The bolo tie is a truly American piece of jewelry. Appealing to diverse groups of people, bolo ties have gone in and out of fashion over the years. They recently became popular again when Prada introduced a bolo tie (that’s right, I just used “Prada” and “bolo tie” in the same sentence). But before you consider spending $300 on a Prada bolo tie, why not craft your own? Bolos can be made out of so many objects, such as vintage pins, bottle caps, old coins, buttons, or a gemstone donut. And whether you are Mid-Century Western, 1980’s New Wave, or 21st-Century Pop Culture–a bolo tie is the perfect statement piece!
Continue Reading…DIY Jewelry – How to Make a Magnetic Clasp Converter
June 28, 2019Have you ever struggled with clasping a necklace or bracelet? If so, you will love magnetic clasp converters! The magnetic clasp converter attaches to your existing jewelry and converts your manual clasp into a magnetic clasp. It requires just minutes to make, and the only skill you need is the ability to open and close a jump ring. Follow these easy steps to make your own:
Continue Reading…Jewelry-Making Tutorial: Homemade Positional Beads
April 9, 2019Have you ever used SmartBeads with “BPS”? If you have, you probably love them as much as we do. SmartBeads with “Bead Positioning System” are positional beads that are silicone lined. The lining allows the beads to grip various stringing materials and keep adjacent stringing components in place.
Continue Reading…Long Chandelier Tassel Chain Earrings
July 2, 2015I like chandelier earrings. I like tassel earrings. So of course, I love combining these two styles into some dramatic long chain tassel chandelier earrings! And because I always have to have a little “bling” (do people still say that?), I added some sparkly Swarovski crystals to them to finish the look! They are quite easy to create. Learn how below! —
Swarovski never ceases to amaze me with the pretty products they put out! While lovely Swarovski Navette crystals aren’t new, they are new to me and I love them! These beautiful marquise-shaped crystals are set in a silver colored setting. When I saw them, I knew I needed to create a project that used multiple colors in the same piece! They are just such vibrant colors. I decided to pair them with some lovely sterling silver chandelier findings! The result is beautiful! See how to make these lovely earrings below! —
Stamp your own Longitude & Latitude Bracelets
May 5, 2015For years, longitude and latitude coordinates have been growing in popularity when it comes to fashion. They have been popping up in tattoos, jewelry and clothing. I decided I wanted to make my own longitude latitude project, with coordinates from one of my favorite places on earth, Tulum, Mexico! You can easily do this project with any location on Earth! Simply enter your desired location plus “longitude and latitude” into any search engine, and the coordinates will come up for you! —
Niobium Earrings featuring Swarovski Crystal Cosmic Rings
April 24, 2015I love niobium! If you’ve never used niobium jewelry findings, then you are missing out! Niobium is a very hypoallergenic metal that is great to use in your jewelry designs when you have customers that have metal sensitivities. It is a pure metal, not an alloy, so it contains no nickel, copper, or any other additives. It is also not plated. To create different colors, niobium is anodized which doesn’t affect its hypoallergenic qualities! Anodized colors of niobium can match all types of different jewelry designs. I personally love the bronze-colored niobium findings. I like using the bronze color with my antique brass and copper designs. I’ve assembled a couple pair or earrings below, to show you a quick fun way to use niobium earring wires. Continue Reading…
Charm Necklaces with Interchangeable Lobster Clasp Charms
April 21, 2015Making your own necklaces from bulk chain, jump rings, and lobster clasps can be a great way to save money when you want to make multiples of the same or similar items. My favorite style of bulk footage chain for this is our 2.2mm cable chain. It is fairly inexpensive, hangs nicely, and is great for adding charms to. And recently I have noticed a trend where charms are placed on lobster clasps, making them interchangeable! You can mix and match different charms and other adornments.
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When spring time comes, I always want to make bug and leaf and flowery jewelry. I am paticularily fond of bumble bees! I knew I would have to use these raw brass bees paired with some of the new Swarovski crystal color, Metallic Sunshine. It is a beautiful warm honey color, perfect for this project! To see how to make the set, read below. All the products to make these pieces have links so you can order them and recreate this jewelry! —
Antique Leaf Rings featuring Swarovski Flat Back Crystals
January 30, 2015I have been eyeing these fun ring blanks for a while now. They come in several different styles and three finishes, antique copper, antique brass and antique silver. When we started carrying the Swarovski glue-on flatback crystals recently, a light went off in my head! They would be a great duo! And the combinations are endless! (Links updated January 31, 2017!)
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