We’ve already seen how the natural clay from termite mounds creates the perfect kiln material for African bead artists, and silk makes a great material for both fiber beads and thread. But did you know that there are beads made directly by the power of insects as well?
Materials and products made from lac - the secretion of tiny tree-dwelling insects - have been around for hundreds of years. It is used in the production of varnish and shellac, as well as unique beads and jewelry. The natural resin secreted by the insects that feed on sap is harvested, crushed, sifted, and heated to create an ideal bead making material. The resulting beads have a wonderfully natural appeal. Lac jewelry has been an important part of Indian customs for generations, with a long tradition of craftsmanship and style.
If you’d like to give lac beads a try, our friends at Maruti Beads would like to share some of their beautiful bead designs with you! They have graciously offered a selection of lac and Kashmiri beads, as well as their own custom maruti beads to one lucky Inspirational Beading reader! Similar in style to lac beads, Kashmiri are made from synthetic polymer clay, and embellished with a variety of materials such as rhinestones and silver. You may also know them as Bollywood beads - each bead design is handmade in India, and has a fantastic, exotic look. Some are very similar in design to the popular pave beads, and would work well in trendy pave projects.
How to Enter
For your chance to win a package of 60 assorted kashmiri and lac beads, visit MarutiBeads.com and choose your favorite bead style. Then leave a comment on this post, and let us know which one you liked best. Is it the Kashmiri with studs and hearts? The gold and blue lac hexagon? Anything goes!
Important: Comments must be posted here on Inspirational Beading to qualify, but no log-in is required. If you do not have a Blogger profile with email contact enabled, please make sure to include an email address, shop, or website link, so I can contact you if you win!
One reader will be drawn at random on Tuesday, October 30th. This giveaway is open to international readers.
Good luck!
I would like to thank Maruti Beads for sharing this fantastic bead giveaway. Inspirational Beading does not receive a commission for featuring these products.
Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading and MarutiBeads.com
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Oh my goodness, so many to choose from! But because I love the water, this one is my favorite: Teal Glitter Beads Studded with Metal Flowers.
ReplyDeleteI love the beads with golden spots like this one: http://www.marutibeads.com/lac-beads/maroon-disc-beads-with-golden-spots
ReplyDeleteroniros(at)gmail.com
http://beadsbyroni.com
I have a bead addiction, seriously! There are so many beautiful beads in these collections it was hard to choose a favorite! I absolutely love the detail of the Kashmiri beads is exquisite! Some of my favs are:
ReplyDeleteBlue Round Beads Studded with Metal Rings, Balls & Chains
Blue Round Beads Studded with Metal Rings + Balls
Copper Color Beads Studded with Metal Rings & Rhinestones
Shining Color Beads Studded with Metal Rings + Mirror Chips
They are all mesmerizing though!
How could you choose just one - they are all stunning. Love the teal glitter mixes the best - maybe:)
ReplyDeleteI love the olive green round lac beads with gold stripes - just gorgeous and would give real glamour to a necklace. Thanks so much for offering this generous opportunity - your projects and post really are an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteAlison
Guildford, UK
Very interesting site! I love the lac beads with the swirls and stripes.
ReplyDeleteI Love the Cylindrical Beads with multi colored Tourmaline! Oh my gosh! Those are wonderful and I love tourmaline.
ReplyDeleteThank you for offering the chance to win some of these fabulous beads.
zanc@att.net
What a great giveaway thanks! They have so many beautiful beads to choose from, but I was immediately drawn to the lampwork. There are lots of great colors and designs.
ReplyDeleterandomcreative at gmail dot com
I find it very difficult to choose because there are a lot of amazing lovely beads in that shop !
ReplyDeleteBut i like these once :
http://www.marutibeads.com/maruti-beads/red-beads-studded-with-white-acrylic-rhinestones
and they would combine very good with these : http://www.marutibeads.com/maruti-beads/blue-beads-studded-with-metal-flowers
So, I want to win this !!!!
Love the gemstone and lac beads!!! Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you and MarutiBeads for the wonderful giveaway.
So many gorgeous beads to choose from, but I love these http://www.marutibeads.com/kashmiri-beads
ReplyDeletethanks for the chance to win.
doinDigital at gmail dot com
Sue : )
There is this Lac bead that is cream with gold spots that make me think of pale colored pumpkins - perfect for the season. http://www.marutibeads.com/lac-beads/cream-color-beads-with-golden-spots-having-engraved-linings
ReplyDeleteAlso this awesome tube bead studded with blue grains just makes me go "COOL!" http://www.marutibeads.com/kashmiri-beads/tube-beads-studded-with-blue-grains
Whether or not I win, I might just have to buy some of those beads, because I know exactly how I would use them in my designs.
I adore this bead because of its shape and color:
ReplyDeleteShining Maroon Lac Bead with Engraved LiningsModel: MBD-392
But I also love these:
Golden Disc Shaped Lac BeadsModel: MBD-212
Triangular Handmade Golden Beads with Black StripesModel: MBD-159
Blue Beads Studded with Metal HeartsModel: MB-1229
Round Oxidized Copper Beads in 10x9mmModel: MCB-923
Tube Shaped Transparent Blue Glass Beads with Silver FoilModel: MGB-2126
I love all of the copper beads and the glass beads are just to die for too!! And I love all of the LAC beads without exception, if you really must know…
:D
Wow, what a beautiful assortment of beads! I love them all. However, since I have to pick one as a favorite, I'd say it's the Purple Glitter Beads Studded with Silver Plated Flowers (Model: MBD-748).
ReplyDeletemy favorite is Black Beads Studded with Metal Rings, Hearts & Rhinestones
ReplyDeleteIf I should be so lucky as to win, email me at
travelingdancers "at" inbox.com
http://www.marutibeads.com/maruti-beads/blue-beads-studded-with-metal-flowers-chains-blue-rhinestones it was honestly extremely hard to pick a favorite, but this is one of them.
ReplyDeleteIt is really hard to pick just one, or even just 10 that I like, lol but these are a few that I liked. Black Beads Studded with Silver Rings & White Rhinestones,Aqua Glitter Kashmiri Beads,Teal Glitter Beads Studded with Metal Rings & Accessories, Shining Silver Beads Studded with Flower Accessories, Teal Color Round Lac Beads with Green Spots, Orange Lac Beads with Spiral Black Stripes. Thank you for having this giveaway, these are so very pretty!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice choice... i really love this one
ReplyDeleteBlue Round Beads Studded with Metal Rings + Balls
Here's my favorite: Black Beads Studded with Metal Balls & Rainbow Rhinestones... love them! Would love to get a chance to work with these beads - thanks for the opportunity to win! I'm on a buying moratorium right now so winning is the only way I can try them.
ReplyDeleteCindy Rosborough
clc1@gsinet.net
Wow, these are just gorgeous. I would love to win them. My favourite beads are the Kashmiri beads studded with silver grains. I also love the Teal Glitter Beads Studded with Flower Accessories. Very cool! If I won them, I would have to feature them on my blog, too! :D
ReplyDeleteIt was last week when I discovered Maruti Beads and I was amazed. So many beautiful beads! One of my favorites is the Shining Maroon Lac Bead with Engraved Linings. I like the color, the shine, everything...
ReplyDeleteI adore the Blue Beads Studded with Metal Flowers, so so pretty! They really have a large selection of styles! Thanks for hosting the give away!
ReplyDeleteThey are all so beautiful! But the one I was drawn to most was the Black Round Beads Studded with Metal Rings and Flowers and Rhinestones. Thank you for hosting this give away and for keeping it open to international readers of your lovely blog :)
ReplyDeleteSo hard to choose, but I think my favourites are the Teal Glitter Beads Studded with Metal Flowers. I love peacock colours and I love glitter so these ones just had that extra something for me!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think I would have to say the Black Kashmiri Beads Studded with Rhinestones & Flower Accessories are my favorite! But they are all pretty awesome!
ReplyDeleteI adore the black lac beads studded with metal & seed beads as well as the aqua glitter Kashmiri beads. These are so fun!
ReplyDeleteI really like the silver cap end beads in blue and yellow with studs. So pretty and colorful. Thank you for sharing a giveaway.
ReplyDeleteOh those were amazing, I think I was drooling .... I found these to be the prettiest, Black Beads Studded with Metal Rings, Hearts & Rhinestones Model: MBD-333
ReplyDeleteLike so many before me, I find it really hard to pick a firm favourite, but I am drawn more towards the beads with metal flowers and twisted wire 'fancy bits' - just love them all!
ReplyDeleteruth.spooner@yahoo.com.au
Beautiful beads - I also like the black maruti bead with silver parts - model MB-1141. Thanks for posting about this giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI think they are all beautiful, but if I had to choose just one, it would be a silver Bollywood style. So please to have found your blog. Elizabeth x
ReplyDeleteThank you Mortira for publishing this giveaway from MarutiBeads. With many beautiful beads to choose from, I go for the Blue Beads studded with metal rings + balls and rhinestones.
ReplyDeleteacbeads(at)gmail(dot)com
Lisbon, Portugal
me encantaron las perlas blancas con tachuelas de metal anillos + +cabochoons rhinestones es sutil y tiene un touch muy femenino
ReplyDelete