Spring Charm Bracelet How-to

This charm bracelet has a band of color created by two strands of hand-dyed silk in bright blue. The mix of metals is interesting and the repetition of the round shapes is enhanced by pairing smaller charms with round metal rings. This is a great way to use up those charms you love but haven't found just the right home for...let them travel with you this spring! You can lengthen this to anklet-size by adding 1-2" to the chain and ribbon.

Of course, all tools and supplies are available at Ornamentea.com or at Ornamentea or Panopolie in Raleigh!

Materials
antique brass large knurled oval chain, 7 inches
10 antique brass square jump rings
antique brass lobster claw clasp, 9x17 mm
2 hand dyed silk strands, cut to 7 inches
2 antique brass fold over ends
compass points charm
no evil monkey charm
heart charm
key ring charm
oyster charm
peace sign charm
celestial zodiac charm
2 stamped brass charms (moon, heart)
1 wavy silver ring, 22 mm
2 hammered copper rings, 22 mm
2 hammered silver ring, 22 mm

Tools
Chain nose pliers (I use these)

1. Line up both pieces of silk. Use your chain nose pliers to attach one fold over ribbon end to the silk. Repeat with other end of the silk strands.

2. With your chain nose pliers, gently open the link at the end of the chain and fit it through the ring on the lobster claw and one of the fold over ends. Close securely. Open one of the square jump rings and attach it to the other end of the chain and remaining fold over end, close securely.

3. Line up the charms in the order you wish to use them. Mix the metals, putting silver with brass or copper with silver until you are pleased with the result. Use the square jump rings to attach the charms to the bracelet chain, going around the two silk strands.



    
Download a PDF of this project here.

Charm Exchange Slumber Party Coming Up...

We have a Charm Exchange Slumber Party coming up at Panopolie in a little over a week. I am participating (of course!) and we have some other great folks already signed up. Are you coming? You'll need to get your 10 charms in a bit early so we can sort them, or you can just come to the party and swap with folks in person...

There will be three make-n-takes that night; Resin Plique-a-Jour, Shrink Plastic Messages and Stamped Tags. I am doing the Resin Plique-A-Jour and you'll learn to create resin-based enamel-look charms. We'll work with the ICE resin, which I am personally addicted to. You'll make a locket and a dangle that you can use on a necklace or bracelet. The other make-n-takes are fabulous...and folks can do one or all of them.

We don't have themes for our Charm Exchanges but my personal theme was Work From My Stash. Seriously. I know this is a bad thing for me to say (I do SELL beads and do-dads!) but really, I think most of us have lots of materials that we could use to make some groovy charms without doing any shopping. Just sit down in your favorite workspace and MAKE 10 CHARMS. That's it. No excuses. I did this and I was really happy with what I made. They are all different, more or less, but they all use some beadies or goodies that I have had just hanging around. A few use bezels left over from my last charm swap*, a few use filigree left over from writing the book, a couple are projects that almost made it into the new book. It was fun to just make the tiny beauties and write a note with each and then wrap them up. I made 17 before I could stop myself! Since we are closed tomorrow it's the perfect time to do this; you can't come see us even if you want to!

So, you, go make some Stash Charms...and then call Panopolie and sign up for the Charm Exchange on Friday when they open back up after inventory.

I'll see you at the party!

*my last swap was with Amber Dawn and I do owe you a post with pics of the amazing charms I got in exchange...it was a Black And White swap...

When in need, place a bead!

This is my favorite new song and favorite new artist. My friend Nancy sent me the link to this video and suddenly, I gotta get a gem sweater.

Yes, I joined Leslie Hall's fan group on facebook. I am now probably at the top of her stalker list as I sent her a passionate note requesting her to come to Raleigh and do a performance...offering to have her stay overnight at my house was probably a bit much, huh?

(Seriously, Leslie is the Jack Black of the crafty, Midwestern female. Girl is not afraid to rock the gold lame stretch pants OR that gem-a-licious sweater that your aunt gave you for Christmas in 1987. And that hair? The glasses? We've all been there, honey, but we weren't quite as cool.)

Free Diamond Glaze sample with any on-line Elaine Ray order

Have you ever noticed that many of Elaine's pendants and dangles don't have glaze on the back? Elaine dips some of the beads and pendants but many of her flatter designs have glaze that is carefully painted onto the surface. This leaves the unglazed clay exposed on the back of the piece, a feature Elaine (and I!) love. The raw clay is part of the loveliness of Elaine's beads but it can also be canvas for other embellishment.

I have used Diamond Glaze to attach images to the back of the heart and tree pendants in this image...the tiny blossom dangles have rub on scrapbooking words on them. All are sealed with a thin layer of Diamond Glaze. The surface is now waterproof and permanent and has a nice, shiny look.

If you'd like to try this for yourself you can order any Elaine Ray beads or pendants and you'll get a teeny sample of Diamond Glaze to use at home. This offer is only good for orders placed on-line, but you can pick your order up at either store if you are in the Raleigh area.

Ways to use wool roving...unexpected

Felt is really amazing. You can make shoes, houses, tissue box covers and, yes, even ipod speakers that look like a tiny doll.

I am not kidding.

Here is the original site with the speakers for sale for 3,780 yen. That's about $38 USD of warm tunes.

My husband pointed out that the sweet dolly speaker is shown with a shuffle...so it's really, really tiny. I don't have a shuffle as I would lose it in a hot minute. The dolly might make it last two minutes. Maybe.

(thanks to the blog I saw this on...I can't find you now, too much late night blogging with too much wine and facebook mixed in, please email me and let me know who you are!)

(and since you can't see the original blogger who told me about the felt speakers, visit Jenna's blog, it's about 'arts and craps')