Spring Button Necklace

Materials and Tools:
Assorted coordinating buttons
Needle nosed pliers
24 gauge wire
Chain
Jump ring
Clasp
2 beads

Spring is coming and we feel like the bright colours of this necklace
put a spring in our step.

Try a few different arrangements to see what you like best.  Take a
photo with your camera or phone so you have something to look back at
in case you forget your design.

Cut 3 to 5 feet of wire.  Start by bending one end of the wire into a
loop.  Wrap the wire below the loop a few times.  String one bead onto
the wire.  Then add your first button.  Bring the wire through the
button a second time to secure the button.   Keep adding your buttons
and linking them together.  When you reach the other end add the other
bead.  Wrap the wire under the bead again.  Cut the wire and tuck it
underneath.  Open a jump ring and attach the chain to one end.
Attach a clasp to the other end of the chain.  Do the same thing to
the other side.

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.

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.

Memory wire bracelets a perfect after school project

A new school year is fast approaching and the Beading Buds are so excited about our brand new 8 week after school program that we will be running at several schools in Richmond Hill, Oakville and Mississauga and other parts of the Greater Toronto Area.

And to continue with the "back to school" theme, we are sharing this article about the developmental benefits of beading with children.

http://www.ourkids.net/blog/the-value-of-beading-for-children-12900/

One of the projects we will be teaching at the after school program is a memory wire bracelet which can also be worn as a necklace, below is a tutorial showing how to make this memory wire bracelet.



Materials:
Memory Wire
Beads

Tools:
Wire cutters
Needle nosed pliers

Take your memory wire and measure so that it loops around your wrist two times and then cut using your wire cutters. Taking your needle nosed pliers, make a loop at one end of the wire. Using your bead board, make your pattern, it is usually best to use 4 beads and keep repeating them, or just make it totally random. String your beads until you have about about 1/2 an inch of wire left and then make another loop using your needle nosed pliers.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and we look forward to bringing you lots of fun beading projects for the fall and winter season.

How to make a Bangle Bracelet

Materials:
20 gauge wire (appx 12 inches)
2 tube beads
1 focal beads
12-14 other beads depending on size of beads and width of your arm
1 clasp

Tools:
Round nosed pliers
Chain nosed pliers
Side cutters


With the weather so hot out, it's a great time to stay indoors and
make some beautiful jewellery to match all your summer dresses.

Lay out your design. Make a wire wrapped loop in your wire by making a
90 degree bend in your wire about 2 inches from one end of the wire,
then taking the 2 inch piece in your hand, wrap it around the base of
the bend to make a loop. Then using the chain nosed pliers wrap the
wire around several times (see video). Trip off the left over wire
using your side cutters. Now string your beads onto the wire
following the design that you laid out. Once you are finished
stringing the beads, make another 90 degree bend on the remaining end of the bracelet. Slip the clasp onto the wire and then wrap the wire around the base several times to make another loop.