Last weekend was a blast, to put it plain and simply. My two best friends, Brittany & Katie, (who also happen to be my matron and maid of honor), hopped on a non-stop flight for the west coast and I had a non-stop weekend planned for them. Between eating our body weight in comfort food and playing tourist, we did manage to squeeze in some time for wedding dress shopping, and I said "YES" to the dress! Can every weekend be that much fun?!
And this past weekend ties in perfectly with my newest DIY project. I made these bracelets for a few friends for Christmas, and I had not gotten around to posting about them. This twist on a "friendship bracelet" is the perfect gift for the long distance friend, sister, mother, aunt, etc. Part of growing up sometimes means moving away, but leaving a city or state doesn't mean you have to leave the people behind. (Case and point: this past weekend.)
I decided to use the two states (NC and CA) as the charms, and had no trouble finding an abundance of options on Etsy. From there it was just a matter of getting all the parts and pieces for the bracelet. I used a delicate gold chain for the bracelet but also considered other materials like leather, cording, or metal bangles (look to Pinterest for more inspiration). Making jewelry does require some patience, but these bracelets weren't too intricate, and are perfect for beginners. Let's get started:
SUPPLIES
DIRECTIONS
1. Layout jewelry chain and cut 5-6" inches using the cutting pliers. Length is determined by wrist size and how you want the bracelet to fit. If you are making multiple bracelets, go ahead and cut multiple stands.
2. Using a jump ring, attach the extender chain to one side of the jewelry chain. Use two bent nose pliers to open the jump ring. At the end of extender chain, use another jump ring to attach the extender charm to the extender chain.
3. On the other end of the jewelry chain, use a jump ring to attach a lobster claw. At this point, the bracelet should be wearable.
4. Decide where you want the charms to fall on the bracelet. I went with the center, but this is entirely up to your preference. Use 2 jump rings (1 for each charm) to attach the charms to the bracelet.
You're done! And the good news is, these bracelets are basically fool proof. If you mess something up, just grab your pliers and try again. No harm done. Any DIY projects that you're dying to try (or love to do)? Let me know in the comments; I'm always looking for inspiration for my next project!
