How To Make A Necklace With Shells and Acrylic Beads

One big obsession in my life revolves around how I can make affordable and fashionable jewelry. I am slightly impoverished these days, but I refuse to let a puny paycheck cramp my own personal style. Every week now I am create new pieces of jewelry to go with my wardrobe, which helps to make me feel pretty. For some reason whenever I put on a piece of jewelry I feel like the most mundane outfit just begins to sparkle a little bit more. I am not talking about going overboard and wearing ten thousands pieces of jewelry, but a nice necklace or bracelet can definitely add some of your own personal style to your ensembles. To me it is especially important to express our own personal styles, especially since we live in a society where trends are continually foisted upon us. I am not a lady that focuses on what the masses are wearing, and I prefer to put outfits together in a way that helps me stand apart from the crowd. In elementary, middle, and high school I was considered a loser by the Beverly Hills wannabe click of girls that worshipped a different fashion guru every five seconds, but it is interesting how after high school most people break away from this mentality. Creating your own accessories allows you to do so on a budget. Follow the tutorial below to see how I designed this fun and simple necklace.  The materials I used for this project were:

• beading wire
• beading wire cutters
• jewelry pliers
• acrylic iridescent beads
• acrylic crystal beads
• a barrel clasp
• an eyepin
  

Find a small shell bead to use as the pendant on this necklace. I slipped an eyepin through the hole of the bead and used jewelry pliers to make a loop, which will allowed me to place the shell on the beading wire.

Here I have added one iridescent acrylic bead to each side of the necklace.  I love how these beads catch the light.

In this step I continue the pattern by adding one crystal acrylic bead to each side of the necklace. Next, I continue the pattern by adding another iridescent bead to each side, and then I add a crystal bead to each side again. You can use glass beads if you prefer, but I simply use the beads I have on hand.

Continue the pattern by adding one crystal bead, one acrylic bead, and one crystal bead.  This necklace I made follows a strict pattern, but you can always mix things up!

Make sure to leave enough room on both ends of the necklace to add the clasp.

Use jewelry pliers to attach the barrel clasp. I simply do this by knotting the clasp to each side of the beading wire. Once the clasp is added your necklace is ready to wear. 

Now your necklace is ready to wear to dress up that so-so outfit.  Have fun making your own shell themed necklaces.