How-To Archives - Page 19 of 31 - Rings and ThingsRings and Things

Hoppy DIY Easter Jewelry Ideas!

March 27, 2012

I just spied this new selection of freshwater pearls over in our sales department and suddenly I realized – Easter is almost here! There is something about the egg-shaped pearls that is just so very…what’s the word…eggy?

Freshwater pearls in candy-delicious colors.

Hop over to our design gallery – we have a whole category devoted to spring and Easter jewelry. We make all of our designs “copyright free” meaning you are welcome to replicate them exactly, or to just as eye candy (eye jelly beans?) get your creative ideas flowing. Several of the designs are official “Create Your Style with Swarovski Elements” designs that use crystal pearls and sparkly crystal beads. No matter what materials you choose, now is the perfect time to add a pop of spring color to your wardrobe…unless you are Bill. Bill already has enough color – if you’ve ever placed an order by phone you’ve probably experienced it! ~ Cindy

I don’t remember what I said to get the “oh no you didn’t!!” finger wag, but it must have been good. Or maybe he is dancing? Hmmm. One never can tell wtih Bill!

Birthstone Jewelry: March is Aquamarine

March 15, 2012

A couple of weeks ago at our Spokane Bead Frenzy, I was demonstrating how to use microtorches to solder pieces of metal together. Much to my shock, since I was doing 10 things at once and answering questions, some of the pieces actually turned out to be quite adorable! I turned one into a necklace with our new “Zambian aquamarine” beads as March birthstone jewelry project inspiration.

Aqua Love necklace composed of 6mm round gemstone beads with copper findings.

Notice my use of quotes – these beads are neither “Zambian” or “aquamarine.” In actuality they are quartz beads that have been dyed to look like the ultra-rare and ultra-spendy Zambian aquamarine. (You can learn more about gemstones in our Gemstone Index. ) I did a quick Google search and found many examples of these beads being called Zambian aquamarine by both bead stores and jewelry designers. I don’t think they intend to be dishonest, but are merely using a descriptive name. It can be confusing, but if you’re ever in doubt, the price tag can be a good indicator of whether the beads you’re looking at are a pretty imitation or the real deal. Materials such as quartz, magnesite and howlite can make pretty convincing substitutes for pricier stones, and in fashion jewelry, affordability is often a huge factor! There is nothing wrong with using less expensive stones as long as you are honest about it.

When designing birthstone jewelry, some people select their beads based purely on color, like I did for this necklace, while others like to use the traditional mineral or material. Both colors and materials are believed my many to have metaphysical properties. Here is a list of the traditional birthstone(s) for each month. Our Gemstone Index lists many of the metaphysical properties for the stones, so below I have added just a few tidbits about the colors themselves.

Birthstone colors and meanings

January – Garnet. Red is known for warmth, energy, love and passion.
February – Amethyst. Purple is a color of transformation and renewal.
March – Aquamarine. Blue is a color of truth and peace.
April – Diamond. White/clear is the “perfect” color since it combines all colors.
May – Emerald. Green represents balance and harmony.
June – Pearl. White is also known as purity.
July – Ruby (red). Physical strength and energy are also attributed to red.
August – Peridot. Because of its balancing nature, green is very healing.
September – Sapphire. Blue is cooling and brings tranquility.
October – Tourmaline or Opal. There are too many color options here! 🙂
November – Topaz or Citrine. Orange is cheerful and stimulates creative thinking, as well as appetite! Brown is stable, like the earth.
December – Zircon or Turquoise. This color is said to help increase intuition.

What do you think – is it more important to use the traditional mineral/material or the appropriate color in birthstone jewelry? My vote is actually to give people their favorite colors and stones, no matter what the chart says! ~ 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:

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.

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 r otary 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.

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.

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!

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

Pretty in pearls – freshwater keishi pearls for jewelry designers

February 24, 2012

Hi bloglandia! Pearls are a standard in jewelry, yet the shapes and colors available these days are anything but!

swirls-pearls-rings-things sondra barrington santa me teresa harkins

Sondra mixed freshwater keishi pearls with keishi-shaped sterling silver beads and Swarovski crystals. The clusters of pretties hang from Santa Me sterling silver swirls.

Keishi pearls are actually collapsed pearl sacs. To me they look like shimmery, shiny souffles that have drooped into ruffly, lacy waves. The picture below shows several shades of tip-drilled keishi pearls, including the rose ones Sondra used in the above earrings. Virtually all freshwater pearls are enhanced in one way or another, but I love how the colors still have such “natural” variation. Quite lovely.

Tip-drilled keishi pearls add great texture to strung designs too.

Pearls are very soft compared to other gem materials. Since earrings are generally safe from much wear and tear, they are a great way to feature pearls, like with this Rosie Posie design:

Wavy brass disks, 3mm sparkly glass rondelles and antiqued brass findings paired with center-drilled “cornflake” keishi pearls.

In addition to being soft, pearls are also sensitive to chemicals and solvents, so it is always best to put your pearl earrings on *after* you’ve applied your hairspray, perfume and such. They are pretty enough to warrant a little TLC!

I had a bit of sticker shock when I first saw the price for center-drilled keishi like the ones in the earrings above. Compared to our other freshwater pearls, they seemed pricey. But then I realized just how many of these guys you get on a strand: about 100!

Each cornflake pearl is only 1-3mm thick – so 16″ strands hold a LOT of them!

If you’d like to learn more about how freshwater pearls are cultured and created – and more care recommendations! – visit our Gemstone Index. One last pointer on pearls: unless specifically noted, pearls almost always have small holes – even standard size head pins are usually too thick. Thin pins or 24-gauge wire works much better!

How to use charm bracelets to make necklaces!

February 20, 2012

Hola, bloglandia! Today I wanted to share a quick and easy way to make necklaces using charm bracelets. Rings & Things has a great selection of ready-made chain bracelets with toggle clasps. The typical use is to leave the bracelet in one piece and add charms with jump rings for a charm bracelet. However, these bracelets are a bit longer than advertised.

With clasps, the 7.5

It is always better to have too much chain vs. not enough, so think of those extra links as a bonus you can use to make coordinating earrings. Or, do as I did and use two bracelets to make a necklace! Instead of removing extra links, you can also take advantage of the longer length by removing the bar from one and the loop from another to create a necklace!

My pendant had two holes, so I just attached on bracelet to each hole and viola! A 19

Here’s another example:

For this one, I attached the two bracelets with a single jump ring to my resin pendant.

These extra long bracelets also make great anklets. And yes, they still make great bracelets! Here are two examples:

I simply removed a section of chain and replaced it with my handmade copper clay connector.

You might have noticed that all the focals for these pieces are handmade. Browse our resin and bezels, metal-working tools and metal clay selection to get busy making your own!

Making your own molds is a HOOT!

February 17, 2012

Chocolates and Resin molded from this little Owl Pendant

Do you have a button that you just love? Maybe it’s an heirloom and you have never been able to find another one like it, or maybe you would like to make a pair of earrings, but only have the one item. Well I have a solution for you! Make a mold of this item and you can re-create the button as many times as you like. Suddenly that one heirloom button is a whole new line of earrings! Or imagine you have an adorable charm that you love so much you could just eat it up! Well, now you can….literally! The product that is used to make these molds, Amazing Mold Putty is FDA approved for use with food, so you can make a mold of the charm and then use that mold to create chocolates as pretty as your jewelry! The possibilities are really endless… make ice cubes, soaps and candles or melt your own crayons into fun shapes! I’m thinking toy car crayons would be a great party favors for a little boys’ birthday party….

Amazing Mold Putty makes mold making so easy

Making a mold is much easier than you would think. If you have ever had molds of your teeth taken, then you have seen similar products. The molds are made by mixing a two-part silicone compound that when mixed create a quick curing putty. This is a type of molding putty is known as RTV, which stands for Room Temperature Vulcanization. Follow these easy steps and you can mold almost anything.

Before you start:

You will use this mold to pour into, so one side of the mold will be flat. Pick an object that will look okay with a flat back.
Only mold items that are not trademarked or patented.
If you want to make something that is three dimensional on all sides, you will need to make two molds of the item; one for each side. Then you can fill both molds and adhere to two objects together after they have been removed from the molds.
Openings and loops on charms will not be useable in your mold, but you can drill a hole into your re-creation later if want to re-create an opening.
If you are planning on using your mold to make an object multiple times, for something like ice cubes, chocolates or crayons, consider making several molds of the same object, so that when you go to make your item you can do several at once, since some mediums take a long time to cure (like ice).
Objects with small protruding parts will make molds that will work with resin, but may break easily when attempted with softer or more fragile materials (again like chocolate or ice).
If you want to make an item in both resin and edibles, make two molds because adding resin and coloring agents to the mold will make it no longer food safe.

I am going to mold this Pewter Owl Charm

Step 1. Using the item that you are molding as a guideline, determine how much molding compound you will need. I like to make two equal size balls of each color, each one being about the same size as the item you are molding. It is better to error on the side of being too big.

Smoosh the two colors together!

Knead quickly because the putty will begin to set in 5 minutes or less depending on the room temperature.

Step 2. Knead the two compounds together. You want to knead them until there is no marbeling and you have achieved one solid color.

Carefully press your object into the molding putty. Apply even pressure so that the object goes in straight.

Press the object down, but be careful to not push through the compound. If you want the mold to be deeper build the edges up around the object.

Step 3. Insert your object that you are making a mold of. Press the item into the putty and form the putty around the item a little. Make sure that you don’t press any part of the object all the way through. Also make sure that the putty is getting into all the crevices in the item.

By pressing the mold between two sheets of plastic, you can create a mold that is compact, stack-able, and level.

Step 4. Make your mold flat. Do this by pressing the putty with the object still in it between two pieces of non-porous plastic (I’m using plastic file folders). The reason you do this is so that your mold is flat on both the bottom and top. This will ensure that you can easily fill it and keep it level. It is also nice for storing molds for later use, so you can easily stack them.

Watch Nate wait! 20 minutes and your mold will be set completely!

Step 5. Wait for the putty to cure. I recommend waiting a good twenty minutes before pulling your object out.

Remove your object revealing a perfect mold!

Step 6. Remove object from the cured putty. Now you have a mold! The mold itself is flexible and can be peeled off the original item.

Mix Amazing Casting Resin to create a quick resin owl from your mold!

You can see the quick setting resin beginning to set when it turns opaque. Allow a full 15 minutes before removing your piece.

Step 7. Fill your mold and re-create your object. I used quick setting Amazing Resin and metallic powders to make gunmetal and copper versions of this owl charm. When using the metallic powders use a dry brush to remove any excess powder. The amount remaining will adhere to the resin.

Original Charm in the center, copper resin version on the left, gunmetal resin version on the right!

Resin version of this owl would be perfect for a glue-able ring or bobby pin!

I made a second mold of the owl to make little owl chocolates! Perfect for a themed party or baby shower!

Well I hope you have learned how to make some fun molds! I love making these molds, because literally the possibilities are endless! I can’t wait to make some custom molded crayons! Feel free to ask me any questions on what I did or how to do something. ~~Tiffany

Tips for sawing sheet metal with a jeweler's saw

February 15, 2012

Hi bloglandia! Today’s blog is about how to use a jeweler’s saw. Why? Because if you want to cut clean shapes out of metal without bending the metal, you need a saw. All metal shears, even the really nice ones, bend the metal, at least a bit. It is just the nature of the beast. Also, unless you have the hand strength of ~ I don’t even know who! ~ you probably need a saw to cut metal thicker than 24 gauge.

A saw also allows you to cut very intricate designs. Pierced is the term for designs that are cut from within the metal, as opposed to coming in from the edge. However, “pierced jewelry” brings up a whole different category of jewelry when you search online!

sawing-tools-rings-things — The basic tools needed for sawing metal.

Supplies needed for sawing your own metal shapes:

Jeweler’s saw frame – I’m using a pretty lux Knew Concepts frame, but the technique is the same no matter which saw frame you use.
Saw blades – Rings & Things offers both Form d’Arte (entry level) and Antilope (higher quality) saw blades. I think the higher quality is worth the price for less breakage, but it is up to you. Make sure to use the right size for the gauge of metal you are cutting.
Sheet metal – I like working with 20 gauge, but you might choose thinner metal if you’re planning to layer the pieces, or if you are working with pricey sterling silver.
Bench pin/ – I’m using a bench pin that’s been modified for sawing. Our bench block already has a V cutout. You’ll see why this V is necessary shortly.
Paper design – the more ornate the shape, the more you will challenge your skills!
Rubber cement – for adhering your design to the metal. Don’t think that you can draw your design onto the metal with a marker – it will smudge and blur and be impossible to follow. “Permanent” is a relative term!
Hole punch – optional – to pierce metal, you need to drill or punch a hole to insert the saw blade into. If you are sawing in from the edge of the metal, you don’t need a hole.
Cut Lube or beeswax – optional or not, depending on who you ask. Many people swear by it, but I typically prefer to saw without it. The lubricant is meant to keep the blade moving easily across the metal, but sometimes it gunks up the shavings and clogs the blade, so use it sparingly at first.

How to saw metal:

Adhere your design to sheet metal with rubber cement and let dry.

Insert saw blade into saw frame with the teeth pointing out (away from frame) and down (towards floor). Make sure you have the blade in there good and tight – a loose blade very quickly becomes a broken blade! Tension is key. (If you haven’t used a jeweler’s saw before, see post about Knew Concepts frames and tensioning.)

sawing-metal-rings-things — My left hand is holding the camera is this shot, but really it needs to be holding the metal down on both sides of the blade while I’m sawing.

Hold your metal in place on the bench pin with your non-dominant hand.

sawing metal rings and things tutorial — Supporting the metal on both sides of the blade keeps it from wobbling. Less wobbling = easier sawing.

Hold the saw frame between 90 and 45 degrees to your metal and start sawing. You are only sawing (removing metal) on the down stroke, but try to keep the sawing motion smooth and even on both the upstroke and down stroke.

sawing-nickel-silver-rings-things — I try to keep the saw fairly stationary and rotate the metal to follow my pattern.

Follow your design! It takes practice, but you’ll pretty quickly learn how to maneuver your metal and/or saw to follow curves. Blow away the shavings every so often so you can stay true to your pattern. If the blade seems to be catching or it feels jerky, check your tension and/or apply a little lubricant to the blade.

Moving too quickly, especially when changing direction, is an easy way to break your blade. Smooth and steady wins the race. One of the most difficult things at first is not pressing too hard with the hand that’s holding the metal down. Hand cramps hurt, so take frequent breaks and be conscious of what you’re doing. It doesn’t take much pressure to keep your metal in place. It does, however, take that V-cut bench pin. You will (er, I did) break lots of blades and have tons of problems if you try to hang your metal off the edge of a table rather than supporting it on both sides of that V.

It is always a good idea to wear safety glasses while you are sawing. Everyone – yes EVERYONE – breaks blades, and you’ll notice yourself getting your face closer and closer to your project. So again, take frequent breaks and also be sure to set up your sawing station at a height that is comfortable for you.

Happy sawing!

Edited January 2022 to update links.

Sweet heart jewelry designs – for Valentine's Day and more!

January 19, 2012

Valentine’s Day is just a few weeks away. How did that happen?!? But there is still plenty of time to make your own jewelry to wear, to gift, even to sell (how many men wait until the day before to purchase gifts, hmm?).

Brass heart cutouts textured with the new Vintaj BIGkick machine.

Mollie made the above earrings with our brass fairy doors and the Vintaj BIGkick (tutorial coming soon!). Hearts are popular year round. Especially SWAROVSKI crystal hearts – they are so sparkly!

Mollie’s “Blue Valentine” necklace is a classic.

My zombie bracelet is not!

I used ITS (image transfer solution) to copy the zombies to the copper disks, and alcohol inks to colorize the stamped tags.

But hearts are just the beginning. Since Valentine’s Day is all about love, I think jewelry that features items you or the intended wearer love is totally appropriate. How about sweets for your sweet?

Toni’s sugar rush of a bracelet.

Tiny ceramic cupcake beads create an adorable confection. And don’t forget about toys. Who doesn’t love to play?

Mollie’s monkey is barrels of fun!

Jump rings and chain can turn most anything into a necklace! Does anyone else think the monkey bears a striking resemblance to Dr. Quinn’s (Jane Seymour’s) open hearts? Maybe if you flip it sideways and upside down?

Whatever your style, have fun with your Valentine’s creations! ~ 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:

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:

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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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

Torch fired enamel jewelry ideas

January 4, 2012

[editor’s note: links updated March 2018]

Torch fired enameled metal is really (really!) quite beautiful! You can create your own on copper (or a few other metals) using Thompson vitreous enamels, or purchase artisan copper components from C-Koop Beads. C-Koop components’ colors are deep and lustrous due to the layers of glass fused to the surface of the metal, and since they are handmade, each one is slightly different. Here are a few of the mixed-media jewelry pieces our designers have recently created with enameled copper:

Nory painted wood pendants and beads with a rose motif, and had Tiffany construct his design using silk ribbon and brightly dyed wood beads. The enameled copper leaves, rings, bead caps and toggle clasp are all by C-Koop.

I used copper clay powder to create the bird pendant, which coordinated well with C-Koop enameled pink rings and Swarovski antique pink crystals. I love how you can see bits of copper underneath the enamel.

The elongated heart shape is practically Sondra’s signature, so of course it was the finishing touch on her bottle cap necklace.

Rita etched a copper washer to create the center link on this bracelet, and used a clasp and beads from C-Koop to add more color.

~Cindy

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