Make a Necklace from Shoe Lace Charms

Before: Shoe charms

My daughter saw these shoe lace charms and said they remind her of the "foot prints of love." Today is project seven of our V-Day series and we decided to make a simple necklace using shoe lace charms and our imitation leather.

Tomorrow is the big day. Valentine's Day in our house is all about crafts and chocolate. We reject the commercial aspects of the holiday, but love a theme for making stuff. And, of course, we love chocolate. And ice cream.

When my kids were little, I loved working with them to make Valentine's Day cards for each of the kids in the class and all their teachers ... today its all about wearing our hand crafted jewelry and eating chocolate...and reminding each other (and our friends) how much we love and appreciate one another.

Materials
2 shoe charms
2mm leather, imitation leather, satin or other stringing material
Findings (end caps and clasp)
Glue (optional)

After: Footprints of love by GeltDesigns.com

Step 1
Select the charms.

Step 2
Feed the charms on the stringing material and attach findings.

You can glue the charms to hold them in a particular position or allow the charms to dangle and clang.

Related Tutorials
Make Earrings from Shoe Charms 
Make Heart Earrings from Copper Staples 
Make a Beer Bottle into a Heart Pin 
Make "Kiss Me" Heart Earrings 
Make a Valentine's Day Pendant from a Scrabble® Tile 
Make a "True Love" Bracelet from Scrabble® Tiles 
Make a Valentine's Day Pendant from a Copper Washer
GeltDesigns Tutorials by Topic
NJAD Index (Days 1 to 60) by Type of Jewelry
NJAD Index (Days 1 to 60) by Type of Found Object  

Further Reading 
"500 Plastic Jewelry Designs: A Groundbreaking Survey of A Modern Material (500 Series)"; Lark; 2009.
"500 Pendants & Lockets: Contemporary Interpretations of Classic Adornments (500 Series)"; Lark; 2008.
"500 Necklaces: Contemporary Interpretations of a Timeless Form (500 Series)"; Lark; 2006.

Day 85  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: shoe lace charms
New Jewelry a Day.

Have a great week!

Make a Super Bowl Necklace from LEGO®

Before: in the toy box

Today will be a brief post because we spent the day getting ready for the super bowl and the evening will be spent watching the game and then recovering from our party.

After: Necklace by GeltDesigns.com

We went to the toy box again to string a simple beaded necklace using green and yellow. Go team! ....and enjoy the game.

Materials
Leather, imitation leather, satin or other stringing material
LEGO®
Clasp

Tools
Beadboard

Step 1
Go to the toy box and collect the LEGO® of your choice. Arrange design using a beadboard. If you do not have a beadboard, then you can use a plate to prevent the LEGO® beads from rolling as you arrange your design.

Step 2
Cut 21-inches of 1mm imitation leather or the stringing material of your choice.

Step 3
String the LEGO® beads.

Step 4
Add the clasp.

Related Tutorials
Make a LEGO® and Chain Necklace
Use LEGO® as Beads to Make a Necklace
Make LEGO® Christmas Earrings
Make a Giant LEGO® Necklace
Make LEGO®  Earrings

Day 78.  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: LEGO®
New Jewelry a Day.

Cold Enamel a Washer to Make a Pendant

Before: Post Card & Washer

We love to visit museums and galleries. Many give out brightly colored brochures explaining and documenting the exhibit. Others send us stunning post cards announcing the opening of exhibitions as well as beautiful invitations for gallery openings.

Tossing these items in the trash seems almost criminal. When the galleries and museums recycle, we try to put the items back for reuse... but for items that come to the house, reuse by others is rarely an option. Hence, we often collect the art work we like the best for use in scrap booking, collage making and, of course NJAD jewelry making.

After: Pendant by GeltDesigns.com

Today, we used a post card sent to us from the the Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery at Haverford College. We cut out a portion of the post card originally painted by Oh Su Fan, entitled "Change" and we decoupaged the paper from the post card onto a washer to create an eye catching pendant.

Materials
1-1/4" round washer
Post card
Diamond Glaze or Mod Podge
Paint brush
Bowl of water (to clean paint brush)
Transparent embossing powder
Heat It Craft Tool
Scrap paper
1mm satin, leather, suede or other stringing material
Clasp & end caps (optional)

Tools
Xacto craft knife
Self-healing cutting mat

Step 1
Select the washer and the paper you want to use to decorate your washer. We used a post card sent to use in the mail with a copy of a painting entitled "Change"by Oh Su Fan announcing the "In and With: Contemporary Korean Art" exhibit at the Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery at Haverford College. Post cards are heavy, coated paper that do not run when coated with glue or embossing powder.

Step 2
Determine how you want to arrange the paper on the washer. Glue the washer to the back side of the paper using a glue stick (or glue of your choice) in the space that highlights the design you want to use.

Step 3
Place the washer on the cutting mat and use a craft knife to cut away the excess paper. 

Step 4
Paint Diamond Glaze or Mod Podge on the paper using a paint brush until it is completely coated. Paint the sides of the washer to seal the paper to the washer. If bubbles appear, pop them using a toothpick or your finger. Check to be sure the coat is even.

Wash the paint brush immediately with water to prevent the brush from becoming glued together and no longer usable.

Step 5
Before the coat of Diamond Glaze or Mod Podge is dry, place the washer on a clean piece of scrap paper and sprinkle transparent embossing powder over the glue painted paper surface of the washer.

Step 6
Tap off excess embossing powder. (We use a second piece of scrap paper to catch the excess so we can reuse the embossing powder).

Check to be sure the embossing powder is even. Sprinkle again (and remove excess again), if needed, to even out surface.

Melt powder to coat washer

Step 7
Use the heat tool to melt the embossing powder. Heat evenly until all the embossing powder melts and coats the paper surface of the washer and the side of the washer. Check to be sure the paper is sealed onto the washer. Allow the embossing powder to cool.

Do not test the embossing powder with your finger to see if it is done and dry. Ouch. Not only will you have unsightly fingerprints, hot embossing powder will stick to your hand and may cause a burn.

Step 8
Add the chain. Cut a piece of leather, suede, satin or other stringing material to about 24 inches long (or the length you want for your necklace).

Feed through washer

Fold the string in half and feed it through the washer.

Slip ends through loop

Slip the loose ends of the stringing material back through the end loop.

Pull tight

Pull the stringing material tight, as shown in the photograph.

Add findings to the ends of the stringing material or simply tie the string to wear the decoupaged and embossed washer pendant as a necklace.

Related Tutorials
Make a Three Strand Bracelet from Copper Washers
Make a Bib Necklace from Washers
Make a Stamped Pendant from a Washer

Further Reading 
"Making Designer Jewelry from Hardware, Gems, and Beads"; Nicole Noelle Sherman
"Hardwear: Jewelry from a Toolbox"; Hannah Rogge; 2006.
"The Art of Jewelry: Paper Jewelry: 35 Creative Projects (Lark Jewelry Books)";  Marthe Le Van; 2006.
"Altered Paper Jewelry: Artful Adornments from Beautiful Papers"; Jenn Mason; 2008.
"Handmade Paper Jewelry: 40 Beautiful Projects to Make & Wear"; Heidi Borchers, Candace Liccione, et al.

Day 75.  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: washer, gallery post card
New Jewelry a Day.

Remember, to enter this month's One World One Heart 2011 door prize.

Make Hex Nut Earrings

Before: Hex Nuts

Hardware comes in many interesting shapes and sizes. The hardware store is a great source for inexpensive, often colorful materials to use in jewelry making.

We had another busy weekend but we found time to make a set of simple earrings using stray stainless steel hex nuts leftover from a long finished remodeling project. We liked the combination of silver and blue in these simple, easy to make earrings.

Spool of blue suede

Materials
2 stainless steel hex nuts
2 surgical steel hypoallergenic fish hook earring findings
Blue suede or other stringing materials

After: Earring by GeltDesigns.com

Tools
Scissors


Step 1
Select the hex nuts.


Step 2
Cut about five inches of blue suede or the stringing material of your choice.


Step 3
Fold the suede in half and then make a square knot about midway to make a loop at the top of the suede.

Step 4
Slide the hex nut over the loop so the hex nut sits on top of the knot.

Step 5
Add an earring finding to the loop.

Step 6
Repeat to create the matching earring.

Related Tutorials
Make Earrings from Grommets
Make a Bracelet from Grommets
Make a Three Strand Bracelet from Copper Washers
Make a Bib Necklace from Washers  

Further Reading
"Making Designer Jewelry from Hardware, Gems, and Beads": Nicole Noelle Sherman; 2008.
"Hardwear: Jewelry from a Toolbox"; Hannah Rogge; 2006.


Day 71.  Month 3. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: hex nuts
New Jewelry a Day.

Use LEGO® as Beads to Make a Necklace

Before:  LEGO® in the toy box

So today we played with  LEGO®. Again. It turns out New Jewelry a Day is a great excuse to play with toys. My delightful daughter and I happily sifted and sorted and arranged colors. The result was a bag full of odd shaped LEGO® sorted into possible projects and a colorful  LEGO® beaded necklace accented with sterling silver parts.

Materials
LEGO® 
Leather, imitation leather or other stringing material 
Six sterling silver beads
Sterling silver clasp

After: Necklace by GeltDesigns.com

Tools  
Bead board  
Scissors or wire cutter
Glue (optional)

Step 1
Select the  LEGO®. Arrange the  LEGO®. We used a bead board when creating our design. 

Bead boards are not necessary (a plate or bowl will do) but bead boards are a great tool to prevent beads from rolling while you work. Bead boards come in a variety of sizes ( 9x 12 inch, 34-inch, travel) and are made by many different vendors, including Beadalon and Beadsmith;; they all serve the same purpose. 

Step 2

String the LEGO® and beads

Make or select the accent beads and clasp. We used sterling silver beads and a sterling silver "S" clasp, but picking the beads and playing with the pattern is half the fun. There were a lot of designs we liked and could have used.

Step 3
String the  LEGO® and beads onto the stringing material.


Step 4
Add the clasp. We used a sterling silver "S" clasp but selecting the clasp is part of the design.

Make loop

Make a loop at the end of the stringing material. Slide the last LEGO® to secure the loop.

Make knot

Make a knot or two below the first and second LEGO®. Secure the knot with glue. 

Slide the second LEGO® over the knots and snap the first and second LEGO® to cover and secure the knot. 

Cover knot and snap LEGO®

Step 5

Attach clasp

Related Tutorials
Make LEGO® Earrings 
Make a Giant LEGO® Necklace


Make LEGO® Christmas Earrings

After :LEGO® Bead  Necklace by GeltDesigns.com

Further Reading
"The LEGO Book"; Daniel Lipkowitz; 2009.
"The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide";  Allan Bedford; 2005.
"Fabulous Jewelry from Found Objects: Creative Projects, Simple Techniques (Lark Jewelry Books)";  Marthe Le Van; 2007.
"Junk to Jewelry: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Found Objects in Jewelry You Can Actually Wear";  Brenda Schweder; 2007.
"Beaded Jewelry with Found Objects: Incorporate Anything from Buttons to Shells";  Carole Rodgers; 2004.

New & Noteworthy
"Jewelry from Found Objects"; Heather Skowood; 2011.


Day 53.  Month 3. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent: 0
Found materials: LEGO®
New Jewelry a Day.