If you love rich mixed colors and eye-catching focal pieces, take a look at the Bulgarian stoneware pendant collection at Artbeads.com. Here’s how the supplier describes them:

These pendants are made with stoneware clay and fired at different temperatures depending on the color of glaze used. A great deal of work goes into each individual pendant . . . . Do not be afraid to use these in high impact designs, these are very durable.

I’ve admired those little beauties from afar (through my computer screen) since they were first introduced, and I recently had the opportunity to review one. I selected a round pendant featuring “Flowers, Snail and Ladybug.” I think it was the uplifting, spring-like colors that most attracted me:

 When the pendant arrived, one of the first things I noticed was its feel; it’s solid, and the glazed surface is thick and smooth. This is true not only on the front of the pendant (which is domed and features the artwork), but also on the flat back:

You really can tell the difference in quality between pieces like this, which are made individually, and the mass-produced porcelain items imported from China. The Chinese components tend to feel slightly lighter and somehow “airier” – like they’re not as solid inside. My pendant from Artbeads.com feels much more substantial.

I’m also happy with the colors. The glaze is shiny and dense, and it must have taken time and care to apply it to such an intricate design. The texture is nice, too, with impressed (indented) outlines that allow a natural-clay color background to show through.

Finally – although I’m certainly not doing a smash-test on my wonderful pendant – it seems to be pretty durable, just as Artbeads.com describes. For one, although the edges come to a relatively sharp, thin angle, they have no chips or nicks at all, even after a lot of handling (picking up, putting down, accidentally dropping onto work surface, etc). Additionally, the edges of the hole did not chip or scratch when I experimented with attaching various wire and pre-made metal bails.

Depending on size and design, most of Artbeads.com’s stoneware pendants are priced in the $22 - $26 range, but they also have several smaller pieces available for between $6 and $9 (like this pretty Golden Cookie Star). The prices are fair considering the high-quality and attention-to-detail of these pendants, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you decide to pick one up.

And, if you do, you’ll of course need to decide how to design a necklace around your pendant. In my next post in this series, I’ll give you some ideas and general tips for dealing with components that feature lots of bright colors.

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Visit Artbeads.com to browse these and more interesting beading supplies.