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I occasionally use Silvered Ceramic beads in my jewellery where I want the chunky silver look without the cost of silver. They also have the advantage that they are lightweight compared to metal beads and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. These beads come from a collection of Greek ceramic beads that are produced with a metallic finish such as 24K gold, silver, copper or bronze.

The beads have a clay base which is fired in a kiln, then covered in copper, fired again, and then covered in the desired metal (24K gold, silver, copper or bronze) before being fired for a third time. The metal layer is considerably thicker than in electroplated beads, and therefore wears better. As an example, in September 2010 I gave my Mum a necklace made with some of these beads that she regularly uses, and so far, there is no evidence of any wear!

The sizes, shapes and smoothness of the metal layer can be variable. It is to be noted that this is part of the character of these beads.

The photos below are examples of jewellery I have for sale, made with Silvered Ceramic beads.

Julie x

Wow, when I bought this top from Wallis in Debenhams the other day, I never realised just how many items of jewellery I have for sale that go with it. I have created this set showing it with the Amethyst and Vermeil Necklace, and my favourite, the Turquoise Nuggets and Silver Necklace. I swear Turquoise was made to go with silver. I just love, love, love it!

Other items that also look amazing are the Amethyst and Sterling Silver Bracelet, Turquoise and Sterling Silver Bracelet and Sea Glass Nuggets and Silver Bracelet.

Rather than overdose on other matching pieces, I'd be tempted to team these pieces up with some plain silver items, although with the bracelets I might have matching earrings!

Hope you like them as much as I do.

Julie x

The Pearl is the traditional birthstone for those born in June. The birthstone poem

Who comes with summer to this earth
And owes to June her hour of birth
A pearl should wear against her skin
Who's innocence many a heart shall win

suggests some of the properties that come with wearing a Pearl, e.g., innocence, friendship, loyalty and faithfulness.

White Coin Pearl and Sterling Silver Necklace

For centuries pearls have been used in jewellery, and have been discovered in old Aztek graves in Mexico and in Egyptian mummy cases. They  were a favorite gem used during the Roman Empire and, during the Tudor era, pearls were one of the most popular items of jewellery. Many images of Queen Elizabeth I show her wearing pearls.

A pearl is a hard object, produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusc, and is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in layers around an irritant, such as a grain of sand that has become trapped in the mollusc. The lustre is dependant upon the temperature of the water, and the tint upon the composition of the water. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth but pearls can also be found in other shapes dependant upon the shape of the irritant. The first successful commercial culturing of round saltwater pearls began in the early 1900s, and nowadays cultured pearls have almost completely replaced natural pearls.

White freshwater pearls and Agate slice necklace

Pearls have been used to cure medicinal ailments since their first discovery by man. In many cultures across the world, pearls have been used for medicinal purposes, ranging from aphrodisiacs to cures for insanity. Jewellery may be worn to ward of any ailments or help in the healing process but pearls are also known to have been ground up and made into lotions and potions to treat a wide variety of ailments and conditions.

Pink pearls, Sterling Silver and Swarovski Crystal Bracelet

Julie x

Following on from from my last Blog post, the new Fabulous Wedding Boutique in Leek opened last Saturday so last week was busy, busy, busy making lots of stock, some new designs and some old, getting them packaged up and delivered in time for the opening. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go to the opening day, so hopefully it went well. Good luck, fab girlies!

This is one of the new necklaces that will be in the shop. It consists of facetted Rock Crystal rounds combined with Sterling Silver, and has been finished with a stunning Sterling Silver leaf hook and eye clasp that can be worn at the back or at the side as a focal point. Unfortunately, I only took a snapshot of it and never got round to photographing it properly.

Julie x

Last weekend I dragged the family to the Rock 'n' Gem Fair in Newark. As always, I was like a kiddie in a sweet shop and didn't know which way to turn first. Lots of amazing beads were subsequently purchased!

I was trying to be focussed on ones that could be used for Bridal jewellery as the lovely ladies in the Fabulous Wedding Boutique, Spondon that have some of my jewellery for sale, are opening another shop in Leek, a market town in the county of Staffordshire, and have asked me to supply that shop too. I am highly delighted as they obviously like what I make, and they're great people to deal with.

I have been really busy this week, making a necklace nearly every day, although I have to admit most of them are not for the Bridal shop, oops! What do you think? Do you like them?

 Julie x

Some while ago I decided to remove this blog and just use the one I have on Blogger, which is why there is such a gap between the last blog post and this one. I have decided to resurrect this one, thus this post. To review my Blogger Blog, click here for the link although there is also one on the Home page. Sorry for any confusion.