This post is brought to you by BEADALON–makers of great jewelry findings and tools.
This pendant.  I’ve worn it every other day since I made it.
This 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?
I’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.
String 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.
Artistic 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.
Here’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.
Slide a bead next to the retainer ring and make a full wrap.
Repeat.  Repeat. Repeat.  Each bead is separated with a full wrap of wire to help with spacing.
Anchor the wire the same as when we started with a few wraps.  This is the back side of the pendant.
Use jump rings to attach the pendant to the chain.Boom.
Donesies.

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.
I 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!