CLASSES

Hi Friends,
Last week was a really exciting week. I presented my work at the Bead and Design Show in Costa Mesa, California. I also taught classes there including a class in making Viking Knit bracelets. It was great experience (practical and fun) for the students. I also taught classes in Bead Crochet, Etching, and Bead Knotting. I will be teaching another Viking Knit class in Culver City on Saturday, October 22, 2016. The class will be limited to 5 people. If you are interested, send me an e-mail at beadshaper@gmail.com or See Classes and Shows for details.
Rose
http://www.beadshaper.com
http://www.metaljewelryshaper.com

BLUE

Blue was once considered a hot color but is now considered a cool color. It is found in the flags of many countries and is the color of blue jeans. In the Turkish culture it is the color of amulets worn to ward off the Evil Eye. It now is often associated with sadness as in one is feeling blue. There is a type of jazz music which is known as the Blues.The Egyptians created blue pigment from cobalt thousands of years ago and used it in glass making. It was subsequently used by other ancient civilizations. Later it was perfected in glass making in 18th Century Europe. Azurite was discovered as a source of blue pigment in ancient China and spread to other lands. It became popular as a color in medieval European paintings.Indigo was developed as a blue dye in ancient India. It spread through the Far East and across Asia to Greece and Rome where it was given the name indigo because it came from the East.Ultramarine was a pigment first developed in Afghanistan during the Middle Ages and later was used in Italian Renaissance paintings. It was very expensive because it was made by grinding up lapis lazuli semiprecious stone.The first manufactured blue pigment was Prussian Blue which was created in Gerrmany in the 18th Century.
You can find the blue lapis ring pictured above at METAL JEWELRY SHAPER

RED

Red is one of the 3 basic colors. It is the color of blood and for that reason has been associated with the origin of life going back to prehistoric times. Prehistoric cave painters used red in painting animals. Red was often considered to have protective properties. Red material was at times buried in graves to protect the dead. Ancient hunters and warriors at times painted their spears with red blood. Red bedding was thought to be able to prevent illness. Red wedding clothes were at times worn by various ancient cultures including Rome, China, and others. The Medieval Christian Church used red in clerical garments and associated red with the cross. Red was a popular color for painting houses in Victorian Times although clothing at that time tended to have drab colors. In modern times, it is not unusual to find red in women's clothing and accessories although not often in men's clothing. Red is and has been a bright attractive color in glass beads even up to today.
Please visit at JEWELRY SHAPER

AQUAMARINE AND OTHER BERYLS

Beryl is a gem which contains the element beryllium. The name is derived from the ancient Greek word beryllos. Pure beryl is clear but there are varieties with various ranges of color. Emerald is a green variety. Aquamarine ranges from light blue and bluish green varieties to dark blue. Emeralds have been mined in upper Egypt since ancient times and were traded in Egypt and Mesopotamia as early as 4000 BC. Ancient people thought beryl had healing and protective properties. Beryl powder was used in Roman times to treat eye disease. Aquamarine gems were worn by sailors in the belief it would protect them from the sea. People in the Middle Ages thought aquamarine would protect them from poisoning.
You can find the aquamarine necklace pictured above at Aquamarine Necklace