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It’s safe to say that we can’t get enough of color blocking. This trend-turned-staple is a super simple way to bring in a pop of color. Since we’ve color blocked everything from our nails to our soap, we’re turning to Mother Nature for some natural materials. Twigs, which are free and accessible, can double as summer souvenirs. The next time you’re in the great outdoors, snag a few for this DIY. You’ll be sporting a wearable scrapbook in no time.
Materials:
- — twig
- — acrylic paint
- — 22 gauge jewelry wire
- — jewelry chain
- — lobster clasp
- — jump rings
Tools:
— bottle or jar caps
— washi tape
— paintbrush
— jewelry pliers
Instructions:
1. Wrap a strip or two of washi tape around the twig.
2. Apply acrylic paint and leave to dry completely.
3. Add another strip of tape and apply more paint.
4. Remove the tape to expose the color blocked goodness.
5. Hold a strand of wire near the end of the twig.
6. Tightly wrap around four to five times.
7. Add a strand of chain to the wire.
8. Wrap the wire around five to seven more times.
9. Trim the excess wire.
10. Add a jump ring and a jewelry clasp.
11. Repeat on the other end with just a jump ring.
Here’s a crafty little secret: place the two bottle (or jar) caps side by side to create a makeshift drying rack. You can even adjust the distance between the caps depending on the size of the twig. Now, that’s what we call resourceful. Add washi tape to your twigs to create perfectly straight lines. Paint the twig and then remove the tape. Add as many colors as you like.
After you add the chain, wrap the wire around five to seven times. While wrapping, insert the wire back through the chain twice. This will make sure the chain stays in place. We recommend using a lightweight chain with large, open links. The chain in our project is typically used to make extenders. The links are wide enough to handle multiple strands of wire.
To make a standard short necklace, add an eight-inch strand of chain to each side of the twig. If you’d like to make a long necklace, use 13-inch strands and skip the jewelry clasp.
We mixed it up and used rose gold wire (swoon!) with brass chain. If you prefer a more cohesive look, use materials in the same metal finish.
Like most of the projects at Brit + Co, you can make an endless variety of color combos.
To let your new piece steal the spotlight; wear it with a simple top or dress.
If you didn’t have any hikes planned, we bet you do now!
What color combo would you use? Share your ideas using the hashtags #britstagram and #iamcreative.
(Street style photos by Nick Wolf)
