Rose of Sharon Jewelry

Sharing gifts of jewelry is an intimate communication that speaks volumes about your relationship with the recipient. Whether you are celebrating Christmas or remembering an anniversary, jewelry is always a great choice.

The cultural significance of jewelry along with its "impracticality" makes it a special keepsake for any woman.
Such a personal gift requires you to observe, listen and use your intuition when selecting the perfect Rose of Sharon original design. Below are some jewelry selection tips and gift ideas to help choose the right piece for that special someone.

Here’s our 10 Gift Giving Tips

1. Match the gift with the occasion.

A formal occasion such as a wedding requires formal jewelry. Special occasion jewelry can be more delicate than every day favorites.
Good choices for formal occasions are pearls, single strand necklaces, Swarovski or other crystals, delicate designs and 14k gold or fine silver components.

2. Remember the mood.

Looking for something to WOW her? Need to earn some brownie points or say I'm sorry? Go for the dramatic statement with a three-piece jewelry set featuring a beautiful necklace with matching bracelet and earrings. Think about what would make her smile (something she desires but might not buy for herself).

3. Choose a symbolic or spiritual stone or color.

For over 75,000 years, beads have been used to adorn clothing, hair, dinnerware and of course - ourselves. Across every continent, the universal gift of love has long been jewelry. Cultures around the globe have assigned symbolic meanings and spiritual properties to gemstones and other natural materials.

Perhaps she'd like a bracelet with her birthstone or Swarovski crystal representation. Or why not appeal to her spiritual side and empower her with a royal purple Amethyst or wish her a happy marriage with a string of pearls.

Red crystals represent true love and are a great choice for Valentine's Day. You'll find birthstone charts, spiritual guides and other information throughout the Rose of Sharon Jewelry site if you are interested in learning more about the symbolism of beads.

4. Select age appropriate styles.

The younger the recipient the more classic (demure) the look should be for long-term wearing.

Teens and preteens can be hard on jewelry so select more durable stones and materials and carefully instruct them on the proper care and cleaning. Look for sturdy clasps and "harder" materials.

When selecting jewelry for a more mature woman or anyone with dexterity challenges, look for pieces with easy to use toggle or hook and eye clasps.

Please be aware that Rose of Sharon Jewelry is not designed for children 6 and under. For raw material safety information, please refer to our FAQ.

5. Look for the right size and balance.

A petite woman should wear smaller scaled pieces. A larger woman's stature can carry a design with larger or bolder components.

6. Peek into her closet.

What colors are found most often? These are probably her favorites so match or coordinate your choice so she can wear your gift often. Look at necklines to choose the right length necklace. Longer length necklaces are typically considered more informal.

7. Coordinate with her wardrobe.

A jeans and t-shirt gal needs casual, funky, chunky, heavy, fun and colorful beads and gems. Subtle colors and classic shapes are great for a suit-wearing executive. Does she wear long flowing tunics, jackets or skirts? Then select a longer necklace.

8. Check her jewelry box.

Is she a gold or a silver gal? Or does she like to mix it up? If you only see silver - invest in a Rose of Sharon design that features fine silver (99.5% pure silver) or sterling silver (92.5%) beads and components. If gold tones are her fave, look for vermeil (gold over silver), gold fill, or 12 or 14k gold as the featured metal.

Does she have tons of earrings and no bracelets? The type of jewelry she wears most often is your best bet. Don't see any bracelets - then look for a necklace/earring set. If you are unsure of her wrist size for a bracelet or watch (and getting out a tape measure would ruin the surprise), go for a great pair of earrings.

9. Consider her lifestyle.

There are three types of jewelry - "Everyday" jewelry is comfortable, durable and looks great with everything from sweats to sun dresses; "I'm feeling pretty" jewelry adds a special touch to "out and about" outfits for work, shopping or play; "Look at me" jewelry makes a statement, tells people who you are or celebrates a memorable occasion. A busy Mom of twins might love a sparkly fun watch; while dangly charm bracelets or bouncy earrings could just get in the way.

10. Still lost?
A Rose of Sharon Jewelry gift certificate might be the answer. She can shop for what she'd like 24/7 from any Rose of Sharon Jewelry store and you'll still be the hero. We can even email you the certificate so you don't miss that important date!  Rose of Sharon Jewelry gift certificates are on sale through November – SAVE 15%. Stock up now for all your 2010 and 2011 jewelry giving occasions.

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Have you noticed lately that a lot of jewelry featured in magazines is faux handmade? The makers of mass-produced jewelry (and if you see it advertised it has to be made in a factory somewhere) are trying hard to capture what is unique and special about handmade jewelry. But you know it just isn't the same. No one carefully sorted through every single bead, dreamed for days about how to finish a single bracelet, took necklace apart 3 times just to get the drape perfect or redesigned a $30 pair of earrings for a special customer.

Don't you just love it? Thanks to all our customers, friends and fans who appreciate what goes into every handmade piece of jewelry created by the women of Rose of Sharon Jewelry. Want to share your appreciation? Tell others about Rose of Sharon Jewelry - don't be stingy - there's plenty of wonderful designs to go around - no matter what you like!

One of Betty's lovely soft colored necklace sets , Purple Dawn, has a great bonus feature - you can wear the handmade necklace as beaded or create a "new" longer necklace by linking it with the matching bracelet.  The 20+ inch necklace suddenly becomes a dramatic 28 inches of rare Lepidolite beads in dusty purple with a bit of glitter.

Here's the Purple Dawn extended necklace.

Love the DRAMA! You can wear this full-length or wrapped to create a two-strand version with variable lengths.

Lepidoliate is not technically a gemstone but a mica - hence the great reflective sparkling qualities. Discovered in the 18th century and in the U.S. is found in Colorado and California, the original name was lilalite (a Hindu word referring to play or game). Lepidoliate is know as the "peace" stone - and who couldn't use more peace in their life! Only in the past decade have beads become available although they are still uncommon - a great thing for a handmade jewelry lover who loves the unique.

Need a mood enhancer? Does the world seem so heavy lately? Help may be as close as your jewelry box. Even if financial woes aren't a constant in your life - buying a new handcrafted necklace may feel like a "betrayal" of others. But I believe that all of us deserve to be lifted up daily. A bold purple necklace or a golden yellow bracelet can be a good antidote for negative moods.

Having a positive outlook has been scientifically proven to increase your stamina, help you cope and improve your health - all things we need more of. Handmade artisan jewelry combines multiple mood enhancing features into a single, easy to use, natural solution.

• Color - look for jewelry pieces with gemstone beads, pearls and hand-polished glass beads that add a pop of color to your wardrobe.
• Reflection - necklaces and earrings featuring Swarovski crystals, precious metals and pearls reflect the light and brighten your complexion and spirits.
• Feel - jewelry isn't just a visual medium. Use your sense of touch to fully experience the coolness, heft and  movement of a treasured necklace. Touching a pearl, feeling the silver, caressing a pendant are all ways of soothing yourself.
• Sound - the faint tinkle of a charm bracelet or swinging earrings can be a Zen-like reminder to "be in the moment."
• Texture - organic, freeform stones and handcrafted jewelry designs create a grounded feeling.
• Creativity - unlike department store jewelry, one-of-a-kind handmade jewelry shouts creativity. Even a single strand of beads is a reflection of the artist's vision and soul.

Why not take a few minutes to stop by the Rose of Sharon Jewelry store to find a great new mood enhancing necklace? We'll ship it out immediately so you too can experience the joy of owning beautiful handcrafted jewelry. You'll be glad you did!

To learn more about how handmade jewelry enhances your life, don't forget to bookmark my blog or better yet - use the RSS feed (top right column) to never miss a single post!