How a Bead Becomes a gEM's - Part 1

I would like to show you how a bead (and I have many!) becomes a necklace, a bracelet, or a pair of earrings...in general, how a bead captures my attention, and becomes a gEM's!

Creation Station

Where do I get my beads:

I prefer to buy my beads in person. It isn't about examining each bead, rolling them over in my fingers, planning a future piece...it's about grabbing whatever catches my eye. I find this more difficult to do with on line shopping.

I have a favourite bricks and mortar bead shop. I have been shopping here for over a decade:

Arton Beads

If you are ever in the Toronto area, I highly recommend this shop. The owners (River and Alice) own two stores, side by side. One store (the original) sells findings, wood beads, glass beads, lots of stringing material and more. The "new store", the one highlighted on their website, sells gemstones, pearls and sterling silver findings and beads. Make sure to visit both stores!

Where do I find inspiration:

art work over my bead table (beside the window!)

My inspiration comes from the beads themselves. I know my beads. I know what I have, and I often find myself thinking about my collection when I'm ready to fall asleep at night. Occasionally, I will sit down at my bead table, and scour through my containers, pulling out pendants and beads until one calls out to me.

some beads

My creation station is messy, and only half organized. While some boxes of bead tins are labeled (wood, focals, etc.) that doesn't mean that there aren't more wood beads somewhere else. I have multiples of all my tools (3 round nose pliers, 2 tape measures etc) and scraps of materials (really, it's the garbage) from previous creations still in a divider on the beadboard (of which I have 3).

That is step one of my uncomplicated process!

you should have some!

I am hooked on making bracelets, in particular chunky bracelets.


It must have something to do with the season, and our change of clothing. We find ourselves shortening our sleeves, or even taking our sleeves right off! A perfect canvas is exposed (even behind a billowing 3/4 sleeve) for showcasing a fantastic bracelet!

Pattern. Chunky. Wood. Funky. Colour.

In particular (but not exclusively) I have been making bracelets on a clear stretchy cord (from what I have seen, and tried, this cording makes the most inconspicuous and tight knots). The great thing about stretchy bracelets is that they are so easy to slide on (no fiddling with clasps or toggles!) and they don't slide too much around your wrist...making it easier to sip your fave summer drink!

Enjoy!

A New Piece

A NEW PIECE for emmsgems!

Be sure to read the story behind this "Ghost" of a gEM!

I foresee some matching earrings in the near future...

I love the red beads in this necklace! They have a matte finish, are extremely light weight, and are made from the Buri nut...which come from the Buri Palm tree in the Philippines. Beads aren't the only thing made from parts of the Buri tree. The trunk is used as a source of flour, and the palms are used to make hats!

a "wow" moment

I love it when I create a gEM's piece that makes me say, "Wow!" This is my latest "wow":

This is an unofficial photo - properly presented photos will follow in my Etsy shop!

This piece defies the customary colour combinations - admittedly, it is more of a trendy piece, than an heirloom! If you are a "silver girl" like I am, you'll know what I mean!

Now comes the hard part: deciding to sell it, as opposed to keeping it for myself; deciding how much to sell it for. I don't have a hard and fast rule for pricing my jewelry, and it is especially difficult when a piece, such as this bracelet, is unlike any others that I currently have for sale.

Sometimes I rely on the help of C-Dazzle...*hint hint*

It was pointed out to me recently that some of my Etsy shop pieces are priced "too fair". I hear this often in person-to-person sales as well. I find it hard to believe that sometimes if the price is too low, it will not sell. Putting a price on my time has always seemed foreign to me...it isn't as if I was forced to create.