Hot Jewelry How-Tos
How To: Craft a vintage collage necklace with brass stampings and rhinestones
This Mona Lisa necklace is really as unique and charming as it gets. Why wear the same old stringy bohemian necklace as everyone else when you can fabricate your own neck wear using vintage brooches, brass stampings, and other found knick knacks?
How To: Create jewelry in the vintage Five and Dime style
If you're a baby boomer or at least older than 40, then you probably remember the Five and Dime stores around your neighborhood street corner. Carrying kitchy knick knacks like masks and cheap candies that even little kids could afford, they were quite the sensation in their day.
How To: Create Steampunk rings with Gilder's Paste and Adirondack paint
If you haven't heard of Steampunk, then you've obviously been living under a rock for the past couple of years. Steampunk style, which is an ironic style composed of designs that fuse anachronistic technology (proppellers, watch parts, etc.) with Victorian style.
How To: Craft brass stampings and select plating finishes
Interested in getting in on the vintage jewelry trend? Then consider this video the introduction to the rest of your jewelry-crafting career. This jewelry tutorial focuses on brass stampings, which are intricate, almost filigree-like floral patterned rounds that you can string onto necklaces or pin onto earrings.
How To: Pack jewelry business orders easily and quickly
So you've done it. You've been wanting to have your own jewelry business since you were six, and you finally saved up enough money to purchase all the materials and are now making more moolah than you can count with your on-trend wire wrapped earrings. But how do you handle packing and shipping so many orders without going crazy?
How To: Craft custom earwires from eyepins and earrings with filigree designs
Want to make your own jewelry? While there are loads of pre-made earrings and necklaces and bracelets out there, it's often hard to find one that suits your personality to a tee, so we totally feel you. But before you start haphazardly strining stuff onto a wire, check out this jewelry making video first.
How To: Measure stones, bezels, and mounts with brass measuring calipers
If your idea of jewelry making is simply strining on glass beads and vintage knick knacks onto a string and then adding a clasp, then you have some serious learning to do. While in the end creativity trumps all, it's important for many intricate projects that you calculate exactly how much of one particular stone or filigree stamp you need. And in order to do that, you must measure them.
How To: Color vintage flower brass stampings using acrylic paint and resin
If you enjoy creating vintage inspired jewelry, then there's no way you can get around not using brass stampings. Already infused with a rusty colored hue, they're very antique-looking and their colors can be altered. Check out this jewelry crafting video to learn how to color vintage flower brass stampings using materials including acrylic paint and resin.
How To: Select an appropriate glue for collage jewelry
When it comes to making collage jewelry - i.e., jewelry that's an assemblage of tons of bits and pieces - the type of glue you use is essntial to everything sticking together and not falling off into your cocktail at your holiday party.
How To: Use gilder's paste to enhance the appearance of filigree beads
Filigree beads add a touch of intricate whimsy to any jewelry project. But if you're using run-of-the-mill metal filigree parts of one uniform color each time, then you're probably making necklaces and earrings that are more blah than impressive.
How To: Add a nickel-free gunmetal finish to raw brass filigree
Gunmetal gray is one of the coolest, most biker-chic finishes out there when it comes to jewelry making. If you enjoy working with filigree pieces in your bracelets and necklaces, why not make them less granny fantastic and more urban chic by adding a nickel-free gunmetal finish?
How To: Craft a vintage/Steampunk rose brooch
When you think of flower brooches, you probably imagine those dusty, ancient things your grandmother used to wear on her wool cardigan. But brooches can be uber cool - and even street chic - when done in a vintage/Steampunk style.
How To: Color flower brass stampings with acrylic paint and resin
Adding a patina to brass stampings is what gives it an aged, beautifully vintage look. If you've never worked with patinas before, then check out this jewelry crafting video to learn about how to use different types of patinas - including resin and acrylic paint - to make a flower you can attach to a pin to make into a brooch.
How To: Rivet and manipulate brass stampings to make jewelry
Brass stampings add that perfect metallic touch to any jewelry project you're working on. While brass stampings are usually made into filigree shapes, they can also be manipulated into pretty floral designs.
How To: Craft a shimmery kundan gem flower
Kundan flowers are made from kundan gems, which are a type of Indian gem with very vibrant, jewel-like tones. Kundan flowers, then, can be made as exotic and brilliant decorations for your tabletop or even to adorn fanciful cakes.
How To: Make easy embellished bohemian earrings using fabric stiffener
Bohemian hair, fashion, and beauty have been super hot in Hollywood for the past year or so, and the trend is showing no signs of slowing down. While many hip young designers offer bohemian bangles and earrings at trendy L.A. boutiques, avoid denting your wallet with their overpriced goods by making some bohemian earrings yourself!
How To: Make a cute polymer clay dog bead
Polymer clay beads are oftentimes cute even without adornment, but beads with pictures of little doggies on them are simply adorable. This video will teach you how to make dog beads out of polymer clay with floppy ears and a wanting expression.
How To: Make holiday themed wine glass charms out of Friendly Plastic
You can make these lovely whimsical charms out of Friendly Plastic - a non toxic plastic that gets soft in hot water or when exposed to heat. You can mold and shape Friendly Plastic using tiny cookie cutters to make fun wine glass charms!
How To: Craft a DIY rocker chain ring
Let's face it: Rock stars wouldn't be half as cool without their hardware. We're talking those tough studded leather jackets, piercings, and of course rings.
How To: Create beautiful beaded hair medallions
These crafts are ideal handmade gifts, especially if there is a belly dancer on your list. You will need a needle, sturdy thread, scissors, small pliers, clear nail polish and craft glue. And, of course, the medallion you want to use!
How To: Create your own glitter and crackle charms
This small charm makes a great accent for any gift. Turn it into a wine charm, a cell phone charm or a jewelry charm. All you need is a plain pendant style charm, clear craft glue and your favorite craft glitter.
How To: Make a chain out of Starburst or other candy wrappers for jewelry
Starburst are famous both for their amazing flavor and their colorful but ecologically-reprehensible wrappers. Don't throw them away! Make stuff out of them! Watch this video for instructions on making chains out of Starburst wrappers, which can then be used to make jewelery or for other decorations.
How To: Make a Thanksgiving turkey from beads and jewelry wire
This is a great project, especially for older or preteen children. You will need flatnose pliers, needlenose pliers, wire cutters, gold bugle beads, seed beads, a large bead for the body and 24 gauge jewelry wire in bronze or copper.
How To: Make your own glass bead bracelet
In this video, you'll learn how to make a simple bracelet out of glass beads. Use this video to put your own unique spin on glass jewelry. You don't need expensive tools or lots of expertise - all you have to do is follow along with this video to make your own glass bead bracelet. It makes a great gift!
How To: Install a new battery into a watch
When your treasured watch no longer goes "tick tock," or does so now very slowly, you know it has one foot in the grave. Or does it?
How To: Make a Mexican friendship bracelet with an "S" spiral
Friendship bracelets are the most personal testaments to a good friend that you can make. Celebrate your friendship while creating a work of art that will last a very long time by weaving together this friendship bracelet with an "S" spiral.
How To: Make a handwoven cloth bohemian bracelet
Bohemian jewelry is all the rage in Hollywood. Stars pay literally hundreds of dollars to get their bohemian jewelry fix, but you don't need to spend more than a few bucks - if any - to tote around a beautiful piece.
How To: Upcycle old jewelry into a fashionable bracelet
Got a bunch of old mismatched (or just plain fugly) necklaces and bracelets lying around? If you're like us, your first thought is "ew" and your second thought is to toss them, fast. But there's more fashionable potential in these jewelry pieces than you think.
How To: Make a DIY spiral braided bracelet with a charm
Bohemian ware is all the rage these days - from bohemian headbands to necklaces to hemp jewelry, the braided, slightly undone look is all the rage. Get in on the trend without dropping mad stacks at a store by creating this cute spiral braided bracelet.
How To: Create a twisted Solomon Bar paracord bracelet
In this clip, we learn how to make a twisted Solomon Bar bracelet with paracord. Once you get the hang of it, you'll find it's quite easy. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started making your own paracord bracelets, watch this video tutorial.
How To: Make a cute Thanksgiving turkey hair clip
This is a great seasonal arts and crafts project that you can do to turn a basic barette into a Thanksgiving themed hair clip. By using just a little bit of fall colored ribbon and some brown felt, you can make a cute turkey barette!
How To: Solder jump rings
In this tutorial, we learn how to solder jump rings. This will give the rings more strength if you are doing a chain or a bracelet, and it won't break on thread. You will need a flame, wick candle with a number four tip, and something to light the torch. Start out by closing the gap in your jump ring until it's aligned and there is no gap left. Then light the fire for your solder and use it to cover over the jump ring. Once a few seconds have passed, you will be finished with the soldering of...
How To: Make a pair of great looking earrings
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a pair of great looking earrings. To start, you will take the base of your earring that has the hook on it and then take the wire for your beads. Pick out any beads that you want to attach to the wire, then string them onto it. You can add different colors and any type of bead you want to make these unique. From here, use wire cutters to bend and cut the excess wire from the bead. From here, you will bend the extra piece into a loop that you will hook to...
How To: Create a wire wrapped pendant for a necklace
A wire wrapped pendant can be a lovely addition to your wardrobe, or make a wonderful gift for a friend. This tutorial shows you how to take your favorite pendant and dress it up with a little extra jewelry wire.
How To: Create a ribbon necklace to string a pendant on
Don't have a matching chain to string your favorite pendant on? Looking for a good gift idea? This tutorial shows you how to weave a ribbon, scarf or extra cloth into a lovely chain. You can make this chain as long as you want!
How To: Weave a tri-color friendship bracelet
Take three strips of cloth, ribbons, lanyards or embroidery floss, and use the following tutorial to make a lovely three colored friendship bracelet. You can turn this into a necklace, or bend it into a loop to make a keychain.
How To: Make a knotted bead necklace out of an old T-shirt or scarf
Have some ugly beads you don't know what to do with? Disguise them as fun knotted bead jewelry by tying them into a necklace! You can also use marbles. All you need besides the beads is the fabric, which you can get from an old t-shirt or scarf.
How To: Craft an urban chain statement necklace
Make your own statement necklace by combining various different chains and stringing them on jewelry or jump rings approximately half an inch wide. Attach the rings to the chain, jumble them up, and then attach a clasp to the other end.
How To: Make a simple friendship bracelet with thread
Looking for your next craft project? Why not a friendship bracelet? It's easy! So easy, in fact, that this video tutorial can present a complete overview of the process in just three minutes. For all of the details, and to get started making your own custom friendship bracelets, take a look.
How To: Make a candy-stripe friendship bracelet
Looking for your next craft project? Why not a candy-stripe friendship bracelet? It's easy! So easy, in fact, that this video tutorial can present a complete overview of the process in just three minutes. For all of the details, and to get started making your own custom candy-stripe friendship bracelets, take a look.