I'm Kind Of A Big Deal...

Art jewelry necklace with text and reproduction of a 

vintage image behind glass. 

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On My Workbench: Boho Amazonite Bracelet

A peek into my workshop...

Boho Amazonite Gemstone Bracelet

I was crazy about these small rectangular silver link findings and  faceted 
Amazonite rondelle beads. I love faceted rondelles!

I thought that together they'd make a nice combination. 
I like the way the blue-green Amazonite and the silver compliment each other. 

I decided to alternate them in a design and create a Boho style link bracelet. 

I cut 2" pieces of silver wire and using a simple wrapped loop technique, connected the beads and silver links together until I had the bracelet length that I wanted. 

Then I simply added a clasp, and it was finished!

I love the end result! 

What do you think?



Take a peek at my other workbench projects:

On My Workbench: Wire Wrapped Peace Sign Necklace

  

A peek into my workshop...

Wire Wrapped Peace Sign Necklace 

When I put the photo below up on my facebook page

Friday night, I entitled it "The Friday Night Special!"

I was playing with some fine gauge sterling silver wire before you know it, the peace sign appeared! ...I had some beads in mind that I had been in the mood to work with - mainly the small rainbow moonstones on the right.  I decided to add just 2 or 3 of them to the pendant as accents. 

Problem was, once I had the moonstones attached they faded right into the peace sign design! This would not do... so I used a Liver of Sulfur mixture to patina the silver, transforming it into a dark gray. 

This is what it looked like after I removed it from the 
patina solution.

Next I took a polishing cloth with some old silver polish
 on it and just polished it up a bit, removing some of the gray
so that you could see spots of the shiny sterling silver.

Finally finished!

My favorite finish is to show great contrast between the dark black and the shiny silver. 
I love the way this turned out! 


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On My Workbench: Dinner Knife Handle Bell Pendant Necklaces

A peek into my workshop...
Dinner butter knife handle bell pendant necklaces

What better way to upcycle family heirloom? 

These are all made from vintage & antique dinner knives.

Take a look and see how I transform antique & vintage 

silverware into one of a kind beautiful jewelry. 

Creating bell necklaces from antique dinner knives.

The sound is a delicate chime.

No two that I create are exactly alike. Each is unique!

I accent each with different beads, either a gemstone, pearl or crystal. 

(left to right: faceted amethyst, pearl, crystal, pearl, garnet, crystal)

all designs copyright � Laura Beth Love 1989 - 2013

(Click here to see the necklaces in my shop)

What do you think?

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Want to learn to make your own?
Check out my new book!

How To Make A Vintage Key Necklace DIY

A while back I posted some information on how to make necklaces with vintage and antique skeleton keys and since they are so popular I wanted to share those directions again for those who might have missed the original post and for those who have requested more information on how to make them. 

These directions are for how to make a necklace with a vintage key that is hung horizontally with a length of chain on each end of the key. 

What's fun about this project is that you can personalize your necklace by choosing your favorite color beads and gemstones to whatever you desire! That is the fun of designing; personalizing it however you like by being creative and experimenting and trying new things! 

I'm classifying this as a beginner project because there is really only one jewelry making technique that you need to know to create this necklace, and that is the wrapped loop. 
(you will find more info on how to make a wrapped loop below as you read on. I have included a link to directions for this technique for anyone who needs to lean it!)

Horizontally hung antique key necklace

Materials List 

Vintage Keys - most often found at flea markets and the like. You can also buy then on Etsy.com

 

  WD-40 and paper towels to clean up your keys and remove rust

 

  Coordinating wire: Brass or copper work well. For the necklaces shown, I used Beadalon ColourCraft Permanently Colored Copper Wire in Brown (20 gauge) and Zebra Wire Colored Copper Wire in Brown in 18, 22 and 26 gauge

 

Antique finish brass or copper chain 

  

Antique finish brass or copper jump rings 

 Antique finish brass or copper clasps 

        

A variety of gemstone and/or glass beads

Round nose pliers

Flush-cut pliers

Chain nose pliers

Before you begin:
If you find that your keys are a little rusty, spray them with WD-40 and clean well with paper towels. Because the keys I used were a nice, rusty brown, I decided to use brown colored copper wire for my necklaces. 



*NOTE: For this necklace you will need to know how to make a basic wrapped loop. This is a simple technique that is basic to jewelry making. It is easy to learn with just a little practice. If you do not know how to make a wrapped loop, directions can be found HERE


Directions

Step 1. Place key horizontally on table. Cut a 3� piece of wire and connect one end to the hole in the top of the key with a basic wrapped loop. (I used the 20 gauge wire).

   Step 2. Place a bead onto the other end of the wire and complete the end with another closed, wrapped loop.

   Step 3. Cut another 3� piece of wire and with a wrapped loop, connect one end to other, opposite end of the key, wrapping the wire around the body of the key to the inside of the key�s teeth.

   Step 4. Place a bead onto the other end of the wire and complete the end with another closed, wrapped loop.

Step 5. Continue this technique using 2.5� lengths of wire and beads, until you have the beaded look you want; In the photo above, you can see that I used three different beads on each end of the key. On the left side for the first beaded wrap that is attached to the key I put two turquoise beads together on that one wrap. On the next wrap attached to that one, I used one single bead. On the right side of the photo above, I did three wraps, each with one bead. You can do them however looks best to you! That is the fun part about designing. If you goof up, just snip your wire and cut a new piece and do it over again. *NOTE: Do NOT wrap the open end of the wire after your last bead on each end because that is where you will attach the chain (in the next step).

Step 6. Cut two lengths of chain (I used two 10� lengths of chain) and now making a loop in the wire after your last bead, thread the chain onto the loop and wrap the end. Repeat with other side. Your lengths of chain are now attached to each side of your necklace.

 Step 7. Attaching the clasp: At the end of each length of your chain you will attach your clasp. For this style necklace I used a basic lobster claw style clasp. Use a jump ring to attach the clasp to one side of your chain and complete the other side of your chain with another jump ring. You are finished!

Lobster-claw style clasp

A different color combination: Citrine and Honey Jade

Pink Rhodonite gemstone beads



If you have any questions, feel free to post them below. 

What do you think?



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