Christmastime DIY

Happy December!  It's getting closer to Christmas (my favourite time of year) and I think I'm going to be 'making some spirits bright' very soon.  Today begins my Holly Jolly Jewellery Giveaway which means that you could be getting some new jewellery in the mail from me!  

The necklace I'm featuring on the blog today can be won simply by liking The Refurbished Ruby’s Facebook Status announcing this new blog post to get your name in the draw.  The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the week (Friday, December 7, 2012) and announced that day on The Refurbished Ruby Facebook Page so make sure to check to see if you won!  Now, let’s begin our DIY adventure for today...   

I found some necklace inspiration the other day when I stumbled upon an amazing craft website and knew that it was time to share a jewellery DIY project on the blog!  Although I love making jewellery from vintage and recycled materials, I also enjoy making more modern pieces of jewellery out of new supplies when the opportunity comes up.  I think this necklace is modern and edgy yet has a bit of a whimsical charm to it and would be a drool worthy Christmas gift (if you can manage to take it off your neck first).  

'On The Rocks' Semi-Precious Stone Necklace 

(adapted from Kollabora tutorial found here)

Level of Difficulty:  Easy (no need to be a 'Martha' for this one)

Materials Clockwise From The Top Right:
E-6000 Glue, Semi Precious Stones, Chain Necklace, Bezel Pendant

Materials: 

Materials can be purchased at your local craft store like Michaels or online at Etsy.com

-  1 bronze coloured bezel pendant (In whatever size, colour, or shape you want)

-  10-20 semi precious stones (You can get really creative with all sorts of materials!  Try pyrite for some holiday sparkle or small bits of shell for a more boho feel)

-  E-6000 Glue (Make sure you use this glue near an open window or place with good ventilation as the smell can be strong)

-  24 inch bronze coloured chain necklace (Choose whatever necklace you want.  I recommend a chain that ranges between 18 inches - 30 inches in length.  You can even use a necklace you already have)

-  Scrap paper (Newspaper, an old magazine, etc).

Directions:

Step 1:  Look through the supply of semi precious stones to find stones you would like to use for the necklace.  I picked my favourites and then arranged them in the bezel pendant to see if I had enough stones to fill it to the depth I wanted.

Step 2:  Remove the stones from the pendant.  Place down the scrap paper on your work surface (this protects the area you are working from the glue if it spills).

Step 3:  Take the E-6000 glue and apply a generous layer (about 1/4 of an inch) inside the pendant.  Then, start to place the stones in the pendant where you would like starting with the inside edges.  Continue to add the stones until the pendant is filled.  If you feel that the bottom of the pendant is covered sufficiently enough then you can set the pendant aside and let the glue dry.  If you would like to add another layer of stones or even just a few stones more, apply a bit more glue to the tops the stones already in the pendant that you wish to cover and place the new stones on top of them.  

Note:  There is no 'precise' way of doing this.  When you're happy with the look of the pendant, you're done!  

Step 4:  After about 10 minutes of letting the stones dry in place, gently touch the stones to see if any of them wiggle.  If they do, you can either remove that stone and add more glue to the bottom of it and then place it back in it's original spot or you can take a toothpick, apply a bit of glue to the tip of it, and fill in any crevices on either side of the moveable stone to ensure that it is secured well enough.

Step 5:  Let the pendant dry overnight.

It's that easy and the results are darling!  

I will be having another DIY jewellery post and Holly Jolly Jewellery Giveaway next week Friday (December 7, 2012) so stay tuned!

T