The Big-Ass Book of Bling
Page 14
YOU’LL NEED
Thick plastic juice bottle (I like Ocean Spray bottles)
Scissors
Newspaper or magazine pages
2 pairs of needle-nose pliers
Embossing heat gun, hairdryer, or candle
Lumiere Piñata Alcohol Inks in colors you like
Krylon spray adhesive
1 or 2 sheets of gold leaf or faux gold leaf
1/2-inch to 1-inch-wide flat paintbrushes
Minwax Polycrylic clear coat
HERE’S HOW
1 With scissors, cut off the top of the plastic bottle.
2 Cut the bottle into sections that look like very large bracelets. Don’t worry if the sections look too big; they will shrink!
3 Holding your plastic bracelet with your needle-nose pliers, heat it and bend it into the perfect bangle shape. This is going to take some practice, but you’ll get the hang of it. The more misshapen the better, I say.
4 Paint your bracelets with the alcohol inks and let dry.
5 Roll up some newspaper or magazine pages and spray the outside of your bangle with spray adhesive.
6 Carefully cut your gold leaf into sections about 1 inch by 2 inches wide.
7 Using a dry flat paintbrush that has been rubbed through your hair to get a little static, pick up a section of gold leaf and apply it to the bracelet.
8 Continue until your bracelet is covered with gold leaf.
9 Coat your bracelet with Minwax Polycrylic and let dry.
Hint:
DON’T WORRY if not every part of the bracelet is covered. It looks really neat with shots of color coming from underneath!
SILVER AND GOLD
I’ve never really been a stickler about fashion rules. Rules are meant to be broken! Wear silver and gold together, for example. I think it looks just beautiful. Black and brown? Why not? Now, when your shoes don’t match your belt, that’s when I have a problem!
YOU’LL NEED
Flat, thin cardboard
Scissors
Elmer’s Glue-All
ICE Resin or Mod Podge Dimensional Magic
Wax paper
Drill with 1/16-inch drill bit
Lumiere metallic paints in silver and gold
Disposable paintbrushes
20 gold-tone jump rings
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if your pliers don’t have them)
8 inches of medium gold-tone chain
1 gold-tone lobster claw closure
Rubber or plastic gloves
HERE’S HOW
1 From the cardboard, cut three sets of four lopsided circles 1/2 inch to 13/4 inch in diameter.
2 Cut four sets of three lopsided circles 1 inch to 13/4 inches in diameter.
3 Cut four sets of two lopsided circles 11/2 inches to 13/4 inches in diameter.
4 Cut two plain circles 13/4 inches in diameter.
5 Glue the two smallest circles together and your two largest circles together on your sets of four circles with Elmer’s glue. If you’re get confused (like I am right now), take a look at the photos!
6 Glue the bottom two circles together on your four sets of three circles with Elmer’s glue.
7 Mix your resin outside using gloves.
8 Lay your pieces down on wax paper. Coat all your pieces with the resin, then bring inside and let dry in an area of the house that you don’t use. The fumes from resin can be harsh and you will need to work in a well-ventilated area.
9 The next day, turn your pieces over, coat them again, and let dry.
10 Paint all of your pieces either gold or silver and let dry.
11 Lay your pieces down and lightly mark them where they need a hole drilled.
12 Drill all of the holes in your pieces.
13 Link your pieces together with jump rings.
14 Cut two 4-inch pieces of chain and add them to the last circles with jump rings.
15 Add jump rings to the ends of the chain and a lobster claw for the closure.
TASTE OF SOUTHWEST SILVER
What could be more fun than wearing something bold and beautiful and then telling people that it’s made entirely from discarded cardboard?! I say not much!
YOU’LL NEED
Flat, thin cardboard
Scissors
Elmer’s Glue-All
Clothespins
Fiskars pinking shears
ICE Resin
Wax paper
Paintbrush (for the paint and clear coat) and a disposable paintbrush (for the resin)
Lumiere silver metallic paint
Minwax Polycrylic or Minwax Clear Brushing Lacquer
Rubber or plastic gloves
Optional: X-ACTO knife
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut a strip of cardboard that measures 21/2 to 3 inches by 9 inches. Rub it along the edge of a counter to give it flexibility. (Imagine that the cardboard is a curling ribbon, but you’re using the edge of a counter instead of scissors.)
2 Glue it in a bangle shape, making sure it’s big enough to go over your hand comfortably. Use Elmer’s glue to hold it in place while it dries with two clothespins.
3 Cut strips 3/8 inch by 21/2 inches with pinking shears. Glue them around the cuff with more Elmer’s glue and let dry. Cut squares and rectangles—any shapes you want—using the patterns below. Create any kind of design you want.
4 If you need to, review the instructions on the ICE Resin and my tips. Mix your resin outside using gloves. Place your cuffs on wax paper and coat the pieces with the resin, making sure you get it everywhere and that it’s not drippy. This will make your cardboard pieces as strong as metal!
Hint:
If you do get drips or blobs, carefully shave them off with an X-ACTO knife. It’s easy to do.
4 When the cardboard pieces are dry, paint them with the Lumiere silver and let them dry.
5 Coat the entire cuff with Minwax Polycrylic or Minwax Clear Aerosol Lacquer for a tough finish.
MIDNIGHT BEAUTY
My obsession with costume dramas and Victorian clothing inspired me to write this chapter. I’ve always loved the jewelry that mourners wore to funerals in centuries past, but the concept of “mourning jewelry” just seemed too depressing! Thankfully, black jet is now fashionable (again), simply because it’s so beautiful and chic! The best part about making projects for this chapter was spray-painting the pieces that didn’t quite work in their original form. When my brooch necklace was too colorful, I sprayed it black, and it instantly looked wonderful. When my button clusters looked like, well, button clusters, I sprayed them and gave them a new life. Try it! You’ll see what I mean.
THREE TIER MOURNING CHOKER
I admit it. I’m hooked on period dramas. Give me Pride and Prejudice or Monsieur Beaucaire and I’m IN! Besides the clothes in these movies, I always notice the jewelry—especially when they have to attend a funeral. All the ornate pieces in jet black look just amazing. Now, when making this necklace, it doesn’t really matter if you have black elements or not. Once you assemble your pieces, just spray paint them, and voilà, you’ve got the perfect piece to match your little black dress!
Hint:
Try spraying them in your favorite color and see what happens.
YOU’LL NEED
Two 71/2-inch pieces of rosary bead chain
Two 1/4-inch pieces of silver or black chain
Two 10-inch pieces of silver or black chain
24 inches of silver or black chain
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
1 large cheap earring or pendant (with holes so that you can add jump rings)
1 large (1/2-inch-diameter) black faceted bead (or bead of your choice)
5 silver or black jump rings
1 silver or black lobster claw closure
Krylon Fusion for Plastic black spray paint
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut your chains. Gather any jewelry pieces and fittings together that aren’t alrea
dy black and spray-paint them. Make sure to get all sides.
2 Create a tassel by cutting your 24-inch chain into seven to eight 3-inch pieces and join them with a jump ring.
3 Add the 10-inch chain, the 81/4-inch chain, and then the 71/2-inch chain to a jump ring on the ends of your necklace and a lobster claw for the closure.
4 Gather them in the middle with another jump ring by adding the long chain first, then the shorter chain, and finally the beaded chain. You will begin to see how they form tiers.
5 Hang your pendant or large earring from the center jump ring.
6 Add your chain tassel to the bottom of the pendant or earring.
BUTTON CLUSTER STATEMENT CHOKER
I actually made this choker for another book a long time ago but wasn’t quite happy with it. Then it hit me—a little spray paint was all it needed! I used one crystal for this piece, but you could add more or paint it another color. I was taken with how chic the black looked, but like many, my tastes can change with the direction of the wind.
YOU’LL NEED
Aluminum flashing
Tin shears or heavy-duty scissors with serrated blades
Selection of about 30 buttons, mostly shank (the ones with the loop on the back)
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
6 inches of 18-gauge wire or 3 paper clips
E-6000 glue
24 inches of small chain either black or silver (to create tassel)
16 inches of medium or large chain in black or silver (for around your neck)
5 gunmetal jump rings
Krylon gray primer
Krylon gloss or flat black
Large crystal
1 gunmetal lobster claw closure
Hint:
www.createforless.com has an amazing selection of chain, and they carry black chain, too!
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut out a piece of aluminum flashing about 4 inches by 5 inches with tin shears or heavy-duty serrated scissors. Using the pattern, draw a fat crescent moon on your flashing, then cut out the crescent from the flashing.
2 Clip off the backs of the shank buttons with wirecutters so they’re flat.
3 Cut three 2-inch pieces of wire (or use paper clips). Make 2-inch loops with the wire. Glue them to each pointed edge and to the center of the aluminum crescent with E-6000. You will use these loops to attach the neck chain and your hanging tassel.
4 To create your button cluster centerpiece, glue all your buttons on the crescent with E-6000 in a pattern you like and let dry.
5 Cut eight 3-inch pieces of the small chain and slip them onto a jump ring to create your tassel. If you’re making this with silver chain, add the jump ring to the loop at the center of the crescent. If you’re using small black chain, wait until you’ve spray-painted your button cluster to attach the tassel.
6 Cut two 8-inch pieces of chain for the neck. If you’re using silver chain, attach it to one of the loops on the side of your button cluster with two jump rings so you can paint the chain at the same time you paint your button cluster centerpiece. If you’re using black chain, wait until you’ve painted your button cluster to attach it.
7 Spray your pieces with the gray primer and let dry. Make sure to paint all parts of each piece.
8 Spray-paint your pieces black and let dry.
9 Glue on your crystal with E-6000.
10 Add jump rings to the ends of the chain and a lobster claw for the closure.
CLUSTER AND CRYSTAL CUFF
I’ve always loved buttons clustered on jewelry, gloves, and frames—I was obsessed with my grandmother’s button tin when I was growing up. My challenge has always been to find enough buttons that look great together, so I figured out a simple way to make them match—spray paint! Feeling it still wasn’t quite enough when I was done, I topped off this cuff with a big crystal to make it POP!
YOU’LL NEED
Wide metal cuff
Wirecutters
25 to 30 shank buttons (the ones with the loop on the back)
E-6000 glue
Transparent tape
Krylon gray primer
Krylon flat black
1 large crystal button or stone
HERE’S HOW
1 Using wirecutters, cut off the shanks on the backs of the buttons.
2 Glue your buttons on your cuff with E-6000, making sure to leave a space in the center of the cuff to place your crystal (but don’t glue on your crystal just yet).
Hint:
To keep your buttons from slipping around, secure them with some transparent tape while they dry.
3 When the glue is dry, spray your entire cuff with gray primer and let dry.
4 Spray your cuff with flat black and let dry.
5 Glue your crystal in the center space and let dry.
6 Go out and impress!
BROOCH-EMBELLISHED TUFF CUFF
She did it again! Auntie gave you another cheapo brooch from the dollar store for Christmas, and though you’re grateful for the gesture and you adore her, you just can’t wear it without hanging your head in shame. Well, here’s your chance to turn it into something beautiful and it couldn’t be easier.
YOU’LL NEED
Cheap metal brooch (you know, the ones with plastic stones that look awful even from a distance?)
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
Wide metal cuff (I got mine at the dollar store)
E-6000 glue
Krylon gray primer
Krylon black flat or gloss
HERE’S HOW
1 Carefully clip or rip off the pin on the back of the brooch with your pliers or wirecutters.
2 Glue it on the center of your metal cuff with the E-6000 and let dry.
3 Spray the entire cuff with Krylon gray primer and let dry.
4 Spray with the Krylon black in high gloss or flat and let dry.
5 Show your favorite auntie how much you loved her gift.
ODE TO ANNA SUI
I’ve always been an admirer of the fashion designer Anna Sui. She’s got such an amazing sense of style and adores dramatic jet-black jewelry, just like me. This stunning choker would look amazing with a low scoop-neck dress or a white T-shirt. Either way, you can make this with just a few simple items.
YOU’LL NEED
5 small brooches or 1 large brooch and 2 pairs of large earrings
2 pairs of needle-nose pliers
Krylon gray primer
16 inches of chain (black if you can find it, if not, no big deal)
Krylon high-gloss black spray paint
7 gunmetal jump rings
1 gunmetal lobster claw closure
HERE’S HOW
1 Head to the dollar store or raid your jewelry box for your five jewelry pieces. Remove any earring wires, clips, and pin backs.
2 Spray your five pieces with gray primer, making sure to flip them over and spray the back too. Let them dry.
3 If you’re not using black chain, spray your chain with a primer coat.
4 Spray paint your pieces with the high-gloss black and let dry.
5 Figure out the spacing for your necklace and attach the jewelry pieces with jump rings on the chain.
6 Add jump rings to the ends of the chain and a lobster claw for the closure.
BUTTON CROSS AND CRYSTAL CUFF
I can’t count the times I’ve tried to glue buttons on something in hopes of making it chic. It almost never used to work, but I think I finally found the secret with this cuff. Try spraying it a different solid color and see what happens!
YOU’LL NEED
5 shank buttons (the ones with the loop on the back)
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
Small hammer
Transparent tape
E-6000 glue
Wide metal cuff
Krylon gray primer
Krylon black
20 inches of
crystal chain
Optional: Sandpaper
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut the shanks from the backs of the buttons with wirecutters to make them flat.
2 Gently tap the back of each button to flatten it out.
Hint:
If some of the shank is left, you can sand them down or flatten them a bit with a small hammer. If you’re using plastic shank buttons, you can clip the shanks and then easily sand them flat.
3 Glue your buttons in a cross shape in the center of the cuff with E-6000. Position the cuff so that your buttons don’t slide off while you’re gluing them. You can also use some transparent tape to hold them in place while they dry. You may have to do the sides one at a time.
4 When the glue is dry, spray your cuff with gray primer and let dry.
5 Spray your cuff with the black and let dry.
6 Cut your crystal chain in lengths to create starbursts. With dabs of E-6000 on a toothpick, carefully glue the crystal starbursts on the cuff and let dry.
7 Circle the center button with more crystal chain.
LUCKY LADY
I must have hundreds of small Buddhas and good-luck elephants sitting around my craft house! I keep buying them without knowing exactly what to do with them. Who can resist six tiny elephants for only a dollar? Not me, that’s for sure. One day, in a fit of creativity, I started drilling holes in them. The first one became an incense burner. I turned another into a large bead. Once I figured out how to drill them without breaking them, I was in heaven. My favorite piece is perhaps the easiest to make in this entire book—the elephant ring. Just search for Buddha figurines on www.amazon.com if you have trouble finding them at your local dollar store or thrift shop.