DIY: Colored Pencil Jewelry

A u g u st 23, 2011

Note from De sign Mom: I aske d Kate of Mini Eco to cre ate a Back to S chool the me d proje ct for us to try. I think making be ads out of colore d
pe ncils is brilliant! Wouldn t the se be ads be fun for your e le me ntary school-e rs to string for a class proje ct? I t would also be a fun activity
at an art-the me d birthday party. He re s Kate :
Latel y I h av e becom e a l ittl e addi cted to m akin g (a n d weari n g) col ored pen ci l jewel ry . Th e i tem s pi ctu red are real l y easy to m ake an d
onl y requ i re a few basic tool s. Y ou don t ev en n eed to bu y an y m ateri al s, si m pl y ch op a few cen ti m eter s from th e en d of y ou r ki ds
cray onsi f y ou do th i s neatl y th en th ey wil l be n on e th e wiser!!
I th i nk th e resu l ts l ook great an d y ou , or y ou r ch il d, wil l defi n itel y stan d ou t from th e crowd weari n g th em !
You wi l l n eed
Col ored Pen ci l s
Ju n i or h a cksaw
Fi n e sandpaper
Dri l l and sm al l dri l l bi t
Th read (for th e neckl ace)
Su pergl u e (for th e brooch an d earri n gs)
Brooch ba ck (for th e brooch )

How to: Ba si c Bead Neckl ace

1. For th e basic n eckl ace y ou wi l l need to begi n by m aki ng y ou r beads. Y ou can u se ei th er h exagonal or rou n d cray on s. Th e beads I cu t
were 7m m l on g. To cu t y ou r beads u se a sm al l , sh arp, h acksaw bl ade. (In th e UK y ou can pi ck u p a ju n ior h acksaw for a pou nd or two in
m ost h ardware sh ops). Take y ou r tim e wh en cu ttin g th e cray ons an d try n ot to appl y too m u ch pressu reth at way y ou are l ess l i kel y to
ch i p th e pain t off th e ou tsi de.
2 & 3. Don t worry i f th e cu t su rface of y ou r beads l ook a bit scru ffy al l th ey n eed is a qu ick ru b wi th som e sandpaper. I fou n d i t ea si er
to l a y th e san dpaper on a fl at su rface and ru b th e bead al on g i t.
4. N ow dri l l a h ol e in th e side of each bead u si n g a sm al l dri l l bi t. Make su re y ou pl ace a scrap piece of wood u n dern eath . Its n ot a good
i dea to get h ol es i n th e ki tch en tabl e!

On ce y ou h av e cu t a n u m ber of beads si m pl y stri n g th em on to a l ength of th readjob don e!

Tip: The se little be ads are also make love ly brace le ts. I f bright colours are n t your thing the n try some more subdue d shade s. White
colore d pe ncil be ads look e spe cially nice .

How to: Poi n t y Neckl a ce

1. Begi n by sh arpen i ng y ou r col ored pencil , th en cu t th e end off as before. My beads m easu red abou t 3.5cm in l en gth .
2. Dri l l a sm al l h ol e th rou gh th e en d of y ou r beads
3. Stri ng th e beads on to som e th read. Y ou can add som e co-ordi nati ng beads i f y ou wi sh .

How to: Brooch

If y ou fan cy a bi t m ore of a ch al l enge th en wh y n ot h av e a go at m akin g th e col ored penci l brooch ?

1. Y ou wi l l need to u se h exagon al pen ci l s for th e brooch . Cu t y ou r beads as before. Min e were 6m m i n l en gth . Y ou n eed 19 beads to m ake
th e brooch pi ctu red.
2. Pu t som e sandpaper on a fl at su rface an d sa nd th e beads so th ey are n ice and sm ooth .
3. Work ou t h ow y ou wan t th e beads to be arran ged before y ou bei ng gl u i n g. Once y ou h a v e deci ded sim pl y start sticki ng th e beads
togeth er u si n g su pergl u e.
4. On ce y ou r beads are al l stu ck togeth er sand th e u ndersi de of th e brooch u nti l it i s fl at an d sm ooth .
5. Su pergl u e a brooch -back to th e back of th e brooch .
Tip: The be st way to avoid making a wonky brooch is to asse mble it on a flat surface . The unde rside of the brooch will be the most e ve n so
make sure this be come s the front of the brooch.
Make sure you only use the tinie st dab of supe rglue on e ach be ad.and don t stick your finge rs toge the r! I have done this be fore and was
re minde d how powe rful supe rglue is!
Fi n a l l y , remember t h ese n eckl a ces are n ot recommen ded f or u n der th rees. I wou l d a l so a v oi d maki n g th e poi n t y
bea d n eckl a ce f or a n y ch i l df or obv i ou s rea son s.