Free Mixed Media Jewelry Project: iLoveToCreate Newsworthy Bracelet

Newsworthy Bracelet
Teen Crafts
Margot Potter a.k.a. The Impatient Crafter
"Mom crafted, kid approved."

Clear lucite is the hot trend this spring in fashion jewelry, but why not have a little fun with it?  These inexpensive clear plastic beads are just begging for a little embellishment.  Collage Pauge is the perfect medium to make quick work of upcycled magazine page beads.  Teens will love this idea and they can take it in so many directions.  Why not use magazine pics of their favorite celebs or printed out pics of their friends?  Use a flat surface like a microscope slide or acrylic tile, try this with glass, use old chandelier components, do this on larger clear acrylic sheets for collages you can frame...use clear plastic game chips...can you see where I'm going with this? 

Recycled Magazine Pages (text and/or images)
Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage
Faceted transparent plastic (or transparent crystal/glass) beads 
22 gauge silver plated rose Artistic Wire
6mm sp jump rings
Sp lobster clasp

Paint brush
2 pairs chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Wire cutters

1.  Select beads and background text or images, since the beads will flip when worn, try to use paper with text and image on both sides.  Using a bead with a somewhat flat surface on each side works best.

2.  Paint a coat of Collage Pauge on the back of your bead.

3.  Stick bead into paper and mold paper around bead.  Tear to release from page.

4.  Paint a coat of Collage Pauge on the back of the paper and allow to dry.

5.  Use your fingers to remove the excess paper from around the edges of the bead, there should be a large section of paper left on bead, seal the edges with Collage Pauge.  Allow to dry.

6.  Thread the bead on the wire, keeping the wire on the spool.  Leave a .5" tail coming out of one end of your bead.

7.  Create a wrapped loop.  Cut off excess wire.  Create a wrapped loop on the opposite side, but DON'T cut the wire.

8.  Wrap the wire around the bead two times and then around the coiled section on the opposite side of the bead twice to secure.  Cut off excess, removing wire from spool.  Tuck tail into coil.

9.  Use round nose pliers to gently bend the wires, working along each one to create tension front and back.  Take your time so you don't nick the wire. 

10.  Connect the wired beads to create a bracelet using jump rings.  The number of beads needed depends on your wrist size.  Attach a clasp to one end and a jump ring to the other.

(If you don't know how you can learn how to open and close jump rings and wrap wires on my YouTube Channel in our Crafty Quickies videos.)


Vickie Howell said...

Really clever, M! Love the mag text peeking through!

CraftCrave said...

Thank you! This blog post will be advertised on CraftCrave in the Handcraft category today (look for timestamp: [02 Mar 01:00pm GMT]).

TesoriTrovati said...

Super idea!
I am seeking some ideas to do with a bunch of middle school students. The glue drying might be an issue, but I can see where they would love to personalize this!
Great stuff, Miss Madge!
Enjoy the day!

Margot Potter said...

Thanks Ms. V!

Margot Potter said...

Thanks, Erin. The decoupage medium dries in about ten minutes, so it doesn't take very long at all.