Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Rose Cabochon Earrings Tutorial

Supplies for this project:

2 Brass filigree settings - Secret Solace Supplies
2 Small rose cabochons - Secret Solace Supplies
2 Teardrop pearls 
2 8mm round pearls
2 Ball head pins
2 Head pins
2 Earring wires
Glue - I used E6000
Alcohol Ink - I used Tim Holtz - Cranberry
Sealer - I used Delta gloss varnish
Paint brush
Cotton swab
Round nose pliers
Wire cutters



Protect your work surface, alcohol ink is messy! 
Load the cotton swab with alcohol ink and dab it on the brass cabochon filigree settings.
Coat one side of each setting and once dry, coat the other side. Apply a second coat of ink if needed.

Once the settings are dry, apply a coat of sealer. Move the settings around a few times while they are drying so  the sealer does not adhere them to your work surface. Repeat for the other side.

While the sealer is drying, prepare the pearls.

Place a ball head pin in each of the teardrop pearls. Make a loop at the top of the pearl by bending the wire to one side of the pearl. Now wrap the wire in the opposite direction around one jaw of the round nose pliers. Use the wire cutters to remove the excess wire.

Use the wire cutters to cut the head off of the head pins. Using the round nose pliers, make a loop at one end of the head pin, insert the head pin into one of the round pearls and make a loop at the other end. Use the wire cutters to remove the excess wire.
Here are the 2round pearls completed.

All of the pearls completed.

In the photos above, I used 20ga artistic wire on the round pearls. However, the 20ga wire was too thick to fit in the tiny space on the setting. Here's the round pearl using the head pin.

Once the brass filigree settings are dry, glue the rose cabochons onto the settings.

Assemble the earrings:
Hook the loop at the top of the teardrop pearl into a space at the bottom of the setting. Close the loop with the round nose pliers. Attach one of the loops on the round pearl to the space on the setting directly across from the teardrop pearl. Close the loop with the round nose pliers. Attach the second loop on the round pearl to the earring wire and close the loop with the round nose pliers.
Repeat for the second earring.

Your done!