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Clear, icy designs cool summer heat

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

During the heat of summer, certain aspects of winter's weather -- snow and ice -- can become almost an obsession. We are constantly reaching for iced tea, ice-cold sodas, ice cream, frozen pops, and snowcones. This heat-fueled longing for ice reminds me of the icy-cool look of clear crystal beads. They are like bits of ice permanently captured for us to enjoy all year long.

If you've ever taken the time to notice an evergreen leaf with a clear coating of ice capturing each little ridge, each tiny vein, then you will appreciate the intricacy of this design. The detail of this clear leaf bead is the kind of thing that makes glass beads special. A clear and gold flower disk bead and crystal and gold accents are natural surroundings for this dainty leaf. Clear and AB clear crystals are also just about as close to diamonds as you can get, and the closer I can get to diamonds, the happier I am. There is something about the intensity of light when it hits the facets of a clear bead -- the way it shatters into glimmering flecks. The bead is clear but not clear, as it is usually filled with the play of light upon facets.

Light has plenty of space to travel and to play in this three-bead dangle design. A shiny, small facetted firepolished round starts the journey; a shimmering Swarovski bicone carries it along; and a glittering, facetted teardrop sends the light out in a final send-off. This trio of crystal beads would be perfect for an earring, a pendant, or an elegant dangle at the clasp of a necklace or bracelet.

The beauty of clear beads can be hard to capture photographically; you really need the play and movement of light to correctly appreciate the shimmer within the beads.

Different shapes of beads offer unique opportunities to observe the play of light within the varieties of facets. An elongated oval crystal AB bead is a perfect example of this. The shimmer from a pair of these oval bead earrings is a real jaw-dropper -- all you need to go with these is an upswept hairstyle and maybe a tiny silver chain at your throat. If a beam from the sun or a bright light touches these earrings, be ready for the space around you to fill with dancing prism rainbows.

Clear beads can also resemble drops of dew. The clear crystal beads represent a dewdrop from one angle, while the AB crystal beads capture a dewdrop as the sun hits it just so.

These lovely AB crystal beads give you the opportunity to wear dewdrops around your neck in a fairytale floating design. These 8mm facetted AB crystal beads are placed between 4mm Swarovski AB bicones for maximum sparkle. The beads are held in place by tiny silver crimp beads and strung on clear monofilament to provide the illusion of floating.

This necklace is lovely whether it is designed as a simple choker, or given a more detailed treatment in a three-tiered necklace.

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