May 16 2013

DIY {Twig Necklace}

The dilemma strikes –  what to get a BFF who seems to have everything?! You probably know the feeling, and can most likely relate. In this case, I’m talking about Heather {also part of the MoPa team} who is celebrating a birthday this week. Yay – Heather!

Outside of the typical bottle of wine, let’s see how creative we can get. To tackle the task, I quickly run through some of her favorite things. This is a great exercise actually – it’s fun to see how well you know the people most important to you. One thing that came to mind: jewelry! Heather has a fierce collection, and she even crafts pieces now and again. We’re a crafty circle. This past year, we’ve attended our share of Stella & Dot parties, and this lovely little twig pendant always speaks to me. Let’s give it whirl.

Lovely Little Twig.

What You’ll Need:  Scissors, Twigs (backyard variety), Colored string/cord, White acrylic paint, Tacky glue 

The DIY:

1.} Trim down your gathered twigs to an “accessory” appropriate size. You may want to hold the twig against you to get a sense of how large or small you’d like your pendant.

2.} Once they are sized up, use your sand papper to smooth down ends and edges – be sure to keep knuckles as they add a desired twig quality to the piece. Makes it more authentic. A good once over with the sandpaper will smooth away any loose bark + bits.

3.} Dust off with a damp cloth, and let stand to dry just a minute or so. Time to paint – for a saturated, even finish, I recommend 2-3 coats

4.} Simply wrap the painted twigs with colored twine. Knot to start, wrap around and knot to finish. Add a small tab of glue at the finish knot to secure. Mix, match, wrap & knot threads until it looks good for you.

5.} For the pendant chain thread, simply measure the length around your neck and cut accordingly. Wrap and knot the chain thread to the twig pendant. Finish your pendant chain knot with a tab of glue as well.

Done! You have yourself a lovely little twig pendant – perfect for gifting!

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