Multi-Strand Necklace and Earring Set with Shrinkable Plastic, Swarovski Crystal and Metal Spacers

East Indies meets Way out West in this project that combines hand-drawn neon shrinkable plastic tribal mandalas and geometric chevrons together with mixed metal spacer and end bar findings. Let your hair down and craft it up to reveal a campy world tribe style necklace that will be the hottest summer accessory this side of Bohemia! - Jamie Smedley

Necklace

STEP 1
Print or hand draw patterns on tracing paper. Create scaled patterns for the two mandalas measuring 1-7/8 inch round with a 1/4 inch tab length on each end, one oval "tribe" link measuring approximately 3/8 x 1-inch and six chevrons measuring 3/4 x 1/2 inch (all nine of the patterns should fit onto a single 8x10-inch sheet of tracing paper). Using a pencil, outline the cutting lines of the mandala components on the tracer sheet, including the 2-hole tab and the 7-hole tab with hole placement on each mandala.
STEP 2
Tape the frosted shrinkable plastic over traced template, shiny side up. Outline all the lines with a fine point black permanent marker.
STEP 3
Remove tracing paper and flip the shrinkable plastic sheet over. Apply color to the rough side of the shrinkable plastic sheet using a combination of oil-based paint markers and neon dry erase markers.

Note: Colors will darken as the components shrink.

Let ink dry completely before baking.
STEP 4
Using a paper hole punch, punch eight holes 7mm from the edge around the circumference of each mandala for adding the decorative bead stringing pattern. Repeat to punch holes in the tabs on each end (seven holes on the large tab and two holes on the double tab on the opposite end). Punch one hole in both ends of the "tribe" component. Punch two holes in four chevron components and three holes in two chevron components.
STEP 5
Using scissors, cut around the mandala components leaving the tabs intact and connected. Repeat to cut out the "tribe" and the chevron components. If necessary, touch up any colors or outlines prior to baking/shrinking.
STEP 6
Preheat craft oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place cut out and punched patterns on a silicone mat and bake for approximately 1 to 3 minutes (or according to manufacturer instructions) to shrink the components. Once the patterns shrink, remove from heat and place a heavy, cool steel block on top of hot components to ensure that they lie perfectly flat while cooling.
STEP 7
After baking/shrinking, color the bottom 7-hole tab/loop section and the center of each mandala with gold metallic marker accents. Let dry completely.
STEP 8
Using scissors, cut two 12-inch lengths of #3 dark brown Silkon® thread. Pass one end of one length of thread up through the hole aligned with the double hole tab on one mandala. Pass the thread through one 4mm neon yellow pearl and back down through the same hole. Moving counterclockwise, repeat threading a total of three 4mm pearls and then five 3mm pearls. Once you have both thread ends together on the backside of the component, pull the threads taut and secure with an overhand knot. Trim excess thread then apply a drop or two of E-6000® Jewelry and Craft Adhesive to affix the knot to the back of the mandala.

Repeat, working clockwise, to string beads on the second mandala.
STEP 9
String one 16mm Swarovski jade coin pearl onto one gold-plated 1-inch eyepin. Form a simple loop on the straight end of the wire creating a beading link. Repeat to create a total of six jade coin pearl beading links.
STEP 10
String one 11x8mm Swarovski neon yellow pear pearl and one 3mm neon red round pearl onto one 1-inch gold-plated headpin. Form a simple loop, creating a beading drop.
STEP 11
Create twenty-two Swarovski neon pearl beading links using one randomly selected 6mm round neon pearl, one black seed bead and one 3mm neon pearl on a 1-inch gold-plated eyepin.
STEP 12
Use 4mm round gold jumprings to connect the beading links from Step 11 to the loops on the 12x5mm gold-plated end bars. Reverse every other beading link so that they balance each other in size. Create a total of eleven end bar and neon pearl beading links.
STEP 13
Use 5mm round gunmetal-plated jumprings to connect five end bar and neon pearl beading links end to end to create a chain. Repeat to connect six end bar and neon pearl beading links end to end to create a chain.
STEP 14
Use 5mm round gunmetal-plated jumprings to connect two 11x3mm gunmetal-plated double-eye bar components. Repeat to create a chain of seventeen double-eye bar components, starting and ending with gunmetal-plated jumprings.

Repeat to create the following double-eye bar component chains, starting and ending with gunmetal-plated jumprings:
  • One gunmetal-plated twenty-one double-eye bar link chain
  • One silver-plated thirteen double-eye bar link chain
  • One silver-plated twenty-three double-eye bar link chain
  • One gold-plated twenty-two double-eye bar link chain
STEP 15
Use one 8x6mm antiqued gold-plated oval jumpring to connect the loop on the neon yellow pear pearl bead drop and one 14x10mm hammered oval component. Repeat to create a five link hammered oval component chain.
STEP 16
Using one 8x6mm antiqued gold-plated oval jumpring, connect the last hammered oval component to the loop on one jade coin pearl beading link. Repeat to connect two additional jade coin pearl beading links.
STEP 17
Use one 8x6mm antiqued gold-plated oval jumpring to connect the last jade coin pearl beading link and the top hole on one two-hole shrinkable plastic chevron. Repeat to connect a second two-hole chevron. Repeat using double jumprings to connect a 3-hole chevron to the two-hole tab on the first mandala.
STEP 18
Starting with the top hole on the seven-hole tab, use 8x6mm antiqued gold-plated oval jumprings to connect the following on the first and second mandala:
  • 13-link silver-plated eye bar chain
  • 5-link gold-plated end bar chain
  • 17-link gunmetal-plated eye bar chain
  • 17-link gunmetal-plated eye bar chain
  • 21-link gunmetal-plated eye bar chain
  • 22-link gold-plated eye bar chain
  • 23-link silver-plated eye bar chain
STEP 19
Use 8x6mm antiqued gold-plated oval jumprings to connect the following components starting at the two hole tab on the second mandala:
  • One 3-hole chevron
  • Two 2-hole chevrons
STEP 20
Use 5mm round gunmetal-plated jumprings to connect the remaining three jade coin pearl beading links.
STEP 21
Use 8x6mm antiqued gold-plated oval jumprings to connect the "tribe" shrinkable plastic link and the lobster claw clasp.

Earrings

STEP 1
String one 11x8mm neon yellow pear pearl and one 3mm neon red round pearl onto one gold-plated 1-inch headpin. Form a simple loop on the straight end of the wire, creating a bead drop.

Repeat to create two bead drops.
STEP 2
String one 12mm Swarovski jade coin pearl and one 4mm neon pink round pearl onto one gold-plated 1-inch eyepin. Form a simple loop on the straight end of the wire creating a beading link.
STEP 3
Use 5mm round gunmetal-plated jumprings to attach the neon yellow and neon red bead drops to the double-loop end of one 12x5mm gold-plated end bar.
STEP 4
Repeat to attach the single-loop end of the end bar to the bottom loop on the jade coin pearl beading link. Repeat to attach the opposite loop on the jade coin pearl beading link to the loop on one 5mm antiqued gold-plated ear clip.
STEP 5
Repeat Steps 1 - 4 to create a second earring.

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