Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Making earrings


I've only scratched the surface of this craft, but I still want to write about it because I'm excited by its potential. As you know, I visited my local bead store recently. As I was browsing around for charm bracelet supplies, I was drawn to the hardware for making earrings. I've made dangly earrings before, after buying the hooks at a similar bead store, so I shouldn't have been surprised that earring posts and backs are also available for purchase. I was. Then the wheels in my head started turning, and I realized that all I needed was a glue gun (check), the hardware that I was eyeing (check) and something to glue to the hardware to get my hands on a new pair of earrings. After a quick glance around the bead store for something appropriate, I found some yellow aquarium stones and hustled home to experiment with my new craft. Voilà: I made the earrings pictured above in two minutes.

Aren't you excited by the possibilities? I want to make a pair of earrings with a googly eye on each post for my sister. She has two piercings in one of her ears, so they could be worn side-by-side. Do you see what I'm getting at? I assume she'd be up for this type of jewelry; she's been known to sport an earring made out of a bobbin from a sewing machine. That earring gets so many compliments from fellow sewers that I think I may have to copy her and make a pair of my own.


I made these dangly earrings a few years ago. They use the same supplies as the charm bracelets, but are much easier to make. If I were to make this type of earring again, I would first make these beads from recycled newspaper, as featured on A Storybook Life.

I guess what I'm getting at is that you can and should make earrings out of anything. Let's all take a cue from these vintage resistor earrings that were featured on the Craft Magazine blog.

If you don't have time to make earrings, I suggest you buy some that someone else has made. I've had tentative plans to buy a pair from Art School Dropout for years, and I'm also tempted by the treats made by my buddy Jesse. I like this pair. They are made from vintage enamel horse pendants on antique brass French-style ear wires, but sadly they are sold out.

12 comments:

Kermo said...

Gorgeous photography!
I really like the DYI and "found object" elements of this blog too.

Do you ever do any stamping? I've been looking for interesting ways to imprint polymer clays, but am coming up short.

Erin said...

Thanks! I wish I could help you, but I've never even thought about stamping before. I'm intrigued though...

Jen said...

Earrings! I got my ears re-pierced quite late in the game after a bad mall piercing gun experience, and I have to say, I've been lamenting how little advantage I've been taking of it...

I really like both pairs that you've got in this post Erin! Marc gave me a pair of resistor earrings for Christmas...he was very proud to have used the internet to find them, AND he likes that they have electronics parts!

Now if only I would wear them!

robyn. said...

i too am impressed the photography of this post in particular.

i occasionally miss wearing 'normal' earrings - i'm pretty restricted for as long as i choose to have stretched lobes - especially when i see such a wonderfully fun assortment. but this is certainly an easy and fun gift idea. thanks!

nanders said...

those are pretty dear!

Sarah said...

great earrings, erin! i worked at a jewllery store many years ago and we sometimes had to replace the posts for customers. we used epoxy, which seemed to be less messy than a glue gun. the epoxy (or crazy glue) is pretty strong too so you don't need much of it.

i think the bobbin earings sound great! can't wait to see them!

Jesse said...

Hi Erin,

Bobbins sound awesome. I would recommend using something like epoxy instead of hot-glue. Glue gun stuff seems to come off with a bit of pressure (e.g. getting caught in your hair or scarf etc).

Jesse said...

oops, obviously I didn't read the comments super carefully, as I've just repeated what the commenter above me said. Doh! Well, 2 votes for epoxy then!

Kermo said...

re: stamping

I was making some polymer clay sushi this weekend, and wanted to make the rice look ricier, so I took some scrap clay, pressed some grains of rice into it, let them fall out and then backed the clay. Ta da! Now I've got a rice-stamper.

On yet another subject, my new project is wine-glass charms (for keeping track of your drink at parties.) Very easy to make, expensive to buy, and easy to give away.

You give away so many great ideas that I thought I'd toss some back.

Erin said...

Wine glass charms are totally in line with the type of bead projects I've been taking on lately. Thanks Kermo.

Erin said...

epoxy!

rebecca said...

epoxy is so awesome, and a crafter's delight. I used it a great deal when making bead magnets.

Have you thought about making earrings the same way? You use a clear aquarium bead (like the yellow ones you used for earrings) and epoxy a picture behind it. Then you could have picture earrings, limitless possibilities.

PS: Hi teach!