CHAIN & MESH NECKLACE
Make this long chain and bead necklace with a mix of plastic beads and our copper mesh. The plastic beads keep the necklace from being too heavy and the length is a perfect 30 inches so you can just slip it over your head, no need for a clasp.
 
 
  You will need:
- 30 inches copper mesh
- 30 inches antique copper nautical link chain
- 2 antique copper jumprings, 7mm
- 2 antique copper knot covers
- Beads! We used 15 lucite beads from our mix ranging in size from 1/4" to 3/4"
- chain nose pliers
- scissors
- dull pencil or chop stick
 
 
     
 
 
1. Roll end of the mesh between your finger and thumb and slip it through the knot cover as shown. Knot it close to the end and trim the remainder.

2. Open the other end of the mesh with a dull pencil or a chop stick. Be careful, the mesh will run just like pantyhose (remember those?)
 
 
3. Slip in a bead and knot the mesh tightly close to the bead. Repeat until you have a 12 inch strand of knotted beads. Finish the other end with the remaining knot cover.

4. Count down 19 links from one end of the chain. Mark this link. Using chain nose pliers gently open a jump ring and attach one of the knot cover loops to the chain on this link. Count from the other end of the chain to the 19th link and attach the remaining knot cover with the remaining jump ring.
 
5. Open one link at the end of the chain and attach it to the other end of the chain. Close securely.
 
     
SWEET BUTTON EARRINGS TUTORIAL
 
What you'll need for this project:
 
How to do it:

1. Use a small dot of the 527 glue to set a vintage button in the center of each bezel. Set these aside to dry.

2. With the round nose pliers, create a wrapped loop at the top of a vintage leaf as shown.

3. Thread one of the 4 mm beads onto a head pin and create a loop. Repeat with all the remaining beads and head pins. Set aside.

4. Using your chain nose pliers, gently open one of the jump rings and thread it through the loops at the top of 3 of the beads, the loop at the top of a leaf and the bottom scroll on one of the bezels in order. Close securely. Use your chain nose pliers to gently open the loop at the bottom of the simple ear loop and feed it through the other scroll on the bezel. Close securely. Repeat to create other earring.

These earrings would also look lovely with a tiny picture in the bezel. Imagine a photo of your grandmother in your right ear, your grandfather in your left. Or Laurel and Hardy, that would be quite nice, too.
   

 
 
 
SWEET RIBBON NECKLACE TUTORIAL
  
 
What you'll need for this project:

 
 
How to do it:

1. Trim ribbon to length and make a tiny knot in each end. Place a small drop of glue inside one of the fold over ends and place the ribbon knot on top of the glue as shown. Using your chain nose pliers fold the flaps over one at a time to seal the end of the ribbon. Repeat with the other knotted end. Place a small dot of glue inside the bezel and position the button within the bezel. Set bezel aside to dry.

2. Using your chain nose pliers carefully open one of the 5 mm jump rings. Thread it through the loop on one of the fold over ends and then through the ring at one end of the extender chain. Carefully close the jump ring. Repeat to attach the hook to the other end of the ribbon. Set this aside.

3. Using the round nose pliers loop the 4 mm beads onto the head pins. Carefully open a 5 mm jump ring and feed the three looped beads onto the jump ring followed by the locket. Link this to the scroll at the bottom of the bezel and close securely.

4. Using the chain nose pliers gently open the square jump ring and feed it through the scroll at the top of the bezel. Close securely. Thread the chain end of the necklace through the square jump ring to finish the necklace.
   
 
 
 
 
What you'll need for this project:
 
How to do it:

Insert a head pin into one of the flat glass flowers until the head almost reaches the surface of the flower. Leave about 1 mm of the head pin exposed. Bend the head pin at a 90 degree angle and wrap it around the front of the flower and back down to meet the head of the pin. Thread one of the jump rings onto the head pin and push the jump ring up to the edge of the flower. Using your chain nose pliers, coil the remaining headpin wire around the base of the head and coil decoratively. 

With the chain nose pliers open the jump ring and attach the flower dangle to the front of the kidney wire. Gently straighten the kidney wire slightly and thread three of the seafoam flowers onto the wire facing upwards. Re-bend the kidney wire to it's original shape.

Repeat both steps to create the second earring.
 
 

for printable step-by-step instructions click here
to get Adobe Acrobat click here

 


 
 
       
for printable instructions click here
to get Adobe Acrobat click here
 
   
 

 

click on the pictures for larger view

 

click on the pictures for larger view

 

click on the pictures for larger view

 

click on the pictures for larger view

 
 

 

wool roving

 

 
 
 

search ::: FAQ ::: contact ::: basket contents & checkout ::: raleigh store

adhesives | art clay silver/kato polyclay | bits 'n bobs | books | buttons & beads | chain & wire | containers
Elaine Ray | felt & fibers | findings & filigree | paper arts/decopatch | ribbon

 

 

Hello there and thanks for visiting our little bag of tricks. We sell jewelry, beading and paper craft supplies for the discriminating and creative crafter. You’ll love browsing our selection of raw and plated brass charms and filigree including animal charms, bird charms, seahorse charms and leaf charms. We add new designs all the time as we have very short attention spans and are, quite honestly, magpies. You know, we get distracted by shiny copper headpins, rhinestone beads, antique brass chain and shimmery ribbons. Don’t you? Of course you do, that’s why you are here. Please be sure to visit our Bits-n-Bobs page where you will see a plethora of crafty goodies that defy easy categorization like the amazing long brass bat. He’s long, really long. We also have charms like octopus, keys and Pegasus. Or is it pegasi? Don’t forget the lockets, for heaven’s sake. These sweet brass lockets are so nicely made in the USA just for us in oval, round, ball, square or triangle shapes and the styles change frequently. On the Findings page we have brass clasps, gunmetal clasps, copper clasps, brass headpins, square jumprings or jump rings (your pleasure), toggles, badge clips, earring findings and more all made in the USA. For matching chains you can visit the chain page and look for my personal favorites, the antique brass knurled chain.

If you are a paper freak you’ll want to visit the Decopatch decoupage papers from France and see their fabulous patterns and colors. This fine paper is perfect paired with the Decopatch glues and varnishes. Treat yourself to a fine Decopatch decoupage brush, too. We also have paper mache animals such as rhinos, ladybugs, squirrels, dogs, dolphins and unicorns. We have the Rhodia pads that will make your every word seem just that much better chosen. I use them for sketching out my ideas and even making grocery lists.

We also sell resins and glues including the hard-to-find Amazing Glaze and Diamond Glaze. We love these easy to use resins and also the fabulous Envirotex doming resin. Look at our tiny watch parts to add to your resin projects, too. If you can’t decide which resin to choose, we have the details and resin how-tos you need.

Oh, Ornamentea is the on-line store of a very real, brick-and-mortar bead store called Ornamentea located in Raleigh, North Carolina. We have jewelry making classes and workshops and teach beading, silver smithing, wire working and other techniques in our classrooms and you can always come learn at our work tables. If you are in North Carolina, we are worth the drive. We have a sister store in Raleigh called Panopolie and we think they are worth a visit as well.

Are you wondering who I am? I am Cynthia, the owner of Ornamentea and Panopolie and the author of Shiny Little Things, the Bead Store Owner’s Blog as well as Beading With Filigree from Lark Press. I am mom to two girls and my husband and I work in our crafty business together. He’s an engineer with an endless amount of patience and he’s (right now) the only man that works in our stores. We have a talented staff of artists and designers who work on our sales floors and behind the scenes to make Ornamentea the best bead store in North Carolina and your living room.  They’re all women, so there is a fair amount of giddiness and excitement when we open a box of pretty beads or ribbons as you can imagine. The incredible amount of creative energy contained in our building at any one time is really awe inspiring, but somehow we still manage to have a dirty fridge in the break room and I have to make my own coffee.

Since I am a mom and a crafty gal I have a studio in my home that has a tiny table where my girls do their own work. My older daughter loves to felt with the Clover Felting tools and our colorful wool roving and the younger daughter strings beads on pipe cleaners and bugs her big sister. It is sometimes peaceful, sometimes crazy. I do a good bit of beading at the big table with brass chain, brass charms, copper head pins, you name it.

If you have been patient enough to read all this chatter you probably need a reward, right? Please click here and add the Secret Gift from Cynthia to your order. This gift is from me, to you, for paying attention to details and sticking to things.

Happy crafting!