Andi Clarke Jewelry Blog, Jewelry making tips, Travel tips

Making your own ear wires

One of the things I claim about the jewelry that I make is that it is handmade. I kind of take this to an extreme and try to make as much of each piece as handmade as I can make it. I do however, draw the line at making some of the sterling Bali style spacers or round sterling beads. I also got a bit tired of paying anywhere from $2 - $4 per manufactured pair of sterling ear wires depending on the style. After a bit of research, I decided to try to make my own and I’ve never

How to make a horse hair bracelet

We used to have a horse (he was the cutest Haflinger Pony ever, I think you will agree) and our daughters used to do 4H and various dressage and jumping shows with him. When one of our close 4H friends had to euthanize her ailing and elderly horse, she asked me if I would make her a bracelet with her horse’s tail. These things are kind of pricey online or as custom orders and I was quite honored to be asked to do this, but I’d never done it before. Being a “can do” person I s

Making your own jump rings

I want to share a tip with you that you will save money if you are using lots of jump rings in your work. People who do chain maille work or jewelry will know what I mean. I use a lot of jump rings in my work as part of the setting around the pebble, broken china or piece of sea glass. I also use them when I make the leather necklace for some of my pendants, both as the top bail of the actual pendant and then to attach the extender chain and also to attach the sterling lobste