Saturday Share - Abundance Earrings

Happy Saturday all!  My post today took a completely different turn from what I had planned, but that's okay ;)  I decided to tie this week in with my last post about wrapped loop links and created an earring design to share with you.

Copper, Czech glass, polymer clay charms (by me!) and sterling.

I named these "Abundance", because, well, just look at them! The colors are so rich and the dangles really make them....abundant!

The 3 czech glass beads are connected by wrapped loops, but with a bit of a twist.  I had been playing with a design that I hoped would be a bracelet, and I still am, but it is basically a zig-zag pattern with the loops on the outside, just perfect for adding dangles.

Back to the earrings...you will need:

Copper wire - I used 22g
   2-8 inch lengths for the wrapped loop section
   3-2 inch lengths for your dangles
Sterling wire - 20g, about 2.5 inches (or earwires of your choice)
Assortment of Czech glass beads. I used 3 for the base...2 6mm and 1 8mm, plus flowers and leaves for the dangles.
2 earring charms
round nose pliers
flush cutters
butane torch

Bend 1 of the 8 inch pieces of copper wire about an inch away from one end, connect to one of the charms and start a wrapped loop.

Add one of the 6mm beads and wrap the second side, but don't cut the wire!  Here is how we are going to make the zig-zag.  

Put an 8mm bead on the wire and repeat the wrapped loop process as above...don't cut the wire!  Repeat again, and add the 2nd 6mm bead.  When you finish this loop you can cut.

I don't have photos of the next steps, sorry, I was in a hurry to get done!

With your pliers, straighten your loops so the are nice and flat and everything hangs right.

Using a butane torch, ball 1 end on 2 of the short pieces of copper wire.  These will be to dangle your flowers.  Connect to the earring base on one of the side loops via wrapped loop.

Connect the leaves in the same way...since the hole is horizontal, thread the wire through, and  bend it up and create the wrapped loop much in the same way as wrapping a briolette.

For the little tendril at the top, ball both ends of your remaining 2 pieces of wire with your torch.  Make sure the balls are sized so at least one end will fit through the top wrapped loop.

Fold the wire over and twist once.  Put your round nose pliers just behind the balled end and curl the wire around, repeat.

Use the sterling wire to make your earwires, and attach, or use earwires of your choice.  

Now, repeat for the 2nd earring, but reverse the layout of the dangles.

There you have it!  Fun, colorful, joyful earrings!  The design possibilities with these are pretty much endless...use gemstone briolettes instead of charms...keep the zig-zag going and make shoulder dusters...so many choices!  I hope you will give it a try and I would love to see your creations!