Trends for Summer, Covid Update, Summer & Agate Beads
12th July 2020
Disappointingly, Newcastle Gem n Bead Fair is now OFF. We’re going up there anyway as hotels booked – nice on the coast!
Free entry bead fairs will be on, as some smaller halls have confirmed – see at 2020 Bead Fairs. Social distancing & other measures will be in place for your protection.
The new MrBead shop is live and doing well. The old stores continue alongside.
Content:
Jewellery Trends For Summer
Covid-19 Show Update
Summer Beads
Agate Beads – The Jewellery Maker’s Bread & Butter
New MrBead Shop
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Jewellery Trends For Summer
Jewellery Styles
Seashell jewellery is in this summer, along with pearls.
Same for chain-link necklaces. Chains have made a big comeback. Customer’s asked for them at early bead shows this year, and models are wearing chain this summer. See our new Chain Category with 5 new chains for making great jewellery.
Bright colourful semi precious gemstones are always popular for summer jewellery – as usual, they’re also in this year. See our Summer Bead Category.
Vogue have ‘Surreal Appeal’ jewellery – anything wild and shocking. Chunky, long and dramatic.
Mismatched earrings are still in fashion, and there’s a new trend for shoe jewellery. Matching face masks to the jewellery style or colour is hot too.
Colours
The primary Pantone colours expected on the catwalk this summer (if allowed!) are Flame Scarlot, Saffron, Classic Blue and Biscay Green. These coloures are therefore good for the latest jewellery too.
Other colours Pantone have for 2020 are Chive, Faded Denim, Orange Peel and Mosaic Blue.
Leatrice Eiseman, of the Pantone Colour Institute, says “Combining our desire for stability, creativity, and more spontaneous design approaches – the colour palette for Summer 2020 infuses heritage and tradition with a colourful youthful update that creates strong multi-colored combinations. As well as energizing and optimistic pairings”.
Choose Beads By Colour.
Covid-19 Show Update
It’s nice to get out and open up – I rushed for a haircut and a pint last weekend.
We were informed Newcastle Gem n Bead Fair was on, but Government policy is no ‘ticketing events’ or gatherings of more than 30 indoors. This is Boris’s Level 3.
Racecourses say these type of events won’t be allowed until we reach Level 2. Credit to Michael of Bead Buyer for this information! It’s difficult with large venues, as many can’t even be contacted yet.
Level 2, the green alert, means the number of cases and transmission is low. I assume this implies an R rate below 0.5, but the exact number is undecided. See more on this at Covid-19 Alert Levels.
On 5th July the average UK R rate was around 0.7 to 1.0 – which is bad news for big bead fairs! Unsurprisingly, the R rate in London has increased – perhaps they need a local lockdown there.
However, smaller bead fairs without tickets are allowed, and some of our halls have confirm this. Therefore, a few of our own bead shows are on with all the safety measures required. So far these are Cornish Bead Fair at Wadebridge 6th Sept, and Essex at Gt Bromley on 20th Sept. However, I’m sure more will follow confirmed soon.
It’s a shame Britain can’t track better. In Hong Kong, which had few Covid cases, everyone entering must wear a wrist tracker with a SIM card inside, for their 14-days quarantine.
It looks like the UK had the wrong approach – the long lockdown hasn’t really worked, and may have killed more than the virus itself. My own mother is now in a care home: without the lockdown she may still be in her own house.
Every day in the UK around 450 die of cancer and a similar number from heart attacks and strokes – this brings the Covid numbers into perspective. Life is full of risk. Driving is very dangerous, but the Government doesn’t advise against it. Let individuals choose: we’re not a totalitarian state.
I think the high toll we’ve paid in the UK, was mainly due to 15,000 a day allowed in from infected countries, for months at the start of the problem. Also, countries that have done better, all insist citizens wear masks when out and everyone infected is tracked.
SUMMER BEADS
This year summer’s great in the UK, with record temperatures.
Summer jewellery is in either cooling blues and light-greens, or vibrant bright reds and yellows reflecting the setting sun. Aquamarine and citrine is great for summer.
Calsilica beads are also good with their vivid wild colour. Ethnic necklaces and bracelets are popular this time of year too.
Picture is our new summer carnival wooden beads. Have fun making popular jewellery between time on the beach and BBQs.
See Our Summer Bead Category.
AGATE BEADS: THE JEWELLERY MAKER’S BREAD & BUTTER
Agate is one of the most common bead beaders use because it is readily available in an abundance of styles and shapes.
What Is Agate?
A variety of microcrystalline quartz that forms in layers and many colours and texture, by filling a cavity in a host rock.
Although it is usually in round nodules with bands looking like eyes in the rings of a tree trunk.
Different colours are caused by iron oxide or crystals carried by water seeping into the cavity. Some people swear that wearing agate heightens spiritual consciousness and balances the body’s physical and mental state.
Benefits Of Agate
Agate was valued as a powerful talisman in ancient times, when it was used on the breastplates of armor to give strength and courage.
Agate is also thought to protect from stress and bad dreams, and help stomach upsets.
Agate can’t change emotions, but improves our level of acceptance. Wear agate when you have to make an important decision. It is also considered to be an excellent stone to heal and improve relationships, and is especially protective for children.
Fire Agate
Fire agate has a translucent deep reddish-brown base, with flashes of orange, red and green that appears as living flames within the gemstone – prompting alchemists to believe it contained the essence of fire.
Its mysterious ‘cracked crystal’ appearance provides a vibrant energy that awakens the lower chakras and stimulates a zest for living.
The inner heat enhances sensations and stimulates creativity, sexuality and will. Fire agate is a stone of integrity for the ambitious that increases stamina and circulation. It’s said to liven up the feeling of humdrum routine.
Sardonyx Agate
Sardonyx agate is a combination of the mineral sard in between white strips of onyx, creating a banded, zebra-like appearance. Usually the gemstone is brownish, but it can also form in pink, red, light green and blue.
Dzi Beads
Dzi agate beads look very mysterious, originating in ancient India and brought to Tibet over 3,000-years ago.
These shiny beads, patterned with round brown dots surrounded by white circles called ‘eyes’, are among the most respected amulets in the world. Dzi in Tibetan means ‘shine and perfection’. They are considered to provide spiritual benefits and attract protecting spirits.
Tibetans thought dzis were created by the gods, and their smoothness implies that they were formed at a high altitude. However, they are man-made by firing the stone at high temperature and etching the eyes into the natural agate. Fear of the ‘evil eye’ was thought to protect the dzi bead’s owner.
After weathering the colours erode and look faded. Hold a dzi bead on its ends with your fingers and you may feel the flow energy.
See most of our agate strings at https://mrbeadshop.com/pages/agate
Our Sardonyx Agate
Our Fire Agate
New MrBead Shop
If you haven’t visited our new bead shop yet, go to https://mrbeadshop.com.
Simplified Shipping
Everyone hates paying shipping! So for transparency, the new shop has a flat rate of £2.50 for UK orders under £30, then FREE. No need for any code. International shipping starts from £4.99 with a maximum of just £14 – full details here.
New Order Facilities
- Enhanced Search at top left – key description or item number.
- All Categories Page – Menu of all items.
- On Category Page: View as Grid default, or change to view as List. Plus sort by name order, price, or date listed.
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Key Controls
- Customer Login
Click box at top right. - Home Button
at top left of every page – takes back to Front Page. - Shopping Cart / Basket
at top right – Mouseover shows content & total price.
Use With Smartphone
- Browse and add beads to your wishlist while relaxing or travelling.
- Order beads easily on the go. It’s very fast with a smartphone, especially if you have an account and login.
- Browse on the phone: order on the PC later.
- Full details at How To Order Beads By Smartphone.
If you’ve seen the new shop, I’d really appreciate you taking my fast 10 simple question survey at: New MrBead Shop Survey.
15-Years of MrBead Newsletters
2005 to 2020 
The MrBead Newsletter started April 2005, so April 2020 is the 15th full year of publication. To see the past newsletters click here. I hope some of these will inspire you to make more jewellery.
To see all the original old newsletters click here.
To sign-up for the free newsletters click http://www.mrbead.com/beadnewsletter.htm.
15% Off All From MrBead
Try the new shop with 15% off all orders. No minimum and shipping is free too on orders over £30 – under this UK P&P is just £2.50. Can only be used at the NEW shop, & only once!
To get the discount Key SUMMER at checkout now, as offer ends Friday 17th July 2020. Use at https://mrbeadshop.com.
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