“Escape” Lanyard Holder

Designed for Connie Crystal 
by Cindi Bisson 
Behind These Eyes™
www.fatcatcreations.blogspot.com

Tropical colors, flowers, and a reminder to “Escape” adorn this sparkling mixed-media badge holder I wore at the recent CHA trade show in Anaheim. 

Supplies:

Connie Crystal - 2.5” rectangle crystal, quartz rosebud beads, aquamarine rectangular seashell beads, 8mm red crystal beads,
ICE Resin Silk Ribbons
Graphic 45 Tropical Travelogue Seaside Holiday paper
JudiKins Diamond Glaze
Jump rings, eye pins, alligator clasp for badge holder, jewelry pliers, brass leaf charms, brass chandelier charm, scissors, needle

Instructions:

Measure and cut silk ribbons to desired length.

Trace rectangle crystal over “Escape” on patterned paper.  Cut out and mount to flat back of crystal using JudiKins Diamond Glaze.  Seal outside of paper with glaze.  Let dry.

Use pin to push through holes in crystal and paper.

Add large jump ring to bottom of rectangle crystal, add alligator clasp.

String red crystal, aquamarine seashell bead, then quartz rosebud onto eye pin.   Repeat to create 2.

Place 4 small brass leaf charms onto 4 small jump rings, mount beneath rosebud.

Add jump ring to top of rectangle crystal, add brass chandelier charm. 

Mount two beaded pieces to chandelier charm. 

Add jump ring to end of each beaded piece, and add to silk ribbons.

Chunky Makin's Clay® Necklace - Designer Craft Blog Connection

One of the themes for May's Designer Craft Blog Connection hop is Quick and Easy Jewelry Anyone Can Make - While this project was originally created as a lanyard for CHA - it would also make a unique accent necklace.  It’s chunky, rich toned colors and bit of fiber fringe would be great layered over a cozy sweater.    Create it in pastel or bright tones, use a bit of cheerful ribbon instead of fiber, and it would be a funky accent over a spring or summer t-shirt.   The best part is it could not be easier to create.  All you need is a multi-color package of Makin’s Clay®, good sharp heavy scissors like Westcott Titanium Non-Stick scissors, and fiber or ribbon.   I used clay that was actually old, outdated and had been accidentally left in storage in my attic.  I could have reconstituted it with water (another great thing about Makin’s Clay®), but instead I used it in the brick form it was already dried in and sliced it into beads with the heavy scissors.  The fiber was strung onto an upholstery needle and then pushed through the center of the square beads.  To re-create this technique if you don’t happen to have old, outdated, dried clay bricks (gee, who wouldn’t have those around in their creative stash?) first open the box of clay, and remove the individual colors from the outside packaging.  Carefully remove packaging from individual colors (if clay sticks to packaging during removal, you can hand form your bricks again - I liked the random effect on the sides of the dried clay so don’t create perfectly smooth bricks unless you desire that effect.   Let dry at least overnight.   Carefully slice into chunks using heavy scissors.  String onto ribbon or fiber in desired pattern, allowing space between each cluster of beads so ribbon/fiber shows.  Add closure mechanism and your finished.  

Follow the Designer Craft Blog Connection link to the right to see the many creative projects my fellow designers will be sharing with you as part of this month's hop!

Be sure to visit again this Saturday, May 12th when the ImpressArt Metal Stamps Designer Craft Blog connection hop goes live - you'll find a multitude of creative ways to use ImpressArt metal stamps on your projects!