Tag: bead

Craft Projects, Jewelry

Green mesh-like pendant

Jessica Smith

{A Smith of All Trades) Green necklace

I don’t really know what to call this necklace I made this past weekend, so let’s call it a mesh-like pendant. All in all, it was a little tricky to make, but I think it is pretty and very unique, so here goes!

For this project you’ll need elongated beads (pearls are optional), eye pins (a loop on one side, a pin on the other), and some chain.

To begin, stack one of your beads and a pearl on an eye pin, and close the other end into a loop. Make a second eye pin in the same way and connect the two where the pearls meet. I suggest using a jump ring in the middle (not seen in the photo below because I realize this a few eye pins into the pendant).

{A Smith of All Trades) Green necklace

Now, make an eye pin with one bead and no pearl — take this and connect it to the two green ends of the two eye pins that connect to the jump ring in the center.

{A Smith of All Trades) Green necklace

Continue this process (eye pin + jump ring + connect eye pins) until the pendant cannot go anymore.

With the beads that I used, I couldn’t go in a full circle, so at that point I stopped.

{A Smith of All Trades) Green necklace

At this point, I connected the three ends with chain, then added the entire pendant onto a silver necklace.

{A Smith of All Trades) Green necklace

Pretty, huh?

{A Smith of All Trades} Green Turquoise and Pearl Necklace

And, it doesn’t look half bad on either. Sorry… this was the best picture I could get of it haha. I’m not super used to my honkin’ camera yet!

{A Smith of All Trades) Green necklace

And a crappy iPhone one for good measure.

{A Smith of All Trades) Green necklace

Craft Projects, Jewelry

Geometric necklace

Jessica Smith

Update: I pretty much wear this necklace every day. I love it.IMG_0560

Ever have a project that starts out one way and ends completely differently? I wanted to make a pair of earrings that were inspired by something I saw on Pinterest a week or so ago, so I pulled out my beads and supplies and started fiddling with the beads. The further I got into my project, the more I wanted to create a necklace. I started with one color of bead and a small geometric shape, and I ended up with two tones of gunmetal and a wider pendant.

Onto the tutorial.

{A Smith of All Trades} Geometric Necklace

I started this project with one long eye pin, and 11 head pins (eye pins hav a loop at the end so you can connect them to other things; head pins have a flat or round end meant to stop beads from falling off).

{A Smith of All Trades} Geometric Necklace

On each head pin, I placed a specific number of beads. The number was important because it would help make my geometric shape later on. Here’s the pattern I ended up using (it’s not what I started with). 3: silver, 5: gunmetal, 6: gunmetal, 7: gunmetal, 8: gunmetal, 10: silver, 8: gunmetal, 7: gunmetal, 6: gunmetal, 5: gunmetal, 3: silver.

When each head pin had the correct number of beads on it, I twisted the end into a loop to stop beads from falling off the open end.

{A Smith of All Trades} Geometric Necklace

Next, I grabbed my eye pin and started threading the head pins on the order I specified earlier. In between each head pin, I place one gunmetal bead.

One the entire eye pin was threaded with head pins, I closed the other end using round-nosed pliers.

{A Smith of All Trades} Geometric Necklace

Time to add the chain. At first, I added a long chain so this would hang low in my chest. I later went back and added a clasp so it would hit above my chest (I told you I changed my plans a ton!).

To add the chain, I simply cut the amount I wanted, then opened each end of the eye pin and placed a link in the wire. For the clasp, you can attach it in the same way using a jump ring.

{A Smith of All Trades} Geometric Necklace

I really like this necklace a lot. Now that I have a good pattern to follow, I think I’ll try to make it again in funkier colors.

{A Smith of All Trades} Geometric Necklace

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!

{A Smith of All Trades} Geometric Necklace

Craft Projects, Quick and Easy Crafts

Copper and Silver headband

Jessica Smith

I set out the other night to make myself a new headband. I’ve been holding onto this extra silver headband base for two + years now, and it was long past time for me to do something with it.

I rediscovered some awesome bead/buttons I have at craft night last weekend, so I dug through my tupperware full of buttons to pull our four copper flower buttons. Originally, there were a bracelet that someone gave me to cut up. So cut it up I did, and I sure am glad because these beads/buttons make a way cuter headband than they ever did as a bracelet.

This project was really simple. All you need is some felt, hot glue, flat or hollow buttons, and a headband base.

To get started, I cut out four circles of felt that would fit behind each button. I chose to use felt so that the glue wouldn’t touch my hair.

Next, I added hot glue on my button and placed the headband on top.

Then, I placed an extra dab of hot glue on top of the headband and quickly placed a circle of felt on top. My buttons are metal, so they got pretty hot pretty quick. I rested the button and headband on fabric while the glue hardened before adding the remaining three.

Once all four buttons were on, I cut out a long, skinny strip of felt and glued it down the center.

All that was left to do was let the buttons cool completely and clean of any strands of remaining glue — then I tried it on.

I really like how you can still see the silver in the band. I love the look of contrasting metals.

So what do you think — super easy, huh? I bet you all want to make your own headbands now! You totally should 🙂