Rings & Things Jewelry Blog

With its ghostly glow, this feldspar stone almost seems magical. High-quality rainbow moonstone is usually chatoyant and sometimes displays a strong cat's eye. The floating-light phenomenon and sheen of moonstone are called adularescence or schiller. The light is scattered by alternating layers of two kinds of feldspar and produces a misty luster of white, dull yellow, yellow-gray or greenish-gray. The stone's main color also comes in shades of peach and gray. Incipient cleavage cracks often are …

Created by: Summer MelaasDesigner TipsPunch a hole in the top corners of your copper blank. File any sharp bits.Clean your blank very well with warm water and Penny Brite.Cut your 22 ga bare copper wire, and shape the wire pieces into a paw print. Make sure they are flat so that no enamel can run under the wire.Set wire pieces off to the side.Sift your 3 background colors of enamel separately (one color at a time) onto the blank in your desired pattern.Carefully move your blank onto the torching …

Created by: Summer MelaasDesigner TipsLay out 10 sunstone beads in an ombre pattern (lightest to darkest).Cut two feet of the 26g wire.Wrap a few tight wraps at the top of the wire part of the ear thread, and thread one bead on the wire. Holding the bead tight in place, wrap the wire twice around the ear thread.Repeat until you have wrapped all the beads down to the loop at the bottom of the ear thread. Cut off excess wire. Using your chain nose plier, pinch the ends of the wrapped wire to tight …

Created by: Summer Melaas Designer TipsOpen a jump ring.New to jewelry-making? See Basic Jewelry-Making Technique Sheet (PDF) for most secure way to open and close jump rings.Add an opal charm to the jump ring, and connect to the loop on the ear thread, using two chain nose pliers.Repeat for other earring.Suggested Supplies1 pair #53-001-5 Vermeil Ear Thread, 5", 2.5mm Closed Jump Ring2 each #21-343-01-999 6mm 14kt Gold-Filled Bello Opal Drop Charm - Blue Opal1 10pack (use 2 pieces) #37-391-240 …

Created by: Mollie ValenteDesigner TipsFor step-by-step illustrated instructions to make the Sundance Bolo Tie Necklace, see our blog post: How to Make a Silk Ribbon and Cameo Bolo Tie NecklaceHelpful tips for secure, professional glue bonds: Gluing Metal Findings 101.Suggested Supplies1 each #27-960-24-901 Cameo, Horse, 18x25mm 1 each #61-479-36 Hand Dyed Silk Ribbon, 32-36", Soft Rock Blend 1 dozen (use 1 piece) #36-714-1 Bolo Slide Blank, 16mm Disk - White Plated 1 strand (use 2 beads) #26-81 …

Created by: Mollie ValenteDesigner TipsString the 4.5mm round corrugated bead onto the head pin.String two rubber earring backs onto the head pin, the first one positioned against the 4.5mm round corrugated bead with the second one positioned about 11mm apart. The earring backs serve as bead adjusters for the large-hole mirage bead.String the Mirage bead onto the head pin and slide it over the rubber earring backs. The earring backs should be hidden just inside the Mirage bead (adjust their posi …

Black Lava Stone Beads: Black lava stone beads are cut from basalt, a type of igneous rock formed during volcanic eruptions. Due to their holes and bubbles, lava stone beads add great texture, but not a lot of weight, to jewelry designs. Lava stone is naturally rough in texture, and our beads appear to be treated with a paraffin wax to make them smooth to the touch - plain basalt would be rather abrasive! Lava stone beads are a great base for Art Clay Silver paste and other Metal Clay pastes - j …

Created by: Mollie ValenteDesigner TipsFor step-by-step illustrated instructions showing how to engrave the pendant, see Rings & Things blog post "Jewelry Making DIY – Make a Micro Engraved Pendant"Next, assemble the necklace:New to jewelry-making? See Basic Jewelry-Making Technique Sheet (PDF) for most secure method of opening and closing jump rings, and other basic jewelry-making information.Attach a 6mm jump ring to the completed pendant's hanging hole.Cut the ball chain to your desired l …

Created by: Rings & Things StaffDesigner TipsStack one aquamarine bead, one twisted spacer and one citrine onto each eye pin, and make a wire-wrapped looop to close at each end, making sure to attach starfish charm to the aquamarine ends before finishing.New to jewelry-making? See Basic Jewelry-Making Technique Sheet (PDF) for step-by-step instructions on making wire-wrapped loops.Attach other end loops to ear wires.Suggested Supplies1 strand (use 2 beads) #21-886-615 Matte Aquamarine 6mm Ro …

Created by: Janet BoyingtonDesigner TipsCreate stamped charms using Monogram stamp set. New to stamping? See Metal Stamping 101 for an overview, or download our step-by-step PDF stamping guide.Use Stamp Enamel to make the design pop, and wipe off excess with a paper towel or soft cloth (follow usage instructions on Stamp Enamel package).Use the crystal setter kit to stamp an indent for a crystal rhinestone. It should be deep enough to protect the edges of the stone, but the top of the crystal sh …