DIY Beaded Bracelet from a Cracker Bracelet!

My Mum is a cracker addict... She buys the Christmas Crackers in the January sales so she gets the nice ones cheap then keep them until the big day!

This year they were very pretty with silver plated things inside and beads on wire on the outside, so , naturally, I rescued the bracelets and beads and instead of adding them to the stash I processesed them straight away. The first one was used to make my double stranded bracelet, this one was kept more intact!

I layed the beads out to choose which order to attach them, then put a headpin on each bead and attached them to the bracelet.

The only problem with making things from cracker bits is that it does feel a bit cheap so I suppose I will have to keep it :)

Read More

DIY 2 Strand Bracelet with Swarovski Crystals

Happy New Year! I decided to start 2014 as I mean to continue, using up my crafting supplies and not buying any more for a while!

This year is going to be a hard one financially. I chose not to go back to work after I had Big E but it means I have not been working for 8 years now and that, along with renovating our house, means that our savings are taking a beating! This year I plan to make as many birthday presents using stash crafty things as possible as I have a craft room full of stuff that I have got as birthday and Christmas pressies, or for free, for the last 8 years and I need to use it up!

I had the urge to make something last night (anyone else get those urges?!) so I pulled out my jewellery making stuff and got to work.

 

Using a cracker bracelet for the findings, a glass hearts bracelet that my in-laws brought back from Italy ages ago (and the gold beads between the hearts were cheap and loosing their gold covering) and some left over Swarovski crystals and pearls, I strung 2 new bracelets. I then used the toggle closure and jump rings from the cracker bracelet and put it all together.

I was going to use the chain from the cracker with ribbon threaded through but it looked rubbish when I put it together so scrapped that idea. Also, I used nylon beading thread because that is what I have but it would have been better with beading wire, the bracelets look like they are magically attached to the jump rings with the thread!

I don't wear bracelets often so this may end up as a gift, I am tempted to keep it though!

Linking to some of these fab linky parties!

Read More

Another simple jewellery make!

I made these for my old school friend who turns 30 later this month, she is a very pink sparkly girl so hope she likes them!

I have made these type of bracelets before and the only hard thing about them is tying the elastic in a knot which I think you need about 4 hands for (anyone got any tips on this please let me know)!

Supplies, elastic thread and Swarovski crystals (buy genuine ones for amazing sparkle!):

All you need to do is thread the crystals on to the elastic thread and when it is the desired length tie the elastic in a knot.

Keep the ends of the elastic long (10cm) so you have a decent length to tie knots with. I always tie a double knot then give it a stretch so I can check the knots will not slip or burst then I do another knot for luck. I give it another wee stretch then snip the ends close (maybe 2mm) to the knot.

My only warning it to check the knot in the elastic over a container so if the bracelet bursts the (rather expensive) crystals don't go everywhere.....I learnt the hard way!!

Gosh my wedding ring needs a polish, it looks like stainless steel!!

This is so simple but the crystals are expensive (each bracelet works out at about £4) so if you are making these for a little girl I would buy cheaper crystals so it won't matter if it gets lost! 

Read More