Jewelry boxes are made in several shapes and sizes. However, small jewelry boxes are in higher demand, as most jewelry is small and delicate. Small but exquisitely made jewelry boxes are perfect for such small pieces of jewelry. A ring or pair of earrings looks more beautiful when nestling in the soft velvety folds of a small jewelry box. Small heart- shaped jewelry boxes always find a lot of takers as they are perfect for gifts. Small jewelry boxes make ideal and unusual gifts for men too. A jewelry box that is specially made to hold watches or cufflinks are perfect for men who have a taste for artistic jewelry items. Small jewelry boxes are good receptacles for small pieces of heirloom jewelry. A well made jewelry box ends up as a valued keepsake.

Jewelry boxes need not necessarily be used to keep jewelry or gift jewelry in. Artistically made pieces can be added to ubiquitous corners in your home giving the décor a lovely lift. Thoughtfully placed jewelry boxes can enhance the furnishings immediately. The jewelry box can be selected to match the furniture or to complement it. There are a variety of designs of small jewelry boxes meant for house décor to choose from. Jewelry boxes made with mahogany, cherry or burl wood maple will go very well with almost any kind of décor. An oriental jewelry box will look at home with a vintage set up. To accentuate a Victorian look, replications of historical antique boxes can be used. Small jewelry boxes are also used by jewelry shops for packaging jewelry for customers. Jewelry shops usually carry a stock of customized small jewelry boxes to be used whenever needed. Small jewelry boxes also make interesting gifts for little girls. They are a nice way for little girls to store trinkets. Small to medium sized musical jewelry boxes made of inexpensive material are popular gifts bought for little girls.

The most popular compound for making clay art jewelry today is polymer clay. This versatile, durable modeling compound is not actually a clay at all, but is made of plastic materials. It doesn’t dry out, remaining pliable until you cure it in your home oven, creating a permanent, durable piece. The durability of polymer clay, along with its ease of use, makes it ideal for jewelry pieces. The wide variety of colors, textures and finishes available can even let you create clay bead jewelry and pendants that look like stone, glass or ceramic. Here are some tips to get you started making beautiful polymer clay jewelry pieces.

As with most modeling clays, polymer clay must be worked and softened before you can use it. The easiest way to do this is by breaking off a small piece of clay and working it in your hands, as the heat from your hands will help soften the clay. For larger quantities of clay, some polymer clay artists choose to use a small food processor to chop and work the clay to get it started. This saves some effort, but keep in mind that once you’ve used the processor for clay, it can’t be used for food anymore. You should work the polymer clay until it is very soft and pliable.

Clay bead jewelry can be whimsical and colorful, it can be subdued and sophisticated or it can be anything in between. The sky is the limit when you’re creating beads from polymer clay. The simplest beads are created by simply rolling a bit of clay into a ball, then poking a hole through the ball with a toothpick. You can also make beads that are quite elaborate, incorporating different colors, shapes and textures. Don’t be afraid to experiment and be creative. To help your beads keep their shape while curing, you can thread them onto a skewer or thick wire, and lay it across a baking sheet.

Here is where your creativity can really soar. There is a little more leeway with pendants, as they can be larger than beads, and are generally the focal point of your finished jewelry piece. To make flat disk shapes to use as a base for your pendants, you can use a pasta roller to flatten your polymer clay, making it perfectly smooth without much effort. You can then cut out your desired shapes and embellish them as you wish.