tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26830343858417290372024-03-19T18:18:31.774+07:00SIMPLY GEMSNBEADSAbout My Hobby and Passion of making Wire Jewelry
by Titik R.AhmadMy Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-51059269661103222892009-04-22T23:01:00.002+07:002009-04-22T23:25:39.845+07:00Note From Me...Hi everybody,<br /><br />Since I am not upload all my new collection for a while, so i will upload an article that i took from many source about gemstone especially,...... because this site is not about how my passion of making a jewelry but also my interested in gemstone. So... enjoy my posting... n I will back to upload my latest collection soon.My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-38616224450633454302009-04-22T22:23:00.000+07:002009-04-22T22:46:45.658+07:00Conflict Diamonds @ Jewel Info 4 U<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>By: <a href="http://www.jewelinfo4u.com/contactus.aspx">Shweta Dhanuka</a><p>Source : jewelinfo4u<br /> </p><p>Conflict Diamonds are referred to those stones that originate from vicinity controlled by the group of people who are recognized as rebel in the eyes of the government. Such stones are put on the market for sale to provide finances for the illicit and illegitimate action of these rebels, military and terrorist factions. Converted diamond, Blood diamond and War diamond are additional names for this diamond variant.<br /> <br /> <img src="http://www.jewelinfo4u.com/images/Gallery/Conflict-Diamonds.jpg" alt="conflict diamonds" width="425" align="right" border="0" height="282" />These are mostly found in war torn African countries. Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo are most severely affected countries by this gemstone. The illegal groups terrorize, injure or kill the innocent citizen to mine the diamonds so as to control the local diamond trade. The brutal wars that happened in Angola and Sierra Leone were very much terrorizing. In the year 1998, United Nations General Assembly came to know about these atrocious actions of terrorists behind the diamond trade. Also, they found that how the profits earned from the diamond trade is used for funding the terror attacks in different parts of the world. Since then they took some measures to control it.<br /> <br /> </p><h3>Blocking the Conflict Diamond in the Diamond Market</h3> Combating Conflict Diamonds' campaign, commenced in the year 1998 uncovered the funding means of terror groups for their brutal activities. World was shocked to learn that the precious gemstone 'Diamond' they adore is used to create the violence in different parts of the world. Since then diamond sold by terrorists was named as 'Conflict Diamond'. People across the globe demanded the actions to block these diamonds entering the diamond market.<br /> <br /> As a result, in May 2000 diamond industry representatives, NGOs and United Nation Government officials met at Kimberley, South Africa to establish the method to eliminate the conflict diamond trade and assure the buyers that diamonds they are buying are conflict-free diamonds. This meeting was hosted by the South African government. In this meeting the method to control the conflict diamond sale was initiated. On January, 2001 the new organization, the World Diamond Council was formed. The new council drafted the process and essential documents that would certify the legitimate diamond. The litigious negotiations went on for more than two years between the council, government and NGOs to establish the Kimberley Certification Process, an international diamond certification scheme.<br /> <h3>Kimberley Certification Process System</h3><p>This system came into existence in the year 2003. Since then it is working towards the objective of safeguard of the gemstone market against conflict diamonds entering the legitimate diamond supply chain. It demands for 'Certificate of Origin' with every delivery of diamond. 'Certificate of Origin' is the only document that can differentiate between the conflict diamonds and other legitimate diamond. It is the well-structured form issued from the government, having the information in accordance with the standards set (in relation with the origin location of the stone) by the World Diamond Council. It acts as a proof that diamonds are created, sold and exported through legal channels.<br /> <br /> In order to control the trade of conflict diamonds, government inspects and monitors this important document associated with every export and import and enforces the new laws in opposition to those who fail to meet the terms. It is the sincere effort from the government to stop these diamonds to reach the market. Once it reaches the gemstone market and gets polished then it becomes almost impossible to identify the legitimate diamonds. Therefore, it is crucial to produce the 'Certificate of Origin' on every single transaction of the diamond trade by all the countries participating in it. With this certification process the government's transparency increases as the origin and total cost of diamond is recorded in the government books.<br /> </p><h3>Consumer's Duty</h3>It is duty of consumer to strongly ask for the 'Certificate of Origin' document at the time of purchase. This would ensure that the seller gives the required certificate and guarantee that the diamond being purchased by the buyer is conflict-free diamond. This would in turn spread the message that consumers would not support the countries that furnish finance for the terror group's activities.<br /> <br /> Since thousands of years, Diamond had been known as the symbol of love and affection. It would never come even in the wildest of the dream that diamond could be the means for causing violence and misery in the peaceful world. People with unethical and inhuman intentions like terrorist or rebels have used beautiful gemstone diamond to create the feeling of terror and hatred instead of humanity and love in the past but now it is under control. Thanks to the sincere and dedicated efforts of Diamond Council, United Nations and NGOs that by establishing Kimberley Certification Process the presence of conflict diamond in the World diamond trade is controlled to the satisfactory level. However, every gemstone enthusiast waits for the day when the entire world becomes free of conflict diamonds.<br /> <br /> Each and every individual must ask for the 'Certificate of Origin' while making the purchase of diamond or diamond jewelry. In this way, each one of us could be satisfied till the bottom of our heart that our hardcore earned money is not directly or indirectly used for creating the violence. All of us have to act together to make this world free of Conflict diamonds and continue the diamonds to be associated with only love, care and warmth.My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-40397471638012614782009-04-18T10:16:00.000+07:002009-06-18T10:17:02.329+07:00Privacy Policy for www.simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.comPrivacy Policy for www.simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.com<br /><br />If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at titikrwati@gmail.com.<br /><br />At www.simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. 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Our advertising partners include ....<br />Google Adsense<br />Amazon<br /><br /><br />These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on www.simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. 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More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-66446173742661106592009-04-07T12:59:00.001+07:002009-04-07T13:02:18.308+07:00Three Great Ways to Promote Your Bead Jewelry Business<strong><span style="font-size:85%;">Author: </span><a title="JT Miller" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/jt-miller/62667.htm"><span style="font-size:85%;">JT Miller</span></a></strong><br /><br />Part of the amazing charm about bead jewelry is just how easy it can be for someone to sit down and learn the basic skills of jewelry making in a matter of a few hours. As any bead jeweler will tell you, creating jewelry is one of those skills that only takes a few minutes to learn, but a lifetime to master!<br /><br />While it's fun to sit around with some friends at a bead shop and all work on jewelry together there is a grim reality: if you're all making jewelry to sell then there's going to be a little competition between you and your friends for customers. In fact, bead jewelry has become so popular in recent years among just about everyone that I've heard some bead jewelry artists actually say they were quitting because there were too many people making jewelry and it was simply too difficult to sell anymore.<br /><br />And while making jewelry pieces is fun and even easy at times, actually selling the pieces and building a business with clients and customers can be rather difficult, especially if you've never been a salesperson or run a business before.<br /><br />Here are three ways you can promote your bead jewelry business without coming on too pushy or spending a lot of money on advertising.<br /><br />Referral Bonus: On all your business cards you simply write the line "Receive $10 credit on any of my jewelry for every customer you refer!" How does this work? Let's say I sold a beautiful glass bead necklace to my child's daycare teacher. A week later the teacher's sister contacts you and has you create a similar necklace for her. You go back to the daycare teacher and say that she now has a $10 credit to use at any time for any other piece of jewelry she wants to purchase from you. Once people get the idea this really catches on! People will be going out of their way to have their friends buy jewelry from you so that they get a credit.<br /><br />Donate to a Charity Gift Auction: A lot of nonprofit groups, charities, schools and churches have gift auctions where they accept gifts from local vendors and then auction those gifts off to the higher bidder, keeping the money made at the auction. You can donate a collection of bead jewelry like a matching necklace, bracelet and earrings and prominently display your business card in front of your jewelry. For the whole evening people will be looking over gifts and seeing your jewelry and business card. If you can put a stack of business cards in front, do so. You might be surprised how many people contact you after the event and tell you that they didn't win the auction but would love to see what else you have.<br /><br />Mix Web Sales with Table Sales: Don't try to sell all your bead jewelry at one venue or the other. The people who are really running success bead jewelry businesses are hustling and cross promoting themselves all the time. List your website on the business cards that you give out at craft shows (even if they don't buy anything!) and mention the craft shows you'll be attending on your website!<br /><br />There you go, three low-pressure way to increase your customer base and get your bead jewelry in front of more people. These things might not generate lots of sales right away, but if you stick with it you'll be amazed at how your bead jewelry business keeps growing and multiplying!<br /><br />Visit the <a onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href="http://www.beadjewelryblog.com/" rel="nofollow" jquery1239083847671="47">Bead Jewelry</a> Blog to get more bead jewelry ideas, news, trends, tutorials and beading business advice.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Article Source: </span><a title="Three Great Ways to Promote Your Bead Jewelry Business" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/home-business-articles/three-great-ways-to-promote-your-bead-jewelry-business-462779.html" jquery1239083847671="75"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://www.articlesbase.com/home-business-articles/three-great-ways-to-promote-your-bead-jewelry-business-462779.html</span></a>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-3803536425586079062009-04-07T12:52:00.000+07:002009-04-07T12:53:54.283+07:00Beads and Bead Making: A Brief HistoryBy: <a href="http://www.articlesnatch.com/profile/Mark-Saunders/2621">Mark Saunders</a><br />Since time immemorial, humans have been finding ways to accentuate what they have to work with. We have been blessed with the ingenuity to craft things from nature and to use what we can find around us to our advantage. In the area of aesthetics and personal accents, one of the most longstanding and popular accessories are beads.<br /><br />Look around you today and you will know what I mean. Humans of both sexes seem to lean towards the use of beads in many ways. From bags to clothes to jewelry beads are continuously being utilized. Have you ever thought of where beads and the practice of using them came from?<br /><br />Beading has its roots in our ancient ancestors. Even before the modern” civilizations emerged, the early humans were already practicing some sort of beading. They would make use of sea shells, bones, seeds, seed pods, nut shells, and even teeth. In those times, however, the use of these accessories was more for a religious purpose than aesthetic.<br /><br />With the rise of the Egyptian civilization, the knowledge of making glass was discovered. Naturally, glass beads became the norm. The ancient Egyptians became very adept at working with glass and they came up with countless combinations to make glass beads of various shades and hues. Not only that, they learned how to combine the glass beads with other precious and semi-precious metals and gem stones. The result was high quality and absolutely beautiful pieces of jewelry, which became sought after throughout the whole world.<br /><br />The rest of the old world was not immune to the beauty of beads. The ancient Romans were known to trade beads. Even the violent Vikings and the Celts had their own brand of bead making experts. In North America, the Native American Indians have always incorporated beads into their culture. Even today, Native American beading is one of the most popular.<br /><br />The people of Asia also have their own bead culture. Thailand, Indonesia, and other neighboring countries make use of the natural stones and gems found in their surroundings. Their beads are actually some of the most sought after beads in the world market today. Indeed, beads and beading have come a long way since that first instance when our ancestor picked up a piece of bone and strung it around his neck.<br /><br />As you can see, beads and the art of beading are not limited by geography. Even better, with the trend in globalization today, people from all corners of the world have better access to beads from different countries and cultures. You can find beads in specialty shops in your area. Better yet, utilize the power of the Internet and can even find beads originating from various countries online.<br /><br />The Jewelweaver is an online store that offers the best beads from all over the world. Their stock of beads includes beads made of glass, silver, opal, pearl, coral, crystal and more. They also offer tools and supplies that a beadaholic must have. For more information and to see their current stock, visit their web site at: http://www.jewelweaver.com.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Article Source: </span><a href="http://www.articlesnatch.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://www.articlesnatch.com</span></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">About the Author:For more information please visit </span><a href="http://www.jewelweaver.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">www.jewelweaver.com/</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-71756998847402278902009-04-07T12:44:00.001+07:002009-04-07T12:46:18.880+07:00Craft Beads, Old And New<div align="justify">By: <a href="http://www.articlesnatch.com/profile/Candice-Sabrina/11552">Candice Sabrina</a><br /><br />Craft beads have been used to create jewelry and other decorative pieces for hundreds of years. In ancient times, stone, turtle shells, animal horns and hooves, and fresh water clams were used to make decorations. Now, beads can be made from semi-precious stones, wood, glass, and plastic just to name a few. The possibilities with craft beads are endless.<br /><br />Craft bead projects range from beginner to advanced, complicated designs. You can purchase craft bead kits at your local craft store or online. If you already have a supply of craft beads, you can find free patterns and designs online. There are even kits and patterns available for children.<br /><br />By far, the most popular use for craft beads is creating jewelry. They aren't limited to use in jewelry, however. You can make holiday decorations, like beaded Christmas trees, or you can put beads on household items to give them a new flare. Another interesting project to try is to weave small beads together in intricate patterns to create stunning flowers.<br /><br />Craft beads are made out of a variety of materials including glass, metal, terracotta, wood, plastic, stone, bone, horn, ivory, wood, ceramic, fiber, shell, pearl, coral, gemstones, seeds, resin, and clay. Beads can also be fashioned into many shapes including melon, oval, barrel, cylindrical, round, square, star, butterfly, heart, and flower.<br /><br />When you consider the vast number of beads available, the possibilities are endless. The cost of individual beads will be determined by what they are made of, their use, and their age. You can even take beads from an old necklace or other piece of jewelry and craft them into a new piece that you will love.<br /><br />You can create unique jewelry for yourself or create decorative gifts for loved ones. If you are going to create your own design, be sure that you have all the craft beads and other supplies you will need. You can do this by drawing out a detailed plan or diagram of the piece you want to create.<br /><br />To complete a project, you will need craft beads, wire, wire cutters, and crimp beads. Crimp beads are soft metal and are used to complete a strand of beads. If you are creating jewelry, you will need the appropriate clasp also. If you would rather follow a pattern, there are books available at your local craft store, or you can find hundreds of free patterns online. Those instructions should give you a list of needed supplies.<br /><br />You can purchase craft bead projects that are already completed at craft shows, stores, and online. The price of these items will depend on the type of beads used and the intricacy of the piece. You may also be able to find older beaded pieces or ethnic pieces. Native American, Mexican, and African bead craft are beautiful and unique.<br /><br />Whether you are a beginner or an advance crafter, try doing some bead work. You will come to love using craft beads for their versatility and beauty. You will also love the jewelry and other decorative pieces you are able to create!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Article Source: </span><a href="http://www.articlesnatch.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://www.articlesnatch.com</span></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">About the Author:For more information on crafts, try visiting http://www.craftguidance.com - a website that specializes in providing craft related tips, advice and resources to include information on </span><a href="http://www.craftguidance.com/craftbeads.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">craft beads.</span></a></div>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-31556112077908629042009-04-06T08:53:00.001+07:002009-04-06T08:55:32.054+07:00The Joy Of Craft Bead Jewelry<p align="justify">By: <a href="http://www.articlesnatch.com/profile/Samantha-Davis/11558">Samantha Davis</a></p><p align="justify"></p><p align="justify">The latest rage sweeping the country is to have jewelry made from different types of beads in assorted sizes, colors and textures. The more beaded jewelry the better as you can change the appearance of your outfits to be more dress-up or causal.<br /><br />You can purchase beaded jewelry from local stores or you can make your own by using craft beads. Local craft shops such as Michaels, AC Moore and others offer a wide selection, superb quality and low prices for the beads they sell. Whether you are a novice or experienced working with beads, you will find the beads, findings, wires, threads, tools and everything else you need to create stunning jewelry and decor pieces for your home.<br /><br />Craft beads can be plastic pony beads, fabric beads, paper beads, pearl, glass, to Swarovski crystals and everything in between. Stores that carry beads usually carry a wide selection of literally thousands of different types and sizes of beads.<br /><br />Some of the more popular types of craft beads include Bead Heaven, Elegance Collections, Crystal Innovations, Better Beads, Elite Better Beads, Fancy Finery, Westrim, Blue Moon and Bead Gallery assortments. There is also a wide selection of Bead and Jewelry Making Kits that are perfect for people just starting to work with craft beads. These kits provide everything you need along with detailed instructions to get help you start and complete your project.<br /><br />As with any craft, you will need to purchase the proper tools and equipment. These can be purchased individually or in sets. If you are not sure you want to invest this much money on a craft that you are not sure you will want to continue doing, you may want to take a special training class offered at your local craft store. They will have tools available for you to use and if you decide to continue working with craft beads, you can then purchase the extra supplies needed for your new hobby.<br /><br />Your craft store will also be able to provide you with great ideas on bead projects. Whether you take their in-store classes, work independently with a prearranged kit, or if you buy a book, the ideas for your own craft bead jewelry will be unlimited. You can make sets that include your necklace, bracelet, earrings, and pin and each set will be uniquely yours, which is a one-of-a-kind jewelry set.<br /><br />You may think that you do not have the talent to create your own jewelry or home décor items using craft beads, but you will never know unless you try. Sign up for a class and start out small. As your skills develop, you can advance to more complicated projects.<br /><br />Before you know it, you will be an expert at making your own jewelry using craft beads and your friends and family will be asking you where you bought your jewelry. And, who knows, you may want to start your own home business making jewelry for other people to purchase. The opportunities are endless and you are only limited by your own imagination when it comes to using craft beads.<br /><br />Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesnatch.com/">http://www.articlesnatch.com</a><br /><br />About the Author:<br />For more information on crafts, try visiting <a href="http://www.craftguidance.com/">http://www.craftguidance.com</a> - a website that specializes in providing craft related tips, advice and resources to include information on craft beads<br /></p>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-71342813716767539172009-04-02T20:31:00.005+07:002009-04-07T12:50:59.317+07:002009 Beads Jewelry Fashion Trends ForecastIn 2009 you’ll see more bright and natural colors in fashionable beads jewelry…<br /><br /><p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILTI2nIogaqiRSLpcTpAXXAzjx2pwvFDSiJ6jOG7_UBiukUcpRZzEsWNfasYUPCHXSBsJNcyTikvLis1jGnXFNxugIIDLO_tavmI2sbJQCXq5Qz4Y941W11edag-AeGe7UjyEqhS-C2Y/s320/Beads.jpg" /><br /><br /><p>Spring of 2009 is right around the corner and there’s no better time to plan for the upcoming bead jewelry trends than right now, before the 2009 spring and summer seasons really begin! Predicting future <a href="http://www.made-in-china.com/products-search/hot-china-products/Fashion_Jewelry.html"><strong>fashion and jewelry trends</strong></a> is always a little bit of a game, but I’ve been reading a lot of fashion magazines, listening to my customers that visit my bead jewelry display table and generally talking to people about what they are looking for. There are some definite trends for 2009 and here are some of the things I’m hearing:</p><br /><br /><p><strong>Colorful and Natural</strong></p><p>I have seen some emphasis on "nature" influences which sometimes shows itself in the materials such as wood or stone beads use in jewelry, but I’ve also seen a lot more "flower" and "leaf" shaped beads and pendants on the scene. Any sort of botanical or organic looking jewelry pieces or beads are still popular from what I’ve seen. I don’t make much, but I’ve actually had people asked me if I have anything that has "natural warmth".</p><br /><br /><p><strong>Big and Beautiful</strong><br /></p><p>It sounds like the days of dainty shiny pieces of metal jewelry are gone for the moment and the big and colorful gemstone jewelry and beads are still pretty hot right now. People are still asking for more “chunky” jewelry, sometimes with larger stones and crystals that catch the eye, sometimes with asymmetrical patterns or at least oddly cut beads and gemstones.</p><br /><br /><p><strong>Cocktail Rings</strong></p><p>If you're shopping, wearing or making rings, consider “rings with bling!” Cocktail rings are generally over-the-top diamond or gemstone rings that are overly colorful, shiny and, yes, sometimes a bit gaudy. But that’s part of the fun! These go along with the bright and bold bead jewelry you might be wearing and could even match or compliment it with similar gemstones or beads. You can make cocktail rings with gemstone beads, crystal beads or just about any other shiny materials.</p><p><strong>Charms and Pendants</strong><br />Again, going with the bold and bright bead jewelry, what stands out more than a beautiful chain that meets with a large bold diamond or gemstone charm or pendant on the end?</p><strong>Modern Metals</strong><strong></strong><br /><p>Yes, natural and chunky are in, but there is still room for metals in beaded jewelry, especially when it is sleek and modern looking or even mixed with natural materials like wood and stone beads. There are always people who like the more “modern” beads and jewelry as opposed to the more traditional bead jewelry designs. You can buy modern beads for jewelry making or you can go for a more unique look and actually make</p><br />beads jewelry out of hardware washers!<br /><p><img src="http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2f0j00AByENgWIrLqVM/Wood-Beads-Bracelet-AJ200810002023-.jpg" /></p><br /><p><strong>Silver and Gold</strong></p><br /><p>Silver has been popular for the last few years and that will probably continue, but you’ll also see more gold and even two-tone chains and metals being used in both beads and jewelry pieces. Some of those silver and gold Trollbeads are excellent examples of mixed metals being used as a charm or pendant in bead jewelry pieces.</p><br /><br /><p><strong>Faux Foreign Influence</strong></p><br /><p>I’m still seeing a lot of Asian and Moroccan influences in fashion, home furnishings and even jewelry. The influences don’t have to be completely genuine or "realistic" but that sense of something coming from a foreign country and past time are still popular. Even the big chain stores are catching this vibe and a lot of their house wares and jewelry give off that "Pier One" vaguely Indian or Eastern Orient vibe. When you’re creating bead jewelry necklaces or bracelets you could think about using dark wooden beads (natural) and mixing it with large metal Oriental looking coins and rings with a hole through the center to bring in the foreign feel!</p><p><strong>Colorful</strong></p><p>You'll want to think about bright and bold, but remember that natural element! Neons and wild synthetic colors are not popular, but bright natural colors definitely are in, both in <a href="http://www.made-in-china.com/products-search/hot-china-products/Fashion_Accessories.html"><strong>clothing and jewelry fashion</strong></a>. Once again, I have to turn to the color experts at Pantone who have picked out the trendy colors for 2009. Don’t forget to look at the 28 page Adobe Acrobat guide there! It’s fun and inspirational! I’m thinking about printing a few of the pages out and hanging them around my beading area for inspiration when I’m creating my jewelry.</p><p>Last, if you have seen any other bead jewelry trends for 2009 that I missed, pls don’t hesitate to let me know...</p><strong>About the Author:</strong><br /><p>I'd like to introduce and display an excellent selection of China fine art products and gifts - <a href="http://www.123giftfactory.com/" target="_blank">http://www.123giftfactory.com/</a> to you, also give you great suggestions about gift ideas and the latest fashion art trends in China.</p><p>Article Source: <a title="2009 Beads Jewelry Fashion Trends Forecast" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/2009-beads-jewelry-fashion-trends-forecast-666870.html">http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/2009-beads-jewelry-fashion-trends-forecast-666870.html</a></p>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-3324165799265647482009-04-02T20:24:00.003+07:002009-04-07T12:50:03.829+07:00Semi-precious Beads for Jewellery Making<div align="justify"><strong>Author: <a title="Claire Humpherson" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/claire-humpherson/90903.htm">Claire Humpherson</a></strong><br /><br />Making <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink0" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,0);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,0);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,0);" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/semiprecious-beads-for-jewellery-making-615588.html#" target="_new">jewellery</a> with beads is a rewarding and enjoyable hobby. Semi-precious beads are an ideal medium to work with in order to produce a special, meaningful and long lasting jewellery design. There are many different types of gemstone bead but those most popular for jewellery making are listed below. Read on for details of the properties, appearance and how best to use these special beads when making a necklace, earrings or <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink1" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,1);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,1);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,1);" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/semiprecious-beads-for-jewellery-making-615588.html#" target="_new">bracelet</a>.<br /><br /><strong>Agate Beads</strong><br />Agate beads tend to be available in red and black, and often display stunning banded markings in white. Yellow and green agate are found less frequently but are hugely popular due to their vibrant colouring. Agate is ideal for making striking pieces and is often available in larger bead sizes which make fabulous feature beads for necklaces. Try using black and red agate together for a stunning contrast. Make sure banded beads stand out by stringing them with plain beads.<br /><br /><strong>Amethyst Beads</strong><br />Amethyst makes beautiful beads which vary in shades of purple. A-grade amethyst beads are top quality, displaying a beautiful clarity and an even colouring. Lower grade amethyst beads may display some cloudiness and natural inclusions.<br />A great stone for jewellery making, amethyst is often available in various sizes of round beads, gem chips, tumbled nuggets and faceted beads. These beads look fabulous simply spaced with small silver spacer beads. Swarovski crystal beads are available in an amethyst shade which adds real glamour to your amethyst jewellery designs. Contrast these purple beads with greens to make more vibrant jewellery.<br /><br /><strong>Fluorite Beads<br /></strong>Fluorite is a popular gemstone that is usually green and purple in colour. Colouring can be dark or pale, and each bead can vary individually.<br />Fluorite <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink2" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,2);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,2);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,2);" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/semiprecious-beads-for-jewellery-making-615588.html#" target="_new">pendants<br /></a>are such a popular item for jewellery making. These can be matched with fluorite beads, hung on a simple chain for an effective yet simple design or matched with a stone that brings out the purple or green colouring in the pendant. It is best to try not to overpower the natural beauty of fluorite as it can be subtle.<br /><br /><strong>Jasper Beads</strong><br />Jasper beads and pendants vary widely in colour and appearance. However, in general jasper is recognised by its beautiful and intricate patterning. Types of jasper such as picasso jasper have such unusual markings they look as though they have been painted.<br />When making jewellery with jasper beads or pendants it is best to match with a plain coloured stone, silver or gold bead as anything too busy will fight with the gorgeous patterns in the jasper.<br /><br /><strong>Quartz Beads</strong><br />Quartz is also known as crystal as it is clear in appearance. Clear quartz beads are useful to space between brighter or more patterned beads as they won't fight against them in a jewellery design. Faceted quartz beads catch the light beautifully.<br />Another popular type of quartz is rose quartz. Soft, pale pink in colour, rose quartz is a very romantic stone. Using rose quartz with silver beads creates jewellery that is beautifully simple and sophisticated.<br /><br />Using semi-precious beads to make jewellery is a fantastic way to make a personal gift for a loved one. They can even be used to make keyrings, handbag <a class="kLink" oncontextmenu="return false;" id="KonaLink3" onmouseover="adlinkMouseOver(event,this,3);" style="POSITION: static; TEXT-DECORATION: underline! important" onclick="adlinkMouseClick(event,this,3);" onmouseout="adlinkMouseOut(event,this,3);" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/semiprecious-beads-for-jewellery-making-615588.html#" target="_new">charms</a>, mobile pohone charms and more. If you haven't already started making jewellery and accessories with <a title="Semi-precious beads" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href="http://www.beadsdirect.co.uk/Semi-Precious+Beads.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" xckxr="0" jquery1238678210000="38" bv989="0">semi-precious beads</a> then I recommend you have a go!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Article Source: </span><a title="Semi-precious Beads for Jewellery Making" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/semiprecious-beads-for-jewellery-making-615588.html" jquery1238678210000="83"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/semiprecious-beads-for-jewellery-making-615588.html</span></a></div>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-74560475125975532882009-02-03T22:51:00.006+07:002009-02-03T23:09:01.006+07:00Amethyst The February BirthstoneBy Seema Susheel<br />source: www.jewelinfo4u.com<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMK7mX6u-oQl9maY-cCFQNokF-zSqQ_LQYmp-te0xNB7ZHE2DgBh-9R6rOl542y1ALwJD63tmV_54olDJXWkPca-1P_LAd_83ze-GgSlyPPoPjTl8d3pUV6CnhEf3TZ-Mc8ehPSyB9lmAy/s1600-h/theimage_amethyst1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMK7mX6u-oQl9maY-cCFQNokF-zSqQ_LQYmp-te0xNB7ZHE2DgBh-9R6rOl542y1ALwJD63tmV_54olDJXWkPca-1P_LAd_83ze-GgSlyPPoPjTl8d3pUV6CnhEf3TZ-Mc8ehPSyB9lmAy/s320/theimage_amethyst1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298602274366690786" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4KFBYzxYiaAW7p3xhdXegdrAjS1MV725cA1M_dGAFu9dY-SUDazoMcfUuGK5j__VTVAeBVW02sWTz99qagkBT6bdKucu8yYIb3AeUY3mH7hgZ65vaYysqxTliK43tNJwjB2j2Mpk0O3E/s1600-h/mineralminers_amethyst1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm4KFBYzxYiaAW7p3xhdXegdrAjS1MV725cA1M_dGAFu9dY-SUDazoMcfUuGK5j__VTVAeBVW02sWTz99qagkBT6bdKucu8yYIb3AeUY3mH7hgZ65vaYysqxTliK43tNJwjB2j2Mpk0O3E/s400/mineralminers_amethyst1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298601045864493154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Summary: There are gemstones set for each month of the year. They suit and benefit people born on that month and hence are known as birthstones. 'Amethyst' the purple colored transparent beautiful stone is the birthstone for people born in the month of February. According to old legend and general beliefs worldwide amethyst is considered to make the wearer calm and in control of his various emotional levels.<br /><br />Amethyst Mystical and healing powers<br />Amethyst There are people who have great belief in supernatural, myths, spirituality, and astrology and basically the acceptance that there is something then our own actions that control the happening of our lives. The fact that the human body and mind can be maneuvered by using the<br />different elements that nature offers for example precious stones. Everything has reason and a purpose behind it. If you are wearing this gemstone in the form of a ring or bracelet because it just looks good and you like the color or its in fashion then there is nothing to think about. But if you want to know more about how this as a birthstone will benefit you, what does astrology and ancient religious believes say, then you would be amazed to know that the power of the gleam from the stone is just not eye striking but also soul stirring.<br /><br />Birth Stones<br />Amethyst There are gemstones set for each month of the year. They suit and benefit people born on that month and hence are known as birthstones. 'Amethyst' the purple colored transparent beautiful stone is the birthstone for people born in the month of February. According to old legend and general beliefs worldwide this stone is considered<br />to make the wearer calm and in control of his various emotional levels. This stone though a birthstone for February born Aquarian can also benefit Sagittarius as well as the Piscean as they are the people always going through highs and low with there emotions. It also is supposed to evade drunkenness according to the Greek mythology. This gemstone ranges from the light purple to dark and is said to bring luck and intelligence to the wearer.<br /><br />Gemstone and our universe<br />According to the Hindu/Indian astrology the movement of the planets, the sun and the moon determines the happening in a person's life. The time, date and place of birth of an individual are calculated to know the life history of that person. The astrologer can find out what kind of person you are, what kind of physical ailments you have, your family history and except the time of your death he can tell you the answers to all your questions on your future. It's a science and not any magical power that a stranger can guess the many happenings in your past without you telling them anything. There is a science known as gemology which compliments astrology as it's believed that each gemstone is related to all the planets in the galaxy and there movement into an individual life circle makes or breaks things. For example Amethyst has the power to control the effects of a planet which will cause problems for you, then to wear this stone of a particular size as a ring or a bracelet can protect you from the ill effects of the planetary movement. An astrologer and a gemologist will determine the right stone for you which will truly be your birthstone and wearing it will protect you always. They will even tell you the right size and what kind of setting (set in gold or silver) the ring should have and on which finger to be worn etc.<br /><br />But to do all this you should have a belief in the science of astrology and if you think I can be successful and rich by just wearing the birthstone and not doing anything then you are wrong. The birthstone is not magical, it will only compliment and inspire your efforts and hardships. By getting yourself a birthstone after much consultation you will be able to let go of your fears and concentrate fulltime on your task moving forward with a strong belief that the stone is going to protect me from falling down. This mindset itself is going to prove positive for you and you will be grateful that you decided to go for a birthstone.<br /><br /><br />Amethyst Gallery<br />The gemstone amethyst has a beautiful purple color and because of its grandeur was the most commonly used jewelry embellishment by the kings and queens of the yesteryears. It was the color purple or the belief associated with this beautiful gemstone that made amethyst so popular among the royals is still a question.<br /><br />This protects the wearer as it's a crystal that repels without attracting. It repels negativity. According to the belief that it also protects from getting drunk, this gemstone is used to cure alcoholics of their addiction. The amethyst when worn as a birthstone is supposed to keep you financially secure and calms the nerves and helps you focus. The stone is supposed touch the body to transfer its energies to make this possible, the stone can be just strung together to make a bracelet or a charming neck chain. Amethyst is such a beauty that anybody can wear it, even if it's not your birthstone you can still have it in your jewelry. It's not going to have any adverse effect on the wearer.<br /><br /><br />A gemstone jewelry can be made in many designs it could be a ring, ear rings, bracelet, neck chain or even brooch or cufflinks. A gemologist is the one who has studied the various gemstones their properties and their usage. He is the right person to tell the benefit of amethyst as a birthstone. There are many jewelers dedicated to gemstone jewelry from generations where you could purchase your birthstone jewelry. Many websites on the net have ample information on the benefits of amethyst as a birthstone. There are instances of people who have benefited from wearing amethyst -their birthstone, that is the reason there is a blooming market of birthstone jewelry available for every individual to benefit from .There is no official guarantee that the birthstone will have an effect or not but its more to do with the belief that's been passed on from generations all around the globe. The belief is different in different regions but the fact that the birthstone does have a beneficial effect is proven by people's experiences and age old science which is both mystical as well as intriguing.My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-30895820121962644842009-01-24T18:53:00.006+07:002009-01-24T19:34:10.684+07:00RUBY<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDk17iIRwD7QnpUvEAUzM96u0KneoX8oh7ZKaDHQ7F0hpDwH5kH7bBBE9A2ZzDmlUZyYxDbY3-ZJvjGdKfSSyrVHcStY_Dx_fexYcwPbirPz9-Nq7abb0wQOf5LS_3JLm4qxlPWllI-O_k/s1600-h/rubywww.gemfrance.com.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 120px; height: 87px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDk17iIRwD7QnpUvEAUzM96u0KneoX8oh7ZKaDHQ7F0hpDwH5kH7bBBE9A2ZzDmlUZyYxDbY3-ZJvjGdKfSSyrVHcStY_Dx_fexYcwPbirPz9-Nq7abb0wQOf5LS_3JLm4qxlPWllI-O_k/s400/rubywww.gemfrance.com.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294836414128331858" border="0" /></a><br />source, <a href="http://www.gemfrance.com/">www.gemfrance.com</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__luBVDeAcJpZwHiEz6kDTRyG16t3VpgOlRRIBOYN-0He-rh3E2yeQe7Kp6tBtko91WPUUXciJOibAZaRLtc2KImFeXKeYPjHD6xkoVDNxG7SCqyeigcoNh4CJqvoDCgJcPKa2k1ypuO3/s1600-h/rubysm+www.bernardine.com.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 96px; height: 120px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj__luBVDeAcJpZwHiEz6kDTRyG16t3VpgOlRRIBOYN-0He-rh3E2yeQe7Kp6tBtko91WPUUXciJOibAZaRLtc2KImFeXKeYPjHD6xkoVDNxG7SCqyeigcoNh4CJqvoDCgJcPKa2k1ypuO3/s400/rubysm+www.bernardine.com.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294835010242199762" border="0" /></a><br />source, <a href="http://www.bernardine.com/">www.bernardine.com<br /></a><br /><br />Asian origins:<br />Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, India<br /><br />Today Myanmar is the most famous source of rubies. Nature embues the finest Myanmaran rubies with a red florescent glow, so that the stone scintillates with fiery life, like a translucent red-hot coal. Gem dealers call the color exhibited by Myanmaran stones "pigeon's-blood red", and large rubies bearing this description sell for million of dollars. While Myanmar is the most well-known of Asia's ruby-producing countries, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Thailand also have long traditions of ruby mining. Thailand become the hub of the world's ruby trade. Most of the rubies from its neighbors pour into the country for processing and trading on the international market.<br /><br />In 1992, rubies were discovered in northern Vietnam. The main deposits are in Nghe An Province, the poorest, most infertile region of the country, famous for producing tough soldiers and fiery revolutionaries-most notably Ho Chi Minh. Little did the long-suffering residents of the province suspect that their infertile soil held untold riches. When the valuable gems surfaced, they sparked a "ruby rush" in the province, even more fervored than the gold rushes of western US Lore. Thai gems dealers poured into Vietnam to pay cash for the rubies. Vietnamese subsistence farmers, used to earning less than US$ 100 a year, suddenly possessed valuable red stones which they could sell for thousands of dollars each.<br /><br />source : Tropical Gemstones by PeriplusMy Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-34778822748781079432009-01-17T22:57:00.003+07:002009-01-17T23:07:02.471+07:00Black n white collection<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFI7wuMKAZVevn_3qB9rJI3xthvwXjdw7gdfqjdfDD_7SgLFlfj4al0yYCOMzi_8-Pkz5TndPQBgreVF6j7WLH8CHEMTNIJmJeWanRI-yPVtvxj3OP5Rm-BXlW6B4xZlc3DNGNR2Dsoytd/s1600-h/bangle-black.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFI7wuMKAZVevn_3qB9rJI3xthvwXjdw7gdfqjdfDD_7SgLFlfj4al0yYCOMzi_8-Pkz5TndPQBgreVF6j7WLH8CHEMTNIJmJeWanRI-yPVtvxj3OP5Rm-BXlW6B4xZlc3DNGNR2Dsoytd/s400/bangle-black.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292294682017996434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvm2tBeeh1EvtNmtRglNU_FoGNEXiOdY1rPfxxMTsgVh2mQzAVk_7SOpz0bxptXcbvNNK2xA3b0nJo_LH58qPfffyFm8UxLVXuhUt8nX1Zz9iZ-3Xf7cIbsZmcDHpZyk416qU9zMKC7zk/s1600-h/flower-black1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlvm2tBeeh1EvtNmtRglNU_FoGNEXiOdY1rPfxxMTsgVh2mQzAVk_7SOpz0bxptXcbvNNK2xA3b0nJo_LH58qPfffyFm8UxLVXuhUt8nX1Zz9iZ-3Xf7cIbsZmcDHpZyk416qU9zMKC7zk/s400/flower-black1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292294683946091122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FLXDFw3hcfd9vwNOF6gPz9bxHgN3viyJw4Mw9jsqyoe9wZI0ifdF1d4mu_WWFp8M1p2ioNqZ8EcwnFtToexDiGvI8ZyZqjF9D-2-36hiFlXSMoZjoVw1nr1d2fvMpORdrIMm_l7_NIo_/s1600-h/flower-black.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3FLXDFw3hcfd9vwNOF6gPz9bxHgN3viyJw4Mw9jsqyoe9wZI0ifdF1d4mu_WWFp8M1p2ioNqZ8EcwnFtToexDiGvI8ZyZqjF9D-2-36hiFlXSMoZjoVw1nr1d2fvMpORdrIMm_l7_NIo_/s400/flower-black.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292293343931354434" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is black n white collection consist of necklace with pendant, you also can call choker n bangle... I named it both of them is Flower Black n little white sets.. it is made from something like black onix and coiled with copper wire, with the net bezel technics.. I think black is so cold and misterious what do you think ?My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-13211741743279390572009-01-17T13:14:00.000+07:002009-01-17T21:48:52.147+07:00The Bangles part 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVMyU1XYzGIGTnGCd9OLxg45Lb2Fr6kqQex7beQPZVx5g9sceBJ-hwjrLkd9MngBBqoCQhaodCCEasnM0DhaFyfuqwDPJsCWVi0SljW2p_bRzPBi__zHlpwfJRF81pw3aMo0Bl3hGjp-A/s1600-h/DSC00381.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258005017228470338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVMyU1XYzGIGTnGCd9OLxg45Lb2Fr6kqQex7beQPZVx5g9sceBJ-hwjrLkd9MngBBqoCQhaodCCEasnM0DhaFyfuqwDPJsCWVi0SljW2p_bRzPBi__zHlpwfJRF81pw3aMo0Bl3hGjp-A/s320/DSC00381.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is my first project for bangle...<br />I took the lesson from one of my friend named Heri... she is one of my good friend also jewelry artist from indonesia.. she taught me a bangle ala Eny oken....<br />And I made it 3 of bangles for practise it.....My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-61468091893701278832009-01-16T20:46:00.000+07:002009-01-17T21:43:34.547+07:00The Bangles part 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4xAI7f_-DrtX_mqt4rh8hxErL0xiLKR54T5dM3d9VKE3MeDDztGW5yvvvkLBS4aExVanSqKK53rLofVgdKfQvQb0kEz_2NS_o5j8K1tHvbp4TDXJYRkNoDGySqATIdgJqe1RvCqAveUn/s1600-h/DSC00441.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271115501767219042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4xAI7f_-DrtX_mqt4rh8hxErL0xiLKR54T5dM3d9VKE3MeDDztGW5yvvvkLBS4aExVanSqKK53rLofVgdKfQvQb0kEz_2NS_o5j8K1tHvbp4TDXJYRkNoDGySqATIdgJqe1RvCqAveUn/s320/DSC00441.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Rose Pink Ethnic Bangle<br /><br />This bangle made from rosequart stone coiling with copper dark wire<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1sJPZ1uW4W0hYY8OGof9jmuf7Qk1-AeTyLNjBWvOPU7zB-CjQizlySBErx6DnCQ36eTtKKWlSJH6CBHeAQJu3IqDgHuOZhpIWO8ErQC20oO3n3jeOPb6gUGp6mefqz9jNDj8_eWFDAi-/s1600-h/DSC00438.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271109707978843938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1sJPZ1uW4W0hYY8OGof9jmuf7Qk1-AeTyLNjBWvOPU7zB-CjQizlySBErx6DnCQ36eTtKKWlSJH6CBHeAQJu3IqDgHuOZhpIWO8ErQC20oO3n3jeOPb6gUGp6mefqz9jNDj8_eWFDAi-/s320/DSC00438.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />This called "Green Olive Bangle"<br />this bangle belong to my dearest friend from aoteroa NZ Marienna Payne.. she is one of my best friend from multiply... I gave her this bangle because I saw she wore a beautiful dress when her sister married, the color is something like green olive, so it's inspire me to make bangles n give to him...<br /><br />The stone that I used is named green olive with the copper wire... i like to make mostly a bangle, hope not bored to come n take a look my siteMy Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-54439086676457473122009-01-16T19:47:00.000+07:002009-01-17T21:47:33.713+07:00My Necklace CollectionOne of my favourite things besides rings, bangles is necklace...<br />here are all my necklace collection which i made when the first time i am interested in making jewelry.....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kYYCyQ8V2Z7g8ohYByNDyZnJiVLoBxIYYTYjgzPICzkqh8eYRWLmLufG-7UktZznu044vzW2K5jXjiahIDW8uaN6QdsIZxzQm-yyAAN1qytX6etgbSCtIWGH_NT53FMm2YyFVcjCd4N5/s1600-h/STP61192.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257368735714215074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5kYYCyQ8V2Z7g8ohYByNDyZnJiVLoBxIYYTYjgzPICzkqh8eYRWLmLufG-7UktZznu044vzW2K5jXjiahIDW8uaN6QdsIZxzQm-yyAAN1qytX6etgbSCtIWGH_NT53FMm2YyFVcjCd4N5/s200/STP61192.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Bacj5dIjLIB6iCSUOgtwnX411JN3EPg94H-4KNYRqf8qZMRV-3jnGTPF4a38VnzD8K9o41kpkmz0rAx3XloLufuOnOlDf_uNguWeueEYu1BTizlJtdiWZ17sZhwtwhhkdkZhTujkjcxM/s1600-h/STP61188.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257368740037901954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Bacj5dIjLIB6iCSUOgtwnX411JN3EPg94H-4KNYRqf8qZMRV-3jnGTPF4a38VnzD8K9o41kpkmz0rAx3XloLufuOnOlDf_uNguWeueEYu1BTizlJtdiWZ17sZhwtwhhkdkZhTujkjcxM/s200/STP61188.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfgk8rEJRMUSMRmtZUBpN8gn5jy2Q3oFqrMNqZVHjJQPL-3quSxUt_tbwUSjMj6iugNZwDKXotbQdkA3NmMAanfUAGQxpH72C_pMtmvaEfY7cSvR1RTTIzwE_c94fjcqVyOIxUIFNNx7i/s1600-h/STP61185.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257368744192967154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfgk8rEJRMUSMRmtZUBpN8gn5jy2Q3oFqrMNqZVHjJQPL-3quSxUt_tbwUSjMj6iugNZwDKXotbQdkA3NmMAanfUAGQxpH72C_pMtmvaEfY7cSvR1RTTIzwE_c94fjcqVyOIxUIFNNx7i/s200/STP61185.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZbp1KD3PBcQiC9MIYfL3N64QKDhI5tlQmnnMn7HqxHfduWrSnN6Koz0m-0qKG8Hj7RHNOS9V31YrNOaDsAQXS6pYdjQlV6VoUxeuAa0zqxYuAbcJBFW_8H_TRbfA-6-6sY0zd_I_GNeY/s1600-h/STP61175.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257365979488397490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZbp1KD3PBcQiC9MIYfL3N64QKDhI5tlQmnnMn7HqxHfduWrSnN6Koz0m-0qKG8Hj7RHNOS9V31YrNOaDsAQXS6pYdjQlV6VoUxeuAa0zqxYuAbcJBFW_8H_TRbfA-6-6sY0zd_I_GNeY/s200/STP61175.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi592Jm4c0Z1aETuWhHzthY-3Up4zHpopFK20VnpW7VOR9mEtH7IglYdStQX7Vo0iuELOWUZjvAiEXss9iEnfgLDrRECjHbigFLv2-CTQ2s1_Vw2KRwyIUnFmzOkBQZVvXNOM8yESza9YVG/s1600-h/STP61176.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257365983694118306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi592Jm4c0Z1aETuWhHzthY-3Up4zHpopFK20VnpW7VOR9mEtH7IglYdStQX7Vo0iuELOWUZjvAiEXss9iEnfgLDrRECjHbigFLv2-CTQ2s1_Vw2KRwyIUnFmzOkBQZVvXNOM8yESza9YVG/s200/STP61176.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhtuRIK6Qnw4vdfrdhl7leHOgVfwRjeGT652E95CouDc3vShI_5MpCMW1WnGI6hvI0myDsi0FX0WG2pyDXSj8BxqTzuJTL57KeiSeT71C1yNuM6r3mfYwuAxLPjQylbkUCWSY6Ew0_JwA/s1600-h/STP61184.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257365987576062002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhtuRIK6Qnw4vdfrdhl7leHOgVfwRjeGT652E95CouDc3vShI_5MpCMW1WnGI6hvI0myDsi0FX0WG2pyDXSj8BxqTzuJTL57KeiSeT71C1yNuM6r3mfYwuAxLPjQylbkUCWSY6Ew0_JwA/s200/STP61184.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Those are collections of greeny... mostly made from green gemsMy Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-84971460851879018662009-01-16T13:36:00.000+07:002009-01-17T21:42:13.556+07:00The Bangles part 1 continued<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aiCRxXW8kSDkexUw58HwvRU-Gpl63EwGD-zaXa24gl4kkpQWer_YOrDGfa0W3UvIiE6mC-HbUnuz4Bu3a2o9JlL9A89wAsuRtsrFt1f3xdXmKJ627ML1vxEP9VT3ODV_YyYGkLiQuNuy/s1600-h/DSC00385.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258021882869794818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aiCRxXW8kSDkexUw58HwvRU-Gpl63EwGD-zaXa24gl4kkpQWer_YOrDGfa0W3UvIiE6mC-HbUnuz4Bu3a2o9JlL9A89wAsuRtsrFt1f3xdXmKJ627ML1vxEP9VT3ODV_YyYGkLiQuNuy/s200/DSC00385.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This blue one is actually my practising bangle, as first of all i wanted to wrap with silver wire (AW) but run out of stock.. so i wrap it with copper wire... i think looks more beautiful if i using silver wire.. anyway.. still oke for practising, and i like the colour of turqois... so gorgeous<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyphaJX8V8YAGC6Nfv5V6-Wi1apXakUos_ZrmtTDbkpN2maajfEKDAhNguu_1cCbP9HRN21XT7bSRL5lvjGToNrp5Q9ngg09RKaRfKSshZKyEEtYthfBuhacbXxdWyQOK-Od_fiZlygWi/s1600-h/DSC00384.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258015557878257698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRyphaJX8V8YAGC6Nfv5V6-Wi1apXakUos_ZrmtTDbkpN2maajfEKDAhNguu_1cCbP9HRN21XT7bSRL5lvjGToNrp5Q9ngg09RKaRfKSshZKyEEtYthfBuhacbXxdWyQOK-Od_fiZlygWi/s200/DSC00384.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />this called colourful bangle as the stone is prety colourful.. there is a red, green yellow etc.... and now this bangle is belong to one of my best friend from the office.... because she is beautifull woman so match with that bangle...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNszESfIU7xJi8ty0ICWG1SPEMP9L33_GImNCKGOaZCjnx9hgHEOQQQMUSgHqjZSsgfSGGMA2hzSZ8ktw14Ti-wMtFf17R0EIFjwKKvtDJ0eqliSt8SzUdENpPac7xI9BDRLTuvHWC__Y/s1600-h/DSC00383.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258010360481643074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNszESfIU7xJi8ty0ICWG1SPEMP9L33_GImNCKGOaZCjnx9hgHEOQQQMUSgHqjZSsgfSGGMA2hzSZ8ktw14Ti-wMtFf17R0EIFjwKKvtDJ0eqliSt8SzUdENpPac7xI9BDRLTuvHWC__Y/s200/DSC00383.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This is the Purple bangle... made from amethyst with copper wire... amethyst is one of my favourite stone.. i like it very much... little bit need some passion to make a bangle but i like it.My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-7805006038762621022009-01-15T20:20:00.000+07:002009-01-17T21:38:02.507+07:00My Necklace Collection IIThose are below necklaces are my favourite color PURPLE... I love purple very much... and they are made mostly from amethyst that would be my favourite gems...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvGIKN5SN58XGI_2jHERAdJmxNl-EHOrUhQV2L6thBfb0rqv-N7jLhkJsP6YzN5VHgFlSdC0oKMf1b6D27lf0pHfL6BfhsNqSgMck_2H8LEmRcpJ05Slu6ecMn0exaieAEwHH95tHt5pk/s1600-h/STP61824.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257371292800285922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="181" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvGIKN5SN58XGI_2jHERAdJmxNl-EHOrUhQV2L6thBfb0rqv-N7jLhkJsP6YzN5VHgFlSdC0oKMf1b6D27lf0pHfL6BfhsNqSgMck_2H8LEmRcpJ05Slu6ecMn0exaieAEwHH95tHt5pk/s200/STP61824.JPG" width="200" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDFos35bBVqu8I2dJH8ToLFgOn7LyVhphs39zGx6ZL1wdcw7_59BwTCilDBGgbeHTxlWANXYOkbpMHbeWuLpdnIbnu_z7qByFOgN0NrGMr08gS3AkERtnzrSBA0Gt0nMBXqWNv_keNoRU/s1600-h/STP61827.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257371301003343170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDFos35bBVqu8I2dJH8ToLFgOn7LyVhphs39zGx6ZL1wdcw7_59BwTCilDBGgbeHTxlWANXYOkbpMHbeWuLpdnIbnu_z7qByFOgN0NrGMr08gS3AkERtnzrSBA0Gt0nMBXqWNv_keNoRU/s200/STP61827.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGfC78QlAOLjEmVyFx0AUSL3bZ1PNA2ELYgJi6rND8UAD-rCZGmnO0NIN23v79UgR2ieNEsIfXM6STFWT86QT-L_1Rp4RCsb843Jn7mFIcprje5nhO7SP_SVPFW9H1xMaQg1pzoqHJQIP/s1600-h/STP62109.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257371305581150658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGfC78QlAOLjEmVyFx0AUSL3bZ1PNA2ELYgJi6rND8UAD-rCZGmnO0NIN23v79UgR2ieNEsIfXM6STFWT86QT-L_1Rp4RCsb843Jn7mFIcprje5nhO7SP_SVPFW9H1xMaQg1pzoqHJQIP/s200/STP62109.JPG" border="0" /></a>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-1350835682745807962009-01-11T15:44:00.001+07:002009-01-11T15:50:19.954+07:00What You Need for Making Bead Jewelry<div align="justify">By: <a href="http://www.articlegold.com/profile/Gary-Capps/1113">Gary Capps</a><br />Like any other art form, beading jewelry is a way in which you can express your creativity and originality. Your imagination, skill level and budget are the only limitations to what you can create. You can use patterns or design your own bead jewelry. As you become more experienced in working with the tools of the craft, you may even begin selling your beautiful earrings, bracelets, rings and necklaces!<br /><br />In addition to great beads, you need a few stringing and hand tools. At the minimum, you need a pair each of round nosed and flat nosed pliers, a crimping tool for fastening clasps to jewelry, wire cutters, jeweler’s tweezers for picking up and holding beads in place while you work with them, clasps, stringing materials and needles. Selecting beads for your project is the fun part! There are so many kinds! Glass beads, pearl beads, wooden beads, brightly colored plastic beads, beads made of semi-precious stones and metals, crystal beads, and the list goes on and on! In fact, just looking at beads can inspire the creation of original designs! But, getting your feet back on the ground, start simply and work your way up.<br /><br />There are several different kinds of beading strings and wires. Some bead jeweler’s work almost exclusively with jeweler’s wire because it is easy to work with, durable and can be used with all but the smallest of beads. Another popular choice is silk thread. Silks come in vibrant gemstone colors and are used with small beads, such as pearls. Glass and other abrasive beads cut or fray silk, so avoid combining the two. Leather or rawhide string is often used in making necklaces and wrist and ankle bracelets with any type bead with a large enough hole. Like silk and nylon threads, leather stretches and works better with loosely fitting jewelry.<br /><br />The best place to purchase bead jewelry supplies is through a wholesale supplier. On the Internet, you will find dozens of crafts supplies wholesalers from which to choose. By comparison shopping, you can find the best prices for the beads and supplies you need. Online wholesale catalogues provide color photos and brief descriptions of their products, and placing an order is simple. Crafts stores and discount stores are fun to shop, but their prices are marked up to retail prices and they just don’t have the room to display and carry a large selection of beads and jewelry supplies.<br /><br />Your workspace should be comfortable, well-lighted and preferably isolated from the main parts of your home. Choose a comfortably high stool or chair and a spacious flat-topped work bench or table. You need sealable containers to keep your beads, small tools and supplies neatly organized and within easy reach. Other things you need storage space for are patterns, completed projects, and larger hand tools. One of the great things about having a separate workspace is that you can hang enlarged pictures of your favorite hand-made jewelry on the walls, make long strings of inexpensive beads, or allow your children to make them, to loop along a wall or from the ceiling or use any other decorations yow want! This makes your studio a comfortable, fun and inspiring place in which to make your bead jewelry! </div><blockquote><p align="justify">Provided by ArticleGOLD: <a href="http://www.articlegold.com/">Articles Directory</a> - <a href="http://www.articlegold.com/">Article Directory</a> --></p></blockquote>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-59915978304376958292009-01-11T15:39:00.000+07:002009-01-11T15:44:19.809+07:00Helpful Tips: How to Start BeadingBy: <a href="http://www.articlegold.com/profile/Gary-Capps/1113">Gary Capps</a> <blockquote></blockquote>Beaded jewelry, clothing and accessories are back in fashion and are quite popular with people of all ages. Beading is fun, relieves stress and is an excellent outlet for your creative flair. Colorful beaded items are fun to wear, and your beautiful creations make wonderful gifts your family and friends. You can also earn a little extra money by selling even the most simple of your beaded works. What a great way to have extra “mad money” on hand!Inexpensive basic beading supplies are easy to find and available in art or craft supply stores, discount stores and specialty boutiques where you will find basic beads and supplies along with the more expensive gemstone, ivory and other non-plastic beads. <blockquote></blockquote>They are also sold on Internet web sites that are easily found by doing a simple search for “beading supplies,” and many beading supply warehouse will send you free color catalogues upon request.To help you get started on your new beading hobby, here is a checklist of the tools and supplies you need to purchase: <blockquote></blockquote>Beads: Start simple. A common mistake made by beginning beaders is buying the more expensive beads, either hand-painted or made from wood, glass, gemstones or other more exotic materials. Inexpensive plastic beads are made in a large variety of colors, shapes, styles and sizes, and mistakes made using them are far less costly. You will also learn to better coordinate colors and how to put on nice finishing touches.Clasps: “Findings” is another name for jewelry clasps, clamps and closures, and can be purchased at most stores that sell beading supplies, both off- and online. <blockquote></blockquote>There is a wide variety from which to choose, and beginners should start with the less expensive findings. Most findings products have instructions on the package, but, again, advice can be found in beading catalogues or magazines sold online or in crafts stores. Crimping Beads: Made of flexible metal, silver and gold crimping beads are essential in making bead jewelry. They are made in various sizes, and are used to help keep clasps attached to jewelry.Tools: Round-tipped pliers are necessary for beading, and it’s not a bad idea to have flat—not serrated--needle-nosed pliers on hand, too. <blockquote></blockquote>Choose pliers and tools that are the right size and fit for your hands, and are not too strong for your grip. You may also want to invest in other jeweler’s tools that can come in quite handy: jeweler’s tweezers for picking up and holding beads and clasps in place as you work with them; a light wire cutter; a wire straightener, and a bead crimper. If you can afford only one tool, choose round-tipped pliers that can also be used for crimping.Beading Boards: Beading boards make pre-selecting and measuring beads and working with multiple strands much easier. Most beading boards are made of plastic and are equipped with a device that measures in inches, millimeters, or both. <blockquote></blockquote>Although any segmented plastic tray can be used, a beading board is highly recommended.Stringing Materials: Stringing materials are made of nylon, silk, coated wire, leather cord, and a variety of other strings and threads. Beaders new to the art may begin with the less expensive monofilaments (simple fishing line), but coated wire thread is more flexible and easier to work with. <blockquote></blockquote>Choose a string that will fit through the hole of the beads you are using, and is suitable to the type of beads you are using; hematite, glass or gemstone beads can cut through fabric and plastic or nylon threads. Beginners should also purchase large-eye and curved needles made especially for stringing beads.Stringing beads for pleasure or profit is not restricted to just one gender, or to a specific age group. Of course, beading supplies must be kept away from babies and toddlers, but often supply packages will have a minimum recommended age listed. Beading is a great way to spend quality time with your children; just give them a few beads and some string and let them create their own jewelry! It keeps them occupied and allows you to work without having to constantly stop to check on them. <blockquote></blockquote>Children’s beading kits and supplies are usually found near those used by adults. Senior adults also enjoy beading. It gives them a sense of purpose, and they can take pride in their ability to create beautiful beaded items. With the variety of tools and other aids available, people with diminished hand strength or coordination, or those with vision problems can find aids that will allow them to pursue their beading hobby.Beading pattern books and magazines can be purchased at craft stores or online. <blockquote></blockquote>Free patterns can be found on the Internet, on beading forums, message boards and pattern sharing web sites. You will also find tutorials and help with new techniques on these sites, as well as tips and tricks for using tools more efficiently. <blockquote></blockquote>Beading projects aren’t limited to just jewelry; you can make lovely beaded handbags and clothing, and home décor items, such as bead curtains, plant hangers and sun catchers. <blockquote></blockquote>Save money by making your own lovely bead creations! Beaded items are in high demand and many beaders are able to earn supplemental income by selling their projects. Whether you bead for love or money, though, you will always have the satisfaction of creating beautiful bead crafts with your own two hands, and when people ask, you can say, “I made this!”<br />Provided by ArticleGOLD: <a href="http://www.articlegold.com/">Articles Directory</a> - <a href="http://www.articlegold.com/">Article Directory</a>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-15961803204245053562009-01-06T23:06:00.005+07:002009-01-06T23:20:33.034+07:00Gemstone<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Gem.pebbles.800pix.labelled.jpg/581px-Gem.pebbles.800pix.labelled.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 389px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 472px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Gem.pebbles.800pix.labelled.jpg/581px-Gem.pebbles.800pix.labelled.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify">A gemstone or gem, also called a precious or semi-precious stone, is a piece of attractive mineral, which — when cut and polished — is used to make jewelry or other adornments.[1] However certain rocks, (such as lapis-lazuli) and organic materials (such as amber or jet) are not minerals, but are still used for jewelry, and are therefore often considered to be gemstones as well. Most gemstones are hard, but some soft minerals are used in jewelry because of their lustre or other physical properties that have aesthetic value. Rarity is another characteristic that lends value to a gemstone.<br /><br /><strong>Characteristics and classification</strong><br />Gemstones are identified by gemologists, who describe gems and their characteristics using technical terminology specific to the field of gemology. The first characteristic a gemologist uses to identify a gemstone is its chemical composition. For example, diamonds are made of carbon (C) and rubies of aluminium oxide (Al2O3). Next, many gems are crystals which are classified by their crystal system such as cubic or trigonal or monoclinic. Another term used is habit, the form the gem is usually found in. For example diamonds, which have a cubic crystal system, are often found as octahedrons.<br /><br />Gemstones are classified into different groups, species, and varieties. For example, ruby is the red variety of the species corundum, while any other color of corundum is considered sapphire. Emerald (green), aquamarine (blue), bixbite (red), goshenite (colorless), heliodor (yellow), and morganite (pink) are all varieties of the mineral species beryl.<br /><br />Gems are characterized in terms of refractive index, dispersion, specific gravity, hardness, cleavage, fracture, and lustre. They may exhibit pleochroism or double refraction. They may have luminescence and a distinctive absorption spectrum.<br /><br /><strong>Material or flaws within a stone may be present as inclusions.</strong><br /><strong>Value of gemstones<br /></strong>Jewelry made with amberThere is no universally accepted grading system for any gemstone other than white (colorless) diamond. Diamonds are graded using a system developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in the early 1950s. Historically all gemstones were graded using the naked eye. The GIA system included a major innovation, the introduction of 10x magnification as the standard for grading clarity. Other gemstones are still graded using the naked eye (assuming 20/20 vision).[2]<br /><br />For the past several hundred years, gemstones have been broken down into two categories; precious and semi-precious. Though today we think primarily of diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald as "precious", these categories are based mainly on fashion and the composition of these two lists has changed frequently over time.[3]<br /><br />Recently a mnemonic device, the "four C's" (color, cut, clarity and carat), was introduced to help the consumer understand the factors used to grade a diamond.[4] With modification these categories can be useful in understanding the grading of all gemstones. The four criteria carry different weight depending upon whether they are applied to colored gemstones or to colorless diamond. In diamonds, cut is the primary determinant of value followed by clarity and color. Diamonds are meant to sparkle, to break down light into its constituent rainbow colors (dispersion) chop it up into bright little pieces (scintillation) and deliver it to the eye (brilliance). This is a function of cut. In its rough crystalline form, a diamond will do none of these things, it requires proper fashioning and this is called "cut". In gemstones that have color, including colored diamonds, it is the purity and beauty of that color that is the primary determinant of quality.<br /><br />Physical characteristics that make a colored stone valuable are color, clarity to a lesser extent (emeralds will always have a number of inclusions), cut, unusual optical phenomena within the stone such as color zoning, and asteria (star effects). The Greeks for example greatly valued asteria in gemstones, which were regarded as a powerful love charm, and Helen of Troy was known to have worn star-corundum.[5]<br /><br />A factor in determining the value of a gemstone is called water. Water is an archaic term that refers to the combination of color and transparency in gemstones; used hierarchically: first water (gem of the finest water), second water, third water, byewater.[6]<br /><br />Historically gemstones were classified into precious stones and semi-precious stones. Because such a definition can change over time and vary with culture, it has always been a difficult matter to determine what constitutes precious stones.[7]<br /><br />Aside from the diamond, the ruby, sapphire, emerald, pearl (strictly speaking not a gemstone) and opal [7] have also been considered to be precious. Up to the discoveries of bulk amethyst in Brazil in the 19th century, amethyst was considered a precious stone as well, going back to ancient Greece. Even in the last century certain stones such as aquamarine, peridot and cat's eye have been popular and hence been regarded as precious.<br /><br />Nowadays such a distinction is no longer made by the trade. [6] Many gemstones are used in even the most expensive jewelry, depending on the brand name of the designer, fashion trends, market supply, treatments etc. Nevertheless, diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds still have a reputation that exceeds those of other gemstones.<br /><br />Rare or unusual gemstones, generally meant to include those gemstones which occur so infrequently in gem quality that they are scarcely known except to connoisseurs, include andalusite, axinite, cassiterite, clinohumite and bixbite.<br /><br />Gems prices can fluctuate heavily (such as those of tanzanite over the years) or can be quite stable (such as those of diamonds). In general per carat prices of larger stones are higher than those of smaller stones, but popularity of certain sizes of stone can affect prices. Typically prices can range from 5USD/carat for a normal amethyst to 20,000-50,000USD for a collector's three carat pigeon-blood almost "perfect" ruby.<br /><br /><strong>Grading</strong><br />In the last two decades there has been a proliferation of certification, not only for diamonds but for gemstones as well. There are a number of [6] reputable laboratories which grade and provide reports on diamonds. As there is no universally accepted grading system for colored gemstones, only one laboratory, AGL (see below) grades gemstones for quality using a proprietary system developed by the lab.<br /><br />International Gemological Institute (IGI), world's largest independent laboratory for grading and evaluation of diamonds, jewellery and colored stones.<br />Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the main provider of education services and diamond grading reports<br />American Gemological Society (AGS) is not as widely recognized nor as old as the GIA but has a high reputation.<br />American Gem Trade Laboratory which is part of the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) the largest trade organization of jewelers and dealers of colored stones<br />American Gemological Laboratories (AGL) which was recently taken over by "Collector's Universe" a NASDAQ listed company which specializes in certification of many collectables such as coins and stamps<br />European Gemological Laboratory (EGL).<br />Gemological Association of All Japan (GAAJ), aka Zenhokyo, the preferred lab within Japan, also very active in the gemological research<br />Gemmological Institute of Thailand (GIT) is closely related to Chulalongkorn University, and has a good reputation for their gemmological research<br />Asian Institute of Gemmological Sciences (AIGS), the oldest gemological institute in South East Asia, involved in gemological education and gem testing<br />Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF), founded by Prof. Henry Hänni, offering a high scientific standard, and focusing on coloured gemstones and the identification of natural pearls<br />Gübelin Gem Lab, the traditional Swiss lab founded by the famous Dr. Eduard Gübelin. Their reports are widely considered as the ultimate judgement on high-end pearls, coloured gemstones and diamonds<br />Each laboratory has its own methodology to evaluate gemstones. Consequently a stone can be called "pink" by one lab while another lab calls it "Padparadscha". One lab can conclude a stone is untreated, while another lab concludes that it is heat treated [6]. To minimise such differences, seven of the most respected labs, i.e. AGTA-GTL (New York), CISGEM (Milano), GAAJ (Tokyo), GIA (Carlsbad), GIT (Bangkok), Gübelin (Lucerne) and SSEF (Basel), have established the Laboratory Manual Harmonisation Committee (LMHC), aiming at the standardisation of wording on reports and certain analytical methods and interpretation of results. Country of origin has sometimes been difficult to find agreement on due to the constant discovery of new locations. Moreover determining a "country of origin" is much more difficult than determining other aspects of a gem (such as cut, clarity etc.) [8].<br /><br />Gem dealers are aware of the differences between gem laboratories and will make use of the discrepancies to obtain the best possible certificate [6].<br /><br />Enamelled gold, amethyst and pearl pendant, about 1880, Pasquale Novissimo,, born 1844 - died 1914 V&A Museum number M.36-1928<br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote><strong>Cutting and polishing</strong><br />Raw gemstonesA few gemstones are used as gems in the crystal or other form in which they are found. Most however, are cut and polished for usage as jewelry. The two main classifications are stones cut as smooth, dome shaped stones called cabochons, and stones which are cut with a faceting machine by polishing small flat windows called facets at regular intervals at exact angles.<br /><br />Stones which are opaque such as opal, turquoise, variscite, etc. are commonly cut as cabochons. These gems are designed to show the stone's color or surface properties as in opal and star sapphires. Grinding wheels and polishing agents are used to grind, shape and polish the smooth dome shape of the stones.[9]<br /><br />Gems which are transparent are normally faceted, a method which shows the optical properties of the stone’s interior to its best advantage by maximizing reflected light which is perceived by the viewer as sparkle. There are many commonly used shapes for faceted stones. The facets must be cut at the proper angles, which varies depending on the optical properties of the gem. If the angles are too steep or too shallow, the light will pass through and not be reflected back toward the viewer. Special equipment, a faceting machine, is used to hold the stone onto a flat lap for cutting and polishing the flat facets.[10] Rarely, some cutters use special curved laps to cut and polish curved facets.<br /><br /><strong>Gemstone color</strong><br />Color is the most obvious and attractive feature of gemstones. The color of any material is due to the nature of light itself. Daylight, often called white light, is actually a mixture of different colors of light. When light passes through a material, some of the light may be absorbed, while the rest passes through. The part that is not absorbed reaches the eye as white light minus the absorbed colors. A ruby appears red because it absorbs all the other colors of white light - blue, yellow, green, etc. - except red.<br /><br />The same material can exhibit different colors. For example ruby and sapphire have the same chemical composition (both are corundum) but exhibit different colors. Even the same gemstone can occur in many different colors: sapphires show different shades of blue and pink and "fancy sapphires" exhibit a whole range of other colors from yellow to orange-pink, the latter called "Padparadscha sapphire".<br /><br />This difference in color is based on the atomic structure of the stone. Although the different stones formally have the same chemical composition, they are not exactly the same. Every now and then an atom is replaced by a completely different atom (and this could be as few as one in a million atoms). These so called impurities are sufficient to absorb certain colors and leave the other colors unaffected.<br /><br />As an example: beryl, which is colorless in its pure mineral form, becomes emerald with chromium impurities. If you add manganese instead of chromium, beryl becomes pink morganite. With iron, it becomes aquamarine.<br /><br />Some gemstone treatments make use of the fact that these impurities can be "manipulated", thus changing the color of the gem.<br /><br /><strong>Treatments applied to gemstones</strong><br />Treble clef with gemstonesGemstones are often treated to enhance the color or clarity of the stone. Depending on the type and extent of treatment, they can affect the value of the stone. Some treatments are used widely because the resulting gem is stable, while others are not accepted most commonly because the gem color is unstable and may revert to the original tone.[11]<br /><br /><strong>Heat</strong><br />Heat can improve gemstone color or clarity. Most citrine is made by heating amethyst, and partial heating with a strong gradient results in ametrine - a stone partly amethyst and partly citrine. Much aquamarine is heat treated to remove yellow tones, change the green color into the more desirable blue or enhance its existing blue color to a purer blue. [12]<br /><br />Nearly all tanzanite is heated at low temperatures to remove brown undertones and give a more desirable blue/purple color. A considerable portion of all sapphire and ruby is treated with a variety of heat treatments to improve both color and clarity.<br /><br />When jewelry containing diamonds is heated (for repairs) the diamond should be protected with boracic acid; otherwise the diamond (which is pure carbon) could be burned on the surface or even burned completely up. When jewelry containing sapphires or rubies is heated (for repairs) it should not be coated with boracic acid or any other substance, as this can etch the surface; it does not have to be "protected" like a diamond.<br /><br /><strong>Radiation</strong><br />Most blue topaz, both the lighter and the darker blue shades such as "London" blue, has been irradiated to change the color from white to blue. Some improperly handled gems which do not pass through normal legal channels may have a slight residual radiation[citation needed], though strong requirements on imported stones are in place to ensure public safety. Most greened quartz (Oro Verde) is also irradiated to achieve the yellow-green color.<br /><br /><strong>Waxing/oiling</strong><br />Emeralds containing natural fissures are sometimes filled with wax or oil to disguise them. This wax or oil is also colored to make the emerald appear of better color as well as clarity. Turquoise is also commonly treated in a similar manner.<br /><br /><strong>Fracture filling</strong><br />Fracture filling has been in use with different gemstones such as diamonds, emeralds and sapphires. More recently (in 2006) "Glass Filled Rubies" received a lot of publicity. Rubies over 10 karat (2 g), particularly sold in the Asian market with large fractures were filled with lead glass, thus dramatically improving the appearance (of larger rubies in particular). Such treatments are fairly easy to detect.<br /><br /><strong>Synthetic and artificial gemstones</strong><br />Some gemstones are manufactured to imitate other gemstones. For example, cubic zirconia is a synthetic diamond simulant composed of zirconium oxide. Moissanite is another example. The imitations copy the look and color of the real stone but possess neither their chemical nor physical characteristics.<br /><br />However, lab created gemstones are not imitations. For example, diamonds, ruby, sapphires and emeralds have been manufactured in labs to possess identical chemical and physical characteristics to the naturally occurring variety. Synthetic (lab created) corundums, including ruby and sapphire, are very common and they cost only a fraction of the natural stones. Smaller synthetic diamonds have been manufactured in large quantities as industrial abrasives. Larger synthetic diamonds of gemstone quality, especially of the colored variety, are also manufactured.<br /><br />Whether a gemstone is a natural stone or a lab-created (synthetic) stone, the characteristics of each are the same. Lab-created stones tend to have a more vivid color to them, as impurities are not present in a lab, so therefore do not affect the clarity or color of the stone. However, natural gemstones are still considered more valuable on average due to their relative scarcity.<br /><br />The origin of the gemstone also does not affect its categorization as precious or semi-precious. Rubies, sapphires and emeralds are always precious stones, while other gems are considered semi-precious<br /><br />From <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-precious_stones">Wikipedia, </a>the free encyclopedia</div>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-38684614437234984632009-01-06T22:58:00.001+07:002009-05-14T21:24:30.442+07:00Privacy Policy<b>Privacy Policy for www.simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.com</b><br /><br />If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at titikrwati@gmail.com.<br /><br />At www.simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.com and how it is used.<br /><br /><b>Log Files</b><br />Like many other Web sites, www.simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. 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Our advertising partners include ....<br />Google Adsense<br /> Amazon<br /><br /><br />These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on www.simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.<br /><br />www.simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.com has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers. <br /><br />You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. www.simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.com's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.<br /><br />If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-32709396409658230312008-12-29T00:21:00.004+07:002009-01-18T02:28:38.495+07:00simply gemstone beads<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXkEOLeIIduPN48cFXiveSdKRmlFWZLXuepCfmEMe1ws26WrAm9HnHPzK0_UmcRhiL8jSXHhu2zcllUfMMDjiMY2o_eDn2iDFfT3TYKsQDXj2kprZrjeY-GzAVDDHKBDJ79_B222D5rJL/s1600-h/Simply-90-x-90.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292341232672937714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 90px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 90px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXkEOLeIIduPN48cFXiveSdKRmlFWZLXuepCfmEMe1ws26WrAm9HnHPzK0_UmcRhiL8jSXHhu2zcllUfMMDjiMY2o_eDn2iDFfT3TYKsQDXj2kprZrjeY-GzAVDDHKBDJ79_B222D5rJL/s200/Simply-90-x-90.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmORfd_Icgn_5piLtHb8jg6so_P6oWsOLHy9pXZJoc1NPoVrzMVkgv5eUWlXPoPwMfAi17VNaQTHmAikZyXs5o1fPpLEYKO4GXmlQrmH0EJ6ghOoTFHVVKfRRXdJTKzmf35Y_rItn9K0u9/s1600-h/Simply-120x117.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292314620026674290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 120px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 117px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmORfd_Icgn_5piLtHb8jg6so_P6oWsOLHy9pXZJoc1NPoVrzMVkgv5eUWlXPoPwMfAi17VNaQTHmAikZyXs5o1fPpLEYKO4GXmlQrmH0EJ6ghOoTFHVVKfRRXdJTKzmf35Y_rItn9K0u9/s400/Simply-120x117.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div></div></div><br />Link Banner Exchange<br /><a href="http://simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.com/"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmORfd_Icgn_5piLtHb8jg6so_P6oWsOLHy9pXZJoc1NPoVrzMVkgv5eUWlXPoPwMfAi17VNaQTHmAikZyXs5o1fPpLEYKO4GXmlQrmH0EJ6ghOoTFHVVKfRRXdJTKzmf35Y_rItn9K0u9/s400/Simply-120x117.jpg"/></a><br /><br/><br /><textarea name="code"><a target="_blank" href="http://simplygemsnbeads.blogspot.com/"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmORfd_Icgn_5piLtHb8jg6so_P6oWsOLHy9pXZJoc1NPoVrzMVkgv5eUWlXPoPwMfAi17VNaQTHmAikZyXs5o1fPpLEYKO4GXmlQrmH0EJ6ghOoTFHVVKfRRXdJTKzmf35Y_rItn9K0u9/s400/Simply-120x117.jpg"/></a></textarea>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-64107772083333475112008-12-28T21:07:00.001+07:002009-01-06T23:19:46.242+07:00Tropical GemstoneAsia is blessed with more gemological riches than any other region on Earth. The ancient diamond mies of India provided many of the most celebrated gemstones of all time. The earth and streams of Thailand, vietnam and cambodia yields rubies and sapphires, while the warm, clear seas of Indonesia and the Philippines nurture exquisite south sea pearls, Myanmar and Sri Lanka hold the most dazzling treasure troves of all, producing gemstones of legendary beauty and amazing variety.<br /><br />Most of the gem mining activity in Myanmar centers around the town of Mogok in the northern part of the country. A mountain road from Mandalay, twisting through ancient teak forests infested with highwaymen, leads to this elusive land of million dollar gems. In addition to ruby, Mogok and its environs possess large deposits of sapphire, diamond, spinel, peridot, apatite, scapolite, moonstone, zircon, garnet, tourmaline, iolite and amethyst. Upper Myanmar is the world's only major source of jadeite, the most beautiful and desired of the jade minerals, while gigantic south sea pearls are cultivated in the tropical seas of Myanmar's southern coast.<br /><br />The tropical island of Sri Lanka is commonly known as the island of gems because of the spectacular range of jewels found in its gravelly soil. It is most famous for its lovely sapphires, but it also produces ruby, diamond, garnet, alexandrite, spinel, zircon, peridot,topaz, tourmaline, moonstone and a highly prized chrysoberyl cat's eye. Gems are found throughout central and southern Sri Lanka, but large scale mining is concentrated in the Ratnapura and Elahera areas. Sri Lanka gems are found in the crown jewels of Europe and in artifacts from CHina's Ming Dinasty tombs.<br /><br />Gemstones are deeply embedded in Asian cultures, in China, the cult of jade worship began in the Neolithic era, when objects made of the precious material were used in religious ceremonies, agriculture and war. Even the most ancient sanskrit manuscripts are rich with tales of fantastic jewels, both mythical and real<br /><br />Today, many of the most fabulous stones from Asia' opulent past reside in the royal treasuries of Europe or in the permanent collections of the world's great museum.<br /><br />In recent years, Asia has become even more prolific in its gem production as new sources have been discovered and new mines opened. due to its skilled gem cutters and thriving jewelry-making industries, Thailand has become the indisputed center of the world's colored gemstone industry. Gems from Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and India as well as from distant lands such as Brazil, Columbia, Australia and Africa pour into the Thai capital of Bangkok for processing. Everything from amethyst and citrine to the most priceless gems are cut and polished here, then set into jewelry ranging from inexpensive silver setting to elegant gold and platinum pieces encrusted with diamonds, rubies and sapphires.<br /><br />Gemstones processing and jewelry manufacturing takes place in India, Hong Kong, The Philippines and Malaysia as well. China also beginning to get in on the act as its economy opens up to outside investors. In recent years, Asia has become the world's most important market for jewelry with the record prices set for pieces at Christie's and Sotheby's auctions in Hong Kong. Just as wealthy Europeans once vied to own fantastic gems engraved with the imprint of such European names as Cartier and Van Cleef and Arpels. The growing middle class, from Shanghai to Singapore is well acquainted with the brand Tiffany.<br /><br />Economic recessions, political turmoil and natural disasters may come and go but Asia's long love affair with gems is no doubt set to last for eternity.<br /><br />source<br />By Carol Clark (tropical gemstones, periplus)My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-70210929644076929622008-12-28T10:34:00.001+07:002009-01-17T21:46:27.647+07:00black n white bangle & black n blue sets<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_0hUZmFSAqJQezmmk9PrkYNG9rv3FpDv_JP5QKvrLb4J906S2PgJKHV0SKWDz5eGQIzztirXBzYfqyr9kdbycoMN3JdBHwMfJdasuM3RgwrrMbKn9nv52AAmii_cNrUiur_GgMDrVdzM/s1600-h/DSC00476.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284679677332022402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_0hUZmFSAqJQezmmk9PrkYNG9rv3FpDv_JP5QKvrLb4J906S2PgJKHV0SKWDz5eGQIzztirXBzYfqyr9kdbycoMN3JdBHwMfJdasuM3RgwrrMbKn9nv52AAmii_cNrUiur_GgMDrVdzM/s400/DSC00476.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNlbHCkrk8-TMmJ_iSJaoeUU0-3cW868Aw0c_1ul1mreZC9CTzEludfGqr5otbUkYIzJPx74MZ2IjSWTrG2IfiJkFkMdiO1YcdbNTBDgkCESiY3TnOJcZK-97cMH_GpIGkmFkhGZ1iSGw/s1600-h/DSC00471.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284679678232930146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNlbHCkrk8-TMmJ_iSJaoeUU0-3cW868Aw0c_1ul1mreZC9CTzEludfGqr5otbUkYIzJPx74MZ2IjSWTrG2IfiJkFkMdiO1YcdbNTBDgkCESiY3TnOJcZK-97cMH_GpIGkmFkhGZ1iSGw/s400/DSC00471.JPG" border="0" /></a>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2683034385841729037.post-15512948292408116262008-12-28T10:09:00.001+07:002009-01-17T21:45:26.437+07:00Pendants<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKEYdTMZ40dDbqxQYHAP1F4TSlugM_4d4L-0dDNMjGaujpmsUsjKxo7vXxJBIsyR_rtW3iHepKHTmE96eY3Kq4ADbK-cq_JSo4_PWjgJ6OBHmu-0ATsXAuK7G4GHdxTK8mJ7K6tvR46ZA/s1600-h/pendant+coklat.GIF"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284679083132104418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKEYdTMZ40dDbqxQYHAP1F4TSlugM_4d4L-0dDNMjGaujpmsUsjKxo7vXxJBIsyR_rtW3iHepKHTmE96eY3Kq4ADbK-cq_JSo4_PWjgJ6OBHmu-0ATsXAuK7G4GHdxTK8mJ7K6tvR46ZA/s400/pendant+coklat.GIF" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjUo1zbMghSjFXDZVJuTfB-ODTVzsLQQ1075cWfl_7tyXj6biCl0KWPAiyn806nBamukxVahSx90UAOT_7-9wfFERgGyn5WrBreT66_e2SxEowhpesRruCVLIW5QOVV2ODTIJMufsila_/s1600-h/pendant+elsy.GIF"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284677820376380066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjUo1zbMghSjFXDZVJuTfB-ODTVzsLQQ1075cWfl_7tyXj6biCl0KWPAiyn806nBamukxVahSx90UAOT_7-9wfFERgGyn5WrBreT66_e2SxEowhpesRruCVLIW5QOVV2ODTIJMufsila_/s400/pendant+elsy.GIF" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFts-W7Q8W5YE7R5JHUsFuTB02FW6TdnCiTMrdB5Wn1feYYEUHSbx24JlJlF-h7uxYohaBM7co64Uj01J3RSdX41v1g-J0yUj8p0LyZFYrkFhNFYG7NRYH6KtVyhNPDBx_RGGpdwQ3g0wh/s1600-h/DSC00451.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284673852636868162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFts-W7Q8W5YE7R5JHUsFuTB02FW6TdnCiTMrdB5Wn1feYYEUHSbx24JlJlF-h7uxYohaBM7co64Uj01J3RSdX41v1g-J0yUj8p0LyZFYrkFhNFYG7NRYH6KtVyhNPDBx_RGGpdwQ3g0wh/s400/DSC00451.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BT39nP7Tbm0J7g-fS6vc0gxkAq0rp61NTDwcralnJNibBqG3mZp-rF3FFi4d-YANbpAJbxH1tKJML7bQUwn-S1vj__tCbmzfDlcV7OV5FS9r_42xxnXB-CoWruccs3zE4eg-MNn7ESZG/s1600-h/DSC00451.JPG"><br /></a>My Blogs by Titik Retnowatihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10161539522231305810noreply@blogger.com0