One of our popular Facebook LIVEs we did previously was these pair of earrings using Sodalite gemstones, straw and Flat Artistic Wire. Get all the components to make this pair of unique earrings.

What you’ll need:

• AW00195 – 21 Gauge Flat Artistic Wire (Silver option: AW00196)
• A019680 – 20 Gauge Headpins (Silver option: A019679)
• SDL12x22-50GP – Sodalite Gemstone Graduated Point
• Z017898 – Rattan Straw Triangle Pendant
• Z013426 – 6mm Twilight Crystal Czech Glass Fire Polish Beads
• Z008990 – 15mm Satin Gold Round Ear Posts (Silver option: Z008989)
• (2) TC00569 – 7mm Gold Nugget Spacer by TierraCast (Silver option: TC00034)
• Punch Pliers – A018918 OR TL00314

Directions:

1. Slide in through the middle and clamp down onto the wire end and piece.
2. Wrap wire around and up. Take off pliers and clamp both sides of the wire and pendant piece.
3. Bend wire to come across the top of the pendant.
4. You can take your sharpie or some fine point marker to mark the top to indicate where you will hope punch for the headpin.
5. Gently pull off wire. Take hole punch to the middle of that dot you made.
6. Slide on headpin, coming under the hole you punched.
7. Slide wire piece back on your pendant piece. Fold wire to the back.
8. Cut wire so that it overlaps with the other wire end.
9. Bend out the bottom end, fold in the top end and bend back the bottom end to overlap. Use nylon pliers or regular pliers to cinch them closed.
10. On the headpin, slide on nugget bead, gemstone and Czech bead and make a simple loop. Open loop and slide on post earring hole. Close loop. (As an option here, you can make a wrapped loop.)
11. Repeat all steps for other earring.

FB Live Video Tutorial

Check out the Video for a tutorial. Tutorial begins at around 8 Minutes.

(opens in a new tab)”>LINK TO VIDEO TUTORIAL HERE >

Variations of choker and collar necklaces are making a comeback. Here is our version with Chrysocolla gemstones with 2mm Hematite beads. It sits on your collarbone and creates a different and unique kind of statement.

What you’ll need:

• 3mm Chrysocolla Gemstone Beads – CH3RL-F-AA
• 2mm White Silver Plated Hematite Faceted Round Beads from Dakota Stones – HEMWS2RD-F
• Very Fine Beading Wire – Z003717 or Z004310
• Crimp Tube – A004831
• 5mm Split Ring – Y001368
• 15mm Lobster Claw Clasp – A011535

Directions:

1. Cut beading wire to 24 inches.
2. Slide a crimp tube and split ring onto the beading wire and loop beading wire back down to create a small loop. Make a crimp with crimping pliers. Cut the small excess wire leaving a 1/4 inch tail.
3. Slide on the following bead sequence: 5 gemstone and 1 hematite bead. Repeat this sequence 31 times. Then ending with 5 more gemstones. (Note, you can make a long necklace by using a longer piece of beading wire or shorten the sequence for a closer fit necklace/choker.)
4. Slide on a crimp tube and split ring. Slide beading wire back through crimp tube and a bead or two. Pull wire to keep all your bead in place and crimp your crimp tube. Cut off excess wire.
5. Open split ring and slide lobster clasp loop through.

One of our happiest combinations are leather and gemstone. Throw in a fantastic large rhinestone clasp and this bracelet is one you’ll wear all the time.

Items used in bracelet sample:

• 1mm Leather Cord – Z015514
  Try other 1mm leather cord colors.
• 8mm Large Hole Gemstones – WAF8RDLH-M-8
  Try other selections of 8mm Large Hole Gemstones.
• Two Hole Oval Pewter Beads – Z008288
• Silver Plated Lobster Clasp with Rhinestones – Z014867
• 5.5mm Jump Rings – X003062

Directions

1. Cut the 2 meter of leather in half. Take one and cut in half again.
2. Take your two strands and slide both through rhinestone clasp loop and center. Make an overhand knot with all four strands, close to clasp loop.
3. Flare out your ends and determine which are your middle two strands and your side strands. Take one gemstone and slide through the two middle cords.
4. Decide your two left and right strands. Slide a gemstone through the two left strands and another gemstone to the two right strands.
5. Slide another gemstone through the two middle strands.
6. Take your two left strands and slide through one hole of oval bead. And take your two right strands and slide through other hole of oval bead.
7. Repeat Steps 3-6 one more time.
8. Repeat Steps 3-5 again.
9. Rhinestone clasp comes with an end connector with a small loop. Open jump ring, slide through small loop and close.
10. Make sure to wrap bracelet on your wrist to help determine where you want to situate your knot. Take your four ends and slide jump ring through all ends and do an overhand knot with the jump ring/ring connector within the knot.
11. Try on the bracelet and adjust knot you made previously if you need to make length shorter or longer. Cut leather ends as an option.

Video Tutorial

You can check out our previous Facebook LIVE episode where we demonstrate how to make this bracelet HERE.

Take a break and breathe. Our DIY today helps ground yourself and bring positivity to the wearer. It consists of Shungite beads, which can “aid in pulling negative energy from the wearer in general, which may help you to keep a more positive, focused attitude” and Muonionalusta Meteorite, which promotes clarity and spiritual growth.

Plus, when you wear these stones, feel its weight. Its solid form has a tangible weight and know that you have a piece of prehistoric stones and ‘out-of-this-world’ kind of beads!

For our stretch bracelet, what we’ve used are:

• 0.8mm Stretch – A021634 OR Z001624
• 6mm Shungite Gemstones – SHU6RD
• 6mm Muonionalusta Meteorite – MME6RD-2

Directions:

1. Cut a piece of elastic to 9 inches. Pull and pre-stretch your elastic.
2. Slide on 23 Shungite beads. (Adjust length by adding or descreasing amount of beads to fit your wrist.)
3. Make a surgeon’s knot. Cut Excess elastic, leaving a small stub of elastic end.
4. Repeat all steps for other bracelet, while substituting a Shungite bead for a Meteor bead. Make a surgeon’s knot and cut off excess elastic.

Blog Post and Information courtesy of Dakota Stones and DakotaStones.com

All gemstones are fascinating and special. They come from far-away, remote parts of the globe. These Muonionalusta Meteorite beads, however, are more special than most, and originally came from much farther away. The meteorite was first discovered in Sweden, nearly 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle, in 1906 by two children who stumbled over a metal object stuck in the ground. Later determined to be an iron meteorite, it was thought to have fallen approximately 800,000 years ago. Other, smaller pieces of the meteorite have been found in the area, spread by the impact with the earth or moved through glacial changes. 

Muonionalusta Meteorite requires routine care in both specimen and jewelry form. Once you receive your pieces, it’s important to properly and regularly care for them. This article applies only to the care and keeping of Muonionalusta Meteorite in bead or other “finished” form. Different types of meteorite and meteorite specimens may require different care.

DOs

– Immediately remove from any sealed plastic packaging and put in a dry place with a controlled temperature.
– Clean your meteorite thoroughly in anhydrous (water-free) alcohol. Anhydrous alcohols include 95% ethyl alcohol which can be found at hardware or home improvement stores or 99% isopropyl alcohol found in drug stores.
– Seal it. Appropriate sealants can be found in hardware stores and include brands like WD-40 or RustGuardIt. You can also use microcrystalline wax, but this process involves prolonged exposure to high heat. 
– Store in a dry, temperature controlled area. 
– Store with a desiccant (silica gel packs) and recharge or change them out.
– Re-clean and re-seal as needed. The amount, type of wear, or individual wearer can all impact how frequently the stone will need to be cleaned and sealed.
– Clean and re-seal after exposure to sweat or heavy or prolonged handling.
– Remove rust with anhydrous alcohol and a steel brush.

DO NOTs

– Clean with water.
– Store long-term in anything sealed without controlling the moisture in the container.
– Submerge in water or use any product including water for cleaning.
– Wear while exercising or in environments where the piece will be in contact with a high amount of sweat and moisture. 
At Your Own Risk: Seal with lacquer or acrylic agents. They can alter the appearance of the piece and be difficult to remove. They are also NOT a permanent solution or impervious to moisture.

Blog Post and Information courtesy of Dakota Stones and DakotaStones.com

Shungite is a modern material, the first instance of the name being coined only dating back to 1879. Then, the material could refer to any mineral with shungite inclusions– and at the time, this meant just about any stone with carbon inclusions. Over time, we’ve been able to identify what makes shungite special– which comes from the biological material it comes from. The name is derived from where it was discovered, like many other minerals — Shunga, Russia, has the largest deposits of shungite. Shungite is also almost exclusively sourced from Russia, and the mineral has been illusive in most other places in the world. 

What we do know now is that shungite is almost entirely carbon. Carbon is an organic compound, and an excessively abundant element found in the earth’s crust. Carbon is also found abundantly within our bodies! We do know that because of this, shungite was likely a prehistoric plant or animal of some kind, that remained buried in the earth’s crust for thousands of years, the pressure and age transforming it into a close relative to carbon. We have yet to discover exactly what these organisms were, but they likely came from prehistoric swamps and volcanic ash.

Shungite has a non-crystalline formation, making it brittle in its raw form and very desirable for pigments in paints. Carbon-based black paint has been a new scientific and artistic achievement  in the last decade. These paints create a depthless, abyssal black that absorbs all light. Looking at these extremely dark paints have created scientific opportunities, such as hiding satellites from view in the night sky. For artists and goths, this new black is an exciting opportunity, but these paints have yet to hit the mass market for regular consumption. You may need to wait a little while longer to obtain a piece of clothing that will finally let you become one with the void– but the possibility is definitely within our lifetime. 

Because these shungite beads are highly carbon-based, they are very light in comparison to other black alternatives. Compared with onyx, a dense, chalcedony-based mineral, does provide a rich black. However, shungite has a unique, metallic appearance. One could compare it with graphite, which is made primarily from carbon, since it does have a lusty appearance. These beads could look sleek when paired with crystal quartz for a monotone design. Their dark color could be a nice spacer bead to provide breathing room in more colorful designs. If you’re designing something with our meteorite beads, they could make a light alternative, as meteorite is mostly iron, and tends to be somewhat heavy. 

The metaphysical properties of shungite tend to be very attractive to customers who desire to protect themselves from EMFs. Carbon is an especially conductive material, so it is said that wearing these beads can help direct the flow of unwanted energies through the stones, rather than the wearer. These stones can also aid in pulling negative energy from the wearer in general, which may help you to keep a more positive, focused attitude.

Today’s DIY Gemstone Donut and Deerskin Necklace features three of our favorite brands. Dakota Stones gemstone donuts, LeatherCord USA deerskin lace and TierraCast barrel bead.

Items used in necklace:

• 40mm Dendritic Fossil Ocean Agate Gemstone Donut. – DFOA40DNT
  Try other Gemstone Donut.
• 6mm TierraCast Barrel Bead – TC01543
  Try out Gold or Antique Silver barrel bead.
• 5mm Slate Grey Deerskin Lace – Z011156
  Try other 5mm Deerskin Lace

Directions:

1. Cut deerskin lace in half (if you’re using the 2 meter product item) or cut 3.5 feet of lace.
2. Fold lace in half and slide through gemstone donut and make a lark’s head knot. Make sure the front side of the lace is facing outwards and evening out your lace ends.
3. Slide barrel beads through both lace ends and slide to sit on top of lark’s head knot.
4. Make an overhand knot to both of your lace end to complete your necklace.

Blog Post courtesy of DakotaStones.com

Know Your Dye

With modern advancements in stone cutting and treatment technology, color enhancements and dyes have arrived at the forefront of the beading and natural stone market. Sometimes, a dye is selected for a stone to enhance the color, or to change it all together. These dyes can be synthetic or natural pigments, and are usually applied to a stone after the tumbling process and before any other finishes may be applied.

Dyed stones may appeal to designers with bright and bold taste, as the pigments achieved with dye are unrivaled. They can be useful for designers who want to appeal to consumers with smaller budgets, or for starting-out beaders who want to practice techniques without worrying about possibly damaging costly materials. The most commonly dyed stones are stones with pre-existing transparency, like Crystal and some Agates. A rough, natural look is also favorable, with stones like Jasper and White Howlite that provide different rings of material to add depth to additional color.

Sometimes, a dye is sold to mimic the appearance of more expensive gemstones, and can be so convincing that it flies under the radar of even some of the most knowledgeable consumers in the industry. The problem is not the existence of dyed stones, but rather the dishonesty when a retailer wants to misguide customers. Such is infamously the case with turquoise, which is one of the most heavily copied gems on the market. When dyed stones were a more novel product in the early 20th century, it was easy for scam artists to bank on their consumers lack of knowledge to deceive them. For these reasons, dyed stones gathered an unsavory reputation for being cheap, dishonest alternatives to natural, untreated stones.

As a reaction to this, the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) created the “Enhancement Code” for consumers to refer to when researching materials. “Enhancement” does not just refer to dyeing stones either. This system is used to describe any alterations to a stone that can affect the color, quality, and properties of certain minerals. While some people may argue what makes a stone “synthetic,” the AGTA made sure to reference any alteration in a stone’s chemical of physical makeup.

Fortunately for the process of dying stones, new relevance has spurred up as new techniques have been developed. Heat treatments and finishes have been improved, which has allowed dyed stones a second chance. Today, dyed stones can stand on their own on the market as unique, instead of solely as imitations of other stones. Dyes are also occasionally used to enhance a color to create a more uniform color appearance. Different dyes have also made it possible to make powdery, subdued color stones for designers and customers with more understated taste.

It is important to note that at Dakota Stones, we do not condone any dishonesty regarding the alteration of stones. All of our dyed stones, and any chemical treatments or enhancements are marked accordingly. The process of treating stones with dye has improved leaps and bounds since its infancy, and buyers can rest assured that dyes will not rub off of the stones with excessive wear, or when introduced to natural oils from human skin.

-Makenzie

Blog post courtesy of Dakota Stones.

The Difference of Diamond Cut

People have been cutting and shaping stone manually since the fourteenth century. While we have nearly perfected any and all methods we can manage by hand, technology has since grown beyond our capabilities.

Today, most of our faceted stones are machine cut with industrial-grade diamonds. With the use of new technology, geometry and an understanding of light, which is extremely important for precious stones with strong dispersion, we can now make the facets on each stone cleaner, sharper, and more consistent with minimal or no need for polishing. This means we can manufacture mathematically precise cuts on extremely small surfaces while getting the same luster and shine as we would see on large surfaces.

What this also means for the stone cutting industry is that, not only can we source precise diamond-cut stones at reasonable cost, we have more time and opportunity to focus on the best cuts from minerals that might require hand-cutting. And, as we know, we cannot program a machine to have taste or skill when making unique or difficult cuts. Most of our pendants and cabochons are still beautifully hand-cut by skilled lapidary artists.

In the past few years Dakota Stones has been one of the first to offer gemstones in diamond-cut bicones, coins, rounds, rondelles and cubes. We are also pleased to be the first to showcase our newest double-hearted star cut stones. As diamond-cutting becomes more and more advanced, we are privileged with the ability to source these unique cuts of stones, with almost undetectable facets at first glance. Our double-hearted strands are a twin to our star-cut line, with an extra triangular facet for additional light refraction.

As diamond-cut stones become increasingly popular we hope to continue innovating new shapes and growing with this incredible technology.

Today’s design features Apple Jasper Gemstones and how versatile the Cymbal components can be used. We love the organic cuts of the Apple Jasper Flat Chips (APL5X15CHP-8) and used them to make a subtle statement necklace pendant.

What you’ll need for necklace:

• Apple Jasper Flat Chip Beads – APL5X15CHP-8
• 4mm Round Apple Jasper – APL4RD-8
• 1 Inch Headpin with Ball – A019691
• 2 Inch Eyepin – A019631
• 11/0 Galvanized Silver Seed Bead – SB00422
• Silver Plated Cymbal Lakos III – Z008756
• 0.7mm Beading Chain – CH00724 (2′-3′)
• 8mm End Cap – X001505
• Hook Clasp – Y012869

Directions:

1. On the headpin, slide one 4mm round gemstone and two seed beads. Make a simple loop.
2. Open loop of eyepin and slide on dangle from step 1. Close loop.
3. On eyepin slide on a seed bead, 5 chip gemstones and seed bead. Make a simple loop.
4. Open dangle loop and slide on top loop of Cymbal component. Close loop.
5. Slide chain through the other three hole of the Cymbal component. (For your own personlization, cut your chain shorter or have a longer piece of chain)
6. Crimp end caps to the ends of your beading chain. (Refer to Blog Post)
7. Add clasp to ends.

Need some DIY gift ideas for your naturalist friend? He/She most likely love neutral colors, leather and gemstones. Here are some gorgeous DIY jewelry for the naturalist friend this holiday season!

1. Black Gold Amazonite Tassel Necklace
2. Crystal Quartz Drop Earrings
3. DIY Diffuser Necklace with Lava Beads
4. Leather & Tube Bead Necklace
5. Easy Leather Hook Bracelet
6. Stone Ripple Leather Bracelet
7. Gemstone Donut Bails
8. Gemstone Post Earrings with Cabochons

Here are some great DIY jewelry gift ideas for our trendy friend. Our Trendsetter is always wearing the latest fashion and jewelry. She not only wears it, but also influences others to join in on the fad. So try out some of these DIY jewelry with some of our newest products like wood and resin pendant charms, Acetate, Enamel, post earrings, lariat necklaces, adjustable bracelets with sliding clasps and DIY kits are trendy. It will surely be a eyeopener for your Trendsetter friend!

1. Wood and Resin Pendant Necklace
2. Golden Halo Earrings with Swarovski Crystals
3. DIY Jewelry using Enamel Component
4. Tory’s Acetate & Silver Drop Earrings
5. Acetate Fringe Earrings
6. Lariat Gemstones and Tassel Necklace
7. Diakonos Kits

These Holiday DIY gift ideas are for the Boho Beauty in your life.She seeks a relaxing vibe and a moment of zen. She loves natural and earthy tone, so make sure you design with fibers like Ribbon, Tassels, Leather and Straw, as well as some Gemstone. Here are some great DIY projects for the Boho Beauty!

1. Straw & Leather Macrame
2. Fishtail Cuff
3. Fabric Tassel Jewelry
4. Fan Tassels
5. Macrame Leather Bracelet
6. Boho Feather Earrings
7. Silk Ribbon in Jewelry
8. Long Tassels

Let’s get to designing a leather layer necklace using 2mm leather cord and large-hole gemstones. This easy DIY will get you making more than one!

What you’ll need:

• 2mm Leather Cord – Item used in necklace A022074
• 8mm and 10mm Large-Hole Gemstones – Items used in necklace GAV8RDLH-8 & ATQ10RDLH-8

Directions:

1. Start with 1 meter of leather or about 39 inches of leather.
2. Fold leather in half and make an other hand knot at the folded part to create a 1/2 inch loop.
3. On one leather cord, slide on FOUR 8mm gemstone.
   1. Make an overhand knot at the end of this leather cord.
   2. Slide one gemstone down to the knot and make another overhand knot after this gemstone bead, sandwiching the bead between two knots.
4. On the other leather cord, slide on a 10mm gemstone and a 8mm gemstone.
   1. Make an overhand knot an inch shorter than the knot you made in step 3-1.
   2. Slide 8mm gemstone down to the knot and make another overhand knot after this gemstone bead, sandwiching the bead between two knots.
5. Done! To wear, slide both gemstone knotted ends through the leather loop, one at a time.

The holidays are upon us and we’re starting off your DIY holiday gifts with So Vang’s wrap bracelet using her new favorite Teal Brown Impression Jasper beads. Wrap bracelets are easy to make and design with Beadalon Memory Wire and your favorite beads! Here’s what you need to design this Teal Brown Impression Jasper Wrap Bracelet:

• 4mm Teal Brown Impression Jasper Round Bead – TBRIM4RD
• Heavy Duty Memory Wire – WR00120 or WR00121
• 50mm Silver Plated Curved Tube Bead – A014097
• Size 8/0 Galvanized Silver Miyuki Seed Bead – SB00106
• TOOLS: Memory Wire Shears & Memory Wire Finishing Pliers

Directions:

1. Make a simple loop at one end of your memory wire with memory wire finishing pliers.
2. Slide the following SECTIONS onto the memory wire:
   1. Seed bead, gemstone, seed bead, 3 gemstone, seed bead, gemstone, 3 seed bead, gemstone, seed bead, 3 gemstone, seed bead, gemstone, 3 seed bead, gemstone, seed bead, 3 gemstone, seed bead, gemstone, seed bead, and curved tube.
   2. Seed bead, gemstone, seed bead, 3 gemstone, seed bead, gemstone, 3 seed bead, gemstone, seed bead, 3 gemstone, seed bead, gemstone, seed bead and curved tube.
   3. Repeat SECTION 1.
   4. Repeat SECTION 2.
   5. Repeat SECTION 1.
   6. Repeat SECTION 2.
   7. Repeat SECTION 1.
   8. Seed bead, gemstone, seed bead, 3 gemstone, seed bead, gemstone, 3 seed bead, gemstone, seed bead, 3 gemstone, seed bead, gemstone and seed bead.
3. Cut excess memory wire, leaving a 1/2″ end.
4. Make a simple loop to memory wire end you just cut. (Option: Wrap simple loop into a coil to tighten your designs.)