Fishing Line for Making JewelryI am a jewelry "remaker". I buy old and create one of a kind "new" stuff.
Paper Clip Ribbon RingThis ring is super easy to make! With a mere paper clip and scrap of ribbon, you can have a fun new ring:)
Making Wire JewelryMaking silver jewelry is fun and you can use the jewelry afterwards, but silver is expensive, especially to practice on. So I'd advise using regular wire instead of silver. I've used regular wire for quite some time to practice on and I actually used it for some jewelry.
Updating Plain Necklaces with Homemade PendantsI have a plain string of turquoise beads I picked up for a song. It was too plain to be stylish so I put on a stone pendant I had made out of a black rock I had found at the seashore which I had wound round with jeweler's wire.
Bobby Pin JewelryDid you know that bobby pins now come in many colors? On one of my visits to the local discount store I found a huge selection of colored bobby pins along with the normal colored ones. I decided to see what a necklace would look like with these dangling.
Restoring Vintage JewelryA few years ago, vintage jewelry was much easier to find in places like thrift stores and much less expensive. Now what I can find for a reasonable price usually has some flaws. I get past that by restoring the pieces.
BFF Puzzle NecklaceBuy an old puzzle from a garage sale or from the dollar store and find two pieces that you like. Punch a small hole on one side of the puzzle piece and insert a jump ring.
Christmas Button BraceletsYou will need an assortment of non-shank buttons for this craft project and you can use buttons with either 2 or 4 holes in them.
Metal Button BraceletsIf you have a lot of gold or silver shank buttons in your button box, especially if you are fortunate to have inherited some vintage buttons, this is a really great gift for someone.
Rice To Stabilize Drying CraftsWhenever I am using glue to anchor an eyepin into a top-drilled jewelry component, I grab my dried rice, pour it into an appropriate-sized container, and set the piece in there so I can keep on going.
Use Metallic Elastic for JewelryI just finished a bead necklace that looks like it would cost $100 in Anthropologie and strung the beads on silver metallic elastic.
Reuse Elastic From Shoe PackagingNext time you buy a pair of kids' shoes, keep the elastic string that keeps them together - don't throw it away! Just untie the knot and you've got a wonderful piece of craft string for bracelets and things.
Make Your Own Jewelry TreeI have been making jewelry at home to make money. Last week, I got a call to put my stuff in a shop in two days. The only problem was I had used my necklace display stand somewhere else.
Make Your Own Guitar Pick EarringsMy daughter wanted some neat earrings she had seen at the mall, but they were pricey. She decided she would make her own.
Use Earring Wire For Odd Shaped Stones and BeadsI wanted to make a necklace, but the layout of the stones wasn't functioning well on the grooved necklace board from the craft shop. The doughnut shaped stones with a hole in the middle kept on falling over onto their flat sides.
EZ Fashion Ring CraftI am crazy about the trend for fashion rings and have bought a few and dug up some more old ones. But do you know you can also make ones out of the unlikely combination of silicone/plastic/rubber rings plus a single orphan stud earring.
Add Jump Rings to Handmade JewelryWhen making a necklace or bracelet as a gift (or for yourself!), you can achieve a professional effect and practical function by adding 8-10 (or however many you want) jump rings on the end of one side of the strand opposite the clasp.
Floral Wire JewelryGorgeous gorget jewelery made with florist wire. The inspiration for this jewelery came from gorgets worn with medieval armor.
Dismantle Old Jewelry to Make New TreasuresInstead of throwing out old inexpensive beaded necklaces, bracelets, or mismatched or single earrings I no longer wear; I dismantle them and recombine them into a new piece of jewelry for myself or for a gift.
Make A Fiber Art Bracelet With Fabric ScrapsWhat to do with scraps of fabric and yarn? Make a fiber art bracelet. Take any old plastic bangle and start wrapping your scraps. Knot each piece all over till you get the feel you want. You will be such a fashion plate.
Use a Ribbon Instead of a Chain for PendantsUse an inexpensive ribbon (for example the 50-cent or 99-cent ribbon at a craft store) instead of a chain with your favorite pendant. This is best for costume jewelry or high-quality inexpensive jewelry, not fine jewelry, but it adds a special touch to any outfit.
Jewelry Armoire for Jewelry CraftsFree standing jewelry armoires make attractive storage units for beads, jewelry findings, and tools. The armoires can be found for reasonable prices at Wal-Mart, thrift stores, and yard sales.
Making Glitzy Costume JewelryI mentioned part of this one other time. To make costume jewelry, that looks pretty glitzy for being fake, use that clay that is sold in so many stores made by the Crayola people. It comes in a foil container and has the red, green and yellow markings that crayola crayons do.
Strong Necklace ThreadTired of your necklace breaking? Restring it with fishing line. Fishing line is very strong and inexpensive.
Discovery with Crayola Clay and Transfer FoilI was working with the kind of clay that air drys, not hard clay, the one I use is made by Crayola and comes in a foil wrapper. I was trying to make some jewelry. I had sheets of transfer foil, I placed the foil sheet against the slighty damp clay and the foil transferred...
Make Your Own Earrings out of Ice Cream SticksCan you make earrings from ice cream sticks? That was the challenge a friend was gave me. Back then as a student, I would make jewelry out of anything that caught my attention.
