I think bees are so cute! I love to add them to my jewelry designs when I can. So when I discovered the Vintaj Bee Charms, my head went spinning with ideas! I really wanted to incorporate the phrase “busy bee” into the earrings, because that is often how I feel Like a busy little bee flying around! I love how these turned out! To learn how to create your own pair follow the simple recipe below!
Busy Bee Earrings
All the supplies needed below!
Get all the materials needed here:
All the tools needed!
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Tools and Other Supplies Needed:
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- Metal Stamps, I used #69-244-28
- Metal Stamps, I used #69-244-28
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Attach the stamping blank to your steel block or anvil with scotch tape to keep it in place. Use a permanent marker to draw lines where you want your text. This will help you keep your letters straight.
Using a hammer and metal stamps, stamp the phase “BUSY BEE” with BUSY on the first line, and BEE below it. If you need to, practice first on a scrap piece of metal.
Always check to make sure your letters are facing the correct way before you stamp each letter. If you want, you can mark your stamps on the side with nail polish where the bottom is, so you know every time they are correctly faced.
After you have stamped both blanks, use the round side of a ball pen hammer to texturize the metal around the lettering.
It will look like this after hammering. Remove any permanent marker at this point with the polishing pad. You don’t want the marker there because it will create resistance when we antique in the next step.
Dip the brass stamped blank into Novacan Black Patina to darken the metal. You can pour the remaining solution back into the bottle.
Use the sanding sponge to remove the top layer of patina, leaving some in the indentations.
Use the polishing pad to make the area where the lettering is really shiny!
I also like to use the polishing pad on the bee charms to take off some patina. It really makes the details pop! The one on the left has been polished.
I like to flatten the wings on the the charms, so that they lie nicely on the stamped blank. Use your pliers to gently bend them back.
Using a metal hole punch, make a small hole in the bottom of the brass blank. This tool is awesome, and will put holes into most 24 gauge metal items.
Attach the crystals to the bottom of the earrings with an antique brass jump ring.
Attach the bees and earring wires with your chain nose pliers. I used two jump rings on each earring on the top.
Completed Busy Bee Earrings! These are surely gonna be all the buzz!
Bzzzzzzzz 🙂
Well, I hope you enjoyed this BEEautiful project! If you like Bee projects, check out these other designs below! ~Tiffany
Fleur de Bee Pendant Tutorial by Sondra Barrington
Bee Keeper Reliquary Necklace Tutorial by Mollie Valente
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