Lampwork Earrings

There are a lot of people who love the matte look of handmade lampwork beads. Sometimes people don’t ask to have them etched, but realize when the beads arrive, that they’d like the aged, worn out matte look on them. Some vendors give customers the options of sending the beads back and having them etched for free, but most people do it themselves. If you want to etch your own beads, here are some useful tips.

First, a small jar of etch solution will be required, you can get these at your local craft shop. Ask the store workers for glass etching solutions, they’ll usually know what you mean.

Safety first. Once you have the solution, put on some disposable rubber gloves, open up your windows if you’re in a confined space (just make sure that you have ventilation – imagine that it’s chemical cleaning – and you’re all set to go. IMPORTANT – keep in mind that the etch solution is acid, though it’s easily neutralized by baking soda, so make sure to have that close by just in case you spill the acid on anything.

The best thing to use would be a plastic bowl, after placing the beads inside it, pour the solution over them so that they are fully covered. Or if you have the option, strap the beads on something (wire would do), and just put them inside the confinement. Read the instructions on the bottle you purchased, written there should be a time that it takes to etch materials. Usually it’s around 5-10 minutes, but just double-check in case it’s something new and highly toxic. After that, use a plastic spoon to scoop up the lampwork beads out and take them out. Have a glass of soda nearby to put the beads in there to neutralize the acid – and do never take the beads with your bear hands prior to neutralization.

And voila – you’re done! The lampwork beads might have some white dust on them, but don’t worry, it’s easily removable with a toothbrush. Just don’t brush your teeth with it afterwards.

Don’t throw away the etching solution – there are 2 reasons for that. First, you don’t want to have acid in your garbage, and second – economy. You can reuse the acid over and over for years and it would work just as fine. Though make sure to keep it outside children’s reach.

Main things to remember here is to never let the etch solution touch glass or metal. Nor should you let it come in contact with cloth or skin, wash immediately with baking soda.

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Whether you are a history buff or simply seeing handmade beaded jewelry worn by your favorite actresses, it is hard to look at the jewelry from the past and not take a look at the handmade jewelry that was worn then. While some of these pieces look unbearably clunky and old fashioned now, some would look right at home on today’s top fashion catwalks and expos. Jewelry, in all of its forms, has had a strong effect on the world and the fashions that were based off of it.

Early in history, jewelry was a mark of status of some sort. Perhaps the only people who could wear it were of religious importance, or perhaps they were the only people who could afford it. You’ll find that even though the handmade beaded jewelry from early eras seems primitive to our eyes that it was still crafted with care. For instance, the twisted torques, close fitting necklaces that were worn by the Celts, was often a sign of both manhood and wealth.

Later on, jewelry was a mark of privilege and leisure; it was a show that not only could you afford to feed yourself and your loved ones, but that you could spend a lot of extra money on beautiful things. For instance, in many parts of Europe, there were sumptuary laws that forbid people of a certain class from wearing things that were too extravagant, whether that was cloth, jewelry or special leathers. Often though, people would ignore these rules and the fact that they had to pay a fine was also seen as a mark of status and wealth!

During the Victorian age in Europe, handmade beaded jewelry started taking the shapes that would be very familiar to those of us who wear jewelry today. The Victorian era had a very strong interest in death and funerary arts, though, and this was often eerily represented in so-called mourning jewelry, where people would snip hair from their departed loved ones and weave it into lockets, broaches and rings. Sometimes this jewelry would get very elaborate and it could be quite beautiful, especially when different shades of hair were used.

The beginning of the twentieth century saw the beginning of costume jewelry. Costume jewelry, far from being as cheap or as disposable as the name implies, was actually meant to be jewelry that complemented one particular outfit. Various precious metals and gems could -and often did!- go into the production of costume jewelry.

Today, we are experiencing a real renaissance as far as jewelry goes, and whether you love fine handmade beaded jewelry or simply love adorning yourself with something new every day, take a look and see what sort of impact the right piece of jewelry can have on you!

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