Bring on the Bling

So this is Kadie - (sorry, this is the best photo I have of you at the moment, Kadie) and I'm pretty sure we were twins separated at birth. I mean, you can probably tell just by looking. Anyway... among many other things, Kadie is the jewelry GODDESS. As you know, I've dabbled in bead jewelry a bit but Kadie has rejuvinated my jewelry-making needs. (...and she's got nunchuck skills...)

Kadie showed me this cool way of making charms which can be attached to earrings, necklaces, bracelets, whatever - so this post is in honor of Kadie.

Don't you want to make a cute pair of THESE? These earrings go with just about everything I have in my closet, including my Fall wardrobe. Very cool.

I'm just going to give you the basic idea of how I did these and then you can do what you like on your own.




To start with, you'll need some tools:
Round Nose Pliers
Needle Nose Pliers
Wire Cutter
2 Headpins (those straight wires with something on the end)
beads
2 small "O" rings
2 earring hooks
Thin gauge wire


You can mix and match however you'd like - the color possibilities are endless!




Start by making your leaf charm.

Start with your thin gauge wire (I can't remember the size) and run it through your leaf, twisting a couple of times.



Bend the short end of the wire into a loop with your round nose pliers.





Now wrap the wire carefully around, making sure to secure the loop, and wrap a few more times.


Now you have a leaf charm!

























Now for your flower charm - stack your beads on the headpin. (I know, it seems too easy to be true...and it is)


With your round nose pliers, grab on to the wire, giving yourself about 1/2" of space above your bead.





Twist around the round nose pliers. Using the needle nose pliers helps get the wire nice and tight.


Wrap once, and then around again, opening the round nose pliers, grabbing a hold of the wire, and clamping down hard again, twisting the wire around.




Now that you have the wire wrapped twice, take it underneath and go around the shaft of the wire a couple of times, using the needle nose pliers to get it nice and tight.



...and now you have a flower charm!






the rest is cake...just open your "O" ring, stack the charms and your earring hook inside and close it up.



Perfecto! (I don't speak Italian...or Spanish...but I like that word.) Baby's got BLING! The approximate price of these earrings is probably in the $1.00 range - give or take. Now get out there and make yourself some GORGEOUS Fall jewelry!

I'm also going to take some pics of Kadie's jewelry and show you her amazing stuff. I guarantee that it will inspire you to go out and get some beads!