Gothic Alice in Wonderland

Gothic Alice in Wonderland

 Lots to like about this Alice in Wonderland Key necklace. Silver in color with red/maroon metallic beads.
Available at Vamps Jewelry.  For other Alice in Wonderland Jewelry click here

The Glass Bead

The Glass Bead

Do you love glass beads?  Glass beads come in all forms of shapes, colors, & finishes, and are used by jewelry designers &, crafters to create and decorate all sorts of items. From jewelry, handbags, pillows, clothing to candle holders, artwork & such.

Did you know that glass beads have been made for about 9,000 years?  Glass for beads are made by mixing quartz sand, potash or soda, heated with lime.  Invented by the ancient Egyptians & Romans, they later appeared in India.

Beads are made in various ways:

Wound - where by molten glass is wound around a metal wire, then sliced and polished.
Lampwork - winding molten glass around copper wire heated over a lamp.
Mosaic - where segments of glass cane are fused.
Millefiori - Layers of colorful glass fused in cross section & melted onto the surface of the bead.
Blown - Where a craftsman blows into a glass tube that has a piece of molten glass on the end, turning the glass over heat until the desired size is reached.

Did you know that beads were equivalent to money, & were traded?  Hurray for the glass beads, as they continue to live on & be made into beautiful jewelry & other creative beautiful things.

To see some of our handmade jewelry made with glass beads click on over to our website Vamps Jewelry Boutique.