Some frequently asked questions...
Who is Gingerblue Beads?
There are actually
a few of us who work "behind the scenes", but Gingerblue Beads
is primarily the brainchild and creative vision of Chel (shoft
for "Michele"),
a 30-something artist who
lives in
Southwest Florida. When she's not in her art studio making beads and jewelry,
she's hanging out with her husband and daughter, volunteering at a local
animal shelter, reading, at Disney, or swimming.
What are Gingerblue Beads?
Handmade beads and jewelry. All the focal
beads are made by hand using an artist's clay (also known
as polymer clay). We
then create jewelry from those handmade beads, along with other high-quality
beads and findings.
Polymer clay cures at a much lower temperatures than traditional clays,
so a special kiln is not required. Polymer clay's lightweight nature makes
it perfect for jewelry- it's incredibly comfortable to wear. In addition,
polymer clay pieces will resist chipping, fading, and breakage and are
much more durable than even the most hearty of ceramic and glass pieces.
Will polymer clay last?
Absolutely. Polymer clay is pretty much indestructible.
Each clay piece I create has been properly conditioned, constructed, and cured. In addition, I sand and polish every piece to a high sheen and coat the piece with several coats of a high gloss glaze Varathane. The sanding and polishing process actually takes over 100 hours.
All my jewelry pieces are finished using the highest quality materials; glass and crystal spacer beads, durable filament and coated nylon, sterling silver and gold filled wire, and high polish metal findings and crimp beads. I offer a full guarantee on all my pieces- if any piece becomes damaged through normal use, I will happily repair the piece to the best of my ability.
Some tips for making your jewelry last forever: put your perfume on *before* your jewelry (the alcohols in perfumes can be rough on *all* beaded jewelry), polish your pieces every so often with a soft cloth, and store your jewelry in a soft, dry place.
Where is Gingerblue Beads located?
Our studio is on Marco Island, Florida. It's a tiny island located just north
of the Everglades. If you'd like to see some photos of our studio and bead-making
process, please click
here.
We do not yet have retail space, but several stores (both local and not)
carry our pieces. Right now the best selection
is at Marco Craft & Shell, located in Town Center Mall on North
Collier Blvd.
Do you sell your beads individually?
Not often, but from time to
time we make part of our stash available for purchase. We'd love to be
able to offer more of our beads to other jewelry makers, but our bead-making
process is too time-consuming so the cost of individual beads can be prohibitive.
We do offer "Bliss Beads", which are individual beads designed
to fit Pandora, Troll, Biagi (etc.) jewelry. Click
here for more information.
Do you do special orders?
Unfortunately, no. Our studio time is divided between long periods of
bead-making and long periods of jewelry making, and it's really difficult
to stop everything and whip something up in the middle of a "cycle".
However, if you see something you *really* love in one of the galleries or have a general idea for a piece based on a previous design, and your time frame is flexible, let us know. Maybe we can figure something out.
------------
home - about - photo
galleries - bliss beads - online
shop - contact us - subscribe to our newsletter
©2009-2010 bluemedia, inc. & gingerblue beads - background image
by pixels and ice cream
email us