Got Beading Wire? Four Necklace Ideas with Beading Wire

This post brought to you by BEADALON.  Thanks Beadalon for helping me to keep the lights on at my work bench.  All opinions shared here are my own.

Got Beading Wire?

Beadalon .024 Diameter Nylon Coated Beading WireSo after the post that explains all the ins and out of how to choose wire for beading, I thought it might be helpful to share some jewelry projects that actually use beading wire.  Here are 4 of my favorite DIY jewelry making projects that use various beading wires. All four of these necklaces can be made using Beadalon’s selection of beading wire.

 

 

 

 

 

DIY Jewelry Making Crystal Quartz Layering Necklace from Candie Cooper

The quartz layering necklace.  This jewelry piece has been a staple in my wardrobe with it’s neutral tones and exotic nature.
Illusion Layering Necklace with Beadalon WireThe illusion style necklace with .024in diameter gold, nylon coated wire.Quartz layering necklace–I wore this thing until it fell off!

DIY Jewelry Making Boho Bead and Chain Necklace tutorialBig chunky beads with Czech glass for the win in this fun necklace!

DIY multi-strand gemstone necklace with LeatherCordUSA.com thick braided leather element

And the multi-strand gemstone Eden necklace to top this post off.

Free Spirit Dragonfly Pendant Kits Available

Full disclosure: the companies mentioned in this post are either sponsoring me to teach, sent product for me to play with or both.  All opinions are my own.dragonfly detailIt’s Bead Fest Summer prep time here in my world.  I’m teaching 13 classes and hosting a tailgate party Saturday morning with Jesse James Beads.

I love throwing parties and am lucky to have found Jesse James Beads who does also.

If you follow me on Facebook, you might’ve caught the live video where I showed how to paint dragonfly pendants like the one above.  It also happens to be one of my classes at this weekend’s Bead Fest sponsored by Beadalon, Jesse James Beads and Vintaj.

I know some of you can’t make it, so I assembled some fun, one of a kind kits for this piece in my Etsy shop.  A little piece of Bead Fest sent right to your door when I get back next week (kits ship Aug. 26th).  I hope you love them as much as I do.  dragonfly

Materials:

Dragonfly kit

Gemstone Chain from JesseJamesBeads.com

Ranger Patina Paints from JesseJamesBeads.com

Beads from JesseJamesBeads.com

Fine sandpaper (600 grit)

Gold leaf paint from Plaid Enterprises

Acrylic sealer

If you missed the video, you can watch it here and feel free to add comments or questions about this technique in the post.

Get Aligned! Making Chakra Jewelry

This post brought to you by Dakota Stones.  Sponsored posts help to keep the lights on here at CandieCooper.com.  Thanks, Dakota Stones!How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog7Years ago, a lady brought a piece of Chakra jewelry that she wanted to change around a bit.  My younger self had no idea what these little gems represented.
How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog5Fast forward ten years and here we are.  I’m very much aware of the chakras and the possible power of natural stones.  Thank you, yoga, self-help books, Pinterest (the other self-help book).  It’s so interesting to learn about the power of natural stones.

It’s so interesting to learn about the power of natural stones.

That’s why when Dakota Stones and I talked about possible projects, I was thrilled when the chakra jewelry idea came up.  Happily, I’m taking the chakra challenge with my friend Jess Prill that works at Dakota Stones.  Jess is an amazing designer-you might’ve seen her pieces in Stringing Magazine.
How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog6DS sent this beautiful set of gems–If you are curious about what each stone aids in, read the blog post at Dakota Stones here.  I’ll put links to each stone on the DS site at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog15I started with a crystal fan pendant from Dakota.  These things are radiant and I love how crystal clear they are.  Seems like a good start for aligning those chakras right?
How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog2Next I strung the gems in the appropriate order, peppered with Tierra Cast double hole spacer beads.  By the way, I’m using .024, 49 strand gold Beadalon wire.  When working with gems, it’s a good idea to use thicker wire—plus, I love seeing the thick wire connections.
How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog16Zip it all up with a little bit of round leather (this is 2mm diameter).  Here’s how:
How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog3That’s another Tierra Cast bead which is key in holding the clasp in place.
How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog4Use a touch of Loctite gel on either side and slide the bead into place. Keep a piece of paper nearby to grab the extra adhesive that oozes out.
How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog13That’s all there is to it.  I can’t wait to take it for a test drive.  And when I’m not wearing it, I’ll keep it on my dresser where I can see it daily (always a good reminder to take a breath and slow down, be grateful).
How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog8Do you follow CandieCooper.com on Facebook? I’ve been doing live videos there.  This week I will feature a quick 5-minute chakra piece and give away the gems to make it.How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog11How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog7How to Make Chakra Jewelry with Dakota Stones on Candie Cooper's blog12Be sure to check out my chakra partner in crime Jess Prill’s piece on the Dakota blog here.

Visit Dakota Stones for the best gems on the web–I’ve been a long time fan of their products and am thrilled they’re going to sponsor a few days here on the blog!

Chakra Stones used above–

 

Thank You!

Behind the scenes with Candie Cooper and BeadalonJust wanted to drop a note of thanks for checking in on my blog.  I love making these tutorials for you.  I’ve been making jewelry since 6th grade–and it is you that allows me to continue that passion.  For that, I am so thankful.

Many of you make things with your kids and grandkids and I want to especially thank you for sharing that gift with children.  We know the power of making something with our hands and the benefits that come from it–thank you for passing that down to our youth.

Lucky Wire Wrapped DIY Pendant

This post is brought to you by BEADALON–makers of great jewelry findings and tools.
Make a wire wrapped pendant with Beadalon Artistic 22g. wire and chainThis pendant.  I’ve worn it every other day since I made it.
Candie Cooper DIY Jewelry projectsThis morning I was watching GMA and they were making dinners that cost $5.   (or really close if you play your coupon cards right).  It’s just as good, right?

Now I bring you the $5 DIY jewelry edition.  You ready?
DIY Jewelry Making project. Easy wire wrapped pendant with crystal rondellesI’m using a dollar strand of beads, Beadalon’s antique brass chain, a retainer ring from the hardware store (look for it in the washer/bolt section of the store), 20g. antique brass colored Artistic Wire, a couple jump rings and that’s all.
Bead stringing on wire for wire wrapped pendantString a row of 20 to 25 beads onto the Artistic Wire.  It’s definitely better to have more so you can wrap your heart out.
Best wire for jewelry making Artistic Wire from BeadalonArtistic Wire for jewelry making and crafts comes in every color under the rainbow.  If you’re making this project with tweens, I would work with 22g. vs. the 20g. so it’s extra easy to wrap.
How to make a wire wrapped pendant with Beadalon wireHere’s a closer peek at the retainer ring.  This thing is made of steel so you’ll need to rub it with some beeswax or spray it with a lacquer so it doesn’t rust–I learned this from the master of steel wrangling, Brenda Schweder.

Secure your wire with a couple wraps.
How to make jewelry with supplies from the hardware store using Beadalon Artistic WireSlide a bead next to the retainer ring and make a full wrap.
How to make easy jewelry with supplies from the hardware store and Beadalon Artistic wireRepeat.  Repeat. Repeat.  Each bead is separated with a full wrap of wire to help with spacing.
Beadalon jewelry making tutorialAnchor the wire the same as when we started with a few wraps.  This is the back side of the pendant.
Beadalon brass chain for DIY jewelry makingUse jump rings to attach the pendant to the chain.How to make jewelry with Beadalon findingsBoom.
Make a wire wrapped pendant with Beadalon Artistic 22g. wire and chainDonesies.

A little design tip after wearing this necklace a few thousand times.  Leaving it long is awesome, but if it’s too long, you can make an overhand knot so it hangs shorter–like we used to with super long strands of pearls found in grandma’s closet.
The best winter boots and Candie Cooper DIY JewelryI don’t know about you, but we are in the thick of winter and I need all the instant gratification I can get.  This necklace fits the bill.

Until next time, stay warm and visit Beadalon.com for the goods!

I’m Teaching at Beads of Courage Bracelet Event

Beads of Courage Bracelet EventDo you live in Tucson or will be there for the big gem dance?  Come to the Beads of Courage Bracelet Making Party with Katie Hacker!  This is an amazing fundraiser for Beads of Courage which provides kids with beads that are battling cancer.  Not heard of BOC?  Watch this video about it on CBS Sunday Morning to learn more.

I’ll be teaching for one of the sponsors, JesseJamesBeads.com.  Lots of my favorite jewelry supply companies are also sponsoring bracelet make and takes like Beadalon, LeatherCord USA, Tierra Cast and Sizzix.Beads of Courage Bracelet Making Night FundraiserThis is the bracelet you can make using Jesse James Beads.

The event is Feb. 3rd and the cost is $50 AND you get to make 5 bracelets.  5 bracelets!!  Plus food and drinks are provided.  I know it’s going to be a rip-roaring, good time.

Register here

I really would love to meet you in person!

Eden: Gemstone Necklace with Round Braided Leather

This post brought to you by LeatherCordUSA.comDIY multi-strand gemstone necklace with LeatherCordUSA.com thick braided leather elementIt’s raining here today.  This doesn’t bother me in the slightest when I have the joy of staying inside and making jewelry.

Yesterday was gorgeous.  Today it’s overcast and drizzly.  Yin and Yang.

So with this gray day, I’m presenting a piece that is lush in gems and texture.Round braided leather comes in a ton of finishes and sizes from LeatherCordUSA.comIt started with a pile of this unique round braided bolo leather from LeatherCordUSA.com.  I can’t tell you how much I’m intrigued with this stuff.  It comes in different finishes and diameters.  Really really amazing quality.Round braided leather from LeatherCordUSA.comI opted for the natural finish for this piece.  It’s thick and perfect to support the weight of the gem section in the front.  Speaking of gems…DIY multi-strand gemstone necklace with LeatherCordUSA.com unique braided leather element--Beadalon 15 strand beading wireI’ve had these hanks of gemstones hanging in my studio for two years.  They were inexpensive so I bought a lot.  The time had come to use them and as is because the odd bead shapes together made my eyes happy. The only thing was I felt it needed a tiny bit of contrast yet something to unify the group so I added tiny copper colored rondelles to each strand.Beading tip from CandieCooper.comI used Beadalon gold 15 strand beading wire so it blended with the stone colors, then crimped them to a wrapped wire loop with #1 crimp beads.DIY multi-strand gemstone necklace with LeatherCordUSA.com unique braided leather element, good for layeringThen I strung the large bead cone onto the wire with a few beads and finished with a wrapped loop.  Nice and tidy.DIY Jewelry Making Gemstone necklace with LeatherCordUSA.com leather elementNothing but colorful goodness.DIY Jewelry Making--use a toggle clasp ring for a connection.Once you have the gemstone section secured, cut the leather to the desired size and glue end caps to the Glue and Go findings.  I removed the clasp that came with the end findings and connected it to toggle rings which were then connected to the bead cones to create a decorative element.Eden necklace with gemstones and LeatheCordUSA round braid tutorial from Candie CooperDIY multi-strand gemstone necklace with LeatherCordUSA.com unique braided leatherDIY multi-strand gemstone necklace with LeatherCordUSA.com thick braided leather elementMy plan is to wear this as a layering necklace.  I will create some shorter chain and pendant pieces to go with it.

Visit LeatherCord USA for more inspiring leather jewelry ideas.