Unique Beaded Jewelry Shows Off Your Personal Style

It's a human trait, to dress oneself up. Dressing up includes decoration and adornment. The articles used for adornment, excluding vestments and suchlike, are collectively known as jewelry. Rings, necklaces, earrings, and brooches comprise jewelry. It is no surprise then that our ancestors from ages past used jewelry to adorn themselves. This jewelry was of a necessity very simple, and natural. The earliest form of jewelry was beadwork, made by hand, using vines or thin leather strips to string stone beads together.

Ancient cultures and civilizations used jewelry for religious and royal ceremonies. The public relied on less pretentious forms of jewelry, such as beaded jewelry for daily wear. The earliest examples of beads used as jewelry date back 70,000 years (source: National Geographic Society)!

Costume jewelry is so-called because it really does not put much emphasis or importance on the intrinsic value of the materials used, focusing instead on the appearance, the look of the jewelry. It is a style or fashion accessory, not a symbol of wealth or status. Hence costume jewelry has come to mean cheap jewelry, and vice versa. Trinkets, baubles, and bric-a-brac are common synonyms for costume jewelry. It is interesting to note that Columbus offered trinkets to the natives of the lands he visited as peace offerings, which were readily accepted, showing the power of attraction inherent in jewelry.

The craft of making beaded jewelry is easily picked up in a matter of hours. It is an excellent way of bringing out your latent creativity. You'll get the hang of the basic methodology in a couple of hours, and then it's just you and your ideas, and of course, the beads! This craft is truly freeform, and you can give free run to your imagination to create signature pieces that spell 'YOU'!

You can source the materials required for this craft from the virtual world that is the Internet. Or, you can visit the local brick-and-mortar and get your supplies there.

Websites that specialize in beaded jewelry are a treasure house of resources for the beaded jewelry craftsperson. You will find that buying directly from the source falls cheaper.

If this craft, making beaded jewelry, is good for you then it is doubly good for children. Introduce your children to the wonderful world of jewelry making through bead craft. To make things easier for you, there are a number of kits specially designed for children.

Making your own costume jewelry is doubly rewarding. You'll enjoy making it, you'll enjoy wearing it. This is where you can let your aesthetic talent come to the fore! Design your jewelry in such a way that it represents your nature, your personal style. Are you a 'blue' person? Then use blue as your theme color, and dress up your outfit with a subtle 'wave' of small, pale blue beads! You are sure to stand out in any gathering, for sure!

The range of beads that are available nowadays has served to make this craft even more popular. You can get beads in every form imaginable and in all shades, from pale pastels to iridescent solids!

Clothing is embellished with beadwork to personalize the clothes. So that is another application of beaded jewelry. Some fashion analysts have noticed a reverse trend too - as beadwork jewelry is increasing in popularity so also is the popularity of casual, trendy clothes to match the beaded jewelry.

Beaded jewelry and costume jewelry are very popular with today's generation. Go with the flow and enhance your wardrobe with your own designer costume jewelry. All the material is readily available. Join a local craft group to get more support. Otherwise, there's always the Internet. People will really admire your aesthetic creativity and recognize you for your gift of style!