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And it's taking off in popularity!  Jewelry-making parties.  My daughter's children have been to one recently and she told me they had a ball making little kids-sized bracelets and necklaces.  Children's jewelry is extremely popular with little girls but, wait for it, also with little boys!  The boys had just as much fun and enjoyed wearing their boys' bracelets and necklaces as the girls.  

There are a few small businesses locally who run these kids' jewelry making parties and they are doing very well.  Minimal supervision is requried, just a little simple guidance.  The parents are often asked to contribute to the small cost of beads, cord, leather thongs etc. but sometimes the mother of the birthday girl (or boy) covers the cost.  Each child makes his or her own special piece of jewelry and takes it home.  

It keeps the kids entertained for hours and gives them a sense of pride wearing their new piece of jewelry home that they made themselves.  

I can remember as a child, longing for a nice bracelet, and in the absence of one, wearing lace, cord, ribbon or even string wrapped several times around my wrist and tied in a knot or bow - and believing it was a bracelet.  In those days, children's bracelets consisted mainly of gold or silver, so it was a stretch of the imagination.  Now though, kids' bracelets are made out of all sorts of things, as are children's necklaces.  Some of my suppliers are placing charms on waxed ribbon and I have to say, they do look gorgeous.  We're opening our minds when it comes to children's jewelry!  

Currently we have gold, silver, pearls, cord and woven leather bracelets for children.  They all sell well and are perfect for differing occasions, casual or formal.

Recently, Ebay was flooded with cheap imports of children's Tibetan silver children's charms at crazy prices.  A test was performed which has received a geat deal of publicity.  The pieces tested were found to contain as little as 1% pure silver.  Now, Tibetan silver traditionally, can contain as much as 99% pure silver, so these unscrupulous sellers have maligned the name "Tibetan Silver."  

Generally in today's market, Tibetan silver contains approx 30% pure silver, and the delightful styles and affordable prices make it a very reasonable proposition.

People often ask me, "what is Bali Silver, Mexican Silver, Miao Silver etc.?"

Bali silver is usually quite safe to buy though some ebay sellers have done a "Tibetan" on Bali silver as well.  If prices seems ridiculously low, then it's probably not Bali silver at all, which is generally good quality sterling silver.  Buy from a well known supplier, and you will get 92.5% sterling silver.

Sterling silver is, of course, 92.5% pure silver.  It is popularly used in baby jewelry and children's jewelry as well as jewelry for adults.  100% pure silver is not a viable product for jewelry, especially children's jewelry, because it is too soft.  It is easily dented, scratched and bent out of shape.  

Some years ago, I ordered some Miao Silver jewellery.  This  traditional craft of Northern China and nearby Central Asian countries contains approx 30% silver.  Designs are beautiful and prices are affordable.   

I've been receiving emails from Mexican suppliers regarding Mexican baby bracelets and children's earrings.  I have little knowledge of the content of Mexican silver, but from my recent research, it can be dubious  Mexican silver can be sterling silver, or it can contain only 30% (same as regular Tibetan silver) or it can be made from as little as 10% silver.  What to do?  

For the moment, I am avoiding Mexican silver until I know more about it, and find a reliable, well recommended supplier, though some of their designs are very desirable!

Baby bracelets and other children's jewelry are often seen as so precious they should only be worn on very special occasions such as a family wedding, Christening etc.  If this happens, the jewelry spends a great deal of time stored away.

More and more, manufacturers of kids' jewelry are coating or plating their sterling silver, in either platinum or perhaps a product which has various names, most commonly, Evershine.  This hardens the surface and helps to prevent knocks and scratches which, gradually dull shine on that precious baby bangle.  Scratching is the primary reason for dulling of the shine.  These products also prevent tarnishing.  Therefore, any item of baby or children's sterling silver jewelry, that has either of these coatings, is very good value.

The best way to prevent tarnishing is to wear the item.  Most baby bracelets, baby earrings or necklaces can be worn casually as well as for special family events so placing her bracelet on each day and having her wear it, will best ensure that tarnishing is avoided.  The next best way is when you're storing the item, place it first into a plastic bag.  

But if your item does tarnish, pay a visit to your local jewelry store and purchase a cleaning cloth and give it a good clean.  Or, they may well clean your piece of jewelry for you, for a small fee, or as a gesture of goodwill, for free!

One of my favourite parts of this job is the search for new baby and children's jewelry and my special love is kids' earrings, especially baby earrings.  This is because designers seem to reserve their best talents for earrings and the styles are just so divine, I can't resist them!  We already have over 100 designs on the site so I really need to restrain myself.

But once the Christmas rush was over, I did need to restock, and in the hours I've spent perusing wholesaler's sites, I've found some absolute stunners!  So, once again, baby and children's earrings are rolling in, a few every day, almost!

If you're in the market for baby or children's earrings, do check out the Earrings Category soon.  You will be so glad you did!  While you're there, don't forget to visit our baby and children's bracelets and bangles category for all the new styles there as well!

We've recently introduced a new category on our baby and children's jewelry website:  leather.

Only bracelets at this stage, this category features woven leather bracelets in black, white, khaki, yellow and pink.  Some of these baby bracelets and children's bracelets have charms, or a single pearl attached, some don't.  But all have a generous extension for growth, making them not only affordable, but great value for long term wear. 

Check out also, our new black velvet girls' bracelets with pearls.  These are in larger sizes, for older girls and teens for special events.  Also very affordable, for a beautiful bracelet.

Boys' leather bracelets?  Yes, definitely, we have them in all three sizes (babies, small children and older children) with and without charms.  So far we've had good feedback about these boys bracelets.

Depending on how well these leather items sell, we may introduce thong-style children's necklaces, which we think might be popular especially with teens.  Let us know what you think!

I've found it a good idea to check out the websites of our baby and children's jewelry opposition, to ensure we have a better range, competitive pricing and a great range to choose from.  

Whilst on these sites, I often notice that baby bracelets are often described as 6 inches long.  Six inches is too big for a baby bracelet, and could fit a child over 5 up to the teenage years.  When you buy a baby bracelet, you don't want her mother putting it in a cupboard for many years.  An older child may also find a baby bracelet is too "babyish" by the time it actually fits.  Best to measure her wrist if you can, or buy only 5 inch expanding baby bangles and bracelets.

Baby and children's necklaces too are readily advertised as 16 or 18 inches.  This size would reach a baby or small child's navel!  We sell baby necklaces at 12 inches, 13 inches and 14 inches, depending on the child's age and size.  We have 16 inch necklaces for older girls and 18" is for adults.  

For best value, buy jewelry that is expandable or adjustable in size.  This ensures the gift will be worn for many years.  Bracelets can have 2 or more clasping points along the length, and bangles are often expandable.  Therefore the baby christening bangle you bought for a 3 month old, will expand to fit her just as neatly at age 3 or 4.  

Baby earrings or children's earrings are a safe bet when you are unable to measure her wrist.  If she has pierced ears, you can buy earrings that will fit petitely on her baby earlobes that will fit her the rest of her life.  Conversely, adult earrings will have rods too long for a baby.  But buying her earrings when she's a baby is great value because ear lobes don't grow much at all, and her baby earrings will fit her all through her childhood.

There are loads of absolutely divine, modern styles of baby jewelry, both on the net, and in jewelry stores and these styles are very popular.  But there remains a hard core of traditionalists out there who love classic, traditional baby jewelry.  

Prior to Christmas, I spent months scouring the web looking for new and different styles, new suppliers who can supply us with baby jewelry and children's jewelry, most particularly baby bracelets and baby bangles, to suit newborns, baby christening jewelry and first birthday gifts.  

We found a family of gold and silversmiths in England who've been making baby jewelry since 1825.  Still in the hands of this family, they still use some traditional methods of making baby jewelry by hand.  We've acquired some gorgeous embossed, expanding baby bangles and some baby ID bracelets in sterling silver but now that we know their jewelry lives up to their photos and descriptions, we're about to order some 14ct gold bangles and bracelets.  

Keep an eye out if you love traditional baby jewelry!

For some time now, we've had a range of jewelry in sizes to fit both mothers and their daughters, whether their daughters are babies, young girls or teenagers.  

More and more, we are seeing the purchase of two sizes in the same item, as in mother/daughter gifts.  Often at Christmas time but more often at the birth of a baby girl.

For example, our European style sterling silver/real lampwork bracelets come in baby sizes as well as mother sizes, in three different colour combinations.  

We also have children's bracelets in children's sizes, but also in adult sizes for mothers.  

We have lots of items suitable for both teens and mothers, in bracelets, necklaces and earrings.  Bought together for a mother and teenage daughter, the gift acknowledges or perhaps even reinforces the bond between a mother and her almost adult daughter.

As this trend is becoming more and more popular, we are on the lookout for matching jewelry items and hope to go into this Christmas with an even bigger range of mother/daughter jewelry.  

At Baby Jewels, we tend to find the largest group who purchase baby and children's jewelry are grandparents, grandmothers, specifically. Grandmothers purchase baby bracelets and baby brooches for their grandchildren usually when they are newborns.  But it's also grandmothers who continue to purchase other baby jewelry and later, children's jewelry as their grandchildren grow.  Many of the 2011 Christmas season purchases from our website were by grandmothers for their grandchildren.  

Aunties, friends of the family and Godparents are the next biggest group.  They also purchase bracelets when the baby is born, but also the engraved baby bangles are popular as Christening gifts.  First birthday and Christmas gifts.  

We've found the traditional styled jewelry is popular for newborns and Christenings but the more modern styles, those with enamelled animals and insects, sparkling crystals, the charm bracelets or the children's necklaces are great choices for children's birthday gifts.  

Who buys boys jewelry?  Moms mainly!  We love to purchase jewelry for our kids and these days, boys are no exception!  The leather bracelets, or the gemstone jewelry are the main choices for gifts for boys.