Easter Jewelry to make

Here are some great accessories to wear with the outfit you choose for Easter.

Bead & Wire Bunny 

Materials:  1 - 10mm bead, 1 - 12mm bead, Craft wire, about 12 inches of 24 gauge
40 size 11 seed beads, Wire cutters and Round-nosed pliers

Directions:

1. Cut two 6 inch pieces of craft wire.

2. Holding the wire together, use round-nosed pliers to curl the ends.

3. Thread both wires through the 12mm and then 8mm beads, and press the curled end against the bottom of the 12mm bead. 

4. Holding the two beads so the wire doesn’t slip out, separate the two wires.

5. Slip 20 seed beads onto one wire.

 

6. Bend the wire with the seed beads in the middle of the 20 beads so you have 10 beads, a bend, and 10 more beads.

7. Now wrap the excess wire (that has the seed beads) around itself a few times. You’ll see this forms a bunny ear. Cut off any extra wire from this ear.

8. Repeat steps 4-8 for the other ear.

9. Spread the ears away from each other a little and slightly bend one to make it look cute.

10. To make this into a pendant, just warp a little craft wire around the base of the ears and make a loop so you create a bail.

This same design could easily be adapted into earring size bunnies by just using smaller beads for the head and body and fewer seed beads for the ears.

Bead & Wire Butterfly 

Materials:  12 inches 24-gauge craft wire, 2 - 6mm beads (Czech crystals work well), 1 size 6 Czech bead, 60 seed beads, Chain-nosed pliers, Round-nosed pliers, and Wire cutters

Note: You can use almost any type of beads for the body. I used what I had on hand.

1. Cut a 3 inch piece of wire and create a wrapped loop on the end using round nosed pliers.

2. Slip on one 6mm, one size 6, and one 6mm bead.

3. Use round nosed pliers to make a loop on the end of the 3 beads.

4. Trim off excess wire and use your fingers or pliers to press the loop up against the bottom of the beads.

5. Wrap leftover wire under the bottom of the first 6mm bead so that there is about 1 inch of wire on one side and 8 inches on the other.

6. Use chain-nosed pliers to wrap and tuck the 1 inch piece of wire.

7. Slip 20 seed beads onto the larger wire and form a loop by wrapping the wire around and under the first bead again and end up so the wire is on the opposite side of your first wing.

8. Repeat step 7 for the second wing. 9. Slip on 10 seed beads, loop, and wrap.

10. Repeat step 9 on opposite side.

11. Wrap wire around the butterfly body until it feels secure.

12. Finish by trimming excess wire, and use pliers to tuck in or flatten any wires sticking out.

To make your butterfly look like it is flying, bend its wings up. Attach top loop to ear hooks or slip through a chain. If you want to add it to a hair accessory, instead of making a wrapped loop at the top, I would just make a loop and flatten it against the bead as described in steps 3 and 4 above. Then use some craft wire to attach the butterfly to your barrette, comb, or whatever.

Egg-celent Egg Earrings 

Materials:  *2 egg lampwork beads, 2 beaded ear hooks, 6 inches of 20-gauge wire, Jewelers' files, Round-nosed pliers, Chain-nosed pliers, and Wire cutters

*These gorgeous lampwork egg beads were made by D.D. Hess.

1. Start by cutting two 3 inch pieces of wire and filing the ends smooth with your file.

2. Using round-nosed pliers, make a trip loop on the end of the wire.

3. Slip on an egg bead, and use the wrapped loop technique to loop and wrap the wire at the top of your bead. 4. Attach your choice of ear hooks. As you can see, I made mine with wire and added a crystal bead to it. Just like the eggs we like to decorate for Easter, these lampwork egg beads are available in lots of different colors, and of course, feel free to use two that actually match if you don't like mixing up your eggs!

So get all dolled up for this Easter!

Share your ideas on this or anything here on the blog either here or e-mail me at stipple@verizon.net  I look forward to hearing from you!