Newest Bib Necklace

     Here is the latest bib necklace. This one is done on black canvas and it is red, white & black with a hint of gold. I have enough bibs to make five more. I got the center set on the pink cuff bracelet. Tomorrow I plan to set rhinestones and add a few other things. Hopefully it will be ready for a 'tomorrow' post.
     Some people are wanting to know how to like my blog spot. You can click on the link I share with you at Facebook. Then, when you close it out, click on like. If you want to leave comments (and please feel free to do so), click on the comment box below each post. It's free and helps me. You can check in every day. I try to have something new.
     Tomorrow is May 1. Did you do anything special at school on May ? When I was in school, we called it May Day and the school had this pole they attached crepe paper strips to and we would walk around the pole and wrap it with our crepe paper strips. They played music and some kids got to read things. This was on the west coast.
     Until next time - Nana Jan

LET'S MAKE A CUFF BRACELET

Supplies: Cuff (cut off an old shirt or blouse); scissors; wire cutters; E6000 or fabric glue; button; asst. jewelry pieces, buttons or other embellishments; needle and thread.

1. Cut your cuff off as close as you can from the attached sleeve. In some cases you can leave part of the sleeve attached to get a ruffled effect. Not all fabric makes a cute ruffle when trimmed. If you don't like the way it looks, just go ahead and cut it off. Trim any loose threads and bits of fabric missed in the cutting. Press your cuff if it is wrinkled. Mine is denim on one side and suede on the other, so wrinkles were to my advantage.
2. Pick out all the jewelry pieces, etc. that you want to add to your bracelet. Use wire cutters to trim away any sharp edges or pieces of metal you don't want to use. Protect your eyes during this process.
Lay out your design.
3. I used the big turquoise piece as my bracelet center. If you want to really showcase a piece, put it in the center.
4. Begin gluing your pieces down. I used the fabric glue for my cloth flowers and E6000 for the rest. Be sure and use lots of glue. (In well ventilated room) I used books to hold my center piece in place. I let it dry overnight before I finished adding pieces. Weigh these down to insure a good bond. On this bottom picture, you'll see that even clothes pins come in handy.

Notice I didn't put embellishments all the way around. It's an individual preference.
5. Now, sew on your button closure and you are done. Most cuffs will already have the buttons on them, but mine didn't
Wear this and have fun! Send me photos of your bracelet and share your thoughts and ideas.
Remember - Creativity is mind blowing! And that's a good thing!

Making a bib necklace

This necklace is part of my one of a kind jewelry. It is made with 2 pieces of felt that are cut in a shape that I like. You can decide what shape works best for you. I cut 2 pieces of ribbon 20 inches long. I begin by choosing the pieces I want to put on this necklace.

 I saw these flowers online at www.consumercrafts.com. They are reasonably priced and you can also buy the bib forms in off white and black. It is very important to lay everything on your necklace bib before you start to glue. I don't like seeing the bib underneath so, I have to move things around quite a bit to cover up holes. I used fabric glue to adhere the flowers. I found an old broken earring that was my moms and used that as the flower center. I did use hot glue on this. The rest of the components were an old leather button, couple more broken earrings and some tiny buttons. If you don't want to glue, you can stitch your items to one piece of the felt. When that is done, glue or stitch your ribbon to the back of the felt. Now, you are ready to glue the other piece of felt to the back, covering up your ribbon and other handiwork.

You will notice the ribbon is probably longer than you want. Put the necklace on at the length you want and tie it. Now turn the back to your front and decide if you need to cut any ribbon off. If you do, then trim it and I turn the ends under and  fabric glue them. Also, I tie my necklace in a bow. If you are giving as a GIFT, you will not want to cut any off the ribbon. I have seen some of my necklaces as chokers and some are left long to wear under a collar.

I have seen similar necklaces on the internet as high as $125.00. When I sell mine, they are priced at $25.00.

Have fun with this and please share pictures and other ideas with me.