Finding those Findings, Charms, & Jewelry Accessories

Welcome to the world of jewelry!

by:  DK Designs Jewelry

Now that you have your essential items, the next step is to purchase some jewelry items.  Key words to look for are: FINDINGS, WIRE, BEADS, JEWELRY KITS, CHARMS, CRYSTAL, etc.  These key words can be used in the search field of your web browser to help you find creative elements that will help you get your creation started.

Local stores are a great source for essential items. Try your local craft stores and online web sites for jewelry items.  Using the word: LOT in your search will help you get a larger quantity of items for a smaller cost per.

One of my favorite places to find jewelry items is a local garage sale.  I love sales for their unusual and antiqued items.  This is known as re-purposing and adds that original, one-of-a-kind element to your creations.  Sometimes the most perfect charm or craft item will be in the smallest box at a garage sale.  Check them out!  I usually get the items for almost nothing in cost.
So lets talk about the key terms.  This will help you when searching for items to make your jewelry.




 FINDINGS: tools and essential pieces to create a piece (usually, the earring loops, hooks or rings).



BEAD CAP: metal ornament placed over a bead or stone to cover rough spots around the hole






BEAD: often glass, crystal, acrylic or metal.  Used for crafting.
CHARM: a nicknack that can dangle from jewelry.
CRYSTAL: made from high temperature elements.  Looks like glass or diamond with a lower price tag.

 WIRE: comes in various colors, shapes, diameters and hardnesses
~~For more terms, see my blog of jewelry terms.~~





PRICES vary from store to store so shop around.  There are stores I frequent because of their sales but they tend to over price their crystals.  For those, I purchase them online.

Consider opening accounts with online jewelry crafting suppliers.  Often times, you need to purchase a minimum dollar amount of product.  Usually, it's $50-$100 to open an account or even maintain it.  If your initial investment is going to be in the ball park anyway, this is a better option.  Their prices, per item, are lower than retail stores, so you will get more product for your dollar.

Here are some great web sites to check out for more information:

http://www.overstock.com/guides/how-to-buy-jewelry-making-supplies

http://www.ehow.com/how_4788240_jewelry-making-supplies-cheap.html

http://www.howtobuystuff.org/womens-interest/how-to-buy-jewelry-making-supplies-online/

Thanks for visiting.  Please be sure to add your comments and check back.  I will be posting more tips shortly.  Thank you - Donna