Perfectly Loopy - Wrapped Wire Loop Tutorial

I get asked a lot about how I make my wrapped wire loops so circular and consistent.  My OCD not withstanding, I put a tutorial together to show how I do it:

Materials:

wire

beads

Tools:

Flush cutter
Needle-nosed pliers (large & small)
Round-nosed pliers
Nylon jaw pliers

Steel bench block

Chasing hammer

Step 1:

Take your wire and wrap it around your smaller-sized round-nosed pliers.  Make a 90 degree bend in the wire at the base of the pliers.  Begin wrapping the end without the bend around the straight wire end.

Step 2:

Finish your wrapped loop, trying to keep the wire as tight as possible.

Step 3:

Turn your loop upside down and add a bead to your wire.  Hold the link by the finished loop and make a 90 degree bend in the other end of the wire, leaving room for the wraps.

Step 4:

Wrap the wire around the pliers, making sure the bend stays at the bottom of the pliers.

Step 5:

Finish wrapping the loop and trim the excess wire.

Step 6:

Here's what your loops will look like now:  in need of flattening.

Step 7:

Using your old nylon-jawed pliers, gently squeeze each loop until they flatten out evenly with your wraps.

Loops after flattening with the nylon-jawed pliers.

Step 8:

To shape the loops, place the loop on the larger round-nosed pliers.  Using your thumbs, push down on both sides of the wire, stretching the loop into a perfect circle.

Step 9:

Place the loop on a steel bench block and gently flatten the top of the loop with the chasing hammer, then turn it around and flatten the other side.

And there you have it - perfectly loopy loops!

30 Words Thursday: She

She seeks

beauty

in the smallest of things; finds

joy

in simple

truths.

Essential ideals that bring

wonder

to her

heart

and a kind of

peace

to her sweet

soul. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The premise of 30 Word Thursday is simple... take a photo, write 30 words (no more, no less) and post it each Thursday.  This is a blog hop hosted by Erin Prais-Hintz over on her blog Treasures Found, pop on over there to see her post for this week as well as links to the 30 Words from everyone else.

"Be Free" 10-Minute Necklace Tutorial For Jewelry In A Pinch

There are times when I want to wear a simple, straightforward piece of jewelry, and can't always find the right one.  This super-easy project is a perfect solution to "I don't have anything to wear"-itis.

Materials:
Silver Bird Accent
12 pc Heart Swirl Charm Set
Large Deco Lobster Clasp
Small Oval Silver Chain
Silver Jump Rings

Tools:
Needle-Nosed Pliers
Flush cutter

Directions:
1. Use an 8mm jump ring and add it to the bird charm. Open the clasp and attach it to the same jump ring you added to the bird.

2. Add 4mm Jump rings to a swirl charm and a round charm.

3. Cut approximately 32" of silver chain.

4. Add the clasp, both charms and both ends of the chain to a 6mm jump ring and close it.

All you need to do is to slip the necklace over your head and you are ready to go!

Bella Crafts Creative Team First Blog Post: Copper Wire Butterfly Bracelet Tutorial

Today is my first blog post for the Bella Crafts Creative Team - woo-hoo!  I wrote a tutorial for this copper wire butterfly bracelet, and you can check out the whole story on their blog here.

Your Story is Valuable

In case you forgot:

your story is valuable

You are WHO you ARE 

because of WHERE you WERE 

and the (sometimes painful) journey that has brought you this far.

Never be ashamed of your past, because those lessons you learned through the process of overcoming the obstacles that were in your path may be exactly what someone may need to hear today to give them

hope

 in their own journey.

30 Word Thursday: Open Up Your Heart

always open up your heart

let in
joy
love
and
beauty

there will also be
sorrow
heartbreak
and
ugliness

but the
joy
love
and
beauty

will make it all
worthwhile

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The premise of 30 Word Thursday is simple... take a photo, write 30 words (no more, no less) and post it each Thursday.  This is a blog hop hosted by Erin Prais-Hintz over on her blog Treasures Found, pop on over there to see her post for this week as well as links to the 30 Words from everyone else.

Versatile Valentine: Abstract Spiral Heart Pendant Tutorial

This simple design for an abstract wire heart pendant frame is so versatile  and fun!  Here's what you need to begin:

From Prima Bead:
16g wire
Flush cutter
Needle-nosed pliers
Round-nosed pliers
Nylon jaw pliers

From your local hardware store:
Two 6" lengths of 3/4" wooden dowels (or 2 large sharpie markers)
Duct tape or packing tape

Step 1:  Cut a 12" length of 16g wire. at approximately 5 1/2", bend wire so that both sides of wire are together.  Make sure the bend is completely together, using your nylon-jaw pliers if you need to squeeze them together.

Step 2:  Using duct tape or packing tape, tape the two dowels together, leaving a small space between the dowels so the wire can get through.  Set the doubled-over wire in between the dowels, bend-end first, making sure the bend fits through the dowels and bend each side of the wire over the dowels (see picture).  This will form the top of the heart.

Step 3:  Starting with the short end of wire, start a spiral using your round-nosed pliers.

Step 4:  Continue to spiral the wire using your nylon-jawed pliers until it fits snugly into the top of the heart.

Step 5:  Approximately 3 1/2" from the bottom of the non-spiraled wire, bend the wire into a "V" shape - this will create the bottom of the heart.  Start a spiral with this end of the wire in the direction of the "V".

Step 6:  Continue to spiral the wire using your nylon-jawed pliers until it fits snugly into the "V".

Voila!  You're finished!  Just add a jump ring to the non-spiraled side of the heart and hang it on your favorite chain or cord!  You can also try adding beads or more wire to the frame, using a heavier gauge wire, hammering the wire for texture, heating the wire for color, or anything else you can think of!

Have fun, and let me know if you try this technique - I'd love to see your designs!