 Holiday Jewelry Ornaments: The Candy Cane
Ah, the candy cane! The epitome of holiday cheer and festiveness! I have a little confession. When candy canes go on sale after the holiday, I buy them in mass bulk. Tons. They’ve got to last me all year to feed this addiction I have! Have you ever been asked what you would bring for your 5 foods if you were ever stranded on an island? The two top foods on my list compete for importance, and they are sunflower seeds and candy canes. Not exactly the best nutrition for being stranded, per se. But I could live for years on real peppermint goodness if I had to!
By the way, the jewelry here includes beads from my private collection, or they're finished pieces that were purchased. I'm sure there are similar beads within your reach that you're able to purchase if you're inspired to make designs like these. A few things can be found on our web site, such as the peppermint cabs and the lucite hoops. But improvise, I say! Just put your peppermint radar on and you'll find beads galore to use!
 A Swirl of Red & White
This holiday I’m going to bypass the predictable urge to wear all my green finery, green being my favorite color. I’m going red. Bold, bright, beautiful red. In your own bead stashes, red is just bursting to get out and be made into some fabulous jewelry and other holiday items! So lets get at it, shall we?
Important! Important!
I have to say this before going any farther… these pieces of jewelry were made from beads from my own collection or are pieces that I purchased from other designers, etc. I can’t promise you that you’ll find the EXACT same beads to be able to make your own version. But I ENCOURAGE you to be inspired and then seek out your own beadwork of what you see below. Having said that… let me inspire you!
Smooth & Simple...The Peppermint Earring
I was surprised to see how many red and white bead there are out there in bead stores. Some have dots, some have swirls or stripes. A simple version of a candy cane are these swirled red and white lampwork beads with some added alabaster and light siam Swarovski crystal bicones. You could even get away with wearing them year round, but during holiday time they just scream “Peppermint!”
 Seasonal Stripes
The stripes don’t have to be in a swirl pattern. Check out these lovely lucite striped beads accented with a simple clear Czech faceted rondell on one side and a light siam Swarovski bicone on the other, with each bead separated by a simple flower spacer. Lightweight and fun, these earrings are spreading cheer each time you’ll wear them! They totally look like candy. :-)
 Speaking of Lucite
Who says red and white have to exist on the same bead? These fun and whimsical danglies are a simple faceted red lucite bead on top, with an opaque white hoop of lucite swinging from the bottom. To me they have a 60’s flavor to them, and will look great dressed up or down. Perfect for a holiday party! And simple to make, too. Check out our selection of lucite hoops to see what you can dream up.
 Also in the Lucite Section...
Are these peppermint cabochon earrings FABULOUS??? I think... yes! A simple cab can be slipped into a finding to make an earring or pendant, or you can glue a flat back earring finding on them. Cuter than cute! We’ve actually got more than one kind of red and white swirly cab to choose from in our cabochon section.
A Real Candy Cane
If you wish to be more exact, then give this design a try. Pick up a few bicones in opaque red and white, and then alternate them on a piece of wire or headpin. Add a little silver bead bow, or a bow made from a piece of red ribbon or floss. Voila! Instant candy cane!
 The Wire Version
I featured these in last years holiday earring article, but I had to refresh your memory because they’re so adorable and not hard to make. Just use two pieces of wire, one silver and one red, and wind them tightly around a piece of 14g wire. Trim the wire at the top and bottom, and then use one of the top loops to hang your earwire on.
 A Swirlie Necklace
I only have one necklace to show you, and its one I purchased from a designer. I couldn’t resist this beautiful bead and the necklace is so simple and pretty. The darkened silver chain just makes this bead POP out! Just shows you that a simple knockout bead can really just be framed in chain, and its perfect as it is. No fillers or spacers or crystals necessary here. The beads are vintage hollow blown glass Italian beads. I’ve never seen any beads like this before. It’s a piece I will treasure.
 Ok, Onto Ornaments
The sequin cane! Made on a Styrofoam base that can be purchased at craft stores, this cane gives me a feeling of vintage holiday season. You can purchase pins made especially for making these ornaments. So all you have to do is acquire some stunning sequins. In my opinion you can use any color with white if you’re doing a candy cane shape and it will be easily recognized as a candy cane! Since they come in every color and flavor these days, its perfectly acceptable.
 A Soft Approach
Sewing 2 pieces of felt together with a little stuffing in between creates a blank palette to work from! A little colorful thread on the edge will frame a treasure of red buttons, beads or sequins. I chose buttons for this particular one, but you can do a mix-matched arrangement of red beads, charms or seed beads...sky is the limit!
 Cane Glitz!
These Swarovski candy canes were made by our own Ashley Bunting. Alternating Swarovski crystals (article 5101) on a piece of wire that is then curved into a cane shape and then adorned with a simple ribbon bow. Elegant, fun and they’ll be stunning on your tree! The other ornaments are holiday wreaths using the same bead. Beautiful!
A Bit of Legend For You…
The legend of the candy cane is a story that I’ve seen during the holiday on cards and in e-mails. Thought I’d share it with you.
 Legend of the Candy Cane
Many years ago, a candy maker wanted to make a candy at Christmas time that would serve as a witness to his Christian faith. He wanted to incorporate several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus. He began with a stick of pure white hard candy; white to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus; hard to symbolize the solid rock, the foundation of the Church; firmness to represent the promise of God. The candymaker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. He thought it could also represent the staff of the Good Shepherd, with which he reached down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.
Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received, by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life. Unfortunately, the candy became known as a candy cane - a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the true meaning is still there for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.
Author Unknown
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