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jewelry tools

Jewelry Making DIY – Make a Micro Engraved Pendant

October 2, 2020

Rings & Things has carried the BeadSmith Micro Engraver for about five years, and can you believe I have never tried it? I always discredited it for not being what I consider a “real” tool. Isn’t this something you would see engraving names on carnival trinket necklaces? But it turns out the Micro Engraver is actually a pretty cool tool. It is fun and easy to use, and the results are surprisingly pleasing.

If you like to draw or doodle, you will instantly love the Micro Engraver. But even if you can’t draw, you can still make pretty things that look great–just follow my step-by-step instructions.

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Jewelry DIY – Make Flower Earrings Featuring Dapped Filigree Bead Caps

May 29, 2020

Making your own jewelry components can add a unique look to your handmade jewelry. It can be a lot of work making jewelry parts from “scratch”, but customizing existing components is fun and easy. Here is an earring tutorial that features instructions for using a metal dapping set to turn flower-shaped filigree into large, lacy bead caps. Read on to learn more.

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September Sapphire

September 20, 2019

Sapphire and sterling silver are a perfect combination. This September birthstone pairing features mini-sized Swarovski crystal briolette pendants, small sterling-silver crescent-moon connector charms and petite sterling silver earwires. This design is also easily adaptable for use with any birthstone color (or just your favorite color).

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How to Make Spiral Head Pins

August 23, 2019

Head pins are a jewelry-making staple. But in many cases, though they are necessary, they don’t add much in design value to a jewelry piece. Rings & Things offers several styles of ready-made head pins. And yes, some of the head pins Rings & Things carries are rather fancy, but not what I had in mind for a simple mixed-metal pair of earrings I was making. I needed something dramatic to combine with my favorite primitive India metal beads and a spiral shape seemed like the perfect thing. So, not having ready-made spiral head pins available, I set out to make some. (And you can too!)

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The 15-Minute Earring Tutorial

May 3, 2019

Do you have 15 extra minutes? Then you have time to make a new pair of earrings! Just combine your favorite decorative connector links with Swarovski crystal pendants to create these fast and easy earrings.

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Jewelry Tutorial – Curved Bead-Bar Necklace

April 23, 2019

Simplicity and elegance combine in this April-themed necklace.  Sparkling Swarovski Crystal briolette beads, like drops of rain, line a hand-formed curved bead bar.  The red brass wire glows from inside the briolette beads, and pairs with the sterling necklace for a mixed-metal effect. Best of all, this is the perfect project for using the 1-Step Looper pliers (one of my favorite things).

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