Like many, our Fire Mountain Gems and Beads family has been deeply affected by cancer. To help cope and heal from these profound challenges, we support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation through donations to fight against this disease. Every October for Breast Cancer Awareness month, Fire Mountain Gems and Beads donates proceeds to support of breast cancer research. We welcome you to share your creations with the world to raise funds for your charity.

Unveil the sweet secret of this fetching necklace and earring set. The locket has been adorned with Crystal Passions® flat backs for sparkle and engraved with a special date.

Glass beads have been a favorite jewelry-making supply for thousands of years. Learn about the ancient techniques used to craft various types of beads.

Color seasons have been applied to jewelry and fashion for decades. Find ways to match your designs to the 12 designations in this article.

Tassels have been incredibly popular on runways and in modern street fashion. Read on to learn how adding beads has transformed this trend into something entirely new.

Brooches have long been a popular accessory for adding a touch of style and elegance to any outfit. Discover design ideas and inspiration to make your own beaded brooches.

How many times have you been working on a beading project, only to have your fingers and hands seize from cramping and fatigue, which force you to take a break?

It's never been easier to sell your jewelry online. Discover how to set up shop, compare costs and get expert business tips to find your best-selling fit among the top sites.

Wooden jewelry has once again been on the rise. Find inspiration for your own nature-inspired designs in this article.

The unit of weight used for precious stones. One carat equals one-fifth of a gram. Also a measurement of fitness in gold. Pure gold is expressed as 24Kt.The term ''carat'' dates back to the traders of the ancient world. A standard weight was required for precious gems as merchants of the ancient Mediterranean and Middle East were dependent on the ability to trade with a reasonably consistent unit of measurement. It was this need that led to the adoption of seeds and grains as widespread units of measurement.The carob seed and the wheat grain, both of which had been used for food purposes were found to be ideal units of weight. For centuries the carob seed remained the weight measurement for precious gems. By the Middle Ages, however, changes in the trade routes had occurred and large centers of trade were now found within Europe. The carat, as it had become known, became linked to 4 grains Troy weight, with the carob seed having been abandoned at some point during the shift of trade centers. The Troy carat was the equivalent of approximately 205 milligrams. This measurement of weight lasted for the carat until the 20th century. It was between 1907-1914 that the carat was married to the metric system of weights. By 1914 the United States officially abandoned the former Troy measurement of 205.3 milligrams for the carat, and adopted the current metric carat measurement of 200 milligrams.

A form of chain with oval links that have been twisted, so that the entire chain lays flat.

Ever wonder what a bail is? How do you use it and what should you look for to find what you need for your designs? All of that has been compiled in one handy location.

Q: Can garments which have been embellished with hot fix rhinestones be ironed safely? Or will the heat of the ironing cause them to un-adhere? I would be ironing at synthetic or silk settings, not at high.

There is a lot of metal sheet for you to pick from when you're making your metal jewelry. That is why all of them have been assembled into one chart.

Learn more about the holy rosary and how it's been a treasured devotion in the Catholic Church for centuries.

Gulten has been honored to work with celebrity clients and her jewelry designs have been featured on television and in magazines. Her dazzling jewelry set featuring clever combinations of crystal graces the cover of the Fire Mountain Gems and Beads...

Filigree has been part of the jewelry making tradition for almost 4000 years! From the Egyptians to the Persians, through the Renaissance and Art Nouveaue eras, it's got quite the history.

Q: With the precious metal market so volatile, I've been using some silver plated findings in my designs. On my cards I tell of what each piece is made. Is there a legal explanation required when you have a piece, say, 20% silver plate, 80% sterling or can I just say SP and Sterling or Sterling w SP and leave it at that? I don't want to mislead my customers but I also want to point out that the piece is mostly sterling. My cards are not large so space is limited.

Q: I have some opals stored in glycerine oil. They have been in oil since the 1930s. Must they stay in the oil or can I put them in cage bails?

Q: I bought some silver Art Clay some years ago, it's never been opened. Do you know if it can still be used? I would be firing it with a butane torch. Thanks!

Q: I've been beading for about a year and my biggest issue is the excess wire at the end of my project. Is there a trick to threading it into the strand of beads?

Q: I am new to the jewelry making business and have been interested in a business of my own since my work related accident, which forced me into early retirement. I was doing a web search for something that would help in my fixed income and I came across Fire Mountain Gems and Beads and decided that this would be something that I could do from my home. I am interested in both making and buying the pre-made jewelry. I would like to know something about the price point system, regarding the pre-made jewelry. If I buy the pre-made pieces of jewelry, what sort of price range would be the best? For example, if I buy a pre-made necklace, what would my price point be? Say if the pre-made pieces of jewelry at wholesale cost would be $5.34. Would I multiply the wholesale cost by 2, 3, 4 times the cost, or what percent would I mark up the necklace? If I decide to sell this necklace with a bracelet and earrings, what would the markup be on this set? Also, if I buy a set of 6 of the same kind that cost $7.42 for the set of 6 how would I break this down to each individual piece? I will be setting up at the flea market and craft shows and making up my website and ebay store. Thank you.

Q: I recently made a ring out of Art Clay silver, and can't get it off the mandrel! I've found a lot of suggestions for preventing Art Clay from sticking in the future, but none that help me fix what's already been done. How do I get my ring free without breaking it or having to start over?

Q: I have read that both copper and sterling silver can be oxidized using Liver of Sulfur or ammonia. During the oxidizing process, both metals will go through a range of color changes before getting to the antique-look. My question is: are you supposed to use some kind of sealant on all pieces that have been oxidized BUT not to the point of the antique-look. For example, oxidizing copper until it turns blue. None of the articles that I've read mention use of sealants. Thanks very much!

Q: I've seen Chainmaille sites online and thought, "Wow, that looks cool! I want to make it!" How can I cut the wire to make jump rings, without it flattening the end of the cut part? I know I can buy machine made jumprings that are perfectly shaped and cut, but I want to make my own, so I can fabricate the entire piece. I've been using regular wire cutters, and am looking for a cutter that won't flatten the jumpring ends. Thanks

Q: I've been making beaded jewelry for some time now. The wire/cord of some of my pieces has stretched over time so that there are spaces near the clasp of my necklaces. I am using Beadalon/Accu-Flex type wire. I've heard of prestretching your wire. Do I need to do this to prevent them from stretching out? Do you have any other suggestions to prevent this from happening? Thanks.

Q: I am new to beading and struggle with understanding bead sizes—especially as I look at websites like Fire Mountain and see beads I like. I haven't been able to find a good size chart to use. Can you recommend one?

Q: I have been seeing watch bands made with beads and safety pins and they just stretch. What would be a good choice of stringing material to use so the safety pin will not break it and it stretches.

Q: My beaded design is strung on Accu-Flex® wire. I'd like to attach the wire end to several inches of leather or rubber cord before I attach the clasp. I know how to make the connection at the clasp, but what should I use to connect the wire to the cord? I've been looking at cord tips; some have holes, some have loops.

Q: I've been using Accu-Flex® wire in my necklace and bracelet projects, but I'd like to explore other stringing materials. In particular, I'd like to know how to select the appropriate weight of FireLine® and how to finish off ends attractively and appropriately.

Q: I have quite a collection of Hill Tribe Silver beads. I have been keeping them in clear hard plastic stackable screw together storage containers. I have noticed that they are beginning to tarnish. It will be quite a job to shine them up again. Could you recommend the best way to store them (for the future) and what would be the best way for me to clean these intricate beads. Many thanks for your help.

Q: How do I finish a necklace that has been strung with thread? It has four strands and has a pendant suspended from the combined string.

Q: I've been watching your videos on peyote stitch and you don't show how to attach a clasp at the end. I like wide bracelets and can't figure out how to finish the piece. Thank you.

Q: I've sold some of my handmade jewelry online in the past while I was in high school, but I'm now in college, and I'd like to start again. I'm an Information Systems major, so I've got the skills and am planning to build my own website (though I'll also be attempting to sell some on Etsy). I've also been thinking about doing home parties, but some of my friends who are in different states were interested in hosting parties, which obviously won't really work. Do you have any ideas/tips for doing online jewelry parties so my friends can still host?

Q: It has been suggested that I obtain a rock tumbler with steel shot to clean my pieces as I am making them. I have been reading about ultrasonic wave tanks used to clean, and I wonder how they compare to the tumbler in the end result.

Q: I've been making feather earrings but find the feathers I am buying are curled or twisted and don't lay straight when worn. Is there a special type feather I need or is there some way to straighten the feathers out?

Q: I have been looking at your Rotary tool located in Metalsmithing. I am a new graduate from Jewelry Design and Repair and I'm wondering if this tool can take the place of a Flex Shaft. And if I purchased this rotary tool will it do all of the same jobs done that a flex shaft does or will I still have to purchase a Flex Shaft to do some jobs?

Q: Sometime ago you had an article about copyright laws concerning bead patterns. I just sold a necklace that I now see the author of the pattern says it has been copyrighted--not to use for sale--I am terrified, please help.

Q: I am fairly new to jewelry making (3 yrs.). I have been learning by making items from magazines and books. These items were gifts for friends and family. I recently started creating my own items. In a recent trip to a bead store, the shop owner liked my bangle bracelet. When I told them it was my own creation, they wanted to buy my instructions and teach it at their shop. Should I do that? If I do, how do I put a value on instructions? What am I giving up by doing that? I don't have a business. I eagerly await your reply. Thanks.

Q: Thank you so much for providing answers to my many questions. I hadn't realized this was an option. I've been fascinated with Argentium, but I can't find much in the way of instructional materials. I have several questions for you, and I thank you in advance for taking time to answer.

Q: I'm interested in making some decorative hair combs, but I would actually like to make my own hair comb out of wire. I've been looking everywhere for instructions, and can't seem to find any. Do you know of a pattern that is available for making the actual comb?

Q: I have been selling hand-made jewelry for about 12 years at shows and festivals. I am looking to get some new display items. I was wondering given the fact that half of my shows are outside and in the mountains, if the leatherette displays hold up better than the velvet ones? Going hand in hand what would be the best color to display brass or other mixed metal jewelry on, White or Black? I mainly have black velvet ones and they seem to collect dust and dead plant bits, which show up like there is no tomorrow when I am doing an inside show. Thoughts?

Never has it been easier to string beads than with the Elastacord™ Bead Threader. These concise instructions tell you everything you need to know to use this convenient tool.

Create intricate beaded mandalas with ease by following these straightforward instructions. Your beadwork has never been more extraordinary!

This handy how-to video from Beadalon® explains how simple it is to use the Artistic Wire® 3D bracelet jig. Creating wire cuff bracelets has never been easier!

Jasper was popular in the ancient world for its medicinal and spiritual values, and has been used for centuries by cultures around the world for its unique properties.

Coral is a highly prized substance believed to be endowed with mysterious sacred properties. Coral has been called the "garden of the sea" because it was once believed to be a plant.

This gemstone may resemble jade in some aspects, but Malaysia "jade" is a trade name used for translucent quartz that has been expertly dyed and available in a myriad of colors.