I created this bracelet as a memento of my latest Bead Cruise. I made these little beach houses right before the cruise and when we pulled into the port in the Bahamas it was like I was looking at my beads in real life - there were little beach huts and brightly colored houses with palm trees swaying in front them, surrounded by sand and sea. It's 35 degrees here today in Michigan - sometimes jewelry can bring a dose of sunshine just when you need it. I'll be wearing mine as I dream about Paradise Island!
Supplies:
Polymer clay Beach House
Sea Urchin ceramic bead
8 8mm lampwork spacers
15mm art metal jump ring
10 6mm copper jump rings
9 2" gunmetal eyepins
18 4mm copper spacers
6" 22 gauge steel wire
2" 18 gauge copper wire
Tools: chain and round nose pliers, wire cutters, ball peen hammer, bench block, metal file, liver of sulphur
Finished bracelet is 8" long. Omit a few spacers to shorten the bracelet length if needed.
1. With the steel wire, create a messy wrapped loop* at one end with 2" of wire. Add the house bead. Repeat another messy wrapped loop on top of the house.
(*Wire wrap under the loop tightly 2-3 times, continue wrapping the wire to create a looser wrap on top, use chain nose pliers to tuck the end of the wire tightly to the wrap.)
2. On an eyepin string one copper spacer, the urchin bead, one spacer, trim wire to a 1/4" and create a loop. Repeat step 2 with all 8 lampwork spacers.
3. Attach each bead together with a copper jump ring.
4. Attach the house to the urchin beads with a copper jump ring. Attach the 15mm jump ring to the top of the house.
5. Wrap the copper wire around round nose pliers to form the clasp. File each end of the wire with a metal file or sand paper. Hammer each end of the clasp with a ball peen hammer. Antique clasp with liver of sulphur. Attach the clasp with a copper jump ring.
Beach House: Humblebeads. Uchin: BlueberriBeads. Lampwork Spacers: Genea Beads. Steel Wire: Ace Hardware. All other materials: Rings & Things.
