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Matched Keshi Pearl Earrings

GraceAlexander — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:06:19 CDT

For this beautiful set of earrings, you will need two 50 inch pieces of stiff thread, three needles, 24 top drilled 5-7 inch keshi pearls (12 for each earring) and two silver hook earrings.

First you need to attach the thread to the earrings. Thread the needles on as follows - the first, two inches from one end; the second, in the middle; the third two inches from the other end. Thread the needle at the center through the earring loop till all ends are even, then use the other two needles to tie off a knot. This should leave you with (1) a double strand with the needle unable to be removed, and (2) (3) two single strands, on loose ends.

Slide a pearl onto each needle, and snug them up to the loop. Tie the double thread (1) with a single thread (2) twice. Tie the double (1) and the single (3) (twice). Finally, put the two single threads together and tie them to the double thread once.

Continue this process with the more pearls, and once again with another three, for a total of twelve.

Tie one extra snug knot with the doubled threads and cut off close to the knot. Use a lighter carefully to burn and melt the knotted thread to hold the pearls secure. Repeat the process to make the second earring.

Congratulations! You have made a gorgeous set of unique keshi pearl earrings. For a wide variety of pearls to use in this and many other projects, visit Cathay Gems at cathaygems.com.

How To Make Drop Pearl Earrings

cathaygems — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:48:21 CDT

Select your earring settings and your half drilled pearls. South sea shell pearls are wonderful for this type of project! You can choose from a variety of colors and sizes.

Mix the jeweler's epoxy or glue thoroughly. Apply generously to the the first earring setting.

Add more epoxy to the hole drilled in the pearl, and seat the pearl firmly onto the pearl settings.

Repeat for the second earring and setting. Congratulations! You have made yourself a pair of gorgeous drop pearl earrings that are certain to complement your wardrobe.

For pearls, jewelry making materials, wholesale freshwater pearls and all pearl findings and accessories visit our website at www.CathayGems.com

Watch this wiki for more easy, fun tips on making your own pearl jewelry!

Make Your Own Pearl Earrings!

GraceAlexander — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:48:34 CDT

Making your own pearl earrings is easy and fun with this instructional video from Cathaygems!

You will need:

2 half drilled round or button pearls of whatever size and shape or color you desire

2 earring settings, your choice of gold or silver

Any good jewelry glue or epoxy, and a bone needle or blunt toothpick

Mix your epoxy thoroughly. Use the needle or toothpick to fill the hole in the pearl completely with the glue.

Insert the earring setting,press it firmly into the epoxy filled hole, and set the base firmly up against the pearl.

Set the finished earring securely in a safe place to dry. Repeat for the matching earring.

Let them dry thoroughly, and enjoy your new earrings!

You can make so many different pairs of earrings depending on the wide variety of pearls available!

All of these supplies and more can be found at Cathaygems.com!

Matching Sunburst Pearl Earrings and Pendant Necklace

GraceAlexander — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:40:46 CDT

Making a matched set is easy if you have the proper materials! You can make a beautiful set of jewelry to suit any mood, and color coordinate with your outfits.

You will need a pendant, a chain and a set of earring posts.
Choose your pearls with an eye to size and color for dramatic effect!

Also necessary are toothpicks or a bone needle, and jeweler's cement or glue. Make sure you have a place to set your finished work so it can dry undisturbed!

The method again is simple - just mix your glue, apply to the inside of the pearls, and seat the posts of the earrings securely against the pearls.

Do the same for the pendant, being careful to clean off any excess glue! You can use a slightly larer pearl for the pendant to balance the effect, and use a color that will complement your wardrobe and skin tone!

Other designs you might like to try include:

A charming drop pearl earring in a delicate filagree setting. Or a gorgeous flower basket, for spring and summer wear!

As always, all materials and pearls are available at Cathaygems.com.

Check out our wide variety of pendants, earrings and loose pearls for all your jewelry crafting needs!

Making Your Own Pearl Jewelry

GraceAlexander — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:38:06 CDT

Making your own beautiful pearl jewelry is fun and inexpensive! You can buy loose pearls or strands of round or irregular pearls in every color of the rainbow and string and knot them yourself.

You can alternate colors to mix and match jewelry pieces with your outfits. Use graduated sizes of pearls for a striking effect, or string rows of matched pearls for a bracelet or choker.

Make long strands with the varied keshi pearls to loop and loop again around your neck. Try square pearls for a flat chain that will stand out in a crowd. Experiment with irregular pearls, mixing them with crystal beads or polished, drilled stones for a unique piece of your own creation.

Pearls are ageless, timeless - the stuff of legends, unsurpassed in their elegance. They are dressy enough for the most formal occasions, yet so simple they are not out of place with a sweater and jeans.

Don't be timid - start making your own pearl jewelry today!

Coming soon: Tutorials and videos of pearl jewelry making for beginners and advanced!

cathaygems Home

GraceAlexander — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:28:08 CDT

Welcome to Cathaygems!

Fine Custom and Ready-made Jewelry Pieces

Loose Pearls and Unfinished Temporary Strands to Make Jewelry

What Sets Cathaygems Apart from the Competition?

Because we are a true pearl farm-to-consumer supplier of pearls and pearl jewelry, we can offer the highest quality premium pearls. You pay no middleman's profit - that's how we keep our prices low, and enable you to afford the jewelry of your dreams!

We obtain cultured pearls directly from pearl farmers, immediately after they are harvested.

Cathaygems has on staff talented crafters who make our exquisite jewelry collection, and are also capable of creating your own custom design according to your specifications. We offer the highest quality of loose and temporary strand pearls in every color and shape for use in your own craftroom. Come and visit us for a look at our wide selection of drilled and undrilled pearls, as well as our unique jewelry!

You can find pearls of every color, shape and size at Cathaygems.
Let your imagination go and create your own unique jewelry.

Pearl Arts and Crafts

cathaygems — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:12:18 CDT

What a Difference Pearls Can Make

Usually when you think of pearls one thing tends to come to mind: Jewelry. People often associate pearls with jewelry because that's what they're mostly used for. However, these natural gems do have other interesting uses. Throughout history they've not only used for fashion but been sewn into clothing or even furniture. You could have them put into your love seat or even adorn your running shoes with them. So while we're on the subject here are the basics you need to think about when considering arts and crafts with pearls.

Firstly, not all pearls are created equal. They come in a wide variety of shapes, colors and grades to choose from such as coin pearls, keshi pearls, baroque, biwa and even round pearls. You need to take into consideration the cost however. Some pearls, like round pearls, tend to be pretty rare and will cost a lot more to obtain, so you have to be careful with them, size factors into this as well too. So before you even begin to think about what you might want to do, always consider your total budget. You can make great gifts without having to break the bank. Another thing to never forget is drilling, which can contribute to potential loss of pearls, and what you're stringing them on is critical for that. If you thread your pearls over leather it's going to mean a bigger hole than silk thread.

Pearl selection is crucial. If your craft has a theme to it then color and shape will play the biggest role in making it work. For example say you're constructing a jewelry box with a red garden theme to it. A good idea would be to use multi-colored pearls for the flowers and then have a selection of green colored pearls for grass and stems. Be sure to maintain consistency by selecting pearls of roughly the same size and shape (100% matches aren't necessary but get it as close as you can.) After all you wouldn't want a flower that's smaller than its stem, that'd make it appear lopsided. Likewise be sure to take color into consideration, especially when making gifts, you don't want your recipient to find it tacky. Of course if you want to make abstract art on purpose then there's absolutely nothing wrong with either (artist Jackson Pollack would be proud.)

Now when creating your item, the first thing you should do is get a full sized sketch of it and measure the sizes so you can get a very exact idea of what sort of pearls you'll need based on it. Keep in mind that not all pearls are symmetrical, some may have an odd shape on one side or another and some may even look as if they were glued together. In short, it pays to do your homework. When ordering also be sure to only order small samples at first to see how it matches up to what you've envisioned. In the world of pearls, size does matter and you don't want to get pearls that are too big or too small for what you're doing.

Some pearls are naturally shaped into very unique styles that may be perfect for what you're doing. For instance take teardrop and rice pearls; You could create a crying clown by using teardrop pearls for the tears or create a rainy day portrait with the rice pearls as your raindrops. Use the styles to your advantage whenever you can to make a clever twist on your design; Just be sure to again keep the budget in mind. While size does matter bigger is not always better since the larger your pearls are the more they're going to cost and the harder they'll be to find. If a large pearl is too expensive try getting multiple smaller pearls that look alike and can be grouped together to replace their larger counterparts.

Now of course you've got to find your medium that you're going to be using before going any further. Will you be using cardboard, wood, or metal for a base material? What kind of glue will you need? Is there thread involved and does it need to look good or be strong? Take a look at others pearl related projects before you start on your first one of your own. Art supply stores should carry all kinds of glue, thread and other basic crafting materials; For the heavy duty stuff like wood or metal however, head to home improvement stores like Lowes or the Home Depot to stock up.

Well, now that we've got that out of the way here are some ideas you might like for gifts or other art projects you could try. If it's your first time I'd recommend starting out with the simpler ones:
Ideas for gifts: The possibilities are endless if you want to create a pearl-based gift for a loved one or a friend. Maybe she’d like a cute headband embedded with pearls of her favorite color. These activities are relatively easy as you can purchase any of these items from any store such as Target or Wal-Mart and then you can imbed the pearls into any of these items with some strong glue and a little elbow grease. Be sure to sketch a design first before attempting to glue on the pearls themselves (make sure that the pearls that you are using are compatible with the glue you are using; if you prefer, you can attach a string of pearls to the headband and fasten them with a metal fastener).

Craft Projects: Looking for a really cool craft idea to give to a friend? Why not give them a picture frame? But you don’t have to give them just any old picture frame; you can accessorize it with pearls! You can go to almost any craft store as well as places like Target and Wal-Mart; they do have frames for sale in various sizes (i.e. 3” x 5”, 5” x 7”). This way, you won’t have to make your own frame, which might take awhile. With some pearls (of course), some strong glue and a little bit of creativity; you can create a unique, pearl photo frame that will add style to any photograph! You also might want to string the pearls to keep them secure, too. Here’s a website that might be helpful to you if you would like to make your picture frame with an ocean theme: http://www.shellcraft-guides.com/unique-photo-frames-01.html.

Items for personal use: Want to jazz up your everyday items? Try imbedding your brush and comb with small pearls! You can even deck out your hand mirror with them, too! You can make cool star or cross designs in the back of your hand mirror or just dazzle the handle with a single teardrop pearl. The sky is the limit when it comes to your imagination!

Accessories for the home: So you’re thinking about getting rid of that boring lampshade because it doesn’t look nice enough. Well, have you considered adding pearls to your lampshade? You can use your own design or use a stencil. Be sure to sketch your designs first before adding the pearls to the lampshade.
Accents for clothing: Want to add some flair to your evening gown or your grandmother’s old wedding dress? Add some pretty pink pearls to the neckline! You can either lightly glue them in or sew them into the neckline.
Jewelry: One of the pearl’s main uses is jewelry. You can use one of the same kind and color of pearls or mix them up or use two or three of a kind to create a custom, one-of-a-kind pearl necklace! You can also create bracelets, rings, earrings, pendants, or even anklets! All you need is a silk strand, pearls, clasps, some jewelry making tools, and your creativity!

Handbags: So you can’t afford a Dolce and Gabbana purse or a Louis Vuitton handbag, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t add some style to the purse you currently have. Add some white rice pearls to your black handbag or purse. You may not be able to buy a Gucci handbag but at least your purse will look and feel like one!
In short, adding pearls to everyday items and even incorporating them in arts and crafts can make ordinary items look extraordinary. All you need are pearls, some jewelry making tools, glue, and your imagination, which is your only limit as to what kinds of cool stuff you can create. Add some beauty and luster to that old jewelry box. Jazz up that dark pink plastic bracelet with some lightly pink pearls. Even kids can have fun adding small pearls to their Converse shoes! Not only is pearl art a fun activity for adults but it also can be a fun activity for kids and teens, too! The sky’s the limit when it comes to making art with pearls!