Pendants are a wonderful way to add character to your accessories. Stones of all colors, shapes and sizes can be arranged in an endless variety of designs to be worn attached to a necklace or bracelet. These pendants, like all jewelry, can be very small, simple and cheap, such as those a child might be given for a birthday, all the way to the extremely expensive designer pendants that are worn only by the rich and famous.

There are those that are very expensive, glittering with precious and semi precious stones set in the most costly metals. These may be very flashy and showy, or they can be more classic and conservative in design. The materials used, as well as the pendant designer will determine the cost and value of these pendants.

A collection of eclectic and ethnic artisan jewelry fills out your jewelry box at an economical price!

Diamond tennis bracelets and emerald earrings with a matching pendant are probably not on many birthday or Valentine’s shopping lists this year. If you’re looking for some new jewelry, here’s a new, more affordable way to add to your jewelry collection. If you’re not familiar with the eclectic and ethnic artisan jewelry, you should go take a look. You’ll find the most interesting and lovely pieces at a fraction of the price of that diamond tennis bracelet. Artisan jewelry is handmade by individual artists who create unique, one-of-a-kind jewelry at relatively inexpensive prices.

So where do you find this handcrafted jewelry? Easy enough. Go to any of the crafts fairs to find at least a half dozen booths featuring artisan jewelry. You can meet the person who made the jewelry too. They’re always happy to answer any questions you may have with respect to techniques, construction and stones used in any particular piece that catches your eye. Artisan jewelers live and breathe their craft, and are proud of their workmanship. Another good source of this type of jewelry is the small shops which stock unusual, upscale, ethnic jewelry and clothing.

Many other exciting possibilities await you online. Do an image search on Google – a search on ‘artisan jewelry’ turns up about 175,000 images, while ‘ethnic jewelry’ brings almost 240,000 images for you to browse. Some of these pieces are truly knockouts. Scroll through the images until you find a look or style you love – it won’t take long! Then, just click through to the site and scout out what other items they have to offer. You’ll probably find more items than you can afford at one time, so bookmark your favorite sites for an easy return. Artisan jewelry is also a big category on eBay.

Period pieces, such as Renaissance and Egyptian replications are a favorite with many artisan jewelry collectors. Lost wax casting is another technique favored by some artisan jewelers, producing magnificent effects and fairly ornate designs.

One particularly distinguishing characteristic of artisan jewelry is the unique combinations of materials. While beads are not expensive, an imaginative designer can create a stunning piece of jewelry at little cost. While a diamond pendant may not elicit a remark from anyone, your fabulously artistic beaded necklace is sure to draw notice and compliments, marking you as a trendy and fashionable dresser.

The same can be said of matching sets consisting of earrings, necklaces and bracelets. While most often made with semi-precious stones, the art is in the way the piece presents the stones.

Native American artisan jewelry is another ethnic style you’ll want to take a look at in your searches. Native Americans have been making magnificent jewelry for many centuries. One item you should definitely check out is their watchbands. Talk about a conversation piece!

Be forewarned: once you start your collection, you might need to plan to buy a jewelry armoire to accommodate your collection of artisan jewelry.

Caring For Nose Piercings

There are many things that were considered outrageous when I was in college that are now commonplace today. Just two of those things are unnatural hair colors like pink, blue, and purple. The other is getting nose piercings. You see these things more and more each day, and people do not even bother to turn around and look twice. These things were once for shock value as well as self-expression, but are now more about expression than anything else. If you want to get your nose pierced, there are some things that you should know about care.

If you have never seen the jewelry used in nose piercings, you may be surprised to see how it works. It looks nothing like what you put into your ear. Most of these are a long rod with the gem or whatever adornment on the end. That rod then curls around. When used in nose piercings, they simply hold the ring in by resting on the inside of the nose. This can lead to some irritation if you don’t care for your piercing in the right manner or with the right tools. There are other nose jewelry pieces that are straight, but are held in place with a small ball on the inside.

One thing that those who would give you nose piercings should tell you is that you should use cotton swabs to clean around the jewelry both inside and outside of your nose. What some don’t say is that you should never use peroxide or rubbing alcohol when cleaning. These will work to keep infection away, but they do something else. These will try to push the nose piercings from the nose. At times, because this ring is seen as a foreign object in the body, it wants to get rid of it. Avoid those two things because of that. Ask for a better alternative.

What you should also remember in the care of nose piercings is that you should never sit at your desk and twist it around in your nose. You should always do your best to leave it alone. You can move it around when the area is wet, but you do not want to do that when the nose is dry. Why? When moving, changing, and twisting the nose piercings, the skin is irritated. When that happens, it rips and forms scar tissue that leaves a bump around the hole. If your remove your jewelry, you are going to have a ridge on your nose. That’s not attractive. Always make sure the area is wet when moving jewelry in any way.

Another thing to remember about the care of nose piercings is that they never heal. When you pierce ears, they do heal to a point. Some can leave their earrings out for months and the hole will remain open, though they do close as time goes on. A nose, however, is going to close in as few as three or four hours. If your ring comes out and you go to sleep, it is going to be healed over in the morning. If this happens to you, you are going to have to go back to where you get your nose piercings and get it done all over again.

cubic zirconia engagement rings

Getting married is a huge event, and most women expect that they will get a diamond ring when a man proposes to her. However, this is not always something young couples can afford, and many turn to the cubic zirconia engagement rings. However, this is never something a man should do without telling his bride to be. If she thinks she is getting a diamond, she is going to lose faith when she realizes what is really on her finger. This purchase should always be made with the upfront knowledge of what is being bought.

Most men don’t think a woman will accept cubic zirconia engagement rings. However, there are many that will. Most sensible women understand that money might be an issue, they will take one with the promise that a real diamond will someday follow when money is not as tight. Perhaps a promise to buy one on the fifth or tenth anniversary would be enough for some women to accept the cubic zirconia engagement rings.

If a man has little money, but the girl won’t budge on the diamond, perhaps that is telling him something about her that he needs to know before they get married. The diamond is tradition, but going into debt should not be. The cubic zirconia engagement rings look really good, and unless you are an expert on diamonds, you aren’t going to really know the different. Diamonds are tougher, and they do shine a bit more, but cubic zirconia is a really great looking substitute when money is tight.

When looking at cubic zirconia engagement rings, there is one thing that most couples don’t consider. If you don’t want to tell people that it is not a real diamond, and it is obvious you could not afford one, don’t go for a large stone. Get something smaller that might be more realistic. For the guys, I can tell you as a woman that nothing is more important than honesty. You may feel like you can’t afford a diamond, and you may be looking at cubic zirconia engagement rings, but you can not in any way be dishonest about it. If you can’t afford a diamond, tell her so. Let her know you want to buy the zirconia as a substitute until you can afford to buy her the real thing. Your money is better spent on starting your lives together, and if you point that out, she may very well agree.