Move Over Swarovski! Czech can be chic too...
Perhaps it is my heritage (I am 1/2 Czechoslovakian) that helps give me such an appreciation for Czech glass beads, or perhaps the basic love and appreciation of all beads that just gets in your blood once you start jewelry making and working with beads? Czech glass is sometimes considered to be the "poor man's" Swarovski in terms of jewelry making because of the difference in cost between the two. You get a lot more bead for your buck when using Czech glass beads and the results can be just as outstanding, though uniquely set apart from Swarovski creations. Sometimes I use both, I don't know if that's breaking some jewelry making cardinal rule or not? Although I love firepolished beads, it's the flower beads that are closest to my heart, I love to use them in my designs. If you have overlooked Czech glass for jewelry making in the past, perhaps it's time to revisit that decision. Czech glass beads can be both fun and Chic too!
Kitchen Sink Charm Necklaces
During the past couple weeks I was organizing my inventory to prepare for a couple E-bay auctions and decided to use some of my bead soup to create some fun charm necklaces. I am calling these Kitchen Sink Charm Necklaces because I used just about everything but the kitchen sink to create them... including my Czech glass bead staples, of course!
Great Places on E-bay to Buy your Czech glass beads!
- - The Bead Abode
- E-bay Seller - Kunturorqo
- - Farmer Jerry 64
- E-bay Seller - FarmerJerry64
- - Bead501.com
- E-bay Seller - Bead501
- - Halsey Trading Company
- E-bay Seller - Ladymorgause
- - The Bead Obsession
- E-bay Seller - Gr8breads
- - Fire Mountain Gems
- Wholesale Bead Supplier
Chic Czech Necklaces
These are some of my older creations using Czech glass beads as either stand-alone or in combination with other materials like polymer clay bead, vintage plastic, Swarovski, etc...
Czech out Amazon!
Baubles, Buttons and Beads: The Heritage of Bohemia
Amazon Price: $26.36 (as of 12/02/2008) 
Czech Pressed Glass Bead Jewelry: 6 original designs
Amazon Price: (as of 12/02/2008)
Creating Crystal Jewelry with Swarovski: 65 Sparkling Designs with Crystal Beads and Stones
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 12/02/2008)
Bohemian Glass. The History of Bohemian Glass and the Present at the Crystalex
Amazon Price: (as of 12/02/2008)
Bohemian Glass Tradition and Present
Amazon Price: (as of 12/02/2008)
Czech not Chic enough for you?
Theres one in every crowd
- Art Beads
- Artbeads.com, a great place for buy the bead Swarovski crystal, rhinestones, Bali Silver and more!
New YouTube vids
Edgar Cruz - Bohemian Rhapsody (classical guitar)
http://videoprogressions.tv/downloads/product_info.php?products_id=35 "Bohemian Rhapsody" arranged for solo guitar by Edgar Cruz. Performance and Teaching excerpts.
Runtime: 6:20
6531220 views
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