Willow Fields - Free Project and New Challenge

Whip up this fun little project for a lightweight and easy-going summer necklace.  The design starts with a ready-made chain that is cut in half and the beads are added.  I found some blackened steel wire at a local bead shop when I was on vacation.  I have the hardest time finding it in hardware stores.  If you can't get blackened wire, you can use silver or copper wire and oxidize it before starting your project.  Ornamentea carries a gunmetal wire that is another alternative.

Supplies:

Willow Connector

6 Czech glass flowers

2 Czech glass leaves

6 gunmetal brass 2" ball headpins

1 gunmetal brass 18" chain

22 gauge blackened steel wire

2 gunmetal brass 5mm jump rings

Directions:

1. Cut a 5" piece of wire with heavy cutters.  Slide the wire through the connector leaving about an 1 1/4" of the wire at the front of the connector.  Bend the wire at a 45 degree angle. Form a wrapped loop with the smaller piece of wire.  With the other end of the wire continue wrapping around the wrapped looped.  Repeat on the other side of the connector.

2. Cut another 5" piece of wire, string it through the leaf bead, create a wrapped loop on one side.  *Before you wrap the loop, open the loop, slip in the loop from the connector and close the loop.  Continue to form a wrapped loop and wrap the excess wire as in step 1.  Repeat on the other side of the leaf.  Repeat on the other side of the necklace.

3. Create 6 dangles with the headpins and flowers.  Add three to each side of the connector loop.

4. Cut the chain in half.  Measure the length from the center of your focal bead to the end of the leaf loop - you'll want to trim this much chain off on both sides.  Add the beads to the chain with a small jump ring.  (If you'd like a shorter necklace, trim more of the chain.)

Sources: Willow Connector: Humblebeads.  Czech glass: Dream Girl Beads.  Gunmetal findings and chain: Hobby Lobby.

Are you ready for another challenge?  This one is so much easier, I promise!  Check out my blog for complete details.  To celebrate the release of my book I'm having 12 weeks of nature inspired challenges.  The first one started on Monday.  Hop on over to play along.

Summer Solstice Necklace

It's officially summer, so here is a cute and quick necklace to whip up using a pendant from Golem Studios in their lace design.  Geometrics are hot for summer fashions and triangles are pointing the way to trendy styles.  I teamed this striking pendant with ceramic tabs from Elaine Ray, a hand blown glass bead and Czech flowers, the play of the complimentary color palette makes this a fresh find.

Supplies:

Ceramic pendant - Golem Studios

Hand blown glass bead - Stephanie Ann

4 ceramic 12mm tabs - Elaine Ray

1 copper 12mm round bead

12 Czech flowers (6 of two colors)

12 copper 4mm spacers

12 2" copper ball headpins

6 2" brass eyepins

10 brass 12mm jump rings

brass hook clasp

2 5" lengths of brass chain

Create the elements:

1. Add a spacer, ceramic tab and a spacer to an eyepin.  Repeat with the other 3 ceramic tabs and the glass bead and copper bead for 6 beaded links.

2. Add a glass flower to a ball headpin, create a wrapped loop using the rest of the wire wrapped several times under the loop.  Repeat with the other 11 flowers.

Put the necklace together:

1. On the jump ring, add the pendant and a ceramic tab.  Close the jump ring.

2. Add a jump ring to the other side of the ceramic tab, add 3 flower dangles and the glass bead link, close the jump ring.

3. Add a jump ring to the other side of the glass bead, add 3 flower dangles and a ceramic tab, close the jump ring. 

4. Add the chain to the last tab with a jump ring.

5. Repeat pattern on the other side, using the copper bead instead of the glass bead.

6. Add the hook clasp with a jump ring, add the other jump ring to the other side of the chain.

A simpler variation of this design uses one of Golem's poppy pendants with smokey quartz links and a single color of flowers.  This one reminds me of art nouveau jewelry with the graphic floral elements and geometric design.