Making Jewelry with Craft Supplies - Crafts Galore Encore Anything Goes Challenge

Have you ever made jewelry with your scrapbooking supplies? I bet you'd never guess what you can make with some plain black cardstock, glue and bling! Well, you're in the right place to find out! But first things first! It's an anything goes craft challenge at Crafts Galore Encore for the month of November so pull out something you've never tried before and go crazy! Or do your tried and true techniques - your choice! Crafts Galore Encore also is hosting a Design Team Call. See more info at the end of this post and on the CGE blog.

Our sponsor Whoopsidaisy Digis is offering 2 sheets of their digis to the winner this month!

I decided to switch it up this month and try a kit I have had for at least 2 years. I know, I know.... we all do it. We hoard for that rainy day when we are brave enough to try something new. Well I always visited the Outlines booth at craft fairs and everything was so ornate and sparkly I couldn't even imagine being able to reproduce any of it. I'd get very overwhelmed and leave without buying anything. Well, a few years back I did buy one of their kits called harmonica necklace and earring set. Outlines Rubber Stamp Co. closed in 2012 and I'm so sad because now that I tried it I would love to make more.

Feast your eyes.... this set is made with some jewelry findings, cardstock, stamping, heat embossing, glue and bling. It is even more stunning in person!

Here's a closer look at the pendant. I was provided with the chain, bail, filigree square and round a stamp, aquamarine and blue Zircon (bling), crystal lacquer and black cardstock. I had to provide gold embossing powder, pigment ink, a heat gun and a jewelry tool.

To ensure a clean embossed image, I prepped my surface with a Stampin' Up! embossing buddy to remove all moisture from the cardstock. I then decided to use Stampin' Up! Gold Glory embossing powder for that antique gold look. The stamping was done in Encore! ultimate metallic gold ink as a back up for any area I might have missed with the embossing.  For the pendant I had to stamp and heat emboss the harmonica jewel image (see below) twice and cut out certain portions of the design (see below), apply crystal lacquer and let it dry. The first square shows the missing part cut for the pendant and the second square shows what I cut for the dangling part of the pendant. Only a tiny square of the second embossed image was needed. I cut two just in case.

Next, the pendant square had to be adhered to another piece of the black cardstock in order to accommodate gluing the bail in-between the layers. Once dry all the pieces were coated with crystal lacquer on top and bottom and adhered to the filigree pieces with the same adhesive. While still wet, I adhered the bling in the pattern provided and once it dried it was pure perfection!

The earrings were made the same way. It required stamping and embossing two more times to cut out the small squares for the earrings (see below).

Placing the bling can be challenging. But the kit included toothpicks with wax on the end to make a handle (see below). Sometimes going old school is the way to go! I let them dry overnight to be sure before I put on the earring hooks.

I was amazed with the results. I cannot even tell it's cardstock or something homemade. I sooooo wish I had gotten more of these kits... ah well, such is life.

I am not sure if I should wear these myself or give them away as as gift. It's an 18" gold chain. Hmmmm. What do you think?

La-Vie

Don't forget to pop over to the blog to enter up to 3 projects this month and to read more about the DT call. Hey, throw your hat in the ring! These ladies are fun to work with and it's a great challenge to make something different each month to exemplify the challenge. ~La-Vie

We are looking for some new DT members join us at the start of January 2015. You will need to create one project per month (usually using digi stamps provided by sponsors) and to comment on challenge entries. You are also expected to enter challenges with your projects and promote the challenge where ever possible. We are a happy band of crafters living across the world, we don't "do," drama and we have lots of fun! If you would like to join us please add DT next to name on your entry. We will contact a short list of people who will be invited to tell us a little bit about why they would like to join us.