Beading Ideas - Recycle Your Vintage Costume Jewelry

• Ready to Bead Items - Many ready-to-bead items are available online or at your local bead store including fan pulls,  lamp finials, channel charms, wine charm rings, bookmarks, pens, hatpins, stickpins and more.

• Beaded keychain - Simply string desired beads on a 2" headpin (or other stringing material), loop the open end with needle nose pliers (trim excess wire if necessary), and then attach to key chain ring with a jump ring.

Variation: substitute an eyepin for the headpin and use a jump ring to attach a charm to the bottom loop.

• Beaded Book Thong - A variety of stringing materials can be used in this project - bead cord, wire, filament or even ribbon. My preference is 1mm imitation leather cord because it is easy to string thru most beads and knots easily. Books come in all sizes, so the length of cord necessary will depend on the size of the books that you want to use the bookmark in. Use 12 inches for most paperback books and 16 inches for most oversized books. For other sizes of books, a general rule of thumb is to measure the book and then adding another 4 inches to determine the cord length needed.

Any type of beads can be used for this project, as long as the hole size is large enough to fit your stringing material. You will need to choose enough beads to create two approximately 1" bead combinations (this is where your creativity comes into play). 

Once you've chosen your materials, simply make a knot near one end of the cord, add your first bead combination, and then knot again after the beads. Next add the second set of beads, then knot near the other end (the end that currently has no beads or knots). Slide the second combination of beads back down to this new knot and then make another knot at the top of the beads by looping the cord, pulling the beaded end thru, and then carefully sliding the knot down towards the beads before pulling tight.

Optional: Add a charm to the bottom of your bookmark. Charms can be easily attached to one of the beaded ends by knot, crimp or cord tip.

• Jean Charms - Quick and easy fashion accessory to dress up your jeans. Simply string desired beads on a 2" headpin (or other stringing material), loop the open end with needle nose pliers (trim excess wire if necessary), and then attach to a 4" link ball chain with a jump ring. Now you're set - this easy fastening chain is simple to attach to the belt loop of your favorite jeans.

• Multi-purpose Charms - Use jump rings to attach charms to lobster claw clasps - utilize recycled clasps where available. You can also use your choice of stringing material to create beaded dangles to use with or instead of charms to create fashion accessories for attaching to cell phone straps, charm bracelets, zipper pulls, bookbags, purses and more.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. For more beading ideas, jewelry making resources and bead supplies visit http://www.geminidreamsbeads.com.