Custom Jewelry

Some bracelets are made of chain which makes them flexible. They can be made of metal chains which makes them last longer. Chain bracelets are made more meaningful with the attachment of charms. It is a practice to give a baby a chain bracelet to which charms representing milestones in her life are added as she grows older. Other bracelets for kids are made of braided yarn or hemp; these are called friendship bracelets because they are shared with friends.

Bangle bracelets are solid and inflexible. Users of bangle bracelets should be more attentive as they tend to bump into things that can damage it, especially those studded with precious materials. Some bangle bracelets are big enough to be slipped into the hands; others have clasps that make them fit more securely. Some bangle bracelets have been turned functional by being used both as an adornment and a handy clip to hang things from.

Summer is traditionally the best time to find hand-crafted niche jewelry simply because craft fairs are so prevalent. I found plenty of fabulous new pieces at a local market just a week ago, but something seemed to be missing. The craft fair was significantly smaller than it had been in years past, and I asked one proprietor why this was so. According to her, people were seeking out their jewelry through other avenues – mostly online.

Sure enough, the herringbone bracelet I had set my heart on buying was nowhere to be found at the fair. I drove home and went online immediately. It took a matter of moments to find exactly the design I was looking for, and I still managed to do my business through a small, dedicated retailer. When you think about it, it’s not much different from purchasing directly from the artisan.

Our beaded bead necklace, bracelet and earrings are almost completed. The pink and green set is very pretty. It is looks very delicate and dainty. This was a team effort. Frank created the crystal-beaded bead that looks like a bead ball, then handed it over to me to weave the seed beads onto it.

Frank also created three large bead balls (the first part of the beaded bead) in 8mm green Swarovski crystals then strung it together with a green crystal right angle weave. This created a stunning necklace.

I finished the pink and green set and also made the emerald set to go with the emerald right angle bracelet. I liked these so much I made a second set , the same size as the pink and green but these are sapphire and crystal in color and style.

Most men know that women always appreciate a thoughtful, heartfelt gift. But these gifts should not be reserved only for her birthday, Christmas and Valentine’s Day. A little spontaneity does wonders for a blossoming relationship, and the “just because” gift is a classic way to show that you’ve been thinking of her.

Selecting the perfect “just because” gift is an art form – you don’t want to be too obvious, and you don’t want to spend an excessive amount of money either. Flowers and chocolates are a bit cliché – they’ve become a crutch for the unimaginative. On the other hand, it’s easy to fall into the trap of going to the mall for jewelry with a specific budget in mind and then splurging at the behest of the salesperson. Instead, try a simple, effective piece of jewelry such as a hugs and kisses bracelet, which sends a romantic message without becoming an economic burden.

Frank just finished a new flat right angle weave bracelet for my mother. It is made from pearls instead of crystals. As you know, Frank makes a right angle bracelet made of Swarovski crystals that is round when finished. This bracelet remains “unfinished” in order to leave it flat instead of rounded. My mother saw the black and white crystal flat right angle weave bracelet and loved it, but wanted it in cream and brown, so we found cream and brown Swarovski pearls. The brown and cream 4mm Swarovski pearls make a beautiful combination when alternated in one-inch lengths. This bracelet will be beautiful with anything cream or brown. I just might have to have one myself .

After Sheri wrote the blog I finished the bracelet for her mother. She loved it. I then made her a matching pair of earrings and a single strand necklace to complete the set. Yes Sheri wanted a set and I made her a similar set the earrings for Sheri where hoops not dangle and the necklace was 8mm not 6mm. Both are happy.

While at the Saturday OBS field trip, another beader asked Frank if he would show her how to create the right angle weave that he makes with Swarovski crystals. Of course he was delighted to show her how to make this type of weave that can be made into a necklace, bracelet or earrings. A bracelet that uses this type of weave contains approximately 200 Swarovski bicone crystals (not a cheap bracelet) of any color that you desire. Frank and the other beader spent the next two hours starting on a right angle weave bracelet. At the end of the two hours, the beader had a good start on two bracelets. She started one with Frank’s instructions and started one by herself to make sure she knew how to do it. She was very excited to know how. It was a good day all around for beaders.

Russian Spiral bracelets are very special bracelets. When first making a Russian Spiral, it looks like a wad of beads and string, but after you complete a section of the bracelet, it begins to take form. These bracelets typically use two different colors of beads in two different sizes and just like the name, the colors spiral around each other in a beautiful pattern. Brown and gold are especially beautiful when woven into this pattern. When completed this bracelet is a dainty bracelet that can be worn at any occasion. It would also make a beautiful necklace and matching earrings.

Ndebele Herringbone bracelets are one of the most beautiful of all the sewn bracelets. This type of bracelet uses all kinds of beads – glass, crystal, bone, and stone, anything you want. We have made several of these bracelets in all colors. One of my favorites was made for a good friend of mine. The bracelet was made from black and white crystals and seed beads. She loved it; however, she wanted a necklace to go with the bracelet. So we measured her neck and made a choker necklace in the herringbone style. Yes, it took some time to make a “bracelet” 15 inches, but it was worth it. She received it for her birthday and loved it. This is one way that TripleaJewelry will customize jewelry to fit you and your life style. Just go to the web site, look at what is available and send us an email about what you would like us to make for you.

Recently, Frank and I went to a store with the Oklahoma Bead Society called Supernaws in Skiatook, Oklahoma. This store had more seed beads than we had previously seen in one place, especially given the small size of the store. The owner had every color, shape, style and size you could want at fantastic prices. The members from the society went wild over the beads. We then went to a church hall and beaded for the rest of the afternoon. This was a fantastic day for the beaders from the society. I am currently working on a peyote bracelet with an embellishment using beads that I purchased at Supernaws. It will be posted on our web as soon as I have completed it. Frank has also completed two Ladder Stitch Chevron bracelets using the beads from Supernaws. They are gorgeous. We will soon present these on our website, www.tripleajewelry.com.

Once you reach a certain stage in your marriage – let’s say the 15th anniversary – it might seem as if your wife has seen it all. She recognizes your every gift-giving tendency and can predict your next move with nearly perfect accuracy. You can never go far wrong with jewelry, but try throwing her for a loop by looking outside the traditional range.

We’re not talking about elicit drugs here, but peyote bracelets can be equally intoxicating in their own way. These bracelets are relatively wide and characterized by intricately woven beads. When the next anniversary approaches, consider spoiling your wife with a different breed of jewelry.