Make a Crystal and Chain Necklace

Materials Needed:
3 -12 inch pieces of sterling silver chain
17 headpins
68 4mm crystals
Toggle clasp

Tools:
Cutter pliers
Round nose pliers


The holidays are coming and it's time to bring out the sparkly jewelry.  This piece can be a bracelet or a choker, it depends on how long you make it.  For a fun twist, you can do a mix of pearls and crystals instead of just crystals.

Start about an inch into the chain.  Take your pin, put on a crystal, put a piece of chain on (about one inch into your chain), and then another crystal, then next piece of chain (about one inch in), then crystal, then last piece of chain (about one inch in) and then crystal.  Then using your round nose pliers you create a loop at the end.  (see video).  Then repeat this process about one inch down the chain.  You should be able to do this 17 times until you reach the desired length.  Then, using connectors, attach a piece of the toggle clasp to each side.

Bridal Jewelry for your Wedding

Custom earrings made at a Bridal Beading Party 

We have been huge fans of Gown and Glory for a long time, a Canadian consignment boutique located in the Greater Toronto Area.  We love so many things about them!  We love that they offer fabulous designer gowns at a fraction of the cost, we love that they are helping to save the environment one dress at a time, and we love the amazing customer service every bride that walks into the boutique receives.   

Angela, from Gown and Glory, is sharing what to look for when choosing your bridal jewelry.

1)  Pick something that your are comfortable in.  If you are an earrings person, wear big sparkly chandelier earrings and a bracelet, if you like studs, wear subdued studs with a necklace.  If you like to make a statement, wear a big statement necklace.  It's all about your own style, and accessories are a way for you to make your gown look even more personalized.

2)  The shade of your dress is critical to the type of metal that should be in your wedding accessories.

If you are wearing a bright white gown (also known as diamond white), pearls, crystal and platinum will enhance the gowns shade.

If you are wearing a slightly off white gown you can wear gold, silver, and rose gold.  Rose gold is the new trendy "it" metal, and goes especially well with a colour scheme that has pink or black in it.  This shade also looks amazing with pearls, but be sure to maintain the off white colour in your pearl selection as well.

If you are wearing an ivory colour dress (a very light cream colour), wear gold, bronze or pewter jewelry and cream coloured pearls.

This is why many brides choose to have their jewelry custom made by a company such as Beading Buds, because then the necklace will be made in the colour metal and shade of pearls that best complement and enhance the detail of the dress.

Custom pearl and crystal bridal necklace

3)  Neckline of the dress. Pick jewelry that goes with the style and neckline of the dress. Make sure the necklace is the correct length to visually fill the space above the neckline.

If you are wearing a halter dress, wear a bracelet and earrings instead of a necklace perhaps, especially if there is a lot of beaded or embroidered detail already in the dress.  You can also wear a hairband, tiara or fascinator if you feel like you need to add more sparkle.

For a strapless dress you have a couple of options depending on the simplistic or extravagant look you're going for; you can wear a statement necklace with small earrings, or statement chandelier earrings and a bracelet, or a simple necklace, bracelet and earring set.  This can be as simple or extravagant as you choose, based on the style of your dress...and the vibrancy of your own personality.

If you are wearing a v-neck dress, wear a statement necklace with a large crystal or pearl pendant, to fill up the space and draw attention to the neckline. 

Custom necklace made at a Bridal Beading Party 

4)  Pick your dress first and then the jewelry.  It is much easier to match the jewelry to the dress, especially if you have it custom made.

5)  Make sure to consider all the specific details in the dress.  This can help set the tone and style of the jewelry.

For more information on Gown and Glory Consignment Boutique check out their website at www.gownandglory.ca

Festive Holiday Jewelry - Swarovski Drop Earrings

The holiday season is approaching which means it is time to add some sparkle to your jewelry. These super easy to make earrings will add just the right amount of shine to any outfit and are also the perfect gift for any special ladies in your life.

Material:

2 ball headpins
2 10mm Swarovski crystals in jet black
2 sterling silver french ear wires
2 4mm sterling silver round beads

Tools:

Chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Side cutter pliers

Take one of your headpins and thread on one of the 10mm jet black crystals and then one of the 4mm sterling silver round beads. Then, using your round nose pliers make a simple loop. Completely close the loop. Then take one of your sterling silver french ear wires, open up the loop at the bottom of the ear wire, take the pin with the beads on it that you just created and place on the opened loop at the bottom of the ear wire and close.

TIP: If you love jewellery, you can use this technique to make hundreds of different earrings, just use a different size and shape of bead each time.

Mother's Day Crystal Bead Bracelet

I was asked to attend at a Mother's Day event this year to teach mothers and daughters to make bracelets. This is a simple yet beautiful bracelet that every mother and daughter would love to wear.

Tools:
Round nose pliers

Materials:
12 - 14 headpins
12 - 14 6 mm beads (I like something sparkly, like a 6mm crystal bead)
1 jump ring
1 lobster clasp

Open up the jump ring and attach to the clasp. Next, put a bead onto a headpin and then using the pliers make a loop on the other side of the pin. Continue doing this for all 14 pins and beads. Then, take one of the beaded headpins that you just created and link onto the jump ring that is connected to the clasp, close the jump ring. Then take another beaded headpin and hook it just before the bead in the previous pin (see video). Use pliers to close the loop of the pin that you have just added on. Repeat the last two steps using up all of your beaded headpins until the bracelet is long enough to fit around your entire wrist. To close the bracelet, just attach the lobster clasp to the loop that you made on the last beaded headpin on your bracelet (see video). If you want to make a necklace, do the exact same thing, just use 30 headpins and 30 beads.