Gilded Briolette Drop Earrings

See the sparkle, see the shine!



My newest tutorial will have you looking totally luxe in no time at all.



Classy, chic and always stylish, briolettes are something I don't work with often. But, for this tutorial, they stand front and center as the focal point of these earrings.



These amethyst faceted stones seemed a little "plain" to me, so I gilded them with some gold flake (I'll show you how to later). This gave added detail and shine, and make them look like they've been dipped in gold!



Attach those to a sleek cable chain, add an ear wire, and you're set to go. These are great earrings for work, as they aren't too long and are definitely dressy but not fussy.



If amethyst isn't your fav gemstone, feel free to pick other colors. I also have citrine, rose quartz and peridot briolettes and are sure they'd look great. One thing - if you choose silver flake and metals, it will evoke a more contemporary look. Gold is more traditional. Experiment with combos and see what turns out!



Step 1: Gather materials. You will need round nose pliers, wire cutters, top-drilled briolettes (I used 6mm X 8mm amethyst ones, you can find similar ones here), Cousin Elegance Metals 14k gold plated fishhooks, Cousin Elegance Metals 14k gold cable chain, ball-end gold headpins, and 24g gold wire (mine by Cousin Jewelry Basics). You can find all these Cousin brand materials at craft stores like Michaels and JoAnn Fabrics.

 To get the gold gilded look on your briolettes, I simply adhered gold flake with clear gloss glaze. You can look on my Instagram account for the mini tutorial!



Step 2: First start by cutting a 3" piece of your wire. Create a wrapped loop at one end, catching in a 3" piece of your gold cable chain.



Step 3: Thread the wire through the briolette. Create a wrapped loop at the other end, catching in the other end of the chain.



Step 4: Get your ball-end headpin ready by bending it at a 90 degree angle, right after the ball. Thread the headpin through the middle chain link, and create a wrapped loop at top. Your chain link should be caught between the ball and wrapped loop.



Step 5: You should have something looking like this. I squeezed the ball closer to the top loop with flat nose pliers to prevent movement and tighten. Finally, add a fishhook to that top wrapped loop.



This is an alternative way of finishing, instead of just catching the middle chain link in the fishhook. Adding a bit more detail, this creates a dressier vibe!

A high-quality drop earring that's super versatile - plus, with the added bonus of being handmade - will be your next go-to accessory, trust me. Pair with a blouse and cropped slim pants for work, or mix with a bohemian printed maxi dress and sandals for a beachy look.

   
You can also play around with chain lengths, to create a shorter or longer drop earring. It might even be cool to add more than one briolette to the wire, to create a fan-like drop. I'll leave you with some inspo pics to finish. If you follow this tutorial, post your creation to Instagram and tag me @quietlioncreations - I'll repost you!
      
     

All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling for Quiet Lion Creations. Do NOT post or reuse without crediting me and linking to me!

Evil Eye Wire Wrapped Cuff

Turquoise, Green Adventurine, crystal rondelles and a Swarovski Pave rhinestone bead combine in this rustic-style wire wrapped bangle.

I've combined all three of my favorite jewelry-making materials here:  * c r y s t a l s *,  * g e m s t o n e s *, and mixed metals. The less it matches the better.

The palette here was inspired by a tropical beach sunset - the greens and blues of the ocean, plus the hints of pink from the sun. That middle sparkly pave bead was courtesy Cousin Corporation - who is the certified distributer of Swarovski Create Your Style products to all the major craft stores. Usually, that pastel pinkish-purple is not my go-to color. But it works great here!

Turquoise has a variety of metaphysical powers; relating to the Throat and Heart chakras, it is said to promote an open mind, serenity, love and communication. Adventurine gives the wearer luck, which is always good, right?!

The evil eye shape was inspired by one of my favorite symbols. There are many legends associated with the Evil Eye, and each one varies with culture. Overall, the Evil Eye is said to ward off bad spirits or ill will. It is especially popular in European countries and Mediterranean/Middle East countries, like Greece and Turkey. I have an antique golden Greek evil eye pendant that inspired this larger version.

The wire I used was also from Cousin Corporation, and I hammered it on concrete with a regular hammer because I'm into that distressed, weathered, grungy look. Especially when mixed with super sparkly, fancy-looking crystals. Oh, the contrast.

This accessory is lightweight and while the wire is still bendable a bit, it's strengthened by the hammering. It's called "work-hardening" (usually not done to totally flatten the wire, just secure it a bit ).

Gold and copper may seem strange - but I think the less it matches, the more bohemian it will look.

I originally made this to be an arm cuff (work on the upper arm)…

But it's super versatile, so I can tighten it to fit my wrist too!

I can wear in the middle too. Sounds good to me.

The wire wrapping is a little haphazard - I was making it up as I went.

I wear this with a knit poncho-type shirt, leggings and combat boots. When do I not wear combat boots? Only when I'm not wearing my Charlotte Olympia kitty flats * * *

I need to layer this up with other bracelets and rings! This would also look cool with a long tunic top and strappy sandals for a summery vibe.

Keep on watch for more cuff creations coming soon - some tutorials in the works too!

All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling - DO NOT POST OR USE images without crediting me and linking to me!