How to Use Toothpaste to Clean Silver Jewelry

How to Use Toothpaste to Clean Silver Jewelry. Why spend tons of money on expensive cleaners to remove tarnish from your silver jewelry, when you can use toothpaste? Most costly silver cleaners include a mixture of baking soda and water, which is similar the formulas used in most tubes of toothpaste. Not only will using toothpaste save you money, it is also non-toxic and easy to clean up.
Choose the right toothpaste. The key to using toothpaste as a silver silver bead pandora cleaner is the baking soda. Do not use gel toothpaste, as it usually does not contain baking soda. And, avoid toothpastes that boast tartar-control or whitening power, as they may include chemicals that can harm your silver.
Use a soft dampened cloth to clean more delicate jewelry or softer silvers. Wet the silver and add a dab of toothpaste. Remember that a little goes a long way. Rub gently with the moistened cloth until polished.
Add a bit more toothpaste if the cloth becomes dark with tarnish and continue cleaning. Simply wash the darkened toothpaste foam from the jewelry piece, rinse the cloth and begin again.
Scrub your silver jewelry gently with a toothbrush for stubborn tarnish or hard to reach grooves. Try to find an old worn toothbrush or buy a new soft-bristled toothbrush to prevent scratching.
Rinse the polished silver jewelry (view ukbead.com) in warm water and dry with a soft towel.

How to Make Hippie Jewelry

The term "hippie" was coined in the 1960's and was applied to members of a youth movement that was protesting social conventions and the status quo. Hippies were against war, supported the concept of love for humanity and rejected material wealth. They advocated and often practiced an environmentally friendly lifestyle. What we consider "hippie jewelry" today is a reflection of the beliefs held by hippies. Some of it might replicate what the hippies of the 1960s wore, and other types might be a contemporary jewelry artist's interpretation of the hippie lifestyle.
Use natural materials. Hemp is a popular material used in some hippie polymer clay bead from ukbead.com. It is woven, like macramé, to create ropes for necklaces or bands for bracelets. Strands of the hemp can be braided together to create necklaces or bracelets. Beads are slipped in during the weaving to create a pattern on the finished item. Wooden or clay beads are preferred over plastic or synthetic products. Leather strips are also used as necklace chains or bracelet straps. Beads can be slipped on a narrow leather strip. The two ends of the leather are tied together in a knot, and then the necklace is slipped over the head.
Familiarize yourself with the icons of the 1960s. Popular retro logos such as the peace sign or ecology symbol were often used in making hippie art and jewelry. Another popular hippie shape is the flower, typically a cartoonish daisy-like drawing, with rounded petals. Earring or necklace pendants can be made by painting an icon onto an object, such as small piece of porcelain or fired pottery. A hole is drilled on one end of the pendant to allow it to be slipped onto hemp or leather necklace.
Use appropriate colors. Bright florescent colors such as shocking pink, lime green, blue and orange were popular with hippies. Natural colors were also used, such as hues of leather and hemp. Beads can be fashioned from small pieces of clay. Insert a hole through the center of each bead, using a sharp nail. After the beads have been fired, paint them in bright florescent colors.
Recycle when creating hippie jewelry at http://www.ukbead.com/pandora-silver-bead-pandora0961.html. It is easy and inexpensive to create hippie jewelry using a papier-mâché technique. For example, an empty masking tape cardboard circle can be wrapped with strips of newspaper that has been dipped in liquid starch or a paste solution made from flour and water. After the bracelet dries it can be painted in the colors and designs of the hippie era, and then coated with varnish.

How to Sew a Jewelry Drawstring Pouch

Knowing how to sew a jewelry (link here)drawstring pouch is a skill a home sewer can use to protect her own delicate jewelry or she can make pouches to give as gifts. Jewelry bags made of mesh fabric let you see what's inside the bag without opening it, while bags made from velvet or satin help keep metallic surfaces and gemstones scratch-free. If you can sew a straight line, you can make a drawstring pouch.
Instructions
1. Pin right sides of the fabric panels together with the edges and corners aligned.
2. Sew around three sides of the fabric, leaving a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Leave one of the short sides open to form the top of the pouch. Trim the seam allowances at the corners.
3. Fold the top edge of the bag down 1/4 inch, then fold that edge down again, this time 1/2 inch. Press the folded edge. Starting at one of the side seams, stitch close to the folded edge, stopping 1/2 inch short of the starting point.
4. Turn the bag inside out so right sides are on the outside. Press the bag on all four sides.
5. Pin the small safety pin to one end of the drawcord. Feed the safety pin and drawcord through the opening in the casing. Work the safety pin around the circumference of the pouch until it comes back through the opening in the casing. Remove the safety pin. Tie knots in the ends of the drawcord to prevent them from fraying.
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How to Insure Diamond Jewelry

Owning valuable jewelry is a big responsibility, and if you want to be able to wear and enjoy your pricey pieces then you should be sure to insure them against loss, wear, theft and other types of damage that can occur when you regularly exhibit jewels. Insuring diamond jewelry must be done carefully immediately upon purchase in order to protect your new bauble from any unexpected misfortune. Make sure to work with a jeweler(visit ukbead) or other insurer to make certain that you are protected from all types of incidents that could result in the loss or damage of your diamond. Read on to learn more about how to insure diamond jewelry.
Instructions
1. Evaluate all the options. Depending on what state you live in, you probably have three main policy options for your diamond insurance. You can select a "cash-value" policy, which pays the cash value of the diamond or the jewelry in the event of loss, theft or irreparable damage, a "replacement-value" policy, which will replace your diamond with one of equal caliber, or an "agreed-value" policy, which simply states that if you lose your diamond, the insurance company will pay you a certain amount of money that you and the company agree upon ahead of time. Each of these types of policy have advantages and disadvantages, and you will need to discuss them with an insurance agent and evaluate them against your own finances before making a decision.
2. Get a certificate of value for your diamond. This needs to come from an independent appraiser. Make sure that the insurance company agrees to accept this certificate before you buy the policy, since if you wait until something bad happens the company may try to claim that you did not get the value of the diamond approved before it was lost. This will enable them to pay you less money in many cases.
3. Check your homeowner's insurance. If you do not wear your diamond outside of your home, then it may be covered under your homeowner's insurance policy. However, if you leave the house with the jewelry and it is then stolen or you cannot prove that the diamond was lost or stolen while it was in the house, then your homeowner's insurance will not cover the replacement costs.
4. Read the fine print. Many policies require that you have the settings on your jewelry right now checked regularly, that you take your diamond for regular inspections or even that you only wear your diamonds in certain areas. Make sure that your intentions for your diamond jewelry are compatible with your insurance policy.

Natural Jewelry Cleaners

Natural cleaners are an inexpensive and effective way to clean and maintain both new and old jewelry items. The relatively low cost of using these types of cleaners makes them a desirable option as opposed to commercial cleaners. In addition, although not all natural cleaners are safe for the environment, there are many that are also considered environmentally friendly.
Lemon and Salt
Juice from a cut lemon and salt are two ingredients from nature that work together to create a cleaner for bronze jewelry. Mix salt with enough lemon juice to create a thick paste. Apply the mixture over the surface of the jewelry and let it sit for five minutes. Use the cut lemon to buff the surface of the jewelry(BUY IT HERE >>), rinse and pat dry with a lint-free cloth.
Ammonia
Mix a quarter cup of ammonia with warm water to create a natural cleaning solution for jewels such as rubies, sapphires and diamonds. Soak jewelry for 10 to 20 minutes and then scrub it with a soft toothbrush to loosen the debris. Once the items are rinsed and dried, this natural cleaner will restore the sparkle to your diamond jewelry. The ammonia solution also works well for cleaning silver and gold items, such as bracelets, charms and rings. Ammonia should not, however, be used to clean certain types of jewelry such as emeralds and pearls which are delicate and easily damaged by it.
Warm water
Plain water is a basic natural cleaner that used in conjunction with other natural cleaners is the safest way to clean. Soaking jewelry, such as turquoise, in warm water works to soften dirt and debris so that you can remove it with a soft bristled brush, such as a toothbrush, and rinse it away.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a versatile cleaner that can remove tarnish from silver pandora jewelry. Buff tarnished items using a sponge or cloth dipped into a cleaner made of two tablespoons of water and a quarter cup of baking soda.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Vinegar is another versatile nature-based cleaner that when paired with baking soda, has the ability to clean and shine. For silver and gold jewelry, pour baking soda over the item that needs cleaning, followed by vinegar. Once the cleaners stop reacting to one another, gently scrub and buff the items. Another cleaning solution comes from combining two tablespoons of baking soda with a half cup vinegar. Use this solution to soak and clean silver jewelry.