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Make a Tropical Jewelry Set
M. Fleming  
Bead Realm
Whip up a beautiful Tropical Jewelry set in a couple hours to enjoy through the years to come. The Dichroic rainbow beads provide rich hued dazzling sparks, while luscious lampwork glass beads mimic the sun splashed shores of the tropics.
Materials:
- 1- Package - 16x16x6mm Beige, turquoise flat square glass beads.
- 1-Package - 12x12mm Beige, turquoise cube beads.
- 1 - Package - 26x20x10mm Beige, turquoise flat oval beads.
- 1- Package - 14mm Beige, turquoise round glass beads.
- 8 - 3x5mm Preciosa aquamarine crystal.
- 2 - 13mm Dichroic round rainbow beads.
- 4 - 8mm Dichroic rainbow amber rhomboids.
- 2 - 8mm Dichroic rainbow peridot rhomboids.
- 1 - Strand 6mm mixed round Millefiori beads.
- 1 - Strand 6x4mm mixed Millefiori rice beads.
- 6 - Gold, or gold plated bead caps.
- 1 - Gold, or gold filled clasp.
- 2 - Gold, or gold filled crimp covers.
- 2 - Crimp Tubes.
- 2 - Wire Guardians.
- 2 - 3" inch 22 gauge gold filled wire.
- 2 - 2" inch 24 gauge gold filled wire.
- 1 - 8 " - 9" - Professional quality 49 strand beading wire .019 inch diameter.
(Length depends on your wrist size.)
Tools for the project:
- Round nose pliers.
- 3/8" mandrel, or eqivalent sized round object.
- Chain nose pliers.
- Flat nose pliers.
- Wire cutters.
- Fine tip marker.
- Crimping Pliers.
- Measuring Tape.
Tropical Bracelet:
Measure and cut 8 1/8" - 9" inches of 49 strand beading wire. Our finished bracelet with the clasp measures 8 3/4" inches.
String on one crimp tube, a wire guardian, and a solid jump ring if your using one. Bring the wire strand over and through the other side of the wire guardian, and down through the crimp tube. Pull the wire strand taut.
Place the crimp tube into the "C" section of your crimping pliers. Make sure the wires are separated inside the crimp tube, and squeeze tightly. You should end up with a wire on each side of the concave crimped tube. Move the crimped tube into the front section of your crimping pliers and gently squeeze it back into nicely shaped tube.
Trim the access tail of your wire strand, being careful not to cut the main wire. Cover your crimp tube with a crimp cover.
String on your beads in the following order:
J, E, F, K, J, B, E, H, E, K, D, K, I, G, C, G, I, K, D, K, E, H, E, B, E, K, F, E, I.
Repeat steps 2 - 4, with a minor change in step 2 - add your clasp to the wire guardian.
Tropical Earrings: Dangle.
Straighten, measure, and cut two: 3" inch sections of 24 gauge gold filled wire.
Grasp the tip of the wire with the tip of your round nose pliers and make a double loop.
Grasp the double eye loop with your chain nose pliers where the third loop would begin, bend the straight section of wire 90 to center it over the double loop.
 
Slide on one round 6mm green & yellow Millefiori bead, one 16x16x6mm flat square bead, and one 8mm Dichroic amber rainbow rhomboid.
Grasp the wire directly above the beads with your chain nose plier. Bend the wire down 90.
Grasp the wire at the bend with your round nose pliers and start a loop.
Change your hold on the loop so the top of the loop is now between the jaws of your round nose plier and complete the loop.
Finish by wrapping the wire around the base wire 3 or 4 times, trim any access. Snug the cut end against the base wire with your chain nose plier.
 
Tropical Earrings: Ear Wire.
Straighten, measure, and cut two: 2" inch sections of 22 gauge gold filled wire. Gently file the ends to remove any burs, especially the end which will be inserted through your ear lobe.
Measure 1/8" from the tip of your round nose pliers, and place a mark with your marking pen. Use this mark to make your eye loops.
Grasp the tip of a 2" inch wire with your round nose pliers (at the mark), and make a complete loop. Switch to your chain nose pliers, grasp the eye loop and center it over the wire. Repeat with the second 2" inch wire section.
For matching ear wires, bend both wires approximately 1/2" inch above the eye loop over your 3/8" inch mandrel, or other small round object to form the curve of your ear wires.
Switch to your flat nose pliers. Grasp the straight portion of the wire so the tip of the wire is level with the edge of your flat nose pliers, make a slight upwards bend in the wire, away from the eye loop.
Open the eye loop: Hold the main wire steady with your flat nose, grasp the eye loop with your chain nose pliers and twist your wrist in a downwards motion, just enough to open a gap to insert the dangle. (Never pull your eye loops open, it distorts the round shape and weakens the wire).
Add your dangle, and close the eye loop.
Now on to making a necklace. We have matching oval tubes, as well as a heart to incorporate into a necklace! Mix and match the bead shapes, add more crystals, change the color of the Dichroic beads. The skys the limit.
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Article submitted Saturday, July 12, 2008
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