Gypsy Necklace

I was thrilled to be asked to create a bit more gypsy jewelry.  I just cannot get enough of this theme.  All the yummy jewelry stuff at Alpha Stamps makes it really easy to make good stuff.

My start was with this fantastic crescent moon focal. I immediately envisioned a bunch of gypsy junk hanging off of it, although that is not how the project turned out.  I found that it got too busy, so I edited it a bit to keep it simple.

So to start I chose my chain and my clasp.  These were very easy to add by just opening a link on the chain.  

Tip:  when opening a jump ring or bit of chain, you always want to use a back and forth motion.  In other words don't "spread" the link, as it will mar the wire and make it look deformed. 

Now to embellish the centerpiece.  I decided to use fancy star bead caps as they are so super cute.  In my opinion, you really can't go wrong with any bead cap!

I wanted this to be symmetrical, so I worked from the outside in.  I was sure to use an odd number of links in each dangle as well.  Odd numbers tend to work better in art. 

You could always add more stuff if you were going for the eclectic look...more dangles, charms, bits of chain, anything really. 

I hope these easy instructions inspire you to make a focal with all kinds of dangley goodness!

Cheers, 

Rhea

More Jewelry and Charms too

Well I finished up my complimentary necklace for the pearl one I recently posted.  I despise having my photo taken, but I did it so you all could see how they work together. I really enjoy making sets of necklaces like this so that can be worn together or separate.  I also love how you can move the clasp around to change the looks. Very versatile!  I guess I did get a little bit of sun yesterday while doing some of that pesky yard work.

I also recently finished up a charm swap for a local group of crafty pals.  They ended up getting two from me, as I did not reread the swap requirements before setting down to make them.  My original charms were the metal found object ones made with Tim's stuff, watch parts, and various odd metal items.  Unfortunately they were bigger than the size limit of 1.25 inches.  I am just glad I caught it before getting a bad swapper reputation with my gal pals.  The participants get the prize anyway, as I am sending them both along.  The second charm was made using these fantastic glass domes, Graphics 45 paper, stickels and metal flashing tape.  I punched a circle of flashing tape to "seal" the back of the charm.  I hope everyone enjoys!

Lastly, for my trusty readers, thanks again for participating in my blog giveaway!  I had an amazing 59 entries in my contest to win a Chotski Pin.  I used Random.org to choose a winner.  The 27th commenter was B-Jo.   I have notified her via email and hopefully she will respond soon.  If I don't hear from her within a week, I will draw again. 

Cheers,

Rhea