Blue Belle
Lucite Hoops
Designed by Kristin Burgess
A New shipment of vintage metal and lucite flowers has arrived!
The staff is busy, buzzing around the store putting out new delights here and there. Our lucite flower selection just keeps growing and growing as we process new colors for the Spring season. Flowers in a range of colors and styles making it fun to customize your own design. Make it a set by following up the earrings with a fun matching ring! This simple and sweet design can be done in about 10 minutes and would make a wonderful Mother's Day set or gift for a special someone.
This is a great beginner instant gratification project! A fabulous gift idea but be sure and whip up a set or two to enjoy yourself! It really doesn't get more fun than this...
Step 1: 
Cut about 2 feet of Fireline using sharp scissors or even your wire snips will work. Thread one needle onto this newly cut line. On your work space make a small pile of the following ingredients...
*large lucite flowers
*small inner lucite flowers
*heishi spacers (consider antiqued or shiny)
*a few seed beads
*2 vintage metal drops
*2x 1 inch pieces of fine silver chain
*2x earwires (silver)
Step 2: 
Take the threaded needle and enter the back of one large lucite flower, then through the back of one smaller lucite flower, then through one heishi spacer bead, then through one seed bead. Ignoring the seed bead, now take the thread needle and line back (180 degree turn) through the pile of beads you just threaded. Your needle and tail should end up facing the same direction (and also both on the "back" of the stacked flowers). Continuing, seperate these two threads with your fingers so that they are pointing opposite directions on the back of these newly stacked flowers.
After seperating these two threads, place the flower components onto the metal drop piece. Literally tie the fireline onto the metal. Tie the fireline using a square knot. After you tie the square knot you can tighten the Fireline thus tightening the bead components onto the filigree. Tie as tightly as you can and don't worry that the earring and it's new parts are still flimsy. That is where the wonderful miracle glue
E-6000 comes in! This industrial strength epoxy takes a while to set but is super strong and I've found that it glues just about anything to just about anything. PERFECT!
Step 3: 
Trim away excess Fireline fairly close to the double knot. Carefully open the E-6000 and take the awl and "pick out" a small portion (1/2 a pea) of epoxy. Recap E-6000 tightly and set aside for a moment. With the small dab of glue on the end of the awl, scoot it underneath the large flower around the hole area. As you evenly distribute this small amount of glue also add a small amount of pressure to the component onto the metal from above. Set aside awl and be sure everything is even on the new earring. Carefully bring the earring to a place where it won't be disturbed so that it can fully dry (allow at least 4 hours). Repeat procedure to make earring #2. Also set aside o dry fully.
Step 4: Cut the 2" piece of sterling chain in half using the cutters. Open the earwire with the flat plyers and add one side of chain on, then the earring goes on the chain, then add the far side of chain onto the earwire. Close the earwire loop using the flat plyers. Be sure to completely close any gaps or seams on the earwire using the flat nose tool. Try different chains and hoops for a different look in the same basic easy-to-do design. Create a matching ring by carefully individually gluing the parts down onto the ring base. Add some pressure and check eveness before setting aside to fully dry.
