I write. I write a lot. I have three jobs, writing. It’s all I do. Well, maybe not all. I’ve been trying to be a little more balanced about how I do things, and part of that is spending some time doing things that are not writing. I’m trying to be better about exercise, with mixed results. I try to get out of the house more, hence the beer updates on social media. And I’m trying to keep up with crafts I enjoy. Today I made two simple necklaces, which not only let me get some crafts in but helped me clear some of the clutter from my work space.
Look, I’ll be the first to tell you I’m not good at “pretty.” (Actually, I won’t. My hair stylist will be the first to tell you I’m not good at “pretty,” but that’s a story for another day. And I warned her first, so technically my point still stands.) I try to stick to crafts that have clear instructions or that can be done by someone who is clearly beauty impaired.
These necklaces? These fall into that category.
The first necklace, the one that looks like it was painted onto a shell, is super
easy. I got the pendant through a Yarn of The Month box from Darn Good Yarn. (One of the best subscription boxes I’ve ever picked, by the way.) It’s been sitting in my inventory for a long time while I tried to think of a good use for it, and I finally found one. It’s going to be a birthday gift for a relative. She’s got a few dresses I think would look good with this, and it’s not an item she can just pick up at the mall.
The other pendant is actually a button. My friend found it while shopping one day, and since my nickname in undergrad was Fruitbat she thought of me right away. I wasn’t sure what to do with it, and I thought about making a choker out of it. The problem is, chokers tend to cause panic attacks on li’l old me, so I went with another option.
Materials
To make both necklaces the way I made them, you will need:
- Two pre-measured cords with adjustable, pre-attached clasps (see, I told you it was easy!)
- Two pendants
- Two jump rings
- 1 pair of wire cutters (Long-nosed jewelry making pliers would actually work better, but mine are sadly missing so work with what you’ve got and be careful.)
- Attach the jump rings to the pendants.
- Thread the cords through the jump rings.
- Do your happy dance, because you just made a pretty thing. Hooray!
Seriously, it’s super easy, and it’ll give you a great sense of accomplishment you can carry around with you all day. Enjoy!