Elaine shares the top five tools for working with polymer clay. Discover how to use these tools, including a roller machine, a clay extruder and more.

Items have an industry standard of .15 to .25 mils thickness of gold which is plated to the surface of the base metal.

Do you love pendants? Do you love the tree of life motif? And do you love the moon? Yes!? Have we got a jewelry design for you!

Gorgeous & glittering, these chandelier earrings drip with glam. With garnet glass, red coral & copper-plated beads, this fiery pair will have all eyes on you.

Show your style with this steampunk-inspired money clip! Adorned with rhinestones, a carnelian cabochon and antique brass gears, it's a must-have accessory for the modern trendsetter.

Navigating supply chain issues might feel messy and complicated, but it doesn't have to be. Read on for expert tips from Fire Mountain Gem's own product management lead, KC.

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.

You've decided to sell your handcrafted jewelry online. Now what? These eight business tips will have you selling like a pro in no time.

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

Boldly going where jewelry has rarely gone before! The ear cuff, ear frame and ear climber have grown in popularity. Learn more about these non-pierced ear jewelry forms.

You'll have the eye of the tiger in all the colors of the rainbow with this sleek jewelry set. Tigereye beads are dyed brilliant colors for extra intrigue, perfectly complemented by gold-toned chains.

Get excited about druzy jewelry! Adorned with tiny, glistening crystals, these gemstones have the potential to become the focal point of your latest jewelry masterpiece.

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.

Crimp tubes are THE finding to keep your stringing projects intact and crimps have come a long way from the days of the little round piece of metal you "crush flat" to secure inflexible beading wire.

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?

Adding Greek letters to your personalized jewelry designs doesn't have to be a Herculean effort. With this handy chart, it's as easy as A-B-Γ.

What do the ancient Egyptians, Native Americans, 1970's celebrities and people today all have in common? A love of turquoise! This article highlights this gemstone's popularity throughout history.

One of the most important things in jewelry-making is having the right tools. Check out this handy guide to jewelry-making hand tools to learn the right tool for every job, ensuring a professional-looking finish every time.

Matching doesn't have to mean each piece in the set is the same. Read this article and learn how to create a bold and fashion-forward look by harnessing the power of asymmetry.

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.

A particular shape of cut glass or crystal, most commonly known as Crystal Passions® rhinestones. A chaton is a faceted, pavillion-shaped (pointed) bottom. Some chaton styles have the same point on top, while others have a smooth domed top (similar to cabochons) or a flat top (similar to faceted gemstones).

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.

Have questions about mandrels? Learn all about this valuable metalsmithing tool and the different options available in this article on mandrels.

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.

They say don't drive faster than your angels can fly and now you can have your own rearview-mirror charm as a reminder.

Explore the impact the number three can have on your jewelry designs.

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...

Have you never worked with leather before? It can be tough (heh) sometimes but don’t worry, Tammy Honaman is here to guide you like only a jewelry-making expert can.

Q: Hi, I am new at jewelry-making. Do I have to use a beading needle with the Accu-Flex® wire? Will it speed up the process? Thanks!

Q: I love doing shows! The problem I have is when there are several people standing at the booth. I'm afraid if I focus on one person, the others will leave because I am not paying attention to them. What do you recommend I do?

Q: My great aunt used to tie her beaded necklaces into a lover's knot, but I have lost the instructions. Do you know how?

Q: How do you know what size thread to use for a necklace strung with knots in between each bead? I have had experience with the beads slipping over the knots.

Q: I have a faithful customer who wears clip-on earrings. What can I use to make them less painful for her? Is there something similar to the coating for tools that could be used?

Q: Hello! I have a question about how to market my fine silver pendants: With the rising cost of precious metals I often find it difficult to sell my pendants for the price I want if I consider the chains that go with them. I really want to sell my pendants "as is" without a chain to keep costs down, but I feel if I do that it hinders sales since people want to wear the pieces right away or they don't have a chain of their own. Should I just charge more and supply a chain? Or should I keep my prices affordable and skip the chain? I was thinking about using a cord or something since it would be cheaper, but I'm afraid it won't mesh well with the more formal look of my pieces. Help?

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 buy pendants and antique beads at garage sales, flea markets and other sources. I use these pendants as focal points to build my necklaces around and some of them have a name printed on the back. Do I have a copyright problem or is there some other problem I might have if I want to sell my work?

Q: I have some copper pieces that I would like to look a bit darker, more antique. What product should I use to do this?

Q: I'm looking for your video or answer on how to join a new thread onto an existing thread for projects that need you to use a lot of thread, like necklaces, etc. What I mean is: I have started my project (beaded fringe on a bracelet, just like your video) and the string is now too short to do any more beading. How do I join the next piece of thread? Thank you.

Bezel setting connectors have made creating gemstone cabochon jewelry a breeze. Create a sophisticated Western-inspired style with this turquoise set.

Q: I have seen a necklace that I would love to make, but I need advice on the clasp at the back. The necklace was 10 strands of silk thread with pearls and crystals knotted about 1 to 1-1/2 inches apart. It looked like a crimp with a loop that finished it off, but I am unsure which one to order to complete the necklace, or even if this is the right way to go. Can you please advise? Thanks so much!

Q: I have made and sold over 50 beaded lanyards since November. Now all of a sudden people are coming back because they have broken. I used Accu-Flex® beading wire 7 strand 0.019 clear for stringing. Do you have any suggestions for something stronger? I have a large order coming up and really don't want to restring.

Q: How do you make earrings for people who don't have pierced ears?

Q: I am looking for the Crystal Passions® bead colors for all the different cancers. I have breast cancer and want to make bracelets for the nurses at the oncology department at my hospital. I know there are names for them, but they do not match the beads. Can you help?

Q: I think your how-to videos are a wonderful addition to your site. I was watching the bead tip and French wire videos in particular. My question/suggestion is that I don't have a problem with finishing my jewelry on the first end but after the stringing is complete it is the second end which gives me trouble, when you have to tighten the string so that there are no loose beads. French wire is very difficult to use, but doubly so when you are finishing the second end. For example: when I pull the loop, the wire tends to spread and becomes useless. Can you include the second half of the how-to as well as the first?

Q: I have several strands of tiny 2.5mm diamond beads and am in a quandary as to the best way to string them. I've tried fishing line and extra fine beading wire, but I'm not satisfied with the results. I've also tried stringing them onto jump rings I made with 18K 30-gauge wire, but it made them look too spread out. Any suggestions?

Q: Sure hope you can help me. I'm making a necklace and my pendant is a lampwork bead, sort of rondelle shaped. I want to use a large jump ring, 17mm, but I am having trouble as it does not seem secure on the necklace. Is there something I can use or some technique to keep this ring securely closed? I really don't want to invest in or learn soldering. Thank you so much.

Q: Hello, I am making lots of sterling silver and gemstone pieces (mostly earrings). How should I care for the pieces? Can I use a silver polish when the pieces have bead components? Thanks for your advice.

Q: I have a bracelet I made out of large chunks of turquoise and spaced out with much smaller coral and bronze beads. The problem is that my arm hairs get pinched really badly, even though I tried to leave some room for the beads to move around. Is there a trick to knowing how much room to leave so the beads can move without pinching?

Q: What is the best way to compensate for stringing beads that have different hole sizes?

Q: I'm making hatbands, but I don't know how to finish the ends. They need to be adjustable. Do you have any ideas? I'd prefer to NOT sew the bands to a backing. Thanks!

Q: I have a glass pendant that the loop broke off of. How can I wire wrap it and put a loop at the top, where the glass loop broke off?

Q: I have some carved shell flowers. The hole is in the middle of each flower. How do I attach beads, and how do I make them into earrings?

Q: I just bought some beads, charms and hoops to make wine charms. They look great, but the beads fall off easily. Do you have any suggestions for what I could do to fix this? I bought 25mm, 24-gauge hoops. Thanks!

Q: I am just not good with knots. I would prefer to use crimp tubes on stretch cord ("powercord"). I would like some reassurance that finished bracelets would last for a long time with wear. Have you had any testimonies from clients on this, and what is your opinion?

Q: I have sold my jewelry and wire work on consignment before, with pretty good success. However, I recently spoke with a shop owner who wanted me to pay a nonrefundable consignment fee to sell my work. I'd honestly never heard this before, and I'm a bit wary. Should I be?

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: If I buy a licensed college or pro team charm and use it in a jewelry design, do I have the right to resell it?

Q: Are there any downsides to using screw-tites versus crimps? I would like to have info about the pros/cons of the two. Thank you.

Q: Could you please do a video on twisting wire using a pin vise—I have a pin vise from Fire Mountain and do not know how to use it. The wooden knob swivels, but the wire does not twist. Thank you

Q: I'm trying to solder Argentium Silver wire. Everything I have read says that I don't need flux, but when I soldered the wire, it went black—like sterling—and didn't melt. Can you suggest a good flux and give some direction on how to solder?

Q: I have just restrung a coral necklace my father had given my sister. It was on silk thread and the ends of the thread were glued into the clasp's round bead ends. How do I finish it now that I have all the coral strung on silk? How do I get the clasp on, and what type of clasp can I use on silk thread?

Q: Hi, I am new at jewelry-making. Do I have to use a beading needle with the Accu-Flex® wire? Will it speed up the process? Thanks!

Q: When using a magnetic clasp, I always have trouble keeping the clasp from attaching itself magnetically to my crimping pliers. This makes crimping difficult. Do you have any suggestions for keeping the magnet away from the pliers?

Q: I have started making personalized, metal-stamped, sterling necklace charms. I am having a hard time figuring out what type of "necklace" material to use. I love the look of a chain but cannot seem to find spacer beads to fit over the clasps on either end to go between the silver discs. (I do not want to use crimp beads, as I like the movement and changeability of the charms, and this would inhibit it.) Thank you SO much for your time and help!!

Q: How do you keep top-drilled beads going in an alternating pattern on a necklace or bracelet? I have some small pearls that I would love to use.

Q: I need tips, please, on how to organize a large inventory of beads and findings. Not the physical components—trays, bags, etc.—but the logical organization. Do the experts find it most useful to organize by color? By size? By material? By shape? Which are the main categories, and how are items sorted within the main categories? For example, beads might be organized first by main color (pink, yellow, black), then by big category of material (gemstone, glass), then specific material (calcite, mookaite, crystal, crackle glass, lampwork). Then within material by size or shape. What logical organization works best for you to help you find what you need quickly? Do different people organize different ways? How do you organize strands that have mixed colors or materials?

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 was given a battery operated bead reamer as a gift, but am hesitant to try it. I was watching your bead reamer video and didn't even see a powered version mentioned as an option. It seems to me the hand versions offer more control. Do you have any recommendations?

Q: I'm making a wind chime from some old stained glass pieces. I bought some memory wire from you a while back, but haven't tried it yet for this purpose. Will it hang straight when used or do you have another idea for connecting my pieces. Thanks!

Q: I have a couple questions about Kato Polyclay. First, what adhesives would you recommend to use with the clay? I've noticed that some of them "eat" through the clay or make it soft and sticky again, and it might take a couple of weeks before you get such a "surprise." The last glue I've used was E6000® Jewelry and Craft Adhesive; no "surprises" so far. Are there any other adhesives which are safe for the polymer clay? Second, is there any particular glaze which is best to cover cured polymer clay with? I've tried Sculpey®, but for some reason it sometimes forms little bubbles on the surface of the clay when dried. Thank you very much.

Q: I purchased clip-on earring, silver-plated, 18x8mm perforated hoop. What is the best way to attach beads to this item? I have tried several ways and none are satisfactory. Glue? Thread? wire?

Q: I have collected lots of abalone shells. What is the best way to drill holes in the shells, shine, polish, etc., to make jewelry?

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 have read that you cannot store polymer clay in certain plastic containers as it leaches some of the binding chemicals. Is it okay to store the clay in the bottles that prescription medicines come in as I save them to store beads, etc in? Thank you for your wonderful site and jewelry making components.

Q: Which wire is best for people who have allergies to nickel? Also, which wires hold up the best with wear and tear?

Q: I have a woven seed bead necklace that someone wants me to make earrings for. It consists of regular pink seed beads accented with matte gold seeds. The customer wants to clean the necklace. How do you clean this necklace without removing the color from the beads?

Q: How can you prevent open, unused silver clay from turning moldy? We have the unused silver wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, sealed with masking tape to keep the plastic wrap from coming loose. Then we place the silver in an air tight rubber maid container with a sponge that is wet. Does it just turn moldy over time or is there something different we should be doing?

Q: I have old brass curved tube beads in varying sizes. I want to cut or file some of the outside edge of the curve to expose a little cord inside. Do I use a file, a jeweler's saw? What type of blade or file? Thank you.

Q: Can I cross the gold precious metal clay with some of the copper to successfully have rosegold precious metal clay?

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: What gauge wire is recommended for making wrapped loops? I've tried the 22 and 24. They are too soft, for me, to work with. Would a lower gauge wire work best? I'm a newbie at this. Also, what would be the equivalent gauge size of a wire diameter of, say, .014 or .015"? I've seen only diameters of wires given, and I have no idea how to determine what the gauge would be.

Q: I am pretty new at beading and I am in love with seed beads. I am trying to do a two-row base for a necklace. I have tried peyote and square stitch. How do I get the tension right? I end up with it wiggly, or spiral, or twisty, anything but flat. Thanks.

Q: I make wrap bracelets and I am having trouble tying off my thread so that my knots aren't so visible. Any suggestions? I love your website and I look through my catalog every day! Thank you!

Q: I have some bamboo rattle snake coral that I ordered elsewhere. It is long jagged pieces and I find it to be very ugly so I have put off working with it. Do you have any suggestions about using this product? What else would go with it? Thank you very much.

Q: I recently purchased packets and strings of gemstone beads. Some of them have jagged, rough edges. What can I use to smooth them?

Q: I just bought a new kiln and have tried the time and temperature listed, but my pieces are coming out not completely fired. How do I adjust the time and temperature without ruining more silver and copper clay?

Q: OOPS! Should have tried on the choker I was making before I added the bar/ring toggle, crimped, and cut the wire--it is too tight! Any suggestions for "extending" the length of a necklace without removing the toggle? I'd hate to re-string it as it was a very intricate (time-consuming) project. Next time, I'll measure twice, cut once!

Q: I saw a tennis bracelet pattern in Bead and Button book. I have made quite a few of them for gifts for my family although I used 6mm bicone crystals instead of the 4mm the instructions called for. The best one I've made so far was for myself, it was made using 6mm crystal AB. What I'm asking you is this: The pattern calls for mono filament beading thread. I am wondering if this line is going to get cut using the bicone crystals? Also, the pattern calls for a box clasp, mine keeps coming apart every time I wear it--what else can I use instead?

Q: How do I clean my pliers and wire cutters? They have become rusty and old looking.

Q: I purchased a pair of hammered sterling silver earrings online for my daughter. The earrings have a bar closure that broke off (the bar and hinge). I have made a lot of jewelry myself. I tried to replace them with something similar, but could not find anything here on line. How can I repair them?

Q: I have trouble with gold/silver filled findings darkening over time. What can I use on them to keep them shiny as if new?

Q: I am interested in selling jewelry at craft fairs and shows. I will need to have a pretty large inventory of necklaces, bracelets and earrings. What do you recommend as a good amount of inventory for a fair or show? Thank you!

Q: I have a pair of post earrings that I want to make into dangles but there is no hole. How do I do that?