A Good Source for Replacement Beads
Recently, we found a treasure trove of my great aunt’s costume jewelry. It was never really “lost.” It has been sitting in a trunk in my parent’s garage for the past ten years unbeknownst to all of us. When she and my great uncle moved out of the family home, they downsized to a small cottage, sending a trunk load of family memorabilia to my parent’s house for storage. They have long passed on and the trunk remained undisturbed, until my parents made plans to move.
Some of the paste jewelry was destroyed by the humidity, but there were still semi-precious stone jewelry that is salvageable. The only problem is that some of the toggles are missing and the thread is crispy. When I picked one up, a few beads were lost.
Since there are folks in the family who sell antiques or putter around with restoration, we thought it would be a good idea to look into Wholesale Beads & Gemstones. The beads and findings that I found at Beadofcambay.com fit the bill. The jewelry that was salvageable wasn’t rhinestone, but contained some irregularly shaped stones. I didn’t know the proper “lingo” to describe them in an internet search. The site had pictures of each shaped to help me stumble through.
I learned the difference between oval and olive shaped beads. More importantly, I found some hexagon faceted smokey quartz beads that fit the bill. In truth, I wouldn’t have been able to describe them to ask for them by name so the photos helped. Next time if you are looking, whether you are looking for sterling silver, or semi-precious gem beads, the site is definitely worth a visit. Discounts range up to 30%, so you can afford the process of trial and error.
My advice would be to document any repairs or replaced beads, just in case there are any questions in the future. It also reminds you when things were done. My memory can be as crispy as the thread was, so that would be key. The nice thing is that instead of being socked away in the drawer, family members get to wear it.
I have an idea. Buy a necklace for your sweetheart, and then buy a number of similar beads at Beads Of Cambay. Scatter them about the table and say, “See, I made it all by myself for you!”
Thank a Vet at the Mall
My grandfather served in WWII. He started wearing a hat recently that says “World War II Vet.” It is the first time in his life, or at least for a long time, that people have come up and thanked him. Most times these days, people think of Veteran’s day as the day for the sale at the mall. Some people write long rants about it. I am deciding to use it as a day to think of my grandfather, a lifelong carpenter, and will look at the sale as serendipitious to add a tool to my repertoire so he can teach me a few things I need to know.
For Sears Veterans Day Sale, which runs ovember 9th through November 11th, there will be plenty of sweaters on sale. Deep discounts of up to 60% off for him and her on outerwear and sweaters is an enticing deal. Many people will rant and rave on how it is just not apropriate to think of Veteran’s Day as the day the sale is at the mall. I just look it as serindipitous. It gives me a chance to buy my grandfather something I normally couldn’t splurge for. He is going to visit the WWII memorial in Washington, D.C., and I am going to use the opportunity to buy him a nice zip sweater for the trip. They have a clothing line called US Army 1st Infantry Division. I wonder how he feels about that. (A sweater from the line is pictured. It appears to have insignia on the sleeve.)
Also, since we really don’t have a “main street” where people are walking down and meeting eachother, the mall gives plenty of chances to thank a vet who may be out shopping that weekend with their family. Some vets make it a point to wear insignia or a hat like my grandfather, so please use your shopping time as an opportunity to thank as many as possible.
Stuff for the Pad, restoration | Comment (1)
