Learn To Make Leather Links For Jewelry

 

Leather Infinity Links Video Workshop

by Tracy Statler

Leather in accessories is hot, hot, hot! I think I've said this before, but it's worth repeating. If you want to make chic jewelry that's in demand now, consider incorporating some leather into your designs. Leather is a wonderful material to work with and it adds texture and interest to your jewelry. My stylish friend and book contributor, Tracy Statler is currently offering a video tutorial on how to make these fun leather infinity links. These components are a versatile way to add leather to your jewelry. Incorporate them into bracelets, necklaces and even earrings.

In this video tutorial, Tracy takes you step-by-step through the process of creating her innovative beaded leather infinity links. She also provides you with a handy supply list and helpful tips and tricks to make creating these cool components much easier.  Tracy is available for questions and support, if you need it. She does allow designers to sell jewelry that is created from her tutorial, which in my book is a huge plus and very generous! There's even an option to pin and share your designs on a Pinterest gallery board that Tracy has created specially for those that purchase her tutorial. That's a great way to connect, share and promote your jewelry!

Click Here To Purchase

You can purchase Tracy's video tutorial through her blog, Make Bracelets! I highly recommend that you check it out.

Oh, and as if you needed any more eye candy or convincing, below are more examples of Tracy's work showing the versatility of her leather technique. If there are any designers to keep your eye on, it's this girl. She's a phenomenal, high-quality fashion jewelry designer that enjoys sharing professional tips and tricks, knowledge and supply resources, teaching and writing jewelry-making tutorials and how-tos. What more could you possibly ask for? Do your- jewelry-making-self good and join her on her blog here.

I hope you enjoy her inspiration. I know I do!

Bracelet by Tracy Statler

Tracy Statler Designs

Mixed Metal Chevron Necklace TUTORIAL

Lately, my jewelry designs are all about what's going on in the fashion world and the latest styles and trends. And of course, right? Jewelry and fashion inherently go together. They are one in the same. Jewelry and clothes both serve as vehicles for us to express ourselves and our personalities. More than ever I'm into clothes and expressing my own personal style. I get giddy to put my jewelry creations together with my outfits. I want my jewelry designs to be relevant with styles I love to wear myself and what other women want to wear, too. And with being a designer for the ever-so-hip Ornamentea, it's now officially my job to stay current and on-trend :) I wouldn't want it any other way. 

 Mixed Metal Chevron Necklace Tutorial

One motif that I've seen popping up that I'm just loving is the chevron! I think chevrons are here to stay, people. This long, swingy necklace will keep you looking chic and oh-so-stylish. Find the tutorial to make it here.

Ingredients

- 22 Silver-plated 12mm bugle beads
- 6 Copper-plated 12mm bugle beads
- 14 Antique silver 3" headpins
- 1 yard of antique copper 2x4mm cable chain

Tools

- Chain nose
- Round nose
- Cutters

1. Convert all the headpins into eyepins by trimming off the heads and creating a loop at one end as shown.

 2. Use one eyepin to string one copper bugle bead and one silver bugle Bead; form a simple loop. Repeat 5 times. Use one eyepin to string 2 silver bugle beads; form a simple loop. Repeat 7 times

 3. Cut a 2" piece of chain. Attach 1 loop of a silver beaded link to one end of the long chain and the other loop to one end of the short piece of chain. Skip the second link in the chain. Attach 1 loop of a silver beaded link to the third link in the long chain and the other loop to the third link
in the short chain. Continue attaching the beaded links to the chain in the same manner following the photo shown.

Dainty Spring Necklace TUTORIAL

Dainty Spring Necklace TUTORIAL

Happy first day of Spring! I thought I'd leave you with my latest designer project for Ornamentea.com for the month of March. This necklace is inspired by the Spring season with faceted crystal like a drop of fresh dew and bright fringy silk like wisps of new grass or blossoms and Irish waxed linen in Emerald, the color of the year. This little necklace speaks of the delicate beauty and color of Springtime!

Ingredients

* 1 Swarovski crystal faceted pendant (briolette or baroque)
* 1 Czech glass 4mm druk bead
* 1" of ¾" dupioni silk ribbon
* 1 9mm lobster clasp
* 1 soldered link of extender chain (or a jump ring)
* 6" of 22 gauge wire
* 1 2" head pin
* 24" of Irish waxed linen cord in Emerald (or color of your choice)

Tools

- chain nose pliers
- wire cutters
- Scissors
- round nose pliers


1.Use the wire to form a wire-wrapped bail on the crystal pendant. Set aside. Use the headpin to string the 4mm glass bead; form a wire-wrapped loop.

 2. String the crystal pendant and the glass bead to the center of the Irish waxed linen cord. Fold the cord in half. Form an overhand knot above the dangles with both cords together. Leave the knot loose. Insert the piece of dupioni ribbon into the knot as shown.

 3. Hold the silk ribbon in place. Tighten the knot capturing the silk in the middle as shown.

4. Use one end of the cord to string the lobster clasp; form a slip knot. Trim tail to ¼". Repeat on the other side of the necklace using the soldered ring or jump ring.

Bead Cruise 2013

I'll be back to this space as soon as I can. I'm catching up with life following my adventure on Heather Power's Bead Cruise 2013. Oh, and it was an adventure! That is the best way I can describe the experience on my first cruise. On a high, living life to the fullest. In some ways, I felt like I was really living for the first time. I guess travel can do that to you, especially if you are visiting the beautiful locals we did. I can see how this could get addicting!

Well, I don't know if I'm ready for a jet-setter lifestyle just yet, but the trip definitely had a profound impact. I need some time to process it all. Heather, her family and the rest of the bead cruiser ladies are just the nicest, friendliest group! Everyone is kind, warm and welcoming. It feels like an intimate gathering of your best girlfriends. The vibe and feeling is similar to what I described at ArtBLISS last year. Absolutely wonderful. I feel privileged to have been able to go on this cruise and grateful for every opportunity.

  While I take some time to gather myself and get things taken care of here with my family and home, I thought I'd leave you with some of my favorite pics from the excursions from our 3 ports of call: Mexico, Grand Cayman and Jamaica. I hope you like pictures cuz there's a lot of 'em!

 Boats in Cozumel:

Mayan Ruins in Tulum:

7 Mile Beach, Grand Cayman Island:

Stingray City, Grand Cayman:

Falmouth, Jamaica:

Bamboo Beach Club, Jamaica:

Our sweet guides on our excursion in Jamaica:

Loved these two girls!
If you'd like to see even more photos from the Bead Cruise, you can view my album on Facebook! Feel free to friend me there, too!

The Butterfly Place

Nora and I visited our first butterfly garden yesterday. The Butterfly Place. I've been wanting to visit this near-by sanctuary for years. The local Mom's group I'm a member of, organized a meet-up here, so it was the perfect excuse to finally go. Of course, it was an awesome opportunity to photograph all the gorgeous butterflies for some creative inspiration! (And get some new pics of my Nora girl, too!) Here's our day at the Butterfly Place in pictures:

 Nora checking out the butterfly identification card: "Hmmm, now let's see here..."

Julia butterfly (Dryas iulia)

Small Postman butterfly (Heliconius erato)

Rice Paper butterfly (Idea leuconoe)

Cairns Birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera priamus)

My Nora girl dressed like a colorful butterfly holding her Grammy's butterfly cane!

Jewelry Stringing Spring 2013

 Jewelry Stringing Spring 2013

The Spring 2013 issue of Jewelry Stringing Magazine is OUT! I downloaded the digital version. I've been eagerly awaiting this season's issue. I LOVE the new direction and focus of the magazine towards ultra chic, hip, stylish jewelry. The designs have a new look and vibe with themes focused on fashion-forward trends. I think it's the only way to go and the Spring issue did not disappoint. So many fun, vibrant, SUPER inspiring designs. Just loved it. There were many pieces in there that I thought were way cool and clever. Got my creative juices flowing and wheels turning for fresh, new design ideas!

I'm even more proud than ever to have my designs appear in this publication. They really did a spectacular job with the images of the jewelry. Interweave always does a fabulous job with the photography, but I think they out did themselves with this Stringing issue. I contacted Chloe Chatenever, one of the editors over at Stringing and asked if she'd send me the photo of my necklace and bracelet in the issue. I'm excited to share my published designs with you here!

Misty Lilac 

Necklace and Bracelet as seen in Jewelry Stringing Spring 2013.

Looking for soft, feminine, wearable jewelry for Spring? Make my Misty Lilac necklace! Find the full instructions in the Spring 2013 issue of Jewelry Stringing Magazine on newsstands soon or download the digital version now if you can not wait a second longer, like me. :)

 Happy Spring beading...and knotting!

Lucky Charm Swap

Please join Ornamentea.com for their annual Lucky Charm Swap exchange! Make 6 charms of your choice, mail them to the Ornamentea shop in Raleigh, North Carolina and receive a set of 6 charms back from different artists around the world in March. The charms are due by February 22nd, so don't wait! Click the link above to find out all the details and join in.

Sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it? Yep, I think so, too. That's why I'm participating this year. I made a set of my lucky clover charms for the swap, just like the one pictured below.

I happen to be an Irish lass myself, so I HAD to make my sweet, little, wire-wrapped clover charms! I love these. I posted a how-to tutorial for this charm last year. If you missed it, you can check that out here. Be sure to get in on the swap. I want to see YOUR charms.