Creative Impressions In Clay :: ClayButtons.com Blog

Ornament Thursday is a fun blogging event happening this holiday season on the blogs of a growing group of popular designers. Jewelry makers, mixed media artists, plush artists, ceramic artists, paper artists, and more have been making ornaments and using their blogs to show how they do it! Check out some of these great blogs today to see more:

First Day of Christmas: Scarf PinsWith the popularity of hand knitted scarves, shawls, and other wintery clothing, what better way to accessorize those chunky knits than with a chunky kilt pin? These pins can be used to bundle up a wrapped scarf and keep it in place, secure a shawl around the neck, or just to decorate a knitted hat or sweater. The pins are thick, so a heavy weave is best…these pins are not for dainty fabrics.

Materials Needed:

1-Humblebeads Long Lariat Bead
1-Earthenwood Studio Dragonfly Halo Charm
1-Bend it yourself safety pin
1-pewter 6mm flower spacer
1-pewter10×7mm beaded bail
1-pewter pyramid charm
1-5.8mm sterling jump ring
6″ of 18 gauge sterling silver wire
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers
Wire Cutters
Sources:
Pin from Rings & Things
Lariat Bead from Humblebeads
Porcelain charm from Earthenwood Studio
All other materials from Fusion Beads

Directions:

1. Open jump ring and insert charm, tiny pyramid charm, and the ring of the bail. Close jump ring.

2. String onto pin the following beads: beaded bail, Lariat bead, and pewter spacers.

3. Push the beads all the way down on the pin. Take the end of your wire and begin to coil around the pin after the last bead, carefully working to make a tight, even coil about 1/2 inch in size. Trim the wire and smooth the end bit of the wire onto the pin.

4. With your hands and round nose pliers, bend the pin in half where you made the coil. The pin point should nestle comfortably into the catch without extending, so make your bend accordingly, widening or tightening the bend as needed.

Additional Hints:

Mix it up by using your favorite large holed art beads and accent with some pewter or silver or brass. Use a bail or a jump ring to hang a colorful charm for some movement. Below are some additional examples, for more ideas!

This pin uses a button that has been wired through with silver wire with a loop behind each hole for the pin to thread onto. Button by Creative Impressions in Clay , Charm by Earthenwood StudioMix materials, like shiny glass and earthy ceramic, for a rich effect. Lampwork Spiral by Cindy Gimbrone , Charm by Earthenwood StudioAdd a little bit or ribbon for a textural accent, and fancy it up with an intricate silver bail. Beads by Elaine Ray , Charm by Earthenwood Studio. You can’t go wrong with black and white and silver, it’s classic! Charm by Virginia Miska , Beads by Earthenwood Studio

Melanie Brooks Lukacs is the ceramic beadmaker of Earthenwood Studio, who blogs from her Metro Detroit, Michigan home. These finished pieces, and the kilt pin findings, are available for sale in her Etsy Shop

12 Days of Christmas

The contributors of the Art Bead Scene would like to thank our readers for making our first 9 months of blogging such a joy. We’ve been inspired by your enthusiasm for designing with art beads in our monthly challenges. Your thoughtful comments have kept us encouraged. And we have been delighted by those who have helped spread the word about our blog.

As a thank you, we present to you the Art Bead Scene’s 12 Days of Christmas. We have 12 free projects from our contributors to offer over the next two weeks.

So no matter what holiday you celebrate this season, we hope you do it in style - adorned with art beads!