A taste of what we have

For my first blog entry, I would like to share with you some of the lovely items Summer-Ray has in store.

Let's start with rhinestones.

Bling enthusiasts will find rhinestones of numerous shapes, sizes and colours here. It's bling heaven! But before I go on, let's learn more about these gorgeous studs.

Fun facts about rhinestones:

~gems made from paste, glass or quartz in simulation of sparkling diamonds.
~originally a rock crystal found in or near the Rhine River.
~came from the French phrase caillou du Rhin meaning pebble of the Rhine.
~liberally used on the costumes of country & western singers and Las Vegas dancers.
~famously adorned by Elvis Presley and Liberace. 

As you can see rhinestones go back a long way and have its roots planted in the glitz and glamour of showbiz. It's even in the song title of Glen Campbell's top hit, 'Rhinestone Cowboy'. Thankfully, rhinestones are no longer limited to the rich and famous. Now everyone can have the alluring twinkle of rhinestones on almost anything they own.

Here's a picture of some of the rhinestones we have...

Next, it's ribbons galore! You wouldn't believe the number of different ribbons there are. I never knew so many existed. There's grosgrain, organza, appliqued,....but I'm jumping the gun. Let's have a look at some fun facts first.

Fun facts about ribbons:
~initially called ribbands
~a band of fabric finished at the edges and used for trimming, tying, etc.
~one of the world's oldest decorative or adorning materials
~have been used to personalize clothing and household goods
~grew to be a sign of luxury and extravagance during the Middle Ages
~stormed the fashion world in the seventeenth century and used profusely by men and women
~became a popular cargo for smugglers during the early nineteenth century
~identified with certain orders of merit
~symbols of support for various social causes

Ribbons have come a long, long way. Not only are they fashionable, they are also used for identification and hold very strong, personal...even patriotic meanings. Napoleon Bonaparte once said "A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon". Thankfully, once again, fighting...and smuggling...are no longer required.

My last item featured today is the Fimo. What on earth is a fimo you may ask?

Fun facts about Fimo:

~a brand of polymer clay made by Eberhard Faber

~is shaped and moulded before being baked in an oven to harden

~once baked, it can be cut, drilled, painted, sanded, and sliced thin.

~initially a plastic modeling compound brought to the attention of German dollmaker Kathe Kruse in the late 1930s

~was not suitable for her doll factory use so she gave it to her daughter who was known in the family as "Fifi".

~FIfi's MOdeling compound was later sold to Eberhard Faber
~FIMO modeling clay is now a Staedtler branded product

And that is the charming origin of the Fimo modeling clay. At Summer-Ray we present you with ready designed Fimo canes, Fimo flowers and tiny 3D Fimo clay for nail art. They come coloured and shaped, in a variety of adorable designs, and are ideal for scrapbooking, cardmaking and decorating. Fimo canes may be cut into the appropriate slices desired.

And that is just a little taste of what we have.

There're lots more from where that came from. Visit us at Summer-Ray or at our eBay store.

Until then, happy craft working!