Style Blog

​It's New Year time and you obviously are busy planning how you want to spend the last night of this year and welcome 2019. New Year parties are the perfect occasion to take your style game to the next level. You want to ensure that all those pictures that are going to be on your IG are your best ever.  So what do you have to take care of to e...

There are some occasions in life you will never forget and several of them revolve around your wedding day. The proposal and actual wedding day are moments you will likely cherish forever, and one of the biggest reminders of both of these occasions is the wedding ring. Certainly you’ll want to make sure that you’ve done your homework, whatever ring you choose. Here are a few suggestions to help along the way.

Decide On a Budget

One of the first things you’ll need to do is decide just how much money to spend. Many people say that your budget for a wedding ring should be two month’s salary. Whether you spend more or less is up to you, but it is a purchase that you hope will last a lifetime, so you should be certain you have thought it through. After you have made this decision, you shouldn’t deviate far from your budget. Paying more money than you’re able doesn’t mean you love your sweetheart more! Of course, this is no time to start skimping, either. The important thing is that you make a good choice based on what you can afford.

The Four C’s

When I was twelve, I became interested in making my own jewellery from my bedroom. I started out making friendship bracelets and hemp bracelets with shells, but I then started to design and make necklaces and earrings too. There is something quite relaxing about sitting on your own with a pile of beads, wire and tools, and it is very rewarding to see something take form in front of your eyes. That’s why I continued to make jewellery all the way through my teenage years and into adulthood, although I became pickier about the materials I used to do the job.

During my university years, I worked part time at a bead shop which opened my eyes to the range of materials and tools available and it is there that I found Swarovski Elements including many beautiful crystal beads. I think these are my favourite beads to use for making jewellery as they always give everything a premium look, and my friends and family love to wear the pieces I make with them. Here are a couple of items I’ve made with them to get you thinking about your own designs...

Charm bracelets

There is something so simple, yet gorgeous, about using Swarovski elements for your charm bracelets. This is especially true because of the colour crystal hearts you can buy, which makes them an excellent idea for Valentine’s Day gifts, or even as birthday presents. The good thing is that the hearts come in a range of different sizes, which means you can pair up the charms to the size of the chain, as well as the age of the recipient. To use these heart elements, I’d advise using metal loops or good quality wire that you’ve shaped yourself using jewellery tools.

Earrings

In my opinion, making earrings is one of the best craft activities in existence. You can let your imagination run wild before figuring out how best to execute your idea. If I’ve got a thought about creating a beautiful drop earring I’ll always choose a Swarovski element to do the job as the colours and shapes are so stunning. By using a coloured crystal bead at the top, and then adjoining it to a faceted crystal drop, you’ll make something that would easily be on sale in your favourite high street stores (for a fraction of the price!).