Copy Cat: Ring Project

Ring I made that was inspired after a much more pretty ring which I can't copy and paste here because my computer is being foolish.

This ring (that I made) cost $1.50 for the stone, prob like $.05 for the eye pin, and maybe less than $.05 for the ring wire I bought at the store ($6 for 6m of wire). Let me tell ya the ring that I saw originally looks a lot better than mine but also cost A LOT more than $1.60. You get what you pay for I suppose.

What you need for this is:
- a stone you like that has a pre-drilled hole in it
- an eye pin that can fit the stone in it.
- ring wire (I bought mine at the Bead Monkey on Grand: the brand is called "The Bead Smith Bead Wire: Silver Wire with copper core 0,8 MM Length 6M 20 Gauge")
- pliers

Step 1: Put bead on eye pin. Make sure to cut down the wire so that it fits close enough to the bead's actual size, but leave enough room to close the end.

Here is an example of how the bead should look with the eye pin.


Step 2: Cut enough wire so that it will fit around your finger and then some extra to wrap around the ends of the eye pin. Be careful here you will need it to be bigger than you think. This is why my ring became a pinky ring because I misjudged on my sizing.

Step 3: Take your bead wire and poke each end through the eye pin on each side of the bead. Make sure the wire is even on both sides.

Step 4: Using your pliers wrap the wire in circles around the eye pins so you can't see the eye pin anymore.

Step 5: Wear the ring!!!!!

Making jewelry from nature

So I dedicate this blog post to my dear friend Angela from my Holistic Health Studies program. She is always modeling the latest artsy pieces of jewelry and many of her collection is inspired by up north and nature in general. She is quite the artist herself and one day I hope I could maybe share a link to some of her stuff with you.

The first thing I want to share is a bracelet that I will forever admire which Angela wore in the beginning of program (last fall) a lot. Yeah I am a creeper a little, but I notice these kinds of things. This one is of course more expensive than another one you could prolly find from a cheaper place but that is because it is an artist's work, and his name is Michael Michaud.

Its a bracelet that looks like bark from a birch tree. Talk about hot! Someday maybe you will see me sporting one of these. It depends if my bf reads my blog. haha, JK!


The second item on the agenda was a simple project that took me about 5 minutes. This necklace was inspired by a necklace Angela has as well. I know you're prolly thinking why don't you just marry Angela if you like her so much, and quite frankly that is a good question. But that is not the point of my posting. So back to the story-- I saw this necklace on her in class this past Monday and I recognized that I have many rocks from Hawaii that have been sitting around taking up space, and they have been a really special symbol and reminder for me of some significant life experiences that I cherish. I had been carrying this particular rock around with me in my "portable oasis" (which I can talk about at a later date), but I decided I wanted to make it into a necklace I could wear (modeled after Angela's) to remind myself more obviously of everything I learned in HI. All you need for this project is:

- Modge Podge
- A flatter rock (hopefully that has meaning to you)
- Some malleable metal
- Coil clasp parts
- Black cord
- Pliers

1) Take the metal and bend in half in the shape of a "U"
2) With this "U" shape, make sure to use the half circle end of the metal to act as the sort of eyepin circle that will connect the rock to the leather (see pic).
3) Tie or wrap the metal around the rock in whatever way you please. (the pic is pretty self-explanatory I hope).
4) Add modge podge with a paintbrush or your finger over the metal part that is holding the rock to secure it in place.
5) String the rock onto the leather cord of your preferred length.
6) Dip the ends of the leather cord into modge podge and then place the coil clasps over the gluey ends.
7) Using the pliers, clamp down the coil (like a crimp bead) and you have yourself a new necklace that brings nature and meaning into your life!

Check it out:


K, to be honest, I am very very tired (and sick--you can probably tell from my picture)so unfortunately my blogging ends here for now, but hopefully I can come back on soon and update my other two blogs considering I am back in school with plenty more material to share!

Have a nice relaxing weekend and I hope you have a minute to enjoy nature or art or maybe both together!