About & FAQ
Welcome to my store!
My name is Shigeru. I’m a Japanese-Slavic man living the US. I like to make jewelry; I also offer free jewelry repairs, cleanings, and maintenance. To request, please email me at: shigerusowa@gmail.com
FAQ:
1. Where do you get your beads and supplies?
I do my best to source most of my supplies from recycle shops, antique shops, estate sales, charities, and small domestic businesses. When I can’t find certain items locally, I like to order from:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BeadRhapsody
If there is a specific product I've used that you're curious about, feel free to contact me via e-mail with any questions.
2. Do you ship outside the USA?
At the moment, I don’t offer international shipping due to extreme tariffs and fees. I hope that one day things change so I will be able to again!
3. When will my order arrive?
Your order should arrive to you in 1-2 weeks after purchase; USPS tracking is always available via Shopify. You can reach out to me via email if you would like to request rush shipping.
4. I'm having an issue with the website.
Thank you for the heads up! Please report it to me via email at: shigerusowa@gmail.com
5. Where can I follow you on social media?
I have an active blog on Tumblr! I am no longer active on Instagram. I have no Bluesky, Twitter, or Tiktok at the moment.
6. Can I repost your art or jewelry online? (eg. Pinterest, tumblr, etc.)
Yes, but please provide credit or link back to either my storefront or tumblr.
7. Why does jewelry get so expensive?
I like to use semiprecious and natural materials a lot; the materials, packing, shipping, and selling fees all factor into the prices I set. Due to inflation, the cost of fishing lures has been rising as well.
If you are ever curious about the price of a specific material I used, please feel to reach out with your questions.
8. I want to make jewelry too; other than beads, what supplies do you use?
As of right now, the basic things I use are:
- 22 & 24-gauge lacquered copper wire (Typical price: $11 USD per 30 yard spool)
- “Beadsmith Fireline” crystal beading thread by Berkley (Typical price: $10 USD per 15 yard spool)
- 4-6mm Jump rings (Typical bulk price: $1 USD per 100 pcs)
- Clamshell crimp bead covers; preferably open-looped (Typical bulk price: $4 USD per 100 pcs)
- 1.5 mm or 2mm Crimp beads (Typical bulk price: $5 USD per 1,000 pcs)
- GSI クレオス Mr. Hobby Liquid Cement (Typical price: $10 per 40 ml)
- x1 Round Nose Pliers, x1 Flat Nose Pliers, x1 Wire Cutter (Typical price: $10-20 for all three.)
- Scissors, as sharp as possible (Hopefully, you already have a pair.)
- Assorted metal toggles (Typical bulk price: $15 USD per 100 pcs) or lobster clasps (Typical bulk price: $6 USD/100 pcs)
- Hypoallergenic leverback earring hooks or clip-on earring hooks; No backs are required for this kind of earring. (Typical price: $2 USD per pair)
- Locking tape measure (Price varies based on preference)
Other things that are not necessary, but may help you, are:
- Foam bead mat; highly recommended (Typical price: $3)
- Stainless steel diamond tweezers with shovel (Typical price: $8)
- Metal chain of your choice (Price varies)
- Cordless precision drill (Price varies)
- The Basics of Bead Stringing by Mel Anderson (Price varies)
Items I advise you do NOT buy:
- Flocked bead design boards: Bulky and extremely easy to dirty.
- Bead mats over $5 (You're being ripped off for a piece of foam!)
- Bent nose pliers (They are not particularly useful unless you have limited mobility in your hands, in which case they might be worth it. )
- Faux pearls or pearls with noticeably thin lacquer (These will peel/degrade quickly.) If you’re unsure if a pearl is real, you can tell by scraping it against your tooth to feel the grain (or absence thereof).