Bead Adventures is owned by artist Kate Shelton and her husband Paul Maloney. In 2006 Kate and Paul traveled the world looking for unusual beads and those not found easily in Australia. The emphasis on this collection is on unique beads suited for the designer. It is a smallish website, which will evolve gradually as new sources are found. The intention is for the prices to be very reasonable and competitive

Since the 13th Century the tradition of making glass has continued on the Island of Murano in Venice.

The Venetian beads featured on this website have been individually hand blown. Bead Adventures  is the exclusive Australian supplier of these contemporary hand blown beads direct from the Island of Murano.

Freshwater Pearls

Pearls have been considered the most magical and feminine of all gems and are the only ones created by a living organism. Pearls have been a source of fascination for centuries and emanate a certain warmth and glow not found in other gems .Recognized as the emblem of modesty, chastity and purity, pearls also symbolize a happy marriage

Pearls are created when a foreign body of some sort is way into a pearl oyster or mussel. They are formed when an oyster reacts to the foreign body by coating the irritant with layer upon layer of the pearly substance known as ‘nacre’

Freshwater pearls are cultivated in mussels, saltwater pearls in oysters
Different shapes are formed according to the mantle tissue that is inserted into the mussel. Mussels can produce 10 or more pearls at once by inserting the required number of mantle tissues.

Farming freshwater pearls today
Pearls have become very affordable in recent years through the establishment of farms in China

Even though humans rather than nature introduce the irritant:  a pearl still turns out every bit as natural as one that originated in the wild.

Pretreatment. Most pearls – including cultured saltwater, freshwater and South Sea – are bleached to lighten uneven dark areas that may appear under the nacre. This is permanent, provides a more uniform appearance and prepares the pearl for steps that can enhance the color.

Dyeing. Because pearls are porous, they often absorb human oils, makeup and perfume, which can stain. In fact, pearls are soft, porous and accepting to all contact with natural and chemical substances, such as dyes. Pearl farmers in China take advantage of this porosity to achieve finer, more uniform colors with natural extracts and inorganic and/or chemical dyes.
This is how we can get the range of colors today at such an affordable price for creative beading.

Irradiation.  Gamma-ray irradiation darkens the nucleus and results in darker pearls, sometimes dark enough to resemble natural color black South Sea pearls. The advantage, of course, is they can be sold for much less. Irradiation also enhances orient (the display of iridescent colors) in some pearls. In either case, the pearls retain no radioactivity, thus, the enhancement is considered harmless. Most experts believe this treatment is permanent.

Pearls are composed of between 82-86% mineral (calcium carbonate), 10-14% organic binder and 2-4% water. They are very soft and can be chipped quite easily

The name pearl has various origins. The Teutonic derivation comes from the noun ‘beere’, meaning berry. Latin derivations are pirium, a sphere, and ‘pirula’, a pear. The Romans used the Greek word ‘margarita’, describing something of unique value, a cherished possession or a favourite child.

The pearl is the birthstone for June, and also the anniversary gem for the Third and Thirtieth Wedding Anniversaries.

The irregular coin pearls are suited to  ‘sculptured’ and asymmetrical style necklaces. They look great with a knot in between each bead or with an irregular pattern using crystals and smaller pearls

You will need approximately 23 for an  18” necklace