The Beading Gem

Kate also offers custom metal engraving based on drawings - even those of children as well as fingerprint jewelry. Engraved pet portraits are also possible.  I also love her take on special date jewelry as you can see from her Roman numeral rings shown further down.

Thank goodness for unisex leather bracelet designs! These are perfect for men - if they wear any jewelry. So here are some awesome designs for Father's Day!  This black design below is by the Creativ Company. It is made from leather cord and silicone (or rubber) o-rings in the same color. 

Father's Day is looming ahead.  So if you are thinking about getting the man in your life some jewelry, consider the nifty rope bracelet tutorial by The MidWestyle.


It's made from manly rope otherwise known as  paracord. The simple style sure makes it easy if you are not into making knotted paracord jewelry.

Cool Tools
Part 2 of 2
Father's Day is just round the corner. So it's a perfect time to feature this neat Honeycomb necklace pendant from Blend Creations.

The stainless steel hexagonal design also doubles as a multi-sized wrench!

I've written a post before about how to make cuff links for men. Alas, few men these days wear shirts which require the use of cuff links. But there is one formal attire men still wear - ties!! So if you have a man or men on your gift list, you got to try this tutorial to make a tie chain. It's not only decorative but functional as it keeps the tie in place especially at meal times!

FOR WOMEN
I've only ever bought one watch face. It's sitting still wrapped up in tissue in the drawer of my work table. I really think I need inspiration to kick start into making watch bracelets.

One artisan who loves making timely design statements is Stephanie over at Crystal Allure. This design above is a moss agate and Swarovski pearl affair from her shop. It's the one she picked and sent for my Reader Gallery (hint- send me your link if you haven't done so). She loves making watch bracelets because you get both form and function.

Stephanie chose to place the watch face in the conventional way. But do you have to? Nope. NikkiNakkyNoos,a British artisan likes to design hers using the watch face as a charm. Fun! Her watch bracelet designs remind me of bead treasure troves.

If you are feeling inspired already and want to try making your own version, check out the video on how to make jewelry watch bands. Making a watch bracelet is rather like making ordinary bracelets. So the presenter just goes over a couple of ways to bead the strap and the clasps you can use. I like her double stranded one.

FOR MEN

But with Father's Day coming soon, you may like to make a leather watchband for the special man in your life. The Craftbits project is easy to do. It's a great design for those people whose skin discolors in contact with some metals.

Still stumped? Then check out Burberry's smart new triple wrap leather strap watches for men. Macho watch bling for trendy men!



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For more tutorials check out my Jewelry Making Tips

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Still finding it difficult to come up with a Father's Day gift? It's frustrating to be a jewelry artisan and the men you know and love just don't wear any. You can blame Beau Brummel, the 18th century metrosexual who set what men should and shouldn't wear for the past 200 years.

But if you are into chain maille like Carol is, key chain charms are the way to go. She has made a number for other people. The byzantine key chain in copper on the left is her own. Her design is based on one she saw in a chain maille book.

Other designs include a lovely Persian weave silver and black cross key chain charm by Lovli of Vancouver, Canada. The Simple Twist of Fate key chain charm is a barrel weave with a mobius flower at the end (below right). The Texas based designers - a whole family called the Helmrichs - sell them in a variety of colors through Unkamengifts on Etsy.



Mirricat on Artfire also created a colorful dragonscale key chain charm in teal and gold (below left). The Celtic Star chain maille key chain charm was made by Chicki on icraft.ca.



Beader Design #: 518
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Cufflinks or cuff links date back centuries. They first appeared in the Middle Ages but weren't really popular until the fashion for ruffled sleeve ends changed over to simpler styles. These link cuffs (sometimes known as French or Double Cuffs) had two buttonholes. As there were no buttons, cufflinks were needed.

The cufflinks were used such the sleeve ends were held together as "kissing cuffs" as shown the left or the less common barrel-style where the ends overlapped.

Cuff links are commonly the type where the most visible side is a larger disc which can be monogrammed. Double button cufflinks also exist where the buttons are connected by a strand of some sort.

Free Tutorials
1. One of the best free tutorials on how to make cuff links is the project by Beadsbaublesandjewels.com.

Basic wire working skills, a bit of chain and the bar from a bar and toggle set quickly turns any cylindrical beads into a one of kind men's jewelry item. Perfect for Father's Day.

2. Cuff links can be worn by both men and women not just in shirts but jackets too. One way to coordinate with the garment's buttons is to make a double button cufflink. It requires the simple wiring of shank buttons as shown in the tutorial by Burdastyle.com.

3. If you are more crafty, you could sew yourself some monogrammed cuff links (below left). Purlbee.com has detailed instructions on how to contruct some using blanks.

4. For a geeky solution, use unconventional material like geektechnique.org's tutorial using network hardware like transparent UTP-plugs and twisted pair wire. A very creative design on short notice! Inexpensive too.


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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
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Let's Get Physical Jewelry
Part 2 of 2
Do you spend a lot of time outdoors, camping, hiking and other such physical activities? Then you probably do appreciate paracord or parachute cord. The nylon cord is handy for a number of tasks where you have to lash or tie things together. But if you hate being caught without a length of paracord in an emergency, then you'll need some backwoods bling like the paracord lanyard bracelets by Survival Straps. Each item can unravel to give you up to 20 feet of paracord! It's a bit early, but I think one of these would make a great Father's Day or birthday gift for the macho man in your life!

These are hand made by a Florida based family business. They offer 900 color combinations for their bracelets, anklets, belts, watch straps and so on for the whole family with a choice of either a black plastic release buckle or a stainless steel shackle. There are also pretty colors and smaller sizes for women and kids. What's really neat is their free offer to reweave your bling if you had to undo it for an emergency! Just send them the story of how you used the paracord like this man who used it to pull a drowning woman to safety.

Survival Straps also donate a portion of their proceeds to the Wounded Warrior Project which helps seriously wounded US soldiers.



TUTORIAL LINKS
Inspired? If you want to have a go at making lanyard bracelets, here are some free how-tos from the web.

1.Instructables.com has full instructions on how to make a wide paracord bracelet shown on the left. It uses a plastic side release buckle. People who were in the scouts or who do macrame will feel at home with this technique.

2. Stormdrane's blog has a similar paracord tutorial but in a single color and using a metal clasp.

3. Want something more feminine? Then try Jenna Z's ribbon lanyard bracelet tutorial which folds rather than knots.

Via

Disclosure 

This blog may contain affiliate links. I do receive a small fee for any products purchased through affiliate links. This goes towards the support of this blog and to provide resource information to readers. The opinions expressed are solely my own. They would be the same whether or not I receive any compensation. 

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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM 

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