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Tune in for the next stop on the JTV World Tour: India and Sri Lanka. These exotic locations are home to some of the world's best sapphire and diamond trading, but there are lots of other exciting gemstones found, traded and cut there. As always, JTV will bring you the best value in exceptional gemstones and jewelry during the JTV World Tour: India and Sri Lanka! You can view some of the behind-the-scenes photos on our facebook page at facebook.com/jewelrytelevision.
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We created a Jewel School by JTV Video on Demand for this design you can watch online. These are the written instructions to go along with the video. Beadalon makes such lovely wire and many of them seem far too pretty to hide under beads. I have been exposing wire in my work for over ten years, in fact, it’s how I met Beadalon and started this career! Using wire as a design element adds something very interesting to your repertoire. This wire fringe isn’t a new technique, but I’ve done something different here, inspired by grass skirts and thatched roofs from tropical locales. You can take this in endless directions! - Margot
Materials List from Jewel School by JTV
JLW2890M 21 12-12x3-5mm cherry glass stick beads
JLW842B 16 9mm smoky quartz round beads
JLW2202A 8 faceted cherry glass oval beads
JLW1769D Sterling silver EZ-Crimp™ toggle clasp
JLW1951 32 size 2 crimp beads
JSWR10E Beadalon .018 19 strand silver-plated wire
Tools List from Jewel School by JTV
PLIER35 Mighty crimper crimping tool
PLIER22 Chain nose pliers
PLIER 25 Flush cutters
Finished Length: 17”
1. Begin by cutting your fringe. You need 32 2.5” segments of wire.
2. Slide a crimp bead on both ends of a fringe segment and up to the center. Secure with chain nose pliers. The fringe ends should be equal in length. Repeat for all 32 segments.
3. To create the necklace, remove one of the EZ-Crimp ends from your clasp. Thread a 19” segment of wire into each of the remaining ends and secure wire with mighty crimper.
4. Thread both wires into a smoky quartz round. Thread one wire into one of the faceted ovals and thread four wire fringes on the opposite wire.
5. Thread both wires into a smoky quartz round followed by three stick beads and a second smoky quartz round. Repeat this established pattern making your way around the necklace until you reach the final smoky quartz round. (There are 8 fringed segments, to make this longer simply increase the pattern.)
6. Thread the wires into the open EZ-Crimp ends. Use your chain nose pliers to grasp and pull them flush to the smoky quartz round. Make sure that your weave is not too tight, this necklace should drape when worn. Secure ends with mighty crimper and cut off excess wire with flush cutters.
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JTV Watch Buyer, Jessica, shares what she saw in Basel, Switzerland at the Baselworld 2011, the watch industry's Big Show.
I arrived into Switzerland at 6:45am Switzerland time (1:45am back home) after a 9 hour flight from Atlanta, Georgia. The flight went by pretty quick for me. I haven’t been to the Baselworld show since 2008, but it is amazing how familiar it all was to me when I landed and started my venture. After I got my suitcase, I boarded a train to Lucerne which is where I will be staying for the week. It is about an hour train ride into Basel every day, but I love taking the train here. It is so peaceful and gives me time to wind down at the end of each day. Since the show doesn’t start until tomorrow, I spent most of my day walking around window shopping. Of course since I am in Switzerland, just about every other store you walk by is a watch store--every brand and style you can imagine. I can’t wait to get into the show tomorrow and see all of the new trends that will be revealed!
Today was the start of Baselworld 2011 and what an amazing day! The energy at this show is prevalent throughout as hundreds of thousands of people are all in one place admiring the new and exciting watches that top watch brands are introducing. Not to mention, the booths that are designed for each brand are unreal! One of the first booths that I saw had the largest fish tank inset into the booth with hundreds of fish swimming around. (see picture).
Top Brands spend so much time and money designing and building their booths each year for Baselworld and it shows. I saw everything from large marble staircases to huge waterfalls designed into booths.
In the four days that I attended the show, I saw everything in watches from classic styling to the most unique forms of art. One of the most unique watches that I saw was one that the entire dial and bezel was made from actual volcano ash.
Common trends for ladies watches that I saw throughout the show were white watches, quite a bit of ceramic watches or at least more affordable versions that had the look of ceramic. Many brands are also experimenting with different ways to embellish the dials; floral patterns of crystal, painted enamels and filigree styling. I really liked this trend I saw because it allows you to have a more classic look to your watch, but add some color and fun by the dial artwork.
I am so excited that I was able to find several watches and categories of watches that I am sure our customers are going to love! Stay tuned to future blog updates as these watches start to make their way to us here at JTV and hopefully on your wrists in the near future!
Life in Switzerland, outside of the show….
I got so lucky in that I was given a hotel room that had a balcony that overlooked the river in Lucerne. Each morning before I started my day and each evening I sat on the balcony, drinking wonderful coffee and just taking in all of the beauty of this amazing city in Switzerland. Ducks and swans swam together throughout the river and each day the swans would swim up to anyone that had food and eat bread right out of their hands. I even saw a few walk up the steps near the river to fetch the bread. Each night the streets were full of people eating outside by the river, bagpipes and music playing in the background and church bells chiming. And did I mention the food is AMAZING! From Italian to traditional Swiss, I never had a mediocre meal the entire time.
I’m finishing up the blog on the plane headed home with only 3 hours left of a 9 hour flight. I am exhausted but full of energy at the same time. I am so excited to see my family and to get back to JTV for our “Watch This Watch Expo” starting on Wednesday, March 30th. You won’t be disappointed with the variety of watches JTV will be showing, and some of our most popular items are back in stock for the event, plus we will offer special pricing throughout the event!
Signing off from 30,000 feet!
Jessica, JTV Watch Buyer
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JTV wants to help you go global this Spring by adding prints, textures, and bold colors to your wardrobe. Python is the new animal print. Florals are still in, as well as batiks and south-western designs. The chunkier the jewelry the better, so don’t be afraid to layer necklaces or stack bracelets and rings! Look for carved pieces, statement necklaces with large medallions, and large rings in sterling silver.
The sterling silver ring above is inlayed with tiger’s eye and turquoise and looks great with any long maxi dress, a cropped jean jacket, and sandals.
Wear the turquoise and red coral statement necklace on the left with a cute tunic and leggings. Complete the look with a pair of fun wedges.
Try the purple turquoise bracelet from our Artisan Gem Collection on the right with an embellished tank top, a peasant skirt, and gladiator sandals.
Tune in to Jewelry Television for special values on all of our Spring Unique jewelry collections, or shop the entire Spring Unique Jewelry collection online on jtv.com. So many ways to get your Spring style on!
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Hello, Jewel Schoolers!
Spring has sprung in the Smoky Mountains! Flowers are bursting forth in a symphony of color. Buds are forming on the trees, slowly turning them from shades of grey to vivid green. The robins and squirrels are busily gathering grasses (and parts of my car) to build their nests. Yes, I said parts of my car. This is the second time our car has been eaten by a squirrel. Frustrating, yes, but makes a good story, no?! Every passing day brings changes to our mountain view and we’re all looking forward to warmer weather and longer days here in Knoxville.
There’s lots of excitement at Jewel School this month. Team Jewel School is gearing up to attend the Southern Women’s Show in Nashville from April 14 through April 17 with JTV! We’ll have a pavilion at the show where you can come meet some of your favorite JTV personalities. This is a huge event and we are pleased as punch to be participating. We hope you can make it; we simply can’t wait to meet you in person! Some familiar Jewel School vendors who will be in our booth doing live demonstrations include Katie Hacker of Beadalon, Jackie Truty of ArtClay™ , Katie Baum for Lisa Pavelka , Brenda Abdoyan for Bajidoo, Barbara Carlton creator of Jewelry Designer Manager, and many more. Please join us for the show by day and enjoy Nashville after hours, too!
You can watch Jewel School by JTV every Thursday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. until Noon EDT! Tune in on Sunday, March 27 for Dale ‘Cougar’ Armstrong with Beadalon! We’re so excited--we just can’t hide it! There are new beads in a wide variety of pretty colors coming in weekly to perk up your designs for the spring and summer months ahead. While we’re on the topic of perking up, we are highlighting Peggy Wolff, one of Jewel School’s most devoted cheerleaders, and most frequent project contributors in this month’s newsletter. Peggy shares her unbridled enthusiasm for jewelry making and her passion for Jewel School. We love hearing from you and seeing your creations, so please keep them coming! Who knows, maybe you can be our featured customer in a future newsletter.
We spotlight this year’s most directional color in this issue, sharing some tonally apropos inspirational design projects and materials. It’s all about PINK and we’ve got plenty of pretty pink beads you can pop into your designs to make them fashion forward and fabulous!
The Jewel School by JTV project of the month is from Wyatt White for Beadalon. Wyatt has generously given us directions on how to make perfect spirals and turn them into pendants. It is so easy!
Before we wrap it up, here is some exciting news! The Jewel School production team just wrapped up shooting our first new DVD. Over twenty hours of taping, months of planning, and hours of hard work on the part of many, many people have gone into making the first of an ongoing series of DVDs we’ll be creating on a regular basis here at JTV. Stay tuned!
Happy Beading,
Margot Potter, Jewel School by JTV Education and Creative Coordinator
Dale "Cougar" Armstrong is bringing her wire wrapping skills to Jewel School on Sunday, March 27, 2011. Dale is joining Jewel School as a jewelry design expert, and will appear on the Jewel School Show on Jewelry Television on Sunday, March 27th, from 9am to noon, Eastern.
Known throughout the crafting world as Cougar, Dale’s love for beautiful rocks and lapidary plus training in cloisonné and repoussé centered her talents on wire jewelry artistry. Vivacious and lively, a love of sharing her creative skills abounds in the classroom, before the camera, and in the best-selling book, Wirework: An Illustrated Guide to the Art of Wire Wrapping.
Jewel School Divisional Merchandising Manager, Jeffrey Banks, welcomes Dale to the team. He adds, “We know Dale as an instructor and talented designer willing to share years of experience with the perfect audience, our Jewel School customers. Her career mirrors our goals of keeping jewelry making creatively fresh, fun, and fashionable. We look forward to working with Dale!”
Well-known as a wire-wrapping teacher at national jewelry making events across the country, the high energy designer shares pointers she has learned from making and remaking jewelry until it satisfies her creative eye. As a member of the Beadalon Design Team, Dale is able to incorporate the latest product trends from the nationally known jewelry supply company in her designs. Dale's working studio, Cougar’s Creations, is located in southeast Tennessee. Dale will appear on Jewel School on Sunday, March 27 from 9:00 a.m. until noon.
Rockin' Resin with Lisa Pavelka Resin Kit - JTV item number
1. Art Clay™ Silver Deluxe Beginner’s Kit ARTCLY02
2. Rockin’ Resin with Lisa Pavelka Resin Kit LPK01
3. Lazee Daizee™ Viking Knit Wire Weaving Tool Kit JST448
4. Beginning Wire Wrap Kit with Instruction Booklet out of stock* JSKIT004
5. Jewelry Designer Manager™ Pricing Jewelry Made Easy Software SOFT01
6. Wire Twister and Jump Ring Mandrel Kit out of stock* JSKIT0016
7. Advanced Wire Wrap Kit JSKIT005
8. Wire Wrapping Took Kit out of stock* JSKIT0015
9. Twisted Crystals and Captured Heart Kit LTK02
10. 5 Stick Strands Howlite, Jasper, Cherry Color Glass, Unakite JLW1995
*We are reordering the out of stock items.
The mantra for 2011, according to the world’s foremost color authority, is “Think pink!” You’re going to be seeing a delightfully delicious shade of red-pink emerging in everything from fashion to jewelry to stationary to home décor. Color trends are ever-evolving and last year’s directional color--turquoise--works perfectly with this saturated pink. It’s an upbeat, quirky, kicky color that will infuse your jewelry designs with a touch of whimsy and femininity.
You can add just a splash of nature’s bright pink to a neutral palette or embrace it full force with a Bollywood inspired theme combining it with vivid blues, bright greens and saturated oranges (all directional colors for Spring 2011.) There will be no escaping this rosy shade this year, so one might as well embrace it!
We have lots of lovely pink beads here at Jewel School in a wide variety of materials. If you select ‘pink’ in your bead search at jtv.com/jewelschool, several pages of fabulous choices will appear! I’m quite fond of rose quartz rose quartz, pink tourmaline pink tourmaline and the hot pink cracked quartz beads. These all offer very different takes on the color pink. If you want something a little more subtle and understated, try rhodonite, pink opal or pink marble. For our wire wrapping aficionados, you simply can’t beat the vibrancy and beauty of Drusy focals.
Pink works well with a variety of colors, if you’d like some more pink ideas, follow the links to these three jewelry-making projects on our JTV blog. Inspired to ‘think pink?’ Send us your creations and we’ll share them on Jewel School!
Pink Ribbon Exposed Wire Necklace , Confetti Cake Necklace, Peppermint Patty Jewelry Set
Working gemstone beads into a jewelry design can add value and beauty to a finished piece and help justify the cost of using some of nature’s finest treasures. A few gemstones give something a little extra known as "phenomena" by playing with light and creating striking eye appeal. When selecting gemstone beads for your next project, you may see some words that are commonly used when describing certain gemstone phenomena.
Phenomena are special optical properties exhibited by certain minerals and gemstones. Examples include chatoyancy (cat’s eyes), asterism (stars), adularescence (a shimmer or sheen that moves), and labradorescence (metallic iridescence). The three most common phenomena found in gemstone beads are aventurescence, color change, and iridescence.
Aventurescence (uh-vehn´-chu-REHS-uhns) is a glittery metallic display most commonly associated with aventurine quartz and feldspar. The phenomenon is caused by small leaf-like or plate-like inclusions interspersed throughout the host material. Light striking the surface of these inclusions is reflected back to the viewer, creating an eye-catching sparkle.
Color change is an optical characteristic of a small number of minerals and gemstones. The best-known color change gemstone is alexandrite. When viewed in sunlight, this phenomenal variety of chrysoberyl turns greenish. When observed under incandescent light, the gemstone appears reddish. Other color change gemstones include sapphire, garnet, spinel, and tourmaline.
Iridescence (ihr´-ih-DEHS-uhns) is a rainbow-like play of colors on the surface or within gemstones. Fire agate is a gemstone exhibiting this optical effect. Pearls can have an allure or iridescence known as the orient.
Having trouble making perfect spirals? Wyatt White of Beadalon graciously sends along a tutorial with directions on how to turn the spiral into a pendant. Lots of close-up photos, too! Get the detailed How To's here: Download Spiral pendant 031811
Jewel School customer Peggy Wolff is such a good friend and she stays in touch, often sending pictures of her work. Peggy is living a very interesting life that began in New Jersey where she spent her childhood years. After finishing college in California, Peggy moved to one of the major artist colonies in the U.S., Taos, New Mexico. “After completing two years at Middlebury College in Vermont, I set out on a four-month bicycle tour of Northern California. It wasn't long before I moved to San Francisco with plans of seeing the Grateful Dead as many times as possible while living in the Bay Area. And that I did! After living in San Francisco for ten years, I yearned to live in a more rural area and headed out to Taos, New Mexico to live in an off-the-grid sustainable community. In Taos, I met my husband and we eloped to Hawaii and married on a beach in Maui. We decided we would stay in New Mexico, build an adobe house, and live with our dogs and Nitro the Cat in an extremely quiet place that is beautiful beyond measure."
Peggy says she found beading while recovering from surgery due to an accident. "One day, bored and flipping around TV channels, I ran across Jewel School and I have never looked back. I discovered that I could, indeed, bead, wrap, sculpt, and make jewelry! Peggy adds that, “Beading brought beauty back into my life. After my surgery, I was very depressed because I had gone from being an extremely active 40-year-old woman to being a "permanently partially disabled" 40-year-old woman. But looking at the course of my life in retrospect, I never would have discovered gems and jewelry-making had this accident not happened.
“The sense of accomplishment and joy that I experience just out of the act of creating and making people happy, by giving or selling them something that makes them feel beautiful, is immeasurable. Plus, I just love the beads! I started out selling to friends, and then, through word of mouth, to their friends. Last year, I started selling my one-of-a-kind pieces in a gallery. The name I have given to my endeavor is Mesa Sea Jewelry.
“So far, my absolute favorite new medium is Art Clay™. The possibilities are truly endless. I am learning a variety of ways to set my stones, both faceted and cabachons, using both fine silver and sterling silver findings. I have learned how to make my own molds with the molding compound too. Additionally, I have just started making my own stamps using the photopolymer stamp kit that Jackie Trudy brought in and demonstrated. It is just too much fun! I truly believe that adding handmade silver components has taken my jewelry pieces to a whole new level. They have a different feel to them, a more organic feel. It's as if you can see a little bit more of me in the pieces where I have added Art Clay components. I am still learning. I also invested in a tumbler, and doing so has made working with Art Clay so much easier on my hands!”
Inspirations comes in many forms for an artist skilled at absorbing all that is around her. “Color play, texture, the weight and feel of the stones, visual balance, lore, the energies of and stories behind the stones and their names, beauty in the natural world, how light interacts with crystals, stones, and metals, how the piece feels on the skin, and an effort to reflect the personality of the person for whom I am making the piece in the piece so that they just adore wearing it!
Rhodochrosite is at the top of my gemstone list. I love rhodochrosite in any of its many forms and qualities. Another favorite is turquoise, popular in the Southwest where I live. Turquoise comes in so many shapes and colors, and from so many origins! I love it all, from fine robin's-egg-blue Sleeping Beauty turquoise with almost no matrix, to the rough, chunky blue-green nuggets coming out of China. Not only do I love the colors of turquoise, but the spiritual qualities that this gemstone holds are a gift to us. Silver is my metal of choice with turquoise, but recently I have been playing with turquoise and copper with beautiful results.”
Peggy offers advice to people new to beading, based on her experiences. “For me, the best pieces come from allowing the creative process to be free and instinctual. Allow yourself the option of changing your mind and starting all over again. Don't see starting over as wasted time but rather think of all you have learned from your mistakes, and do not get discouraged. Additionally, do not be so neurotic about wasting material that you do not allow yourself to freely use your jewelry-making components! Lastly, keep a journal of what inspires you. Look around you and take note of colors and textures that you like together. Open up those boxes of beads, look at them, touch them. Allow yourself to catch the "fever," and experience how rewarding making jewelry can be."
I would like to thank everyone at Jewel School and JTV for all of the hard work that it takes to provide ongoing education, inspiration, and fabulous products for its Jewel School customers. Thank you all so very much.”
Cheers,
Peggy Wolff
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Customers are posting on JTV's facebook page today that they are missing out on great pearls deals by not ordering soon enough. We've had sell-outs on many of our featured gemstone and jewelry items today, and it's only DAY ONE of the Hong Kong leg of the JTV World Tour! Don't miss out--there are so many ways to JTV: view our broadcast, watch us live online at jtv.com/live, watch and order on your smartphone. Or, never miss a new item--sign up for the JTV Daily Sneak Peek email to see all of the new items of the day each morning in your email! - Dana Sebby, JTV.com Online Community Manager
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Beginning Thursday, March 24th, Jewelry Television makes its next stop on the 2011 JTV World Tour, Hong Kong! This exciting destination hosts some of the top Gemstone and Jewelry Shows every year and JTV makes every effort to send our seasoned gemstone and jewelry buyers to these can't-miss events. See some of our behind-the-scenes photos on our facebook page at facebook.com/jewelrytelevision to get a feel for the hustle and bustle of the show, as well as the sheer majesty of the historical trade port that is Hong Kong. And tune in to Jewelry Television, watch jtv.com/live, or watch us on your mobile phone, to own a piece of the Hong Kong gemstone and jewelry trade. We'll bring you incredible JTV-only deals on loose pearls and color gemstones, or if you prefer, buy them already set into rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets or pendants. The choice is yours during the 2011 JTV World Tour! - Dana Sebby, JTV.com Online Community Manager
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JTV Watch Buyer, Jessica Sheridan, has packed her bags and is excitedly preparing to travel to Switzerland to attend the watch show of all watch shows--Baselworld! Taking place from March 24th through March 31st, 2011, Jessica will be scouring the show floors for the best of the best in quality timepieces to bring back to the Jewelry Television audience. She's seeking new brands that offer styles to suit everyone, precision craftsmanship, and, of course, unparalleled value for the money! Here's a few points about the show that I got from Jessica recently:
We know Jessica will bring home a tremendous selection of watches sure to please our discriminating JTV customers. Here's a recent customer review on this Ladies Lucien Piccard ceramic watch, JTV item number DLP002B: "This watch is beautiful... and like all of my Lucien Piccard time pieces, it is of high quality inside and out. The high end ceramic is equally as beautiful as my gorgeous $3,000 Technomarine black ceramic diamond watch. As I do not want to wear this expensive time piece all the time, I was very happy to stumble across the JTV show presenting this beautiful watch and I hurriedly ordered both the black and white and I luv luv luv them!!! I have been researching high quality ceramic watches over three years and this price/value is a super good buy." - Watchlady, St Louis, MO
Stay tuned to the blog for updates from Jessica at Baselworld. And be on the lookout as Jewelry Television and JTV.com bring you new brands and new styles in timepieces.
- Dana Sebby, JTV.com Community Manager
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Jewelry Television and jtv.com have so much in store for you this weekend I decided I had better put a quick weekend update out on the blog! We're deep into the JTV World Tour and there will be loads of precious sapphire, zircon and more from Thailand available at incredible JTV prices.
Jewelry lovers, we have the easiest, breeziest necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings that go perfectly with the JTV Spring Romantics trend. Feminine is in! Lace, soft pastels, muted prints, and ruffles are all great this season. Check out our New Romantics collection of jewelry at JTV.com. Think: layers of peal strands, drop earrings, and rings in a flower motif.
And lastly...got Bajidoo? Watch the video below and find out why Jewel School by JTV is so excited about the upcoming show on Sunday, March 20th at 9:00am Eastern Time. You won't want to miss the JTV special offers over the weekend on gemstones and jewelry and jewelry making supplies. - Dana Sebby, JTV.com Online Community Manager
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JTV World Tour Thailand: JTV Buyer Choi Visits the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Inside The Chanthaburi Gem Market in Thailand
As the JTV World Tour heads to Thailand this week, Choi from our Bangkok buying team wanted to share some beautiful imagery from Chanthaburi, one of the world’s most important gemstone trading centers. Chanthaburi’s famous Gem Market has a stately Catholic Cathedral that is now a little over 100 years old, known as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and is Thailand’s largest Catholic church.
At the end of 2010, the Church became home to a beautiful stature of the Virgin Mary which is studded with all precious gemstones. Taking more than a year to complete, the statue is crafted from gold and silver and is studded with over 200,000 gems!
The statue was gifted to the church by the Chanthaburi Christian gem dealers and goldsmiths community. Once completed, it was carried to the church in a river boat procession across the Chanthaburi waters before being placed in its present position. JTV Gemstone Buyer, Choi, tells us he was very humbled to witness the arrival of the statue to the Cathedral.
The Statue was not only constructed for religious reasons: it was also made to represent Chanthaburi as a world leader in the gemstone trade, and processing of sapphires, rubies, spinel and other exotic gems from around the world. The Virgin Mary stands tall on the globe beneath her feet. The gems used to complete the statue are primarily sapphires from Songea (in Tanzania), Thailand and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The statue stands 120 centimeters in height, which is almost 4 feet.
Thailand is a land of many beautiful gemstone creations. Join JTV as we bring you sapphire, spinel, ruby and more from this enchanting stop on the 2011 JTV World Tour.
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