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In another week it will be officially FALL! So....get a jump start on your fall wardrobe with this necklace by Lisa Pavelka.

You may consider using a group of colors from the color palette featured in yesterdays blog post to create this.

Also, add a touch of BLING by embellishing this design with coordinating Swarovski Crystals from ArtBeads.com and check out their Crazy for Crystallized(TM) sale. offering 15% off your crystal purchase!!!

Designer: Lisa Pavelka

Materials

Friendly Plastic® – Metallic Solid Red, Metallic Solid Copper, and Metallic Solid Gold

AMACO® Non-Stick Work Mat

AMACO® PolyCutters™ – set 70897D

AMACO® Needle Tool

Embossing Rose Leaf Cutter Set

Circle Cutters – ½” and 1”

Gold Jump Rings – 16 (6mm)

Gold Jump Rings – 4 (10mm)

1 Pair Gold Ear Wires

Olive Oil

Cosmetic Sponge

Metal Kabob Skewer or thin gauge knitting needle

Scissors

Jewelry pliers (round nose, chain nose, and wire cutters)

Neck chain with links

Optional: CRYSTALLIZED -Swarovski Elements (Crystal Column bead and 3mm, 4mm, and 5mm bicone beads used), small gold spacer beads, small gold spacer discs, gold head or paddle pins, Drill

Necklace

Step 1

Pour a small amount of olive oil onto the cosmetic sponge. Rub the sponge on the leaf cutters with the plunger depressed to prevent them from sticking to the warmed Friendly Plastic®. Soften Friendly Plastic® in hot water (140F-150°F, 50-60°C). Use care immediately after removing the plastic from the water as it can be hot. It cools very rapidly, so it’s best to work quickly.

Step 2

Press the cutters down over the plastic with firm pressure around the outer collar to cut the leaf shape first. Then, holding the cutter in place, press the plunger down firmly into the plastic to emboss the vein leaves. Clean and re-grease the cutters after each use. Tip: use scissors to clean up any uneven edges after the plastic cools.

Step 3

For the necklace, pierce a hole in the top and bottom of each leaf about 1/8″ in from the edge in the center. The holes can be enlarged after the plastic hardens using a drill. Attach to a chain in the order shown in the middle link of your preferred neck chain using a jump ring. Space the leaves to allow room between each one for hanging the twisted spikes made in Step 4. Attach the three medium and single small leaves as shown, using jump rings. Tip: to open and close the jump rings properly, twist the ends away from one another using the round and chain nose pliers. Do not pull the ends apart as this distort the jump ring’s shape, weaken it and make it difficult to close with a tight connection.

Cut out the following number of leaves in the sizes and colors indicated to make the necklace as shown:

1 Large Red Leaf

2 Large Copper Leaves

2 Large Gold Leaves

1 Medium Copper Leaf

2 Medium Gold Leaves

1 Small Gold Leaf

Step 4

To make the six spiral spikes that are hung between each leaf cascade, cut six long strips of both red and gold Friendly Plastic®, 1/8″ wide. These can all be the same length or you can cut them in graduated sizes as desired. Warm one strip of red plastic in water and press to the back of the same-sized gold plastic while still warm to create a dual sided strip of gold and red colors. Repeat this with all remaining strips. Working with one strip at-a-time, re-soften the combined plastic and twist by hand. Slightly flatten one end between your finger tips and pierce with the needle tool. Hand in between each of the five, large leaves.

Step 5

To create the five spiral springs, cut out 1/8″ wide by 1.5″ long strips of Friendly Plastic® as follows: 2 – Red, 2 – Gold, 1 – Copper. Warm one strip at a time and wrap around a greased skewer or knitting needle, leaving evenly spaced gaps between each rotation. Dip in cold water and slide of the skewer/needle. Warm one end in hot water and gently fold down over to form a hang-loop at one end. Trim to the desired length and attach through the jump ring holding the largest five leaves to the neck chain.

Step 6

For the toggle closure, soften a 1″ x 1′” piece of red Friendly Plastic® in hot water. You can press a greased texture mat into the plastic if desired before cutting out with a large circle cutter. Use a small (1/2″) circle cutter to punch out the center of the red circle, re-warming the plastic if needed. For the toggle bar, cut a 1/4″ wide strip of gold plastic to a length matching or slightly longer than the outer diameter of the toggle opening. Soften in water and fold in half, lengthwise. Cut a tiny strip of gold plastic, warm and fold over a jump ring to securely attach it to the toggle bar. Connect the toggle bar to the neck chain end using one small, followed by one large gold jump ring. Attach the toggle to the other end of the neck chain using the other large jump ring.

Step 7 (Optional)

Embellish the necklace with dangling crystal accents handing from just a few or all the leaves as shown, suspending the bicone components on head/paddle pins and a crystal column with a jump ring. Cut the excess wire at the end of the pin to leave 3/8″ length. Bend at 90° angle and roll into a hanging loop at the end of each dangle. Be creative and create whatever assortment of dangle colors and sizes you find pleasing for a kinetic creating that gracefully swings and sways as you move.

Earrings

Step 1

Following the directions for the necklace, heat Friendly Plastic® and punch out two sets of graduated size leaves with the embossing cutters as follows: 2 Large Copper, 2 Medium Gold, 2 Small Red.

Step 2

Use the greased needle tool to pierce a hole in the top and bottom of the largest leaf as instructed in Step 3 in the necklace instructions. Re-warm the plastic if necessary. Pierce holes only in the top of the medium and small leaves.

Step 3

Attach the leaves (directly on the ear wires depending on the direction of the attachment loop, with a large – 10mm jump ring) so that they overlap from smallest to largest in a free-swinging fashion.

Optional: A gold spacer disc can be placed on the jump ring over the smallest leaf to embellish the drilled holes and add a dangle made of crystal components at bottom of the large Copper leaves.

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