This video tutorial will show you step-by-step how to make your own unique jewelry findings.  You can then use your headpins to make jewelry, such as earrings.

After you make your headpins, you can click here to go to a video tutorial on how to make dangle earrings.

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Need to get some basics on how to wire wrap?  Learn the skills while making projects in Wire Wrapping For Beginners.  Now you can order the print version or the digital version.

Click here for more about the digital version and to purchase for instant download.

Click here for a sample and to learn more about the print version.

This fun pendant is another variety the wire wrapped circle pendant that I have already shown you 2 versions of.  I love working with wire, and this tutorial will teach you some basic skills you’ll need to get started.

You can find the plain Wire Wrapped  Circle Pendant here.

Or the Wire Wrapped Circle Pendant with Beads here.

Skills that you will learn in this tutorial:

• Basic wire wrapping of a circle.
• Making a bead link.
• Making a bead dangle.

Now onto How to Make a Wire Wrapped Circle Pendant with Bead Dangles:

Materials and Tools:

• 24 gauge wire, about 2 1/2 feet
• 20 gauge wire, a short piece
• Beads.  I used 4 smaller beads and one larger bead
• Headpins, 1 for each of the dangle beads
• A jump ring
• Wire cutters
• Round nose pliers
• 2 pairs of pliers, I used bent nose and needle nose
• Something to wrap around – I used a ring mandrel, but you could use a highlighter or big marker or anything that’s the size you want your pendant to be.

Step #1

Cut about 2 1/2 feet of wire.

Step #2

Wrap the wire around your ring mandrel (or highlighter or whatever you’re using to wrap around) approximately 6 times.

Step #3

Carefully remove the wire from the mandrel, holding the loops together so they don’t lose their shape.

On the end of the wire that is part of the loop (not the long end of the wire), I like to bent up so it’s easy to find.  Then wrap the long end of the wire around the loop wire, making sure to capture the other end in the wire.

Wrap around several times until it’s secure and you like how it looks.

Step #4

Clip off the short end you bent up.

Hint: 

If at any time your circles start to loose their shape, just slide it back on your ring mandrel.

Step #5

Grasp the wire between the barrels of round nose pliers close to the circle.  Wrap the wire toward you, around the barrel of the round nose plier, between the pliers and the pendant.

Step #6

This will – no doubt – create a crooked loop on the top of your pendant.  Use pliers to straighten out the loop so it’s centered on the top of the pendant.

Step #7

Hold the loop you just made with pliers and continue wrapping the wire around the loop in the same direction that you started with your first loop.

Trim off any excess wire.

Step #8

Now we’re going to make the bead link for the focal bead of this piece.  Cut off a piece of 20 gauge wire.  (How long depends upon your bead size.)

Make a wire wrapped loop on one end, just like you did for the pendant.  Hold the wire in round nose pliers.

Step #9

Bend the wire towards you.

Step #10

Wrap around one barrel of the pliers and then around the wire one time.

Step #11

Take the wire off the pliers.  Use your pliers to straighten the loop and make sure the first wrap is straight, too.

Step #13

Hold the loop in pliers.  Continue to wrap a few times in the same direction of your first wrap.

Step #14

Pull the wire off the pliers and trim any excess wire.

Step #15

Slide the bead on and repeat for the loop on the other side.  Make sure the loops are going in the same direction.

Step #16

Now we’re going to make bead dangles to hang from that focal bead.

Slide a bead onto a headpin.

Step #17

Begin to make a wire wrapped loop.  Wrap the head pin around the pliers and between the bead and pliers.

Do not complete a wrap!

Step #18

Make sure your loop is straight.  Then place the bead dangle on one loop of the focal bead.

Step #19

Then complete the wrap exactly as before.

I made 4 dangles for my pendant.

Step #20

Attach the beads to the wire wrapped circle using a jump ring.

Step #21

Put your pendant on your favorite chain or cord and it’s done!

I hope you like this tutorial!  Please leave any questions or comments below, or link to a photo of your creation!

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Sometimes I feel a little burned out.  I feel tired and stuck.  I have something that I know I want to create, but I just can’t quite figure it out.

I think we all get that way, whether we feel we are creative or not.

Yesterday I felt that way.  I couldn’t exactly find my focus and I was trying to push myself to find it.

Then I watched these Creativi – Tea videos about your inner artist by Jani Franck.  Then I took a nap and while falling asleep I sort of daydreamed about the solution to my problem.  (Honestly, I didn’t particularly come up with anything while I was daydreaming.)

Then I took a short walk to a little park nearby.  I took a bunch of photos and made a video about it:

After the walk I pulled out a sketchpad and some sharpies and brainstormed ideas.

I had so many ideas and the solution to my creative problem!

Here’s why I think it worked:

• Jani is amazing and inspiring.  
• I was exhausted.  So I took a nap.  While falling asleep I focused on the problem and maybe my subconscious started to work it out.
• I got out of my normal environment (the walk.)
• My normal medium, as you know, is jewelry.  I do often journal and I often take photos, too. However, this time (and I think Jani mentioned this) I was thinking about the actual feeling — the sense of touch.  How the camera shutter felt when I took the photos.  How the sharpies felt on the sketch paper.  Somehow that also opened my mind up.  Plus just doing something outside your norm can help shake you up creatively.

Are you struggling with something right now?  Feeling burned out?  Feel like you’re missing   something creatively.  Try one of the options I did.  Take a walk, take a nap, daydream, grab some markers or colored pencils and give it a try.

And that thing that I mentioned I’m creating?  It’s a gift for you!  I’ll be working on it.  Make sure you’re the first to know when it’s done!  Pop your email in the box below to join my exclusive mailing list:

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This pendant provides so much opportunity for creativity!  You can use whatever beads you like and arrange them in whatever why you like.  I used gemstone chips, which look very cool, but cheerfully colored seed beads would work great, too, or really any beads you would like.

I used my ring mandrel to make the circle, but you can use anything you can find around the house – a broom handle, a highlighter, a thick marker, etc.

I also want to make this pendant much larger and I was thinking about wrapping around a tin can to make a larger circle.

Let’s get started!

Materials and Tools:

• 24 gauge wire.  (You can try other gauges, but I found that this gauge works perfectly for this project.)
• 25-30 gemstone chip beads, or you can try any beads, really
• Wire Cutters
• Round nose pliers
• Chain nose or flat nose pliers
• Optional:  Bent nose pliers

How to Make this Pendant:

Step #1

Cut off about 2 1/2 – 3 feet of 24 gauge wire

Step #2

Slide 25 – 30 beads on the wire (you can always remove some or add some later if necessary.

HINT:  I just bent the wire on the end to hold all the beads on while I worked.

Step #4

Start at the end with no beads and start to wrap the wire around your ring mandrel, highlighter, etc.

As you are wrapping, pull beads up  into each loop as you go.  I wrapped around 6 times and had 4 – 5 beads on each loop.  The placement of the beads on the loop doesn’t really matter right now, but just make sure that you somewhat evenly space the beads on each wrap.

Step #5

Carefully pull the wire off, trying to keep the wire in its shape.

Step #6

The end that you started wrapping with bend up slightly so you can easily see it.  Then with the long end of the wire, wrap around the circles a few times.

Step #7

Pull up a couple of beads and continue to wrap around the circle.  Continue to pull up a couple beads and wrapping all the way around the circle.  Try to make your bead placement somewhat evenly dispersed.

HINT:  While I was wrapping around the circle, some of my wraps got a little weird.  I just took my pliers and sort of pushed them in.

HINT:  The the circle loses it’s shape at any point, just put it back on the ring mandrel to get the right shape again.

Step #8

Grasp the wire with round nose pliers close to the circles.

Step #9

Bent the wire over the round nose pliers towards you.

Step #10

Then go around the wire once.  Try to get the loop centered over the pendant, but if it’s not, you can fix it in the next step.

Step #11

Take the wire off your pliers.  Use your round nose pliers to straighten out the circle if necessary.

Step #12

Hold the loop between your chain nose or flat nose pliers.  (Or ideally, nylon covered pliers).

Continue wrapping around the wire in the same direction as you started, holding the end of your wire with bent nose or other pliers you’re comfortable with.

Step #13

Trim off any excess wire.

Step #14

As you can see, my beads are not perfectly even, but I still love my pendant!  I want to make them to match each of my outfits!

I slide mine on a satin cord.  You could also place it on a chain or other cord.

These would make amazing earrings, too!

Please comment below if you tried this!  Better yet, take a photo and give us a link to it!

If you’re just getting started and you’re looking for beginner wire wrapping tutorials, check out my eBook (and now print book, too!!) Wire Wrapping For Beginners.  Click here to get more information.

Remember that tassel from Christmastime I showed you?  I thought it would make a unique necklace!  At first I thought I’d use wire to wrap around the tassel to hold it together, but in the end I opted for using fabric just like in the other tassel.  I think it gives it a more natural look.

Here’s how I made it (plus a bonus chain tassel tutorial, too!):

Tools and Materials:

• A variety of fabrics.  Scraps are fine, you just need to be able to make 20″-22″ x 3/4″ strips.
• Chain (I used a ball chain)
• Scissors

Step #1

Cut strips of fabric 20″ to 22″ long and 3/4″ wide.

Just snip the end and tear the fabric to create a frayed edge.

I used 4 strips, but you can experiment and make it fuller if you like.

Step #2

Trim so that they are all even.

Step #3

Arrange the fabric strips.  They should overlap, but have a little bit showing of each fabric.

Step #4

Fold the strips in half over the chain.

Step #5

Cut another thinner, shorter strip of fabric and tie it around the other strips under the chain.  I went around twice and tied it on the back.

Step #6

Pull the knot tight and trim off the ends.

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Chain Tassel Necklace Tutorial

Tools and Materials:

• Chain.  This is a good time to use up those scraps you have from other projects.
• Wire.  I used 22 gauge.
• Bead with a large opening or a cone bead.  Pictured is a bead with a large opening, but I ended up using a cone bead.
• Wire cutters
• Round nose pliers
• Chain nose or bent nose pliers – 2 pair in any combination.

Step #1

Cut chain into equal lengths.  I used 5 chains, a couple of them were the same, but I used different chains, too.

Step #2

Slide the chain onto the wire and bend the wire in half.  Squeeze the wire together.

Step #3

Slide the bead or cone on and push it up against the chain.

Step #4

Grasp one of the wires with round wire pliers.  Wrap around one of the barrels of the pliers and then wrap around both wires one time.

Step #5

Take the loop off the round nose pliers.  Straighten the loop.  Then hold the loop with  pliers.

Step #6

Wrap around in the same direction you started.  Then wrap the other wire around.  Trim off any excess wire and tuck in the ends

HINT:  Cut off the wire in the front.

Now you have a pendant that you can put on a chain.  I put mine on a cord.

If you liked these tutorials, you can get even more jewelry tutorials on an exclusive, password protected page that can only be accessed by my newsletter subscribers.  Put your info in the form below and get instant access.

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Have you been doubting yourself lately and been lacking self-confidence?  This reflective exercise will get you on the road to getting your self-confidence back.  (At the end there’s a PDF of the exercise so you can easily print it.)

My self-confidence is increasing.

My self-confidence is increasing as I become wiser each day. I am learning that I am intelligent and valuable. I ignore the negative things said to me by those in my past about my character and abilities. By putting aside my past, I can look at my present with objectivity.

I erase the thoughts of my past. I am now a new creation who is loved and wanted. There are talents and gifts within me that make me valuable to the world.

When I focus on the gifts that I can contribute, I feel proud of myself. I reject thoughts that entice me to compare myself with others. Comparison only causes stress and pain. Instead, I train my eyes to look for things to be thankful for.

The best way to boost my self-confidence is to surround myself with people who love me and speak positively. Negative people only bring self-doubt. I stay away from negative people to protect my mind from their comments.

I am learning to ignore the negativity around me. I shut out the voice in my head that tells me I am not good enough because I know I am more than good enough. My self-confidence increases when I recognize that my life is unique and worth far more than anything money could buy.

Today, I choose to believe in myself. I see myself through the eyes of my Creator who designed me with love and care. As I change the way I look at myself, I strengthen my confidence.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Who are my positive friends?
2. How can I train my inner voice to speak positively?
3. Why is it important to protect my ears from negativity?

My self-confidence is increasing in PDF form (click the link to open or right click and click on “save as” to save to your computer.

I recently found Kelly McCausey through a series of clicks and links that I will never remember.  Kelly is passionate about solopreneurs and has a variety of products that will blow the socks off your business.

I took her “The Power of a Focused Business” and it literally changed the focus of my business.  I’m still in the very, very beginning stages of it changing, but I know soon I will be owing her a big debt of gratitude.

I’m now taking another course from her, which is proving to be just as fantastic.

She’s the sort of teacher who kicks your butt, in the nicest way possible.  I feel motivated to do the work just because she told me to.  Also, because I know what she says works.  (And don’t get me wrong, she’s also kind and giving.)

The next Stretch Yourself Challenge is starting up at the beginning of May.  I haven’t taken this particular course (yet!) but I know anything that Kelly puts out is amazing, provides tons of education, and will kick your butt into motion.

And here’s the thing, right now it’s priced at $47.  The next time she does it (which will be in the fall) it will be $97.  (And once you pay for one of her courses, you never have to pay for it again.)

I think this is going to be great.  There are group coaching calls and a private accountability forum.

Click here to read all the details and to see if it’s right for you.

Are you going to join me?  Leave a comment below so I know to look for you!

Bent Nose Pliers

I’ll be honest.  I had these pliers for years and never really knew what they were for until a couple years ago.  I had some vague idea that they were for opening split rings, which I rarely use.

One day I was reading a jewelry tutorial and the person was using bent nose pliers just like I use my chain nose pliers.

So I tried them.  What a difference!  It’s probably my favorite tool now!

Bent nose pliers are basically like having an extra hand.  I can’t explain it.  I don’t know why, but they are.  I guess the angle or the bent-ness of them helps.

They are awesome for opening jump rings, when making wraps, basically any wire wrapping at all.  Don’t be intimidated or off put by them.  Give them a try!

Just use them in the same way you would use any other pliers.  Make sure they aren’t too small or too large for your hand and they have spring action.  You’ll use the bent up part to hold jump rings, to wrap wire, or to hold loops and wire when you’re wrapping.

For a complete list of basic tools and a brief description of what they do, head over to my Wire Wrapping Tools Basics post.  Click here.

(And if you’re interested in learning wire wrapping, try my eBook or print book Wire Wrapping For Beginners.)

How to Make a Stretchy Bracelet with Dangles and Charms

Earlier this week, I posted a tutorial on how to make a stretchy  bracelet.  Today I’ll show you how to really express yourself with some creative charms.

Tools and Materials:

• You’ll need the Stretchy Bracelet you made a couple days ago.
• Beads to match your bracelet.
• Charms
• Headpins
• Jump rings (I used 7 mm)
• Round nose pliers
• 2 pairs of needle nose, chain nose or bent nose pliers (or a combination)

Step #1

Use my Stretchy Bracelet Tutorial to make a stretchy bracelet.

Step #2

Make bead dangles.  You can watch the video here to see how to make a dangle, too.

Slide a bead onto a headpin.  I almost always use 2″ headpins.

Step #3

Grasp the head pin with your round nose pliers.  Wrap around one barrel of the pliers and around the wire once.

Step #4

Pull the dangle off the pliers and straighten the loop so it’s directly over the bead in the center.

Step #5

Hold the dangle with one pair of pliers.  Use another pair to wrap the wire around, going in the same direction of your first wrap.

Keep the wraps tight, straight and close together.

Step #6

Open a jump ring.  Opening a jump ring might be different than you think.  Grasp the jump ring on either side of the opening with 2 pairs of pliers (one pair on each side.)

Push one pair forward while pulling one pair back.  Keep the circle intact, just open it.

Step #7

Place a bead dangle on the open jump ring and then place in between 2 beads on the stretchy bracelet.

Step #8

Close the jump ring.  To do this, just do the opposite of opening a jump ring.  Go past the point of closing a couple of times and then click it into place.  You may even hear or feel a click.

Step #9

Continue adding bead dangles and charms until you’re satisfied.

For the charms, I used 2 jump rings for each charm.

Like this tutorial?  Then you’ll love my email newsletter.  Get access to an exclusive page with FREE downloadable tutorials, get updates every 1 to 2 weeks, hear about new releases first (and usually with early bird pricing!) and get even more free tutorials!  Just fill in the simple form below:

How to Have Your Own Jewelry Making Party

Want to have a great party with your favorite female friends?

Have a jewelry making party!

It’s also the perfect activity for a little girl’s birthday party!  Depending on their age you can allow them to pick out their beads and string them, and then you can help them finish the jewelry.

Here are my tips to have a jewelry party:

Step #1:  Planning

Here are some things to think about when you’re planning your party:

* What will you make?  Think about the jewelry making abilities of your friends who will be attending.  Are they already jewelry makers with their own tools?  Or are they complete newbies?  You’ll have to pick out the activity based on the skill levels.

Look through my free jewelry tutorials for ideas of things you can make.

* If no one at your party has made jewelry before you can:

• Hire someone to teach you.  (If you’re in the Lancaster, PA area, you can hire me!)
• Make something that uses minimal tools.  For example, make a Stretchy Bracelet, which takes no special tools.  Or try Glass Tile Pendants, which can be unique expressions and a beautiful reminder of the party and doesn’t take any special tools.

* Make a list of the supplies you’ll need:

• Supplies for each person for the project.
• Tools if needed.  Ask people to bring their own if they have them.
• If you’re doing a project that includes beads, get felt pieces to use a as place mat to keep the beads from rolling around.
• A little bag to take home their project in is a nice touch.  I love these cotton bags which are handmade in the U.S.A.

* Plan out your snacks and refreshments.

* You’ll need a place to sit and some sort of table for them to work on as well.  You can use your dining room table, a folding table, TV trays or any combination.

(Note:  There are places to rent if your home isn’t conducive to having a group making jewelry.  For example in my area there is the Hobby House.  You might have similar places you could rent for a few hours.)

Step #2:  Preparation

Now that you’ve planned, it’s time to start to prepare for your party.

* If you are leading the project (not hiring someone to teach), make a sample and make sure you understand the project completely so you can teach others.

* Gather and purchase the materials you’ll need.

* If possible, print instructions for each guest.  Here’s a handy PDF of the Stretchy Bracelet Tutorial if you’re going to be making that.  Click here:  Stretchy Beaded Bracelet.

* Purchase snacks.

* Gather the tables and chairs you’ll need for the party.

Step #3:  Right Before the Party

Now it’s time to set up the party.

* Set up the table and chairs and any decorations.

* Set up a place for each guest with the materials, printed instructions, felt placemat (if applicable) and anything that they need that you are providing

* Prepare and set up the snacks

Step #4:  The Party

Woo hoo!  Party time!

* Greet guests and show them to the snacks.

* Relax, have fun and make your jewelry.

I hope these simple instructions help make your next jewelry making party go smoothly.  The most important part?  Have fun!