I posted the tutorial for this fabulously romantic glitter necklace last year on Sweet C’s Designs, and I am excited to share it with you here today.
I had this idea using an array of fall colors way back last October. Time passed and I decided to use red and greens for Christmas instead. And yet more time passed. So here we are. The necklace has been completed at last. And you know what? I adore the way the pinks and purples came together. I’m glad my life has been too chaotic to finish it earlier!
The beauty of this necklace idea is that it can be adapted to any color scheme, so you can tailor it to your exact needs! I think it would be darling on a little girl. I have seen a lot of big, flashy necklaces on little girls in online boutique pictures, and they are always INSANELY overpriced. Do yourself a favor and make one instead using either this technique or the even simpler technique that I taught you with the Fun and Festive Christmas Necklace Tutorial.
Now, if you are going to do this project then you need to prepare yourself: it’s a mess. Do you like glitter? Good. Do you want your whole house to be covered in it? I hope so, because it’s gonna happen! You’re been warned.
I made a few mistakes along the way while I was making this, so don’t just glance at the pictures. Read my words, because I may have modified the supplies I was using! I will try to be concise. It will be hard.
On we go!
1. Gather your supplies. I bought several bags of wooden beads at JoAnn’s Fabric and Craft Stores. They can be a little pricey, so wait until they are on sale. You will also need hemp/twine, Mod Podge or the glue of your choice (I do NOT recommend the spray glue that I used—more on that later), and GLITTER! I love extra fine glitter, so I have been collecting the large extra fine glitter containers from JoAnn’s Fabrics, as you can see below. However, they didn’t have all of the color varieties that I wanted, so I also bought a few of the fabulous variety packs that they have at JoAnn’s. ***TIP: BUY TWO OF EACH GLITTER PACK. You do not want to end up like me just a BIT shy of enough glitter when you are antsy to be DONE with the project. Once again, that many kinds of glitter could get pricey, so watch for sales. (That is a good rule of thumb at big craft stores anyway. Everything goes on sale frequently—especially at Hobby Lobby where it seems to just switch every other week—so never pay full price unless it’s a crafting emergency and can’t wait.)
2. Time to glue and glitter! First I tried mixing Mod Podge and glitter together, but it didn’t cover thickly enough. Then my friend said she would just spray them, so I did that. It was a MESS. I love spray glue, but they rolled all over and the glue was everywhere and it got clumpy from the rolling. Ay ay ay. I ended up having to really use my hands a lot, and they were SEALED with glitter. I mean, just CAKED on there. Luckily, there is this amazing little product called Goo Gone that removed it like a magical spell. I love that stuff! Anyway, if I were to do it again I think I’d paint Mod Podge or even Elmer’s Glue on the beads. Not crazy fast, but it would be easier and cleaner I think. Once you have applied your glue just dump on the glitter. And I mean DUMP. You need to be generous so it really coats evenly. You may have to touch up some spots, like the one you see above. Rolling the balls a bit when you dump helps. Keep the Goo Gone handy!
3. Wait for the beads to dry, and then spray them with some sealant. I used a decoupage glue sealer that I found at JoAnn’s that was non-toxic since I knew my daughter would try to suck on these beads sooner or later. It was NOT made for bonding, so it just sealed without making things sticky. I sealed it a LOT. Like, I sprayed and walked away. Next time I passed I rolled them around and sprayed again. Repeat. About 10 times. I really didn’t want my baby eating glitter. You probably don’t need to be as weird about it as I was being.
4. Ummm…..yum. Just LOOK at that sparkle! Even in a PICTURE! Again, yum.
Once they are dry you can line them up in the order that you would like to string them. Isn’t my crafting tablecloth a magnificently classy gem?? Heehee. Thanks, Mom.
5. Now string the beads onto your hemp!
6. Tie a knot. I recommend holding the necklace up while you do that to ensure all the beads are “settled” and you’re tying it tight enough. If you so choose, dab a bit of super glue on the knot. When the glue is dry trim the hemp as close to the knot as possible.
7. Voila! You are done! Isn’t it just a glittery masterpiece?!?! See it in action on my Little Princess HERE.
Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope it’s a blingy one!
(By the way, I realize a few of this pics look a little fuzzy….I have no clue why because they didn’t look that way when I edited them. Oh well! C’est la vie!)
If you liked this post then you may also enjoy:
Feathered Heart Wreath
Heart Attack: A Valentine’s Day Tradition
Shabby Heart Headband Tutorial
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Ohhhhh Sarah, how I LOVE your jewelry! You are the bomb.com for sure!
Thanks girl!! xoxox