Re-Purposed Jewelry

If you’re like me, you have a lot broken jewelry – one missing earring, broken clasps, tarnished pieces, etc., and you’ve been keeping them hoping for a miracle. It’s about to happen.  Slip on your craft gloves and enjoy this fun DIY project!

Items Needed:

·         Broken jewelry

·         Pliers

·         Glue

·         Marker/Pen

·         Picture Frame

·         (Cloth to protect the work surface)

·         Paper for background

  

  

If you do not have a craft table, spread a piece of cloth or old newspapers on the surface you will use, to avoid glue damage and other stains or scratches

Step 1:

Cut the paper to a size that will fit the picture frame that you have chosen. The paper doesn’t have to be white; I actually used the back of the photo that came with the frame. That way I didn’t have to worry about getting the size right.

Step 2:

Trace out the shape you’d like to use for your ornament. Could be a rose, a human form, map of the world or your country or state, anything really. I did  this heart shape in the spirit of Valentine’s Day. To make my heart shape as accurate as possible, I made folded the paper in half and drew one half of the heart, then used this half to trace the other side.

 

The lines don’t have to be perfect. I used the marker over the pen because I wanted a bold outline and I was sure that my jewelry pieces would cover up the lines.

Step 3:

Assemble your ornament! It’s best to start with the outline to that all the rough edges are properly covered up before, and the limits are defined when you add the other pieces in.

Use the pliers to break off stubs at the back of earrings so that you have a flat surface to glue onto the paper. Keep gluing till you’ve covered all the white spaces. Use small beads or pearls to close out the stubborn spaces. You may not be able to cover every single spot; just do as much as you can.

Step back and admire your work.

Finish off your ornament by putting it in the photo frame you have chosen. You may not be able to use the glass cover that comes with the frame because of the bulging pieces of jewelry. That’s not a problem; just clean your ornament regularly.

Find somewhere nice to stand your frame or hang it on the wall. It also makes a great gift for someone special. Don’t throw away any more jewelry!

HAPPY CRAFTING!