Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you’ll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.
Congratulations Erin S.!
You have won a $20 credit from Something To Do Beads.
Please send Claire an email with your information.
Welcome to the Humblebeads studio this week. Grab a cup of cocoa and put on some holiday music, it’s going to look a lot like Christmas here today!
A few weeks ago I launched my holiday line of beads inspired by cozy cabins, handmade goodness, sweet woodland animals and other wintery woodland inspirations. These adorable cabin beads have been on my bead table just waiting to became holiday jewelry. I knew I wanted to keep it simple and let the beads shine bright. But sometimes keeping it understated can be a challenge too, every part has to be just so.
So to kick off the holiday season here is the project, sweet and simple – you can became a little elf and whip up whole village.
Supply List:
House bead
8mm faceted rock crystal
4 or 5mm accent bead (use crystal, Czech glass or a faceted stone)
4mm copper spacer
15mm jump ring
26″ copper chain
6″ 19 gauge steel wire
1 2″ copper ball headpin
2 4mm copper jump rings
1 6mm copper jump ring
12 mm copper bead cap (snowflake charm)
I didn’t have snowflake charm on hand, so I created one by hammering a six-sided bead cap flat. When hammering bead caps, go very slow and gently to avoid breaking the cap which can happen on items that are plated.
Directions:
1. Add 6mm jump ring to the flattened bead cap.
2. Create a loop 1 1/2″ from the bottom of the wire, open loop, slide on snowflake, close loop, wrap wire to create a wrapped looped.
3. String on crystal, copper spacer, house bead. Create wrapped loop on top of house bead.
4. Add a crystal to the headpin, create a wrapped loop.
5. Attach 4mm jump rings to the ends of the chain. Add house pendant, crystal dangle and both ends of chain to the 15mm jump ring.
Resoucres: House beads: Humblebeads. Crystals, headpins, jump rings: Hobby Lobby. Chain: Yadana Beads. Stones: Rings & Things. Bead caps: Gift Bearer Supply (I found mine at a local bead shop)
So my question for you today – what is a clever way you have used a finding? (Like my bead caps becoming snowflakes.) One random winner will receive a $25 gift certificate to my Humblebeads Etsy Shop. Can’t wait to read your clever responses!
Lottie me
November 28, 2014 at 6:47 pmThese are the absolutely gorgeous and they are perfect for so many outfits and occasions and how absolutely brilliant to transform bead caps into snowflakes. I haven't been as inventive as you sadly
Lottie me
November 28, 2014 at 6:50 pmThese are absolutely stunning for ant time of to year. Sadly I haven't been as inventive as you turning bead caps into snowflakes – your lateral thinking is a special gift
Mokki
November 28, 2014 at 9:29 pmI used to play around with findings, fusing them together and to larger sheets of metal to turn into pendants bangles etc. I'm not sure it was particularly clever though. I love those houses.
Shaiha
November 29, 2014 at 4:48 amI wish that I could say that I have found some inventive way to use findings but alas no. I am still stuck in the box on that score.
I do just love tutorial though! Perfect for ornaments as well as necklaces.
Divya N
November 29, 2014 at 1:45 pmI have used hammered bead caps (filigree ones) as connectors for multi strand bead necklaces and I have made clasps used thick earring hooks
Sarajo Wentling
November 29, 2014 at 1:49 pmI haven't done anything super clever with findings, but I have done my share of hammering bead caps and slightly domed rings flat and riveting them to other pieces for pendants or earrings.
DESPINA VENETI
November 29, 2014 at 3:54 pmNot really innovative, but I like using Vintaj filigree for wrapping around wooden tile pendants or other focals, flattened bead caps for all sorts of different uses and small number of intertwined textured jump rings as spacers.
I love those house pendants, thank you!!!
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Lisa Knappenberger
November 29, 2014 at 6:43 pmI absolutely love your Christmas Village Pendants. What a festive idea. I have used large flat filigree disks and reshaped them into 'taco' shapes for a co worker that was going to a Cinco De Mayo party. She wanted earrings and a matching neckace with tacos and chili peppers. I made the tacos with the disks then 'stuffed' the taco with different colors of seed beads to look like all the taco fixings' . They turned out super cute and I kick myself for being so proud of the piece that I took it to her right away and never did get a photo of it.
Colleen
November 29, 2014 at 8:18 pmLove this! The most creative I've gotten is to use bead caps upside down – changes things up a bit! Happy Holidays!
Kathy Lindemer
November 29, 2014 at 11:32 pmActually, I got this idea from you. I take an ornament that I have made with a hole through the center and put a headpin through the bottom to the top and then put a large bead cap on then a smaller bead cap. I make a loop with the head pin and do a wrap so I have a way to attach a hook.
Lisa Caryl
November 29, 2014 at 11:49 pmI like to take individual links from large sized chain and hammer them flat. If they are large enough I also add texture to them. I use them for links in both necklaces and earrings.
Maneki
November 30, 2014 at 1:18 pmSuch lovely little winter cabins! Really makes you long for snowy days.
Different ways of using findings have included making an "invisible" clasp from a bolo tie finding, bead cap flower charms, bead cap beads, and turning a broken box clasp into a pendant/charm. Once saw a tip about using chain links as jump rings, which I've done a few times when missing suitable jump rings.
Karen M
December 1, 2014 at 3:13 amAaah you always throw out a good question. I use jump rings for many different things; linking, stacking, chain maille, repairing, etc.
Kristi Jaro
December 1, 2014 at 2:31 pmI have used flattened findings in earrings to become lite weight charms…
Leilani Olsen
December 1, 2014 at 6:17 pmI've used bead caps for little bells on the bottom of earrings, with a dangling small metal bead, to make it jingle.
Jennifer
December 1, 2014 at 9:09 pmI love bead caps as a little nest for bird or egg beads.
KayzKreationz
December 1, 2014 at 9:18 pmI love your beads. I've used bead caps as a bail for a pendant. I've used jump rings for charms, links, etc. I've used bead caps as charms or charm holders.
Liona (Blue Merlin Creations)
December 1, 2014 at 9:59 pmI don't know if it counts as a finding, but I recently created a necklace using a lily pendant (I think that's what it's called…they come in brass for sure, and the one I used was antique silver plated) as the focal. I created a whole bunch of little dangles that I attached to a wire loop on the inside of the lily. I like how it turned out very much!
I do like the cabins, Heather, so cozy looking and such fun!
Peggy
December 1, 2014 at 10:26 pmWhat wonderful holiday houses! ng – I took a broken hollow hoop earring and 'dremeled' off the ends to a 'C' shape. Beading wire went through the shape and various beads were added to each side till necklace length. Viola, reading glasses holder!
fulgorine
December 2, 2014 at 1:23 pmI've covered a headpin with polymer clay to turn a bead into a pendant.
Colleen
December 2, 2014 at 3:14 pmHmm, how have I been clever with a finding. I think I once used a toggle ring as a "charm" holder for a chain necklace. Not super creative.
Zackary Faraj
December 5, 2014 at 10:20 amVery Beautiful & Thanks for sharing. Keep posting like this.
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