Make some crystal word pins for you and your friends.
A customized crystal word pin is a special gift. If you can't find a pre-made pin for sale in the specific word that you want, you can make elegant pins yourself with your friends' names or inspirational words spelled out in crystals on a bent wire base. Purchase small crystal beads in a craft store--you may even be able to find them in a variety of colors.
Instructions
1. Draw the word in cursive on a piece of paper at the exact size that you want the word pin to be. Make the word no larger than 2 1/2 inches wide by 1 inch tall--any larger than this and you may need to glue two pin bases to the back to keep it from tilting to one side. This is the guide you will use as you form the word with wire and crystal beads.
2. Cut an 8-inch piece of 20 gauge beading wire, just to make sure you have enough.
3. String one crystal bead onto the end and wrap the end of the wire around the bead three times to make sure it won't slide off. Crystal beads that are 2 or 3 mm wide are ideal.
4. Trim the excess from the end of the wire and apply a pinhead-sized amount of E6000 glue to the bead to secure it. You can also use super glue. Wait at least 30 minutes for the glue to dry.
5. Form the letters by bending the wire to the shape of the cursive letters. Since you are using 20 gauge wire, you can bend the wire by hand, but you can use a pair of pliers to help you get crisp bends or straight lines. Refer to the guide you made earlier to get the right size and shape for each letter. Add crystal beads to the wire and twist the wire around itself to complete each letter. For example, if you are making an "o," loop the letter into a circle, add the beads as you bend it and coil the wire two or three times to hold the shape of the letter.
6. Stop adding beads when you get to the end of the word. Secure the last bead to the end by wrapping the end of the wire through the hole of the bead three times and dabbing a tiny amount of E6000 glue to the hole. Wait 24 hours for the glue to cure completely.
7. Apply E6000 glue to the front of a pin base, sold in craft stores or the craft aisle, and gently press the center of the back of the word you created onto the glue. Let the glue dry for another 24 hours before wearing your homemade crystal word pin.
Tags: crystal beads, E6000 glue, three times, amount E6000, amount E6000 glue
