simple Analogy

Custom Stamped Necklace Giveaway

***Giveaway Closed***

Yay! It's GIVEAWAY DAY!  There are a lot of great giveaways linking up with Sew, Mama, Sew today, and I'm joining in the fun.

I showed you the tools that I was working with last week, and this week it's time to show you my new offering in the SHOP...

Custom stamped necklaces!  Different from the necklaces you see all over blogland, these are made using antiqued brass elements.  I love the vintage look of brass, and yet it's still very modern and goes with EVERYTHING!

The pendant can be custom stamped with up to about four names.  The pendant itself is 1 inch in diameter and is adorned with a freshwater pearl.  The ball chain necklace is 18 inches long.

What better way to introduce you to a new product, than to give one away!

Giveaway information:

•  To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below telling me who this necklace would be for -  your mom (after all Mother's Day is right around the corner), grandma, sister, friend, teacher, or maybe a treat for yourself - and why you would give it to them.
• Make sure to leave your email address in the comment so that I have a way to contact you if you are the winner.
• Only one entry per person!  Any duplicate entries will be deleted.
• The giveaway will be open until May 10, 8PM CST.
• A random winner will be notified by email and announced in a followup post on May 11th.
• If the winner has not replied to the confirmation email by Monday, May 13, a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck!

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For more great giveaways check out all the following giveaway categories on Sew, Mama, Sew:

Sewing and Craft Supplies

Handmade Baby and Kid Items

Handmade for the Home

Handmade Bags

Handmade Accessories

Tip for Using Metal Stamps

I've been using metal stamps to make jewelry for quite a while now.  I bought my first set of 2.4 mm stamps a few years ago.  I bought them from an industrial supplier online (sorry don't even remember the name of the place) because they were cheaper than buying the same set through a jewelry supplier.  These stamps came in a wooden box with individual holes for storage, and each stamp had a thumb groove.

What is the thumb groove for?  So that you know that the stamp is being held correctly for stamping. There's nothing worse than stamping a charm and getting a letter sideways or upside down because you weren't paying attention to the way you were holding it.  Scrap that!  Start over!  The thumb groove solves a lot of that sort of frustration.  If you're thumb is resting in the groove when your holding the stamp, hammer away!  It's in the right position.

I bought a 2 mm set recently from Hobby Lobby.  I was so happy with the price, but immediately noticed I would be having problems!  No thumb groove.  I could foresee disaster in my stamping future, so I took a few minutes that will save me time and money in the future...

I took each stamp out individually and oriented it to the correct stamping position.  Then with a sharpie marker made a little dot on the side my thumb would be holding. (Sorry for the snarly fingernail there!  Can you say hangnail?)  Now when I use these stamps I just need to look for the dot, and I'm good to go!

Next week I'll show you what I've been doing with these stamps!  And P.S. there will be a giveaway involved and a new offering in the SHOP!

Blank Canvas Necklace Tutorial

The scrapbook section at Hobby Lobby inspired me this weekend.  I'm not a scrapbooker, but the elements can be used so many different ways.  There's nothing that screams "Draw on me!" like a blank canvas.  So, break out the artist inside and let's make a canvas necklace...

Supplies:

ball/chain necklace 

large jump ring 

charm (optional)

small canvas tag

fray check

sharpie markers

(All of the metal elements in this necklace are from Idea-ology at Hobby Lobby.)

Directions:

Pull all the straggly threads off of the canvas tag.  Run a line of fray check around the outside edge, and let dry completely.

Decorate the canvas using sharpie markers or a stamp and stamp pad.  I stamped an initial on this one and thought I was done.  Later I wanted to add a bit more pizazz, so I drew in the chevron.

Attach the canvas and charm to the jump ring and put it on the chain.

So fun, and almost too easy!  Doodle a design, draw a mini portrait, create a mini landscape...  This would make a great group project at a retreat or at a birthday party with a group of children.  It doesn't take a lot of time, is inexpensive, and will get the creative juices flowing!

Refashion: Forever 21 Jewelry

Back in the fall, I bought a sewing machine charm cluster necklace at Forever 21.  They suck me in every time with their cute necklaces and cheap price.  It was the perfect length, but I only wore it a few times.  Even though I loved the charms, they just didn't work hanging all in a bunch.

Then I found Mindy's Minute Market.  Her sewing machine necklace inspired me.  

I took mine apart, added a few jump rings and a few beads, and put it back together again.

Adding the button charm made it a little too busy, so I left that one out and used neutral beads so that it would match anything that I care to put it with. 

And if I'm going for a more playful look and want some color, I can add a bit of fabric.  

Instead of a jumbled mass of charms, now it features the charms individually.  I've already worn it more in just a few days than I wore it in all the months I had it. 

Bracelets on Parade {Day 4}

I pretty much felt the need for another color of the simple leather bracelet.  Tutorial here.  These are another of my favorite bracelets to wear! 

Hope this parade gave your jewelry making creativity a nudge!

Bracelets on Parade {Day 2}

This one was made for a customer.  My husband's friend requested two bracelets.  The specifications...

1.  something turquoise

2.  for a woman with a big wrist

That's not much to go on.

Made with distressed metal pieces and medium size turquoise beads.  Oh, and it's adjustable!

Bracelets on Parade {Day 1}

I've been playing with my jewelry supplies.  When I don't have a lot of time to be creative but feel the need to create, I break out the beads.  And wire.  And leather.  So this week I'll show you the bracelets I've been making.

This is my absolute favorite bracelet to wear.  Vintaj antiqued brass creative hoop with an organic glass focal bead.  It's simple and understated.  I can wear it by itself or add another bracelet with it.  I've worn it with jeans and a tee.  I've worn it with my Easter dress.   It goes with EVERYTHING!

DIY: Simple Leather Bracelet

Isn't all the leather jewelry that's out there just beautiful?  I especially like it mixed with metal.  In all my jewelry making I've never really worked with leather, but there's always a first time.  You know my affinity for all things Vintaj...  I mixed turquoise colored leather with antiqued brass findings for a perfectly simple leather bracelet.  Here's how.

***Note:  Please forgive my dry, snarly hands.  I know I need lotion, but I can't stand the slimy feel of it.

Supplies:

Four 9" lengths of 1/8" wide deerskin leather lace (Hobby Lobby) or other very soft leather

One 2mm circumference hammered ring

small lobster clasp

2 small jump rings

Two 9mm  crimp ends

beading glue

ruler

beading pliers

Directions:

Start with two of the leather strands.  Find  the middle of both and center the middle over the middle of your hammered ring.

Pull the ends around the back of the ring and through the loop of leather on the front, making sure that the shiny side of the leather (not the suede side) is the side you see.  Pull tight.  Repeat with the other two strands of leather on the other side.

Now center your brass ring, which is almost an inch wide, on your ruler.  Measure from the ring about 2 3/4" and cut all the strands.  This measurement is for a 7 1/2" bracelet.  Adjust your length here if you want a smaller/larger bracelet.

On one end of your bracelet, gather all four ends of the leather into a nice neat stack.

Place your stack shiny side down into the crimp end lining up the ends of the leather with the top of the prongs.

Add a little bit of glue to the sides and top end of the leather/crimp end.

Using needle nose pliers, crimp one end down tightly over the leather.  Then crimp the other end over.  Give it a good squeeze and add a jump ring.

Repeat with the other end attaching the lobster clasp along with the jump ring.

This bracelet is so lightweight you'll hardly even know you have it on.  Looks perfect with jeans and a t-shirt or more dressy attire.  I'm pretty sure this will be my go-to bracelet for the spring/summer!

The Great Necklace Re-Do

 
My sister made me the greatest necklace for Christmas.  I had been admiring hers for a few months, and lo and behold I got my own!  I love the choker version on her, but me...  I just kept fiddling with it every time I wore it. 

Eating dinner - fiddle, fiddle.  Folding laundry - scratch, scratch.  Watching a movie - adjust, adjust.  I guess I'm just not a choker kind of girl.  So, I re-did it into a longer version.

  
I used the same silk ribbons, just attached them a different way.  I added a few jump rings to make one of the frames a bit longer.  Before it was a lariat; now it ties around my neck in pendant fashion.  I can also change out the cord.  I wore it the other day with a gray knit cord.  I have plenty of knit cords to choose from nowadays.

  
For those who are wondering where in the world to get the frames, she got them at Michaels.  A new line they are carrying.  So far I have not been able to find them at my Michael's, but I'm keeping my eye out for them.

And speaking of great necklaces, over at SYTYC they are giving away two gift certificates for Lisa Leonard Designs.  LOVE!  Make sure you check out all the ways to enter!

Favorite Things or I Have a Lot of Friends With M's

 
Back in the summer Megan and I thought this sounded so fun!  It would be the perfect Christmas arrangement for our craft day group.  Give a gift that is one of my favorite things and keep it under $6.  Sounds easy enough, right?  Not for someone who has a hard time making up her mind on what is her favorite thing.  I have a lot of favorite things, but I finally narrowed it down to a mixture of three:  jewelry, knit material, and blogging.

 

Blogging is one of my favorite pastimes.  Not only writing my own blog, but also reading others.  So how can you give blogging as a gift?  Artful Blogging is one of my treats to myself.  I don't read every issue, but when I need some me time that is what I go for.  After reading the ENTIRE issue, I usually cut out the pictures I like and put them in my card making loot.  The pictures are just so beautiful!  I went through them and picked out some of my favorites.

 
 
Jewelry.  I love making it!  (And wearing it!)  You know my fetish for Vintaj, so of course that had to be a part of this undertaking.  This is the part where the $6 comes in.  The pictures were cut and placed into blank Vintaj pendants using my new Diamond Glaze skills.  I also bought some elongated silver blanks and made each girl an initial pendant.  Note all the M's.

 
Knit.  I am really enjoying my knit necklace.  I wear it all the time.  It's so soft around my neck, and I like the bow in the back - especially when I wear my hair up.  I have lots of knit scraps hanging around here from previous projects.  I used black and red knit to hang the pendants on.  The red is not pictured here, because I took the pics before making the red cords.  Did you know if you cut knit into thin (1/2 inch) strips and pull on both ends, it will roll up into a nice cord?  Thank you Natalie Chanin! 

 
Let's add one more favorite thing - the friends these presents are going to.  Each and every one of them a jewel!  Love you girls!