How to Design Costume Jewelry

Costume jewelry has an unfair reputation for being associated with all things gauche and uncouth. While nothing can ever replace the luster of a diamond, the oceanic blue of the sapphire or the red-hot hotness of rubies, costume jewelry is the fun, frivolous and fancy-free counterpart to the aristocratic airs of genuine gems.

Costume jewelry is created in a mosaic-like fashion, courtesy of semiprecious materials that include metal, silver, glass, marcasite, crystal, ceramics, imitation pearls, seashells, colored enamel and a plethora of other materials.

Things You'll Need

• Settings Links Clasps Spacers Pins Ornaments (pendants, beads and stones) Imitation stones (such as clear rhinestones and colored glass) White glue Hot glue gun

Instructions

Inspiration

1. 

   During the Edwardian Epoch (1900-1918) brooches were extremely popular, and favored images included architectural replicas and brooches shaped like animals. When it came to earrings, drop earrings were highly coveted, especially in floral patterns such as forget-me-nots and roses.
   The Art Deco age (1919-1929) saw a rise in hat pins made from glass paste and metal needles as well as geometric-shaped pendants in mineral colors such as dark green, brown, russet and any other shade found in nature.

2. The Great Depression was The White Period (1930-1939) in costume jewelry years, which saw a proliferation of diamond-looking rhinestones offset with the likes of coral and onyx.

3. Then came the Hollywood Years (1940-1949), where the costumed extravagance of movies featured costume jewelry that fell under the category of "the bigger the better." Gold-plated metal was back in vogue -- a conscious choice to turn away from the white enamel of the 1930s.

4. 

   The Supremacy of Paris (1950-1959) saw a tendency toward whimsical designs such as grand floral brooches and collar necklaces laden with faux pearls.

Fashioning the Costumed Look

1. 

   Visit local craft stores, flea markets and hobby shops to find the raw materials. Stores such as Michaels and Hobby Lobby are stocked with glass beads, rhinestones and faux pearls. For those who consider shopping to be a sport for the intrepid, the miscellaneous antique boutique as well as discount havens such as Tuesday Morning (www.tuesdaymorning.com) are goldmines for materials.

2. Nylon-coated wire in gold or silver makes for ideal stringing material for necklaces and bracelets. It is best purchased in spools and can then be cut as the artisan chooses.
   Alternatives include clear "Stretch Magic Cord" and "Beadalon" wire that is strong enough to support glass beads and stone ornaments.

3. For necklaces, use lobster claw clasps and barrel & torpedo clasps for maximum strength. Tie extra knots at the base of the clasps and dab white glue on the knots to keep them from chafing the wearer's neck and from coming undone.

4. 

   If making a brooch, first lay out the kaleidoscope of beads, rhinestones and charms on a bit of cloth. Then, cut a piece of cardboard in a desired shape -- geometric shapes are simplest and best for those just starting out. Place the decorative pieces on the cardboard (to ensure that they are in the desired formation), and then attach with a hot glue gun.

Tips & Warnings

• The jewelry boxes of grandmothers, aunts, mothers and sisters are ideal treasure chests for orphaned charms and baubles that can be recycled into homemade bling. Websites such as thriftyfun.com offer great tips on how to take discarded bits and turn them into divine accessories.

Resources

• Tips and Advice
• Materials Galore