Crafting Ideas with Glass Beads

The festive Christmas season is around the corner again and you will want to have decorations at home. You will definitely have many options at hand for your consideration but glass beads will stand out very well. Any celebration without decorations is not satisfactory and you should put that into serious consideration this festive season. There are very many ways in which you can use glass beads for decorations at home. The following are some of the top ideas you can think about:

• Making wreathes- these are good when hung on the doors to create the best first impression. You can purchase a plain wreathe and then decorate using these beads. Choose the color that matches that of your wreathe to ensure uniformity. It will help you to save on time.

• Making cards- the best gift to send to a friend or loved one during festive season like Christmas is a card. You have possibly been sending these cards each and every year and 2015 needs to be a bit different. That is possible through decorating using glass beads because you can customize as per your needs or those of the people you are targeting. The cards should also have customized messages that reflect the season.

In general, glass beads are very ideal for making decorations when you have a festive season approaching. The decorations vary and you will have the freedom of choosing the one that is in line with your satisfaction. Outdoor hanging décor is yet another option that you must consider for your festive season. This is what will help give your friends and visitors the best impression about your home and preparedness. The décor that you hang outside your house should be colorful and attractive.

It can be hung anywhere that eyes will have an easy time grasping. It can be on a tree or walls of the house as long as visitors will see that as the first thing once they arrive. Don’t place it where eyes will struggle a lot to see. With that, you will have the best use for glass beads as far decorations at home are concerned. When you hang, make sure the decorations are not on the path of wind. You will have nothing to complain about when seeking the best way to decorate for your festive celebrations.

Consider widely

Unless you are not keen on considering widely, chances are that you will easily settle for the best crafting ideas. You have to be creative in the choices you make. One of the biggest advantages of using glass for beads is that they are durable when handled with care. You should not mishandle glass beads because the material can break easily. Durability of glass material is assured but you must make the effort of ensuring that is upheld.

Don’t take anything for granted just because durability is assured. You must be seen to go out of your way in making sure your beads are durable and serve you for long.

Key Properties of Glass Beads

What makes glass beads so popular and a darling of many jewelers? You might have to do a lot of research before getting right answers to that. The truth is that key properties of these beads are the ones that make them unique and adorable. They can easily standout from the rest in the market and that is a reason enough to consider glass beads for your jewelry project. In making your choices, consider the following properties to ensure the choice you make is the right one:

• Size- this is a very critical property that should be given top priority all the time. The size of glass beads varies from one manufacturer to another and you must be aware of that. Also, size can depend on the specific part of the body they will be used. For instance, those for the neck will come in different size from those for the wrist. You must go for beads of a size that you feel will not be a burden to your body. It should match well with your own body size and any other accessories that you have put on.

• Shape- this is another property that must be given due consideration. Do you want rounded, rectangular or triangular shaped glass beads? All these are alternatives that you will get in the market for consideration. Some of the shapes might be difficult to access but you must leave to it that the choice you make is the ideal one.

• Surface- the surface of your beads can either be smooth or rough. Luckily for glass material, its surface is mostly smooth but that does not mean you will never get those with rough surfaces. You will get whatever you are looking for in terms of the surface texture so don’t limit your considerations.

• Chemical- the chemical property of glass material for making beads matters a lot. This is because glass beads seem to be unaffected anytime they are subjected to different environmental conditions unlike many other types in the market. Whether its pressure, temperatures, moisture or light irradiation; the beads remain natural.

• Thermal- this is a property of glass that you need to know about when buying the material for making beads. Glass has very low thermal expansion and that means beads have a very high dimensional stability whenever exposed to high temperatures. They can withstand the pressure coming from heat which translates to durability.

• Hard- naturally, glass comes with hardness thus it can be hard to break unless mishandled. If you handle your glass beads with a lot of care, they will serve you for long without breaking. The hardness assures beads durability and it’s something to think about seriously when making a choice.

• Transparent- you can see through the glass material and it’s yet another top property that makes it good for making beads.

When deciding whether to use glass for making beads or not, considering these properties will be a good starting point. It will help you understand very well what you are going for. 

Different Types of Glass Beads

Glass beads have been around for a long time. If you look back in history, you will find that these beads were in use during the Roman and Egyptian times. Glass is a popular material when it comes to bead making. There are different types of beads made out of glass to choose from in jewelry design. Some good examples of beads made from glass are cat-eye beads, lampwork beads, dichroic beads, and Venetian beads among others.

Cat eye beads

Cat eye beads are also known as fiber-optic beads. These beads are valued by jewelry designers because they capture and reflect light in a special way. When light passes through cat eye beads, it forms a band of light that makes the beads glow just like cat’s eyes. Cat eye beads are available in a variety of colors and shapes, and they make beautiful jewelry pieces.

Venetian glass beads

Venetian beads are also called Murano beads. The Venetian beads get their name from their origin. The first place they were manufactured was in Venice, Italy. However, due to logistical problems, the manufacturers moved the bead factories to an Island known as Murano and the beads started being referred to as Murano beads. Hence, these beads can either be referred to as Venetian or Murano beads. Venetian beads are quite popular in jewelry making because they make striking jewelry pieces.

Lampwork beads

Lampwork beads are beads made from glass that are handmade using a process known as lampworking. In lampworking, glass rods are melted, and the molten glass shaped into beads. The name lampwork comes from the fact that in the past when making lampwork beads the glass rods were melted using heat from lamps. Lampwork beads are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and they make beautiful jewelry.

Dichroic beads

Dichroic beads get their name from the fact that they are two-colored beads. These beads get their name from two Greek words; “di” meaning two and “chroma” meaning color. These beads are valuable because of their multicolored properties with their rainbow swirling patterns similar to what you see on soap bubbles. Dichroic beads make amazing jewelry pieces that are beautiful, affordable and colorful.

Use beads made from glass in creative projects

These are just a few examples of the beads made from glass available in the market. Apart from making jewelry, glass beads can be used in home decor, crafts projects, and embroidery. For example, you can use beads from glass to decorate pull chains. Another favorite way of using beads in décor is on light fixtures such lamps and candlesticks because they reflect light very well. You can also use these beads to embroider pillow cases and clothes.

Buy your beads online

Glass beads are available online at affordable prices.  The advantage of purchasing beads online is that it’s easy as you can do it from the comfort of your workshop or home. There is a wide variety of bead made from glass available online at affordable prices. So why not order your beads today!