Choosing the Right Beads to Make the Perfect Gift

Creating a handmade piece of jewellery is a fun and inexpensive way to make completely unique gifts for friends, family or even as a treat for yourself. Handmade necklaces, bracelets and earrings will be treasured for many years as they look great and the person who receives the gift will know you put that little bit of extra time and effort into making a gift that’s perfect for them. Once you have the right tools such as versatile pliers, wire cutters and bead reamers, all you need are the right beads to start work on your creation. Which beads are the right ones for your design and your loved one though? The guide below should help you decide.

Swarovski crystals

Choosing these stunning crystal beads means you can make jewellery suitable for the most discerning jewellery wearer. Swarovski is the leading name in luxury crystals. Their crystal beads come in a wide variety of colors including pink and red and shapes such as hearts and butterflies so you can achieve the exact look you want.

Jewellery choice... pendant necklaces for a simple and sophisticated look.

Perfect for... putting a smile on your girlfriend’s or wife’s face when she receives a thoughtful and unique piece of jewellery made by her partner.

Bone beads

Bone beads are just that – beads made from bones, usually from the bones of cattle or goats. These beads are polished and sometimes decorated with paint or cut into unique shapes to be used as jewellery beads. They are usually available in rounded or tube shapes and in a range of natural colors such as white, brown and black.

Jewellery choice... team up with a leather cord necklace for a rustic look.

Perfect for... men who like the great outdoors as the natural materials create an antique and masculine look.

Character beads

Cats, dice, ladybirds and a whole range of other objects and animals are available in bead form so you can find the right look to match the right person. Usually made from porcelain or glass, these shinny and fun beads make a cute addition to any piece of jewellery. Brightly colored and patterned beads with animals, flowers and other miniature pictures are also available in Fimo.

Jewelery choice... these fun and colorful beads can be mixed with rounded beads to create cute charm bracelets.

Perfect for... older children who love animals or teenagers who are into the cool and edgy look of dice jewellery.

Semi precious beads

Semi precious gemstones come in a huge range of colors but they all have one thing in common – the shinny, luxurious look of precious stones. Gemstones are cut and polished to enhance their natural color and texture which makes them ideal for jewellery. They can be mixed with other stones or look equally stunning with the same color used throughout a piece of jewellery.

Jewelery choice... as semiprecious stones are available in so many different shapes it makes them ideal for all types of jewellery. Funky earrings can be made from chips of semi precious stones for example.

Perfect for... birthday presents, as many semi precious stones such as amethyst and turquoise are also birthstones.

The next time you need to buy someone a gift, give them something extra special and create a handmade, unique piece of jewellery just for them. If you need somewhere to buy beads online try The Bead Shop.