I'm a Darby Smart Designer!

Months and months ago, I applied to be a designer for Darby Smart.  Darby Smart, if you haven't heard of them yet, are the newest thing in DIY.  They are a mail order kit company with a fantastic array of DIY kits for all of your crafting needs.  From jewelry to house wares, they have a kit to suit your crafty needs.  

Anyway, I applied to be a designer and they asked me to design a kit for them.  I put together a trio of beaded friendship bracelets in fun, summery colors.  I was seriously addicted to making them, and ended up creating a ton of them.  The kit is now available on Darby Smarts website.  

For only $19 (and free shipping!!!) you get all the materials pictured above.  It's enough beady goodness to create the three bracelets in the pictures, as well as some left over for other projects as well.  These bracelets are perfect to keep and wear in a stack or to give away to your favorite friends.  

Don't you just love the turquoise, neon orange and gold color combo?  It's bright and fun! I can totally imagine getting together with a bunch of girl friends and making matching brackets.  If I were getting married, I would plan a bracelet making party for all of my bridesmaids.  Wouldn't that be fun? 

So click on over to Darby Smart to check out my Beaded Friendship Bracelets and all of the other fabulous kits they have available! 

Copycat - Vintage Beaded Bracelet

I discovered this great blog the other day while at work.  The author, Erin Siegel is a fantastic bead artist.  I fell in love with her beaded bracelet in this post and wanted to make one of my own.

Shipwreck Beads recently (like a year ago) bought out the inventory of a store in the mid-west that was all vintage glass beads.  12 semi trucks full.  And slowly I have been hoarding different mixes and colors.  This mix is vintage Venetian glass that is probably over 100 years old.

When I saw Erin's bracelet, I immediately knew that I wanted to use my own vintage seed beads to re-create it.

It's 6 strands, strung on Irish Waxed Linen (another item I bought ages ago and never did anything with) and a vintage button from my stash.  It was SO EASY to make, I think I may whip up a few more tonight.  I seem to buy a lot of seed beads, the colors are so intoxicating, but I never actually make anything with them.

I crafted, thankyouverymuch.

And I even decided to take a little time to put together a little tutorial for y'all.  

Step #1
Paint the inside and outer edge of the bracelet. You can paint the whole thing, but I am lazy and it will just get covered.



Step #2
Tear patterned paper (I used vintage sheet music) into small bits and apply with Modge Podge. Apply liberally and coat one additional time after the first coat is dry. I only attached my paper to the part of the bracelet that was not painted, leaving a bit of paint showing on the side.



Step #3
Using silver paint and gold Pearl-Ex (cuz I couldn't find my gold paint) I lightly dry brushed one bracelet with silver along the edges and rough parts. I did the same technique with the Pearl-Ex but mixed it with a bit of clear sealant. Get help from a Goose.


Step #4
Allow to dry. Once gold/silver paint is dry, apply a multi-purpose sealer to the entire bracelet. One-two coats is more than enough. Dry overnight and wear with some fab accessories tomorrow. Give the other to a friend, cuz she'll love it!

Modge Podge will also work as a sealant if thats all you have.  But I find that sometimes it can remain a little tacky, even if "fully dry" so I like to add a multi-purpose sealer (found with the rest of the acrylic paints) on the top.  It adds strength to the bracelet (which you should still try NOT to get wet) and will get rid of any tacky-ness from the MP.

PS - As always, with Modge Podge it is always best to let your project sit and dry overnight! I cannot stress this enough.  The paper will bubble and curl and won't lay flat when its wet.  It just won't, no matter how much you mess with it.  98.9% of the time, after my projects dry overnight, the bubbles and wrinkles have worked themselves out.  And if they don't then you pull out some ribbon or some embellishments and you cover it and make it pretty!!!

ALL BRACELETS ON SALE!

At my Etsy store!

Sometimes you feel like a nut...

and that is usually the BEST time for pretty jewelry!!!

I made an earring/bracelet set for a friend (Kat, atually) and loved them so much that I decided to make a set for my self. The one I made for her had a different charm on it.





I'm not a big necklace person, I prefer dainty chains and small beads. Being short and petit, large necklaces are really overwhelming on me. But big earrings and bracelets... THAT is another story. I love a HUGE chunky bracelet and even bigger earrings.

All of the beads are from Shipwreck Beads, the peanut chamrs are by Blue Moon and the other "hard ware" is ACTUAL hardware from Lowes!

Keep an eye out for these in my etsy store next month! I hope to have them available in several different colors and styles!