Jewelry | Lil Blue Boo

DIY Mix and Match Wrap Bracelets (A Tutorial)

May 18, 2012 By Ashley 11 Comments

After posting a recent roundup of my favorite DIY bracelets from around the web, I wanted to make some of my own. Obviously I’m reinventing the “DIY bracelet” wheel, but I like the way these turned out using different kinds of ball chain (it’s also a much more simplified version of the leather and bead ones from last February). Anyways, I mixed and matched a bunch of different chains, rhinestone strands and chunky clasps to get a funky, layered bohemian look. Make sure to check out the long-short ball chain towards the bottom….it results in a “twist” effect.

Here’s how I made them……

First, you’ll need leather and/or suede lacing, various rhinestone strands and ball chain, chunky lobster clasps and embroidery thread (which I forgot to include in the photo):

Note: I picked up my lacing and chains at Target Trim in L.A.’s fabric district. Update: I found Ornamentea tonight, and they have a big selection if you want to order online.

Step 1: Cut a length of leather or suede lacing (for a double wrap I cut mine in 16″ lengths). Fold leather/suede lacing over the o-ring side of the lobster clasp as shown. Knot a piece of DMC embroidery thread around the leather to hold it in place:

Step 2: Lay your rhinestone strand or ball chain on top of the lacing and begin wrapping the thread around it to secure them together:

Step 3: As you get about 2″ from the end of the lacing add on your lobster clasp.

Step 4: Fold the lacing under the bracelet and continue wrapping the thread until you reach the end.

Step 5: Using metal cutters, cut the rhinestone strand or ball chain so it ends just before the fold. Knot your thread securely around the last section of chain.

Step 6: Use a needle to thread the end of the thread back down into the bracelet.

A finished bracelet!

I made one of the bracelets using a large ball chain….like the kind you would find on a lamp.

I double wrapped this one with thread to get a different look:

The finished double-wrapped ball chain bracelet:

My favorite is the long-short ball chain:

Because of the alternating sizes of balls, the result is a perfectly consistent twisted look once you wrap it with thread:

All alone they look like your basic wrapped bracelets:

I wear mine all connected together into one large strand…….

…..resulting in a funky, chunky, colorful wrap bracelet:

Click below to check out the leather/bead tutorial.….it involves a little more attention but they are still pretty easy!

My little bohemian Boo wore them as a headband for this photoshoot:

Check out all Lil Blue Boo accessory tutorials here!

Next up…..hex nut accessories. Just kidding.

Filed Under: Jewelry, Things I've Made, Tutorial Tagged With: ball chain, bracelet, DIY, jewelry, leather

Hand Stamped Leather Bracelets (A Tutorial)

April 12, 2012 By Ashley 23 Comments

I made some cute hand stamped leather bracelets today. Boo wanted some friendship bracelets:

And I thought with Mother’s day coming up…..what about some mix and match leather bangles as a gift for a special loved one? Or these would make great party favors:

I bought the bracelets and alphabet stamp set from the local craft store. You can find larger cuffs here.

The other supplies I needed were a sponge and a mallet:

The first step is to wipe the leather bracelet with a damp sponge (do not soak it):

Place the bracelet on a hard surface (I do it on my brick patio) and use the mallet to bit the end of the stamp one or two times with force:

The stamp will leave the letter impression behind:

Carefully space out all of the letters. Then let the bracelet dry out if it is still damp:

I use Angelus Leather Paints and Dyes to decorate the bracelets:

Just apply a coat of paint with a soft brush:

Or apply some dye with a dauber:

To get a distressed look you can wipe some paint off using a damp rag:

Once the paint or dye is dry I use some Kiwi shoe polish to seal and shine the bracelets….or you can use beeswax and then buff the leather to a shine:

For Boo’s smaller friendship bracelets I cut off both ends of one of the leather bracelets using a box cutter:

I don’t have leather tools so I improvised and drilled holes in either end of the bracelet using a household drill:

I bought this colorful sued lace from the craft store for the ties:

A small piece of lace threaded through both sides of the cuff ties it closed:

Easy gift ideas for anyone!

So many different messages you could stamp onto these:

Click here to see more leather accessory tutorials!

Filed Under: Jewelry, Kids Projects, Leather, Mother's Day, Painting, Printing/Stenciling, Things I've Made, Tutorial

How to Make Felt Balls (Wet Felting 101)

February 13, 2012 By Ashley 25 Comments

I don’t know why felt balls are so appealing…..but they are. They are soft and bouncy. There are so many projects you can use them for: garland, hair accessories, wreaths etc…..I’m just getting started. I set out today to make some of my own using a wet felting process. Wet felting is the process of taking layers of wool roving or wool yarn and combining them into one piece of felt. Making a felt ball is the easiest form of wet felting there is….taking layers of wool roving (combed wool) and creating a dense, uniform, and seamless ball. You can purchase pre-dyed packages of 100% wool roving in a variety of colors:

Or you can dye your own natural wool roving with Jacquard acid dye.…or even Kool-aid (I’ll have a separate tutorial for dyeing tomorrow):

To start the felting process, I filled a tub full of hot water and added about a tablespoon of dish soap to create a sudsy mixture. I cut pieces of wool roving into pre-measured sections so that my felt balls would end up uniform in size:

(Note: it’s not recommended to cut felt with scissors because you want to retain the long fibers….but for felt balls I’m lazy and don’t feel like weighing out a gazillion different piles of wool)

For each ball, I pulled apart the roving to create a large puff ball that I shaped into a roundish shape:

Next, I dipped the wool into the hot, soapy water and began to shape it carefully into a round shape using the palms of my hands:

Round and round I rolled the wool, careful not to press too hard, until it began to felt…..you will feel it becoming denser, and denser as you roll:

I rolled each felt ball until it was a perfectly round, dense piece of felt. Then I rinsed each ball out carefully and set it to dry. Change the hot water as it cools…..hot, soapy water is the key.

Each felt ball needs to dry for about 24 hours so it can completely dry out:

So easy even a 5-year-old can do it!

I used this batch as felt beads…..threading them onto some elastic string:

A bright and fun piece of jewelry! Stay tuned for more felting tutorials!

Click here to see other felt and fiber art tutorials I’ve done!

I purchased all of my felting materials and tools at Dharma Trading….click here to see their selection!

Filed Under: Felting and Fiber Arts, Jewelry, Supplies, Things I've Made, Toys and Accessories, Tutorial

A Chunky Glitter Necklace (A Tutorial)

October 12, 2011 By Ashley 14 Comments

Make this sparkly glitter necklace for yourself, your little girl or for a gift! It’s so fun and girly and would be a great photo prop or for dress up:

Glittery Leather Cuff w/ Transfer (A Tutorial and Download)

October 3, 2011 By Ashley 15 Comments

I made this easy glittery leather cuff using Citra Solv and some glitter spray paint. I’ve done a few other leather cuff tutorials and this one is my favorite so far!

One of my favorite sayings is: there’s only one of me in all time…..so I created a repeat graphic and printed it out using my laser printer. I buy my blank leather cuffs from Dharma Trading.

You can download my template below….and it’s already reversed for transferring!

I used Citra Solv to do the transfer (click here to check out my other Citra Solv tutorials for the full process):

This is really important: the image must be printed on a copy machine or laser printer because the transfer only works with dry toner (i.e. not inkjet ink). I’ve found that certain copy machines and laser printers work better than others. I have a Brother HL-5370DW laser printer and the Brother toner cartridges I use work perfectly. Make sure to test out a couple copy machines and laser printers before you make a ton of copies and do your final transfer. Home laser printers and older copy machines seem to work better than brand new ones.

The leather cuff with the transferred image…as the Citra Solv is evaporating:

I think the leather cuff looked super cool at this point and I could have stopped here but my glitter spray paint was calling out to me:

I like the look of this one….it would work for any unisex design:

Ohhh….to the good glittery part…my Krylon Glitter Blast spray paint! I lightly sprayed a coating of glitter on the leather cuff:

Once the paint was dry, I wiped away any excess glitter. An easy accessory for you or for a gift! So easy and inexpensive to make they could be great party favors or stocking stuffers!

I’ve rounded up 7 of my favorite recent projects too! Click the image to view the gallery and view the tutorial links:

Filed Under: Citra Solv Transfer, Downloads, Embellishing, Gifts, Jewelry, Painting, Things I've Made, Toys and Accessories, Tutorial Tagged With: DIY jewelry, DIy leather cuff, glitter cuff, leather accessories, stocking stuffers

Organizing Accessories (A Tutorial)

August 19, 2011 By Ashley 15 Comments

Boo’s hair accessories and jewelery were stored in a huge jumbled mess until recently:

I took some thrift and discount store finds and used spray paint to create more organized storage! Boo picked the colors (I would have opted a more subtle color palette haha):

(more after the jump)

Upcycling Broken China (A Tutorial)

July 27, 2011 By Ashley 22 Comments

Ever break a glass or dish you love? Happens here all the time…..and I can never bring myself to throw the pieces away. I always have big plans to one day make a big mosaic wall or table…..but in the meantime I’ve decided to use the pieces for some smaller projects. This jar holds every single piece of porcelain from a Tiffany vase I broke a few years ago:

A Donut Necklace (A Tutorial)

June 10, 2011 By Ashley 18 Comments

I ate a glazed donut this morning. It just didn’t seem like the right pastry to make an “inspired” necklace out of…….so I chose a sprinkled donut for this project. I would love to have a donut themed party one day for Boo……and I thought a donut charm necklace or bracelet would make the cutest party favor. This one is for Silpada…..the sweet girl that works at the Swiss Donut shop and fills my order cheerfully every morning:

The donut was made using these little pre-cut wood disks from the craft store:

I used a standard household drill to add a hole in the center. I had to tightly hold the disk still with two fingers and drill very slowly to keep it from turning.

I used a pipe cleaner to hold the disk as I painted it with a base “donut” color:

I used a small paint brush to add a layer of pink icing:

I used basic acrylic craft paint in colors Almond Parfait and Baby Pink:

I used a tiny brush (actually a brush I cut most of the bristles off of) to add several colors of sprinkles:

I used my tiniest drill bit to drill a tiny hole for a jump ring:

Then using a pipe cleaner to hold the finished donut I sprayed it with a clear gloss varnish. I stuck the pipe cleaner upright in a jar to hold the disk until it dried.

The last step was to add a silver jump ring:

Finished donut charm!

With rainbow sprinkles!

*****

Filed Under: Charms and Trinkets, Donut Chronicles, Gifts, Jewelry, Party, Things I've Made, Toys and Accessories, Tutorial Tagged With: donut tutorial, handmade gift, make a donut necklace, make donut jewelry, toy donut tutorial

Carved Leather Bracelets (A Tutorial)

May 20, 2011 By Ashley 30 Comments

Father’s Day is coming up so Boo and I made Mr. Lil Blue Boo this hand carved bracelet:

It says “Daddy I Love You” in Boo’s handwriting:

First I started with a basic leather cuff (from Dharma Trading, pre-cut with hardware already attached) and used a razor blade to cut it in half:

A cuff becomes 2 bracelets!

I used small detail scissors to trim the edges to make them symmetrical:

Ready to embellish:

Boo wrote her message to Daddy on the bracelet:

Using a set of basic linoleum cutting tools…..

……I carefully carved out the letters:

Next I painted the bracelet with basic leather paint (in English Tan) making sure to get a lot of paint down into the carved letters:

Next I wiped off the paint using a damp cloth so only a thin layer was on the leather.

I painted and wiped it off several times to achieve a distressed look. Then let it dry completely:

Boo couldn’t keep this secret from Daddy and wanted to give him his bracelet immediately:

A perfect gift to Daddy from his little girl:

I made the “grateful” bracelet for myself:

What will you write on yours?

-Ashley

Filed Under: Jewelry, Toys and Accessories, Tutorial, Uncategorized Tagged With: bracelet, cuff, jewelry, leather, tutorial

Bohemian Leather Button Cuff (A Tutorial)

May 19, 2011 By Ashley 19 Comments

I have jars of buttons all over my studio and I’m always brainstorming different unique ways to use them. I recently ordered some leather cuffs from Dharma Trading and thought the buttons would be a great way to embellish them.

These leather blank cuffs are a great base for a project since the hardware is already attached. The best part is they are really inexpensive and precut!

I used Angelus Leather Dye and Dye Reducer to dye the leather:

I mixed the leather dye and reducer in a small bowl:

Then I used a cloth to apply it to the the leather. Two coats worked perfectly:

I recommend using gloves when dyeing…..I’m always too impatient, but I don’t mind walking around town with discolored hands.

Once the leather was dry I took a sanding block to distress it. If you want it smooth and supple you can add wax or softener and buff it. I left mine plain because I wanted it slightly dry and distressed: