Scenic Drive Stone Slab Necklace

Full Disclosure:  I work with Beadalon and LeatherCord USA.  They are sponsoring this post.  All opinions are mine.
Stone Slab Necklace PendantThis stone slab pendant (here me sigh a sigh of aw).

One of the women in this week’s Facebook Live video said it was picture Jasper.  I believe it because each one is a landscape painting, a forrest, the painted dessert or whatever you see ….
Stone Slab Necklace Flat Wire ConnectionI wire wrapped leather lace with Beadalon’s flat Artistic Wire.  So easy!  Simply make your leather link, then wrap the middle with the flat wire, crimping it with chain nose pliers in between each wrap to cinch it.
Stone Slab Necklace Pendant DetailLittle knots give the ends of the leather a finished look.
Stone Slab Necklace Pendant connection

Materials list:

Beadalon flat artistic wire, 3mm width

Leathercord USA deertan lacing, 1/8″ width

Picture jasper pendant:  etsy.com/shop/candiecooper

Watch the live video recap here and join me almost daily at 2:30 EST for the Candie Cooper Facebook Live Show featuring easy DIY jewelry making ideas.

Ride ‘Em Cowgirl! Make an Inlaid Leather Cuff Bracelet

This post is sponsored by leathercord USA–all thoughts and opinions are mine.DIY Leather Jewelry Making: How to make a cuff bracelet with inlaid leather on Candie Coopers blog1Saddle up, cowgirls and boys because I’ve got a saucy DIY leather cuff bracelet I think you’re going to love.  It uses leathercord USA’s braid, round and bolo leathers which are set down in a silver cuff.  It doesn’t take too long to make, but you do need a touch of patience because super glue dries fast and there are a lot of cords to keep organized.

Ok?  That’s your warning.DIY Leather Jewelry Making: How to make a cuff bracelet with inlaid leather on Candie Coopers blog12Meet the natural dyed leather look from leathercord USA.  It is my very favorite because the dye is more transparent.  I always love using earthy brights in my jewelry and these leather cords fit the bill.  When you visit the lcusa website, look for the word “natural” in front of the color.DIY Leather Jewelry Making: How to make a cuff bracelet with inlaid leather on Candie Coopers blog11Select a couple round cords (1 to 1.5 diameter), bolo cord (3mm), and flat braid (3 strand-2mm) in colors that make your heart sing.  The cuff blank you can get from me–two sizes large and small. Email or comment for details!  To prep the cuff, I used my chain nose pliers to open up the little ridge of metal so I could push the cords down in.DIY Leather Jewelry Making: How to make a cuff bracelet with inlaid leather on Candie Coopers blog10You can lay out your leather cording or you can wing it like I did.  I actually think I got very lucky how well these fit down in the recessed silver cuff area.  Use your trusty Loctite Gel Adhesive to secure the leather jewelry cords to the silver cuff blank.DIY Leather Jewelry Making: How to make a cuff bracelet with inlaid leather on Candie Coopers blog9Press and hold the cords down a bit in between–this is where you need the patience because sometimes the glue oozes out and you have to be quick!DIY Leather Jewelry Making: How to make a cuff bracelet with inlaid leather on Candie Coopers blog8Trim the cords and put some glue down in, behind the silver flap, and tuck them in.

It was at this point where I thought to myself, I think I was a little inspired by my skirt!  Haha. And that I have a pink problem–it’s a go to color as of late. This was a super fun project loaded with instant gratification.

Be sure to visit leathercord USA to check out the natural dyed leather lines and style for all your jewelry making needs. leathercord USA to check out the natural dyed leather lines and style for all your jewelry making needs. DIY Leather Jewelry Making: How to make a cuff bracelet with inlaid leather on Candie Coopers blog7DIY Leather Jewelry Making: How to make a cuff bracelet with inlaid leather on Candie Coopers blog3DIY Leather Jewelry Making: How to make a cuff bracelet with inlaid leather on Candie Coopers blog4DIY Leather Jewelry Making: How to make a cuff bracelet with inlaid leather on Candie Coopers blog2DIY Leather Jewelry Making: How to make a cuff bracelet with inlaid leather on Candie Coopers blog5

Moonlit Owl – DIY Leather Bracelet

This post brought to you by LeatherCord USA.DIY owl bracelet with LeatherCordUSA leatherWe’ve had a break in the weather today—-perfect for you know what this weekend!  Yes!  A cozy fire in our new fire pit.Fire pitSitting around a fire in nature is so restorative for my soul (not to sound dramatic, haha).  I just love the ambience of it: the sounds, being outside, toasty hoodies…. We like to make sandwiches and treats in our pie irons for these winter picnics.  It is these simple pleasures that make life sweet.

Today’s project is brought to you by LeatherCord USA.com  I put this little DIY owl bracelet on my Instagram feed (@candiecooper if you want to see behind the scenes in real time) and had a few people ask about buying it!  I love that.  I’ve worn it a few times and gotten compliments too so I think it’s worth sharing so you can make your own.

DIY owl bracelet with LeatherCordUSA natural blue round leatherThe secret is having large holed beads that work perfectly with the 1.5 diameter natural blue round leather cord.  You can braid and weave the leather easily through beads like this to get a solid look.  These beads are from Tierra Cast and the owl from Green Girls Studio.File Feb 19, 3 11 04 PMOnce you get the beads in place, it’s time to CAREFULLY measure.  Michelle at leatherCord USA and I have a joke about measuring many times before cutting–somehow we always make things too small.  I want to show you a trick so you can get yours to fit just right.

Do as I say…not as I do. Haha.Glue and Go leather jewelry finding from LeatherCordUSA.comThese are leatherCord USA’s Glue and Go findings.  They come in all different diameters, styles, and metal colors.  The key to sizing your bracelet is remembering to account for the recessed area inside the finding.Using Glue and Go findings from LeathercordUSA.comMeasure this piece end to end and subtract it from your finished bracelet size, then add 1/2″ (1/4″ on each side) for the recessed areas and this is what length you should cut your leather pieces.

Clear as mud right?DIY owl bracelet with LeatherCordUSA leather -gluing leatherYou can always shave a little off at a time and test the fit as you go.DIY owl bracelet with LeatherCordUSA leather on Candie Cooper's blogWhen you’re positive you have the right length, use the Loctite Adhesive to glue the ends in.DIY Jewelry making Leather Owl braceletThe natural leather finishes are some of my very favorites.  With the earthy fashions this spring, these leather cords for jewelry making are going to be hot!  You’ll find them on this page at the bottom of the color chart–look for natural before the color name.

Get fine leather and the special Glue and Go findings from leatherCordUSA.com.

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.

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.

DIY Printed Leather Jewelry Idea

This post brought to you by LeatherCord USA.DIY Jewelry Making Printed Leather Bracelet from Candie Cooper and LeatherCordUSA.comThe other day I was walking out to the car and I heard a new, but old familiar sound—leaves crunching under my feet.  Persimmons are also dropping all over the yard.  They are a really pretty orange color (not so pretty when mashed under your favorite cowboy boots, but….).  The crisp mornings just make that coffee taste better and better and I find myself gearing up for pumpkin decorating and trips to the orchard.  Are you finding yourself inspired by the colors and feelings that fall brings?LeatherCord USA Beautiful printed leather for jewelry makingHere are some printed stitched leather pieces I brought home from my LeatherCord USA visit.  The texture in this stuff.  I LOVE IT!  It also comes in a beautiful palette of colors.  Click the link above to see all of them.Large Clasp from JesseJamesBeads.com for printed leather from LeatherCordUSA.comI’m using an extra wide magnetic clasp so I can fit a whopping seven cords in it.  Play around with the order of your cords so you get it just right.Cutting printed leather from LeatherCordUSA.comDetermine the fit and then cut the cords with wire cutters or a razor blade.  Glue the leather in the magnetic clasp finding like usual using the Loctite Gel adhesive.  Can you tell I really love this technique?!  It’s new to me and I’m ready to take on the world.  For reals.  What else can we glue leather onto?Making Leather Jewelry with printed leather from LeatherCordUSA.comIt’s perfectly beautiful like this, I think.  But, just for fun, I wanted to play with some of these large holed beads I found at Michaels.Large holed beads from @MichaelsStoresI love the metal finishes with the center beads, but felt like it conflicted with all the leather colors.Printed leather from Leather Cord USAInstead, I opted to slide the bead/bail pieces on, one or two per leather strand.Printed Leather from LeatherCord USA with Swarovski charmsI then connected a leaf charm and Swarovski dangle to the bail piece with a jump ring.  This was nice because it added some movement (and sparkle!).DIY Leather Jewelry idea from @candiecooper using printed leatherJust a really beautiful addition to your fall wardrobe and easy to create.

*Leather and adhesive from LeatherCordUSA.com

*Beads and charms from Michaels craft store

*Magnetic Clasp from JesseJamesBeads.com

DIY Leather Jewelry

This post brought to you by LeatherCord USA.DIY Leather Jewelry with chunky wood chain  LeatherCordUSA.comLet the good times roll for it is THE weekend!

High fives!  WE made it!

How about another quickie project featuring LeatherCord USA Leather Strap and Bolo cord?LeatherCord USA Leather StrapLeather strap is the main part of this project and LeatherCord USA makes it in a ton of colors.  That’s one of the reasons I love these guys.  For this project I played with the metallic “Kansa” color.  It’s a stiffer leather and softens the more you wear it (like all leather).

LeatherCord USA DIY Jewelry Making with Leather Strap and Bolo Cord MaterialsThese are the basic materials.  Pretty simple:

Leather Strap in Kansa

4mm Bolo Cord in Kansa

Chunky wood chain (or any large link chain)

Adhesive

Somewhere in my excitement I forgot to put the bolo cord into the shot.  I used round cord and the Glue and Go clasp pictured for the pink bracelet variation.LeatherCord USA DIY Jewelry Making  Connecting  Strap to Wood ChainThis is so easy.  I think I’m in love.  The first thing you do is cut the chain with heavy duty wire snips to the desired length.  Then figure out how long you want the strap, add a couple inches and cut.

Thread the strap through one end of the chain and fold it over one inch.LeatherCord USA DIY Jewelry Making  with Leather StrapAdd a drop or two of glue and use clothespins to hold it together while the glue sets up (like in the previous photo).LeatherCord USA DIY Jewelry Making  Metallic Bolo Cord and StrapWrap a few inches of bolo cord around the connection area to add a little something.  You know!  Use the same glue and clips to hold it in place while it dries.  Trim any excess bolo cord after it dries.DIY wood and leather chain necklaceDIY Jewelry Making  LeatherCord USA  Leather and Wood Chain necklace from Candie CooperDIY Leather Strap bracelet  LeatherCord USA  CandieCooper.comJust for fun, you can make a bracelet with pretty much this same technique.  I used the round cord to create a spiral knot instead of wrapping it with bolo cord.  Here’s a link to a spiral knot tutorial from LeatherCord USA.  If you love that clasp–there’s a link to it up in the materials.

Happy weekending y’all!