by Mark Montano
Hint:
You can get stretchy crystal bead bracelets almost anywhere. I got mine at the dollar store and cut them apart. Buy them in tons of different colors and mix them together on the same necklace.
YOU’LL NEED
2 yards of 18-gauge galvanized or silver-tone wire per necklace
25 to 35 crystal beads per necklace
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut the wire into about 26 pieces that are anywhere from 2 to 21/2 inches long.
2 With your needle-nose pliers, make a loop on one end of a piece of wire big enough for another wire to slip through.
3 Slip a crystal bead on the wire and make a loop.
4 Slip the other end of the wire through the first loop and bend another loop around it so that it locks together.
5 Keep adding crystal beaded links to form your chain until you’ve reached your desired length.
6 Make sure you make it long enough to slip over your head.
CRYSTAL TASSEL EARRINGS
These are supereasy to make and bursting with style. Change the color of the crystal or the tone of chain, and you’ll have something to match every outfit in your wardrobe.
YOU’LL NEED
2 yards of fine silver-tone chain
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
2 silver-tone jump rings
2 crystal beads
4 inches of 20-gauge wire
2 silver-tone earring wires
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut the chain in twenty-four 3-inch pieces.
2 Thread twelve chain pieces on a jump ring.
3 Cut two 2-inch pieces of the wire and bead a crystal on each wire. Bend a loop on one end and another loop on the other end to attach to the earring wire.
4 Place the jump ring with the 12 chains on the bottom loop of crystal.
5 Repeat for the other earring.
WATERFALL CHAIN CHOKER
I feel like this is something that Carrie from Sex and the City would wear. It’s dramatic and definitely makes a statement. You could almost wear it as a necktie with a button-down shirt . . .
Be sure to visit www.createforless.com for amazing chains of every kind.
YOU’LL NEED
14 yards of fine gold-tone chain
14 inches of medium gold-tone chain
5 links of large gold-tone chain
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
9 gold-tone jump rings
1 gold-tone lobster claw closure
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut seven 14-inch pieces of thin gold chain and loop them onto a jump ring.
2 Repeat step 1 four times.
3 Cut two 7-inch pieces of medium chain and connect one on each side of the large five-link piece of chain.
4 Add jump rings and a lobster claw for the back.
5 Add each set of seven 14-inch chains to the five large links in the center of your choker.
Hint:
Try mixing different metal tones together to give a seriously funky feel to this project.
THINGS I USED
These are great items to have around the house for whenever you get inspired. Don’t forget to consult the Resource Guide, too, for suggestions on where to find some of these things and many more of the less common items.
ALUMINUM FLASHING: This comes in a roll in different widths. It’s great for the tin projects because it’s easy to cut (see Tin shears) and holds its shape when it’s bent. Also, it doesn’t rust!
BEADING WIRE: Want your beaded projects to be around forever? Use beading wire. It’s a thin wire coated in plastic and it’s stronger than Atlas!
BOBBY PINS: Pick them up at any 99-cent store in tons of different colors or just stick to plain old black and spray paint them!
BOOKS, OLD AND DISCARDED: You can use the paper for all sorts of things. Cut up pages for decoupage projects, mount artwork on a book page background, or use the covers for cardstock—there are tons of possibilities. They’re always very handy as weights while you’re drying glue work on handbags, jackets, and so on.
BUCKETS WITH LIDS: Great for storing large batches of papier-mâché and for keeping water and sponges nearby while you work.
BUTTONS: Start collecting these now and try always to have tons around. Get them anywhere and glue them on anything. They are decorative, great for flower centers, and neat for mosaic projects.
CLEAR PLASTIC TUBING: Sold at hardware stores for plumbing. This can be cut into different sizes to create beads for some terrific accessories. I wrapped some in chain and loved the results.
CLOTHESPINS, WOOD, AND PLASTIC: Wooden clothespins are perfect for gluing around and on projects to give them a handmade feel, and the plastic ones are great little clamps for holding things together while they dry.
CRAFT KNIVES: X-ACTO works for me! I use tons of these. Use them for making clean cuts, scoring, and preserving as much detail as you can while cutting out images.
CUTTING MAT: This is a piece of plastic that you can use your craft knife on, over and over again, without harming it. It’s perfect for all of the precise cutting you do. It also has a 1-inch-square grid for easy measuring. Once again, Fiskars makes the best.
DECORATIVE SCISSORS: You can get these in so many different shapes. Fiskars has an amazing selection and you will want them all. They give your paper projects beautiful borders. (Also see Pinking shears, and Fiskars in the Resource Guide.)
DRILL AND DRILL BITS: Get a good drill. Mine is from Skil, and it’s sturdy and strong. A nice selection of drill bits will last you forever, as long as you take care of them (Black & Decker make a great set). Stay away from cheap tools; they just don’t last!
ELMER’S GLUE-ALL: The basic white stuff is great for all craft projects, especially decoupage.
ELMER’S WOOD GLUE: For small wood projects, when getting a small nail in place is sometimes impossible, this stuff will really keep your work together. It’s also great for securing pieces of furniture that might be wobbly. Just fill in the cracks, and you’ll see what a difference it makes! I use it all the time on old furniture.
EMBOSSING POWDERS AND EMBOSSING PAD: Traditionally used with rubber stamps to give a raised image. This powder is activated with heat and comes in an endless array of colors. You can get it at any craft store. Press your rubber stamp in the pad and press it on your paper, then sprinkle on your powder. Remove the excess and heat the image covered in powder to get the effect. It’s fantastic!
EXTENSION CORDS: Let’s just say that sometimes your glue gun does not quite reach your worktable.
FABRIC: I save all scraps and eventually use every last one.
FAUX FLOWERS AND LEAVES: Stick them in vases, use them for jewelry, spruce up a headband . . . always have tons around, they will come in handy.
FELT AND STICKY FELT: Just a great fabric that does not fray at the edges. Use it for adhering to the bottoms of your projects so they don’t scratch the surfaces of your tables, for graphic fabric projects such as pillows and tablecloths, for appliqués so you don’t have to use pins while you are sewing, and a million other uses.
GLITTER GLUE: Createforless.com has a great selection of this sparkly stuff. Glitter glue is perfect for sprucing up any project. I love it and never leave the house without some in my backpack!
GLUE STICKS: What did we do without them? Perfect for greeting card and envelope projects. A nice clean way to use glue.
GOOGLE.COM (IMAGE SEARCH FEATURE): If you’re looking for a picture of a Union Jack to make a pillow pattern or need an image of Frida Kahlo to transfer onto a pillow, these days you can just get on your computer and do an image search. What an easy way to find inspiration for your projects!
E-6000 GLUE: Eclectic products has a huge selection of different glues that bond everything. The E-6000 is the best—it sticks just about anything to anything.
GUTTER GUARD: This plastic material with a grid pattern can be used for all kinds of projects. It’s fun to experiment with. I guess whatever you have left over could actually be used for your gutter, too!
HAMMER: A must for every toolbox. Try a smaller craft hammer for tiny nails and projects.
HOT GLUE GUN AND GLUE STICKS: You can get these anywhere. Although I am not a huge fan of the hot glue gun, there are great things you can do with it, and as long as you use another adhesive along with it, it’s perfect for keeping something in place.
JIGSAW WITH SEVERAL BLADES: I use a Skil jigsaw with a scroll blade or fine blade for many of my projects.
MAGAZINES: Old magazines are full of inspiring pictures and great ideas for new projects.
MARBLES: Glass chips and mosaic tiles. All terrific for jewelry making and wonderful for the glass-fusing projects.
METALLIC SPRAY PAINTS, GOLD AND SILVER: As any Southern girl will tell you, everything looks better sprayed silver and/or gold. Krylon’s metallic spray paints are my favorite.
NEEDLE-NOSE PLIERS: Super for picking up tiny things and bending small wires. There are very delicate ones for jewelry, but also sturdier ones that still let you do fine tasks and also have wirecutters, and these are really useful.
NEWSPAPERS: You need these to keep your work area clean, for papier-mâché and paper turquoise, and for inspiration.
PAINTBRUSHES: Get them anywhere, in lots of sizes, and make sure you take care of them.
PAINT THINNER: This stuff is flammable, so be careful. It’s great for getting rid of all kinds of messes, and can even remove some gooey glue. Just dab a bit on a cotton swab, and you have a very useful item.
PAPER CLIPS: In case you need a wire hook, these are handy to have around. Just unbend them and twist them into shape. They’re also great materials to use in your crafts—I always have gold, silver, and multicolor ones around.
PAPERCUTTER: Perfect for making straight edges and long cuts. It’s also great for cutting several sheets at once. Get one at Staples for a good price.
PAPER SHREDDER: I got one on sale at Staples for fifteen dollars. Great for making huge batches of paper strips for your papier-mâché projects, paper turquoise, etc.
PAPER TOWELS AND OLD RAGS: The more messes I create, the more I need a lot of cleanup supplies on hand, and I’ll bet you will, too.
PARCHMENT PAPER: Great for work surfaces if you want to keep them clean, and wonderful for fusing plastic bags together.
PENCILS: You can never have enough pencils. You’ll use them for marking measurements, tracing, sketching, outlining . . .
PINKING SHEARS: Shears with notched blades; used to finish edges of cloth with a zigzag cut for decoration or to prevent raveling or fraying. I love them! I have one pair for paper and one pair for fabric, and both are made by Fiskars. (Also see Decorative Scissors, and Fiskars in the Resource Guide.)
PINS: Flathead pins or ball-point pins will help keep your things in place while they dry.
PLYWOOD, BIRCH, 1/4-INCH, 1/2-INCH, 3/4-INCH, AND 1-INCH THICKNESS: Great for all of your wood projects. Birch plywood has a nice finish and is a higher grade than other plywood.
POPSICLE STICKS AND WOODEN COFFEE STIRRERS: Use these for mixing paints, stirring resin, you name it.
Q-TIPS: Perfect for dabbing on small bits of glue or taking off a little drip of paint while you work.
RECYCLED CONTAINERS: C’mon, how many times have you needed something to store your brushes and pencils in? Use what you have around the house.
RIBBON: Great for finishing edges on projects, hanging picture frames the old-fashioned way, and embellishing pretty much anything. Keep lots of different kinds on hand—satin (shiny), grosgrain (ribbed), faille (sheer), wired, novelty—and stock a variety of widths.
ROCKS TO USE AS PAPERWEIGHTS: It’s always good to have some smooth rocks on hand to hold things down while you work. I work outside a lot, and I just gather some and keep them beautifully arranged in a corner somewhere. You’ll be surprised at how handy they are.
RULERS: Have a few on hand at all times. You will need them for everything. Be sure to get a metal ruler for making cuts with your craft knives.
SAFETY GOGGLES OR GLASSES: It doesn’t matter if you are only drilling or sawing or hammering for one second. You need to protect your eyes!
SAFETY PINS: What would we do without them? Not only are they useful, but used for jewelry and embellishing, they are just wonderful! Grab as many as you can when you see them!
SANDPAPER: I like to sand items before applying glue or paint to them. The rough surface it gives will give the glue something to stick to, and a little sandpaper is perfect for scoring.
SCISSORS FOR PAPER AND FABRIC: Invest in your fabric scissors (Fiskars makes the best scissors). For paper, it’s good to have several pairs, so you don’t have to waste your time sharpening. (Also see Decorative scissors and Pinking shears, and Fiskars in the Resource Guide.)
SCREWDRIVER SET: No home should be without a set of screwdrivers. Paint the tops of the Phillips-head screwdrivers one color so that you know what you are picking up from the tool can. I swear, whenever I want a Phillips I grab a flathead, and vice versa!
SCREWS AND NAILS: Small, long, fat, wood, metal, these will always be useful.
SCRUBBERS: You know how messy you can be. Always have some small ones on hand.
SEWING MACHINE: Need I say more?
SHARPIE PERMANENT MARKERS: These will write on most any surface, so try to have them around. I like to use them on metal.
SPRAY ADHESIVE: Elmer’s makes a wonderful spray adhesive. It’s a spray glue that gives a nice, even coat of glue on your projects. There are strong- and light-tack ones, and depending on the tack, you can reposition your work until it dries, which is very helpful when you’re decoupaging images.
SPRAY BOTTLE: Next time you empty out a spray bottle of glass cleaner, save it and fill it with water for your workroom. Spraying water on your projects that use paint can produce wonderful effects. It can cloud ink and make spray paint gather and dry into terrific patterns.
STAPLER: You’d be surprised how you can use your stapler for projects in ways other than stapling a pile of papers together.
TAPE: Painter’s tape, masking tape, transparent tape. You need them all! Have plenty around for your projects.
THRIFT STORES: A great place to find old jewelry pieces to take apart. Look for things like belts and mismatched earrings that have small pieces you can use for your creations.
TIN SHEARS: Hand shears for cutting sheet metal. There are so many beautiful projects in this book that use sheets of aluminum. You will want to have a nice pair of shears that cuts with a serrated edge so the edges are not sharp.
TOOTHPICKS: Great for getting glue in just the right spot. Perfect for jewelry-making!
TURPENTINE: Great for cleaning oil-base paint off brushes.
TWINE: From tying up your recycled newspapers into bundles to creating a very cool fringe edge. Twine is your friend, and now it comes in fantastic colors. Mason Twine, for example, is a nylon twine that comes in neon colors. Stock up and use it!
WAX PAPER: I don’t craft without it! It’s the perfect work surface, since glues and resins don’t stick to it. Keep it around if you tend to be a little messy with the glue bottle.
WIRECUTTERS: Get a pair with spring action. They are much easier to work with. This way, you have more control when you are working on your projects.
WIRE, SMALL-, MEDIUM-, AND HEAVY-GAUGE: I’m constantly wiring things together and twisting wires into sculptures and other structures. Keep some around for everyday use and in case you get inspired. (www.createforless.com has an amazing selection.)
WOOD SCRAPS: Check out the scrap pile of a local wood worker to see if you can get a bag of scrap wood for a good price.
WORK GLOVES IN COTTON, CANVAS, LEATHER, AND RUBBER: Find a pair that fits, so that you can really use your fingers.
3-D CRYSTAL LACQUER OR MOD PODGE DIMENSIONAL MA
GIC: This is an alternative to coating something with resin. It’s nontoxic and has a nice finish. To find it, check online or at your local craft store. Also, www.amazon.com carries it.
RESOURCE GUIDE
THE CONTAINER STORE www.containerstore.com
I rely on this place to keep myself organized and when I want to find containers for all my creations.
WWW.CREATEFORLESS.COM
This is ALWAYS my first stop for anything I need to create my craft projects. The prices are amazing and the selection is incredible!
DIAMOND TECH www.diamondtechcrafts.com
The makers of Fuseworks Microwave Kiln Kit. I’m in love with this product! This is an amazing way to make beautiful fused glass pieces.
ECLECTIC PRODUCTS www.eclecticproducts.com
The makers of E-6000. I can’t get through a craft project without this glue. It’s simply the best for all of your crafting needs. Get a tube or two immediately!
FISKARS www.fiskars.com
The best scissors, hands down! For every cutting need you have, Fiskars has a product for you. Their shaped paper punches are pretty amazing, too! www.createforless.com carries them in case you’re not able to find them in your area.
DOLLAR (AND 99-CENT) STORES
What a great resource for just about anything you might need. Glass plates, candles, toothpicks, Popsicle sticks—you name it. You can’t depend on the stock, but more often than not, you will find a piece of your crafting puzzle there for only a buck (or 99 cents).
ELMER’S GLUE PRODUCTS www.elmers.com
You can find Elmer’s almost anywhere, but just in case you want to see what else the company makes and sells in bulk, this is a good place to start. I like to buy the white glue (Elmer’s Glue-All) by the gallon, since I use so much of it.
GLU-STIX.COM
This is the most comprehensive hot glue gun site on the web. Calling their toll-free Customer Service line (1-877-770-5500) connects you directly to one of their “Glue Professionals,” who are there every day to help customers find the right glue or gun for every purpose.