Copper Charm Bracelet

I wouldn't be very nice if I didn't show you how to make a simple copper bracelet for your charms. I already have the 18 gauge wire and if you don't, Lois at "A Beaded Affair" carries all sorts of copper supplies. She's in my blog list. You will need to pick up a pack of copper lobster clasps and a pack of different sized jump rings. My local Michaels' sells these. I also have a ruler, small paint brush, wire cutters, flat nose and needle nose pliers and a metal file.

Begin by setting out your jump rings along the ruler. The basic bracelet size is 7" - 7 1/2". We're using the bracelet I made as an example. Next we're cutting 7 + 1 pieces of wire, 2" long.

I cut an extra for mess ups so I don't have to go back and do an old step.

File the ends of these wires so they don't catch on things.

I found my small paint brush to be the right size for bending my wire pieces on. Bend each in the center.

Using your needle nose pliers and starting at one end of your wire begin forming a loop.

Make the loop touch.

Do the second end.

You can leave them like this or bend them back a bit like the above picture, it's up to you.

You'll notice that all our components stretch out to 8" but when it's put together it will be the size we want.

I've used smaller jump rings at the loop ends and bigger jump rings at our double ends. Slide the small jump rings into the loops, open the big jump rings with your flat nosed pliers and thread on your double ends. Be mindful of the fronts and the backs, you'd like them all going the same way.

Keep working across.

And in no time you're done!

This bracelet would be good for 1, 3, 5 or 7 charms.

Simple and pretty!

I Need A Simple Solution

The girls at my husbands work suggested I start making jewelry sets. I started last night but it leads to a complication. You can stick a bracelet into a cute little bag but a set like this needs to lay flat and not move around. In stores they use boxes with foam and tabs and such. I'm not a store but I need to figure out a way to do the same thing simply.

That's something I'm going to work on today, presentation. I'll probably need to head over to the craft store too, don't tell Daniel.

I added this shot so you could see how the necklace hung. I'll let you know how I did.

Pearls At Work

Bless my husband, he's at work trying to get stuff done. Of course that's in between the women that he works with asking about bracelets. Colors, sizes, types, ideas, not quite his thing but he's a real trooper. Thanks everybody!

Mourning Dove

The Bees Are Busy

What do you do when you need to copy a bracelet you already made but you don't have the same beads!

I don't know but I tried to put something together in the same spirit. I like it.

For Fun

My simple tools and washcloth are still working for me.

With this bracelet I played around with many different designs. One thing I wanted to share is that you should always try stuff on. Just because it looks good on the counter doesn't mean it will look good on a persons arm.

Everyone At The Feeder

I tried not to leave anyone out. This bracelet represents most of the birds that come to my feeder. Don't worry I have a list!

From the above picture, left to right:

1. white-breasted nuthatch
2. house sparrow
3. cardinal
4. house finch
5. gold finch
6. grackle
7. tufted tit mouse
8. european starling
9. hairy woodpecker
10. red-bellied woodpecker
11. blue jay
12. wren

I have to pick up a toggle for it but that was a lot of fun!

Family of Cardinals

This bracelet is called Family of Cardinals. I thought the three strands would lend itself to this.

Trust me, I have more Cardinals in my backyard than I know what to do with. They are all year residents. My step mom in Florida has to sprinkle her Cardinals with the hose everyday. They yell at her if she doesn't.

Are You My Mommy?

OK, name that bird.

I'm only kidding, it's just a baby bird. That's what it says as it follows you around the yard, "Are you my mommy?" That's because his real mommy laid him, as an egg, in someone else's nest and took off. Do you have any idea what he is? He's a Brown Headed Cow Bird. Not exactly bracelet bird material but I like them.

Name That Bird

The Name That Bird game is the fun new game I play with my family. As much as they hate seeing me approach with a new bracelet to test them with they also like getting the bird right.

So what do you think it is???

Yellow Warbler

I go to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge to see these guys.

I thought today I'd show you my process. You may have noticed I use a washcloth to keep my beads in place. For me this works well. I've even been using the edgings and stripes of this particular washcloth for measuring, rough measuring!

Finished bracelet.

Mourning Dove

My dad loves these guys he calls them love birds.

Chickadee

These little guys are practically landing on you if you don't fill the feeder fast enough.

I found someone else doing beautiful jewelry recently and she has good tutorials. Her name is Jenny Hoople and she does a lot of hand tying beads to silk thread. Her blog is at: http://jennyhoople.blogspot.com/

Indigo Bunting

One of my favorite birds.

I think I'm just gonna keep going here and see where it takes me.

Baltimore Oriole

My head is swimming with birds and beads. This has been so much fun.

The son wasn't sure about the whole haphazard thing so I made something with a pattern. Different strokes for different folks. The same sentiment though.

Gold Finch

There's nothing I like better than birds and I have my mom to thank for introducing me to them. She's not into crafts though, but if I can combine birds with crafts, how cool is that?

Well I take no credit for the idea, in fact my idea came from a butterfly source. The site is called Obsession With Butterflies located at: http://www.obsessionwithbutterflies.com/index.html
The girls there are raising money for butterfly conservation. That's not the first thing I noticed on their site though, they are making beautiful jewelry in dedication to individual butterflies. Wow is all I can say, check them out.

This is my own Gold Finch design. You may say how haphazard but what I did was visualize the Gold Finch tip to tail. The bracelet represents him. More tomorrow.