You’re probably wondering why an online, handmade jewelry shop like Debbie Renee Jewelry would be showing you how to make some of their earrings, right?  I mean, if you can just make them yourself, why do you need us?

For starters, we love making jewelry and would like to impart to the world some of our creative skills.  Also, we figure it would be nice for our customers to understand the work that goes in to making our handmade beaded jewelry!

Here is what we’re going to show you how to make:  The Royal Purple Dangles (Buy them here!)

These handmade dangle earrings combine real shell beads, cute iridescent glass beads and metal crown charms.  While you will find this product to be pretty simple in structure, you will find as your make your own jewelry that the most difficult part is choosing what to make, from the colors to the design scheme to the supplies.

Before we start… here is what you will need:

1. Needle Nose Pliers:  This will depend on personal preference, but you can either choose needle nose pliers or flat nose pliers for this jewelry project.  The flat nose pliers are handy for closing wire and more heavy-duty tasks, but I prefer the needle nose pliers for most projects.
2. Round Nose Pliers:  The round nose pliers are ideal for jewelry making.  They help create loops when making handmade beaded jewelry.  They are necessary for almost every jewelry project you will undertake.
3. Wire Cutters:  The wire cutters will help shorten the ends of eye and head pins before you need to connect your bead to a chain, charm, etc.  These are also essential in nearly every handmade jewelry project.

Those are the tools that you will need for this project, now I will discuss the supplies you will need!

1. Eye Pins: Eye pins are used to thread beads and attach them to beaded chains, or in this case, to our crown charm.  They come in a variety of metals and colors, but always have a loop on one end.
2. Head Pins:  Head pins cannot make beaded chains like eye pins can.  They are used to create dangles or drops, such as the purple drop beads in our handmade earrings project.
3. Earring Wires:  The earring wires we will use for this project are called fish-hook wires, and are the most common type of ear hooks.
4. Beads and Charms:  For this project, you will need two focal piece charms (like our crown charms… these can also be larger and fancier beads if you prefer) two accent beads for placing above the focal piece, and two dangle beads that will complete the look.
5. Jump Rings: You may also need jump rings in your project, depending on your design.  These rings are taken apart by using two sets of pliers, such as needle nose and round nose, to pull either side of the ring apart at its opening (see picture).

All of these items can be find at any craft store, such as Joann’s, Michaels or Hobby Lobby.  Feel free to use your creative genius to pick out a great design!

Now we will begin with our project:

Step #1:

• Set aside your accent beads (that will go above your focal piece), two eye pins and your two earring wires.
• Thread one of the beads through one of the eye pins.
• Then, select an area about 1/4”-1/2” above the bead to cut the eye pin with your wire cutters.  The key to this step is to leave enough room on the eye pin above the bead to be able to make a loop with your round nose pliers.
• Once you’ve decided how much extra pin to cut off, cut the extra off (IF NEEDED).  Then, using your round nose pliers, bend the remaining eye pin above the bead into a 90 degree angle, so it is perpendicular to the rest of the pin. (The picture on the right does not include this step, but this really helps your loop be straight and even with its mirror loop at the bottom.)
• Once you’ve done this, use your round nose pliers to turn the top of your pin into a loop, just as the bottom of your eye pin looks.  When you do this, make sure you choose a spot on your pliers that is wide enough to make a perfect loop.
• Once you made the loop, be sure to leave it open a slight amount.  Then, take one of your fish-hook earring wires and place the loop at the bottom of the hook on to your open loop.  Once you’re done with that, close the loop your bead is on with either your round nose or needle nose pliers.  Make sure it is secure!
• Repeat with second bead, eye pin and ear wire.

Step #2:

• If your focal piece is a metal charm (like our crown charm), continue with this step.  If your focal piece is a large bead (or any piece that can be beaded like any normal bead) repeat step one with two eye pins and your focal piece.  Once you’ve beaded your focal piece, thread it onto the end of your accent bead (like in step one when you threaded it onto an earring wire).
• Set aside your focal pieces and some jump rings.
• In some cases, as with our crown charm, you will not need jump rings at all! Simple open up the bottom look of your accent bead using your round nose pliers.  Then, slip on your charm.  Close up the loop to complete this step.  If your charm is larger than our crown or otherwise needs a jump ring to connect it, continue on with this step.
• Open up a jump ring (as seen in the picture above) and slip on your metal charm.  Then, slip on the bottom loop that your accent bead is threaded on.  Once both are attached to the ring, close the jump ring by reversing the opening movement.  Be sure the closed ends are even!
• Your focal piece should be successfully connected!  If your charm hangs crooked, try adding another jump ring to your connection to manipulate the way it hangs.  Then, repeat with your second set of supplies.

Step #3:

• Now we’re going to use the skill we learned in step one, but substituting a head pin for an eye pin.
• Set aside two head pins and your dangle beads.
• Take one head pin and thread your bead on.
• Next, proceed as in step one by trimming, bending, and making a loop with the head pin.
• Attach your dangle to your metal charm.  You may need to use a jump ring for this!
• Next, close the loop, secure it with some pressure from your needle nose pliers, and you’re done!

Now that you’ve learned this simple style of earrings, you can go on to create more custom designs.  Stay tuned for more tips on making jewelry from Debbie Renee.

ORIGINALLY POSTED HERE:  How To: Make Simple Dangle Earrings

This one was hand soldered by the maker! Bravo!

Umm wow!  I guess these are really popular, because they literally just sold in the last few minutes of me posting this stuff.

I guess I’m just really into the orange and green hues today of jewelry.  Plus I LOVE little charms that are added to necklaces, and the simple teardrop designs of those green earrings.

Just GOTTA LOVE  all this jewelry!

I have many MANY interests.  One of the things that I am most passionate about is making jewelry.  I have recently become addicted to making my own jewelry designs, day and night!  Therefore, I have decided to dedicate this blog to my jewelry creations, trends in jewelry making, shops and items on Etsy that I LOVE, and anything else that’s remotely related, such as:

beads, chains, supplies, jewelry techniques, selling jewelry, etc.  I’m kinda ALL OVER THE PLACE… so expect this blog to be the same! Ha.

Some of my other passions that you may glimpse here on this blog:

Books, poetry, writing, family, marriage, blogging, Twitter, Blackberry themes, TV shows, movies, music, piano, lyrics, art, technology, selling products online, making money online, etc and definitely more to come.