A sparkling glass bead bracelet can be yours with pretty beads and a few other jewelry supplies. Glass beads mimic gemstones by reflecting light, making them the perfect bead choice for all your jewelry creations. Loose beads come in many different colors, allowing you to let your creativity shine in bracelets, necklaces, earrings and other accessories. Handmade jewelry is very trendy, and you'll save money by creating your own with loose beads and beading supplies. Making your own jewelry is not as hard as it may seem; get started with this handy guide on creating jewelry with glass beads.

Making Glass Bead Jewelry:

Select your materials. This is one of the best parts about making your own jewelry. You can choose from a wide variety of beading supplies, including loose glass beads, bead cord, wire and jewelry findings. Select several different types of beads for a professional look. Different sizes and different colors give you more options when designing the bracelet, necklace or pair of earrings. Beading material is the string, wire or cord that you thread your beads onto. Strings and cords are great for necklaces, and wire is beautiful in earrings and bracelets. If the loose glass beads are transparent, do a quick test to see how the beading material shows through the beads. In addition to these basic jewelry supplies, you may want to purchase jewelry findings. Jewelry findings include clasps, hooks and forms. Not all handmade beaded jewelry designs require jewelry findings.

Design your jewelry. Before you start stringing your beads, it is a good idea to design your bracelet, necklace, ring or pair of earrings. Bead boards are perfect for organizing your beads and keeping them in order while you are stringing them. Be sure to leave extra room at the ends of the beading material for tying ends or attaching clasps.

The finishing touches. Once you have strung your glass beads, you may want to use jewelry findings to give the piece a finished look. Clasps are essential on cord bracelets and short necklaces. You might consider fastening the jewelry and adding clasps with crimp beads. Crimp beads are small metal tubes that are flattened around beading material to keep the beads from sliding off and to attach jewelry findings.