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I grew up in the 90s and remember being thrilled to get charm bracelets and charm bracelet charms. I had so many different charms and I loved swapping out old ones for new ones that I felt better represented who I was or what I was into. I remember my mom going on eBay sometime in the mid to late 00s to order really niche ones we couldn’t find in local stores.
I was crafty as a kid, but for some reason, I never considered making my own charms. It’s probably for the best–I would have gotten clay everywhere.
Nonetheless, charm bracelets are still as fun as they ever were, and now that I’ve realized I can make them with polymer clay… well, I think I’m falling in love with them all over again.
Why don’t you try making one for your Valentine?
To make a cute, valentines themed charm bracelet, you’ll need:
- Polymer Clay: I love working with Sculpey, but you can use any polymer clay that you like best! You could also use air dry clay, but then you can’t wrap this project up in one afternoon.
- Polymer Clay Glaze: I use clear Scupley glaze (like this). You could also use UV resin if you prefer that look.
- Jewelry Findings: Jump rings (like this), eye pins/head pins (like this), and a lobster claw clasp (like this!) for the bracelet itself. If you want the charms to be easily removable (so you can swap them out for other charms later!) you’ll also want mini lobster claw claps to add to the charm headpins.
- Jewelry Chain: Jewelry chain of your choice! I buy mine on a roll at Michaels. You could also buy a pre-made bracelet, you just need to make sure it’s a chain link bracelet as that’s how you’ll attach the charms.
Directions
Step 1
Get your supplies together and get ready to get a little messy!
Break off a bit of polymer clay. I wanted to make several charms, and I wanted them to be consistent in size. To ensure this would be the case, I rolled out a sheet of clay to a consistent thickness. (4.5mm) Then, I used a circle cutter to make a bunch of 0.5-inch circles.
Step 2
Each heart charm is made with two of these circles. I mixed the two circles (two different colors) a bit to get a marble effect and then shaped the clay into hearts. (For an awesome tutorial on how to do this, check out this YouTube video!)
Step 3
I added an eye pin/head pin to the top of each charm. I didn’t push it all the way through, just into maybe the middle of the charm. You’ll be removing, trimming, and gluing the head pins later.
Step 4
Now bake your charms according to the directions on the clay packaging. Allow them to cool. Then pull out the headpins, trim them down, and add a little glue before re-inserting them so they fit flush against the charm.
Step 5
Next, you’ll coat them with gloss or UV Resin. (I use this Sculpley glaze.) They look a little odd while they’re still drying but they’ll dry nice and shiny!
Step 6
Once your clay has been hardened and glazed, cut your jewelry chain. I cut mine to about 7.5 inches. Attach your clasp to one end (I prefer lobster clasps, as I find they’re easier to use). You’ll also likely need to attach a jump ring to the other end to close the bracelet.
Step 7
Now use jump rings to attach your charms to your bracelet!
If you don’t want your charms to be permanent fixtures on your new bracelet, add mini lobster claws to the charms instead of attaching them with jump rings.
Step 8
Once you’re satisfied with your charm placement… you’re done! It’s really that simple! If it’s for you, try it on and see how it fits! If it’s meant as a gift, package it up and get it ready to give.
What will you make?
Of course, you’re not limited to Valentine’s Day charms! What about little books for a reader? Or a bracelet with a bunch of different charms, each one reflective of something your gift recipient loves or values? The sky is the limit!
Will you make one? If so, I want to see it! Share a photo on Instagram and use the hashtags #theserialcreative #diycharmbracelet
And for more fun DIY gifts, check out this post: 6 Simple DIY Gifts That You Can Make on a Budget.
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