DIY fabric button earrings by Amy Cornwell

Hi! I'm Amy and I have a crafty & lifestyle blog over here and a shop here. My "day job" is making jewelry (maybe you've seen my True Love ring??) but I love being crafty in any form or fashion. Creating is in my blood and I'm so happy to be guest posting on Megan's blog today. Hasn't it been an amazing month of crafty goodness?! I'm loving it!

I have a super easy but fashionable project for you today. We've all seen the fabric covered button earrings, but I put my own little twist on it today. This is the first time I've made fabric covered buttons, and I was amazed at how easy it was! Let's get started!

You'll need a fabric button making kit (you can get this at any craft store), a scrap of fabric, paper clips, and ear wires. Tools you'll need are scissors, wire cutters, and a hot glue gun (or adhesive of your choice).

Make your fabric covered buttons by following your kits instructions (it's super easy!). In four more steps you'll have some pretty dangle earrings...

1) First you'll clip off the button loops from the back side. 

2) Next clip off the top part of the paperclip, making a long skinny U shape. 

3) Add a large dollop of hot glue and press the paperclip into the glue. 

Be careful at this step, the paperclip and button radiate the heat very quickly. 

If you have more patience than me, you can use a glue like E6000 and let it dry

before completing the last step. 

4) Finally, open the end of your ear wire by twisting it sideways and

slipping on your button. Twist it back shut and you're done!

If you'd like to go all out and make some beaded dangles, you just have a few more steps and you can add some extra fun to the buttons. You'll need a few extra things for these: round nose pliers, 24 gauge wire and beads.

1) Follow steps 1-3 above. To make a wrapped loop, wrap your wire around your pliers making a circle. Then take the short "tail" of the wire and wrap it around the long tail about 3x.

2) Add the bead and start your second wrapped loop by bending the wire at a 90 degree angle.

3) Make the second loop around the bottom of the bead.

4) Before you finish the loop, attach the button. Finally, finish the wrap and add the earwire.

Thanks for letting me share with you today! I'd love to see your button dangle earrings too so if you make some, please post them on my facebook page!

Read More

DIY ring from Little Cherry Blossoms

Little Cherry Blossoms is here today sharing a ring tutorial with us! 

These are the absolute cutest rings ever. We have had them at Little Cherry Blossoms for the last few years, and everyone loves them. I am going to teach you how to make them yourself!

Here are the supplies that you need to make these cute little rings.

.5 mm bead and jewelry cord. I use Stretch Magic.

Small beads for the back of the ring

Large beads for the front of the ring

3 hole spacers. I found mine at Joann's, but I know you can find them on Amazon or online.

Here is a photo of the spacers and the cord. See how the spacers have 3 holes in them? My spacer holes were actually a little small, and I think it might be better to find a bit bigger hole on line.

Here is a picture of Jenn's bead stash. You can use any combo of beads that you want. The small ones are for the palm side of the ring and the large are for the focal point of the ring.

You will be making 3 strings of beads. Each string will have its own cord.

I like to alternate which side I tie the string off on to make the stress even out. You will usually have between 7-10 small beads and 3-5 large beads depending on the size that you want.

Above you can see one strand and two strands done.

Here, I am tying off the final strand. Don't pull too hard or you will break your cord and beads will tumble into your lap!

And you're done! The five minute ring!

I wanted to add in a pic of how it actually looks on your hand, even though this isn't the best photo.

And, wow, it is way hard to take a photo of your own hand.

Pretty soon you will have lots of pretty rings to give away.

By the way, these rings are intended for adults, not children.

Read More

DIY fabric charm necklace from Rae Gun Ramblings

Wood Board Book Page and Fabric Charms

 Hi, I'm Marissa from Rae Gun Ramblings.

I blog about all things crafty, tasty, pretty and just plain

life. I'm an insanely huge fan of young adult fiction (love

Potter and Hunger Games), I am married to a super talented

musician and

I also run a handmade baby and toddler clothing shop on etsy called

Rae Gun.  Hopefully you'll

stop by my blog and shop and see some of my latest adventures and

maybe share some of your own at my What We Wore
and Made Link party.

Today I want to share a tutorial on how to make awesome necklaces. I

found these cute wood pieces at Michael's and knew I needed them. That

combined with my love of fabric and books these necklaces were

destined to be. You can pretty much use any fabric or paper to make

totally personalized necklaces, tags to go on other things and more.

Plus they are so easy, inexpensive, and fun. I'll admit it, I may be

slightly addicted.

What You Need

• wood crafting rectangles (any shape would work though)
• fabric, book page, or other design paper
• ring findings
• something to make holes (I love my Crop-A-Dile)
• Mod Podge
• paint
• brush

What to Do

1. Identify and size your fabric, book page or paper. For the fabric I

just traced around my wood and cut. For my book page I scanned in a

page I liked, resized it and then printed it.

2. Paint wood and let dry.

3. Put your fabric or paper on the wood using a layer of Mod Podge. I

liked the fabric texture on top so while I did a top coat of Mod Podge

over the paper ones I just did the under layer on the fabric one. Let

dry.

4. Punch holes. (I recommend practicing on a different piece of wood first).

5. Add ring findings and attach to a chain.

6. Look at your awesome creation and wear it with pride.

I hope you like this. I'd love to see your creations if you try it

out. Also if you're a Hunger Games Geek like me I'll be sharing my

District 12 wire wrapped coal pendant tute on my blog next week. I hope

you'll stop by and say hello and share some of your own creativity at

my What We
Wore and Made link party.

Read More

DIY Ribbon and Resin Necklace from Tatertots & Jello

Hi Brassy Apple readers!!

I'm Jen from Tatertots & Jello. I am such a fan of Meg's and all of her amazing ideas. And I am SO exited to be here!!

Today I am sharing a little Spring Necklace idea. Can I tell you how excited I am for SPRING???? I can't wait. In the meantime -- here's a little project that is helping me fight away the winter blues. And it uses Dimensional Magic -- which is SUCH a fun medium.

Ribbon and Resin Necklaces

Here's what you need:

Scrapbook Paper or Stickers

Metal, Wood or Chipboard -- for the back of the pendants

Mod Podge

Dimensional Magic

Necklace Bails

Ribbon or Chain

Here's What You Do:

1. Take a sticker or a piece of scrapbook paper and stick it or Mod Podge it onto your backing.
2. Cut out the shape in your metal, wood or chipboard backing.
3. Add a layer of Mod Podge to the top of the paper or sticker.
4. Once dry, outline the paper with Dimensional Magic, and fill it in.
5. Sand off the edges.
6. Let that dry.
7. A tip -- if you have bubbles, pop them with a lighter.
8. Add a Metal Necklace Bail to the back. Adhere it with something like E6000 or 9001.
9. Add some tags and cut the holes with a Cropodile.
10. Or add some buttons. {these are from the Dear Lizzy line from American Crafts.
11. Add a length of ribbon or chain and tie in a bow at the side.

And I bought a little $1 scrapbooking kit from Target and made a little necklace out of it.

This would be a fun idea if you wanted to make a necklace with a special picture, or even small pictures of your kids' faces.

Thanks for letting me share it with you!!

xoxo

Read More

DIY Embellished Leather Cuff from Material Girls Quilts

Hi everyone!  I am Shelby from the Material Girls Quilts in South Jordan, Utah.  I first want to tell Megan, "Thank-you" for having us.  I have loved reading all of the jewelry posts.  I will definitely be trying a few of the tutorials out myself.  I must say that this is my first tutorial, so forgive me if I don't explain it well,  feel free to call me at the shop, I would be happy to answer any questions.  Okay, here goes!!

Make sure if you are buying leather that it is soft, it is available in many colors.

     My tutorial will be on a leather cuff bracelet,  I have spotted several of these at a few of my favorite stores and boutiques at really high price points.  I purchased my leather blank bracelets at a craft store.  You could make your own by cutting the leather to fit your wrists and using a snap setter apply 2 snaps.  If you are making your own, make sure and make it a little snug as your leather will stretch. Mine measures 2" x 7 1/2, it makes it easier to embellish at this width.

The next step is to decide how you want to embellish it,  I am way into pennants right now and decided my first would be a more casual style with a pennant on it.   I cut little scraps of fabrics,  one inch by one inch in a pennant shape

After cutting them all out.  I sewed them together.  I used 5 pennants to reach across my bracelet.  You could use more if needed.

auditioning embellishments

Finished bracelet,  embellish as much as you like.

After I had sewn my pennants together I then laid them on the leather,  (before sewing make sure that is exactly where you want them,) if you have to pick out of the leather it is not very forgiving and will leave needle holes.  Now comes the fun part!!  Get creative!  add all kinds of buttons, pearls, rick rack you name it, it will go with leather.  I couldn't just stop at one so I made a second one that is a little bit vintage-y.

I added a piece of crochet cotton lace across the bracelet,

Adding lace

Before adding the lace make sure and finish the edges so it doesn't fray.

After finishing the edges of my lace I sewed it right on to my leather cuff.  I used regular cotton thread and a just a regular needle.  I will have to change my needle for my next quilting project.  I decided this one would be a leather, lace combo.  I then cut 1 1/2 x 10" strip of satin.  I sewed it to form a circle and bunched it together in the center and wrapped it with a pink jute.  I added a few brass buttons and walah!, a leather and lace look.

Leather and Lace

Thanks so much everyone for letting me be a part of your very crafty world, and again Megan thank you for putting this all together.  Any questions just give me a call at the shop, or post it on our blog the Material Girls Quilts

Shelby

Read More