Back when I worked on the May campaign with Martha Stewart Jewelry, I actually made a couple of pieces while playing around with the treasure trove of supplies I was sent. (Only my DIY Enamel Spring Flower Bib Necklace made it to the blog for the campaign post.) But I also made these earrings, and though I don’t have a shot of me wearing them yet (Hub has been working odd hours ever since we got back from Japan), I still wanted to share the how-to with all of you.
I’ve always been drawn to the intricate nature of filigree pieces and love its versatility (I even used it for the backing of the bib necklace above!). It reminds me of ancient scrolling and iron work – perhaps more suited to Guinevere’s or Cleopatra’s time than the modern minimalism of today. Of course these jewelry findings are not true filigree (which is made of soldered wire that is curved and bent to form patterns), but instead is created with dies cutting the pattern into metal. Incorporating them into your jewelry will add a sophisticated touch with a vintage feel, and adding crystal components and a wash of color from the Martha Stewart Jewelry line is a great way to truly customize your pieces. And you only need to be able to link jumprings and wield a paintbrush! Here’s how:
You Need:
2 metal filigree stampings / Martha Stewart Jewelry Glaze (mine is Sea Green) / 2 French Hook earrings wires / matching small jumprings / 6mm pointed-back crystals / 3mm pointed-back crystals / 6mm drop settings / 3mm link settings
Tools: pliers / jumpring tool / stamping brush / silicone mat (optional) / silicone-tipped tool and tweezers (optional)
How To:
1. Set the crystals: you’ll need THREE 3mm crystals and linked settings, and THREE 6mm crystals and drop settings per earring (so 6 of each type total).
2. Connect the drops to the links with jumprings.
3. Squeeze out a small amount of the jewelry glaze.
4. Use a brush to paint the bottom of the filigree pieces with the glaze, making the coat of glaze thicker at the bottom.
5. Line up all your components for each earrings, and connect the linked drops to the bottom of the filigree.
6. Add the French hooks to the top of the filigree pieces.
And that’s it!
The Martha Stewart Jewelry line makes it really easy to mix and match components and colors, since everything is designed to work together. The line is available exclusively at Michael’s stores (and use those occasional 40% off coupons to save even more!)
And if you’re looking for more resources, tips, and tricks for making your own jewelry, we’re talking all about jewelry this month in my free podcast…check out the latest episode for a an exclusive huge list of resources to enhance your abilities and add to your stash!
Listen to Creatively Chic: All About Jewelry- Resources, Tips, Books, and Tools
Happy DIY’ing!
xo
Carly
FTC Disclosure: The supplies for this project came from a paid campaign for Martha Stewart Jewelry and The BluePrint Social; however, this project was not shared as part of the campaign. I received no compensation for this project. My full Disclosure Policy is here.
Turned out great. I liked the filigree, too. Wish I had more. The ombre enamel is very original.
Samantha recently posted…My DIY midi skirt makeover
Thanks, Samantha! I too wished there was more filigree to play with in the Martha Stewart jewelry line…there’s so much you can do with it!