal implant which will be permanent. Titanium is a reactive metal, the surface of which quickly oxidizes on exposure to air, creating a microstructured stable oxide surface. This provides a surface into which bone can grow and adhere in orthopaedic implants but which is incorrodible after implant. Thus steel may be used for temporary implants and the more expensive titanium for permanent ones.

Most surgical equipment is made out of martensitic steel—it is much harder than austenitic steel, and easier to keep sharp. Depending on the type of equipment, the alloy recipe is varied slightly to get more sharpness or more strength.

Implants and equipment that are put under pressure (bone fixation screws, prostheses, body piercing jewelry) are made out of austenitic steel, often 316L and 316LVM compliant to ASTM F138, because it is less brittle.

316 surgical steel is used in the manufacture and handling of food and pharmaceutical products where it is often required in order to minimize metallic contamination. ASTM F138[3]-compliant steel is also used in the manufacture of body piercing jewellery and body modification implants.

Base Metal:
In chemistry, the term base metal is used informally to refer to a metal that oxidizes or corrodes relatively easily, and reacts variably with diluted hydrochloric acid (HCl) to form hydrogen. Examples include iron, nickel, lead and zinc. Copper is considered a base metal as it oxidizes relatively easily, although it does not react with HCl.

Base is used in the sense of low-born, in opposition to noble or precious metal. In alchemy, a base metal was a common and inexpensive metal, as opposed to precious metals, mainly gold and silver. A long-time goal of the alchemists was the transmutation of base metal into precious metal.

In numismatics, coins used to derive their value primarily from the precious metal content. Most modern currencies are fiat currency, allowing the coins to be made of base metal.

General:

In mining and economics, base metals refers to industrial non-ferrous metals excluding precious metals. These include copper, lead, nickel and zinc. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is more inclusive in its definition. It includes, in addition to the four above, iron and steel, aluminium, tin, tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, cobalt, bismuth, cadmium, titanium, zirconium, antimony, manganese, beryllium, chromium, germanium, vanadium, gallium, hafnium, indium, niobium, rhenium and thallium.

Source: Wikipedia compilation

Two coins that both possess a high silver content and are of consistently good quality, proved to be of major importance in the nomadic societies of the Middle East, and indeed in the economical landscape of the entire world. They are the Spanish columnario or pillar dollar, and the Austrian Maria Theresia Thaler.

The pillar dollars found their way to the Middle East, where they were prized for their solid silver content; their use was widespread in the Ottoman Empire. The coin was variously referred to as kara gurus, kebir gurus, tamam gurus, real kurus and riyal. This last term is a derivate of its Spanish name, real and became the word of choice in Arabic to indicate official coins. In Egypt, where the pillars were misinterpreted as cannons, the dollar was nicknamed Abu Madfa (father of guns).

Two MTT’s that have been worn on a Palestinian headdress for so long that is is reflected in their patina and wear pattern

The MTT was the most popular coin in circulation in North Africa and the Middle East and went by many names: Abu Tayr (Father of Birds) referring to the imperial eagle; Abu Nuqta (Father of Dots) a reference to the number of pearls on the brooch of the empress; and Abu Rish (Father of Feathers) a name suggested by the eagle’s many tail feathers. All these distinctive features were used to check the authenticity of the coin. In purely monetary terms, the coin was referred to as Riyal Faransawi (French Riyal) or Riyal Nimsawi (Austrian Riyal).

Special thanks to Desert Silver.

Jewelry in Cairo. It is exposed to air and collects dust and dirt every day

Composite items
Composite items consist of silver items as part of a larger ensemble with other materials. Necklaces with silver and coral beads strung on cotton thread for example require a different approach in cleaning and storing than a necklace made out of silver beads and chainwork. In composite items, the most vulnerable element is leading in storing and cleaning. This can be the thread or cloth a silver item is mounted on, or one of the other elements such as clove and coral.

Composite jewelry element where a silver pendant is strung with shell, coral and amber. The coral beads are old and fragile, as is the shell

Another composite piece where a coral bead is strung with a cotton thread on a silver pendant, decorated with niello and enamel

Polishing cloth and a clean toothbrush will go a long way in cleaning single silver items

Single silver jewelry
Store items away from direct contact with air, for example in plastic zipper pouches. To avoid denting and scratching, wrap the jewelry in bubble wrap before you put it in the pouch. Write the contents on the pouch for future ease when you want to locate a certain item.

Cleaning silver
Cleaning silver should also be done with care. Do not use silver polish: the polish can get clotted in an intricate design like filigree and is hard to remove. In addition, it is not always clear what the silver content of a traditional piece is. The polish may react with the base metal and lead to disappointing results. Polish silver items with a polishing cloth without additions. If you store the jewelry away from air, the need for polishing will diminish significantly.

Fragile materials
Some materials have qualities that require special attention. A lukewarm bath with a mild biological detergent can have excellent results on single silver items to clean dirt and grease, but will have devastating results on materials such as coral and pearls: remember that these are organic! The wood inside an amulet container will expand when soaked and shrink when drying, which may damage the silver cover and the wood itself. When the silver items are part of a composite piece, always familiarize yourself with the properties of each and every material before attempting any conservation at all.

From Desert Silver

A woman’s jewelry symbolizes her status as a married women and later as a mother, as it is customary to gift one’s wife with jewelry for the birth of each child.

Traditionally, jewelry has also been thought to have magical powers. Turquoise in particular is believed to ward off the “evil eye.” At one time, popular legend had it that a turquoise stone would glow when its wearer was happy, but when the wearer was sad, the stone would become dull. Another popular myth was that the tiny tinkling bells prominent on so many pieces of Arabian jewelry would protect the wearer by frightening off malevolent spirits with their noise.

In Arabian custom, the color of certain stones is also deemed to affect their powers. Green, blue and red are regarded as possessing protective abilities. For that reason turquoise, agate, coral and colored glass are among the most popular materials used in antique jewelry.

Islamic motifs permeate jewelry design. Amulet cases containing tiny pieces of paper with verses from the Holy Qur’an to protect the wearer are common. The sign of the hand on Saudi necklaces has been a talisman for hundreds of years. The number five is the mathematical equivalent of the hand, as well as representing the five tenets of Islam. Thus, bracelets or rings may be worn in multiples of five, and the preferred number of beads on an ornament or chains hanging from a pendant would also be five.

Arabian Bedouin jewelry is significant not only for its aesthetic qualities, but also for the historical influences it exhibits. During the course of its own evolution over many centuries, the jewelry of the Bedouin has incorporated techniques and styles of the jewelry of other long-dead civilizations. This has excited archaeologists, as these very personal objects provide a window to the past and the people who owned them. Observers have noted that similarities in the design and craftsmanship of Bedouin jewelry can be attributed to the cross-influence that migration and trade had on the region.

Courtesy of Desert Jewels.

The most remote layers of influence in the Middle East are the early civilizations, the cultures of the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians.

Detail of a relief in Persepolis, Iran

Armlets such as depicted in Persepolis were found in the Oxus Treasure. With the rise of the Greek empire under Alexander the Great, and the subsequent Roman empire, the Middle East saw large-scale and permanent occupation by other cultures for the first time. Some elements of Graeco-Roman adornments are still very much present in traditional jewelry.

Roman silver anklet from the 2nd century AD, featuring ram’s heads. Museum of Archaeology, Amman, Jordan

Stylized animal heads are often found on bracelet and anklets. This decoration dates from antiquity and is continued until today. In traditional silver jewelry, mostly serpent’s heads are used in bracelets and anklets to ward off evil. Even though Islam forbids the depiction of living things, this tradition is still very much alive and can be seen from Morocco to Iran.

Pair of silver fibulas from Tiznit, Morocco

The use of fibulas or clothing fasteners stems from before Roman times. The tradition has survived in the Maghreb, where clothing is fastened in much the same in way in which it was done around 2000 years ago. The style of fibulas has evolved and changed over time: nowadays each region or even village has its own distinct style of fibulas. See the Portraits-section for examples on how they were worn.

Necklace with eye-beads from Etruria, ca 3rd century BC. Royal Museum of Art and History, Brussels, Belgium

Beads in the shape of an eye, or with decoration in the shape of an eye, have been in use since Ancient Egypt. They are still available on every market from Istanbul to Marrakech. Their decoration of blue eyes with darker pupils has remained virtually unchanged over the centuries. For more information on the protective aspects of eye beads, see Eyes and Hands.

Silver ring from Afghanistan, set with an engraved carnelian

Rings with decorated gemstones, also known as intaglios, are still in use in Central Asia. The decoration on traditional silver rings sometimes consists of watered-down classical themes, such as a depiction of the Pegasus in the ring from Afghanistan shown here. Also depictions of the warrior god Mars and the goddess Athena can still be found in Central Asian rings, along with later decorations.

Writings and Photos from author Sigrid van Roode

The official name of Bakelite is polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride.

Baekeland officially announced his achievement at the February 1909 meeting of the New York section of the American Chemical Society.
In 1922, after patent litigation favorable to Baekeland, the General Bakelite Co., which he had founded in 1910, along with the Condensite Co. founded by Aylesworth, and the Redmanol Chemical Products Co. founded by L.V. Redman, were merged into the Bakelite Corporation.
Wikipedia.
The invention of Bakelite marks the beginning of the Age of Plastics. Bakelite was made from phenol (then known as carbolic acid) and formaldehyde. These can be mixed, heated, and then either molded or extruded. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry winning German Adolf von Baeyer had experimented with this material in 1872, but did not complete its development. Bakelite took the industry by storm after 1907.

Bakelite was the first plastic invented that held its shape after being heated. Radios, telephones and electrical insulators were made of Bakelite because of its properties of insulation and heat-resistance. Soon it penetrated nearly all branches of industry.[2]

Baekeland was awarded the Franklin Medal in 1940.

[edit] Decline and death
The gravesite of Leo Hendrik BaekelandAs Baekeland got older he became more eccentric, getting into fierce battles with his son and presumptive heir over salary and other issues. He sold the General Bakelite Company to Union Carbide in 1939 and, at his son’s prompting, he retired. He became a recluse, eating all of his meals from cans and becoming obsessed with developing an immense tropical garden on his winter estate in Coconut Grove, Florida.[7] He died of a cerebral hemorrhage in a sanatorium in Beacon, New York. Baekeland is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York.[8]

Leo Baekeland was the grandfather of Brooks Baekeland, whose wife Barbara Daly Baekeland was murdered by their son, Antony in 1972.