Jewelry repair tips: What to do with crimp beads? The art of the knot and creating closures that last

Sometimes I get asked to do repairs. Being a jewelry design artist, I can fix most jewelry in someway, making it wearable again. Check out my original bead art and gemstone jewelry on etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/goodnessinthecosmos

Over the years I have come across a lot of jewelry to fix that was secured with crimp beads and crimp bead covers before the closure. I have found in most of these pieces that it was the crimp bead closure itself that ended up cutting the stringing material, thereby breaking the piece. It didn’t matter what stringing material was used, the results were the same.  In the necklaces pictured above, recent repair requests, the string material varied from a fishing line to thick threading. I was especially intrigued by the middle piece which looks to be one strung piece, but is actually 11 joined pieces with the threaded portions made with thick cotton/silk type of thread. Why would someone use a crimp bead on a thread closure when a knot would have been just perfect?

Well, that’s how I fixed the necklaces pictured, with the power of knotting. Knotted closures covered with a clamshell crimp cover are very secure closures. Yes, there is still the risk of being cut from the edges of the crimp cover if you use a thread or too light stringing material for the weight of beads used. I have found that if a knot is used instead of a crimp bead, the cover moves less and gives less pull on the stringing materials. In plain terms, it just last longer without breaking! And that’s what I call a properly made necklace.

In the pieces above I opened the crimp bead covers, took out the damaged threads, restrung with a strong flexible coated wire matching the colors of the piece, knotted the ends of the wires and used the crimp covers from the piece to attach to closures.

It’s usually tedious to knot instead of crimping, but the results are much better in the long run.

So, knot well friends and keep on fixing those favorites that make your friends and followers feel beautiful.

Check out my original bead art and gemstone jewelry on etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/goodnessinthecosmos

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Hand dug crystals and agates found while gardening

Some of the many quartz crystal clusters and agate geodes I’ve found while gardening, goodnesinthecosmos.etsy.com

I usually spend as much time outdoors gardening as possible.  Over the years I’ve found many surprises while digging. Some finds have admittedly been, unpleasant.  Yet the ones I recall most are the many amazing things I’ve been lucky enough to discover, everything from old rusted rings, to unique stones.

However, in our most recent dwelling, my mineral finds have been the highlight of all my digging/finding, thus far.

When we first moved here I would find a quartz every so often, but last year, while planting dahlia bulbs, I found a whole catch of quartz clusters, geodes and swirls of agate.

I’ve traveled wide and far to hand collect minerals, sifting dirt in diamond mines, and visiting private lakeside destinations.  I was more than stunned to find some of the best specimens in our own yard!  How fortunate that a person who recognized the value of what was dug up, found it.  I’d be lying if  I said this was a unique occurrence to me. It’s really another example of serendipity in my life, being drawn to the right place, at the right time, and being present enough to notice.  Is it good luck, a faery gift, or happenstance in synchronicity? I’d like to call this type of moment, divine timing.

Have you ever found ‘treasure’, right under your nose, or in an unexpected location? Share in the comments or contact me at https://www.etsy.com/shop/goodnessinthecosmos

Some of the gemstones, quartz crystal clusters, and geodes I’ve found while gardening in our yard. https://www.etsy.com/shop/goodnessinthecosmos

Visit my handmade jewelry, made from gemstones, quartz and minerals I’ve found at:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/goodnessinthecosmos

 

 

 

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Creating Jewelry for Significance: Clergy Cross Necklace

One of my favorite types of jewelry pieces to create is one that has personal meaning and significance to the wearer.  I love receiving those special components and being directed to create something beautiful from them.   The above is a clergy necklace I created with such special parts.

Here are some details:  The above piece contains gemstones from Capernaum, where Jesus walked, his own town.  These types of beads are commonly referred to as ‘Beggar’s Beads’, a name which has its own interesting story worth looking up.  The other beads are made of sustainable olive wood, from fallen branches, from Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.  The olive branch and wood, also has historical Christian significance as a symbol of peace.  And the cross was another gift from a traveler on a pilgrimage to the holy land, made of olive wood, it’s design and composition also with a greater meaning.

One might see why combining these specific beads and cross together would have a meaningful significance for a clergy person, or Christian.  Gifts that have an extra reason for being special are always more appreciated.

What are some of your favorite special pieces?

If you have any special parts that you’d like made into a piece of personal significance, that’s something I do.

Contact me with a special request at my online web shop, tweet me, or send me a fb message:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/goodnessinthecosmos

https://twitter.com/VixBeads

https://www.facebook.com/GoodnessInTheCosmosShowcase/

 

 

 

It’s Christmas

It’s Christmas!

It’s Christmas! Head on over to the webstore for some OOAK gifts

 

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Angel Kirby/Cupid Kirby Free Perler Bead Pattern

Here is a new Kirby from a 9 year old.  Sharing it with the world, isn’t he generous?  Enjoy!

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Simple Charm Necklace-Memory Jewels

GoodnessInTheCosmos.etsy.com Charm necklace

For years I’ve had these smaller pendants that I was going to use in a matching gemstone necklace, someday, but never quite got around to it. They are delicate and, well, charming. But, they are not quite large enough to stand alone as a focal pendant.

So, I decided to put them all together on my redwood beads. It is lightweight and displaying the pendants all together makes the necklace and pendants much more interesting than each as a solo piece.

Creating a charm necklace is also a great way to use up single stone beads or solo beads. Just make a pendant out of the bead and add to an already existing necklace or create a new setting for them.

Another great thing about this idea, is that it keeps all your keepsakes in one place. Those special memories will have a new home that is much more wearable than each alone. Go ahead, free the charms and smaller pendants from your jewelry box and create a charm necklace to remember and wear.

 

Support a vegan artist, visit my handmade jewelry webstore: https://www.etsy.com/shop/goodnessinthecosmos

Using Rare Stones in Jewelry

It is not often that I will see a natural sardonyx, in  bead form. I think this is one of those gemstones that doesn’t usually get properly identified, as for the strong resemblance to carnelian and orange banded agate. Sardonyx is a combination of chalcedony, sard and onyx. It’s a beautiful gem with much lore and many different thoughts on gemological classification.

This particular stone was even more interesting than the usual in shape and cleave points. The facets are unevenly cut, probably due to the fracture points within the stone. Personally, I have had a few unplanned shapes come out of a stone while cutting during my own lapidary art creations.

When working with an interesting shaped, rare stone, there can be some challenges. In this bead the shape, size and weight had to be considered. It was obviously made to be a focal. Due to its hardness (sturdiness), I chose the sardonyx for a bracelet.

I did not use a traditional color match, this is a stone that should stand out.

I decided to create the design, like I usually do, by matching gemstone/gemology properties.  As usual, the stones resonated very well together and when the piece was finished, seemed as if it was always meant to be this way. It is very attractive in sunlight. Maybe I’ll get a better picture on here when the sun returns…

For the band, I used chrysoprase barrel stones, bloodstone rondelles, chrysocolla round and two rose quartz ovals.

Can you guess the energy/purpose of this piece?

 

Support a Vegan Artist,Visit the original gemstone jewelry webstore, Goodness In The Cosmos Gemstone Jewelry with Intention: https://www.etsy.com/shop/goodnessinthecosmos

 

 

Free Super Mario Perler Pattern, Old School Super Mario Pattern

I promised one of the kindest most creative kids I know that I’d post this pattern to share with the world. We hope you enjoy it 🙂 At the artist’s insistence, we’ve included pictures with and without the pegboard for your creating ease.

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Sifting for Quality in Jewelry Design, 8 Tips Towards Beading Perfection

Sterling Silver Kokopelli Charm bracelet, with Ocean Jasper, Turquoise and Red Jasper by GoodnessInTheCosmos.etsy.com

Sometimes I am gifted with a charm or some precious stone/bead form a loved one. On those occasions like this one, I choose to use that gift opportunity to design something from my ‘odd’ bead pile for myself.

What exactly is an odd bead pile, and why should every prodigious bead jeweler have one?  When buying stock for your shop, you will usually come across beads included in your order that don’t quite fit the project you are working on, or have too many ‘character flaws’ to be useful.

A gemstone or bead character flaw that contributes to its addition to the ‘odd bead’ pile is as follows:

1. Not the same size or finish as the rest of the beads in the lot. This makes that ‘odd’ bead stick out all the more.

2. Too many natural inclusions or pock marks in the stone. This can make the stone photograph poorly. Even if it is a sturdy stone, a picture could make it look as if it will break at any moment. Or, in the case of large pockets of rough pits on the stone, most likely will break.

3. Not enough of the main stone material clearly displayed in the stone. For example in the above bracelet I used faceted round red jasper beads that have too much clear quartz in them to be used as ‘red jasper’. They are mostly colorless with only a small spot of the red jasper color. This is my ‘personal’ quality control. I feel if a buyer is entrusting me as a seller to deliver a specific stone, it really needs to be that stone, and a good show of the stone as well. Certainly if every seller did this, I wouldn’t have such a large amount of unsalable stones.

4. Mis-shaped bead. If you are matching this is an issue.

5. Wrong bead hole size for current project. Sadly this happens a lot and something every beader needs to really watch out for.

6. Misplaced bead hole. Especially when working with natural gemstone beads, some bead holes will not be drilled in the optimum location or angle. This can make the bead lay awkwardly or even worse, breakable and destroy your metalwire, string, line, or make the actual bead very susceptible to breakage. Gemstone chips, or any cut other than round can be notorious for this.

7. Entirely wrong gemstone. Just because you ordered Green aventurine beads, doesn’t mean that’s what you’ll get on the whole string. Anything else could be included. And I mean anything depending on the quality of your distributor. Know your stones! This will help immensely.

8. Lastly, all those extra solo beads that didn’t make it into whatever project they were initially designed or purchased for, due to such reasons as jewelry sizing or odd counts of symmetry.

In all honesty, some of the most interesting beads end up in that ‘odd bead’ stash. Personally I love the character that those odd beads show, and as a jeweler who can fix anything that doesn’t hold up to the durability test, I don’t mind taking those chances on myself.

In the shop however, is not the place to make those risks. Bead sorting is an essential component to extend your reputation as a reliable jeweler and shop owner. Like my previous post on the importance of testing your pieces, this is also an integrity as a designer and seller issue.

So who is Kokopelli anyways?- “flute player, mythical Hopi symbol of fertility,replenishment, music, dance, and mischief” Seems a pretty perfect totem for this gal, and along with those ‘interesting character filled odd beads’… an OOAK design fit to be worn 🙂

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