Total Time 1 hour Ages all-ages
Trading handmade jewelry never goes out of style, especially when hearts and glitter are involved! This is a crafty idea my daughter loves. Gather some friends, small pieces of wood, paint, glitter and beads and have a necklace-making session either after school or at a party. Have everyone make two or three pieces and then trade them with each other!
by Kathy Cano-Murillo
What you'll need
Small wood pieces with pre-drilled holes (found at the craft store)
White craft glue
Embroidery floss, yarn, or ribbon
Craft paint and brushes
Crystals, glitter, small flowers
Helpful Tip:
Use toothpicks to apply glue in small areas. If using glitter, work over a sheet of paper so you can catch the overflow and pour it back in the glitter jar. Before you glue the items down, test out different arrangements to see what you like the best.
Variations:
You can also use these pieces to make friendship bracelets or charms!
How to make it
1. Choose the paint colors for your wood pieces. I made mine themed for Valentine's, so I used different shades of pink and red - but you can also add in orange, purple, whatever colors you want.
2. Use the brush to paint the pieces. Let dry completely. Once the base coat is finished, add a contrasting color around the edge.
3. I used a different design for each necklace. For this one, I coated the wood piece with glue and then used a crayon to pick up tiny crystals and set them to spell LOVE.
4. I also had these mini-paper rosettes that were just the right color and size!
5. I used the rosettes to form the shape of a heart.
6. This pendant is trimmed in glue and then glitter. I used letter beads in the center. You could do the same to spell out names or words.
7. Cut a piece of ribbon or cording long enough to make a necklace, and tie it through the holes at the top of the pendants.
