It's summer...pull out the canning jars.

I was raised in the country and we canned everything we couldn't eat fast enough.  There is even a family story of a near feud between two of my great aunts due to canning jars not being returned.  When I was a kid the jars often contained SWEET jam or SWEET pickles.  If the jars were empty we drank SWEET tea or SWEET lemonade out of the jars. In the spirit of summer time canning I have made these SWEET pottery cuff beads and I have included a quick tutorial on how to make a cuff bracelet faster than you can peel a bowl of peaches. 

In a mix of blues, browns and greens

In Indian Summer

 Super simple, just take a leather cuff and punch one hole to match up with each of the holes on the bead and then punch an additional hole approx. 1/4 inch from the outside of the first two holes.  I just hold the bead in the center of the leather and I use an ice pick to make a small prick in the leather where the hole will need to go.

 Then I begin sewing the bead to the leather, I use waxed linen thread from the box chain craft stores (look where they sell leather).  After stitching thru the bead and leather a few times I tie it off in the back.

 Here are a few good shots of the knot in the back.  I find that the wax string stays tight and does not come undone.

 

Repeat with the other side and cut off the ends when you are done.  And faster than you can peel a bowl of peaches you have a SWEET cuff bracelet.  Enjoy!

 

I also wanted to share two beautiful designs using my cross beads.  The first is a Elli cuff bead made into a great bracelet by Southern Grace Jewelry and a beautiful necklace with one of my worldly mix cross pendants by Topa Topa Designs.  Enjoy!

Wonderful tutorial using Captured Moments Pottery Beads

Claire Lockwood is a guest blogger on Art Bead Scene today and has posted a great tutorial for making a flower bracelet. She has step by step directions on how to make this design, including all the pieces she used and where to find them. Claire is from Frome, England, in the United Kingdom.  She has a cute shop at Etsy visit here there to see her beautiful pieces.  I hope you enjoy her beautiful designs.  Go to Art Bead Scene Blog to see all the details.

Recycled Brighton Tin Cuff Bracelet and Earrings

     I just wanted to share a quick how to make a cute cuff bracelet and earrings out of an old tin.  I started with a Brighton tin that I had and first cut off the sides with a pair of tin snips so that I could use the flat part of the tin.  The tin was not very large but I was able to cut a nice 2 inch strip and some basic rectangles for a pair of earrings to match.
      For the cuff I used an aluminum cuff I had purchased some time back but a brass cuff would work also.  I aligned the tin to the cuff and punched holes with a metal punch to attach the tin using micro screws and nuts.  I then filed the extra length of the micro screw so that it was flush with the nut.  I added a few of my mini pottery flower beads for accents using the micro screws and a daisy spacer bead for a nice finished look.

      For the earrings I attached two jump rings and earring wires to the top of the tin and added a daisy spacer bead for detail.  I punched a hole at the bottom of the earrings and added a mini flower pottery bead and a daisy spacer bead and used cold connection with a micro screw and nut to secure on the back of the earring.  I then filed the screws flush with the nut for a nice finished effect.  The whole project took me about 20 minutes to complete and are a fun way to use a recycled tin.  I hope you enjoy the tutorial and make yourself something fun today.

 

Thrift Store Find

I love going to the thrift store and looking at the cast offs that other people donate.  I am always on the look out for something to reuse.  This week I found a cool leather belt with a punched hole design, it was $1.50. I then went to the craft store and bought some turquoise braided ribbon and I was ready to create. 

 I cut 7 inches off the end of the belt, as I have a larger wrist, you might use more or less depending on wrist size.  I then began to sew or whip stitch the braided ribbon thru the existing holes.  I did have to cut the end off once and heat with a lighter to help the ribbon go thru the holes easier.

 Notice in the above photo where the arrow is pointing is the middle of the leather where I marked it with a pen before starting. 

 When I got around both sides and to the last end I tucked the ribbon under the last few stiches and did the same on the other side.

 Above you can see how the ribbon is unraveled some and I am tucking it under the existing stitches.

 A view of the other side so you can see one side finished and the other almost finished.

Above is the back of the belt where I tied a knot in the waxed linen thread to hold the bead on to the belt.

 I then sewed one of my pottery cuff beads thru the existing holes with waxed linen thread, if needed I could have punched holes.  On this one I lucked out as they were already there.

 The above photo show the cuff sewn on both sides.

 I had to punch one hole to add jump rings and a lobster claw but was able to use the existing hole on the other side.

 I made a quick pair of earrings and just attached the beads to ear-wires with jump rings and added a tiny copper bead for an accent.

 I simply threaded leather into one of my doughnut beads for a simple choker.  And tied a sliding knot to put on and off.

 These beads are in a Tahitian Blue they have a real water color effect which is fun for casual wear.

A close up of the earrings.

I wonder what people make of the loads of stuff I donate yearly to the thrift store? I think it is nice that we have the stores in our town, they benefit great causes and they are a great resource for items to reuse.  It is so much fun to find a treasure like the belt I found.  The best part is I have a large section of the belt left for another project and my daughter has already spoken for they next seven inch cut.  :)

More Show and Tell:

The following pieces were made by Carrie Grabowicz.  Carrie is a stay home mom of two sweet boys with lots of energy who love to have fun.  Her shop name Hammi Jammi came from a nick name she gave her boys when they were acting silly.  Carrie states that "It started off that they were "hams" if they were goofing around. Then it turned into "hambone jambone" and finally it turned into "hammi jammies."  What a fun name to use for her shop and a sweet sentiment behind the name.

 A beautiful design using one of my lavish steampunk beads.

 The above was made with an Elli bead in Autmun, the design below is also the Elli bead with flowers in Aqua Fresca.

Edgy bracelet tutorial using a pottery cuff focal bead and a bicycle tire

If you have been following my blog you know I like to recycle or up cycle items.   This hole project began when I spotted a old bike I had as a child up against the barn of my childhood home.  My daddy helped me take the chain off the old bike and I used it to press into the wet clay to make this super cool edgy pattern.  Then another crazy idea was to use a recycled bicycle inter-tube as the cuff of the bracelet.  The inter-tube was rescued from a bike my kids have recently out grown. I took the old bike inter-tube and fashioned this cool, edgy bracelet.  It was super quick to make and a fun accessory especially for bike lovers. 

I started by cutting off approx. 9 inches of the inter-tube, I then folded about a half inch of the tube inside itself to form a more finished edge.  I punched a hole with my leather punch and attached a metal button like one finds on their bluejeans. See post for details.
 

 

 

I then cut a button hole on the opposite side and curved the ends of the inter-tube using household scissors.  I glued the ends shut with household white glue.  To hold in place while drying I put clothes pins on the end.  Sorry I forgot to photograph that step. After it had dried overnight, I removed the clothes pins.

 

I held a 30x60 mm pottery cuff bead up to the center of my bracelet and punched holes to match the hole placement in the bead.  I then attached the bead to the inter-tube using micro screws.

 

This is the finished bracelet, ready to wear.  It should be a fun piece to wear with jeans and perfect for a bike or motorcycle enthusiast.  This piece was made with a stormy blue pottery bead but I have it in rusty truck also which is a brown with red rust spots.  Enjoy! Cindy

Note: that bike tubes have a natural curved shape so if you use a focal bead that has a top and bottom design you may consider adjusting that with the curve of the tube.

Tutorial for an Easy Peasy Cuff Bracelet

Hello, Oh how I love cuff bracelets, I actually feel undressed if I am not wearing some type of bracelet.  I made this great bracelet it took only 15 minutes or so.  I love that the beads can unhook and you can change it to a totally new look quickly.

Tools & Supplies:

Leather cuff
Micro Screws and Nuts
Decorative Ends
2 Large Jump Rings
2 Smaller Jump Rings
1 Elli Bead 
2 Lobster Claws
Leather Punch
Small Screw Driver
Wire Cutters
File 

The layout

Directions:

Take the leather bracelet and measure from each end 2 1/2 inches this is where the holes will be punched to screw in the Decorative Ends.  Punch a tiny hole with the leather punch and then screw the decorative ends to the leather using micro screws and nuts.  If the ends are too long they can be cut with wire cutters and filed smooth with a file.  

Attach a small jump ring to the single end of the decorative end and attach a lobster claw, repeat on other side.  

Take Elli bead and attach one large jump ring to each end.  The bead will feel loose on the leather when layed flat but will be snug with the bracelet is snapped.  If you use another size bead be sure and measure the middle and attach all hardware and hold up to the snapped cuff to help determine where the decorative ends should be attached.

Here you can see the microw screws and nuts through the leather back

Finished Piece

 
To complete bracelet just attach the lobster claws to the jumprings on each side of the bead.

Front view

 

Next I changed the bead to one of the Boho Flower beads and I have a totally new look.

Another great cuff design using my pottery cuff beads.  The lovely bracelet below was designed by Brenda her Etsy shop is Beaded River Jewelry.  She makes beautiful bracelets with beads and leather woven together. I just love the mix of pottery and leather.  I appreciate her allowing me to share these great photos with you.  If you have a design that you have made using my beads I would love to show them off on the blog, so please share photos soon you can send them in a Convo on Etsy.
Enjoy! Cindy