|
|
|
|
|
|
Year of the Snake,
Shamballa is Still Hot & Amethyst Beads
Kung
Hei Fat Choy
- Happy New Year of the Snake!
To go to our bead store click
MrBead.com or
MrBead.co.uk. Scroll down or click
one of the links below.
For Free Shipping key AMETHYSTBEADS in the box at
checkout. Only for use at MrBead.com &
MrBead.co.uk, and not for eBay or with any
other discount. Use NOW - as expired Friday 8th February 2013.
For your lucky New Year Jade Snake pendant click
MrBead.com or
MrBead.co.uk
Year of the Snake
Shamballa Beads are still Hot!
Amethyst for February - The Royal Popestone
How to make an Amethyst Necklace
Free Shipping Offer!
Follow us on Twitter at MrBead@UKMrBead and Nigel at Nigel@NigelMckay
Follow
Nigel at his new site at
NigelHayMckay.com
and comment at his blog
here
Chinese New Year
MrBead
is based in Hong Kong, where the main annual holiday is Chinese New Year.
Called "Spring Festival" in Mainland China. Lion dancers and carnivals
take to the streets and fireworks to the skies.
In Mainland China many people
work inside large prosperous cities in the South East, a long way from their
poor native village homes. Over Spring Festival hundreds-of-millions
commute back to their village to be with the family. It's always a big
strain on the railway and airways, and often made worse by severe snow cutting
off power lines and runways!
Happy Chinese Year of the Snake – 2013
The
Year of the Snake begins on 10th February 2013.
The twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac are divided into elements, each
with slightly different characteristics - this New Year is a
Water Snake.
Anyone born during this sign are able to slip through trouble like water:
totally fluid.
Snake Characteristics
In the West the snake is associated with
danger - the Scriptures say the devil was in snake form.
However Eastern philosophy regards the snake as a symbol of good luck.
Snakes are mysterious, clever, refined, and masters of transition and camouflage. They can be flexible as a worm, or powerful like 37-feet pythons that can crush an antelope and swallow it whole - or the king cobra’s venom that can kill an elephant. Snakes can sense minute vibration and taste faint chemical signals with their tongues. Likewise, those born under this sign are good at judging people and identifying opportunities.
Snake People
People
born in the Year of the Snake coolly slither through problems, while cunningly
scheming their future. This makes them good at business and finance. They are
discreet, inquisitive and secretive, say little, and yet are charming and
romantic. They are passionate but jealous lovers. Snake people are wise and
snobbish, but vain, selfish and stingy. Intuition drives their strong
sophisticated personality.
A snake person will be charming, proud,
elegant and graceful. They keep their emotions, stay cool, and appreciate
comfort, beauty and good style. Snakes are loners and suspicious, and act aloof
as if nothing is on their minds – yet they will use others to achieve their
goals. They will seduce you, but get bored quickly, so are unfaithful in
relationships. Their strong will allows them to cunningly slip away from
unpleasant situations. No wonder they’re not frightened of danger or lack of
money.
The snake is good at avoiding distraction and trivia, allowing him
to concentrate on his goals. He is cultured and artistic as well as practical.
They are materialistic, dress well and like to follow fashion. Although honest,
a snake will lie if he can get away with it and tends to exaggerate. Be careful
not to threaten a snake as they can suddenly strike out with carefully chosen
words to cause far-reaching pain, and their long memory creates lifetime
grudges.
If
you are a Snake
This should be a good year, but be
freer with money and flippant with life. Don’t be complacent, keep on top of
things and expect to work at goals. Be less reserved with relationships. You
need calm and relaxation to thrive as you stress easily, so avoid chaotic
situations. You like to do a good job, so your best careers are as a teacher,
writer, interior designer, philosopher or psychiatrist.
Famous Snake People
Art Garfunkel, Audrey Hepburn, Bob Dylan, Brook Shields, Chris Rock,
Christie Brinkley, Elizabeth Hurley, Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, Howard Hughes,
Jackie Kennedy, Kim Basinger, Linda MaCartney, Liz Taylor, Mao Zedong, Oprah
Winfrey, Paul Anka, Queen Elizabeth 1 and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Predictions
The Dragon Year of 2012
was full of vigor - the following China zodiac beast, the snake, sheds its skin
and starts afresh. This will bring change to correct excess. The Water Snake is
particularly inquiring and money-orientated, and so will look for new ways
around debt and the recession.
Historically,
Snake Years brought correction. In
1893, many US railway companies went bankrupt in their rush to expand.
It started a run on bank deposits and a 6-year depression with 17%
unemployment. In 1953, the idea of
hire-purchase was introduced in the UK to boost flopping sales.
The same year in China, Mao Zedong launched an extreme 5-year-plan that
caused future famine.
My
guesses for 2013 are that Western Governments will try to shake debt by printing
more money and then increase interest rates to slow inflation. This will further
lower property prices and cause panic. To restore confidence in the US dollar,
America will once again try to link its currency to gold.
New ways to aid finances
will be created. Both for personal
spending to help companies grow - and within the EU to help struggling European
countries.
Personally, you should be
thrifty, save money and plan for the future. This year of change will attract
scammers – so be careful! It’s a
good time to invest, but be wary in business deals or a new marriage. Stay
focused and beware of complacency.
If you were born during these dates,
then you are a Snake: 02/04/1905 to 01/24/1906, 01/23/1917 to 02/10/1918,
02/10/1929 to 01/29/1930, 01/27/1941 to 02/14/1942, 02/14/1953 to 02/02/1954,
02/21/1965 to 01/20/1966, 02/18/1977 to 02/06/1978, 02/06/1989 to 01/26/1990,
01/24/2001 to 02/11/2002
Color: Turquoise
Number: 9
Gemstones:
Topaz, jasper
For your lucky New Year Jade Snake pendant click
MrBead.com or
MrBead.co.uk
To
read about the other beasts in the Chinese zodiac
Shamballa Bracelets are Still Hot!
Supposedly by UK law, shops are not allowed to advertise a past price, unless it had been charging it for over 30-days. So don't sell your Shamballa Bracelets cheap! For those in the colonies: this British discount jewellers has reduced these bracelets to sell at US$62 to $47 each.
These fast-selling bracelets are easy to make and great fun. If you aren't already making shamballa bracelets, you should start! See the quick photo guide below of MiMi constructing one.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Shamballa!
The jewelry is crafted from semi precious beads strung on cord, and can cost over thirty-thousand dollars US for a single bracelet. This would buy an exclusive design with diamonds and stone beads set in 18-carat gold. Mads Kornerup was the first to sell expensive shamballa jewelry in Paris in 1994. Now this beaded jewelry is sold from New York to Russia, to top London stores like Harrods and Tresor Paris.
King Ice and P Diddy are among many artists on music videos sporting these
Buddhist disco ball beads. King Ices bracelets are on nylon string with a cord
toggle, and are made from plastic and cubic zirconia or hematite diamonds. He
raps with shamballa bead necklaces too.
However, shamballa beads are more than Buddhist inspired jewelry. Individual meanings can be expressed by their style, color and shape. And not only hip hop artists wear them for their own beliefs, other celebrities like basketball stars, Michael Jordan and Lamar Odom, and ladies like Demi Moore and Beyonce also dance with the bracelets.
These stunning beads are a unique mix between jewelry and spirituality. Today's turmoil brings no better time to get in touch with hip hop fashion and your inner self. Express your individuality and spiritual needs by designing your own unique shamballa bracelet and matching necklace. Create a mystical effect using skull and Buddhist beads with sparkling crystal beads to add bling.
To see our many shamball beads
click
MrBead.com or
MrBead.co.uk
Amethyst:
The Royal Purple Pope Stone
What is Amethyst?
Amethyst is the gemstone for February, and for those born
under the zodiac of Pisces. Amethyst is known as the Royal Purple Pope Stone,
the purple variety of quartz. If it wasn't so abundant, amethyst would be very
expensive. Its name comes from the Greek, meaning not drunken. Perhaps due to a
belief that amethyst would sober the effects of alcohol.
Amethyst is always purple, but comes in
shades of pale lilac to deep purple. Deeper colors are more valuable - milky
amethyst is the cheapest. Amethyst is mined in South American, but the best in
Africa. Very dark amethyst, mostly in small sizes, also comes from Australia.
Mythology
According to Greek mythology, Dionysus, the God of
Intoxication was angered by an insult from a mere mortal and swore revenge on
the next mortal that crossed his path, creating fierce tigers to carry out his
wish. Along came unsuspecting Amethyst, a beautiful young maiden on her way to
pay tribute to the goddess Diana. Diana turned Amethyst into a statue of pure
crystalline quartz to protect her from the brutal claws. Dionysus wept tears of
wine in remorse for his action at the sight of the beautiful statue. The god's
tears stained the quartz purple, creating the gem we know today!
The
Church & Crown
Purple has
long been considered a royal color, featured in the British Crown Jewels and a
favorite of ancient Egyptian royalty. Leonardo Da Vinci wrote that "amethyst
could dissipate evil thoughts and accelerate intelligence".
Because amethyst was believed to
encourage celibacy and symbolize piety, it was very important in the
ornamentation of churches in the middle ages. Amethyst is still the stone
of bishops' who often wear amethyst rings. Even in Tibet, amethyst is considered
sacred to the Buddha.
Benefits
Amethyst's sobering and calming qualities is why it's
considered to have the power to purify and bring peace. It's also believed to
boost lower energies higher, and heal at all levels of mind, body and spirit.
Amethyst is especially useful to calm overworked minds as it brings mental
strength, stability, and vigor, and reduces negativity.
Amethyst also supports all that is
transitional. Especially death and rebirth - providing peace of mind when a
loved one is lost. As an elixir, amethyst can help toothache, bone and joint
discomforts and problems with the stomach and digestion. It has also been known
taken for blood disease and balance blood sugar.
In
yoga, amethyst aids the 6th Chakra, the Third Eye, center of the body's
spiritual power. Because amethyst heightens awareness, both spiritual and
psychic - increasing intuition and psychic development and transition from a
normal state of consciousness to a deeper awareness.
Amethyst Jewelry Design
Amethyst jewelry sells well because it has never gone out
of fashion. In fact new-agers have made it more popular than ever. It's dark
royal color oozes style. Amethyst goes well with silver, clear crystal and other
subtle colors. If you make hand-crafted jewelry; design matching necklaces,
bracelets, and earrings to offer more choice to your customers. Don't overpower
your design with too much of the gemstone - add lots of silver spacers and
findings to balance.
to top
To see our amethyst beads click MrBead.com or MrBead.co.uk
How to make an Amethyst Necklace
These are the steps of MiMi making an amethyst necklace
using our amethyst nuggets and fancy drop beads (numbers are as pictures).
Note the crystal rondell beads and gold stardust used as spacers.
1)
Get all materials ready: nylon wire, crimping beads & 5mm stardust gold spacers,
crystal rondell beads, crimping pliers,
wire cutter,
catches, all beads.
2) Slide 2mm crimp bead onto wire and insert wire into eye on clasp
3) Loop and connect crimp bead.
4 & 5) Crimp attached to eye on clasp, and squeezing crimp bead closed.
6 & 7) Thread the beads into the wire.
8) Repeat steps 2 to 5 to secure the other end of the necklace.
9) Cutting off excess wire
10) Finished.
Free Shipping at MrBead - no
minimum order!
For Free Shipping key AMETHYSTBEADS in the box at
checkout. Only for use at
MrBead.com
& MrBead.co.uk, and not
for eBay or with any other discount. Use NOW - as expired Friday 8th February.
|
|
|
|
Subscribe Unsubscribe |
|
|
|
|