Welcome to the Largest Kenneth Jay Lane Catalog Anywhere on the Web

These porcelian fragments are set in sterling with a loop for hanging. See more details & larger photo at naturals page. The colors are delicate, and pearls are a natural background for these!

A Bit of Beads by Mail History

Here's a look at my bead collection from 1988, when I started Beads by Mail. I got a lot of requests for a delicate yet detailed horse carving, such as the one in the center, and now I found more, even more beautiful. Also in the photo, amber beads, lapis pendant, turquoise, garnet, amethyst, enameled silver, Murano glass, etc. Almost 20 years later & I haven't strayed far from my original concept. (All items in this photo were sold, if you have questions about any let me know)

Well that's it for now. Plenty of gorgeous new stuff to see!

Beads by Mail Newsletter June 2007: Did you Know?, Raku for Jewelry, Book Recommendation, New Page Added

Raku for Jewelry--To see more click here.

Primitive flavor Raku bead/Pendant

These striking, dramatic beads are 2-sided. One side has the coppery iridescent raku colors. The other side has an engraving of a Japanese gentleman. Each is drilled both ways so you have your choice of how to string it. Somewhat 3-dimensional. Size 2" high x 3/4" wide. African raku pendant, $28.00 each.

Raku Explained

Raku is a technique, originating in Japan, used in firing pottery that results in beautiful iridescent colors and abstract shapes. The use of a reduction chamber at the end of the raku firing was introduced in the 1960s, in order to compensate for the difference in atmosphere between wood-fired Japanese raku kilns and gas-fired American kilns. Typically, pieces removed from the hot kiln are placed in masses of combustible material e.g., straw, sawdust, or newspaper in order to provide a reducing atmosphere for the glaze, and to stain the exposed body surface with carbon.

Although almost any low-fire glaze can be used, potters often use specially formulated glaze recipes that "crackle" or craze because the crazing lines take on a dark color from the carbon.

The process is known for its unpredictability, and pieces may crack or even explode due to thermal shock. The glaze firing times for raku ware are short, an hour or two as opposed to up to 16 hours for high-temperature stoneware firings. This is due to several factors: raku glazes mature at a much lower temperature (under 1800°F, as opposed to almost 2300°F for high-fire stoneware), kiln temperatures can be raised rapidly, and the kiln is loaded and unloaded while hot and can be kept hot between firings.

Because temperature changes are rapid during the raku process, pieces used for raku ware must be able to cope with significant thermal stress. The usual way of dealing with this is to incorporate a high percentage of quartz, Grog (prefired clay that has been finely ground), or Kyanite into the body before the pot is formed. Each of these materials is used to add strength to the clay body and to reduce thermal expansion. Kyanite is often the preferred material because it contributes both mechanical strength and, in amounts up to 20%, it significantly reduces thermal expansion.

Did You Know ...

While science has been traditionally identified as dominated by men, women were responsible for inventing bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers.

A German company has built the first washing machine that talks and recognizes spoken commands. Now if it could only load itself!

Neglected plants will cry for help. When thirsty, they emit high-pitched sounds that are too high for the human ear to hear. Is that why your dog is circling your aspidistra?

Meryl Streep's Oscar Necklace

Meryl Streep loves unique, artistic jewelry and this necklace really caught my eye. I don't know if the large centerpiece is silver, gold, or gemstone, but the piece was designed by Fred Leighton so it is probably priced in the several thousands of dollars. This necklace projects a primitive flavor since it consists of colors and stones that one finds in ethnic or tribal jewelry. It's so refreshing to see a designer original instead of the boring diamonds all the other women borrow for the night.

The necklace consists of 2 strands, one supporting the centerpiece, and one of beautiful red coral on the inside. The large red beads are surely red Med coral, very costly & hard to get in that size.

This inspired me to experiment with some of my unusual pieces and did some layouts with combinations of jade, coral, fluorite, sterling, black lacquer, and other gems. Feel free to adapt or copy any of these. All the beads and pendants are in stock so you can make your own unique design for a lot less $$. To locate any of these on the site, surf through our gemstone designers' collection. We also have lots of beautiful sterling spacers & beads on the metals page.

NEW--Beautiful Citrine Faceted Drops, Best Facetting & Calibration

Here are 3 different cuts of citrine in drops. Finely calibrated to fractions of a millimeter, a trait of fine stone cutting. The color is very rich and natural! Top row, checker facetting on diamond shaped drops, sparkles galore, 8mm square, top drilled, 20 drops per strand, Citrine checker drops, 20 pieces, $55.00.

Art Nouveau Belt Buckle SOLD

This buckle will add an elegant touch to your spring and summer outfits. You can also adapt it to perform as a centerpiece of a necklace just weave a ribbon or scarf into the holders on the back or attach supporting beads to the loops. Would look fab supported by a natural turquoise strand! It is very old and has a burnished antique goldtone finish with turquoise accents and cream enameling, lightweight. I have had this for many years and the metal is the same color as when I acquired the piece. Size is width 4.5" height 2". Art Nouveau buckle, $45.00. We have lots more antique & vintage jewelry on our Vintage page.

Jewelry from Antiquity

This is exhibited at the British Museum, a graceful silver piece that attaches to a cloak. It's quite similar in feeling to a tribal neckpiece that I acquired years ago from a Persian merchant, see below.

I believe this elaborate piece was attached to the burka (Muslim woman's tentdress). I like the idea that it is now a wonderful design to convert into a necklace to wear with a low neckline. It has sturdy hooks on each end and in the center and would easily convert to a necklace. Chimes with soft bell like sounds when you move. It is in perfect condition. Tribal necklace, $155.00

More Design Ideas

If you see a style here that appeals to you email me so I can tell you where to locate the components.

An antique necklace of large gem beads from the British museum. You can get the same look with our larger gem tubes & chunks.

A delicate, pretty design with pearl "sticks" and amethyst spacers.

An all silver layout featuring our beautiful sterling rose bead. This would make a gorgeous gift for any lady.

Graceful and relaxing to wear, this combination of bone, horn, and delicate ink decoration says you have good taste.

Beads by Mail Newsletter January 2007: Turquoise

Pages with New Products:

• Faceted Gemstone Beads & Pendants
• Carved Gemstone beads & Pendants
• Turquoise & Coral
• Kenneth Jay Lane bracelets
• Kenneth Jay Lane rings
• Kenneth Jay Lane earrings

The name turquoise was given this stone because it appeared in Europe as a result of Turkish (Levantine) traders bringing it to wider markets. (Turquoise is the French word for “Turkish.”)

Turquoise has been revered for thousands of years. 5500 years ago Egyptians mined it for Hathor, the Mistress of Turquoise. A beautiful sky blue, blue-green or rich green, it’s a compound of hydrated copper and aluminum phosphate found in only a few locations on earth. The earliest mines were in Turkey and Persia.

Turquoise is a soft stone with a Mohs hardness of 5 - 6 and may even be softer with a whitish color.

Persian turquoise is clear pale blue, hard, stable, and many consider it the finest color. It is exceedingly rare. There are examples of antique jewelry made with Persian turquoise, but it is very scarce on the gem market. Shown at left is a priceless turquoise and diamond necklace from the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Set in white gold, it is said that the jeweler collected the turquoise stones over 20 years to make sure they were perfectly matched.

The next most treasured turquoise comes from the Sleeping Beauty Mine in Arizona. Sleeping Beauty has a pure intense turquoise color much like Persian, and it has a high value among jewelers and collectors. The mine is still open.

No matter the color, turquoise can change its hue as you wear it, because its porosity picks up oils and perspiration as well as soap residue. Therefore the term “stabilized” turquoise means that the stone will not change color. It is preferable to have a stone that remains the same color over the years.

Turquoise is believed to bring good luck and ward off disease.

Turquoise deposits occur in all kinds of rocks, igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary. The amount of copper determines how "blue" a stone appears. The best jewelry designs using turquoise are created in the Southwest US by Zuni, Hopi, Navajo, or Laguna artists. However, many of these designers use imported stones as well as those mined near their homes in Arizona, Nevada, or New Mexico.

left--from the Carico Lake mine right--from the Bisbee mine

The Cerrillos area of New Mexico was probably the largest producer of turquoise, mostly from open pit mines. Native Americans mined turquoise over a thousand years ago, sending it south to Mexico and the Yucatan.

Gallup, New Mexico is a center of turquoise trading.

One of the world’s finest collections of turquoise jewelry is in Taos, New Mexico at the Millicent Rogers Museum. Mrs. Rogers, a wealthy socialite known for wearing arms full of silver and turquoise bracelets, collected approximately 600 pieces of jewelry, mostly silver and turquoise, all hand-made by local artisans.

Turquoise is a sacred stone to many native peoples in the Americas and the Near and Far East as well as mountain areas like Nepal, Tibet, etc.

Bead Shapes

Round -- the most expensive

Heishi (hee-shee) -- narrow disc with hole in middle, usually small, not highly polished

Nugget -- can be any size and each is a unique shape, usually polished smooth

Chips -- slender irregular pieces with hole, not polished

Tube, Star, Cube, etc. -- these specific shapes are usually made from Chinese turquoise

Turquoise jewelry can be made from enhanced, heat-treated, or stabilized turquoise. There are some very good forgeries which are extremely difficult to spot. It has been so widely simulated that there are probably more forgeries on the market than the real thing. Here at Beads by Mail we always identify the origin and quality of the turquoise we offer.

BEADS BY MAIL NEWSLETTER December 2006

Pages with New Products:

• Cultured Pearl page
• Turquoise & Coral
• Kenneth Jay Lane

Queen's Emeralds Found off Florida

This is one of a pair of superb emerald earrings set in gold, about 5" long, that were discovered near the sunken wreck of a Spanish ship that foundered in 1715 off the east coast of Florida near Orchid Beach. The emeralds were in a sterling chased silver casket engraved with the Spanish Queen's insignia, although she was not on the ship, which was part of a flotilla of 4 ships that sank with a loss of life of more than 1,000 men. It is thought that the emerald jewelry was made by a South American jeweler and was on the way to Spain. Every gemstone expert who examined the treasure stated that he/she had never seen emeralds of such phenomenally high quality. Fred Leighton Jewelers purchased the hoard and priced it at $2.1 million. To see some more gorgeous gemstone jewelry go to fredleighton.com .

Read This Book

I highly recommend the book Jewels A Secret History by Victoria Finlay. It's a fascinating romp through gemstone history. The author has traveled widely and interviewed miners, dealers, archeologists, gem collectors, and many others with detailed and arcane knowledge of the world's gems. The author writes wonderfully well and although the topic could be boring, I couldn't stop reading. Overflowing with interesting gem lore! Publisher Ballantine Books, New York.

Drusy Chalcedony, Your Gem Lesson for the Month

Drusy is the name for the formation of tiny quartz crystals on the surface of or within another stone or mineral. When ground water carrying dissolved silica is forced into a porous area of the rock, rapid cooling often occurs, causing the formation of tiny crystals on the surfaces or in cavities of the rock. The clear crystals often form on top of previously deposited minerals. This is called a drusy. Some minerals found in this form are chalcedony, chrysocolla, malachite, ocean jasper, lapis. We show how drusy chalcedony looks in a brilliant blue hue. The surface of every pendant is covered with tiny effervescing crystals, very difficult to capture the liveliness and sparkle in a photo. Titanium drusy, shown in the next image, is drusy that has been coated with titanium and treated with electrical current to induce vivid, jewel-like colors. It produces a permanent metal coating in spectacular shades of purple, green, blue, pink.

To see more information & prices for drusy chalcedony go to our Facets page.

Tourmaline & Amazonite in the Rough--Your Gem Lesson for the Month

Due to the complex crystalline structure of tourmaline, its color and density respond to chemical changes as well as influx of foreign elements. Pink to red and several shades of purplish red are called rubellite. A blue variety is indicolite, and orange or brown tourmaline are called dravite. Tourmaline forms in pegmatite pockets in granite, and can also be found in veins containing beryl, mica, or distorted quartz crystal fragments. Gem quality tourmaline has been found in Maine, San Diego County California, Baja California, Mexico, and Canada's northwest territories as well as in Colorado. The intense bright pink color is very rare and highly valued. I am always looking for good pink tourmaline but it is exceedingly rare in bead form since carving beads causes too much waste.

Amazonite is a variety of spodumene and is a microcline type of formation, which comes in many colors. Amazonite is a medium green with lighter veins. The massive type of spodumene is opaque. Amazonite occurs in pegmatites where tourmaline is also found.

Pearl Crazy! Will the Naturals Become Extinct?

The quahog, a type of clam native to the Atlantic, produces a rare sought-after purple pearl usually quite large. However pearl hunters have opened up to 200,000 quahogs and never found a pearl. Are quahogs not happy lately? Scallops, abalone, conchs and Melo snails also may produce rare pearls. The Melo in particular makes a large brilliant gold-orange pearl that is extremely rare. The Hope diamond also has a pearl sister, the Hope pearl, a huge baroque piece of almost 300 carats. It is two inches long, and varies between 3 1/4 and 4 1/2 inches in circumference. It is on display at the British Museum of Natural History.

In 1999, a 23mm x 19mm Melo pearl was auctioned for $488,000.00. Natural pearls are increasingly rare these days as a result of pollution, increased ocean temperatures (cf. Al Gore), and overfishing. A 2-strand natural pearl necklace sold for more than $3 million (Geneva) in 2003. Occasionally, a flea market or local dealer may be selling a natural pearl for little money thinking it is a fake. One collector was fortunate to purchase a brooch for $14 that was auctioned for $500,000.00 due to the fact that it had 2 large perfect quahog pearls.

Do you ever wonder what exactly is the allure behind pearls? They appear to be an all-time classic. Why do people become so enchanted with these little round balls of oyster secretion? One thing for sure is that the enduring fascination with pearls is alive and well.

Here is a link to a fascinating page of pearl lore (copy the link & paste in your browser URL space): http://www.american.edu/ted/pearl.htm

Lapis Lazuli is the National Stone of Chile

Thought you might like to know ....

New High Quality Natural Turquoise

Chinese Turquoise

These Brilliant blue large nuggets are special and worth the time and thought you put into your jewelry designs.

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise

Sleeping Beauty, the gold standard of turquoise. These beads are quite lovely.

Art Student's Unbelievable Accomplishment

Art student Lauren Porter knitted her version of a Ferrari automobile. The classic red bodywork consists of 250 squares of garter stitch made by Lauren and 20 family members and friends. The windows are V-shaped stocking stitch, while the details are crochet and the badge is embroidered. It's all supported by a steel frame which Lauren, 22, of Greatham, Hants, UK welded herself. Think she got a good grade?

New Discovery about Bead History--National Geographic

People may have been wearing ornaments as much as a hundred thousand years ago, according to a new finding. Recent analysis of three ancient seashells reveals that they are likely to have been used as beads, potentially pushing back the evidence for personal decoration by 25,000 years. To see rest of story, copy this link into your browser address line. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/06/060622-jewelry.html This is a link to the National Geographic Web Site, a fascinating place to visit.

BEADS BY MAIL NEWSLETTER summer 2006

FOSSIL IVORY FROM MAMMOTH TUSKS

We were very excited to find these fascinating pieces of ivory from fossil tusks discovered in Alaska. Each piece is unique. You can design some wonderful jewelry with these! Here are 2 ideas that will make up in 2 minutes ...

This fossil piece was suspended on a narow black silk cord.

We made a simple wire loop and put this fossil piece on a sterling neck wire.

Here is another picture of some of the fossil pieces. The faceted beads at the bottom of the image are from fossilized peanut tree wood--they are very hard & solid. You can see more detail at the Beads by Mail BONE & Wood page.

Beautiful Rhodochrosite Roses

Rhodochrosite is one of the most beautiful and interesting gemstones, and it is somewhat rare. There are some deposits in Colorado and it is also mined in Argentina. The uniqueness of the striations and bandings make this a fascinating stone. The roses you see in the image were hand carved by a master carver. I have never seen such lovely solid gem pieces in these larger sizes. Note the depth and clarity of the details. More information at Beads by Mail Carved Pieces .

Gemstone colors

Often you are looking for gemstones with a specific color in mind. Here is a list of the most frequently seen natural colors. There are many instances of gemstones having been dyed or heat treated which result sin a deeper, or more intense color, or a new color not related to the original example dyed pearls which come in a rainbow of hues from pastel to dark. This does not necessarily have a negative effect on the stones at all.

Here is a partial list of colors of gemstones:

• red--RUBY & JASPER, CORAL
• dark red--GARNET (also medium red, dark orange)
• reddish orange--CARNELIAN
• yellowish orange--CITRINE
• yellow & greenish yellow--LEMON CITRINE
• strong yellow green--PERIDOT
• cloudy grey green--AVENTURINE, JADE
• green--EMERALD, JADE
• slightly blue green--ZIRCON
• greenish blue--TOURMALINE
• blue green--AQUAMARINE
• blue--SAPPHIRE, LAPIS LAZULI, CHALCEDONY
• violet blue--TANZANITE
• violet--CAPE AMETHYST, FLUORITE
• purple--AMETHYST
• reddish purple--TOURMALINE
• strong purplish red--RUBELLITE
• rosy pink--TOURMALINE
• pink--ROSE QUARTZ, PINK TOPAZ, CORAL, RHODOCHROSITE, RHODONITE
• gray with black--LABRADORITE
• gray--HEMATITE
• white--MOONSTONE, PEARL, JADE, IVORY, CORAL
• black--ONYX

  OPAL is not on the list since it comes in almost any color and mixtures of colors.

  BEADS BY MAIL NEWSLETTER HOLIDAYS 2005

  Torsades are always dramatic and a joy to wear!

  

  Here are some necklace ideas. Stunning aren't they! We have most of the ingredients for making one of these yourself, there are gem beads nad glass beads with some metallic highlights. For a torsade, which is what a multi strand twist like this is called, each strand is the same length unless it has a lot of very large beads, then it should be about an inch longer to account for the space taken up by large beads. The top purple one has 3 strands. The bottom really large one has more strands than I can count, also it looks like they just added some 6mm jade and crystal beads without mixing them. Torsades are usually worn close up to the neck, with a typical length of 16" or 18". Find some in a store & try them on to see how you like the look on yourself. We have some nice 2-strand filigree clasps that would work very well for a 2 or 3 strand arrangement. What I have also done is make separate strands and just twist them together to wear. That way I have single strands too.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Some sights in Venice & Florence, Italy

  Recently got back from a rip to Italy. If you like beads you MUST visit Venice. What an inspiration! Thousands of beautiful pieces of jewelry made with wonderful hand made glass beads and gemstones! A moving and exciting experience. Here are some typical Venetian shop windows. If it can be maed with glass, the Venetians will do it! Anything & Everything from Noah's Ark to Life Size Zebras ... and other wild animals ... they didn't allow any photos of this one ...

  Italians LOVE Coral! Here are two examples

  My jaw dropped when I walked past this window so I got a photo of it. Don't even ask what some of these jewels cost! The quality is unbelievable! All colors, shapes, sizes, what more does a coral lover want. This was in Florence. You'd never see this in the US.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  The Italians LOVE Coral! An Idea with Pearls

  A Venetian shop window near St Mark's Square, with a wonderful lariat of coral and pearls. Just yummy! You could do one yourself for a reasonable price with fewer strands & a bit shorter ... just keep looking on this page & our pearl page.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Glittering, Dramatic Window Displays in Venice!

  
  
  
  Unbelievable creativity & glass artistry ...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Glittering, Dramatic Window Displays in Venice!

  Funny Face sculptures....

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Glittering, Dramatic Window Displays in Venice!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Glittering, Dramatic Window Displays in Venice!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Glittering, Dramatic Window Displays in Venice!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Glittering, Dramatic Window Displays in Venice!

  
  
  
  Unbelievable creativity & glass artistry ...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  BEADS BY MAIL NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2005

  In an attempt to avoid having spam filters throw out my email to you, if you add my email addresses to your safe & address lists, your spam filter is "probably" not likely to bounce these free newsletters.

  janey@beadsbymail.com

  jane5505@msn.com

  This newsletter contains the following:

  • Wonderful NEW Gaspeite Mummy Beads
  • Fascinating Art works by Judy Onofrio with Plenty of Beads!
  • Paris Fashion Designer Turns to Ostrich Egg Shards & Other Bush Women's Crafts
  • Wonderful Finds from my Visit to the Big Apple NYC--Faceted Gemstone Beads & Briolettes & Chips, Nuggets, Donuts.
  • Bracelet Kit, Brand New
  • Jackie Kennedy Onassis' Pearl Necklace by Kenneth Jay Lane, Coming SOON!
  • Saving Money on Beads + Getting FREE Beads

  New Gaspeite Mummy Beads

  Here are some new gaspeite mummy beads, mixed bead shapes and sizes on one strand, we have a large selection but at these lighter weights they go quickly.

  

  We have four at 32 grams, one at 36 grams, one at 38 grams, two at 40 grams, and two at 44 grams. Of course we still have the fabulous 72-gram strand. See everything on our gaspeite page. We have added these to the shopping cart so you can order online.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Paris Fashion Designer Shows Bush Women's Jewelry

  You can see a photo on Yahoo News, enter beads as the search term.

  JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A top Paris-based designer has teamed up with Bushwomen from the Kalahari desert to turn the ancient art of making jewelry from ostrich eggs into haute couture fit for the world's best-dressed women. Mickael Kra launched his "Pearls of the Kalahari" collection this weekend at South African Fashion Week after toiling for three years to help San women in Namibia and Botswana perfect centuries-old techniques and bring his designs to life.

  "Designers have been inspired by Africa for a long time, but in Paris people still think anything made here must be low quality," he told Reuters. "I wanted to produce a top notch African product." Kra's past projects include a crown for pop star Michael Jackson fashioned on those worn by 17th century Ghanian kings, and jewelry for top French designers like Yves Saint-Laurent, Louis Feraud and Pierre Balmain. Born of a French mother and Ivorian father, the tall, dreadlocked designer says he is the only African in the elite world of Paris fashion and wants to use his influence to promote and preserve the continent's culture and traditions.

  "I was so inspired when I saw what they did," Kra said. "It is so beautiful but it's slave work. These women crush the eggs with their feet then smooth them down by hand. They have skin like cardboard."

  Kra's jewelry -- to be shown on catwalks in Paris, Milan and Berlin -- is based on the traditional designs of the San, or Bushmen communities, who have lived for thousands of years as hunter-gatherers in southern Africa's arid Kalahari. A small group of specially trained San women make Kra's necklaces, bracelets and belts by hand from material either found in the bush -- ostrich eggs, leather, animal hair and porcupine spikes -- or made locally, like glass beads. Some feature complex bead work while others are made entirely of pale scraps of ostrich eggs. All pieces are wound around the neck, waist or wrist to avoid fasteners. German aid worker Annette Braun, who helps San communities market their crafts, launched the project after tiring of selling the jewelry to souvenir shops for a pittance. "The idea was to keep the tradition and the ancient craft, its serene quality, but to fuse it with a cosmopolitan touch, with Parisian flair," she told Reuters.

  Gemstones From Buying Trip to NYC

  You've let me know you want very high-quality semiprecious gemstone briolettes, faceted shapes, and other unusual gem carvings. I tried to focus on this category while buying in NYC, and found a group of very nicely cut and faceted shapes. Most of them are shown in more detail at Faceted Gemstone Beads & Briolettes as well as Chips, Nuggets, Donuts.

  Just wanted to include a couple shots of NYC that you all will recognize. Times Square is impossibly jammed and noisy. It was actually difficult to walk there were so many sweating bodies crowding every square foot of sidewalk. On the up side, my eyes were dazzled by the huge and colorful displays of electronic art and signage. Some buildings had changing displays of abstract floral or geometric designs reflected on their surfaces, I don't know how they do it. It is most spectacular at night.

  I love the Chrysler Building although I haven't been inside ... I love the Metropolitan Museum of Art! (only $10 to get in & stay a whole day in peace and culture)

  

  Advice for those planning a trip to the Apple: ride the buses, so you can SEE what's doing! I found some great restaurants & stores just looking from the bus. Also, I was pleased that the streets seem pretty clean, except in my wholesale neighborhood, where they put out their cardboard & paper ... but there was no smell of garbage, thankfully, since it was in the 90's and 102 degrees two of the days I was there.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Here is a short list of the goodies I got:

  Tourmaline--restocked the all-pink strands of chips! Better price too--$28.99 per strand (were $49).

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Found some beautiful 100% natural carnelian faceted briolettes, only $35 per strand, priced much less than the ones I was selling before.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  How about huge faceted 100% amethyst beads! $13.99 per strand. I only have a few strands so hurry!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Was able to restock the opalite briolettes that were in high demand! These are very high quality.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  How about these giant chunks of pastel quartz crystal? Do they remind you of beach glass? That was my first reaction. Then I looked more closely and knew you would go for them. We call them "pastel roughies" & only $19.99 per 16" strand. You can use them as focus pieces in a necklace with smaller crystal, or just go for broke & wear a whole strand with your bikini! ;-)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  You just can't go wrong with any or all of these fabulous choices, and you will be seeing them for a lot more money elsewhere!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  NEW! Our exclusive bracelet KIT

  Sold at Czech Glass Beads.

  

  Here is your fast & easy way to make beaded bracelets!

  You would have to purchase over $150 worth of Czech glass beads to build the collection you see in these "bracelet wanna-bees".

  The 7" strand--fits almost every wrist--contains at least 25 different QUALITY Czech glass beads, arranged in an interesting pattern (which you can rearrange if you like). Each one is different, but the color impression is soft, a bit toned for autumn. You also get sterling crimps, a sterling silver toggle clasp, and 30 feet of Beadalon stringing cord, the professional cord. You can make a bracelet in no time at all! Just restring the beads on Beadalon, add the clasp, and you're done! A wonderful learning tool for kids too. You do need a pliers to finish the crimps. Bracelet Kit, ours exclusively, all 4 items only $19.99 order NOW! This is HOT! Bracelet strand also available separately, $15.99 each.

  COMING SOON! Kenneth Jay Lane's pearl necklace, the one Jackie wore! Beautiful clasp, superb quality pearls.

  The original sold for over $200,000 at the Sotheby's auction of Jackie's estate. Our price will be a LOT lower.

  We're excited about our new Kenneth Jay Lane jewelry, soon to arrive. Rings with plenty of "bling", many new & gorgeous bracelets, and some very traditional, classic KJL styles.

  

  At the crying of Lot 454 the generally well-behaved audience began to grow restless, almost rowdy. In every big sale there is one item that everyone knows in advance will command the utmost interest, one item that people will be talking about for years to come. And so it was with the famous faux pearls. In a photo as familiar as any Madonna and Child of the Renaissance, the infant John-John had grabbed at these very pearls, around the tossed-back neck of his mother, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. The auctioneer, Diana Brooks, called for quiet and the bidding began. The real value had been estimated at $80, if the pearls had belonged to your mother or mine. But owing to their illustrious provenance the estimate was raised to $500 to $700. Everyone knew, of course, that that figure too was a joke, that the lot would sell for many times more. The bidding mounted in swift increments of hundreds of dollars, then thousands, then five thousands. But when the increments leapt to ten thousands, a Zenlike silence and immobility reigned in Sotheby's, except for the two driven parties who had remained in the bidding. In unison the entire room looked back and forth from one party to the other as though at a tennis game whose match point has lasted past endurance. And when it was all over, amid gasping, amusement, consternation, and applause, the three-stringed bauble had gone for $221,500.

  Don't Miss our FREEBEE Event

  2005 is our 7th year on the Internet. Yay! And we want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of you for your wonderful response to our ideas and products. Therefore,

  You now have the opportunity to get beads for FREE with your next order!

  Freebees works like this (in-stock items only available for this special event):

  Order $25.00 (not including shipping) & add $12-$13 additional items for FREE!

  If you order using the shopping cart, don't put the FREE items in your cart (you'll be charged for them), just list it in the comments section after you finalize your cart.

  You will also save on shipping since you will be paying to ship only the items you paid for!

  Order $25.00-$50.00 & add $10 worth of items for FREE!

  Order $51.00-$75.00 & add $20 worth of items for FREE!

  Order $75.00-$90.00, add $30 worth of items for FREE!

  No limit on number of orders that qualify for FREEBEES from same customer.

  If you put freebees in your shopping cart you can always delete them, just transfer them to the comments box or send me a separate email.

  BEADS BY MAIL NEWSLETTER JUNE 14, 2005

  In an attempt to avoid having spam filters throw out my email to you, if you add my email addresses to your safe & address lists, your spam filter is "probably" not likely to bounce these free newsletters.

  janey@beadsbymail.com

  jane5505@msn.com

  This newsletter contains the following:

  • Two suggestions for summer reading
  • Trivia
  • Lovely slices of colored gems for pendants
  • Saving Money on Beads + Getting FREE Beads
  • Department of Outrageous Prices (not ours of course)
  • New Stuff: amazonite, carnelian, frosted glass, pink opal
  • Turquoise Tid-Bits
  • KJL Glass Bead Closeout
  • Beads by Mail in Bead Style Magazine

  Email received from the Czech Republic: :-)

  Lady Jane,

  Sending you information that have you are want -To order, price list (under the same cover). On awards transport with even negotiation, could byhc cover halves. I think that manufacture beads in good making.

  Frantisek

  Wonderful Summer Read: Travels With My Donkey, One Man and his Ass on a pilgrimage to Santiago.

  by Tim Moore, a Brit with a great sense of humor. Guaranteed to make you laugh. I once had a strand of donkey beads, they were lovely turquoise blue ceramic with large holes, in Sicily donkeys wear these necklaces. Probably with a somewhat loud bell attached. Genetically, the donkey is a distinct species Equus asinus. They can and do breed with horses, and the result is either a mule or a hinny.

  Beaded Lizard

  Jay Leno hosted one of his "animal-handler" guests who brought a few of these most venomous lizards, also known as beaded lizards because of the raised dots on the surface of their skin. Just a piece of trivia for ya ... if you ever see one, run the other way. Cause if one bites you it will make you very ill.

  Pretty Cool Gem Slices

  

  Here's a selection of nicely shaped and colored gemstone slices. The really deep colors are agate. There is a carnelian one too. The photo on the left shows what you can do with them. Also I made a sample with the deep turquoise piece that works so well with popular amazonite (more info on these sparklers below):

  

  If you don't have a drill you can simply glue an "up-eye" to one end of the pendant. An up eye is a straight piece of metal with a hole at one end. The gluing method seems a bit safer than risking a breakage with a drill. Altho if you are used to drilling it should not be a problem as these pendants are stone. Colors shown will go well with amethyst, sugilite, fluorite, carnelian, moonstone, hematite, turquoise, sodalite, jasper ...Introductory price $5.00 each. Please specify color.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  The more you buy ...

  We have always made it more economical to purchase larger quantities of the same bead. Hope you notice the savings, anywhere from 15% to 50%, when you order whole strands or multiple strands of the same beads.

  How to Save Money continued

  See these and other low prices on our Czech Beads page.

  You can get 2 popular styles of Czech pressed glass beads for almost what they cost me.

  Example, here are our best-selling "big brother" pressed glass beads selling for less than 10 cents each.

  We reduced the price for these beautiful pressed glass beads. They have 5 flat sides so light plays off the "facets" in an interesting way. Size is 12mm x 8mm. They are 50 for $5.00 (10 cents each) or 100 for $7.99 (8 cents each) and you can mix colors as long as you get 25 of each color to make up the total. Colors: sapphire, topaz, ruby, peridot, emerald, aqua.

  

  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Example, here are our best-selling pear-drop pressed glass beads selling for less than 10 cents each.

  Czech Drop Shape

  Czech pressed beads in a smooth rounded tapered drop or pear shape, transparent colors of topaz, ruby , emerald, cobalt (dark glowing blue), and opaque jet. Satin finish drilled lengthwise. 13mm x 7mm. INTRODUCTORY SPECIAL PRICE! Drop shape 13 x 7mm, 50 same color for $4.99. Bulk pricing: 100 same color for $7.50. 200 assorted colors for $10.00 (25 of each color).

  New or Restocked Amazonite

  

  
  
  

  

  Faceted amazonite ovals, 14x11mm (about the same as my 4th fingernail), the color is a delicate aqua blue and the beads are almost 99% clear of darker inclusions. For more faceted styles, go to Gem faceted beads. 4 ovals for $5.99, 8 for $9.75, one 16" strand of 28-29 beads for $24.00.

  The second image shows 8mm faceted rondels, always useful and look great with other gemstone colors such as carnelian, turquoise, silver etc. The image didn't come out too well, the color is much more blue than shown here. 16" strand of about 75 rondels, $26.00.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Beads by Mail In Bead Style Magazine

  One of our jewelry designs is featured in this month's Bead Style Magazine (July 2005) which is currently on the newsstand. The article is titled "Wonderful Memory" and is a quick and easy way to craft a stunning beaded neckpiece. The instructions for the projects in this magazine are carefully written and quite complete--with very detailed photos.

  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Who Pays These Prices???

  

  Can you believe the prices on these semiprecious necklaces??? The top one is nothing more than black onyx rondels at $6,500 with 3 rather chunky citrine drops. The bottom one is amber beads, sure they are nice quality, but $12,000.00? Are we missing something here?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Summer Styles are Featuring Beads Galore!

  

  Lots of colorful & funky ideas in this group. Ample use of natural materials, which means lightweight & low prices. Speaking of which, take a look at these frosted glass rounds, to combine with almost any other color or shape! Especially the amazonite ...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Who Pays Prices Continued

  

  Rubies, lapis, aquamarine, citrine, pink sapphires, prices $350 to $14,000. You could actually make some of these for a lot less. I found a source for ruby faceted or smooth rondels, but I don't know the quality since I would have to order from India.

  Who Pays Prices Continued

  

  Hematite, green onyx, dark pearls, old pearls, large carnelians. Our 6mm natural carnelian is shown in the image too, $11.99 per 16" strand. If you are interested in 10mm or 12mm carnelian like the ones in this image I could probably get some. Wouldn't be that expensive, at least not $1,035 which is the price of the strand in the image. You could actually make some of these for a lot less. But not the pearls, they are extremely hard to find & costly.

  Back to Reality

  NEW--Frosted Glass 12mm "Spacers"

  

  This is a lovely accent bead, or would be great as an entire necklace. 12mm is a good chunky size. These beads remind me of a nice cool frosted glass of water. Very smooth surface, almost transparent. The beads are much prettier than in the image. Hard to photograph. 12mm frosted glass beads, 12 for $5.00, strand of 36 beads for $9.99.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Kenneth Jay Lane Vintage Glass Beads, Reduced

  

  Here is just about the last group of vintage beads from Kenneth Jay Lane's back room. They are really lovely and about one inch long. Made in Japan in the 1970s or early 1980s I would imagine. All are for sale at a greatly reduced price, considering their age & MINT condition. One strand of faux carnelian, containing 24 beads. 3 strands of fantasy jet-dipped carnelian, 22 beads per strand. Were priced at 10 beads for $6.99, closing out the lot of all 4 strands (90 beads) for $35.00 which is a savings of $28.00.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  TURQUOISE Tid-Bits

  

  Most untreated turquoise is too porous and fragile to be worked into jewelry. There are some treatments applied to turquoise to make it stable enough to use in carving, etc.

  Enhancing-- Stone is treated with electrical currents that harden the stone and enhance the color. No dyes, resins, or oils are used.

  Stabilizing--Stone is filled with acrylic or epoxy to harden & enhance color. Stabilized turquoise will not change color.

  Compressing--Pressure is used to harden stone.

  Fracture sealing--Veins of matrix are treated with a sealer.

  This is all very well, but I find it hard to believe a vendor who tells me that his turquoise has "not had any treatment whatsoever" ... well, at least not that the dealer is aware of ...

  Pink Opal

  

  DO you like these beads? I think they are beautiful. Haven't bought any yet. If there is anyone interested I will order some. They aren't very expensive.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Don't Miss our FREEBEE Event

  2005 is our 7th year on the Internet. Yay! And we want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of you for your wonderful response to our ideas and products. Therefore,

  You now have the opportunity to get beads for FREE with your next order!

  Freebees works like this (in-stock items only available for this special event):

  Order $25.00 (not including shipping) & add $12-$13 additional items for FREE!

  If you order using the shopping cart, don't put the FREE items in your cart (you'll be charged for them), just list it in the comments section after you finalize your cart.

  You will also save on shipping since you will be paying to ship only the items you paid for!

  Order $26.00-$50.00 & add another $20-$22 worth of items for FREE!

  Order $51.00-$75.00 & add another $25-$27 worth of items for FREE!

  Order $75.00-$90.00, add another $32 worth of items for FREE!

  No limit on number of orders that qualify for FREEBEES from same customer.

  If you make a mistake & put freebees in your cart you can always delete them, just transfer them to the comments box or send me a separate email.

  How to String Beads, by Anita Shreve

  In her novel "Light on Snow" the narrator, a 12-year-old girl with a difficult life, strings beads into necklaces using rawhide. It must be very fine rawhide because she is able to string fire polished beads on the rawhide:

  "Charlotte watches me fuss with the crimp, always the hardest part of making a necklace. ... I slide the end of the fine rawhide into the crimp. I use the crimper to flatten it. The beads in the box flicker in the firelight. I have glass pony beads and crow beads, seed beads and Bali silver beads. 'What's this one?' Charlotte asks, holding a blue glass bead to the light. 'It's Czechoslovakian. It's a fire-polished bead.' 'What does that mean?' 'I don't know.' ... I have six of them. ... I hand her a coil of rawhide. ... she has strung the beads on the rawhide. 'What you have to do is put a knot on either side of each bead. Because you have six beads, you have to put the knot in the exact center of the string.'"

  Many thanks to Anita Shreve. This excerpt from her novel "Light on Snow" is on pp. 214-215.

  Best regards & have a great summer,

  Jane

  PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS ...

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  BEADS BY MAIL NEWSLETTER APRIL 18, 2005

  Thought for the day: "The tooth often bites the tongue and yet they stay together." (Anon)

  In an attempt to avoid having spam filters throw out my email to you, if you add my email addresses to your safe & address lists, your spam filter is not likely to bounce my mail to you.

  janey@beadsbymail.com

  jane5505@msn.com

  Starting with the March letter, you receive a very brief email which has a link in it to this page at Beads by Mail's site, where you can read the newsletter. This should result in more of you receiving our newsletters.

  Colorado Camera Moment--Curious Critter!

  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  MY NEW PHONE NUMBER IN PRETTY COLORADO IS 719 598 1506.

  Design Question--What Would YOU Make?

  

  Here are some lovely colors & beads. What would you do with:

  • -- beautiful gaspeite graduated rondels
  • -- intense blue turquoise top drilled drops from Castledome Mine
  • -- Strand of large Chinese turquoise flat ovals with interesting inclusions
  • -- sterling silver sliders, with an "antique" look

  I was going to make a 2-strand necklace, and there is enough for matching bracelet & eardrops. It should be an interesting creative challenge to balance the mix of the colors and shapes just right! What would you create with these components? More gaspeite and turquoise at Turquoise, Coral, Gaspeite Beads.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Preview for Summer--Wood, Naturals, Bone, etc

  

  Some wild & wonderful creations from the accessories designers selling to big stores. All of these styles are lightweight and could be made very inexpensively. When I go to NYC on a buying trip I visit the importers who stock all of these types of wood, shell, & bone beads. They also stock a large collection of beads made from exotic seeds. The selection and color range are tremendous.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Baltic Amber Beads

  Here is a natural bead that would look wonderful with wood, bone, any opaque gem bead such as the jaspers, pearls, etc. The beads are the highest 100% natural quality and are transparent. Size is 3.5 mm, and the 16" strand has about 120 beads. Price for a strand is $27.99. See MORE bone, & naturals at Bone Beads.

  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Beads by Mail--SEVEN Years on the Web--Thank you and here are your FREE beads!

  Don't Miss our FREEBEE Event

  2005 is our 7th year on the Internet. Yay! And we want to say a BIG THANK YOU to all of you for your wonderful response to our ideas and products. Therefore,

  You now have the opportunity to get beads for FREE with your next order!

  I HAVE NOT RAISED ANY PRICES. This is an honest to goodness really good deal.

  Freebees works like this (in-stock items only available for this special event):

  Order $25.00 (not including shipping) & add $12-$13 additional items for FREE!

  If you order using the shopping cart, don't put the FREE items in your cart (you'll be charged for them), just list it in the comments section after you finalize your cart.

  You will also save on shipping since you will be paying to ship only the items you paid for!

  Order $26.00-$50.00 & add another $20-$22 worth of items for FREE!

  Order $51.00-$75.00 & add another $25-$27 worth of items for FREE!

  Order $75.00-$90.00, add another $32 worth of items for FREE!

  No limit on number of orders that qualify for FREEBEES from same customer!

  If you make a mistake & put freebees in your cart you can always delete them, just transfer them to the comments box or send me a separate email!

  YOU CAN ALSO PLACE YOUR FREEBEE ORDER ON THE PHONE OR VIA EMAIL. But please order quickly, the FREEBEES are our instock items only.

  Some Suggestions for Your FREEBEE Choices

  Choose from lots of 6mm & 8mm Czech fire polish, lots of faceted blue quartz rondels, vintage jewelry selections, Kenneth Jay Lane jewelry, 4mm gemstone spacers, jade pendants, BIWA and potato pearls!, 3mm red Med coral beads, tiny gemstone hearts & stars, various shapes of strawberry quartz briolets & beads, 36" strands of gem chips, sterling and plated clasps, beadalon 7 or 19, thin stretch cord, good beading books (see our previous email letter for the list) etc. Just go to http://beadsbymail.com/shop.htm for the links to these pages--on the left in the pink bar.

  This event is important to us and we want you to have YOUR pick of our best gemstones, carvings, faceted beads, pendants, vintage styles, glass beads, findings, books, tools, etc.

  Everything is included in this sale--no exceptions. Now's the time to grab that strand of beads, book, or vintage jewelry you've been thinking about!

  To unsubscribe, email me at janey@beadsbymail.com

  Of course, I welcome ALL comments about this page!

  Closing thought: "Anger manages everything badly."

  Just a note, since I moved to Colorado I am becoming very patient and forbearing, when people do stuff that used to get me p.o.'d.

  Best regards & thank you,

  Jane Shafrin,

  (soon to be on Martha's apprentice show. Why not, I know how to do all the stuff like sewing, knitting, ironing, baking etc. I'd like to see some 26-year-old biz school grad design & make a crib quilt!)