Pinch bails in silver

Some fancy new "pinch" style bails . . .

These bails are made of sterling silver and can be used on pendants that have a hole drilled from front to back. Simply pinch, and wear! They look fabulous on our larimar pendants . . . like little branches of coral in a tropical sea. The larger bails are $7.50 each, and the smaller are just $2.60 each.

Hindu amulets and Coptic crosses

Ethiopian Coptic Crosses

Ethiopian Christian coverts have been wearing crosses for more than 1600 years. The designs vary widely and indicate the town or province of origin. They are either lost wax cast or cut directly from a Maria Teresa (Marie Antoinette's mother) dollar coin. This coin has a better silver content than most, and generally the older the piece, the better the quality of silver. Another indicator of age is the complexity of the design of the cross. The simpler, plainer designs are the oldest showing Greek, Latin, Egyptian and even Celtic influence. As technology improved and a more ready supply of silver became available (around the 19th century) designs became much more elaborate. These pieces shown are the newest to join our large collection, please stop by to see the whole collection!

The Coptic Crosses are priced at $49 each (chain not included).

Hindu Amulets

The majority of these pendants originate from the northwest Indian provinces of Rajasthan and Gujarat, but they are found throughout the entire subcontinent. Made of stamped coin silver these pieces feature images of Hindu deities including Shiva, Hanuman, Durga, the footsteps of Vishnu and a few other surprises. These pieces were made from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, making the newest pieces about 75 years old. The pieces shown above are just a few the exceptional pieces from this new shipment. A huge favorite among the employees!

Based on weight, these pendants range from $8-$10 each

I included this picture to give you a realistic idea of the amount of Hindu amulets that arrived in this shipment. You can really get a good idea of how many styles and options there are to choose from. Be warned that it's not that often that we get such a large amount of antique pieces and they tend to go fast. Be sure to stop by and pick out the ones that call to you, we'd love to help you dig through them!

New copper and silver bails

Some new decorative bails to enhance your pendants . . .

Copper donut bails! Newly available in copper, these bails are used exclusively with stone or glass donuts. More to come!

Small flower bud (left): $1.50 each

Large leaf (right): $3.10 each

Check out this cute little pinch bail! The picture is enlarged to show detail, the bail is actually just under half an inch in length. Made of sterling silver, this hardy little bail will hold onto your pendants that have a front to back hole. They are a perfect match with our exclusive line of cubic zirconia drops!

$1.65 each 

Gemstone Nuggets

Quite a large shipment of stone beads came in today . . . we're just swimming in strands! These nuggets came in 3 different sizes and in just about every color you can think of. All natural stone of course (except a couple of Goldstone strands that snuck in). So, check 'em out . . .

Tiny nuggets . . .

(All tiny strands $4 each)

Medium nuggets . . .

(All medium strands $5 each)

Large nuggets in greens . . .

(All large nugget strands $7 each)

Starting from the top . . . Serpentine, Olive Jade, Aventurine, Unakite

. . . sunset tones . . .

Starting from the top . . .  Matte Red Jasper, Peach Aventurine, Red Jasper, Poppy Jasper, Honey Jade

. . . pinks and purples . . .

Starting from the top . . .  Amethyst, pink Calcite, Rose Quartz, Rhodonite

. . . and speckled!

Starting from the top . . . Dalmation Jasper, Snowflake Obsidian, Sodalite

Not every nugget shape got shown on here (there's just soooo many!) so be sure to stop in a take a look.

Antique amber overload!

Is there really such a thing as "overload" when it comes to the antique amber (or any bead for that matter)? We don't think so, and that's a good thing because we just got a huge assortment of these precious, hard to find antique beads. The color range is fantastic . . . from buttery yellow, to golden, to caramel. There's even a few opaque, dark reddish-brown beads floating around. We have beads that are sold individually ($9.50 per gram) and a few strands (price varies).

Not familiar with the antique amber? These beads were made mostly during the mid 19th century into the early 20th century (although some maybe much older). Though they were shaped in Africa, the rough was most likely Baltic in origin.

Carnelian Buddhas

Check out these Buddhas! Each pendant is hand carved from carnelian, a natural reddish/orange agate. The patterns on these are just so fun, each one dramatically different from the last. Each pendant is $6.20, come by and find the piece that speaks to you!

New Chains

Some fantastic new chain just arrived . . .

These styles are all new sterling silver additions to our extensive chain collection. We are so excited to have these!

Tiny Gemstone Beads

Teeny tiny gemstone beads are back! These 2mm beads make great spacers, delicate looking multi-strands, or pair with a small pendant for a subtle necklace. There are a lot of different gemstones to choose from . . . but, if you can't decide we've got mixed strands to give you an array of color choices! All strands are $5 each, except for the Rose Quartz which is $6 each.

A Multitasking Gold Chain

You may be asking yourself, what is a "multitasking chain"? It's this:

This brand new large link goldfilled chain gives you so many options. It's large enough to be a statement piece all by itself, you can space it with gemstones or glass, or you can do this . . .

Simply cut the tiny link between each large link and you've got some great frames to use for whatever you'd like! We've made an earring to show just one thing you can do with these versatile links. The best part is that because they're connected with a tiny link you'll never have to waste a large link when cutting . . .  and that saves A LOT of money!

Silver and Gold . . .

A box came in this week full of silver and gold . . . freshwater pearls! Silver colored pearls are a great addition to almost any project. The smaller pieces compliment almost any color which makes them great spacers. The larger ones can also be paired with just about anything. I personally like mixing them with iolite and labradorite to enhance the silvery sheen . . . but if you're feeling adventurous with color green and purple look beautiful too!

These remind me of tiny, glittery river stones. Can you imagine finding these scattered along a river bed? I can (it's one of my 'happy places').

$11 per strand

The quality on these drop shapes is amazing! Almost perfectly smooth with a glowing luster. Great for earrings.
$17 per strand

These irregular shapes are always fun to work with and give a nice organic look without skimping on the overall quality of your pieces. I really like the texture on some of these, it seems to amplify the sheen and give your pieces extra glitter.

Starting from the top . . .

Small nuggets are $4 per strand (think of the inexpensive multi-strands projects that could be done!)

Coin shaped are $14-$34 per strand

The big nuggets are only $18 per strand

Round shaped are $14 per strand

The potato shaped are a steal at $6 per strand

Golden toned pearls in a variety of rounds. Beautiful luster!

$23-$27 per strand

Happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone! Remember that even though you may have the long weekend off, we don't (how else would you get your bead fix?). We'll be open normal hours for all your beading needs. Come by and say hi!

Goldfilled and Sterling Chain

Who doesn't like receiving a box of chain in the mail?

Some of these are new, and some are refills. All are fun to work with! The sterling silver chain on the very top (slightly hammered oval) is one of my very personal favorites. Come in and check them out before they're gone!

New Large Hole Copper Alloy Beads

Look what came in over this weekend . . . more hard to find large hole beads!

These beads are shown strung on our 3mm braided leather.

These are made of a copper/zinc alloy, meaning you won't have to worry about the color chipping, flaking or wearing off. They've been antiqued and buffed to bring out the details in the designs. The holes on these beads are large enough to comfortably slide onto thick leather, satin or chain. They would look great stacked on chain or used as decorative spacers in between large gemstone beads. We currently have 23 styles to choose from ranging in price from $0.45-$1.10 each.

American Turquoise Pendants

These pendants are not for the faint of heart. These are for the adventurous, the bold and the unafraid. But all joking aside, how great are these?! Hand carved from solid American turquoise and accented with antique "white heart" glass beads, these pendants demand attention. Like many of our unique pieces, this is a very limited item and what you see in the picture below is all we have.

Don't fear their size. With turquoise of this quality, bigger is always better.

Gemstone Chips

Some new gemstone chips in this weekend! Chips are generally so affordable that even a beader on a budget can make multistrand necklaces and bracelets without breaking the bank. With each strand measuring about 36 inches that's more than enough for a great project!

Hematite (shiny black)- $7

Labradorite (Grey with flashes of color)- $6

Apaitite (blue/green)- $12

Dyed Quartz (bright blue)- $5

Blue Lace Agate (light blue)- $8

It's a geode bonanza!

If you like a more "organic" look to your jewelry, you'll love these geodes! The base metal bezels are very minimal and only cover the edges of the geode leaving the front and back exposed. That's a good thing too, because the some of the backs are just as pretty as the fronts! Each piece is unique in color and shape . . . there's bound to be something for everyone.

These are the perfect size for pendants! String on chain for a simple look, on long braided fiber for a casual summer look or on a string of beads to add a splash of color. These geodes are $9.30 each.

For those of us who want a bolder look for our jewelry pieces, these thick slices of geodes are amazing. Or, if you're like some of us here, you can hang them in your windows at home while you wait for the perfect jewelry idea for your geode slice. These are $19 each.

Remember, we also still have some geode beads in strands and singles (shown here strung on orange string). Whole strands are $31, and the singles run around $5 each.

Red bronze leather ends, Buddhas and a brass hook!

Those that know us know how particular we are when it comes to the quality of our products. We tend to prefer sterling silver or gold vermeil instead of base metals (non precious metals like copper, brass, aluminum etc) with the belief that if you're going to invest time into a piece, give it the quality it deserves. However, with the ever rising prices of gold and silver, the quality of some base metal products seem to be going up as well. While we'll never have a huge selection of base metal (there's just not enough room in the store for everything, even though we try) we are starting to carry some of these neat, nice quality base metal findings.

This is pretty exciting for us. We have a nice selection of copper beads, clasps, wire and chain, but there's never been a nice looking leather end to complete leather jewelry. Well, these aren't copper, but they sure look like it! Made of "red bronze" these ends have a slightly antiqued look and match our copper clasps almost perfectly. At only $ .70 each we just had to have them!

We just couldn't pass up these wonderfully petite (only a 1/2 inch tall) Buddha heads. The have a large enough hole to easily fit onto leather or thick gauge wire and the detailing is fabulous! Made of goldtone and silvertone base metal and red bronze they're only $1.95 each. 

Sometimes the simplest clasp is the most desirable. This hardy brass hook and eye clasp has been slightly hammered with dimples to give a little extra shimmer. This is the newest edition to our growing collection of brass beads and findings and only costs $1.80 each.

New gold vermeil order in!

A new gold vermeil order just came in packed with all sorts of fun stuff! Gold vermeil refers to sterling silver that has been heavily plated in gold. We actually collect our own silver pieces and send them to a gold plating company along with our specifications. By sending them out ourselves we can control the quality and keep our prices reasonable. Below are some pictures of our favorites of the shipment . . .

Gold vermeil Thai charms. The round charm on the right is actually a bell! The lotus, peace sign and bell are brand new to us.

More gold vermeil charms including (from left to right) Isis, a hedgehog ( he's got such a sweet face . . . that we can't see on the scan), a heart, a lion, and two styles of Buddhas.

These string-able gold vermeil bails make any special bead really stand out as a beautiful pendant. Simply wire wrap your bead to the loop, string the bail on your choice of cord or thin snake chain and you're ready to go!

Nothing quite compares to the quality of these Turkish made chandeliers. The scroll work is amazing, all you need is a couple of sparkling beads and you have instant eye catching earrings.

This is just a small collection of what was included in the shipment, so be sure to stop by to check it all out!

New this week . . .

     Some new gold-filled chain to share with you! Hammered flat for extra strength and glitter, this petite chain can be used for a variety of projects. The links are large enough to make easy cluster earrings, but small enough to string a single charm or feature a special bead on a headpin. The picture shown (left) is a quick and simple project idea with our new chain and a collection of nuggety aquamarines (which happens to be March's birthstone). For a closer look, please click on the picture below.

     Also in this week . . . .

     Czech glass refills, Lindstrom professional jewelry pliers, and fabulous books!

Buddhist Pendants

What a stroke of good luck! We received some fabulous antique style Buddhist pendants about a month ago, but they sold out quickly. Pendants like these are super hard to get a hold of, let alone replenish. This time luck was on our side! We didn't get refills on every style, but here's a sampling of what's now available . . .

A little about these pendants . . .

 These are contemporary reproductions of antique Buddhist pendants and are made out of a mix of base metals (making them surprisingly light weight). Even though they're non precious metal, the detailing is amazing. They're still only $13 each, come and get them while they're still here!

More from our huge shipment . . .

More wonderful things to share from our large shipment that came in a couple weeks ago . . .

I love Thai silver, and honestly, what's there not to love? Each pendant, bead and finding is individually handmade, meaning that every piece is wonderfully unique. They are finished with a soft polishing that gives the pieces a nice glow.

The bail is $3.40 each and the pendants run $2.50-$5.80 each. The droplet beads start at about $5 per 2 inch mini strand, but since they are priced by weight they'll vary in price.

Chalcedony and rainbow moonstone make such a pretty winter-y pairing. The color tones in chalcedony, a natural blue agate, are enhanced by the flashy iridescence of the moonstone.

The chalcedony nuggets are $25 per strand, and the drops are $26 per strand.

The moonstone strands range in price from $22-33 per strand.

More Chinese turquoise! You can feel good about using this turquoise in your designs, it's completely natural in color and composition (no chalk turquoise in this store EVER!). The smaller strands make great spacers, while the larger beads are bold enough to stand alone.

Strands run $10-$35 each.