Cut a strand of wire long enough to double to your desired length. At one end, holding two strands of the wire, feed on a crimp bead. Loop the wire ends through the crimp bead to make a loop at the end so you can attach a jump ring later.
Use the needle-nose pliers to flatten the crimp bead.
Begin to add more crimp beads on the double strand of wire. When finished, close off the other end by repeating the crimping process.
Add a jump ring at each end, and the clasp.
To make the initial, cut a piece of card stock measuring 1 1/2-inch square. Draw the letter in the square and cut out.
Take a gum ball-size piece of clay and flatten it (about the thickness of a pancake). Place the card-stock template on the clay and use the craft knife to cut out the shape of the letter. Use your fingers to smooth the edges.
Snip the eye pins to about 1/4inch and insert them at the bottom of the letter. Add an eye pin at the top of the letter. If you have a letter that is "open" at the top (such as a "K"), glue an eye pin on each side, or glue a jump ring to the back of the necklace later.
Bake in oven according to package directions. Let cool.
One at a time, remove the eye pins, add a drop of glue and insert back into each hole.
Repeat for all the eye pins. Let dry. Paint the letter gold, let dry and lightly rub on black paint around the edges.
Use your finger to rub in more gold, so it has an antique finish.
Use more eye pins to add dangling beads to the eye pins glued at the bottom of the letter. Add a jump ring to attach the letter to the strand of beads.
Kathy Cano Murillo is the author of Crafty Chica's Art de la Soul: Glittery Ideas to Liven Up Your Life. Contact her at .
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