Easy to Make Brass Tie Wrap Bracelet

Bracelets are probably my favorite accessory. I don't know why, but I love having arm candy. A few months ago when I stopped in at Magnolia Market in Waco, one of the things I bought was a brass tie leather bracelet. I loved the simplicity of it and that it could go with any outfit dressed up or dressed down. 

When I have something that I love, I can't just have one of them, so when I saw the supplies at my local craft store to make my own brass tie wrap bracelet, I picked them up. It took me less than two minutes {seriously} to make this bracelet. Find out how you can make your own.

If you would prefer to purchase a brass tie bracelet from Magnolia Market, you can find them here, on sale! This bracelet is what inspired me to make my own.

These are the supplies you will need:

Leather cord
brass blank
measuring tape
scissors

I measured out my leather to 32". I have small wrists and this wraps around me five times. You may want it longer if your wrists are bigger.

Then, you simple thread the leather trough the top and across the back and through the other side. Easy as that!

It's a tie bracelet, so you just tie it right on. No clasps to deal with.

These are the two bracelets side by side. The bracelet I picked up at Magnolia Market is on the left. The one I made is on the right. I love it because I could even stack them if I wanted.

My homemade version cost me about $5 to make.

I'm pretty much in love with it. Easy inexpensive jewelry that I make myself is probably one of my favorite things. Step out this spring with some new arm candy!dislaimer: this post may have affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing through them, I may receive a small commission. These small purchases help me to continue to keep writing content and creating at Holy Craft. Thank you!

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How to Make Zipper Bracelets

I've been blogging for a really long time. {I think blog years are similar to dog years.} Through those years I've created a lot of projects. Some of those projects just haven't gotten the love that I think that they deserve. Many have barely been seen, because when I wrote them I had like four people reading my blog. I have a few new readers and I don't want my new friends to miss out on some of these projects because I think they are pretty stellar, so I'm refreshing some of them. I'm bringing them out of the archives for you to enjoy.  Coincidentally, I'm conveniently leaving some of those not so great projects hidden in the archives. You can find them on your own but boy oh boy I'm not bringing them back into the light! Some of those need to get buried far deep down {ahem...pipe cleaner tree} and never seen again. 

I'm starting with this zipper bracelet tutorial because I love my arm candy and because these bracelets cost me next to nothing, which is my favorite price for a project.

I am a craft supply hoarder. I love my garage sales during the summer and I find that it's the best time to pick up craft supplies. Sometimes, like this time, those supplies sit in my closet or in a drawer for weeks, even years before they get used.

There aren't many people that sew anymore, so finding vintage zippers like these are usually easy to come by at an estate sale for cheap. I picked them up for about a dime a piece. My favorite zipper to use are the 7" jean zippers. I like the brass on them and the thickness of the zipper makes for a nice substantial bracelet. Don't have a garage sale? You can buy a zipper instead. 

I don't make jewelry often, but I do have needle and round nose pliers that are helpful to make and fix jewelry. Consider getting a set. You will also need cup chain ends, jump rings, clasps and charms {optional}.  All of these materials I usually have on hand because when you buy them, you usually have to buy them in bulk.

Start by cutting off the ends of your zipper.

Next, cut as close as you can to the zipper cutting off the material on the sides.

Once you cut your seams, light a candle and hold your zipper over the flame to seal the sides of the fabric. Be careful because your zipper will be hot!

Use a cupchain to secure the end of your zipper. You can even use a dot of glue to make sure it holds in place.

Slide on a jump ring, your charm if you are using it and a clasp. Close your jump ring with your pliers.  Your clasp will fit into the hole at the end of your zipper. 

Pretty snazzy right? You can layer your bracelets for even more awesomeness because one can never have too much arm candy.  If you want to see the original tutorial with even more step by step photos, you can find the post here.

Don't miss the thousands of posts I have in my archives. You can find a "search this blog" bar on the right, or find popular labels to search. dislaimer: this post may have affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing through them, I may receive a small commission. These small purchases help me to continue to keep writing content and creating at Holy Craft. Thank you!

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Horn turned into a necklace creating wearable art

Last August I went on one of the most amazing trips ever. I spent a few days after a visit in Uganda in the Masai Mara wildlife reserve in Kenya. I had always dreamed of going on safari before, but didn't know that it would be something that I would ever be able to do. You can read more about my experience on safari here and here.

While we were at one of the local safari camps, I acquired an Impala horn. It was found in the dried scat of an animal and looks to be that of a small Impala that was a yummy dinner for one of the bigger animals in the Mara. However, it's pretty darn small, so I'm now second guessing if it's an Impala or a Topi.  Whatevs, it doesn't really matter. It's awesome.

I brought it home, not sure what I would do with it, but just this past weekend, I decided to try making a necklace out of it and the end result is fantastic! I love it! And I love that it reminds me of a such a special place in this world.

This is the horn. It's only about two and a half inches long. It has the most amazing color and the starts of those tell tell coils that the Impala horns get as the animal ages.

Not quite sure what an Impala looks like? These are a few grazing in the field.

I used a wire twist tie to create a loop. I looked for ideas on how to connect the horn to a chain but when I started looking at jewelry findings the best thing I found was a heavy twist tie that had held together some wire that I had bought. I added a small ring to the loop. I connected the ring through the center loop on the long chain that I had bought at Hobby Lobby and then used Gorilla Glue to secure the loop to the inside of the horn. In the picture it shows that I'm using Martha Stewart jewelry glue. I intended to until I found out that the glue had dried up. In the end, I think that Gorilla Glue worked better.

My daughter is already trying to steal it from me to wear to school so I consider that a fashion win.

I love how this project turned out. I was able to take such a special treasure and make wearable art from it.  How cool is that?!

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Easy to make sand dollar necklace and earrings

My favorite beach has been nicknamed sand dollar beach by my kids and I because during low tide, you literally can not walk without hearing the crunch of sand dollars underneath your feet. 

I know for most of you, it's a treasure to find a sand dollar if you are on a beach.  It used to be the same way for me too.  I remember spending the summers on Kiawah Island, South Carolina. We would dig up sand dollars with our toes while we were splashing in the waves. 

Once I discovered my favorite beach, sand dollars are easy to come by for me.  My kids love having contests to see who can find the smallest sand dollar. One time, my daughter found a sand dollar that was smaller than an eraser on a pencil!

We happened to be at my favorite beach last week, and my daughter and I started combing the beach for smaller sized sand dollars and we started dreaming up ideas of things we could do with them.

Making jewelry was the first thing both of us thought of. So today, I'm going to show you how we made a necklace and earrings with sand dollars from my favorite beach.

We collected as many small sand dollars as we could find. Some of them were really small {less than a quarter of an inch} and some of them were bigger {two inches}.  If you don't live close to a place where you can find sand dollars, you can order them here.

I always collect more than we need because no matter how careful you are, there are bound to be accidents.  If you are using sand dollars you find, you will need to carefully wash them off in tap water and then put them in a bleach bath {50% bleach, 50% water}  and soak them for several hours. Rinse off your sand dollars and if they are as white as you would like them, carry on.  If they aren't soak them in another bleach bath and repeat the process.

Once the sand dollars are the desired color, use mod podge and paint it on the fronts and backs of your sand dollar letting it dry with each coat.

Phew!  The prep process is the worst part!  Now on to the fun!

The only thing you need to make the earrings is some E6000 glue and some earring blanks. I loved that these had a large base so that the fragile sand dollar could have some support behind it.

For the necklace, you need your E6000 glue, a bail and I cheated and used a pre-made necklace because a) it was 50% off and b) it was way easier than buying all the clasps for the necklace. I got all of the supplies at Hobby Lobby.

Squeeze your glue onto your bail and/or earring posts and follow the directions for attaching your sand dollars. It's easy peasy!

Let your jewelry dry and wear your unique piece!

I love how they turned out! During the winter, I'm going to be happy that I have a little piece of the summer with me.

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A collection of the best stackable anniversary bands

My husband and I recently celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary. We spent some time celebrating in Cancun and we had our best time!

I am still a girl, and jewelry is never far from my mind.  I like diamonds and sparkly things, what can I say! I am loving the new stackable ring trend and think that it's a fabulous idea if you are looking for some sparkly way to remember your next wedding anniversary by.

I've rounded up a few of my favorites from Anjolee. Maybe you will find a favorite that you love too!

{from left to right, top to bottom}

Vintage Diamond Anniversary Band

Single Row Eternity Band

Vintage princess cut eternity band
It's a ten Diamond band
Round Millgrain Diamond Anniversary Ring
Diamond Channel Band
Perfect Three Diamond Anniversary Ring

I'm more of a delicate ring kind of gal, since my wedding ring is sized at a 3.5. I have teeny tiny fingers! I have a channel set wedding band already, and played with stacking another eternity band like the everlasting love eternity ring under my existing wedding set.  You know...just getting an idea for our 20th wedding anniversary and all.  It was a seamless transition and blended in perfectly with my wedding set.

My current wedding set is soldered together, and when I travel, I switch out my wedding ring for a plain band. I love the idea of not soldering an anniversary band and having the option of wearing that when I travel instead.  Wouldn't want the guys flocking all over me once I take that ring off!

Are you loving the stackable ring trend as much as I am?  Do you have a favorite from my list?  I would love to hear from you!I was given a silver and cz ring as compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.  I wouldn't tell you about something I didn't love.

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easy leather bead bracelet

Before Christmas, I had the chance to shop House of Gems, an on-line wholesale bead and jewelry making supply shop.  I was like a kid in a candy shop!  Expect to see more projects soon, but for now, these leather bead bracelets are the first thing I tackled.

I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but when I do, I like it to be small and subtle. Sometimes small and subtle is hard to find in the stores, so after hunting, I decided to make my own.

You will need:
8-12 beads for each bracelet
20 gauge wire
2 jump rings
clasp
1.5 mm leather
2 crimping beads with ring
needle nose pliers
round nose pliers
end cutters

Start by cutting about six inches of your wire.

Hold your round nose pliers about an inch from the end and bend your pliers in a circle.

You will make a loop and will have a tail that will then be wrapped around the wire 2-3 times.

Cut as close as you can with your edge cutters and use your needle nose pliers to press the end as close as you can to the wire so that it isn't sharp.

String your beads on in whatever pattern you want.  Once you have enough beads to stretch about two inches, take your round nose pliers about an inch from the end of the beads and make your loop, this time in reverse of the last one.

The wrapped wire should be closest to your beads.

Measure out about five inches of your leather. You will need to cut two pieces of leather for each bracelet.

Fold the leather in half and push the folded end through one of the looped ends.

Take the ends of the leather and thread it through your folded leather loop. Pull tightly.

Do this to both ends.

Take out your crimping bead and your needle nose pliers.  Crimp the end of the leather {with both pieces being captured} together.  Do this to both sides.

On one side, open your jump ring and slide your lobster clasp and the crimped end into the jump ring.  Use your needle nose pliers to close the jump ring. On the other end, open a jump ring and secure it to the crimped end and close the ring again.

Your bracelet is completed!

I kind of got carried away!

This two little beaded ones are probably my favorite!

I'm anxious to get started on some matching earrings!

All of the supplies were provided by House of Gems. All opinions are 100% my own.

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