A swallow steampunk necklace project

Here is another project we made with Albina Manning recently, a steampunk style necklace. We used some natural stone beads, copper and antique finish finds, and a vintage copper swallow charm as a focal point.

I think it turned out   great. Use your finds and imagination and you will make a great necklace for yourself.

Here is what we use to make ours:

Tools: Wire cutters, round nose pliers, chain nose pliers (2 pairs)

Materials: beads, charm (bird), chain, clasp, jump rings, 20 ga wire.

Here is how to make this:

Lay out your beads, charms and chains to see how you want your future necklace to looks like.

Using 20 ga wire and your tools, make wrapped loops on the both sides of beads.

Using jump rings, attach beads and pieces of chain in the order you would like.

Attach the clasp with jump rings.

Happy making!

How to repair a broken necklace

A year ago, my friend and I went to a restaurant to celebrate my Birthday. My friend was wearing a pretty chain and bead necklace she purchased at the department store. Suddenly, the necklace broke into 2 parts and all the beads went to the floor! My friend was so upset. I told her I have a friend who could repair this, or possibly, make a new one from what's usable. We spend 10 minutes gathering the beads and chains. I put them in my purse and that was the end of unfortunate event that day.

During one of our craft gatherings with Albina Manning (albinasjewelry) I showed her the pieces. So we thought of what we could possibly do with these. We played with the chains and beads a little, added some new pieces and voila, and we made a pair of earrings and one great tear shaped necklace. A lovely set to wear for a New Years Eve!

If you will ever need to repair or remake yours, here is Albina's notes on how she repaired the one we had. Make the necessary adjustments while creating your piece!

"I opened all jump rings to separate the beads and "curvy" pins. I decided to use already made loops that beads had.  

 Check out all the loops - if the loop was not closed properly, just close the loop with round nose pliers.

To make the earrings, I used 12 beads, 2 double looped pins, 4 jump rings, and a pair of ear wires.

Slide 6 beads and a pin onto a jump ring. Close a ring. Take another jump ring and attach the second pin's end and an ear wire; close a jump ring. 

Repeat these steps to make the 2nd earring.

Pendant: 12 beads, 1 double looped pin, 2 jump rings, chain with a clasp.

Slide 6 beads and a pin onto a jump ring. Close a ring. Take another jump ring and attach 6 beads, the second pin's end, place a chain into a jump ring; close a jump ring.

IMPORTANT: close all the jump rings properly, if there is a gap, you will loose the beads. "

DIY Spring flower earrings

This pair of earrings will be a lovely addition to your spring outfit! Make it with Albina Manning in no time and you give it as a gift for Easter, Mother's Day or just because! 

To make a pair of earrings like these, you will need:

- 6mm Swarovski bicone crystals - 2

- 4mm Swarovski bicone crystals - 2
- 10mm Swarovski filigree flower -2
- 2" eyepins - 2
- Earwires -1 pair
- Chain nose pliers, round nose pliers, wire cutters

1. Slide one 6mm and one 4m Swarovski crystals onto an eyepin. Make a loop just above a 4mm crystal. Make sure that both loops are in the perpendicular planes.

2. Open the loop by the 4mm crystal and slide an ear wire on. Close the loop.

3. Open the second loop, by 6mm crystal. Slide a filigree flower on and close the loop.

Your first earring is done!

4. Make the second earring in the same manner. 

 If you would like to see these instructions step by step follow this link:

Have fun making earrings!

Gothic ring tutorial

You can make this gorgeous Gothic ring in no time with Albina's easy-to-follow tutorial!

Tools and Materials:

· 2  20ga round dead soft wire – 2 ft

· 1  10 mm bead – 1

·     Ring mandrel

·     Chain nose pliers

·     Wire cutters

1. Cut a piece of 20ga round dead soft wire2 ft (61cm) long.

2. Place a 10 mm round bead in the middle of the wire. Bend the wire down as shown.

3. Place the wire with a bead around the ring mandrel mandrel at ½ size larger than needed. Wrap the wire around the ring. There is one wire on either side of a bead.

4. Wrap each wire around the bead, one side at a time and alternate sides. Your wires will end up in opposite directions.

5. Continue wrapping until you are satisfied with number of wraps or you have at least 2” of wire left on each side.

6. Take the ring from the mandrel.

7. Use the wire end to wrap around the shank. Make 2-3 wraps. Cut the wire. Tack the wire ends with chain nose pliers so they are not poking.

8. Repeat step 7 with another wire end.

© 2011 Albina Manning

For more great tutorials please visit Albina's shop, AroundBeads

Another lovely exchange

I love Holidays Exchanges :)

I found another brown package in my mail box, I ripped it open to the pieces right there and found the cutest little box inside... but this box had a note on top.

It says: Wait! Can you wait until December 25th?HA! Who can?

Sorry, Albina, I opened it right there :) I just HAD TO KNOW!Inside was the prettiest earrings and bracelet and earrings set for me and my mother. It is gorgeous!
Such a wonderful job! The set looks very good on me and long earrings are perfect for my Mom.Thank you so much, Albina, we both just love our presents!

I am so happy we have met and become friends. Have a happy holidays, our best wishes to you and your family!

Designing with wire & beads

Thanks to a Jewelery Instructor Albina Maning I've got a new hobby now - jewelry making! :)

It's all started when I met Albina & her co-workers last February at the J.O.G.S. Gem & Jewelry Show in Tuscon, AZ. They are teaching classes there every year and I was so impressed by the lovely pieces they are creating that I thought, I'd like to try to make some jewelery, too.

So I thought about it and called some friends who'd like to learn jewelry making basics, too. We picked a day & time for the Girls night in Party, got together last Saturday night and hired Albina as an instructor.

I have to say, the class was amazing! We are beginners, and Albina spent a lot of time with each of us, helping to understand the basics better. The result of a 2 hour class was great. I made cute earrings & matching bracelet. My friends left with newly made gorgeous Swarovsky crystals earrings they made that night. I also bought a book* Albina wrote with other talented artists and I am hoping to make at least a couple of beaded necklaces I found there!

Albina is a professional teacher and jewelry making instructor. She enjoys teaching at the Bead Museum in Glendale, AZ. She also does classes at the Beaderie in Chandler, AZ and at the J.O.G.S Gem & Jewelry Show which is occuring every year in February in Tuscon, AZ. The photos of her beaded tree Bonsai Shakkan has been used by Fire Mountain Gems (Beading & Jewelry Supplies Company) both as a back cover advertisement and inside their catalog. In 2009 Albina won 1st Place, the Gold Medal award with Inca’s Gold Necklace in FMG’s wirework category. She has been published in the Art Bead Circle Magazine, as well as the book Mixed Media Jewelry Techniques.

You can visit Albina's web-site www.around-beads.info and her store www.aroundbeads.etsy.com

And for me - maybe, it will became more, than just a hobby! :)

* Mixed Media Jewelry Techniques