Making May Jewellery, Magical Moonstone & Show Reports
25th April 2026
See us This Sunday, 26th April at the Windsor Bead Fair, Old Windsor Memorial Hall SL 4 2RN – M25 exit 13. Free Entry & Refreshments – 11am to 4pm – Easy Free Parking. The latest semi precious by MrBead, Geodes, Rocks & Crystals by Avida Brazil Gemstones & seed beads & findings by Southampton Bead Shop.
MrBead Shop: https://mrbeadshop.com. For all shows this year, click Bead Fairs 2026
Content:
Online Orders Delayed
Upcoming Bead Fairs
Bead Fair Reports
Making Semi Precious Jewellery In May
Magical Moonstone
Enjoy a Bead Fair Soon
2026 Bead Fairs
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Online Orders Dealyed
Online orders will be delayed between 27th April to 5th May. If you need something, please order before 27th April.
Upcoming Bead Fairs
This Sunday: Windsor Bead Fair
This show last year was super-busy! With many visitors from London and all over the Home Counties. Everyone loves Windsor! The venue is just a mile from Windsor Castle and Elton John’s pad, but there was no royal visitors (maybe this time?) or other celebrities!
Many new semi precious beads just imported into the UK by MrBead – with dramatic crystals & rocks by Avida Brazil Gemstones, seed beads, crystal & findings by Southampton Bead Shop, and other traders. Close to M25 Exit 13 (follow signs to A30 to Egham) & M4 Exit 6 (towards Windsor). Free parking.
Visit us, then combine with a day out around Windsor, the Castle & an early-evening meal there. Or enjoy a carvery at the Toby, right opposite the hall. Free admission and free refreshments to early visitors! Loads of free parking.
Essex Bead Fair, Sun 19th May
Essex Bead Fair on Sunday 10th May at Great Bromley Village Hall CO7 7JA – near Colchester. Free entry, refreshments and easy free parking.
New Forest Bead Fair – Saturday 16th May
New Forest Bead Fair on Saturday 16th May at Brockenhurst Village Hall SO42 7RY. Free entry, refreshments and easy free parking.
Devon Bead Fair – Sun 17th May
Devon Bead Fair on Sunday 17th May at Stockland Village Hall, near Honiton EX14 9EF. Free entry, refreshments and easy free parking.
Cornish Bead Fair – Saturday 23rd May
Cornish Bead Fair on Saturday 23rd May at Probus Village Hall – off A390 neat Truro TR2 2NB. Free entry, refreshments and easy free parking.
Bead Fair Reports
Cambridge Bead Fair
As always Cambridge was super-busy! Many new and old visitors from local and far. We’ll be back in Cambridge on Sunday 5th July: Cambridge Bead Fair.
Beads Up North
The show went well, busy, but with slightly less visitors.
The prize draw was won by Diane Sharrock of Southport. Gordon who started Beads Up North 20-years ago, isn’t attending any more shows as his new car is too small for the stock. Therefore, his wife won’t be able to do the workshops.
Attendance of both visitors and exhibitors has been going slowly down each year too – and expenses increasing fast (it costs around £3,000 to put each show on). So with much regret, as we love the grand venue, we’ve decided to call September’s show the last at Haydock Park. Hope to go out with a bang!
Final Show 20th Sept 2026 – Click For Details at: Beads Up North
Making Semi-Precious Jewellery in May 🌿
May’s just before summer. With gardens in full bloom, fresh greens everywhere, and longer light days, it’s the perfect time to create jewellery using semi-precious gemstone beads that reflect the colours and energy of late spring.
Many jewellery designers start May pieces with soft greens and delicate pastels. Gemstones like peridot, prehnite, aventurine, chrysoprase, and green jade capture the fresh colour of new leaves. These pair beautifully with gentle pinks like rose quartz or soft lilacs such as amethyst, creating jewellery that feels light, natural and seasonal.
May is also traditionally connected with emerald. While emerald beads are expensive, many makers create the same rich green look using semi-precious alternatives such as green onyx, dyed jade, or emerald-coloured crystal beads. These provide vibrant colour while keeping designs affordable.
Designs for May jewellery often take inspiration from nature. Popular ideas include:
• Leaf-inspired earrings using small green gemstone beads
• Garden-coloured bracelets mixing greens, pinks and clear quartz
• Delicate necklaces with tiny gemstone drops that resemble morning dew
Because May jewellery is usually worn in spring and summer, lighter designs are ideal. Fine beading wire, small gemstone rounds (3–6 mm), and simple sterling silver or gold-filled findings help keep pieces elegant and comfortable.
Creating jewellery in May is about celebrating fresh colour, natural gemstones, and the renewal. With the wide variety of semi-precious beads available today, it’s easy for jewellery makers to design pieces that capture the beauty of the season while remaining unique and handmade.
Click For All Our Semi Precious Beads
Magical Moonstone: May’s Gemstone
Moonstone’s feature is its magical ‘play of light’, once thought to be caused by the moon. The translucent stone softens light shining through it to give a pearly glow, changing on the angle viewed.
Moonstone brings luck, positive energy, confidence – and aids spirituality and intuition. Natural moonstone is expensive, so opalite is common today. Opalite moonstone gives even more shimmer. Its soft, milky appearance is calming and mesmerizing, demanding attention on a summer night.
All moonstone is translucent, and softens the light shining through it to give a pearly moon-like glow which appears different whenever the stone changes position. This shimmering affect is caused by light being refracted inside the stone.
Colours
Moonstone comes in colourless, white, grey, and subtle yellow, but always has a blue or white sheen. Rainbow moonstone is colourless with a blue sheen and a rainbow-like array of colours.
Moonstone Folklore
Much mystery surrounds this stone. In India it’s considered sacred to lovers, and is also known as a “dream stone” bringing beautiful dreams.
In Arab countries women sew moonstone into their garment as a symbol of fertility. It’s also said to protect seafarers. During full-moon, moonstone is very powerful for reconciling love – and as the moon decreases, is said to foretell the future.
A feminine stone for female issues and the inner-child, but also used by men who want to reach their feminine side. Moonstone brings confidence, calms the emotions, and aids spirituality, intuition, and clairvoyance.
Also thought to protect against fever, fluid-retention and urinary problems. Its soft shine supports the emotional and dreamy side of a person. Wearing moonstone will also increase your sensitivity for others.
Natural Moonstone
Classical moonstone from Sri Lanka shimmers pale blue and is expensive. Moonstone from India has a cloud-like plays of light on beige, brown or green backgrounds. Uncut moonstone is dull and lacks the play of light. This is brought out by the cutter’s skills, who must locate the stone’s axis.
Value
The more intense the colour, size and transparency, the more valuable is the gem. Top quality fine blue moonstone shows an incredible “three-dimensional” depth, which shows clearly only when tilting. These are rare and expensive. Brighter coloured Indian moonstone is cheaper, so is opalite moonstone.
Opalite Moonstone
Opalite moonstone is a type of glass with similar metaphysical properties to genuine moonstone. A healing stone, more affordable and durable than natural moonstone. It’s available in more shapes and sizes, and is less likely to chip, making more practicable jewellery. Opalite moonstone is common today. A new synthetic stone with even more blue shimmer than genuine moonstone.
Against a light background, it appears milky white, shimmering golden faint lilac-blue and other colours. Beside a darker background, it changes to a bright icy blue with the highlights altering to intense oranges and reds. The stone practically glows on its own, drawing attention.
Opalite moonstone adds a romantic feminine allure to your jewellery, always looking refreshingly cool – ideal for summer. Its pastel glow is soft and captivating, complimenting other light-coloured stones like lilac amethyst, blue chalcedony, and rose quartz.
It also loves to compete with wild bright colours like reds and turquoise. This flamboyance makes opalite ideal to wear during a night out on the town.
Looking After Moonstone
All moonstone is fragile. However, a jeweller can polish a dulled moonstone back to its original glory.
We have over 43 different opalite moonstones – to see at Moonstone Beads
Enjoy a Bead Fair Soon
Bead shows are great fun. You’ll love them! Bring a trolley, as beads get heavy. Take some cash, as a few venues have a weak signal for card payments. Talk to the vendors and other visitors to inspire new design ideas. Make a note of what you paid for beads, and keep exhibitors’ business cards and leaflets.
2026 Bead Fairs
We have booked 30 shows so far for 2026:
Sun 26th April: Windsor Bead Fair, Old Windsor Memorial Hall SL4 2NR
Sun 10th May: Essex Bead Fair, Great Bromley Village Hall CO7 7JA
Sat 16th May: New Forest Bead Fair, Brockenhurst Village Hall SO42 7RY
Sun 17th May: Devon Bead Fair, Stockland Village Hall EX14 9EF
Sat 23rd May: Cornish Bead Fair, Probus Village Hall TR2 2NB
Sat 6th June: London Kent Bead Fair, Farningham Village Hall DA4 0DE – Just off M25 J3 & M20 J1
Sat 13th June: Lincoln Bead Fair, North Kyme Village Hall LN4 3DL – off A17
Sun 14th June: London Luton Bead Fair, Stockwood Hotel, Luton LU1 3SS – Just off M1 J10.
Click For All Bookings: 2026 Bead Fairs
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