Bead For Life - Custom Made Bead Order Received!

Hand Rolled, Custom, Unique Beads

I was so excited to go to my mailbox and find the custom, hand made beads I had ordered from the Bead For Life website. If you aren't familiar with Bead for Life, please look at my older posts and watch the video or check out their website.  Bead for Life is an organization that gives women in Uganda the ability to learn a trade and earn money to sustain their families and in some cases, start their own businesses. 

I wanted to follow up with my first post and say that I am extremely satisfied with the beads that I received.  The shipping was quick and there were also tags included to send with my own custom made jewelry using the beads I bought from Bead for Life.  I took some pictures and wanted to include them with this post and I will be making jewelry soon with these great beads!!  I chose the multi-colored and the natural colored loose beads, but you can pick from many different styles and colors already made by the talented Ugandan women of  Bead for Life.  I hope you let me know if you have looked at the site and would love to hear your comments!!  Please check back for my custom made creations featuring Bead for Life beads and like always, thanks for reading!!

Beads come with tags for your own custom made creations

 Earth Tone Beads from Bead For Life

Getting Kids Involved in Custom Jewelry Making

Chloe holding her custom made
earrings!!

Getting your kids involved in custom jewelry making is easier than you may think.  Of course, your kids have got to be old enough to know not to put beads in their mouths, however, that should go without saying!  Custom jewelry can really be made by anyone from 4 to 94.  It just takes a little patience and guidance and your kids can produce pretty, unique, custom made jewelry.  Some easy starter jewelry projects for kids are bracelets or basic necklaces, ones that don't require a lot of effort or skill.  You want to keep it fun and simple, because all of you that have kids or grand kids know easily they can become bored and lose interest.

I usually pick some beads that I am not very attached to, because some may get lost or dumped by accident.  I have three kids that love to custom make their own jewelry, Jade, 9, Cody and Chloe, 4 (twins).  I get them a small bowl and place a variety of beads in to start them out with.  I then attach a clasp at one end of the wire and let their imagination and creativity take over!!  The results have been varied, but very unique and creative custom made jewelry.  They wear it for awhile, but then ask if they can take it apart and make it differently, so it works out very well for all involved!!  I've included a picture of my little beaders making their own custom made jewelry!!

Jade with a pair of custom made
earrings that she did all by herself!

Chloe and Jade picking through
my bead organizers for their custom
made jewelry.

Pink Sapphire Ring Displays Elegance and Grace

Available at MyJewelryBox.com for
only $199.00!  

Even though I didn't custom make this beautiful ring, I thought it was very elegant and wanted to include it in a post!!  I love the heart shaped pink sapphires and since I don't really make too many rings, I thought it would be a good find for some of you that may be looking.  The ring is made 10kt white gold and is accentuated with diamonds on both sides.  I could definitely custom make something that would go great with this ring!!  If you end up getting this ring or have some other jewelry that you want to have matched, please let me know and I can custom make any kind of jewelry, just send me any requests!!

Custom Hand Made Jewelry That Makes A Difference

www.beadforlife.org

 Custom hand made jewelry is making a difference for quite a few in Uganda.  Bead for Life is an organization that enables Ugandan women that have been affected by poverty, starvation, AIDS and civil wars to create an income and sustain their families and homes.  I was so touched by this video, so I really hope you take the time to watch it.

I also have placed an order for beads from Bead For Life, so I will be featuring unique, custom made designs of my own made with these great beads!!!  Stop back soon for an update!!  Pictures by  Charles Steinberg.

One of the creators of the beautiful

necklaces for Bead for Life.

Custom made necklaces hand made

by women workers for Bead for Life

BeadforLife Overview (2011) from BeadforLife on Vimeo.

Beads For Life helps women to

become self-sufficient providers.

Taking Quality Photos of Your Custom Made Jewelry

Detail of Jonquil Swarovski Crystal
Necklace - $30

Taking quality photos of your custom made jewelry can prove to be trying at times, especially if you don't have the right kind of camera.  The best details of beads and jewelry are captured in photos by high resolution settings, however, you may find that your pictures of your custom made jewelry load slower than they would if they were a lower resolution.

You may have to give up some picture quality to make the overall custom jewelry webpage load faster and smoother, because as anyone knows that surfs the internet "window shopping", you only have a few minutes before they switch to a different site.

Make sure that you take pictures on a neutral background and don't use anything in the background that has a pattern that will distract from your custom made jewelry.  You want your custom made jewelry to be the star of the photo, so make sure that it is not too dark or too over exposed either.  Just move around your space until you find a good mix of light and dark.

Avoid shadows also, which will give you uneven results, making your jewelry not as easily seen.  The best way to assure that you get good photos, of course, is to have a quality camera.  If you don't own one, then borrow one from someone that does have one.  It is key to have good pictures of your jewelry for internet exposure.  If I can help at all please contact me...my info is on the contact page.

Coral and Lampwork Glass
 Bead Necklace - $25 

Aqua Glass & Seahorse Custom
 Necklace - $30