Sparkle Shells Anklet

My recent trip to Florida as part of the 2015 Cousin Corporation Ambassador Retreat totally inspired me to create my latest tutorial - my Sparkle Shells Anklet! If you read my last post, you'll see why I decided to make this beachy-glam accessory; the shells I used were the ones I picked while walking up and down the sandy shores of North Redington!



It was great these shells already had holes in them, which made it super easy to create jewelry from. Instead of using the shells in their natural form, I decided to gild them in gold for this piece. And, if that wasn't enough shine, rimming them with aqua crystal flat backs completes the totally luxe look.



After that, it's simple stringing to create the finished look. All of the beads, findings and stringing materials are Cousin brand, of course. This is a perfect summer accessory to wear on the beach, out to dinner, out shopping, anywhere, really. Bring the fun of the ocean everywhere you go!



Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are round nose pliers (and wire cutters), gold 4mm closed jump rings, gold crimps, crystals (I used 10mm Cousin Aqua faceted mirror beads and 6mm Cousin green faceted mirror beads), shells, Cousin .45mm gold beading wire, Cousin M'bellish crystal aqua flat backs, Cousin 26g gold wire (not shown, I used wire scraps from other projects!) and E6000 glue (or superglue if gluing on the INSIDE of the shells). If you want to gild your shells with gold, you will also need gold spray paint.



Step 2: Lightly spray and cover your shells with spray paint and let dry. Then create wrapped loop charms out of them with the gold 26g wire. I made 5 charms total.



Step 3: With your E6000 glue, rim the edges of the shell and then press in your flat backs. This tackier glue is better for gluing on the outside of shells - if you wanted to glue on the inside, you can use superglue (this might create a white haze, but rub off with nailpolish remover to fix).
I rimmed all five of my shells with the crystals.



Step 4: With a piece of beading wire 1.5 times your desired anklet length, slide on a crimp, jumpring, then back through the crimp. Flatten to secure. Then, alternating crystals, bead on your faceted rounds (I used closed gold jump rings as spacers, to bring out the gold color) and shells until your desired length and pattern is reached. Finish by adding a crimp, jumpring, then thread back through the crimp. Flatten to secure, and add a lobster clasp to close.

  

I obviously stuck with a green and blue scheme here, to mimic the colors of the ocean waves. Pick any color story you like!



If you have extra shells, make matching earrings or even a pendant necklace. This is where you could glue rhinestones to the inside of the shell, creating a glasslike surface. This works better for single pendants because the sparkle factor is super intense!



Whatever you choose to do, happy crafting! If you follow this tutorial, be sure to post your final project to Instagram and tag me @quietlioncreations. I'll repost you!

All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling. Do not post or reuse without crediting and linking to me!

mermaid trinket dangles

Gifts from the sea….shells, coral pieces and beautiful abalone shards combine with Swarovski pearls and crystal pendants for a beachy treasure!



I've been collecting seashells for forever; from the beaches of Miami, the Gulf of Mexico and west-coast Cali, my art studio literally boasts bags and bags of these salty specimens. I usually just decorate glass jars with them, use them as bowl fillers and such - but I needed a different way to highlight these gems. Why not create sparkly sun catchers?!



With a bit of vintage glam from Cousin brand pearls and old chandelier crystals, Swarovski crystal pendants and a touch of gold wire, these are definitely a unique way to combine lost-and-found items for dazzling results! Let's start the tutorial.



Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are seashells (preferably hand-picked!), pliers, fishing line, 24g gold wire (mine from Cousin), pearls or crystals (mine Swarovski Create Your Style and Jewelry Basics distributed by Cousin), chandelier-style crystals (mine vintage), Swarovski crystal pendants or any other large pendant crystal.  I used a coral-shaped one and then this Crystalactite Pendant.



Pick out which shells or coral pieces you will be using. I'm making three different styles. My first uses this large coral piece. I simply took a piece of the 24g wire, found a hole at top and created a wrapped top loop with the wire. I then used another piece of wire, wrapping it around the loop, and wiring on a shard of abalone and a Swarovski coral pendant.



For my other dangle, I used three shells stacked on top of another- the largest shell naturally had a hole (which I again created a wire wrapped loop through), but I glued the other two shells on top and then glued a Swarovski Ivory pearl in the center.



For my third dangle, I used a large abalone piece, with which I created a hole at the top (by poking an Xacto knife through)- I wrapped a wire loop again. With another piece of wire, I wrapped on a purple Swarovski pearl and the Crystalactite pendant. I cut a foot of fishing line, threaded it through the wire loop, and folding in half right at the center, started stringing on an 8mm opaline bead, then the chandelier crystals….



Same with the shell dangle- except on this one, I added a pearl first, then the chandelier crystals. Here are the three dangles- as you can see, the chandelier crystals layer on top of another sort of like crystal shards. To finish, simply add a crimp bead to the fishwife strands, thread back through the crimp leaving a loop and crimp shut.



As you can see, there are endless possibilities with these. I have one of these hanging in my car, because I like to have a bit of the ocean with me wherever I go.



I think the rustic shells mixed with luxe crystals give the appearance of something you'd find in a mermaid's den - and don't tell me they don't exist, people! Play around with colors, crystal shapes, pearl sizes and more to create all different sorts of dangles.



I think the neutral tones within the shells, combined with the milky ivory pearls and then the pure sparkle of the crystals create the perfect, not-too-flasy decoration! Don't you agree?!



All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling for Quiet Lion Creations. DO NOT POST OR REUSE without linking to me and crediting me. Thanks!

Dior potion bottle necklace

I adore Dior. With the same spirit as my other Chanel Potion Necklaces, this Dior Potion Bottle combines a luxury perfume bottle, crystals, gold flake, chain and more to create what I think is the ultimate form of recycling! This bottle was from a mini sample of Dior perfume- I knew this could not just go into the garbage, that it had another purpose. 

I dried and cleaned the inside, filling it with gold flake and vintage pearls. I made a chain harness for it, so that it could hang securely. I added some crystal dangles, of course. The Swarovski crystals I used here were courtesy Cousin Corporation, the licensed dealer of Swarovski Create Your Style to all the major craft stores (Michaels, JoAnn and more). The gold/black/purple combo I used here is unexpected; I was gonna originally go with a neutral crystal scheme but found that teardrop purple crystal and thought, why not? The combo creates a certain drama that the piece needs. Overall, a super glam statement piece. I could totally get used to this type of "recycling"!

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

Galaxies Necklaces

My Galaxies Necklace collection is finally here! I will be uploading more of them soon. This one I named Cygnus (the swan constellation) because the soft blues and coppers reminded me of the elegance of a swan. Pendant made from 100% recycled plastic; I melted down sheets of colored plastic I found at a yard sale. Layering these shards of plastic on top of each other created a mosaic pattern that was permanent after the melted plastic fused together.



I then cut out pendants from the parts of the plastic that were most interesting. On sterling silver chain from Cousin Corporation of America. These pendants are lightweight yet full of high-shine color!
   

This one I named Andromeda, after the constellation. The pinks and bright colors reminded me of the figure within Greek legend!

 

Check back for the photos of the others! Message me if you'd like a custom order!

All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling.

Guest Feature: Kelly Galanos from Sycamore Hill

Look what I've received in the mail! Or should I say, what my 11 year-old dog Bubba has!

Super-cool Kelly Galanos from Sycamore Hill makes the most unique hand-stamped metal spoons, silverware, and other goodies. 

Kelly's Etsy store, Sycamore Hill, specializes in selling her awesomely upcycled goods to the masses. A little more about Kelly is below (taken from her Etsy site!)

"A native of Chicagoland, I have lived among the scenic rolling hills of Bluegrass “horse country” for the past ten years. Louisville's charm has grown on me ~ and as an lifelong equestrian, it has been especially sweet for me to be surrounded by everything equine.

Our property sits atop a steep crest and is affectionately named Sycamore Hill. My studio overlooks the century-old tree, after which the property is named. I have quite an incredible view! My time away from the Hill is largely spent with my horse, Monty, at his stables just outside of historic downtown LaGrange, Kentucky."

What I received was from her Pet Tags collection. A perfectly personalized set of dog tags for my Bubba! The BOHO tag for his name piece. So much chicer (and meaningful!) than just any tag you buy at a pet store! What's great about Kelly's store is that you can completely personalize the tag; shape, font, font size, and even color of the metal. 

Then, of course, a "Call My People" tag to complete the identification set. I just love the handmade quality of these, that they are made by a caring individual, not a machine! All my readers know how I emphasize the DIY lifestyle, and Kelly definitely embodies this lifestyle!

In addition to her pet tags, she's got hand-stamped silverware (which still function as silverware!) , good-luck horseshoes, and key fobs and tags. These are super-cute gifts and can also be personalized to convey a message. Birthday parties, wedding gifts, congratulations gifts,....the list goes on and on. Truly special! 

Needless to say, Bubba loves his tags. Looking dapper!

Follow Kelly on Twitter, and like her on Facebook for updates!

All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling.

Anthro Plucked Petals Necklace

This colorful necklace caught my eye.

The little petals reminded me of paint chips; and guess what?

I had a bunch of unused ones laying around. Instant DIY.
This is a great tutorial that uses a recycled product, the paint chips; don't throw everything away! You can make great stuff with things you'd throw in the trash!

You can make this in any color combination you want.

You can also use gold or silver wire, to customize the look!

A definite statement necklace! Sort of bird-of-a-feather meets handmade-chic. 

Make multiples in different colors to go with every outfit!

Step 1: Gather materials. Needed are paint chips, scissors, lacquer, pliers, jumprings, chain and thick wire (not sure what gauge, it doesn't totally matter either. Just make sure it's not too bendable).

Step 2: Cut your petals. Cut a template out of another paint chip. My petals measured a little less than 1" long, but you can make yours any size you want. 

Trace your template on your paint chip underside, and then cut. I used 5 different colors. I cut and used about 16 petals. 

Step 3: Take your wire, cut about 4". Loop one end with pliers, bend into a U shape, and loop the other side. Depending on how big you want your pendant, and how many petals you want, you can cut less or more of the wire. Poke holes through the top of the paint chips. Quickly coat the chips with a thin layer of gloss, for shine and protection.

 Let dry, then use jumprings to attach petals to wire holder. 

Add your chain to the ends of your wire pendant, attaching with more jumprings. 

Finished!

A wide array of cool colors!

All photos and instructions copyright Allison Cooling for Quiet Lion Creations.

If you share/use/post this tutorial, please link back to me. It is much appreciated!