Feed Me Audrey - Earrings

This free earring project pairs faceted purple cubic zirconia beads with antiqued copper findings from Rings & Things.

Created by: Lindsey Green

Suggested Materials:
2 #44-352-0 16mm gear blanks, copper
2 #44-355-0 19mm gear blanks, copper
4 #43-129-AC Small leaf bead caps, antiqued copper plate
2 #19-020-272 10mm faceted puffed square gemstone beads, purple cubic zirconia
2 #05-328-06-156 SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS 6mm bicone crystal beads, purple velvet
4 #49-955-05-7 5x2mm TierraCast® nugget heishi beads, antiqued copper plate
2 #37-422-7 2" standard head pins, antiqued copper plate
2 #37-099-20-7 2" standard ball-end head pins, antiqued copper plate
8 #37-136-7 5mm round jump rings, antiqued copper plate
1 pair #34-003-8 TierraCast colored niobium French hook ear wires, copper

Tools and supplies:
dapping block and punches (#69-199)
utility hammer
checkered/wide stripe double-sided texturing hammer (#69-249-03)
Win-Ox™ oxidizer (#86-343)
round-nose pluers (#69-275-02)
chain-nose pliers (#69-275-53),
side flush cutter (#69-056)

If you like these earrings, check out the matching "And How" bracelet design.

TIPS:
* Create patterns on the gear blanks with a texturing hammer.

* Dome the gears with a dapping block. Select a dome size and coordinating punch slightly larger than your gear, then hammer a few blows with a utility hammer.

* Patina the gears to match the other findings.

* Sandwich a crystal and two heishi beads between two domed gears (the larger diameter is on top) on a ball-end head pin.

* Cut the head off the head pin, add the rectangle bead and make wrapped loops at each end.

Check out our blog post tutorial on "How to Dap and Dome Metal Jewelry".

For additional details about techniques used in this design, see:
Basic Jewelry-Making Technique Sheet

To view our jewelry-making technique sheets (PDF files), you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can download it free here.

View more free jewelry design ideas, peruse our complete list of free jewelry-making technique sheets, or search our design gallery. Post questions on the Rings & Things Discussion Forum. Don't be shy! If you're wondering, so is someone else!

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