Easy DIY Projects: Jewelry and Paper Crafts

Interested in making jewelry? Creative Mixed Media is an online website for crafters interested in DIY projects that are affordable and simple to make. Choose from several art projects including jewelry making, scrapbooking, card making, constructing mosaics, or stitching and sewing. Free tutorials are available for each project along with additional tips and resources for extra help (books and other websites are referenced). 

For each DIY project, a list of materials is included along with a video tutorial that goes step-by step. This is extremely helpful for visual learners! Jewelry designers can learn how to wire wrap beads and use polymer clay to make simple earrings, bracelets and necklaces. This is definitely a great website for beginners!

 

Resources:

http://www.createmixedmedia.com/make/jewelry

Ickynicks Jewelry is an online handmade shop for men and women. Ickynicks designs gold hoop earrings, sterling silver and stainless steel hoop earrings. We provide links to tips and tricks for jewelry making.

DIY Jewelry Making: Wire Wrapping Rings

One of the most difficult things to do with jewelry is learning how to wrap wire. Before you begin, you want to ask yourself, 'what do I want to make?' Are you interested in wrapping wire to make rings, pendants, charms, earrings, or bracelets? This will help narrow it down. Once you decide, then you can begin to gather supplies and tools. If you decide to make rings, it's easier if you wrap the wire around small objects that you can find in your home. This includes liter bottle caps, wine corks, toilet paper rolls, or any type of small round objects.

What Do I Need? Basic Jewelry Supplies and Tools for Wire Wrapping:

1. Round wire (sizes 16, 18 or 20-gauge)
2. Beads (optional) sized between 6-10mm
3. Round or Chain Nose Pliers
4. Wire Cutters
5. Round small objects or 'ring mandrel' - any object that you can wrap the wire around to make it into a ring.

 

Tutorials on Wire Wrapping Rings:

• Wire Wrap Beaded Rings
• Stone Rings
• Knitted Bow Ring
• 13 DIY Jewelry Crafts
• Instructables: Wire Wrapping Tutorial
• Buying Tools and Supplies for Wire Wrapping

Craft and Gossip. Host Jewelry Parties?

How about Hosting a Jewelry Party with Friends?

Get a group of girlfriends together and share ideas on jewelry making. Host a party at your house, provide cheese and wine, and everyone can sit around the table with supplies, dangling wire, and an assortment of beads. Handcraft gold hoop earrings, minimalist wire jewelry, necklaces, silver rings, or stainless steel bracelets. Add colorful charms or painted beads to ultra thin wire. Learn to use minimalist wire to create ultra thin jewelry.   

What about show and tell? 

Share your latest projects with each other, demonstrate how to mold polymer clay, paint beads, or bend wire. Try it as a game, go around the room one by one and show off your handmade crafts. The best part is everyone has a turn to show off stylish knitted sweaters, socks, baby blankets, hats, scarves and more. Who doesn't like to brag about their crafting ability or special handmade jewelry?

Think of jewelry parties as knitting clubs where women gather together to knit, talk gossip, and eat. Who doesn't love spilling the beans about their coworkers, in-laws, or husbands? 

Add a potluck to make it more fun. Everyone can bring a dish to pass, dig in and don't forget the cheesecake! If everything goes well, host another party and make it a monthly get together.

DIY Crafts

Do you enjoy DIY projects? I was browsing online and found a great website which has many articles on handmade crafts that you can do yourself. It's called Makezine and features new creative projects every day.

I was really impressed with the Jam Jar Lantern project. There is a locally owned restaurant in town that uses jam jars as lanterns which strings together along the bar area. This seems like a creative and less expensive way to go rather than using bright lights. They use battery operated votive lights which are placed inside the jars. Here's the link to the project:

DIY: Jam Jar Lantern Project