A Brief Historical Account of Swarovski Rhinestone CrystalsGuest blog by Sarah Kepins Rhinestones are manufactured gemstones knew for their brilliant sparkle. Perfect for adding sparkle to clothes, accessories, and even nails, Swarovski rhinestone crystals are the highest quality when it comes to manufactured crystals. While you’ve heard of them and may even own several items with rhinestone crystals on, you probably aren’t familiar with the origins of them.  Rhinestone crystals date back to the late 1800’s and the Rhine River. The Rhine River is one of Europe’s greatest rivers as it runs through six countries: Switzerland, Principality of Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France, and the Netherlands. During the late 1800’s, small dazzling quartz pebbles were discovered along the riverbank. It was these pebbles that inspired Daniel Swarovski to intimate them to create Swarovski Rhinestones. In 1882, he developed the first glass cutter, and 3 years later, he opened a factory. His business expanded, and his 3 sons, Wilhelm, Friedrich, and Alfred, eventually joined the family business.  Over 100 years later, Swarovski rhinestones are still popular. They are unique in color and sparkle and became famous for their resemblance to diamonds. The company is always innovating, and as of September 2012, 100% of Swarovski’s line is being manufactured completely lead-free. The company continually adds new colors and shapes. While today’s rhinestones are not created the same as they were in the 1880’s, their brilliance lives on.
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Create a One-of-a-Kind Souvenir with Bedazzling GemsThis project was inspired by my Mother-in-Law, who loved to travel and collected sand in small bottles from the many places she visited. Instead of putting the sand in an ordinary bottle, cover it with clay and bedazzling gems to reflect the theme of your vacation. The theme of my bottle is my favorite destination spot: the beach. For this project, I used:
 How to upcycle an old bottleThoroughly clean and dry your bottle that you will upcycle. I enlisted the help of my daughter with the clay components as she is much more talented than I am. First, cover the lid with clay.  Since our theme was the beach, she created a star fish to put on top.  Then she created some beach themed components to place inside the bottle: a little crab and anchor.  Place your components and lid on cookie sheet lined with white paper. Bake in the oven according to the clay manufacturer’s instructions (we did 275 degrees for 15 minutes). When done baking, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Glue a 16ss to the middle of the starfish and 2 10ss on each of the arms. Place a drop of glue slightly smaller than the bedazzling gem. Using a wax-tipped tool or tweezers, pick up a pearl and gently press it into the glue drop. I used both green and blue rhinestones mixed to give the bottle an ocean feel. I glued crystals along the bottom of the bottle and then along the side of the cap. The adhesive I like to use when gluing rhinestones to glass is E6000. Many people don’t like this bedazzling glue due to its potential toxicity. However, it is a very strong adhesive and recommended for use in gluing rhinestones to glass. Use in a well-ventilated area and always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Allow to dry for 24 hours.
Add the sand from your favorite vacation spot and then place the crab and anchor on the sand.  Your vacation is now immortalized in a one-of-a-kind upcycle bottle! Why not create one each time you go on vacation and start a collection? Use it to decorate any space, and each time you walk by, you’ll see it and remember the fun time you had.
Rhinestones Etc. carries an extensive collection of crystal rhinestones at competitive prices. Browse our inventory to find you color and size. |
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