One of the latest new beads is called “rivoli.” Technically, it’s really not a bead because it doesn’t have a hole; in fact, these beauties are more like a big sequin. Some people call them crystal stones. They are round and have a pointed from and back. Most of them have a foil back layer that brings out the brilliance of the facets.

The crystal specialist, Swarovski, has been making rivolis for a long time, decades in fact. But lately they have come into vogue with bead makers. The tough part is to create a bezel that enhances the stones. If you find them, they can appear in modern and vintage creations.

So, if you’re looking for big bling, give rivoli’s a try – and remember, it’s rivoli, not ravioli. And remember, Beaderella told you about them!

I promised all of you that I’d send pictures of the new display at Common Scents on Main Street. So, here are the three that I captured. (Remember, I’m a lot of things, put a photographer is not among them. ) There was little I could do about the window glare.

Come down and take a look. With all the bead shopping that I’ve been doing lately, surely you’ll find one thing that you can’t live without.

Have a wonderful weekend!

It seems that my year of unemployment has granted me lots of opportunities to let my artistic talent shine — and that’s been wonderful. Today, I’m going to be placing a new design for Fall in the window at Common Scents. I’ll be featuring the beautiful colors of fall — which, by the way are the trends for Fall/Winter 2010 that we talked about several blogs ago.

So, let’s talk about the semi-precious gemstones that I’ll have in these designs.

Red Aventurine is a beautiful muted burnt orange color that will look good with any fall color. Russian Serpentine is a beautiful combination of dark greens and black that is an attention getter. Then there’s the rich soft white of Italian Onyx that is a beautiful accent on any color sweater. Then there’s all of the wonderful foil-lined glass shapes that give that silvery tone to any color stones.

Not only will these new designs and new stones be in the window of Common Scents, they will also be featured on www.beaderella-jewelry.com. Come and shop. It’s the easiest and most affordable way to update a Fall and Winter wardrobe.

Now that the heat is pretty much over for the summer season, let’s talk about heat treating. . . it’s finally cool enough.

The fact is, most gemstones used in jewelry have been treated to improve their appearance. Treated gemstones can be a good choice, because they should be more affordable than untreated stones that achieve their quality naturally. Do you know what the common treatments are? Some last forever, some don’t. If any form of the word enhanced is used in ads or disclosures, the gem has been treated in some way.

Before you lay down the cash for a colored gemstone, ask if it’s been treated. Here are a few methods that are commonly used:

• Heat and radiation is often used to change or enhance gemstone colors.
• Diffusion is used to deepen a gem’s color. Diffusion only intensifies a gemstone’s outer layers.
• Oil and waxes enhance gemstone colors by filling-in fine surface cracks, blending them away temporarily.
• Fracture filling coats gems with a clear or colored epoxy resin or another substance. The treatment fills-in cracks, which improves the appearance of the gemstone.
• Laser drilling removes inclusions, improving clarity.

Beaderella uses natural semi-precious stones and unique glass in the designs. Heat treating in these gems is not an issue. Check it out. www.beaderella-jewelry.com.

Do you shiver when you open the door in the morning as you go to work? Have you noticed how quiet the parks are during the day – hint: the kids are in school. And have you seen any orange and yellow leaves on the trees? And Footfall has put it’s “preseason” to bed and are playing REAL games? Have you been fighting with yourself to pull out the sweaters and jeans? And worst of all, have you noticed that you have to turn the lights on about 7:30 p.m.?

Yup, it’s that time of year. Fall.

 I still get excited about fashion trends every season, but Fall is my favorite. I’m much more into jewelry and accessory fashions these days than closing. Perhaps it’s the fact that having to shop in the “woman’s” section of the store isn’t as much fun as the “Junior” section used to be.  

 Let’s talk color.

Green is always Groovy This “new jade” necklace is a good example of the olive tones that are great this fall.
The softer greens are less vibrant than the 2009 greens and mix well with all the metals and splashes of smoky quartz, rusty metals, bronze, and brass pearls.

A Splash of Orange Adding a fall color like a burnt orange to a soft pastel sweater or a brown suit is a little lift that really dressing up a fall wardrobe.

Add the Warmth of Wood Wood not only will keep you warm when it’s in the fireplace, but it will also warm you when you wear it around your neck. Adding wooden jewelry brings you back to nature with a rich organic quality that will complement your metal finishes.

So when you pull out that camel sweater that will be so “hot” this fall, remember to add the warm colored jewelry that will put that finishing touch on your wardrobe. For the latest designs, check out www.beaderella-jewelry.com or Common Scents at 311 Main Street in Racine, Wisconsin.

I hope all of you had a wonderful last summer hurrah. We went to Chicago for family birthdays on Saturday and stayed home Sunday and Monday.

During that time, I tried something that I’ve been putting off for 10 years. I explored painting — not my bedroom, silly — on canvas. For my birthday a long time ago, Ken gave me everything I needed to get explore acrylic painting, but it wasn’t until my friend Marie — a proficient artist in Florida – said I should  hauled out my supplies and get to work.

I’ve watched PBS artists do their magic on canvas and other materials, but I actually had to pick up the brush and try to follow their lead. My first attempt was what I expected. . . I wouldn’t hang it in my garage. The second a little better and with every painting, I explored with color and brush strokes and before I knew it, I had a painting that I really liked! I’ve always loved the impressionists and my paintings surprisingly attempt to capture that feeling of light. Oh, I know I’ve got lots to learn if I ever want to get serious about this, but I’m having fun just creating and trying something new.

 My jewelry has done the same thing for me. . . being able to create something fresh and new. To marvel at the colors of the stones, to combine stones and shells and glass that wouldn’t be put together by someone else. That’s what makes it special. It’s a part of my soul that I can offer you. So, explore beaderella.com and be surprised. It’s the best I have to offer.

Happy in a Maze of Beads for Fall

Tonight I’m looking forward to my second appearance at First Friday at Common Scents in downtown Racine. When my large shipment of these beads came this week, I was like a kid on Christmas morning, ripping open plastic bags to unveil the treasures that will turn into wearable art for Fall and Winter.  Rich colors of bamboo coral, red aventurine, brown jasper, smoky quartz, red-line marble, onyx and new jade. There was also a plethara of different shapes and colors of glass, including frosty lampwork beads that inspire the cooler temperatures.

And then more inspriation came my way when I opened the door this morning, I couldn’t believe the difference in the temperature . . . 62 degrees at 8 a.m. Wow! It’s good I bought those new jeans!

After weeks of high 80s with heavy humidity, the cooler temperatures give a welcome relief and a hint of autumn in the air. It confirms that the colorful tree that I saw yesterday was not a fluke.

So, I hope I see you tonight when I will be downtown at Common Scents at 3rd and Main Streets — passing out postcards to come in and see what’s new for Fall. . . my favorite season of the year.

Just a little bead crazy!

Not only did my recent injury prevent me from blogging for a few days, it also prevented me from beading. I know, I’m a little crazy. . . well, maybe more than a “little” crazy, but not certainly not certifiable. Seriously, though, I need to bead. This passion is overwhelming. 

My leg is still letting me know that its not ready for prime time–especially when I get tired. But I’m thankful that it’s healing and it’s back to beading again! During the week, I made a couple of necklaces and that put me back in the creative groove again. The bad news was, my bead supply dwindled to little of nothing. So, while I rest on the couch with my leg elevated, I ordered a huge supply of new beads and now I must wait for the FedEx Fairy to deliver my booty.

Over the weekend, Ken and I took a time out and attended a Luau at Doug’s place (the owner of Common Scents where my jewelry is showcased) and we had a great time. He hosts this party every summer as a Customer Appreciation event. And for a Wisconsin guy, he does it up right. He had a Ukelele band, a rock bank, a hula dancer and other games that we missed because we left right after dinner. I’m sure the party went into the wee hours of the morning.

While I was there, a woman named Denise admired my “New” jade (serpentine) necklace and ordered a necklace, bracelet and earrings that was would be similiar to the one I was wearing.  What a wonderful surprise! It’s always nice to have my work admired. And I thought Boy! it’s a good thing that I ordered those “new” jade beads!

So this week, as I wait for my large bead supply to arrive, I’ll try to be patient. Believe me, it can’t come soon enough. Check out www.beaderella-jewelry.com for your own Serpentine or New Jade necklace and earring set. There are several under Semi-Precious Stones!

Yesterday I talked about the symbol of “Eternity” that originated with the Maori tribes in New Zealand. And that discussion led me to wonder where the “peace sign” first originated. You know that upside down “Y” in a circle that was so popular in the 1960s. Like the eternity symbol, I kind of hoped that it would really old . . . like Roman or Egyptian old.

But what I found was that the “peace sign” actually began in the late 1950′s in Britain by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. It was designed by commercial artist Gerald Holtom who was commissioned to create something for a demonstration. The “fork” in the middle of the circle is how the letters “N” and “D” are spelled out using the visual signals created by extending one’s arms while holding flags. The “N” and “D” stand for “Nuclear Disarmament.”

The peace symbol made its way to the United States a couple of years later, thanks to an American student who was visiting England. He brought a bag of buttons with the icon on them back to his campus in Chicago, where they immediately caught on with the campus peace group. Today, this symbol is still used by peace activists today.

We see this internationally recognized peace symbol on t-shirts, posters, and jewelry. So far, Beaderella hasn’t used this pendant in her jewelry, but you never know what will show up on www.beaderella-jewelry.com. Come and visit!

Ancient symbol of Eternity

Yesterday I was fashioning an earring and I loved the twisting shape of the design. It was a silver-plated earring, but the design got me to wondering whether there was any history behind the design.

 Then, this morning I was watching a travel piece on PBS about New Zealand and voila! There was the twist design that I was using in that earring yesterday. So, now of course, I had to find out the myth behind this ancient bone carving known as “The Twist” of the Maori people.

 Because the Maori had no written language, they carved their tribal history and stories into art forms. These arts were handed down from generation to generation and through the years became sacred objects which told the history of a tribe and took on the spirits of he past great leaders and warriors who had worn the symbols.

 When a carving was given, it was worn with respect and received with love because the Maori believed that it was a spiritual link between the wearer and his ancestor.  A carving that has been worn by family or tribal members over many generations contains the spirit of all of those people and is truly a great and powerful treasure.

The form I was using in the earring could be compared to the Maori twist – a symbol of the many paths of life and love that bonds people together. Even though each may take a separate path, their love, friendship and loyalty will last forever and they will be bound together for eternity.

 I may explore other designs of the Maori, but this one in particular spoke to me. When you come across a pendant that interests you, see if you can find if there is a deeper meaning behind the design. If you look, you’ll probably find one.