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Button, Button, What to do with buttons?

June 18, 2013

I love a good button. I think most bead hoarders have a button tin somewhere as well. The materials used for buttons range from the simple and inexpensive to exotic and pricey. Obviously buttons have a practical use in sewing and clothing design, but they can be great additions to DIY jewelry as well.

 

button box spill

button box spill

Buttons as beads:

Boston Bracelet and New Leaf Earrings

Boston Bracelet and New Leaf Earrings

By their nature, buttons tend to have either a shank, with an opening for thread, or 2-4 holes for sewing. These holes and openings mean your buttons can substitute for beads and work as connectors in jewelry design. See round TierraCast buttons with a leaf pattern in New Leaf Earrings and bone buttons sewn on the Boston Bracelet.

Buttons as clasps:

Dark and Dangerous Bracelet

Dark and Dangerous Bracelet

Whether for popular wrapped lashed leather bracelets, or for necklace designs, adding a button to one end of your design and creating a simple loop or series of loops at the other end will complete your creation. The Dark and Dangerous Bracelet uses a cast pewter Spiral Button for the closure.

Buttons as Cabochons or Cameos:

Cute as a Button Bracelet

Cute as a Button Bracelet

Disk & Loop Bracelets make up into quick finished jewelry by gluing buttons to the disks. If the button has a shank, you may need to trim it and file the surface, then add your favorite adhesive, and you have quickly created a new accessory. Cute as a Button Bracelet uses an assortment of plastic “accoutrements” by Tim Holtz for decoration.

Copies of Buttons:

Buttons, Molds, and Cast Reproductions

Buttons, Molds, and Cast Reproductions

Have a one-of-a-kind or vintage button that you love, but don’t want to part with? 2-part silicone molding material works great to make a mold of your treasure that you can re-create in polymer or resin and use time after time. Silicone molds were quickly made of the buttons in this picture. Reproductions of the buttons (without the pesky shanks) were easily made with Amazing Resin and SuperClear Resin. For more information on making molds, see our previous blog: Making Your Own Molds is a Hoot.

Buttons you can buy from Rings & Things:

Rings & Things carries buttons in materials such as bone,

Assortment of Bone Buttons in various colors.

Assortment of Bone Buttons in various colors.

plastic,

Plastic Button Assortments

Plastic Button Assortments

cast pewter

A sampling of pewter buttons.

A sampling of pewter buttons.

one lone sterling offering

Sterling Flower Button

Sterling Flower Button

and SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystal

Crystal Buttons

Crystal Buttons

 

Making a Button:

Resin Flower Buttons

Resin Flower Buttons

Do you have an item without holes that you want to use as a button? Easily glue a plastic button shank to your piece to create a button. These work great for turning resin, polymer clay, hand-made glass, and ceramics into useable buttons. Since these shanks are plastic, they don’t have the sharp edges that you sometimes find on metal shank findings. The set shown above are made from resin flowers, colorized with gilders paste, and attached with E-6000.

Changeable buttons:

Cast Resin Button Covers

Cast Resin Button Covers

With a button cover and some glue, you can create a decorative cover that can be transferred from garment to garment, covering the plain or boring buttons used in manufacturing. This set is made with super clear resin, colored with dye and glitter, and attached with E-6000.

Our pinterest board “Buttons” has further inspirations for using buttons and great handmade buttons.

 

~ Rita

Spring 2013 Pantone Color Trends Giveaway

April 29, 2013

Pantone Spring 2013 Giveaway

Enter to win our Resin Flower Gluing Kit. Just comment at the end of this post  — by May 6, 2013 — with your favorite Pantone Spring 2013 Color Trend to be entered into our drawing.

win a resin flower gluing kit

In celebration of Spring, here are the Spring 2013 Pantone Color Trends. Just click on any of the color swatches below and find the treasures available in our online store. Also visit our Design Gallery  for all the designs you see here and many more. All designs are FREE – no login required!

banner-spring13_emerald banner-spring13_grayedjade

banner-spring13_tendershoots  banner-spring13_lemonzest

banner-spring13_nectarine banner-spring13_poppyred

banner-spring13_linen banner-spring13_africanviolet

banner-spring13_duskblue banner-spring13_monacoblue

Comment now with your favorite Pantone Spring 2013 Color Trend to win. Contest ends May 6, 2013.

~Jan

Jewelry Trends: Top 12 of 2012

January 14, 2013

Now that we are halfway though the first month of 2013, I have been reflecting on 2012. It was a great year for jewelry! From neon jewelry to rough gemstones, there was a style of jewelry for everyone. I have compiled a list of my personal favorite jewelry trends from this past year, though I suspect some of these trends are around to stay! For awhile longer at least! If you are interested in buying any of these amazing pieces below, simply click on the picture and it will link you to the item in its etsy store.

1. Noteworthy Neons

Being a kid of the eighties, I remember owning bright hammer pants and neon splattered sweatshirts. So when I started seeing jewelry popping up this summer in those familiar unnatural hues of lime green, bright pink, electric orange and glowing yellow I was thrilled. If you want to create some neon jewelry of your own, check out these new neon Swarovski pearls or brightly painted wooden beads at Rings & Things. Or if you prefer buy a piece already made, check out these awesome works of wearable art below.

I love this Neon Bib Necklace by Devi Chand of HippieKingdom. It is made from handmade paper beads.

I love this Neon Bib Necklace by Devi Chand of HippieKingdom. It is made from handmade paper beads.

I adore these long neon earrings by Heather at BlueKat Designs. Look close and see if you can tell what they are made out of!

I adore these long neon earrings by Heather at BluKat Designs. Believe it or not, these earrings are made with hand painted bobby pins! How cool!

This neon bib necklace is so chic! It is made by jewelry artist Kelly M of KRM Jewel.

This neon bib necklace is so chic! It is made by jewelry artist Kelly M of KRM Jewel.

2. Love Triangles

I started to see triangles trending early in 2012, and they are still super hot. Geometry has never been so fun! If you want to experiment with some triangular designs of your own, check out these new raw brass geometric blanks at Rings & Things. Or let someone else do the work and pick up one of these great finds below!

I love these Double Triangle Earrings by Betty at Foxtail Boutique! Make sure and check out her shop for tons of cool triangular jewelry!

I love these Double Triangle Earrings by Betty at Foxtail Boutique! Make sure and check out her shop for tons of cool triangular jewelry!

triangle necklace

This necklace has a great combination of sharp edges and soft pastels. Wood Bunting necklace by Jess of Fawn and Rose Jewellery.

This piece of jewelry doubles as a bracelet and ring! I love how in this piece, the triangles have a tribal feel. This awesome design is by Jennie of A la Pop Body Jewelry.

This piece of jewelry is a double ring and bracelet! I love how in this piece, the triangles have a tribal feel. This awesome design is by Jennie of A la Pop Body Jewelry.

3. Some like it Rough

Gemstones that is! When I started seeing rough gemstones coming into our showroom at Rings & Things I was intrigued They came in pyrite, garnet, lapis and quartz, just to name a few. I wasn’t sure what to do with them, but I found some designers below that made amazing jewelry with rough gemstones. Check out Rings & Things here for our current supply of rough gemstones.

Catherine Ulanovski of CJBijoux Jewelry created this stunning ring with a rough piece of apatite.

Catherine Ulanovski of CJBijoux Jewelry created this stunning ring with a rough piece of apatite.

I love the combination of the natural aquamarine and the industrial chain in these earrings by Jillian of Nooni Jewelry

I love the combination of the natural aquamarine and the industrial chain in these earrings by Jillian of Nooni Jewelry

Pyrite is one of my favorite stones in the rough, and I especially love these pyrite and Swarovski earrings by  Sadena of Primrose and Scout Jewelry.

Pyrite is one of my favorite stones in the rough, and I especially love these pyrite and Swarovski earrings by Sadena of Primrose and Scout Jewelry.

The stones on this necklace are stunning! I love the way that Isabella of Nature Look Jewelry has made it so they almost are floating.

The stones on this necklace are stunning! I love the way that Isabella of Nature Look Jewelry has made it so they almost are floating.

4. Lustworthy Larimar

I will admit, I was completely clueless about Larimar until 2012! Suddenly, I had people requesting it right and left. So what is Larimar? It is a magical cool blue gemstone found only off the coast of the Dominican Republic, which is fitting. If you have ever snorkeled in crystal clear water where the sand is bright white, this is what larimar looks like. It has white cloudy veining that reminds me of the sunshine glimmering though the water. Check out these stunning larimar pieces below or get some larimar of your own to play with.

This vintage bracelet features a huge piece of high quality Larimar. You can find this bracelet in Paula W.'s vintage jewelry shop,  Marsh Raven.

This vintage bracelet features a huge piece of high quality Larimar. You can find this bracelet in Paula W.’s vintage jewelry shop, Marsh Raven.

I love these stacking rings featuring Larimar, Topaz and Moonstone. These fabulous, handmade rings are by Liz of Fanta Sea Jewelry

These gorgeous stacking rings feature Larimar, Topaz and Moonstone. These handmade rings are by Liz of Fanta Sea Jewelry. She has amazing craftsmanship!

The pretty wire wrapped ring includes a stunning Larimar bead. This piece is from Sara at Blue Soul Designs.

This pretty wire-wrapped ring includes a stunning Larimar bead. This piece is from Sara at Blue Soul Designs.

I love the irregular cut of these pretty larminar stones. These gorgeous earrings are by Pauline Jacobson of Coral Reef Dreams.

I love the irregular cut of these pretty larminar stones. These gorgeous earrings are by Pauline Jacobson of Coral Reef Dreams.

5. Magical Druzies

Druzies are one of my favorite phenomenons. Druzies are when there is a fracture in a stone, and that fracture is filled with a coating of tiny crystals. They are super sparkly and come in a variety of colors and stones. Look at the array of jewelry made with druzies below or check out the current selection of druzies at Rings & Things.

This stunning ring features the most beautiful agate teardrop druzy. It was made by Priscilla and Vi of Oh Kuol Jewelry.

This stunning ring features the most beautiful agate teardrop druzy. It was made by Priscilla and Vi of Oh Kuol Jewelry.

I love these stud earrings with sparkly golden druzies. The artist, Sandra, has tons of beautiful pieces available at her shop, Doolittle Jewelry

I love these stud earrings with sparkly golden druzies. The artist, Sandra, has tons of beautiful pieces available at her shop, Doolittle Jewelry

These earrings feature druzy amethyst slices with gold plated edges. They are so pretty!  They can be found in the etsy store Magic Loot.

These earrings feature druzy amethyst slices with gold plated edges. They are so pretty! They can be found in the etsy store Magic Loot.

6. Wrapped Leather Bracelets

Unless you have been under a rock for the last year, you have seen a wrapped leather bracelet. They are often referred to as Chan Luu style bracelets. They have been in magazines, stores and on the wrist of every celebrity and I personally love them! They are very modern Bohemian. If you want to attempt to make one yourself, Rings & Things has a variety of kits that include all the supplies you need to make them! Or let someone else do the work and snag one of these below:

I love how this bracelet Kate Greenwood of PZW Design uses stacked rondelles instead of the typical round bead. Plus how cute is that elephant button!

I love how this bracelet by Kate Greenwood of PZW Design uses stacked rondelles instead of the typical round bead. Plus, who doesn’t love an elephant button?

How cute is this bracelet with square beads and a sleek modern button? This bracelet is by Camila of Sinona Design.

How cute is this bracelet with square beads and a sleek modern button? This bracelet is by Camilla of Sinona Design.

This black leather and sparkly silver wrapped leather bracelet is a bit "blingier" that it's gemstone cousin. This one is actually a design from the Rings & Things Design Gallery. Click on it for instructions on how to make it!

This black leather and sparkly silver wrapped leather bracelet is a bit “blingier” that its gemstone cousin. This is actually a design from the Rings & Things Design Gallery. Click on it for instructions on how to make it!

7. Shoulder Duster Earrings

I have always been a fan of ridiculously large earrings, so when shoulder dusters came back in style this year, I was psyched! A shoulder duster earring is simply an earring so long that it dusts the top of your shoulder when you wear it! I found some amazing duster earrings on etsy below! Or follow this link to see how to make your own pair of rhinestone duster earrings in our design gallery.

I love the Greek goddess feel of these beaded dusters by Nicol Markowitz of Firecracker NEM.

I love the Greek goddess feel of these beaded dusters by Nicol Markowitz of Firecracker NEM. She has some amazing beaded pieces in her shop!

These earrings have colorful distressed hand painted wooden rectangles that just remind me of the Caribbean!  They are designed by Kezzmit.

These earrings have colorful distressed hand painted wooden rectangles that just remind me of the Caribbean! They are designed by Kezzmit.

These earrings are so beautiful! And I just love the colors!  These earrings are by Kadhi at KadhiBo.

These earrings are so beautiful! And I just love the colors! These earrings are by Kadhi at KadhiBo.

8. Fashionable Feathers

2012 was undeniably the year of the feather! I think my grandma even had a pair of real feather earrings last summer! I personally can’t get enough feathers! There was so much beautiful feather jewelry on etsy it was hard to chose just a few pieces! Oh and I even threw in a piece from my etsy store, Geisha Creations (shameless self-promotion!) If you want to experiment with some feather jewelry of your own, check out all these great feather beads and charms at Rings & Things.

These feather earrings are basically the coolest earrings ever! They are made from leather and dipped in gold. If you must have a pair, check out Sabrina Chin's shop, Love At First Blush.

These feather earrings are basically the coolest thing ever! They are made from leather and gilded with gold. If you must have a pair, check out Sabrina Chin’s shop, Love At First Blush.

This brass cuff bracelet is from my store, Geisha Creations. I made it using an acid etching technique.

This brass cuff bracelet is from my store, Geisha Creations. I made it using an acid etching technique.

This necklace by Jen Gers of Piece Lust features a pendant that frames a real peacock feather! How cool is that?

This necklace by Jen Gers of Piece Lust features a pendant that frames a real peacock feather! How cool is that?

When I found this feather ring I was so excited! This piece is by Betsy and Will of Betsy and Iya.

When I found this feather ring I was so excited! This piece is by Betsy and Will of Betsy and Iya. Check out their shop for some really unique items!

9. Kool Kyanite

I discovered Kyanite a few years back and loved it! It was always pretty hard to find though. Luckily, now that it is so popular, it is also easier to find. Kynanite is usually an icy blue, though sometimes it can be found in green or dark blue. I love all the kyanite jewelry I found below. Click here for the current selection of kyanite available at Rings & Things.

These kyanite earrings ear stung on guitar wire. I love the rustic feel of them. They can be found in Andi's etsy store, Alizarine

These kyanite earrings are strung on guitar wire. I love the rustic feel of them. They can be found in Andi’s etsy store, Alizarine.

These earrings combine green kyanite and silver. I love the wire wrapping! These are by Strawberry Fog. This shop has the best earrings!

These earrings combine green kyanite and silver. I love the wire wrapping! These are by Strawberry Frog. This shop has the best earrings!

This necklace features an amazingly blue piece of kyanite framed by intricate wire wire. This necklace can be found  at Stephanie Taylor's etsy store, Peacock Blu Creations.

This necklace features an amazingly blue piece of kyanite framed by beautiful intricate wire wrapping. This necklace can be found at Stephanie Taylor’s etsy store, Peacock Blu Creations.

10. Back to the Future

I am secretly kind of a science fiction nerd, so I love futuristic jewelry. I think this trend will be even more mainstream in 2013, so keep your eye out for it this year. I am in love with all the designs I found below! Check out this link for a sparkly modern bracelet in our design gallery.

How fabulous is this modern bib necklace? It can be found in Nim's store, Lucky Twin.

How fabulous is this modern bib necklace? I love the geometric pattern! It can be found in Nim’s store, Lucky Twin.

These earrings are what I imagined earrings would look like in 2013, when I was in the 1980's! They are by Afua Kumasi of Afrique La Chic.

These earrings are what I imagined earrings would look like in 2013, when I was in the 1980’s! They are by Afua Kumasi of Afrique La Chic.

I love the modern look of spikes. These earrings are my Xappa of Xappaland.

I love the modern look of spikes. The design of these earrings is so balanced and unique. These earrings are Xappa of Xappaland.

11. Tassels are worth the hassle!

Tassels are a great way to add movement to your jewelry. I have always fashioned them myself by cutting segments of chain. If you want an easier way to incorporate tassels into your jewelry you can buy pre-made chain tassels at Rings & Things. Or you can just pick up one of these beautiful pieces below!

I love the combination of blue topaz and shiny gold in these dainty tassel earrings! You can find these earrings in the shop, Taylor Made Jewelry.

I love the combination of blue topaz and shiny gold in these dainty tassel earrings! You can find these earrings at Taylor Made Jewelry.

These earrings could have been featured in two categories! These tassel, shoulder duster earrings are such a statement! They are by urbaneARMOR.

These earrings could have been featured in two categories. These tassel, shoulder duster earrings are such a statement! They are by urbaneARMOR.

This beautiful necklace has a chain tassel on the front and a teal tassel on the back. Plus the wire work is just amazing! It can be found at the etsy store SabiKrabi.

This beautiful necklace has a chain tassel on the front and a teal tassel on the back. Plus the wire work is just amazing! It can be found at the etsy store SabiKrabi.

12. Keys

It is pretty safe to say that keys will always be in style, but in 2012 I started seeing them pop up in jewelry all over the place. I found some really unique pieces of key jewelry below. If you want to play around with some keys in your jewelry, you can also purchase a variety of key charms and crystals at Rings & Things .

This necklace is so fun! It has a cute skeleton key suspended in a small glass vial. This piece is by Mollie Valiente of Ethereal Girls.  Her shop features tons of unique mixed media jewelry.

This necklace is so fun! It has a cute skeleton key suspended in a small glass vial. This piece is by Mollie of Ethereal Girls. Her shop features tons of unique mixed media jewelry.

There are so many great things about these earrings! I love how they are asymmetrical. I also adore the combination of the lion keys with the rustic copper connectors.  These earrings can be found in Danielle's etsy store,  Ferd & Bird.

There are so many great things about these earrings! I love how they are asymmetrical. I also adore the combination of the lion keys with the rustic copper connectors. These earrings can be found in Danielle’s etsy store, Ferd & Bird.

This bangle bracelet uses an old key as the clasp! So clever and unique! This bracelet can be found at Danielle R. Quigly's shop Danielle Rose Bean.

This bangle bracelet uses an old key as the clasp! So clever and unique! This bracelet can be found at Danielle R. Quigley’s shop Danielle Rose Bean.

Well that’s it for my favorite trends of 2012! Now to see what 2013 has in store! I hope I was able to inspire you to try out one of these trends, whether you choose to create a piece all your own, or purchase a handmade piece from one of these amazing artists. I hope that in 2013 I will be able to post lots of fun and informative jewelry blogs for you!

Signing off,

Tiffany White

Rings & Things Blog Contributor

Pretty in Pearls on Pinterest!

July 10, 2012

Hi bloglandia! It seems every new breakthrough in technology divides people into 2 groups – those in the know and those who aren’t! The most influential new site is Pinterest.

floral-toggle-clasp-sterling-silver

Once you start pinning…either you’ll be really inspired – or completely glued to your computer!

Either you are busy pinning your favorite jewelry designs, wedding cake toppers, nail polish colors and mason jar DIY crafts – or you have no clue what all the fuss is about!

I think Pinterest is tons of fun for those of us who like pretty things (hi there, jewelry designers!!). Rings & Things has added new design boards for each of our Crystal Jams SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS bicone crystal bead assortments, and I must say, once you spend a bit of time searching for color-coordinated items, you start seeing the world in a whole new way!

peach-gray-pearls

I braided four strands (4mm pink coral, 3mm light grey, 5-8mm rice pearls and 4mm bicones, with a few sterling silver rounds here and there) to make this statement necklace.

For example, I started pinning to our Kiss From A Rose board, and suddenly the world just looked peachier! The more I looked, the more I found (and loved) examples of peach with gray.

It led me to create this “Peachy Keen” necklace with pink coral and grey crystal pearls, freshwater pearls, and the Kiss From A Rose Crystal Jam. I finished it with a sterling silver floral toggle clasp and
Santa Me´ cone ends.

cone-end-sterling-silver

The gorgeous cone ends hide the messy cluster of cord ends and wire.

Follow Rings & Things Design Team on Pinterest to see all our color inspirations, plus boards devoted to new tools and techniques.

kiss-from-a-roseThen, Pick Your Palette and enter our design contest! The winners receive Rings & Things’ gift certificates and could be featured in our future catalogs! Happy pinning! ~ Cindy

New Beads on the Block – Gemcolor Crystal Pearls!

May 13, 2012

Hi bloglandia! Take a look around and what do you see, fashion wise? That’s right: color. Big bold blocks of vivid color.

swarovski-gemcolor-pearls

These beads absolutely pop with gemstone colors.

Incorporate this season’s love for pure color into your jewelry designs with Swarovski “gemcolor” crystal pearls.

gemtone-bead-bar-necklace

An easy to make bead bar necklace with red coral, pink coral, lapis, jade and turquoise crystal pearls.

I really love gemstones natural variations in color. However, even I am a fan of these not-so-natural crystal pearls. They are just plain fun, perfect for summer or anytime really. The color palette is really versatile, too. The gem colors make many great combinations. Here are a couple of my favorites:

redcoral-turquoise-crystal-pearls

Red coral and turquoise is a classic gemstone combination. The pearl in the middle is ivory color.

coral-jade-crystal-pearls

Coral, pink coral and jade crystal pearls.

lapis-turq-onyx-crystal-pearls

Dark lapis, turquoise and mystic black crystal pearls make a cool blue mix.

Notice how shiny the little buggers are too – I couldn’t avoid getting reflections in my snapshots, especially that last one (the rings are light bouncing off the clear bowl the pearls were in.) That is one of the perks of crystal pearls – unlike natural pearls, which will get destroyed by common things like perfume & hairspray – crystal pearls are very durable. The shiny, uniform coating is meant for fun in the sun. So go get some – of both! ~ Cindy

Glass Bezels: Clearly show off your treasures!

April 27, 2012

I filled this glass bezel with sand,  starfish and  seashell charms. It’s a little ocean microcosm.

Glass bezels are great! You can make your own by using a bottle cutting tool from Delphi. This tool is also pretty handy to convert old wine bottles and beer bottles into drinking glasses and votive holders. Check out this video from Six in the Suburbs Blog to see how easy it is to cut glass bottles. However, if you aren’t quite ready to go down the path of cutting glass, we have a solution for you here at Rings & Things: Glass Bezels already made and ready to fill with all of your wonders!

Continue Reading…

Vintaj BigKick by Sizzix

April 16, 2012
favorite-bigkick-vintaj

Our precious…

Do you ever feel possessive of your favorite belongings? I moved our jewelry team’s Vintaj BigKick closer to the windows – a distance of maybe 15 feet – to get pictures and no fewer than three people stopped me!

decoemboss-necklace

Mollie made this sweet necklace during a demo in our Spokane showroom.

“What are you doing?!?”

“Where are you going with that?!?!”

sizzix-vintaj-jewelry-tools

Kickin’ it Vintaj style!

Really guys, the BigKick belongs to *all* of us – but I understand wanting to keep tabs on it: it is a super fun tool! Despite the name, the BigKick is actually a very small rolling mill. It is designed specifically to texture Vintaj Natural Brass blanks with their DecoEmboss folders and DecoEtch design plates.

bigkick-decoemboss-vintaj

Birds, trees, leaves, keys, clocks – embossing/etching folders are available in a ton of cute designs.

Simply choose a blank, lay it on the design, sandwich it between the plexi-glass plates and run it through the BigKick. The metal comes out with a reversible design, and since Vintaj brass has a natural patina, just few swipes with the metal reliefing block to polish the high points really brings out the details. (We’ve linked Vintaj’s YouTube demo videos right from the product listings in our online store if you’d like to see it in action!)

bigkick-vintaj-turn-handle

Simply turn the handle – it really is that easy to add beautiful texture to your jewelry!

We recommend using only Vintaj Natural Brass blanks with the BigKick machine as they are the right gauge and softness. If you use other items, you may be risking this precious machine! [ Update April 2016: These new 30-gauge aluminum blanks also work great! ]

One roll and you’ll be in love…

vintaj-embossed-heart-earrings

The Vintaj art heart blanks are sold in pairs – perfect for earrings!

If you’re buying a BigKick, you need three other things:

Embossing folders or etching plates

Flat Vintaj brass shapes/blanks

Metal reliefing block (sand paper or steel wool also work, but are not as easy to use)

And that’s it – instant gratification! Have fun kicking your style up a notch! ~ Cindy

spring bling

April 9, 2012

Hi bloglandia! Today we had a make n’ take event in our Spokane showroom. I taught customers how to make wire-lashed bling pendants using rhinestone chain and 24-gauge Artistic Wire. Very fun! You get a lot of sparkle in a very short amount of time.

rhinestone-chain-earrings

Rhinestone chain wrapped onto hoops with turquoise wire.

A common complaint we get is that our showroom is just too far away for most of our customers, who happen to live all over the world. Sadly, we can’t transport our showroom to y’all, but I thought I would let you know that the techniques we used today are available here on this blog and in our design gallery. Plus I wanted to show off the insanely sparkly earrings I made while teaching. Happy Monday! Hope you find time to do something creative! ~ Cindy

Leather strap wrap bracelets in bright new colors!

March 6, 2012

Spring is (almost!!) here, and what better way to celebrate the return of short sleeves than a wrist full of bracelets? With this in mind, we chose a fun new palette of leather strap bracelets based on the Pantone Color Chart. These triple-wrap bracelets are 1/2″ wide and feature three snaps for an adjustable fit. The gorgeous colors are created with lead-free vegetable dyes. Vegetable dyes are color fast, but you should avoid getting your leather bracelets soaking wet, as it could damage the leather.

Leather bracelets are easy to customize and fun to wear. Here are some of the ways our design team dressed them up:

orange-teal-purple-pink-gray-leather

Some of the brighter and bolder Pantone-inspired color choices – Solar Power, Lagoon, Bellflower and Pink Punch! The concrete gray makes a great neutral base for many colors, including sapphire crystals.

Most of our designers chose to sew their beads, charms, crystals and other decorations in place. Pretty much any stringing material can work, depending on the situation. We used Nymo, Superlon, embroidery floss, hemp cord and even wire.

sewn-adornments-leather-rings-things

From the top: Jaci used a jeweler’s saw to cut skulls out of sheet metal. I attached bronze clay charms and bronze shade crystal margaritas. Laurae stitched crystal channels on with wire. Toni used freshwater pearls and antiqued brass filigree.

Use a rotary hole punch tool or an awl to make holes where needed, and stitch away! Just be sure to choose a thread thickness that feels durable enough for the weight of the items you are attaching.

stitches-reverse-rings-things

As you can see, our stitch methods varied a lot. Mine are quite clumsy while Toni’s are practically invisible – but they all worked! Laurae’s wire was the most problematic to sew with, but it does add a nice heft to the bracelet.

Another leather embellishing option is to use rivets and/or eyelets. Eyelets line holes nicely for durability, which allows you to hang charms from them, like on Sondra’s stack of ankh bracelets:

wrapped-in-ankhs-rings-things sondra barrington leather ankh bracelets

Simple and stylish wrapped leather bracelets in black, dark brown and scarlet leather. I wanted to name that color of red “lipstick red” but was out-voted on the grounds that not all lipstick is red! Scarlet won because it is a pretty true red without orange or brown tones.

Polly used the Crafted Findings riveting system to attach TierraCast charms and spacer beads to her purple leather bracelet. The teal blue bracelet uses evenly spaced eyelets to create an industrial style, while Toni used a couple of large leather eyelets to create attachment points for pretty charms and beads.

romantic-wrap-bracelet

The front pearl bracelet is on “Silly Putty” colored leather. The pinkish yet neutral color is hard to describe, but somehow we all agreed silly putty summed it up!

pink-leather-resin-bracelet

I stitched Dark Indigo bicone drops in place over the bezel loops on my “Clueless” bracelet to make spikes.

I had a hard time rounding up all these bracelets … I didn’t quite have to pry them off people’s wrists, but almost. They’ve been getting a lot of wear – and a lot of compliments! We hope you have just as much fun creating your own jewelry with them! ~ Cindy

DIY Shamballa style macrame bracelet tutorial

January 8, 2012

Square knot macrame bracelets have been given new life due to the influence of high end designers. I’ve got the “Circle of Life” from The Lion King playing in my head as I write this. How else to explain how a simple macrame bracelet design, which has spent years as a summer camp staple and a tourist shop standard, has been reborn as the chic “Shamballa” brand must-have look?

I think it is a great example of how basic techniques can be adapted to suit nearly any style or budget. Have hemp cord and plastic pony beads? You can make this bracelet. Have premium knotting cord and diamond-studded platinum beads? You too can make this bracelet! The trickiest part is making the sliding clasp, but like any type of magic, once you know the trick, it is no problem.

Rings & Things actually made a square knot (aka half knot) macrame bracelet instruction sheet years ago (updated macrame bracelet instructions here). The sliding clasp instructions were also published as part of our “Meteor” macrame bracelet, which has a totally different look. It is past time to update the tutorial with some photographs!

Supplies needed for square-knot macrame bracelet with sliding clasp:

Cord – hemp, Chinese knotting cord, linen, cotton – whatever you like. You’ll need about 12 feet total.

Beads – again, whatever you like – but the holes must be large enough for two strands of your selected cord to fit through. Depending on your knot to bead ratio, you might need one bead or 20.

Scissors, needle, a clipboard (or a work surface and a binder clip), and flat or chain-nose pliers.

Cut two 2′ pieces of cord and one about 6′ long. Leaving approx. 8″ tails, clip the two anchor cords to your work surface. Center the long cord under the two anchors. (For the sake of photos only, the anchors are blue and the knotting cord is black.) You can start with either side, but I start from the right:

2-right-loop

3-left-through-loop

Pull to tighten the cords, and you’ve completed 1/2 of a square knot. The second 1/2 is the same, just from the left:

4-left loop

5-right-through-left

Pull tight and you have a complete square knot.
Tip: If you want your knots to spiral, then skip this “second side” step… just repeat the first half of the knot, always starting from the same side of the knot.

6-keep-knotting

It is totally up to you how many knots to tie between beads, but odd numbers (1, 3, 5, etc.) look best. Tie a few knots, slide a bead onto the anchor cords, tie a few more knots…it is really quite fun! Continue until you have the length you want. Keep in mind that the clasp will add about 1/2″ to the overall length.

Since you started knotting with a single long piece of cord, the starting end is “finished” while the tail end has….tails. To remedy this, sew the tails (one by one) up through the last section of knots. I needed to use pliers to pull the needle through.

7-sewing-up-end

Snip off the ends and it is like they were never there!

8-magic-clean

Now that you know how to make square knots and finish the ends, let’s make the “magic” part – the sliding clasp. Make your bracelet into a circle and overlap the anchor cords. Use bits of cord to bundle them together for the moment.

9-ready-to-tie-clasp

Now clip the top to your work surface. Cut a 12″ piece of cord and center it under your four anchor cords. Start tying square knots, just like you did for the bracelet itself. Continue for about 1/2″, then sew the ends back in. This section of knots should be able to slide back and forth on the anchor cords. Now, for the tails: they serve an important purpose. Make slip knots an inch or two away from the clasp on each pair of anchor ends. Tie beads on too if you like. These knots/beads act as stoppers, ensuring the ends don’t slide out of the clasp. Make sure you leave enough length to make the bracelet big enough to get over your hand. And ta-da! Adjustable bracelet bliss.

10-sliding-clasp

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FREE Rings & Things Design Gallery Projects

Rainbow Bead Macrame Bracelet Tutorial” created by Rings & Things designer Michelle Horning.

Remember to Breathe Bracelet Tutorial” created by Rings & Things designer Michelle Horning.

Bee Moody Bracelet Tutorial” created by Rings & Things designer Michelle Horning.

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Happy knotting! Please let me know if you have questions, and have fun making your own bracelets! ~ Cindy

www.rings-things.com