Retired - Charleston Earrings

Note: Components and tools listed within this INSTRUCTIONS box and the printer-friendly PDF, if available, may have been discontinued since this project was published. Refer to the PURCHASE COMPONENTS and TOOLS AND OTHER SUPPLIES sections for current availability.

1. Remember to double these directions to make your matched set of earrings.
2. Gilders Paste is a wonderful way of coloring a lot of your jewelry components. For this project, we will just be using our fingers and a paper towel to apply the paste. There are varying opinions as to if you need to seal the Gilders Paste after it has fully dried for 12 hours. We recommend that you do seal it with a clear matte finish acrylic spray sealer. I found that 3 light coats worked best. You can purchase such an item at art stores and some hardware stores.
3. Take your silver plated full droplet filigree bead wrap and scratch the surface with a diamond file or nail file. The way the shiny metal is to begin with, it will not take very well to the gilder's paste. Roughing up the surface a bit will help the Gilders Paste adhere better. Also gently scratch the decorative bali style detail on your earring hook.
4. Take you drop filigree bead wrap, and using your fingers, smear patina colored Gilders Paste over the entire drop. Press rather hard to get the Gilders Paste into the holes and recesses. Take a paper towel and wipe it over the surface of the drop. You are trying to re-expose the silver surface along the raised details. Next, take your earring hook and lightly touch GIlders Paste over the decorative detail. Let both pieces dry and then seal.
5. Cut a 10" length of 26 gauge silver colored wire. Find your ornate filigree diamond connector link and holding it so that it is a long diamond shape in orientation, thread the wire through one of the middle side holes. Thread it so that 9 inches is on one side and 1 inch is on the other. Wrap the wire at least 3 times in and out of the hole and around the side. Cut off any remaining wire on the 1" inch side. Thread a Toho bead in marbled opaque turquoise/blue onto the wire. Wrap the wire around the outside of the diamond filigree, back around, and through the hole next to the original one. Thread another bead onto the wire and repeat the wrapping step you just did with the last bead. Repeat this until you have wrapped around one half of the diamond. See the photo. When you get to the middle of the diamond again - opposite your starting point, wrap the wire into that center side hole, out and around the side, and back through the hole again. Make at least 3 tight wraps. Cut off any remaining wire with your flush cutters.
6. Open a 4mm jump ring and connect to it the loop at the top of your filigree drop and the hole at the tip of your diamond filigree (the side with the bead work). Close the jump ring.
7. Behind the decorative bali style teardrop on your earring hook there is a small hoop. Open this hoop the same way you would open a jump ring. Link onto it the tip of your diamond filigree opposite the tip you connected in the step above. Close the hoop back up.
8. Enjoy!

• PND-5742 - Antiqued Silver Plated Full Droplet Filigree Bead Wrap 8 x 27mm (2)
  Project uses 2 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• JSK-0157 - Toho Round Seed Beads 11/0 1207 'Marbled Opaque Turquoise/Blue' 8 Gram Tube
  Project uses 16 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• XTL-1107 - Baroque Art Gilders Paste - Highlight Metal, Wood and More! 'Patina' 1 oz
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• WNT-2630 - Beadsmith Tarnish Resistant Silver Color Copper Wire 26 Gauge 34 Yards (31 Meters)
  Project uses 20 inches. You will need 1 package.


• FJR-3092 - Antiqued Silver Plated Open Jump Rings 4mm 21 Gauge (50)
  Project uses 2 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• FEA-8572 - Antiqued Silver Plated Earring Hooks Ear Wires With Bali Style Teardrop Detail (5 Pairs)
  Project uses 2 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• FCO-7007 - Antiqued Silver Plated Ornate Filigree Diamond Connector Links 21mm (4)
  Project uses 2 pieces. You will need 1 package.

• XTL-5600 - Xuron Sharp Flush Cutter Pliers - Wire/Soft Flex
• XTL-5511 - Beadsmith Jeweller's Micro Pliers Chain Nose Flat Nose
• XTL-0102 - 10 Piece 4 Inch Precision Diamond Needle File Set