Ceramic Beads

There are several types of beads that you can use for your projects - some made of glass, stones, wood, plastics, seeds, and ceramics. This is the first set of ceramic beads I bought from Wellmanson several years back:

They are usually made from dried clay that are glazed decorated or hand-painted, varying in degrees of hardness, texture and color. Ceramic beads also varies in size, shape and designs, making them perfect for charm bracelets.

For the Love of Beads

Why do I love this hobby so much?

The art of beading is one of the most fulfilling of the creative arts. Beading is fun, a bit tiring yet rewarding and worthwhile. If you're a good designer with the heart of an entrepreneur, you can actually earn a lot from this hobby. No kidding, I myself have earned pretty good amount from it. If I work full time, that amount could get bigger.

Each of us is given a bag of creativity at birth, and that the bag doesn't grow if we do not improve ourselves. It's up to you to to cultivate it. You owe it to yourself to take the time to develop your talent, function, style and creativity. Even a few minutes you spend to come up with something beautiful will create a sense of pride and accomplishment for yourself. And you get more accomplished/fulfilled if people appreciates your creation.

Be daring, go extra miles and just do whatever is your passion....share it with your acquaintances, friends, loved ones and become the best in whatever you do!

New Beads Collection

I spent my weekends shopping for beads and more beads again. But this time, I made sure I didn't splurge. I spent less than 1000 only for these stuff. I have a very big project coming up soon...so help me God. I really hope I can find more time for beading. I've been spending a lot of time blogging than sleeping. Really. Tsk tsk tsk. I guess I need to have a new planner now. Ok, will get one tomorrow. Have a nice day!

Before You Buy Beads

How hard can it be, buying beads? Check out a bead store sometime; there are more beads than you would have imagined! Here are some basic things you need to consider before buying them.

Seed Beads - Size 11/0
Ranging widely in shape and size, the most common seed beads are Czech, Japanese and the Delica brand cylindrical beads. Czech beads are very traditional, sold on hanks, are mostly round and can be uneven. Japanese seed beads are more uniform, come in many different colors and are usually sold loose in bags or tubes. Delica and Antique brand beads are the choice of many beaders as their uniform cylindrical shape lend them to many projects, especially loom work and Peyote stitch projects.

Charlotte and True Cut Beads
The traditional Charlotte bead is a Czech made, size 13/0 bead with a single flat side to it, causing it to sparkle and shine. These beads are often found in Native American beadwork, are available in a variety of colors and finishes, and are most often sold on short hanks with 12 stands per hank. Some older Charlotte beads are sold on long hanks, and can get pricey. They are also available in gold, silver and copper plate. True cut beads simply other size beads with one or more flat cuts.

Metal Beads
Metal beads come in all shapes and sizes - silver, gold, copper, round, square, bicone, etc. Popular metal beads include the Balinese Beads, which are made in Bali and are usually of sterling silver, gold or vemeil (gold plated sterling). Beware of "Bali Style" beads - these are often base metal imitations. Best bet is to stick to reputable dealers. Also popular are the "liquid silver" and "liquid gold" beads: tiny tubes made of metal, usually strung together which drape beautifully.

Lampwork Beads
An art form unto themselves, lampwork beads are most often used as jewelry centerpieces.! Made with a torch or in a kiln, these are painstakingly developed and executed by glassmaking professional. Be sure any lampwork bead you buy is kiln annealed; this will insure stability of the glass. Judge the price of lampwork according to the complexity of the finished bead. Don't be afraid to ask the maker questions - they are usually happy to tell you about the process of making these lovelies!

Semi Precious Stone Beads and Pearls
Study before you buy. A good book on minerals and semi-precious stones will be worth the investment if you are buying a lot of these beads. Beads should be labeled as to treatment, but many dyed beads are sold. Some treatments are perfectly acceptable such as heating the stone to change or enhance its color. Pearl dying is considered acceptable, as long as you are informed that they are indeed treated. Advance study and a reputable dealer are your best insurance.

How to make a wired pendant

Beads and wires always have a great combination. Today, I will show you how to make a wired pendant like this:

First, you will need to choose the colors for your pendant. I've already made the chain from my previous work. It's brown so I decided to use bronze, black, crystal and white for this project. They will blend well with the chain.



several pieces of Bronze coated pearls



different sizes of crystal beads



cultured pearls, different sizes



semi-precious black stones



round crystal beads



There are different types of wires you can work with but for this design, we're going to use this fiber wire size .5

This is a twist and turn kind of thing. Using wire and hand tools and some twisting techniques, create a loop like this by alternating the beads and crystals. You can create a flower or butterfly pattern but for beginners, you can come up with a tear-like shape like this one. Start off with the biggest then the small one. Use different colors, texture and sizes. You could stretch the coiled wire to create something like this:



It's now ready for our chain (made from brown and gold glass beads)







Done! You can now wear your necklace with any semi-formal clothes. I think it will look good with any off shoulder black/white/brown blouse/dress.

With the right tools and a little practice, I have confidence that my beads will look even better. Enjoy!

Bead Store

There are a lot of beads you can choose from. My favorites are Murano, clay, glass and ceramic. They're really affordable and they make good pieces for charm bracelets. You can buy them in Divisoria and Quiapo. I usually buy at Wellmanson in Quiapo (there's a branch in Divisoria too). I used to go there often to check some designs. They have plenty of bead magazines you can read while checking out their display plus their staff is really nice. They have the widest collection of beads, you can find almost everything there and they're really cheap compare to Bead Shop you see in SM malls. I remember buying 500P worth of beads there and all I got was a small pack of several pieces. Not worth it.

There's another store beside it, I think it's Sophie's, you can check them out too. They're along Villalobos st. in Quiapo Manila. Their prices are a bargain too!

Just the other day, I spent only 2K buying all these things,

They're all lovely! Glass beads are the most expensive. Be sure to plan ahead when you visit the place and bring extra cash.

I love Beading!!

I love beading and jewelry making! That's one of my favorite past times. I enjoy doing it. I make handmade jewelry items and they make great gifts to your friends and loved ones. I'm also accepting orders for customized jewelries...shoot me an email for more info.