There is two trends at the moment which I've fallen in love with; Geo and Ombre. Both are really simple but can instantly change everything by adding a modern edge or pop of colour. This week I thought it was time to join the party and create some necklaces that take on both trends and are ready to knock your socks off... What do you think? Pretty awesome right?!
If you're ready to get a piece of this fashionista action you don't need to rush out and spend a fortune...
In fact, all you're going to need is:
some Sculpey clay (Fimo etc)
a knife or ruler (anything hard and flat)
toothpicks
a small pot + cupcake case
paint (acrylic is grand)
necklace chain
You can get chain online or in your local bead shops, but if you're not into that idea, you can always strip an old necklace you don't wear anymore for parts. Thrifty!
Start by making round balls out of the clay. You can make as many or few as you like, but make each one the size you want your beads to be. I have one larger and two smaller to work with. Bare in mind their shape is going to change so don't worry if they're not perfect.
To get your flat edges, use your ruler / knife and gently push down on the clay balls. As you'll see, when you do this you leave a great smooth mark. The harder you press the longer / wider the edge. Have fun and experiment with this part as the more you work with the clay the more interesting shapes you'll get!
Remember that no two piece will be the same, but each will have it's own beauty. Pretty great if you're a little bit lazy like me!
If you have a sharp knife you can try cutting in your flat sides, but you'll find that (our) method leaves you with smoother clay. If you do find you've gouged a little out as you've been working, you can gently smooth it over with your thumb.
Make sure not to press too hard with your fingers when you're working here as you'll leave your finger prints!
Once you're happy with the geo pieces you've created, you'll need to add holes for your chain to thread through. Gently push a toothpick through each piece where you want the chain to go. Be careful not to go too close to the top as you don't want it to break.
Give the toothpick a good wiggle whilst its in the clay to widen the hole. If you're not sure how thick your chain is, pull out the toothpick and try threading it through. If it doesn't go you'll need to make it a little larger by doing the same thing again.
Once you're done, smooth out the sides again. Only use your flat edge again if you have to as you'll need to double check your hole is wide enough before you bake 'em.
When you're happy with your geo beads, harden them by popping them in the oven.
I'm using Sculpey so mine go in the oven at 130 degrees Celsius for 20 mins. Be sure to check your packet for the right temperature and time as you don't want to burn them!
Ready for the fun part? Me too!
Once your geo pieces have *fully* cooled down (I hate waiting!!), you are ready to make them ombre!
Fill a small jar / pot with the paint. Bare in mind that it needs to be deep enough to be able to dip your beads into. If you're not mixing colours, you can pour the paint you don't use back into the pot when your done. Perfect!
Carefully hold the bead at the top end (the part that's not going to get covered in paint), and steadily sink it into the paint. This will cover it in paint really evenly and give you a lovely sharp line. Awesome, right?
You can do it as deep or shallow as you like, dip the piece into several colours (once it's dried in-between stages), dip them in angles... anything is possible!
Again, each bead will come out differently, but trust me, they're going to look great when you're done!
When you're finished you need to let them dry fully. You don't want them to stick to anything so the best way to do this is to pop them back on their toothpicks and hang them over something you don't mind getting covered in paint. A cupcake case is perfect for this!
*Ta*Da*
Once your geo beads are fully dried, thread them onto your necklace chain and take them out on the town :D With jewellery this pretty you need to show it off - everyone will want a custom geo necklace once you let them in on your awesome secret. The best part is, no one will be able to make what you've got. Get in!
We'd love to hear how you rock this project! Thinking about making them into a bracelet or headband? Going to stitch them onto your dress? I bet you've got some pretty inspiring ideas and we'd love to hear them :)
Happy Making lovelies!
xox
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