Braided Triple Wrapped Turquoise and Antique Copper Curb Chain Bracelet
I love wrapped bracelets! I like to wear multiple bracelets of all different colors and textures layered. After the popularity of the wrapped leather bracelet the last few years, I decided I wanted to make another colorful wrapped bracelet. Something I could layer with my other bracelets for a super bohemian look! Continue Reading…
I love the look of hammered metal and sparkly Swarovski crystals together. When these new Swarovski crystal mini oval beads came out, I knew they would be perfect for a fun new ring project! I came up with two quick ring designs using the crystals and silver filled wire.
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They are also a great way to showcase cool found objects such as vintage buttons or foreign coins. Even the most novice crafter will be able to create one of these fun, mixed media pieces!
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Adding texture to metal can add interest to your handmade jewelry, and fortunately you don’t have to own an expensive rolling mill to make cool textures in metal. New to Rings & Things’ tool offerings is the Tube-Wringer, a hand-held tool that corrugates metal. With just a few turns of a turn key, you can expand your metalwork design possibilities!
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Gemstone donuts come in a variety of stones and sizes! I love gemstones in all shapes, sizes and colors! But recently, I have been having fun with one shape in particular, gemstone donuts. They are round, washer-shaped gemstones, with a hole in the center. They come in a variety of sizes, from dime sized, to palm sized! They also come in a variety of stones. Continue Reading…
When I first saw the cool shape of Swarovski’s crystal dome beads (from their Fall/Winter 2014/15 Innovations), two thoughts immediately came to my mind – bell and angel skirt.
Dome Bead Innovation
This tutorial shows you how to use these sparkling faceted beads to make angel skirts for earring designs. The exact same combinations can also be used to make single angels for pendants, bookmarks, gift tags, and more!
There are two styles of Swarovski dome beads to choose from. The large dome beads give you a more elongated shape:
Article 5541 Large Dome Beads
The small dome beads have a more rounded out bell shape:
Article 5542 Small Dome Beads
The main components of any crystal angel design are: halos, heads, wing beads, and bodies:
Angel Earrings in Progress
TierraCast makes a variety of wing bead styles. Additional wing beads are also available in base metal and sterling silver.
Various Metal Wing Beads
Popular bead styles for halos include heishi, and beaded heishi beads as well as rhinestone rondelles.
Metal Halo Beads
Here are several combinations of halos, wings, and bodies in different colors and sizes. For a complete parts list of supplies ready to buy, click each image below! (Or browse our Rings & Things Design Gallery.)
Heavenly Angel Earrings
Lilac Shadow Angel Earrings
Angel in Training Earrings
Blue Shade Angel Earrings
Christmas Angel Earrings
Forest Fairy Earrings
Other popular shapes for body include the Teardrop bead and the cone-shaped Swarovski Crystal Artemis bead.
Crystal Angel Earrings with Teardrop Beads
Artemis Crystal Angel Earrings
Keep in mind that angels can be any color! Choose whatever colors you like for whatever mood you’re in!
Dark Fairy Earrings
No matter whether you’re preparing for Christmas or you’re a year round angel aficionado, take inspiration from these designs and create your own heavenly host.
~ Rita
“On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me a Partridge in a Pear Tree.”
Here’s a fun way to remember the rest of the gifts in the “12 Days of Christmas” song: Make yourself a bracelet with a charm representing each gift.
“12 days of Christmas” DIY Charm Bracelet
Jump Ring (and Chain Link) Security Tip
Tip 1) Toggle clasps are great for bracelets because they are easy to put on and take off with one hand, but beware: If the bracelet is too loose, the toggle can work its way out and cause the bracelet to get lost! Whenever possible, adjust the length to fit the wearer’s wrist. (I removed 7 links to get it to fit me properly. )
Tip 2) Because you pull the bar (or “T”) portion of the clasp through the round loop, toggle clasps work best if you don’t dangle any charms from the last link or 2 of chain.
There are approximately 40 links on this bracelet.
There are approximately 40 links on the pictured bracelet. I removed 7 to make the bracelet fit more securely. This leaves 33 links.
The charms look best if you have a charm on every other link, and an empty link at each end. That takes up 25 links.
This leaves 8 links (4 open spaces to attach fun dangles for the full length of the bracelet, following the same every-other-link pattern as the charms). That brings us to…
Festive beaded head pins for “12 Days of Christmas” Charm Bracelet
Make 4 or more beaded head pin dangles. (I made 21.)
“Pear Tree”
I topped every dangle with a tiny 2mm round gold plated bead. Why? Even though I’ve been making beaded head pins for over 20 years, I still (too often) chip glass and crystal beads when I finish my loop. A simple metal bead on top fixes this issue.
I also put a tiny round bead at the bottom of (almost) every head pin. Why? I like the look of ball-end head pins, but they are more expensive than standard “nail head” pins. This tiny extra bead creates the look of a ball-end head pin.
Close-up of beaded Christmas head pins. Use either Swarovski crystal head pins or standard head pins — or a mix of both.
Start placing your charms, then finish making the dangles. Straighten the bracelet chain and place it on the Chain Sta (“Chain Stay”), or pin/hang the bracelet on a convenient shelf, clipboard, etc.
The “Chain Stay” chain holder makes it easy to keep your chain straight and add dangles at consistent intervals without worrying about losing count.
Starting at approximately the 6th link from the Ring portion of the clasp, add the Partridge.
Partridge
Use large, sturdy jump rings to attach the charms in the same order as the verses in the song. To make sure you get your jump rings securely closed, use 2 pairs of pliers, and twist, don’t “oval-ize” the links. (See above tip.)
Skip a link, add #2) Turtle Doves
Skip a link, add #3) French Hens
Keep skipping a link before adding the other charms in the following order:
#4) Calling Birds
#5) Gold Rings
#6) Geese-A-Laying
#7) Swans-a-Swimming
#8) Maids-a-Milking
#9) Ladies Dancing
#10) Lords-a-Leaping
#11) Pipers Piping
#12) Drummers Drumming
After placing the charms, fill empty end spots with colorful dangles:
For a mostly-gold bracelet, you’re done!
Or … If you decide the bracelet needs more color, fill the links between the charms with additional colorful dangles in shades of siam red, emerald green, opalescent milky white and sparkling crystal.
12 days of Christmas bracelet … finished!
Put the Christmas color dangles in any order you want, or use my “bird-brain” memory hint:
Some of these birds are easy to remember, especially once you have pictures (charms) for each. But I’ve never seen a French Hen or a Turtle Dove in real life, so I surrounded my turtle dove with “turtles are green” and “doves are white” sparkling hints.
Left to right: Partridge with pears, Turtle Dove with sparkling green and white hints, French Hen, open-mouthed Calling Bird
Rings & Things has everything you need!
Purchase Christmas Components Here
When you’re making jewelry, center crimp cord ends are an easy way to cleanly finish the ends of a wide variety of jewelry cord including but not limited to leather, silk ribbon, and chain.
Center crimp cord ends are an easy way to cleanly finish the ends of a wide variety of jewelry cord.
You can finish your necklace or bracelet with a loop and a hook:
Use loop and hook center crimps together.
Or, use two loops and the clasp of your choice (shown here is an “S” hook clasp):
Using two loop crimp ends and a clasp.
Here is how to apply the crimp ends:
1. Gather your supplies. All you really need are the crimp ends, some round nose pliers (or non serrated chain nose pliers) and of course your cording material. Super glue is optional, but adds extra security.
Supplies for applying center crimp ends: Crimp ends, pliers, cording & Glue.
2. For added security, put a dab of super glue inside the crimp end. Slide the cording end(s) into the crimp end. Do this quickly before that dab of glue dries.
Insert the cording into the center crimp end. A dab of glue will offer added security to your clasp.
3. Holding the crimp in place over the cording, use your pliers to firmly squeeze the center portion of the crimp and clamp it down on the cording.
Firmly squeeze the center of the crimp end.
4. Once crimped, the center of the end piece will be flattened down on the cording. Crimping the metal on top of the glue will ensure a secure connection for jewelry designs.
A crimped end piece.
Center crimp ends with loops combined with an “S” clasp and leather cording make a simple yet stylish bracelet.
Crimp ends shown using a variety of cording and clasp options.
Here are some jewelry inpirations that incorporate the use of center crimp ends. These designs and more can be found in our Jewelry Design Gallery where you will find the complete supplies list as well as tips from the designer. Click on the images to take you there.
Go West Necklace Tutorial by Mollie Valente
Basic Black Bracelet Tutorial by Rita Hutchinson
Bastian’s Earrings Tutorial by Lindsey Green
New Connection Necklace Tutorial by Karin Davis
Now that you know what to do with center crimp cord ends, don’t be shy! Use them to make bracelets, necklaces, earrings and more.
Did you know? You can Shop for center crimp cord ends here.
Happy creating! ~ Val
You don’t have to be Frank Sinatra to do things your own way! That’s the beauty of metal stamping as a jewelry technique. Not only do you get to assemble components, you get to make your own components – and they can say whatever you want them to say!
This Young Love bracelet is a perfect example of how you can easily customize jewelry with metal stamps!
Letter stamps are the perfect way to create monogram jewelry, plus jewelry with names or inspirational sayings. Design metal stamps are the perfect way to add cuteness and panache.
Learn to make these simple metal stamped earrings – just click the image above for the complete parts, ready to buy.
Designer Amy Mickelson’s “Hootie and the Sodalite Earrings” feature custom owl charms she made using an ImpressArt Metal Stamp and a JBB Antiqued Copper Plated Square Tag Charm. These JBB tags are plated especially for stampers – pretty amazing! For more on these components, see the full parts list and tutorial here.
First, gather your supplies.
The basics of jewelry stamping are easy and only require a few tools. The tools are a small investment, but will last for years and thousands of impressions!
Supplies you’ll want:
The basic steps to jewelry stamping:
Once you’ve planned your design, secure your metal tag or blank onto your steel block with tape. Stamp Straight Tape by ImpressArt is more expensive than masking tape, but it offers a sturdier edge and does not leave sticky residue.
Strike the perfectly vertical stamp with one firm blow. This is important for achieving a clear impression.
Now you’ve got a custom made charm that’s uniquely made by you!
That’s all there is to it! It really is that simple. Then, you can use your completed stamped charms to make earrings, necklaces, bracelets, gift tags, and more!
Click this picture for all the parts and instructions you need to make these pretty necklaces.
For a great monogram jewelry tutorial, see “Ava’s Ladies in Waiting” Necklace Tutorial in our Design Gallery.
Click this picture for all the parts and instructions you need to make adorable metal stamped owl earrings.
To make fun owl earrings, see the “Hootie and the Sodalite” Earrings Tutorial.
Click this picture for all the parts and instructions you need to make a simple metal stamped bracelet.
For the full how-to on making a metal stamped chain bracelet, see our “Young Love” Bracelet Tutorial.
Rings & Things offers a huge variety of metal stamping blanks, plus jewelry stamping tools and supplies with fast shipping and free returns.
So what are you waiting for? Isn’t it time to say things your way! ~ Melissa
Sometimes when it comes to jewelry, less is more. That’s the case when it comes to these adorable river rock and sterling silver charm necklaces designed by Rings & Things’ Amy Mickelson. This project is easy, yet really pretty! Plus there are a ton of different sterling silver charms to pick from!
These necklaces only require one tool and a few simple components to make! The sterling silver chain necklaces are already finished with a clasp, making them a breeze to use. Plus, I just adore the contrast between the natural river rock and the dainty sterling silver charms.
Supplies and Tools Needed:
Simply layer the items on the sterling silver jump ring. Chain first, then river rock pendant, then sterling charm.
Creating this necklace couldn’t be easier! Using your chain-nose pliers, pry open the jump ring a little. You only need to open it enough so that you can layer the three elements together. When opening jump rings, remember to always twist the ends in opposite directions to separate them. Do not “oval” the ring by pulling the ends apart.
Place the chain first, then the rock pendant, then your sterling silver charm onto the jump ring. Close the jump ring carefully, so that the ends line up flush.
These dainty pendants are so cute! And smaller than a penny!
Each finished dangle is smaller than a penny!
So cute in the palm of my hand!
If you like this look, buy the parts to make these necklaces now!
All the parts are ready to buy in our Gallery – just click this image to go there.
You can check out additional possibilities by browsing our huge selection of sterling silver charms and sterling silver chain necklaces! My personal favorite chain is the sterling faceted ball chain, because it sparkles!
~ Tiffany