Jewellery Trends, Resolutions, Garnet Beads & 2014 Bead Planner

Have a great New Year's Eve! Scroll down, or click one of the links below on the html version to go to a certain section.

To go to the HTML version with colour photos click http://www.mrbead.com/january14.htm

See us in the UK over the weekend of 18/19th January at the Rock 'n' Gem Show - This was to be held at the Hob Farm, Belting, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6PY - however, due to flooding a new nearby venue has to be found (to be announced soon). From 10am each day - full details here. Claim a FREE GIFT, a MrBead bag & our 2014 calendar card.

Jewellery Trends for 2014
New Year Bead Resolutions
Garnet - January's Gemstone
Old MrBead Newsletters
Free 2014 Printable Planner
20% off Voucher

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New Jewellery Trends for 2014

Swarovski Gems in their Gem Visions 2014 report show design direction and themes to inspire for the coming year. Identifying trends, they anticipate 2014 jewellery to be dazzling and adventurous.

The influential designer spells ‘conversation’ as one word to sum up the coming style - using traditional coloured gemstones and imaginative ideas with exciting surreal and tribal designs, often with a travel theme.

Like Allegoroa, their daring new-year trend based on the word allegory meaning to use material forms to represent an abstract or spiritual concept. The jewellery uses intense colours and bold geometry to create a modern-sense of mythical spirits.

A similar style they call Cross Gender mirrors the ever-changing moods of today’s consumerism. Using the energy of bright pink, yellow, blue and white - the contemporary design reflects the independence of today’s youth to challenge convention.

The movement of masses from countryside to cities in Asia and their global influence is summed up with Zen-like jewellery called Minimal East. Traditional crafts blended with innovative technology are expressed with soft greens, greys, and a hint of Chinese lacquer red producing a modern sophisticated style.

One other jewellery trend Swarovski call Eldorado Remix is based on the upturn of modern Brazil, represented by rich tribal African colours and ancient sculptures. Like daring turquoise, amethyst and coral, blended with more-earthy tones of brown and grass-green.

Our calsilica beads reflect these styles with bold imaginative green and bright coloured stripes. See at MrBead.co.uk or MrBead.com.

New Year Bead Resolutions

Resolutions
New Years is a wonderful time to start something new. People make resolutions to eat better, exercise more, quit bad habits - but how many of us make resolutions about our beading? What better way to imprint the positive habit of creativity, by enjoying time with our beads and making new projects. It can help you find time to do a little something creative almost every day. And what could be a better resolution than that?

Think
Now is the time to decide what you'd like to make to start your New Year's beading projects. This can be a large or small project, a necklace or bracelet, an intricate item, even wall hanging. Or something significant, such as a baby announcement for a new child or grandchild, a wedding announcement in beads, a beaded plaque with a quote that means something important to you or loved ones.

Now!
The important thing is not to think I’ll start when “I get around to it” – you must start right away, go for it! You don't have to have every item you'll need to complete the project to begin. And it doesn’t have to take all day - just set aside an hour or so to get the project started. As long as you have something to begin. Often you'll find new beads along the way that will fit perfectly with the project.

List
Make a list of all supplies you need for the project. Tick off what you already have and order online what’s missing. Check for beading thread, needles, a loom if it necessary, the pattern, any instructions or tutorials you'll need, a bead board etc. Also, make sure that you have a place to do the beading, any work surface covers, plus somewhere to store the project while you’re not working. Keep the work in a secure place so it will not be tipped over accidentally or knocked off a shelf.

Organize
Plan some time, at least an hour, to get your new beading project underway. Have all the supplies you'll need in one spot so you can sit down and begin beading. If you need a particular book or print-out, be sure to have it ready to use. Mark the place in the book or have instructions from the internet printed out for reference. If you know you have some of the supplies on hand but that they are "buried", take a few minutes to dig them out and look over.

You don’t want to be put off a new project because the thread is the wrong colour or your clippers are too dull. If you are missing something for your project, you can often substitute it for something else. Use your imagination with what you have. Customizing or changing a published beading pattern is a way to add a bit of "you" to the original designer's creative vision and makes your beading even more special.

Gather all the items you have, even if it's just the beading needle, thread and pattern. If you have none of the other supplies, then at least thread the needle and read through the pattern. You could take time to mark rows on the pattern or to gather tools and look through the beads in your stash to work into the project. Go for it! Once you've taken the first step - the rest, including beads, tools and time to bead, will come easy!

Use our monthly 2014 planner to organize your beading schedule - click here

Garnet - January's Gemstone

What Is Garnet?
Garnet is January's birthstone, a name given to over ten gemstones with similar chemical structure. Although red occurs most, there are also shades of green, pale to bright yellow and fiery orange garnet. Some rare garnets even change colour from daylight to artificial light.

The word “Garnet” derives from the Latin “granum” meaning "grain”. Describing the typically rounded shape of the gemstone and also reminds of pomegranate seeds. Some rare garnets even change colour from daylight to artificial light. The name “garnet” derives from the Latin “granum” meaning "grain”. Describing the typically rounded shape of the gemstone and similar to pomegranate seeds. Garnet comes mainly from Africa, but also from India, Russia, Central and South America.

Benefits
54 Timeless Garnet Tumbled Nugget BeadsGarnet makes good jewellery because it’s very hard, and so resistant to wear. Garnet is said to symbolize happiness as well as deep and enduring love and friendship.

Garnet has been found in jewellery from ancient Greece, Rome, and dating back to 3100 BC in Egypt. Oriental warriors made garnet bullets because they believed these would inflict more harm. Others thought garnet brightened the night because of its high refraction of light - explained Noah’s garnet lantern to steer his Ark.

Travellers’ wore garnets to protect against evil, poison and wounds. It was also believed to help depression and prevent nightmares. Red garnet in particular is said to break a fever, stop bleeding and to reduce inflammation.

Modern garnet
Today, garnet is prized for its beauty rather than its magical powers. People like its naturalness, its brilliance, and colour of a sun-drenched Indian summer. Deep green garnets are the rarest and therefore expensive. Emerald green and colourless garnet is next rarest, followed by pure red.

See our garnet beads at MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk

Almost 9-Years of MrBead Newsletters!

April 2014 is the 9th full year of the MrBead newsletters, and I thank you all for such enthusiastic comments and appreciation. To see the past newsletters click here, or the complete archive here.

2014 MrBead Year Planner

For your free MrBead 2014 Planner click here

This planner will help you organize your beading projects and craft fairs in 2014. Each month is on an A4 page with boxes per day - Print it out and write your schedule and bookings in the date boxes. In green is the gemstone of the month to help you plan ahead. Very useful!

You will need Adobe reader to open this - but the program is already on 99% of computers and free download from Adobe. When downloaded, save to your computer and print.

New Year 20% Discount Coupon

Start the new year by sampling our beads with 20% off any order from our MrBead bead store, just key in PLANNER at the checkout and click "Redeem Coupon". Offer valid until Saturday 4th January 2014 only - so act now! Only for use in our store at the checkout and not valid with any other offers or eBay.

To see all What's New in our US store click MrBead.com or UK MrBead.co.uk

To go to the US MrBead store click MrBead.com. Or our UK shop at MrBead.co.uk
To see all old newsletters click here