12 Days of Christmas: Day 7 - Stag and Vines Necklace and Earrings

Do you love a bead soup mix as much as I do? I'm kind of a lazy beader and I'm not the best at picking up after a project, can you relate? So after things are at the breaking point I have three boxes that I sort my leftovers into: one stones and pearls, one glass in warm colors and one glass in cool colors. 

I pulled together a muted color palette of pink, gray, rust and cloudy blue. I wanted something that was subdued and could be worn with a wide variety of outfits. Use your bead soup leftovers to create a stunning art bead necklace by mixing pops of color with a mostly neutral color palette. Use any beads you have on hand for this project, this is the perfect way to use up some of those strays!

Supplies:
Pewter Deer Pendant

18 8-20mm stones, pearls and glass

6 6mm Czech glass flowers, pearls and stones

6 copper ball headpins

6 8mm brass jump rings

4 4mm brass jump rings

20" 22 gauge blackened annealed wire* (use gauge darkened copper wire as an alternative)

16 gauge vintage chain with clasp, cut in half. 

*treat steel wire by wiping it first with paper toweling, then rub down with extra fine steel wool and seal with a light coat of Renaissance Wax.

Directions:
1. On a headpin string one of the 6mm flowers, create a wrapped loop with the remaining wire. Repeat with all the 6mm beads to create 6 small dangles. Set aside.

2. Create a simple loop on the 22 gauge wire, string on a larger bead, trim wire to 1/4" tail and create a simple loop. Repeat with all remaining beads.

3. Arrange the large beads in a balanced fashion on both sides, balance size, colors and textures to create an interesting pattern for your necklace.

4. Attach a 5mm jump ring to the pendant. Attach an 8mm jump ring to the 5mm jump ring, string on three of the small bead dangles, string on the first bead from your arranged pattern and close the jump ring.

5. Add on two more beads by opening the loop, slip on the bead, close the loop. Repeat one more time and add on 8mm jump ring.

6. Repeat adding three large beads and one jump ring.

7. Add three more beads and 5mm jump ring, before closing the 5mm jump ring add on the end of one side of the chain.

8. Repeat the pattern on the other side of the necklace.

I created these matching earrings using Vine pewter charms. Five 6mm crystals and one 4mm faceted glass and one 4mm crystal on copper ball headpins. I attached two 6mm crystals to an 8mm jump ring, attached another 8mm jump ring with two more 6mm crystals, one more 6mm jump ring with one 6mm crystal and one 4mm faceted glass bead. I attached the earwire and include one 4mm jump ring on the earwire to dangle in the front. I attached the charms to the bottom with 5mm jump rings.

Resources: Pewter pendant and earrings: Invicti. Jump rings and headpins: Yadana Beads. Stones, pearls and glass visit your bead supplies and use what you have on hand!