I've wanted to foray into jewelry-making before (anyone remember these?), but I was a bit limited by lack of tools and lack of inspiration.
Crafting confessions: I almost never wore either of these pieces. There are some times when you make something and you're just super-proud, but then a few days later you look again and realize it's...not that great. We've all been there.
But I'm actually reasonably certain that the necklaces I made this time will continue to be used! Score one victory for me!
The first I made was based on this tutorial. Absolutely gorgeous. I'd previously gone to Michael's and arbitrarily bought a couple strings of beads, being too silly to try and figure out how many I actually needed. Turns out, I had only purchased about half of what was necessary. But no matter, let's just shrink it down!
Shock and amazement, it actually turned out super pretty. (apologies for sad quality photos)
This used 28 beads instead of the 55 called for in the tutorial.
I was a little intimidated by having to use eye pins and head pins for the first time, but it was surprisingly easy. I need to get a second pair of pliers though. Pinching on to those jump rings kills the fingers!
The second necklace began as one of these super cheap "pearl" necklaces I'd bought for a buck each:
Using this tutorial as a guide, I started adding on a bunch of individual and doubled up beads (one head pin even has 3 beads on it...still deciding if I like it or not). Et voila!
So I'm pretty happy!
And then inspiration struck! Who ever said that even statement necklaces need to be worn alone?
I actually really like this combination, and I fully intend to wear these necklaces together someday! What do you guys think? Is this something you would try?
If any readers have been teetering on the fence about experimenting with jewelry-making, I totally recommend it. It's a lot easier than I was afraid it would be. Just make sure you have the right tools. :)
I'd love to hear any thoughts, opinions, and advice! Please share!
Thanks for reading!
-Annie
I tend to do that too. Make something I'm proud of but realize later it's not all that great. I used to make earrings, bracelets, and necklaces out of beads and chain mail. It was an enjoyable hobby, but I never did wear them.
ReplyDeleteThe blue necklace is very pretty. Is it heavy? The green one reminds me of bubbles. And green grapes.
I think they both look the most aesthetically pleasing when worn individually. Together, it looks a bit too busy, and it also tends to be a bit harder to pair it with the correct clothing colors. There's also the clash of colors, shapes, and style between the two beads. Whereas one is sophisticated and refined, the other seems a bit more fun and quirky. But individually, they're really beautiful :)
The blue one is a touch on the heavy side, yes. The original tutorial used twice as many beads, and the writer emphasized that it was a pretty darn heavy piece. So I'm glad I cut it down.
DeleteThanks for your input about wearing them together. I do like experimenting with pairing different styles, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
Thanks for reading!