Bloom Necklace: #mfb Spring Edition!

Raise your hand if you’re ready for Spring!  Can you see both my hands in the air?  I am SO done with this winter…it snows practically every day here in Artsy Land and we got two feet of it dumped on us last week.  I’m ready to pack up my boots and trade this weather for flowers and sunshine!  To help cheer us all up, some of #myfavoritebloggers and I got together and created a bunch of springtime-themed projects I think you’re going to enjoy.  Here’s mine!

Hand Stamped “Bloom” Necklace

 

Materials {note: some of my materials were provided by ImpressArt. All opinions are my own}.
– stamping blank {I like to use ImpressArt’s soft strike blanks because they’re SO easy to work with}
– letter stamps
– Leaf Tree design stamp
– Metal Stamping Hammer
– jump ring
– small bead in a springy color
– head pin
– necklace chain and clasp
– Bic Mark-It fine tip black marker
– needle nose pliers and wire cutters
– polishing cloth

 

Step 1: To create this necklace, I started out just like I do with any metal stamping project.  I placed my stamping blank on a steel block, chose my letters and designs, and hammered the stamps where I wanted them to go.  If you’ve never done metal stamping and want a basic step-by-step tutorial with lots of photos of the process, be sure to check out my Metal Stamping Basics post and then come back here for more on this project.

 

Step 2: Here’s where things got FUN!  I tried a new technique I’d never attempted before.  I’ve made two other necklaces in this same basic style, the “be still” necklace, and the “honestly” necklace, but I didn’t think to try and texturize them!  You see, the hammers I had in the past were like miniature versions of ‘normal’ hammers.  But the one ImpressArt sent me a few months ago is different…see how one end is for the stamping, but the other end is rounded?  That’s for adding texture!

All you do is turn the hammer so that you’re using that rounded side, and tap all over your piece!  Look!  See how gorgeous that is?  Instant texture!  I. am. obsessed.  I want to do this to every piece I own.

Step 3: As always, to make the stamped design stand out, I colored it in using my Bic Mark-It permanent marker {because it’s non-toxic and acid free!}, then I went back and got rid of that excess by using a polishing cloth.  You can also remove it quickly and easily by using a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.

Step 4: At this point, my stamped blank was finished.  I just placed a pretty purple bead on a head pin, made a quick wire loop, and added a jump ring to both the bead and the blank so that I could hang them from my chain.  For a basic tutorial on beading and making a wire loop, see my Simple Beading post.

 

There you have it; a pretty, texturized necklace that makes you think Spring!  If you’re in the mood for more Springtime projects, you should definitely check out some of the things #myfavoritebloggers came up with this month!

From top down, left to right: Stamped “Bloom” Necklace from One Artsy Mama,  Spring Centerpiece from Happy Go Lucky,  Washi Tape Popsicle Stick Flowers from The Benson Street,  Simple Circle Pinwheels from Creative Capital B,  Semi Homemade Strawberry Shortcake from Seven Alive, Five Minute Hair Pins from It Happens in a Blink and Suburble, Kool-Aid Dyed  Yarn in Your Microwave from 4 You with Love, Color-able Free Printable Spring Banner from Do Small Things with Love,  Fairy Guesthouse from Happy Hour Projects, and Geometric Print Vase from Pitter and Glink.   Enjoy!