Five DIY Jewelry Projects You'll Be Dying To Wear

By Janey Dike on August 13, 2014

This article is brought to you by CORT, a subsidiary of Berkshire-Hathaway and the world’s largest furniture rental and relocation services company. To learn more about how we can help college students like you, click here.

Looking for a way to add personality and style to your everyday outfits? How about adding a few pieces of DIY jewelry?

Accessories can add color and original edge to your style. Crafting them with your own two hands and imagination will make any piece of jewelry you create a unique reflection of your own innovation.

If you don’t think you’re artsy enough to make something that you’d actually wear, think again. Many DIY jewelry projects are simple with the right tools and directions.

Making something on your own can be rewarding in so many ways; you can discover hidden talent, spend the afternoon working on a fun activity, and bond with friends sharing the experience.

No matter how easy or complex your hand-crafted accessory is, it’s sure to be a conversation starter and a way for you to show off your creativity and talent.

Washer Necklace: For this statement necklace, all you’ll need are ten washers, pliers, small jump rings, a chain and nail polish.

Start off by painting the washers in the color of your choice. The simplest strategy is to paint all one color, but you can get more creative by painting different hues or designs and placing the washers in patterns when you construct the necklace.

After the washers are dry, connect them using the jump rings. Connect nine of the washers in a row. Then, add the tenth washer by connecting it to the third and seventh washers in the line. This should create an arrow shape.

Finish the necklace by connecting the end two washers to the chain. If you want to get the most out of the necklace, you can even paint the other side a different color. Now you’ll have reversible DIY jewelry to wear with multiple outfits.

image via topinspired.com

Safety Pin Bracelet: The safety pin bracelet is a fun accessory with a rainbow of colors.

Gather enough safety pins to fit around your entire wrist and some elastic cord. Add beads of your choice to the safety pin prongs before fastening them. You can use a dot of superglue to ensure that the pins stay closed while you wear your finished bracelet.

After all of the safety pins are beaded and prepared, cut two foot-long pieces of the elastic cord. Thread one piece of elastic through the hole at the top of one safety pin. Then, through the hole at the bottom of a second safety pin.

Continue alternating the position of the safety pins until all of them are threaded. Use the second elastic to thread through the holes all along the bottom of the bracelet.

Once all of the safety pins are threaded onto the two elastics, tie the thread together at the end and cut off the excess. You are now ready to wear your latest piece of DIY jewelry.

image via easycraftidea4u.blogspot.com

Bobby Pin Earrings: If you’re a fan of dangly earrings, this DIY jewelry project is perfect for you. You’ll need your choice of thin or thick bobby pins, earring hooks, craft wire, and nail polish.

The first step is to paint your bobby pins. Pin them in a row onto something sturdy, like cardboard or the packaging you purchased them on. Use nail polish and other craft supplies to add bold color and designs, like stripes, glitter, chevron, etc.

Cut two to three pieces of metal wire and twist them together for added strength. Slip 6-10 bobby pins onto the wire and shape the wire until it comes together at the top.

Attach the earring hooks and wrap the extra wire once around the top for extra hold. Cut off any extra wire and repeat for the second earring.

image via cremedelacraft.com

Polymer Clay Jewelry: To shape and design your own jewelry, purchase Sculpey, or polymer clay. The clay comes in a variety of colors, so feel free to mix shades.

You will shape the clay into whatever type of jewelry you want before baking it. For a bracelet, roll a kneaded ball of clay into a tube until you get the desired thickness. The tube should be about an inch longer than your wrist for easy on and off. The possibilities for design are endless.

Tie the tube into a knot, sculpt it into a zig-zag shape, or use a toothpick to create simple designs on the surface. The next step is wrapping the bracelet around a glass jar or bottle that is about the size of your wrist. The jar and bracelet will both go in the oven at the temperature and time stated on the clay’s instructions.

After the bracelet has baked and cooled, feel free to remove it from the jar and use spray paint or acrylic paint as desired.

Clay is also a great way to make beads. Just roll the clay into the size and shape of the beads that you want and use a toothpick to poke a hole through the center.

After baking the beads, you can thread them with a cord or chain and use paint if you want to decorate them. The beads can be used for all kinds of DIY jewelry like necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

image via mulitfilla.blogspot.com

Simple Wire Rings: Jewelry wire rings are inexpensive to make and vary in style. They’re the perfect DIY jewelry craft to take on.

You’ll need craft wire and pliers to shape the rings. You can create rings with simple bands, a tasteful knot, tiny bows, or swirls on the ends.

For a simple band, wrap the wire around a dowel or other round item with a size similar to your finger. Simply twist the ends together and cut off the excess wire. Use pliers to flatten the ends so that they don’t poke out.

For knot or bow rings, use the pliers to shape the wire into the shape that you want. The knot can be completed in a way similar to the simple band, but the bow rings require a few more steps, as shown here.

For wrap rings, use about 3 to 5 inches of wire. Shape the ends into loops, triangles, or whatever design you can imagine. Wrap the wire around a dowel so that the ends overlap slightly.

If you want to be fancy, consider adding small beads to the rings and using the pliers to bend the wire so that the beads are secure. Wire rings are the perfect medium to create midi-rings for your fingers.

image via snhblog.com

Some of these DIY jewelry fashions may take practice to perfect. But with a bit of patience and creativity, you’ll have some wonderfully original accessories that add spark and personality to your outfits.

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