Now Watch Me Whip…This Wire Pendant Up

This post brought to you by Beadalon.com–maker of jewelry findings in all types and metal colors.
DIY jewelry Making Wire Wrapped Horn Pendant with chainRemember that pendant I made a couple weeks ago with the wire piece from the hardware store?

Meet it’s new BFF.

DIY bead wrapped horn pendant. Wearing multiple necklaces in fashionThe idea of wearing these chains together was a coincidence.  I had the first two pendants on when we shot the tutorial.  Naturally, I needed this statement horn piece to complete the look.

Can you say, power play?DIY jewelry making toolsI’m using Beadalon’s new bail making pliers at in this tutorial.  More on those later, plus:

Beadalon bail making pliers tool for wire wrappingSo first, make a loop using the bail making pliers.  The thing I like about these pliers is that they are not conical like round nose pliers.  This makes it easy to get consistent size loops every….single….time!  And that makes me happy!
Horn necklaceLoop in the horn pendant.How to make jewelry with beads and wireGrab the chain nose pliers and hold the loop while you wrap the extra wire.
How to make a perfect wrapped bead link in jewelry makingString some unique beads…
Artistic Wire for making wrapped bead link jewelryand make a 90-degree bend just above the last bead.
DIY jewelry-Beadalon bail making pliersUse the large section on the bail making pliers and wrap the wire up and around.How to make a Wire wrapped bead linkNow wrap the extra wire above the last bead.
DIY wire wrapped jewelry with Beadalon bail making pliersSo easy!
DIY jewelry with wireCut away any extra wire with the flush cutters.
Wire Wrapped beads DIY pendantHave I ever told you that I think there should be no spacer beads left behind?  That’s my philosophy–I think beads look so nice in a spacer bead frame.
DIY jewelry Making Wire Wrapped Horn Pendant and brass chainjpegThread the chain through the wire loop.
DIY jewelry Making Wire Wrapped Horn Pendant -- how to link chainDetermine the length of the necklace that you want, open a link and connect the ends–No clasp needed.DIY jewelry Making Wire Wrapped Horn Pendant with brass chainDIY jewelry Making Wire Wrapped Horn Pendant with chains from Candie CooperThat’s all there is to it!  Let me know if you decide to try those bail pliers!

Have a great weekend!

Red Carpet Ready–A Blog Hop Featuring FAB DIY Earrings

File Feb 15, 9 28 22 PMHey everybody, I’m throwing an impromptu party to celebrate the upcoming Oscars!  You’re invited to add links to your DIY red carpet-worthy earrings this coming Thursday here on my blog.

I’m a big movie and fashion fan and this is one tv night I don’t miss.  Join me for this hop!  It’s easy!

When:  Feb. 18th, 2016 (this Thursday)

How:  Pop over to this page http://candiecooper.com/blog 8AM EST (or after) and insert your link!

Then: comment on others links and share on your social media channels so others can enjoy the partyRed Carpet Ready Blog Hop on Candie Cooper's blog

Also:  Feel free to use the image in your shout outs!  Share with others <3!

I’ve been noticing a lot of petite elongated, designs on the awards shows and this was the inspiration for the hop.  I’ll be posting my project on Wednesday night to kick the link-up party off on Thursday morning–8AM EST.

See you there, party people!!

Whipped Buttercream Frosting Leather Jewelry Idea

Easy Jewelry Making with leathercordUSA leather from Candie CooperThis post is brought to you by LeatherCordUSA.com.LeatherCordUSA color inspiration for January 2016

Leather Cord USA sent a box of goodies recently with all kinds of color palette ideas for the next few months.  Sign up for their newsletter to get inspiration like this delivered right to your inbox (the sign-up box is at the bottom of their home page).

January’s pallet is all about butter and mushroom colors.  I love both.

Hungry yet?  Me too.
Jar of vintage crystals color inspiration

Mixing and matching the leathers, I started seeing this color combination everywhere.  On bananas, when the sun hits the porch walls just right, and in this jar of crystals I’ve had on my shelf for years.Leather Cord for Jewelry Making -all colors from LeatherCordUSA.comThis is my swirl of favorites.  Yum.  Swirl.  This is the moment I saw buttercream frosting.  Paging Cinnabon.  Come in Cinnabon.  Did I mention I’m trying to get off the bread and carbs?  That’s another story for another day.

I’m only using the round leather cords from LeatherCord USA in 1 and 1.5mm diameters for these projects.  This is the simplicity that I love when it comes to using leather in jewelry making.  Pick your favorite colors and go!
DIY leather earringsThe first idea I had was to make some earrings using those funky fold over end findings (get them at Hobby Lobby) and delicate shell bead dangles.How to use fold over end findings for leather in jewelry making tipSimply cut your leather so one piece is 3 and one is 3.5 inches long, string some beads and set the ends inside the finding.  Use chain nose pliers to roll the ends over.  Connect to ear wires and add beaded dangles.  I’ve ironed out the kinks so I think you can knock these out in 30 minutes.DIY Jewelry Making Gold and leather braceletThe second idea I want to share uses the super skinny macaroni-sh shaped beads strung onto the leather to make a bracelet (also from Hobby Lobby).  I really loved how this instantly gave it a chic feel.  Cut ends at an angle so they fit nicely in the end finding from LeatherCord USACut the leather at an angle so it nestles nicely in the LeatherCord USA Glue and Go end finding (see foreground).Use Loctite glue gel for leather jewelry makingUse Loctite gel to glue it in one end.  Check the fit and make adjustments.  Glue the second side.

Tip:  Leave one or two strands out and use a toothpick to pry open a spot or two so you can put them right where you want them.DIY Leather and gold jewelry making idea using leathercordusa.com leatherThat’s really all there is to it.  Shout out to my vintage picnic basket for making the perfect surface to shoot this on.
Easy Jewelry Making with leathercordUSA leather from Candie CooperThis set is going to get me through winter.  Sunny days ahead people!

Check out LeatherCordUSA.com for more beautiful leathers and ideas.

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.

Bluebird of Happiness Necklace

Blue Bird of Happiness Necklace from Candie CooperHave you ever started making something and you don’t know what you’re doing or where you’re going, but you just dig in?  That’s how this necklace came to be.  I made it on the show floor in Tucson two years ago (the first year I worked with JesseJamesBeads.com).  I had just read the Happiness Project book by Gretchen Rubins.

Happiness.

I’m no stranger to soul searching, contemplating (ok, over-thinking sometimes) and trying to figure out what really makes me happy.  As someone with a diagnosed mild to moderate anxiety disorder (aka worry wort), I think this comes with the territory.
Candie Cooper Blue Bird of HappinessBack to simply digging in on this necklace, I think it’s kind of a metaphor of my happiness: Stop talking and thinking about it and just dig in.  Choose to do what makes me happy.
Blue Bird of Happiness Necklace by CandieCooper.com

And that’s the cool thing about jewelry—it serves as a reminder.  In Gretchen’s book, she talks about having a bluebird of happiness reminder (paper weight, I think).  This is mine.  I wear it because it makes me happy, as a shield (you will not steal my joy) and when it’s not being worn I hang it up where I can see it.

 

Tassels from Woman Shops World on Etsy

Large Beads from JesseJamesBeads.com

New Kids Jewelry Craft Videos Available Now!

kids jewelry craft ideaYou guys know I have a passion for teaching children how to make things–jewelry especially because I started making it in sixth grade!  That was practically yesterday (cough-cough, eye roll).

I’m excited to announce one of my new videos with Interweave called Rainy Day Projects:  Bead Crafts with Kids.  These videos take you step by step how to make three projects as well as give you ideas for choosing materials and avoiding craft fails. kids jewelry craft ideaEven though the projects are geared towards kids, I think you might want to make a couple of the projects yourself!  Macrame bracelets with buttons, hammered pendants, and rubber band and bead bracelets.

We all know the pressures that kids are under these days and I always think it’s a good idea to encourage making things with their hands.  Allowing children to be creative, make their own color choices in a positive environment also helps boost their self-esteem.  It’s good for everyone.  I could go on, but I’ll get off my soap box here.kids jewelry craft ideaI hope you’ll check it out at the Interweave Store here.  Thanks in advance 😉

The Leather Scout Bracelet

This post brought to you by LeatherCordUSA.com.
Jewelry Making-leather stitched bracelet on @candiecooper blogGood morning, campers!  Autumn is here and the mornings are brisk, making that hot coffee taste extra amazing.  I call this the scout bracelet because of the colors, textures and the fact that it seems kind of multi-purpose:  you can wear it as a bracelet, a necklace, or tie the tent pulls together (you know, if you need too).
LeatherCord USA leatherWhere do you find inspiration?  For me, it’s often in the materials.  I was collecting and gathering things around my studio to use with the LeatherCord USA  suede and 10mm wide deertan lace.  It comes in a ton of colors, but this green and brown combo was perfect for a fall statement bracelet.
Jewelry Making  Stitching on leather - Steampunk JeweleryI really didn’t want to cut this nice long piece of lace so the first thing I did was experiment with stitching the two leather types together.  The pair has a nice contrast with the matte suede and smooth deertan lace surfaces.
Sewing on leather with LeatherCord USA strap and suedeNot going to lie—it was tricky keeping the leather and stitches in the center.  I slowed the machine to “as slow as it would go” speed.  This is an all purpose needle, but I plan to put a new one in before I start piecing fabric together again.  After a yard of sewing leather, it’s sure to be dull.
Making a leather bracelet with a rivet and buckleNot in the photo is this buckle clasp and rivet from Tierra Cast.
Riveting Leather in Jewelry MakingYou’ll need to hole punch the leather so it fits perfectly with the rivet diameter.  Put the skinny part in through the layers back to front and top with the mushroom piece.
Riveting leather together how-toI changed the buckle piece up a bit by adding the wood ring to make the bracelet a little more chunky.  Place the rivet section on top of a steel block and tap the top of the rivet with an eyelet setter or simply a plastic mallet.

Tip-seal the back side of the leather at the end with Fieblings Leather glue to keep the stitches from unraveling.
Jewelry Making-Wrap Around leather braceletWrap and roll.  I love lots of wraps, but you could do a couple and trim the leather exactly how you want.
Steampunk Jewelry Idea with leatherLeather wrap around bracelet with LeatherCordUSA.com leatherDid I mention I love lots of wraps?
Steampunk Jewelry Idea-Wraparound stitched leather braceletHere’s another experiment with zig zag stitching and colorful leather.  Only a couple wraps here…and you don’t have to “walk the line” while sewing!  For the free spirits in my life.
The Scout Bracelet- Steampunk Jewelry IdeaThis would make a great steampunk jewelry accessory piece too.

Visit LeatherCord USA for great leather products and more ideas.