Archive for July, 2009

August’s featured birthstone: Peridot

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

The standard birthstone for next month just happens to be well-represented at Rings & Things.  Let’s play with peridot

Peridot: August's featured birthstone at Rings & Things

August's featured birthstone is...

Did you know about peridot?

  • It’s also known as “Bastard Emerald”
  • Peridot is technically a variety of olivine
  • It turns out that quite a few “emeralds” in queens’ and kings’ treasuries are actually peridot!
  • Peridot is claimed to increase eloquence and remove speech impediments, and, um…oh, what’s that word?  (All this info & much more is in our awesome Gemstone Beads Index.)

Some of the styles of peridot that we stock are snazzy enough to wow any Leo/Virgo child of August.  You can even tuck a tiny birthday gift or note inside this peridot & sterling ‘wish box’ pendant:

Peridot & sterling 'wish box' pendant

Peridot & sterling 'wish box' pendant

For guys you might prefer going with a chunkier style like these hefty peridot chip beads:

Peridot chunky chips

Peridot chunky chips

Or you can go really smooth and classic with sleek round peridot beads:

Smooth as velvet: peridot rounds

Smooth as velvet: peridot rounds

Just bear in mind (and please tell your customers) that peridot is often enhanced in order to smooth out tiny natural irregularities in its surface — So go easy on the exposure to hazardous chemicals.  Also shield your peridot from high heat, deep cold, and hammers, okay?

* Alternative August birthstones are onyx or sardonyx, and carnelian.

I bet some of you have sold, or been commissioned to make, August birthstone jewelry.  You can share your experiences in a comment below!

DON’T MISS OUR June-July giveaway:
* in our online store, find a fave product & review it there, then…
* …leave a comment about it at the contest article in our blog
* On August 3, five winners will receive coveted Rings & Things gift certificates!
* Enter often & see if you win!

Bezel cups “runneth” over

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
Bezel cups -- findings for resin jewelry making!

Bezel cups -- findings for resin jewelry making!

Rings & Things is introducing cool new bezel cups in its line of wholesale findings. You’ll have a lot of fun using these to make resin jewelry that expresses your creative personality!

They’re made of solid raw brass, and basically look like teeny tiny saucepans (1/8″ deep) — only they have a loop or two loops, instead of a handle. You just pour resin or epoxy right into them.

Turn one-loop bezel cups into nifty custom pendants; make the two-loopers into connectors. Both styles come in either round or oval shape, and either of two sizes.  (Broadly speaking, they’re in the neighborhood of an inch.)

Down in the lab, Rings & Things has discovered quite a few fun things that “resinate” nicely into EasyCast or other resin, in bezel cups. We’ve implanted tiny toys, glitter, candy sprinkles, and little cutouts from photos or other images. (For these, cut out right-sized images using our free template.)

resin_italia_postage_clip

We’re bringing in a full range of great epoxy resin supplies, like Castin’Craft items, to go along with these bezel cups. You can rig out your resin workspace with molding equipment, a resin how-to book, pigments, mixing suppliesand more.

You can also capitalize on Rings & Things’ line of TierraCast® frame charms and square-cup rings to explore even more resin-casting possibilities. Additional resources include our free .PDF “Tips for Epoxy Resin” sheet and the growing roster of resin jewelry in the Design Gallery.

Have a great resin jewelry-making tip?  Share, share!  Leave a comment below…

DON’T MISS OUR June-July giveaway:
* in our online store, find a fave product & review it there, then…
* …leave a comment about it at the contest article in our blog
* On August 3, five winners will receive coveted Rings & Things gift certificates!
* Enter often & see if you win!

Congrats to Bead Dreams winners!

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

Rings & Things has sponsored a category in the Bead&Button show’s Bead Dreams competition each year since 2006.  We want to share the good news about this year’s winners:

Congratulations to 3 Bead Dreams winners who get hefty Rings & Things prizes!  Bead Dreams is Bead & Button’s “juried competition of exceptional bead artistry from around the world.”  We sponsored the Objects & Accessories category, which was brand-new this year!  Bead Dreams defines it as “a non-jewelry item or accessory, including, but not limited to, purses, shoes, sculpture, or wall hangings in any bead-related media.”

Here are the winners and their creations:

1st Place (Prize:  $300 Rings & Things gift certificate)

Satoko Toyoda's "Sparkling Treasure Chest"

Satoko Toyoda's "Sparkling Treasure Chest"

2nd Place (Prize:  $200 Rings & Things gift certificate)

Heidi Kummli's "The Fortune Teller"

Heidi Kummli's "Fortune Teller"

3rd Place (Prize:  $100 Rings & Things gift certificate)

Melissa Grakowsky's "Ceremonial Headdress"

Melissa Grakowsky's "Ceremonial Headdress"

Do you suppose their creations will be featured in an upcoming Bead Dreams calendar?

Bead Dreams calendar featuring 2008 winners

Bead Dreams calendar featuring 2008 winners

Enjoy a shopping spree on us, winners!  We’re looking forward to seeing more great entries in next year’s competition :)

DON’T MISS OUR June-July giveaway:
* in our online store, find a fave product & review it there, then…
* …leave a comment about it at the contest article in our blog
* On August 3, five winners will receive coveted Rings & Things gift certificates!
* Enter often & see if you win!