Jewelry From The Hardware Store Tutorial

I happen to love hardware stores. Really. There are all these cool bits and shinny things, most I have no idea what they might be for. The other day we were in Home Depot, which is all of 5 minutes from our house, when I decided to see what I could make with them.

These are Retaining Rings. Cool, huh? nice shape, great flat black color, what's not to love? Apparently they retain something. No idea here, maybe you know? I think they were retaining ideas and waiting for me. They cost $.98 each. Which makes the base for the earrings I could see in them all of $1.96. Not a big risk.

I wire wrapped eight semi-precious Hematite faceted stone beads around the bottom of each loop. Love those little beads.

Then added a tiny piece of chain, also wire wrapped through the hole in the top of the ring (no drilling involved!) One side first, then I slid on the ear wire and attached it to the other side, so they float on the wire.

There you go! The first pair of Hardware earrings.

Tomorrow I'll show you another pair.
(please forgive the bad lighting, it's winter in the PNW and the sun doesn't visit us often enough)

xoxo

gretchen