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Friday, May 6, 2011

What's Old is New Again

When I opened the e-mail from Artbeads.com asking me to participate in another design challenge I must admit I tripped over a stack of toys running outside to tell my husband.
I was so excited by this challenge because I love Art Beads and I love the theme for this round.

What's old is new again.

I knew exactly what I wanted to make, so I placed my order and waited for what seemed like an eternity (it was about a week). I tore into that purple wrapped gift like a kid on Christmas.

**Gasp**

The beads I ordered were perfect, not just good or could work, but perfect!


To make this necklace I used a set of rhinestone buttons I purchased from HiHo Home Market  a wonderful antique store about 30 minutes from home. You have to check out this store if you live in the area. I have found many little treasures while shopping there.


Directions for necklace:
1) Cut the shanks off 3 buttons and wrap each in a 44mm Diamond Swirl Filigree from Vintaj Natural Brass. (Kabela, who I love, also have this piece available on the Art Beads website but I had the Vinatj ones already)
2)  Connect each of the filigree wrapped buttons with 3-7.25mm Vintaj jump rings.
3)  Using 22 gauge wire make a wrapped loop, attach the Antique Brass-Plated Cable Chain  and knot the Light Pink Silk Ribbon and White Silk Ribbon . String on the Flourish Petal Bead Cap from Vinatj and make another wrapped loop. Repeat for other end and add hook end of clasp.
4) Repeat step 3 on the other side, add eye end of clasp.

Now here is where the plan changed. The buttons are square and flipped around so I couldn't do what I had originally wanted to do which was to add a cluster of beads in between each of the buttons. Instead I thought if I added the dangles to the bottom of the buttons it would give them weight so it would anchor them. Worked like a charm. Get it charm? :-)


Directions for dangles:
1) Wire wrap 1-14mm XILION Heart Pendant Light Rose set aside.
2) wire wrap 2 -10mm Faceted Heart Pendant Light Rose set aside.
3) use a headpin to wire wrap 8- Fire-Polished Bead 6mm Pink Opal set aside.
4) repeat for 8 each - Fire-Polished Bead 6mm Crystal and Pink
and 8- Czech Fire-Polished Bead Opal 6mm for a total of 28 wrapped beads.
5) Use 7.25mm jump rings to attach the wrapped beads, use 4 beads on each jump ring from white/clear down to pink.
6) Use a 4mm jump ring to add the heart made in step 1 to the center and the hearts in step 2 to each outer button.

Thank you for stopping by I wish all the moms out there a very Happy Mother's Day!
Let me know what you think of my necklace, I love reading the comments and feedback. 


~Shannon

The materials above were provided as part of the Artbeads blogging program. The author of this blog has not received any payment from above-mentioned company. The post above represents only personal opinion of the blog author.
 

6 comments:

Mary Harding said...

Lovely necklace Shannon. How ingenious the way you connected all these components. I love dangle so I especially like the way you designed and added dangles to the buttons that were wrapped in filigree!!!

Erin Siegel said...

WOWZA!!! That's a stunning piece, Shannon! Amazing!

Unknown said...

Beautiful Shannon, very romantic!!! Love the ribbon is really softens the buttons!

Judy said...

Very Romantic and oh sooo pretty! I love the buttons, such a great find!

Unknown said...

You know what? I can only take so much eye candy in one post so here's what happened. I knew you were going to do something that would naturally blow me away (it usually tends to happen) so I thought I was prepared. Nope! OMG! I drooled at the screen so long my sweet son asked "Mommy are you ok or did you fall asleep?" If that doesn't tell you enough once again I LOVE YOUR WORK!

Michelle Mach said...

What a beautiful use of buttons! I really like the ribbon, too--adds just the right touch of softness to the necklace