Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Twelve Days of Christmas Earrings Volume 5..... PLUS - Modern Splendour - a Free Project!

By the time the end of November rolls around, you can feel the excitement and anticipation of Christmas building. With the countdown on 'til Christmas, there's no time to waste in getting your Christmas outfits organised. And that means planning your jewellery as well. And that's where my latest collection of Christmas earrings can help - 12 fabulously festive earring designs presented in a downloadable ebook - Twelve Days of Christmas Earrings Volume 5 . As with past collections, these designs are truly unique and absolutely charming - the perfect way to dress up a holiday outfit or to put some Christmas spirit into your everyday clothes. This year's designs use filigrees, wire wrapping and even leather,  along with  a variety of construction methods to satisfy both the beginner and more advanced jewellery maker. There are Christmas trees, snow flakes, ornaments and stars. There is even a snowglobe-style design in this year's collection - something for every c......
Tuesday, November 8, 2016

How to Make Elfin Earring Wires Like a PRO

There are times when you want your handmade earrings to have a more sleek and modern look and using elfin   earring wires  (aka elven or almond earring wires) can do just that. It's easy to source shepherd hooks or french earring wires but finding elfin earring wires is a little more difficult so this tutorial will show you how to quickly and easily make your own. And the beauty is, you can make them in any colour or size to suit your design. So, grab your jewellery making pliers and let's get started. Here's what you'll need: Two 41mm eye pins Flat nose pliers A ring mandrel (or other round form to shape the earrings - a 3/4" diameter bottle works well) Cup burr tool or a metal file Permanent marker Ruler Baby wipe or methylated spirits (denatured alcohol, rubbing alcohol or similar) Place the eye pin around the outside of the ring mandrel with the loop sitting perpendicular to the mandrel. You will need to press it firmly around the form so tha......