For some reason I’ve been so intimidated by the thought of playing with clay. But I kept seeing all the awesome things Chelsea was making with clay (like this project and this one, too) and decided it was time to give it a whirl! And guess what? It’s just as easy as she has always promised and now I’m probably a clay crafting addict. So let’s kick things off with this big clay bead necklace, shall we?
Supplies -
When you first unwrap the clay it’s going to be very firm and not especially malleable. If you warm it up in your hands and knead it for a few moments, it will become more pliable. Then simply separate a chunk and roll it between your hands to form a ball. I made five beads with a larger bead for the middle of the necklace and smaller beads for the sides. Then using an awl, a skewer (or the end of your paint brush like I did), push a hole through the center of each bead, making sure the hole will be large enough to accomodate your cording later. They make special jewelry-making tools for this part, but I opted to just use what I had on hand.
Make sure to check the manufacturer’s instruction for the particular brand of clay you’re working with and then bake your beads. For my clay I baked it at 230 degrees for about 45 minutes. Once baked, let them cool completely before getting your paint on!
Using your paint brush, give each bead a bright coat of paint. I used the Martha Stewart Crafts line of craft paints, which are some of my favorite, because they work on just about any surface. I went with the gloss finish, but they also have cool metallic, pearl and even glitter finishes that would be fun to try, too! I use foam paint brushes for a lot of projects, but here I wouldn’t suggest them because in playing around I found that it left a more gloopy finish on the beads.
You’ll probably need a second coat for at least touch up on the beads. I started by painting each one and then slid it onto a toothpick so I could rotate it between my fingers to get an even coat. Once you’re finished painting, let the beads dry for a good long while before moving on. I’d suggest at least a couple hours, but overnight would be even better if you have the patience to wait that long.
Next up, assemble your jewelry components and get ready to start stringing! I chose an aqua colored leather cording and silver tone hardware, but most craft stores have a ton of options so you can mix it up however you like to suit your style.
Starting with the middle bead and working outward on either end, string your beads onto an extra long length of leather cording. Then once the beads are in place, determine how long you’d like the necklace to be. I did this by holding it up in front of the mirror and then trimming the ends to make it the length I thought looked best.
At this point, plug in your hot glue gun and get it heated up. Take one end of your leather cord and loop it through your necklace closure. Apply a small bead of glue, fold the leather back on itself and apply pressure to secure the bond. Repeat on the opposite end with the closure ring. Be careful not to burn yourself!
After that you’re all done! It’s time to don your necklace and take her for a night out on the town. Or let her tag along on errands or to a busy day at the office. I love how crazy simple and inexpensive this project was, letting you rock a cool statement piece for only a few bucks. And that’s that! Beware, I have a feeling there are a lot more clay projects in our future. Happy necklace making!
[Design + styling by Cyd Converse for The Sweetest Occasion. | Photos by Alice G. Patterson.]
The fine print: Please link with love! As with all of our posts, DIY projects featured on The Sweetest Occasion may not be copied, distributed or reproduced without express written permission. Love and links are always appreciated! If you’d like to share this post, please link to this post directly for the DIY tutorial and do not include the instructions in your own post. Thanks so much! xoxo
I need to indulge in a fangirl moment here this morning. Today’s Nook features none other than the lovely Whitney Deal. I’ve been reading Whitney’s eponymous blog (formerly and affectionately known as Darling Dexter) and following her work as a crazy talented fashion designer and photographer for years. Literally. She’s one of those people who is so pure in her passion and her ambition to further herself as a creative that it is brilliantly inspiring. And her gorgeous rural North Carolina home? I would probably invite myself to move in if that were even remotely appropriate. (Which, sadly, it is not.)
So today, I am pretty ecstatic to be bringing you a little peek into Whitney’s beautiful dining room. It’s flooded with stunning natural light and a space where Whitney, her husband Dustin and their little girl Glory love to spend time together. I love every last detail, from the crisp white walls to the table large enough to seat eight. Ready to see it yourself? Click through for all the details!
Spring is the ultimate season for showers! And I’m not just talking about rain. Between baby showers and bridal showers, I’m sure most of us ladies have a pretty full calendar over the next few months. I’ve already been to a couple in the last few weeks and I have several more to rock out before summer comes and goes. So it stands to reason, we should probably talk about shower fashion. Oh and how it’s the perfect excuse to wear something girly and spend time with your best ladies. I love pairing classic pieces like a great pencil skirt with fresh, updated color. And there is no better occasion to skip around in a pair of sassy patterned pumps swinging a great bag as you go. Happy showering!
[Shop: White silk top | gold bracelet | coral purse | earrings | patterned pumps | pencil skirt | belt.]
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Last week we had a little chat about party hats. And how they’re pretty much the bee’s knees. As it turns out, I’m also a junkie for a good party garland or two. They’re simply the easiest way to add a punch of color and cheer to any celebration. Bonus! Most of them are really super easy to make, usually involving little more than some combination of paper, glue, twine, and fabric. Even beginning crafters can jump on the DIY party garland bandwagon with glee!
In addition to being one of my favorite pieces of party decor, garlands are actually one of my favorite things to craft, too. There’s something about cutting and gluing and stringing while watching a movie that I just love. Ready to get your party on? Click through for ten DIY party garlands!
by Kelly Lanza
Did you guys ever splatter paint as kids!? It was probably the most fun activity ever, right? Well, I’ve amped up this classic little technique today and made some awesome cake toppers! These splattered numbers are so great for birthday parties (hello, art theme!), but you could also do letters for a quirky wedding cake topper. The best part about these, folks, is they aren’t supposed to be perfect! So grab the kiddos, or pretend you are one, and start throwing some paint around!
Supplies -
- Smoothfoam numbers (If you haven’t discovered Smoothfoam, you’re going to love it! They also make letters and shapes.)
- Assorted craft paints
- Lollipop sticks or skewers
- Paint brushes
- Water
- Painter’s tape
- Scrap cardboard, tarp or other protective surface
For this technique to work well, you’ll need to water down your paint. Using a three-to-one, paint-to-water ratio, water down a small amount of each color of paint.
Poke your lollipop stick or skewer into the bottom of your number and cover it with painter’s tape. (You may need to use an awl or scissors to get the hole started. You can place a dot of glue on the end of the stick for extra security.)
This project gets super messy so cover your entire work space with a tarp or newspaper. Place your numbers on a piece of cardboard and start splattering that paint! To get a good splatter, you can flick the brush or give it a hard tap. Different bristles and sizes will give you different splatter styles, so experiment and mix it up. If you are concerned about your colors mixing together, let each color dry slightly before adding the next. I did my three colors at once, let dry and then added the gold afterwards.
After your paint is completely dry, remove the tape from your sticks and you are ready to par-tay!
You can use this technique on all sorts of party elements! In fact, you could even use the cardboard (or foam core) you splattered your toppers on as a backdrop for a dessert bar or photo booth! If you just can’t get enough, splatter some invitations, favor bags or party hats! Can you tell I’ve gone a little splatter crazy!? Who’s ready to join me?
[Photos by Studio DIY for The Sweetest Occasion.]
The fine print: Please link with love! As with all of our posts, DIY projects featured on The Sweetest Occasion may not be copied, distributed or reproduced without express written permission. Love and links are always appreciated! If you’d like to share this post, please link to this post directly for the DIY tutorial and do not include the instructions in your own post. Thanks so much! xoxo
