Arts to Crafts

Fun Craft Ideas for All Ages

jewelry

How to Make a Clay Jewelry Dish

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DIY Clay Jewelry Dish

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I thought that this DIY Jewelry Dish was the perfect project to share with everyone. Make it for someone special to be given along with a new piece of jewelry, or make it for yourself to use as a catch-all. It’s a great little dish that could be used on your nightstand, or by the front door to hold your keys.  I think this would make a beautiful gift for Mother’s Day too.

This is an easy project that uses air dry clay, stamps to make a pretty pattern and paints. Click here For the complete list of instructions by Sahana (aka Vikalpah).  Have fun!

This idea is shared with you via creative commons license.

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Easy Glue Gun Earrings

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One of the things that I love about arts and crafts is that there is no limit to the products that can be used to make beautiful crafts.  Some of the most beautiful things cost next to nothing and are super easy to make.  These glue gun earrings are the perfect example.

Glue Gun Earrings

Four Front Doors has a great tutorial for how to make these pretty earrings.  Can you believe that they are made by painting glue blobs?  Who would have thought that glue could be so beautiful.

On top of being easy to make, I also like this project because it doesn’t cost much to make these earrings.  A glue gun, paints, earring jump rings and E-6000 glue.  The only thing you may not have on hand is a non-stick silicone mat, but I think that you could probably use waxed paper just as easily.

I hope you have fun creating your own glue gun earrings.  Make a pair for yourself and as a gift for someone special.

Some of my favorite jewelry making books:

Teach Yourself VISUALLY Jewelry MakingTeach Yourself VISUALLY Jewelry Making

Making Handcrafted Wire and Beaded Jewelry Making Handcrafted Wire and Beaded Jewelry

Making Jewelry with T-Shirt Yarn: Fab Fabric AccessoriesMaking Jewelry with T-Shirt Yarn: Fab Fabric Accessories

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Eggshell Mosaic Bracelet & Pendant

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Who would think that a little old egg could be the perfect resource for making mosaic jewelry?  But as it turns out, eggshells are a great choice for making all sorts of jewelry and crafts. The fragile shells are ideal for creating mosaic designs and when applied to a firm base and sealed for protection, these eggshells transform into beautiful showpieces.

How to Make an Eggshell Bracelet

In this video, Tiffany Windsor shows you how to create a mosaic bracelet using eggshells and alcohol ink for the color.  The trick to achieving the color variation is to sand the eggshells once the paint is dry.  This way you get less color in some areas and it adds depth and contrast to the design.

Video by Cool2Craft

Mosaic Eggshell Pendant Tutorial

Here’s another video showing you how to create an eggshell pendant.  This video uses transparent acrylic paint, so you can see the difference between working with paint vs alcohol ink like in the video above.  She also shows you a different technique, using a black ink pad, to achieve color contrast and blending.

Video by BeyondBracelets

Supplies Needed Include:

Alcohol Ink or Transparent Acrylic Paints

Resin Block, Wooden Pieces, or a base to attach the eggshells to

Sanding Block or Nail File

Glue**

Black Ink Pad

Gloss Sealer**

Triple Thick Glaze**

**Mod Podge Gloss Finish can be used as a glue, sealant and glaze if you want to keep things easy (and cheaper) for yourself.

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DIY Box Clutch Purse

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It’s always nice to have a little clutch to go with a special dress, but buying them can get expensive and I can never find the style I want.  You know how it is right?  You’re heading out to a wedding or party and you want the perfect shoes or bag to go with your dress, but you can never find what you want, when you want it.  So here’s the solution, make a clutch purse yourself.

This box clutch purse from LifeAnnStyle is a fun way to make your own clutch in whatever color you choose.  I think that this is a fun project for girls of all ages and it would even make a really cute gift to make for mum. A girl can never have enough purses after all!

DIY-box-purses-bling

How to Make a Box Clutch Purse

What I like about this DIY idea is that you can recycle and upcycle things that you already have on hand.  Use a little gift box for the frame of the purse and use some old pieces of cosmetic jewelry that you have around the house.

Make sure you check the kids toys for things to upcycle too.  I know that my daughter has broken tiaras and play jewelry that we could use to make a cute purse.  And if you don’t want to use this as a clutch, you could skip the handle and just use it as a treasure box to keep on your bureau.

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Clay Polymer Beads

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If you love working with clay, or making beaded jewelry, then you have to see these beautiful handmade beads by Jeannie.  She makes these from clay canes, which is a way to mix clay into different colors and designs.

Here are some of her beads and the different color combinations that are included in them.  I think that they are just stunning and they give me inspiration to go out and make some for myself.

Polymer Clay Cane Beads

More at Polymer Clay Cane Beads | Jeannie’s Blog

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