Make a Stamped Bracelet

Before: Scrap Metal

To celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday, we decided to use scrap metal to create bracelet stamped "DREAM."

Materials
16-gauge scrap sheet metal

Tools
Jewelry saw 
Half round file
Wet/dry sandpaper
Black Sharpie
Acetone
Rawhide mallet
1/4-inch (6.0mm) alphabet stamps
Ball-peen hammer
Steel block
Oval bracelet mandrel

Step 1
Measure your wrist or the wrist of the person for whom you are making the bracelet. Cut a piece of scrap metal to the size needed to make the bracelet. You can use a jewelry saw or a bench shear to cut the metal.

Step 2
File the edges of the scrap metal until smooth. Use you rawhide mallet to remove dents and imperfections. Use wet/dry sandpaper to sand away tool marks and prepare the metal for stamping.

Line up the stamps and mark the metal

Step 3
Arrange the stamps and determine where you plan to stamp the metal. Mark the metal with a black Sharpie to identify exactly where to stamp the metal.

Step 4
Place the prepared metal on the steel bench block. Align the first stamp (the "D") with the first dot. Hit the stamp firmly with the ball-peen hammer to create the impression. Repeat with each subsequent stamp until you stamped "DREAM."

Step 5
Remove the marker using acetone. Rinse with soap and water.

After: Dream Bracelet by GeltDesigns.com

Step 6
Wrap the stamped metal around the oval bracelet mandrel. Use the raw hide hammer to form the metal into an oval bracelet.

Step 7
Use liver of sulfur or another chemical patina to highlight the stamped letters.

Related Tutorials
All about Patina 
How to Use Metal Stamps
How to Use Liver of Sulphur
How to Protect Your Patina
How to Oxidize Silver Jewelry with Eggs

Further Reading
"Stamped Metal Jewelry: Creative Techniques and Designs for Making Custom Jewelry"; Lisa Niven Kelly; 2010.
"Sherri Haab Jewelry Inspirations: Techniques and Designs from the Artist's Studio"; Sherri Haab; 2010.
"Mixed Metal Jewelry Workshop: Combining Sheet, Clay, Mesh, Wire & More (Lark Jewelry Books)"; Mary Hettmansperger; 2010.
"Making Metal Jewelry: Projects, Techniques, Inspiration";  Joanna Gollberg; 2003.

Day 58.  Month 3. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: scrap metal
New Jewelry a Day.

Make a Braided Duct Tape Bracelet

Before: Duct Tape

Duct tape jewelry, clothing, handbags and other items are very popular amongst the middle school set. A roll of duct tape can make many interesting accessories. This duct tape bracelet is a favorite in the middle schools in and around Washington, DC. In this tutorial, my daughter demonstrates how to make a braided duct tape bracelet.

Tools & Materials
Tape measure
Duct Tape (Duck Brand in pink, purple, green)
Scissors
Center punch
14-gauge craft wire
Velcro (optional)

After: Duct Tape Bracelet by GeltDesigns.com

Step 1
Select your duct tape. We used Duck Brand duct tape in pink, purple, green, but you can use any color or brand.

Step 2
Measure your wrist or the wrist of the person for whom you plan to make the duct tape bracelet using a tape measure. Add about an inch when measuring the wrist to take into account overlap needed for findings.

Unroll Duct Tape

Step 3
Unroll about 7-1/2 inches of duct tape to make a 6-inch (child-sized) bracelet. Fold the duct tape in half.  Cut the folded piece in half using scissors. Repeat for each color.

Tape the Strips Together

Step 4

Braid the Duct Tape

Tape the three strips together. We used pink tape.

Step 5
Braid the three strips of duct tape.

Step 6

Tape Ends

Tape the other end of the braided strips together. Again, we used pink duct tape.

Use Center Punch to Cut Holes

Step 7
Use a center punch to cut a hole in each end of the duct tape bracelet to attach a clasp.

NOTE: If you do not want to attach a clasp, you can substitute Velcro and paste the Velcro on either side of the bracelet rather than using a clasp.

Attach "S" Clasp

Step 8

"S" Clasp

Make or select an "S" clasp. We used an "S" clasp we made in our studio from 14-gauge scrap, craft wire. It is a really nice blue that compliments the color of the duct tape bracelet.

Attach the "S" clasp through a hole in one end of the bracelet. Check to be sure the other hole is large enough to slip the clasp through the hole (but not so large that the clasp will fall off).

Related Tutorials
Make Duct Tape Earrings
How to Make a Simple "S" Clasp (with or without Beads)
Make Your Own "S" Clasp

After: Braided Duct Tape Bracelet by GeltDesigns.

Further Reading
"The Jumbo Duct Tape Book";  Jim Berg, Tim Nyberg; 2000.
"Stick It!: 99 DIY Duct Tape ProjectsStick It!: 99 DIY Duct Tape Projects";  T.L. Bonaddio; 2009.
"Ductigami: The Art of the Tape";  Joe Wilson; 2006.
"Duct Tape Book: The Ultimate Duct Tape Book";  Tim Nyberg, Jim Berg; 1998.
"Got Tape?: Roll Out the Fun With Duct Tape!";  Ellie Schiedermayer; 2002.
"The Original Duct Tape Halloween Book";  Jim Berg, Tim Nyberg; 2003.

Day 57.  Month 3. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: duct tape
New Jewelry a Day. 

Make a Lizard Pin from a Toy

Photo Courtesy the Smithsonian Institution

Like Madeline Albright, I love pins. The diplomat shared the story of her pin collection in a fabulous book and traveling museum exhibition. My family saw the exhibit at the Smithsonian Castle  this past summer and the whole crowd really enjoyed seeing the pins and reading about the history of each.

Even the most jewelry averse men in our group found the exhibit entertaining as the former Secretary of State explained how she used pins to express herself and began a legacy of jewelry diplomacy. Jewelry took on an entirely new meaning when the government majors amongst us learned that the diplomats of certain countries included studies of Albright's pins in preparation for official state visits.

Before: Plastic Toy

The materials for this pin came from the toy box. As soon as I rediscovered this brightly colored, detailed little lizard I knew it was destined to be jewelry.

Materials
Toy
Pin finding
JB Weld or other glue
Screws (optional)

Tools Needed
None

Step 1
Select the toy. We found this brightly colored lizard in the bottom of the family toy box.

Word of advice: Negotiate with your kids to be sure you can use the toy. Take it from me, it is not pretty if your kids change their mind after the fact and decide yes they really did want to play with the toy that is now pinned to your suit. :)

Step 2
Wash the toy. Well. This may involve simple soap and water....but sometimes you do NOT want to ask what the sticky, yucky substance on the toy is....just hope it is the remains of....chocolate. LOL

Attach the pin back to the toy

Step 3
Glue the pin back to the toy with JB Weld or another glue designed to bond metal to plastic.

You can add screws to secure the pin back. No need to drill, just turn the screws until they are flush against the pin back. In this pin, we used only chemical bonding (otherwise called glue) because the screws we had (while small) did not look small enough to use for this skinny toy.

After: Upcycled Pin by Geltdesigns.com

Related Tutorials
Make a Pin from a Glass Pebble
How to Make a Pin Back

Further Reading
"Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box";  Madeleine Albright; 2010.
"Make Pins: 16 Projects for Creating Beautiful Pins;  (Making Jewelry Series)"; Jo Moody; 1977.
"The New Jewelry: Contemporary Materials & Techniques (Arts and Crafts (Lark Books))"; Carles Codina; 2005.


Day 56.  Month 3. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: toy lizard
New Jewelry a Day.