Convertible Necklace Design: Wear It Long or Short

Two is Better Than One

As a jewelry maker, I like to think that I am not in competition with mass market jewelry companies like Avon, Silpada, Cookie Lee and Lia Sophia (to name a few).  

I've been to my share of home jewelry parties for the brands previously mentioned - and one thing I've noticed these brands often do, is to make their jewelry convertible.

A multi-strand necklace might include a detachable bracelet or the 21 inch necklace can also become a triple wrap bracelet.  I've watched the party goers eat up these sales pitches on the versatility of a design.

So, when it makes sense, I try to adopt the same concept.  

Small Lessons Learned in Wire Wrapping: Asymetrical Gemstone Bracelet

It's a Wrap

Today, a piece of jewelry pulled from the pile by a friend, shined up, given a little re-work and sent to a new home.  

But along with it are the lessons learned from the time I made it, to when I finally finished it, at least 2 years, maybe much more.

The changes I made were so small, but made a huge difference - especially since it went from the UFO (unfinished objects) pile to sold in a matter of minutes.  Here's what's different...

Technique: Filling in a Shape with Beads

Filling in the lines

When I made these wire earring frames, I envisioned brick stitch around the edges inside.

An online jewelry making friend, Olga Renteria at Wire Frenzy, sent me this diagram and it seems perfect. (Click the link to see and like her jewelry page.  She has beautiful beaded designs and wire work)

But the hammered frame has some sharp edges which could cause the thread to fray or break. Instead, I made another round frame so I can try the brick stitch though.  More about that later...

I finally decided how to bead the frames when I got Dallas Lovett's book Woven Bead & Wire Jewelry in the mail this week.

Free Earring Tutorial - My Most Popular Pin Version 2

Over the weekend, I made these earrings from a free tutorial by Anacely Olmedo that happens to be the most popular pin on my Pinterest boards.

I tried to make them as close as possible to the tutorial and give feedback for anyone else interested in making them.  You can see the post here.

Yesterday, I decided to re-work the design a little.  I've only got as far as the frames, but here is my version.

Free Tutorial: Trying What's Most Popular on my Pinterest Boards

It's not a popularity contest, but here's what's most popular

Pinterest has quickly become my favorite social media site.  

Every day, I can count on Pinterest to give me a daily dose of eye candy and new curiosities.

And every once in a while, I decide to actually try to make something that I've pinned.  Today is one of those days.

This pin for a free earring tutorial at Fradany blog by Anacely Olmedo is wildly popular, having been re-pinned 3054 times and liked 340 times since I first pinned it 39 weeks ago.  No other pin of mine comes close! (And by the time you read this and check the post, it will probably be much higher!)

But has anyone actually made it?  Now, I have!  

Here are my thoughts about this tutorial and the earrings I made from it.