It's awards season, which means it's time to drool over all the gorgeous gowns and jewelry that the stars are wearing. I am particularly loving the pops of color that are showing up on the red carpet this year — though, of course, if you asked me to wear $3.7 million worth of Harry Winston diamonds (ever so jealous of you, Reese Witherspoon) I would not say no.
But beautiful jewelry inspired by the red carpet doesn't have to cost a fortune — like these earrings I created, inspired by the exquisite Neil Lane earrings that Jennifer Lawrence wore at the Golden Globes. Jennifer's jewelry at the Golden Globes totaled up at $2.5 million. I'm not sure how much of that was the earrings, but we're going to make ours for considerably less.
Here is what you'll need to make these pretty earrings for yourself:
- 2 large rhinestones or crystals (or diamonds if that's your thing)
- Settings for rhinestones
- Hardware for post earrings
- Wire (I used sterling silver)
- Beads
- Teardrop beads and settings
Instructions:
1. Begin by placing your teardrop beads in their settings. They can also be purchased in settings if you want to skip this step. The setting will need to have a loop at the top for hanging. Cut a length of thin wire and form an eye loop on one end.
2. Open up the eye loop and place it through the loop on the teardrop setting. Close up the loop.
3. Place a long thin bead on the wire. You can add any color of bead, or additional beads if desired. Create an eye loop at the top and trim the wire.
4. Create another eye loop in your wire. Add a small bead and create another loop on the other end. Add this eye loop to your previous piece.
5. Create another section of wire with a thin bead like the first section you created, with eye loops at each end. Add this to the small beads eye loop.
6. Place your earring post on the back of the rhinestone setting. You can use a good jewelry glue, or solder this in place.
7. Place your rhinestone in the setting and either glue in, or use prongs if your setting has those.
8. Slip the top eye loop on the long strand onto the earring post. Admire your new earrings!
One of my favorite features of these earrings is that they are easy to change up. If you would like to wear just the posts, you can remove the long strand section. I love versatile jewelry pieces!
I hope you will give the earrings a try!
Bonus: Want to learn how to design and sell jewelry? Enroll in the New York Institute of Art and Design's Jewelry Design Course today!
