Rock Out

Lately I've been seeing a lot of jewelry that is made from Agate stone. Like these from Viva Terra

Or these I saw on Zappos along with some similar ones I saw at Target and Dillards:

I think they are cool but the prices are crazy! $200 for the most expensive down to $34 for the one I saw at Target. I'm sorry, I'm no jewelry expert but these remind me of those rocks you used to get at the Discovery Store when you were little. 

So I thought about how I could make some of my own. Sadly the Discovery Store in our mall is no longer. I was not discouraged though- I made a stop at the Planetarium in Baton Rouge when I was there this past weekend and was excited to find some of these guys for only $3-4 each:

I started with the first one thinking it would be the easiest to make. There wasn't a picture to show how the chain is attached to the rock, but from the description online it sounded like the chain is attached with wire wound around the bottom of the rock. 

So bought some thin jewelry wire at Micheals:

And I just began winding it around:

When I was about halfway done I attached a ring through the wire:

Once I thought I had wound it enough so that it wouldn't come off, I twisted the end of the wire at the bottom of the stone:

Then snipped the excess off:

To finish it off I attached it to a chain I also bought at Micheal's:

Done! Easy! 

This only cost me about $10, much better than the $198 I saw online. And it only took about 15 minutes to make! So head to your local science museum, raid your kids rock collection, and go for it!

And stay tuned for Part Two where I use these guys to make some more jewelry:

Glass Tile Necklace

Do you ever go to the Home Improvement Store or Tile Shop and drool over the specialty glass tiles? Well I do. I would love to re-do my bathroom with mosaic tiles, but for now the cost is a little out of reach. I wondered if there was another way to bring these little beauties into my life without breaking the bank.

I received these tile samples from a rep at Interstyle Tile. They specialize in unique and specialty tile. The tile they sell is pretty expensive so I was excited to get some free samples. I wasn't sure what to do with them though. There weren't enough to make a mosaic or use for a table top (or redo my bathroom). I was trying to think out the box and thought they might make a cool necklace! My Dremel tool would be perfect for this project! I could use the diamond drill bit to drill a hole through the tile.

Just a side note- my personal opinion; if you are thinking about purchasing a new tool and already have the basics; a drill, mitre saw and sander you might want to consider a Dremel. They are so versatile! I've used mine for so many things I never thought I would. I was lucky enough to get one for my birthday. My husband knows me to well. Anyway just a thought...

To begin I taped the edge I was going to drill through. This will help the glass from shattering. 

I just want to stop a moment and mention safety again. Dremel doesn't recommend drilling through glass but it works so I do it.

Sadness- this is why Dremel doesn't recommend using the drill on glass. It can break. Tear..

Anyway I drilled straight down with minimal pressure. As in my previous glass cutting experience with the wine glasses I stopped every few minutes to dip the Dremel and the tile in water to keep them cool.

Some progress. It took about 10-15 minutes for me to drill the whole way through. Patience is the key.

Ugh- this picture didn't turn out well but it supposed to show the hole drilled all the way through. But success it worked!!

The finished necklace! I think its sassy and original. Where else could you get a necklace like this?

So I am giving it away! Just become a follower and leave a comment. If you are already a follower just comment to let me know; and maybe let me know what you think about the blog or what you would like to see more of. 

This Drawing is now over. Check back to see who the winner was!