crystal fairy rings +diy

 
You can almost see the sparkle and twinkle of fairies flying around these glittery treasures! My newest tutorial combines gleaming rhinestone buttons and silver plated crystals to create delightfully dainty stacking rings. This is a beginner tutorial, so everyone can enjoy making these!



What I love most is the mix of seemingly simple materials (acrylic rhinestone buttons) and glass, Chinese crystal beads (not Swarovski this time) but the totally luxe look you get when stacking a few of these on top of another. Keeping each a different color also adds contrast. I feel that the primary colors in this scheme add a whimsical vibe; if you're more into a sophisticated look, I say go with neutral color crystals like clear, black, topaz and silver.



These are also great for kids. Since this tutorial is so easy - and definitely kid safe - they can have fun making many of their own!
 
These only take minutes to whip up, and the list of materials is short and sweet. Should we get started?

  

Step 1: Gather materials. You need stretch cord (I'm using Cousin Brand .8mm stretch cord), crystal buttons (specifically Pandahall 2-hole crystal acrylic buttons), crystal glass beads (specifically Pandahall silver electroplated faceted 4X3mm beads), wire cutters. Flatnose pliers and crimp tubes are optional - you can choose to either crimp your rings shut, or tie a knot and glue. I just tied knots and glued for this tutorial.



Step 2: Start out with a 5" piece of stretch cord. Thread on one crystal bead to the cord, then thread each side through the top of the button, catching the bead.



Step 3: Start stringing on beads on the ends of the cord, creating your ring band. It really couldn't be much easier - just thread on enough beads so that the ring fits on your finger snugly, but not super-tightly.



Step 4: To finish, tie a very tight square knot, cutting off the excess string with your wire cutters and covering the knot in super glue. You could also use your crimp here - I just choose to knot so the band isn't interrupted by the look of a crimp.



Of course these are kind of addicting, so I made many more - one in each color, of course! Wear them on all your fingers or as midi rings for a more bohemian-type fashion statement. I could also see these crystal rings working well with larger seed beads if you want less of a "shiny" look. But, why wouldn't you want to flaunt the glitz?! I'll leave you with more inspo pics to finish. Remember, if you follow this tutorial, post a pic of your project on Instagram and tag me @quietlioncreations. I'll repost you!
Peace out!

COPYRIGHT

Because I take all photos for my blog, the images within this post are all copyright Allison Beth Cooling for Quiet Lion Creations. If you'd like permission to use a photo, email me at allison@quietlioncreations.com

crystal mandala headpiece

 

The perfect accessory for all my gypsies, this crystal beaded headband is so intensely sparkly, yet so quick to make. The key?! Beaded chain. Saves you seriously hours of connecting beads 'cuz it's premade. Like who doesn't like that?!

Anyway, most of the materials I'm using here are all jewelry making supplies by Pandahall. You can find their whole array of beads and more on Pandahall.com. I love the bright red of the crystals (which definitely look like Swarovskis to me - they were sparklier than I expected!) and the contrast between silver and that cherry red. It's an unusual color for me, but I loved it! It especially looks great with brown hair, like on my wonderful model Olivia. If you had blonde hair, I'd go with a lighter color crystal like a pale blue or even clear. If you've got black hair, any color is game. Redheads - olive green or even black would be super cool.

I'll also show you how to apply a metallic tattoo to this mother of pearl focal bead. That mandala pattern totally makes the design. Metallic tattoos are so on trend - why not use them for jewelry making too?!
Let's start!



Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are pliers (you should really use flat nose, but I'm being lazy), clear gloss glaze, E6000 glue, a small metallic tattoo, 4mm silver jump rings (mine by Cousin), a mother of pearl shell pendant, crystal flatback cabochons from Pandahall (specifically these 2.7mm Crystal Nail Art Flatbacks), Pandahall beaded chain (specifically this Red Glass Crystal Bead Chain).



Step 2: To apply the metallic tattoo to the mother of pearl, simply cut out your tattoo from the sheet. Place face down in the middle of the pendant, and press firmly. Dab water on top of the paper backing, let sit for about 30 seconds, then gently peel it off. Wait until dry, then coat with clear gloss glaze. Let that dry. Then, glue on crystals with the E6000 glue.



Step 3: Take the beaded chain, and cut a piece the same circumference as your head. Attach a 4mm jumpring to the pendant, then attach one side of the beaded chain to this ring. Attach the other end to the other side of the pendant.

With about a 3" piece of beaded chain, attach it to the jump rings again to form an arc. This will hang below the pendant (on your forehead).



Step 4: With about a 6" piece of chain, attach one end to the jumpring again. Attach the other end about 4" down from the pendant. Repeat with the other side. This will add two arcs to the headpiece.

You can keep going here, as I did, and add more arcs if you'd like. I added one more on each side, which I felt filled out my piece. Try out different combos and see what your favorite look is!



The key here is getting the lengths correct - it should fit just around the top of your head, snugly, without being too tight or too loose that it pulls down. It's lightweight enough that it won't drag down.

This design works best with straightened or slightly wavy hair, so that it lays flat. Style it with a simple black top or tee, jeans and flats (or even wedges) for a chic, beachy vibe.

All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling. Do not post or reuse without crediting me!
Model credit: Olivia Czupta