New Necklaces

One of the biggest problems I had with my previous retail schedule, blog-wise I mean, was that I had the time and energy to do projects or write blog posts but not both. Now that I am back to being a 8-5er I have several old projects that need some attention...

One of my favorite craft mediums is jewelry making because it requires little work and doesn't make a huge mess. There's a reason I don't paint anything.

This is the first one I made, around Christmas. It could not be easier. Retaining Ring + jewelry chain + a few jump rings = 1 necklace in under 2 minutes. And no, I don't know what retaining rings are for either.

Next, I made this necklace inspired by this bracelet I found on Pinterest. (Sorry, the pin doesn't go to the tutorial but it's a simple process of threading hex nuts onto thread as you braid.) This one is just cotton yarn and some brass hex nuts. You see what happens when I work at a hardware store? I shop where I work. I modified the example, only putting hex nuts on one side of the braid, since I knew it wouldn't hang right with weight on both sides.

Next up is a necklace that I made only a week ago. I already had the beads lying around (they had already been made into one necklace that I never liked and were sitting in the "to be used for parts" pile) and then inspiration struck in the form of this post on Melancholy Smile, where she made her own version of a pricey J Crew necklace. I'm glad I hung onto these beads - they seem made for this type of jewelry!

Bringing up the rear is a necklace I didn't make but still deserves mention here. It was custom made for me by a local jewelry designer (Sarah Tector for you NC folks), and it was a collaborative design effort so I can take some of the credit, right? I came to her with the vague idea of making a piece - maybe a ring, maybe a necklace - that used my mom's old engagement diamond. My folks are divorced, by the way. I had no idea what I wanted it to look like, I just knew it should be suitable for everyday but decidedly not bridal. This is what we (ok, she) came up with.

The diamond is set in a sterling bezel and then the bezel is set in a hollow bronze form that was cast from a wax mold. Fancy, yes? When I first got it the bronze was a soft gold color, but it will develop a rich patina over time. I love that idea because the darker the metal gets, the more the stone will contrast with the background.

What have you made lately?