Sari Bracelet

I went online to search for some cute crafts to complete in a short amount of time.  I have been exclusively knitting and I needed a break from it.  First, I checked out Pinterest, then Martha Stewart's Living.  I thought I found something on Martha's website but the directions were terrible, so I just did a good old-fashioned Google search and found something great.

I followed a link to make macrame bracelets!  Macrame is back, Ladies!!

Ok, well, the fad might not have caught on again, but I am willing to give it a go.  This project was found on the blog, Honestly...WTF.  The writer is a very crafty gal and a fashionista whom goes by the name of Erica.  I cannot seem to find her Bio on the blog, but she apparently has 23,000 followers on Twitter.  Go Erica!

My project will use:

 

• A defunct earring ring
• String (like a stiff yarn or hemp)
• Sari ribbon yarn
• Scissors
• Tape
•  Sewing needle

It is essentially a square knotted bracelet with an adjustable knotted slide.  I will show the highlights on my blog, but full instructions are on Honestly...WTF.  She does a great job showing pics of each and every step, that it would be me reinventing the wheel if I were to step-by-step it for you.

First, you are instructed to cut 5 lengths of string.  I cut 3 of the string and 2 of the sari ribbon yarn.  You also need a ring or something to anchor your string to so that you macrame out from the ring.  This will be the centerpiece of the bracelet.  This is where my earrings come into play.

I used the middle-sized ring, but I may have to also use the small one.  My wrist is so tiny, that the middle one is even too big.  But, I started with the middle one and had to follow it through to the end with it.  No problem.

Second, you tie your 2 strings to the ring so they are on opposite sides of each other, tape down one side, and start forming square knots with the sari ribbon yarn over the strings attached to the ring.

This sari ribbon yarn is very decorative and gorgeous, that I thought this would be so pretty as a bracelet.  You are knotting until it is just shy of half distance around your wrist.  Repeat on the other side.

You thread the extra string through the knots and tie it off, but I kept them long so those ribbons will hang once tied.

Third, you are instructed to make the adjustable knot.  You are using scrap string to keep the strands in the shape of a bracelet and you are square knotting again over the strands.  Tie off as in the bracelet square knots.

Fourth, adjust the strands on either side so your hand can just fit through the bracelet.  Tie the loose strands in a knot, separately, on each side near the adjustable knot.

Lastly, try it on and tighten the strings on both sides to center the ring on your wrist.  Trim away the excess strings after the knots.

Ladies, you are all done!  Now go to Erica's blog and make yourself a dozen of these using anything and everything that would work.  This was quick and fun to do.  The creative possibilities are endless and these would make great stocking stuffers for family or your friends.

Let me know if you do make any!  I'll post your pics!

Black Diamond Necklace

I'm not one to flip through fashion magazines and say, "Ooh, I have to have that!"  I do enjoy thumbing through and getting inspiration, but I won't spend the money on any of it.  I guess I'm just too cheap!  

So, when I last looked through one, I saw this necklace that was pretty pretentious.  This necklace was a black diamond necklace with a black diamond "frog prince" as a pendant.  This necklace was so expensive that a price must be requested.  I went to the website, aaronbasha.com, you can view Mr. Frog Prince as an enamel pendant or diamond encrusted one.  And they still don't give a price.

I thought, I got something at home that would look just as nice, and I can save about $15K. Does anyone remember my Tickled Pink Necklace from last year?  Well, I know now that I could have made that necklace so much easier if I just asked someone how to do it.  I work with a few ladies that know how to piece jewelry together so they told me what I "could have done".  Well, better late than never.

I decided to deconstruct the Tickled Pink Necklace to make my new one.  I bought some almost black eye pins, took out my tool kit and went to work.

I first took all the pink nugget stones off of the existing necklace.  I was going to only place two stones on each pin and make a chain of those.

I had to buy pins that were really long, so I ended up using one pin to make two links.  As you can see, I may have learned what to do, but not really how to do it.  My final link has some pretty crazy looking eyes and the post is no longer straight.  Hey, good thing I'm not charging admission for this!

I made a length of this before I really thought about how I was going to affix my centerpiece onto the necklace.  

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Ok, so Step 1 is done; necklace links are complete.  Step 2 is to attach or hang my new pendant.  Kj, don't kill me, but I took the bracelet you gave me for my birthday and took it apart.  It was a black diamond [rhinestone] flower on a hinged bangle bracelet.  It was a bit top-heavy and rotated around my wrist when I wore it.  I loved it, though, and knew that was going to be my centerpiece.

Isn't that the perfect flower?  Ok, so I had Vince take this task on.  I said, "Here, take this flower off the bracelet, but don't harm the flower." He came back having used some serious wire cutters with the flower off and the bangle detached.  There was no saving the bangle, though.

The backside of the flower had some gnarly jagged edges from where it was soldered to the bangle, so he took my Dremel tool (that Kj gave me one year) and ground them down to a smooth surface.

I made a bail out of a short piece of coated wire and two crimp beads.  As you can see in the pics of the back of the flower, there are holes.  I threaded the coated wire through the holes to make the bail.

From the front, you can't see the wire.  I then found the middle of the necklace and opened it up so it was two strands of links.  I removed a few links from each side and attached each side to the wire bail.

I will wear it to work or bring in it so the jewelry chicks can see it.  Maybe they can give me a better idea for the bail.  Otherwise, I love it.

All it takes is a magazine pic and the motivation to create a designer knockoff on a dime to have something "new to you".  Aaron Basha, you can keep your Frog Prince!

Necklace Revamp

For my first project, I have this necklace that my friend CLL gave me a few years back as a token to symbolize 'Freedom' and I love it. It is a silver dove pendant with rhinestone eyes. The clasp has a key, lock, and Fossil brand tag on it that hang like charms. Well, the chain has seen better days and the way it wears, the clasp with the charms ends up in the front next to the dove pendant and I don't bother fixing it to the back because it looks cute in the front. In addition to the charms in the front, the chain has developed a kink and a few tarnish spots that no longer go away with silver cleaner.  When I noticed that kink, it was the last straw.  It also has these nubs throughout the chain that drive me crazy.

Dove Pendant - Before

I took the lobster claw clasp that you see on the left side off and the large jumprings with charms on the right side off. The chain that has the nubs is going buh-bye and I will replace it with a plain chain that I had. I threaded the dove onto the new chain. I took one set of large jumpring and small links off the charms part so I could use them to hold the lobster claw on one side, threaded the left-over charms section onto the new chain next to the dove and then added another jumpring to the chain to make-up the other side/end.  Ok, blah, blah, I know....

Almost there....

The tools I am using to manipulate the jumprings are from this mini-sized set of pliers. It was a bargin for the set but they are a pain to use.  Cheaper ain't always better, ladies. It took me awhile to get the jumprings onto the tiny links of the new chain. You can sort of see the kink in the old chain in the pic above.

Viola! The revamp is complete and in my mind a success!

Dangle-tastic!

Now, I can keep the dove and finally jump on the skeleton key pendant banwagon.  I'm usually so far behind the banwagon that I cannot even run to catch it.  I love the Tiffany's key pendants, but since the cheapest one retails for over $125 (we are talking only silver, no diamonds), I will settle for my Fossil version!