Inexpensive Vintage Beads & Findings for Jewelry Making

Finding attractive beads for earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and other jewelry crafts is a no-brainer-the jewelry aisle in craft stores like Michael's is the place to go, right? Not necessarily. Although nice beads can be found at such venues, there are other places to score unique, unusual, and vintage beads and various pieces and findings for jewelry making.

Using vintage and found beads and the like can add just the right kind of touch to your jewelry creations that takes them out of the craft realm, and into the one of art. Nicely, you won't have to scour for hours, or pay hefty prices to obtain such beads-quite the opposite, as a matter of fact.

Common thrift stores such as Goodwill and Salvation Army have multitudes of jewelry, at rock bottom prices. Oftentimes, many pieces of jewelry (earrings, necklaces, loose beads, bracelets, etc.) are bundled together in a see-through baggie, with a price of a couple bucks. Single items like vintage pearl necklaces go for 50 cents to $3, and rarely, more.

There are usually items in display cases for a bit more. It is my experience that all of this categorization with intrinsic value and price variance is absolutely random. I have found very good items comprised of gold and silver, with real gemstones in those plastic bundled grab bags, and dollar store plastic junk in the locked display cases.

This means when you're looking for jewelry making items in thrift stores, forget all about the price tags and placement/designation of items. Keep in mind too, that even a more expensive necklace or item that you really love is ultimately a good buy-perhaps yielding hundreds of beads, and unique, pretty clasps and findings that would cost far more to purchase items of similar quality and style new.

Keep in mind when you are scouting for vintage and unique beads and findings for jewelry making, you are shopping with a different set of eyes. Think small; resist judging the jewelry you come across on its wholeness. Imagine the items you find deconstructed into their smallest separate parts.

Look at every part too, because everything can be reused and reworked: beads, rhinestones, setting, jump rings, clasps, earring hooks, etc. The manner in which things can be used too, doesn't need to be common.

For example, I recently found a fabulous vintage 1940s multi-strand faux pearl necklace, with a very fancy rhinestone clasp.

My heart dropped when I tested the clasp and found it was broken, but I bought it anyway, and intend to use the clasp as a centerpiece of a bracelet, and of course, the pearls for various projects. The price? It was 25 cents at a rummage sale!

Again, the point is, when you're scouting around for jewelry findings, you're looking for attractive and useful pieces, not whole, perfect, complete jewelry. There's a lot of great stuff out there-so if you are a jewelry crafter or artist, and not attending thrift stores, rummage sales, and the like, you are definitely missing out. Time to hit the thrift stores!