Easy! How to Add A Charm to A Bangle Bracelet.

You can easily make bracelets like the one shown above in just a few moments. If you've never made jewelry before and you're ready to get started with something easy, then this is the just what you need to start making beautiful jewelry. 

Let me first point out that these pliers in the photos are a bit large. It's what I had on hand when we took the photos. By no means do you need pliers this heavy-duty unless you're working on heavy gauge stainless steel.

Start by taking one set of pliers and grasping the jump ring on one side of the ring just below the opening. The opening should be at the top evenly spaced between the pliers.

To open the jump ring, hold one end firmly in place and rotate the other end, either away from you or towards you. Do not pull the ends away from each other. Only rotate far enough from the other end to be able to slip the charm and the bracelet through the opening. 

 Now you're ready to add the charm to the jump ring. Hold onto the jump ring with one of the pliers, and add your charm.

 Next, slip the bangle, bracelet, earring bail onto the jump ring and rotate the ends together.

Your jewelry is now ready to wear! Wasn't that easy?

I hope you've found this tutorial helpful. For more great tutorials, please visit www.anniehowes.com

xo,

Annie

Easy to Make Bottle Cap Christmas Ornaments.

I've been thinking this week about getting a jump-start on making holiday ornaments and crafts (I know, November is not exactly a jump-start), and I've been staring at these bottle caps that I just put on sale. What I came up with is a super easy, inexpensive and fun project with a Christmas theme.

There are so many different images you can use to make these ornaments, and you don't have to search far because I have these images available in Adobe PDF format on my website. You can also make and print your own onto smooth white card stock.

Here's what you need to make these:

• Bottle caps with split rings
• 1" Glamour Dots 3-dimensional clear epoxy stickers
• Glamour Stickies dry adhesive 1" circle shapes
• A Burnisher is helpful, especially if you're like me and you want to get out all the trapped air
• A metal hole punch, 1/16th"
• A 1" circle paper punch, or this one which is a better fit, but trickier to use.
• Printed images on very smooth paper, preferably card stock, but not absolutely necessary

And here's how you make them.

Punch a hole in the bottom of two of the bottle caps and assemble them into a string of three bottle caps. The bottom bottle cap shouldn't have a hole in it (unlike my Santa, which is my own goof).

Next, punch out the 3 images and, one at a time, peel and stick a Glamour Dot (the 3-dimensional epoxy sticker) onto the face of one of the circles. Turn upside down on a clean and smooth surface (like a clean piece of card stock) and rub the backside of the paper to remove the air pockets. Check the other side and keep rubbing until you've got them out. Rub the edges really well, too.

Then, once you have done that to all 3 pieces, take one of the Glamour Stickies and remove one of the non-stick backings from it and carefully place it on the back of the paper then press firmly. Remove the other protective backing. Carefully line the image up with the direction you want the image to face (ie. Santa's head is on straight) and press firmly into the bottle cap. Repeat with the remaining pieces. 

You are finished! Unless you want to get super crafty and add ribbon, or other things to it. Let your imagination roll! 

All supplies are available from Annie Howes.

For more fun tutorials, please visit www.anniehowes.com