Venetian and Murano glass beads

As I mentioned last week, I will be doing a series on the different types of beads that I use in my jewelry designs. This week I am featuring fabulous Venetian and Murano glass beads! Venetian and Murano glass beads are gorgeous beads that are individually handmade by skilled artisans from the island of Murano, near Venice, Italy, using techniques that are several hundred years old. Murano glass blowers and lampworkers produce some of the most beautiful glass in the world. The technique of lampworking is used to make each Murano bead individually therefore no two beads are ever exactly alike! Glass rods are melted and the bead is formed around a metal mandrel, then cooled slowly, and removed from the rod, which leaves the hole for stringing the bead. These usually contain thin layers or flecks of precious metals such as .925 silver, 24K gold or white gold foil, submerged between layers of crystal clear glass, giving wonderful depth and a shimmering effect. Venetian glass beads are light weight, hollow, mouth blown beads that contain swirls or stripes of color. These beads come in many shapes and sizes. Beware of cheaper imitations, and remember you get what you pay for. These will take your breath away! I will have some of my designs featuring these beads, up in my Etsy store this week. Please check them out, the beads are stunning!

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Cold and snowy Spring in the Rockies

On Friday we left home and drove about an hour and a half through a Springtime blizzard to Banff, to take the family skiing! Needless to say the drive was a bit nerve wracking, with extremely poor visibility at times, but we made it in one piece. The weather was unseasonably cold in Banff for this time of year, and there was a ton of freshly fallen snow! My husband kept commenting on how pretty everything looked, and it did look like a winter wonderland, especially at night with the lights sparkling on the snow. However, I think I would have been more appreciative, had it been December, or January even! Spring just doesn't really happen here in my neck of the woods. We just go from Winter to Summer. Anyhow, in light of the weather, I thought I would feature these two fresh cool designs in white this week. Perfect for brides looking for that final touch for their wedding day, or to just freshen up your Spring and summer wardrobe! Check out my store for more pictures and prices on these two items. Pin It