My New Favorite Accessories

This post contains affiliate links and a brand ambassador discount code.  Thanks for supporting Pitter & Glink! Hey, y'all!  If you have followed me for a while via social media or my blog, you probably know that I'm a huge fan of pretty, girly things.  Give me all the sparkly accessories and all the cute clothes!!!  And because I know there are a lot of girly girls like me out there, I love sharing my favorite clothes and accessories, whether they're DIY or store-bought.  I normally just share the store-bought stuff on Instagram, but today on the blog I want to share with you my new favorite jewelry brand. I love this brand so much that I've teamed up with them as a brand ambassador.  The brand is Lucy's Inspired, and I think y'all are going to love them as much as I do!  (And if you do, you can get 20% off your purchase by using the code BETHANY20!)

I'm really not even sure how I stumbled upon Lucy's Inspired.  I believe I just happened to see a post from them on Instagram.  I thought their necklaces were beautiful, so I started following them and then realized they were looking for brand ambassadors.  I loved the fact that as a brand ambassador I could get some of their jewelry at a discount and that I could get a discount code for y'all too, so I signed up.  I spent hours one night deciding what necklaces I would order first and finally decided on three.

Easy-to-Make DIY Leather Earrings

This Sizzix Design Team post contains affiliate links.  Thanks for supporting Pitter & Glink! Hey, y'all!  I am a huge fan of handmade jewelry.  Why?  Well, I love that with just a few inexpensive supplies you can quickly and easily create beautiful jewelry that looks pricey.  With the holiday season right around the corner, handmade jewelry is an awesome gift idea, so today I'm going to show you how to make some really pretty leather earrings perfect for the jewelry lover on your gift list.

 My favorite thing about these earrings is that they're sooo light!  You can make a large pair of these, and when you wear them, you may forget you're wearing earrings.  They're that light, y'all!  And like I said, they're really easy to make.  Let me show you how...

How to Wear a Wood Watch

This post was sponsored by JORD Wood Watches and contains affiliate links.  Thanks for supporting Pitter & Glink! Hey, y'all!  I am so excited about today's post because I get to share my favorite new accessory with you: my Cora Koa & Rose Gold Watch from JORD Wood Watches.  If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, it's probably glaringly obvious that I adore all things girly.  I'm not a fashionista by any means, but I am a sucker for a cute outfit and beautiful accessories.  If you've followed my blog for a while, you know that my husband has two JORD wood watches that he loves, so when JORD contacted me about reviewing one of their watches, I was thrilled to finally be getting my very own unique watch.  And, y'all, after having my watch for a couple of weeks, I can honestly say that I love it!  I know that a watch made of wood may sound like a novel idea, and you may wonder how to wear something so unique, so today's post is for you.  I'm showing you how to wear a wood wrist watch, and later in the post I'm sharing how you can enter to win a $100 e-gift code to JORD Wood Watches!

What I love most about my new watch is that I can style it up or down.  The wood band is classy yet somewhat casual, and the rose gold face dotted with Swarovski crystal markers is so feminine and pretty.  The combination of these two features make this watch look great with a t-shirt or a pretty skirt, which is perfect for me.  I might often change my earrings or wear different bracelets, but when I invest in a watch, I expect it to go with whatever I wear.  My new watch does just that.  Let me show you what I mean...

Make These Ten Minute DIY Leather Earrings

This Sizzix Design Team Post contains affiliate links.  Thanks for supporting Pitter & Glink! Hey, y'all!  Do you realize how long it's been since I last shared a jewelry tutorial?!  Wayyyy too long!  So today I'm remedying that.  Using some of the new Sizzix jewelry-making tools, I'm showing you how to easily make these DIY Leather Teardrop Earrings.

These earrings are so stylish and can be made in about ten minutes.  You read that right: ten minutes! And with all the yummy leather colors that Sizzix has to offer, you can make a pair of these to match any outfit.

Make a Neon Hand Lettered Tote Bag + Free Cut File

This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by Expressions Vinyl. Hey, y'all!  It's finally OFFICIALLY summer time.  I LOVE summer!  I'm sure a major factor in my love for summer is that I'm a teacher and get a long break from school, but I truly love the weather, fresh produce, summer adventures, and the bright colors that pop up in fashion and home decor.  The brightest of all bright colors--neon colors--were the inspiration for today's post.  I have teamed up with Expressions Vinyl to share an awesome neon HTV project with y'all, along with a free hand-lettered Silhouette cut file so that you can make your own.  And as if that wasn't enough goodness for one post, you can enter to win a $50 gift card to Expressions Vinyl.

Y'all know that I just LOVE hand-lettering, and one of my favorite things to hand-letter is Bible verses.  I recently hand lettered this verse from Psalms 139, and rather than just making it into a printable, I thought it would be the perfect hand-lettered design to turn into a cut file.  When I received some brightly colored neon HTV from Expressions Vinyl, I couldn't pick just one color to use, so I decided to use them all!  Yes, making a design from different colors of vinyl might seem intimidating, but it's really not that difficult.  You can make your own in a few easy steps using a few supplies.

DIY Personalized, Reversible Dog Bandana

Thanks to Expressions Vinyl for sponsoring today's post! Hey, y'all!  I have such a fun tutorial for y'all today!  I have teamed up with Expressions Vinyl to share a great pet project with you.  If you know me, you know I seriously adore my dog, so I jumped at the chance to create something for her.  I debated what to create for her, but I finally decided on a bandana, and, y'all, I actually sewed the bandana for her myself, which is saying a lot for me since I am so not a seamstress.  The coolest part about the bandana is that it's reversible, and both sides are personalized using my Silhouette Cameo and HTV from Expressions Vinyl!

This project is a really quick make, and it's easy enough for a non-skilled-at-sewing individual like myself to create.  To create it, you need a few supplies.  

Embossed Metal Squirrel Fall Charm Bracelet

This post contains affiliate links.  Thanks for supporting Pitter & Glink! Hey, y'all!  It has finally started to feel a little like fall here in the South.  The leaves are changing, and it's even getting a little cooler.  This weather change inspired my latest jewelry project: an Embossed Metal Squirrel Fall Charm Bracelet.

We don't get much of a fall here in the South.  It often goes from sweltering hot to cold, but when we do get a day that feels like fall, I enjoy it so much!  This bracelet is an homage to those beautiful, enjoyable days.  I love the maple leaf and acorn, and the squirrel is just too cute!  I made this super-easy jewelry project in no time using my Sizzix BIGkick and Vintaj metal dies and blanks.

Handmade Felt Flower Hair Clip

This post contains affiliate links.  Thanks for supporting, Pitter & Glink! Hey, y'all!  Happy Hump Day!  We're halfway to the weekend!  Woo hoo!  Now that we've celebrated, let's talk about today's post.  I have two nieces who I think are just the cutest little girls ever, and they like hair bows.  Well, my friend Tara from Suburble has been using her Sizzix machine to make lots of pretty hair accessories for her daughters.  The bows and clips she made were adorable, and they inspired me to try my hand at making some pretty hair clips for my nieces.

 I was able to make two hair clips quickly and inexpensively.  So today I want to show you how to easily make a Handmade Felt Flower Hair Clip using your Sizzix BIGkick.  And when I say easily, I mean SERIOUSLY easy!

Use Polymer Clay to Create a Faux Agate Necklace

This post contains affiliate links.  Thanks for supporting Pitter & Glink! Hey, y'all! At the beginning of June, I had the pleasure of guest posting over at Dawn Nicole Designs.  I shared the tutorial for my Faux Agate Polymer Clay Necklace, and today I want to share the tutorial here with you lovely people.  If you've never used polymer clay before, I hope that this tutorial encourages you to give it a try.

Making the agate for the center of the necklace is really easy, and honestly, it's the hardest part of creating the necklace.  Making the rest of the necklace only requires basic jewelry-making techniques that even the beginner jewelry maker can do.  

Embossed Metal & Bead Tassel Necklace

This post contains affiliate links.  Thanks for supporting Pitter & Glink! Hey, y'all!  I am so excited about today's post because I'm sharing what is probably my favorite jewelry tutorial to date.  I have been seeing tassel jewelry all over the place, and I've wanted a bracelet or a necklace with a tassel.  But since I make jewelry all the time, I hated to buy something without trying to make my own tassel jewelry first.  That's how my Embossed Metal & Bead Tassel Necklace was born.  It's so pretty, and it's surprisingly easy to make.

To make your own tassel necklace, you'll need several tools and supplies, which I'll list below the supply picture.  

Make Your Own Monogrammed Baseball Hat

Hey, y'all!  We have already established the fact many times that I love monograms, as most any good Southern girl does.  During the summer, sometimes my hair is a frizzy mess and if I need to make a quick trip to the grocery store or somewhere like that, I just put on a hat really quickly and head out the door.  I don't have that many hats though, and before now, I definitely didn't have any cute hats.  When I was at Walmart recently, I saw an adorable polka dot hat that cost $5.  I knew the hat would be even cuter with the addition of a monogram.  I decided to attempt to add a monogram to the hat using my Silhouette and HTV, and it worked!  So I knew I had to share a tutorial with y'all in case you need a cute new hat too.

You only need a few supplies to create your own monogrammed hat.

Embossed Metal Statement Necklace

Hey, y'all!  I'm sure by now y'all know that I love any kind of craft or home decor project, but one of my favorite things to make is DIY jewelry.  That could be partly because I love jewelry myself, or maybe it's just because the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating handmade jewelry.  I love making jewelry that looks like it came from a chic boutique in Charleston or Savannah, and the necklace I'm sharing with you today would fit right in.  I'm calling it my Embossed Metal Statement Necklace, and it's easy and inexpensive to make with a Sizzix BIGkick Machine and Vintaj jewelry making supplies.

You'll need a few supplies to get started making your own necklace.  I was sent free product from Sizzix to create my necklace, but you can find the supplies online using the links below.

DIY Gold & White Beaded Wire Earrings

Hey, y'all!  As I'm sure you've noticed, I've been all about jewelry making lately.  When the weather finally warms up, I'll be back to working on furniture makeovers and wall decor, but when it's cold, making jewelry is a great indoor craft.  This weekend I tried my hand at making wire jewelry.  The end result was a pair of Gold & White Beaded Wire Earrings.  Once I figured out my technique, they were really easy to make.

To make your own beaded wire earrings, you'll need a few basic jewelry-making supplies.

Supplies:

• 24 Gauge Wire
• 20 Gauge Wire
• Small Beads
• Two Earring Hooks or Lever Back Earring Findings
• Ruler
• Round Nosed Pliers
• Flat Nose or Needle Nose Pliers
• Wire Cutter (My other pliers cut wire.)

To begin making my earrings, I cut a length of 20 gauge wire.  (I didn't measure the wire that I cut, but I would guess it was 7 or 8 inches long.)  I used my round nose pliers to create a loop on the end of the wire.  I will admit that I am terrible at making loops with wire, and I don't think I ever make loops the same way twice.  For that reason, I encourage you to find someone else's blog post on how to make wire loops.  Maybe you can learn the correct way the first time and won't struggle like I do.  Once I created the loop, I began creating a long, skinny wire rectangle by using my pliers to bend a 90 degree angle in the wire.

I measured 1/8" from my initial 90 degree angle and created another 90 degree angle in the opposite direction.  (See the picture above.)

I used my ruler to measure 1 1/2" and again used my pliers to create another 90 degree angle.

I used my pliers to bend the wire again 1/4" from the last bend.

I measured 1 1/2" inches again and bent the wire into one last 90 degree angle.  I wrapped the excess wire above the rectangle that I created.

While the plain wire rectangle would make a pretty pair of earrings, I decided to add beads to mine using 24 gauge wire.

I cut about five inches of the 24 gauge wire and twisted one end of it around the bottom of my wire rectangle.  I then threaded beads onto the wire.

After I finished beading the wire, I wrapped the end around the top of the rectangle and cut off the excess.  I then repeated all the steps above to create a second beaded wire rectangle.  The last step to creating my earrings was adding a lever back earring finding to each beaded wire rectangle.  I would have preferred to use earring hooks instead, but I don't have any gold ones in my craft stash.  (That or I've hidden them from myself, which is very likely.)

I think the finished earrings are unique and pretty.  I've been crushing on gold and white lately, so I'm loving the bead combo.

If I were to make the earrings again, I would practice my loop making skills a bit more.  (If you have an easy way to create wire loops, please share with me in the comments!)  I'd also shorten the distance between the wire loop and the top of the wire rectangles.  This was a learning process for me though, and I'm excited to make some more wire jewelry in the future. Related Posts:

 Simple Silver Earrings

 Simple DIY Earrings

Rhinestone & Chain Earrings

St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Hair Clip

Hey, y'all!  Happy March!  (Can you believe it's March?!)  This month I was lucky enough to get to participate in a Mystery Box Challenge again.  Just like last month, I received a box of goodies in the mail.  I had no idea what was in the box until I received it, and I had to use some of the supplies in the box to create a project.  This month I created a St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Hair Clip.  (I've learned that technically it's a four-leaf clover, but I like the word shamrock better, don't you?)

Before I begin the tutorial, let me show you what was in this month's mystery box full of products I received from iLoveToCreate.com.  (And make sure you stick around until the end of the post to enter for the chance to win your own iLoveToCreate crafty stash and a Starbucks gift card!)

In the box I found two sheets of felt in different shades of green, three different glues, green Tulip slick paint, some small lengths of ribbon, and what looks like a green and white popcorn box.  I decided that since St. Patrick's Day is coming up soon,  a shamrock hair clip would be the perfect project to create with some of these products.

Since shamrocks have pretty heart shaped leaves, I knew a heart template would be helpful to cut my leaves from the felt.  I found a heart shape I liked by doing a Google image search.  I pasted the shape into a Word document and sized sized two hearts at 1" and 1 1/2".  I printed the heart document and cut out the printed hearts to use as templates.

I pinned the templates to my felt and cut four small hearts from the dark green felt and four larger hearts from the lighter green felt.

I then used Aleene's Quick Dry Fabric Fusion to attach the small hearts to the large hearts.  (This glue came in last month's mystery box.)

I then used a metal snap hair clip as a template to cut to shapes from felt just a little larger than the clip.  I cut a small hole near the end of one.

I opened the clip and stuck the bottom through the felt piece with the hole in it.  I snapped it shut and used glue to cover the top with the other felt shape.

Then I used my hot glue gun to create the shamrock.

I put a small dab of glue on the end of the heart shapes and pinched the sides together like in the picture above.  (Be careful not to burn your fingers!)

I then attached all the pinched hearts to the clip in a shamrock shape.

To finish the clip, I glued a sparkly green button from my craft stash to the middle of the shamrock.  Isn't it cute?

I want to give the clip to one of my nieces to wear for St. Patrick's Day, but since I have two nieces, I will probably need to make another one, don't you think?  I don't want them fighting over a hair clip, and I definitely want them both to be "pinch proof." Do you want to see what the other bloggers who participated in the Mystery Box Challenge created?

An InLinkz Link-up

Before you go, take a minute to enter for the chance to win your own iLoveToCreate crafty stash and a Starbucks gift card!  (The giveaway ends March 8th.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! Related Posts:

 Simple Shamrock Art

 Puppy Hair Clip

February's Mystery Box Challenge: Watercolor Heart-Embellished Pillow

Marbled Polymer Clay Statement Ring

Hey, y'all!  As promised last week, today I'm sharing another polymer clay jewelry tutorial with you. Last week when I was playing with my clay, I ended up mixing some colors and creating a fun marbled clay that I used with some molds to create a pretty statement ring.  I'm calling it my Marbled Clay Statement Ring.

 To create your own ring, you'll need the following supplies:

• Polymer Clay (several different shades)
• Clay Mold (I used a Mod Melt Mold)
• Clay Knife
• Clay Glaze
• Paint Brush
• Super Glue or E6000
• Ring Blank
• Oven Safe Dish for Baking
• Oven

I have a huge pack of polymer clay that I bought a bajillion years ago.  Whenever the mood strikes, I pull it out to get my craft on.  To begin creating my ring, I selected a few different clays from the same color family.  I also pulled out my one of my Mod Melt molds.  Mold Melt molds are great for clay because they're rubber, and you can easily remove your clay from the mold without messing it up.

I used my clay knife to cut a bit of polymer clay from each block.  I cut the most clay from the emerald block and added little bits of the different colors on top of it.  I rolled all the clay up into a tube.

I then rolled the tube into a clay snake.

I cut the snake into a few different pieces and stuck them together.

I then held the clay perpendicular to my hand, smooshed it down flat and kneaded it until I got a pretty marbled consistency.  (Please note that this is not an exact science, and it's supposed to be fun, so mix your clay anyway you'd like.)

Once my clay was sufficiently marbled, I put the side with the prettiest marbling face down into my mold and smooshed the clay into the mold to make sure that it filled all parts of the mold.

I carefully removed the clay from the mold by peeling the mold away from the clay.  (If you try to dig the clay out of the mold, you'll mess it up.)  I had a little excess clay around the clay gem, so I cut it off with my clay knife and smoothed the edges of the clay with my finger.  Because I hate to waste clay, I used my excess clay (not pictured) to create a few more gems.  I then put them on a glass dish that I have designated my "polymer clay baking dish" and baked them in the oven according the clay package directions.

Once the clay gems were cooled, I used a paint brush to apply a couple of coats of Sculpey glaze to them to give them a little shine.  I had to let them dry for 24 hours after I applied the glaze.  The it was time to make some jewelry!

To make the statement ring, I simply used super glue to attach a ring blank to the back of my clay gem.  I let the glue dry for about a day.  (You could definitely use E6000 for this project, but that glue has so many warnings on it, I'm scared to use it much.)

Isn't my new statement ring fun?!

It's big and chunky and full of marbled goodness!  And guess what?  I even made myself a pair of matching earrings using the pearl-shaped gems, super glue, and earring posts.

Now do you want to play with polymer clay too?  Buy yourself some (or take out the clay that you haven't used in forever) and make yourself some pretty jewelry.  If you do, please share it with me via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.  I'd love to see your creations! Related Posts:

 Pink & Gold Polymer Clay Earrings

 Faux Agate Clay Earrings

Mold Melt Rings