When you feel that your outfit is lacking, there is nothing that a statement piece can't do to help complete it. We know the struggle of looking long and hard for the perfect fashion accessory that will help bring your outfit to the next level. Ditch shopping online trying to find what you're looking for - head straight to your creative lab and make your own jewelry yourself! See how you can make this necklace in a few easy steps, and make your next fashion staple.
I would say that my wardrobe is slightly minimal. Yes, I do like wearing bright colors here and there, but overall, it looks like I’m dressed for a funeral (as my mother says), making sure that I always have one item that is black, if not black from head to toe. However, when it comes to accessories, I welcome all pops of color just to make sure I’m not dressed too much like Morticia Addams (even though she is a style icon in my dark and drab world).
I’ve seen this minimal geometric ribbon necklace all over Pinterest, with beads and copper pipe cutouts to accentuate, and I was so inspired to create my own. It’s easy to go and buy your own beads, but I wanted to make sure that the look for this necklace was that it looked imperfect and geared more towards an artistic edge. With a little bit of paint, polymer clay, copper and ribbon, I was able to create my next accessory staple.
STEP 1: Begin cutting and rolling three pieces of polymer clay into round circles. You can use two different colors to create marble beads, or you can use white ones if you want a single color, or if you prefer to paint over them. For more ideas on how to create marble designs with polymer clay, see how we used this technique to make our marble moon phase hair accessories, our moon phase wall hanging, and out clay marble coasters!
STEP 2: For one of the beads in this necklace, we will be making a square. Mold one of the polymer cutouts into a square and smooth it out.
STEP 3: Grab your straw and carefully move your way through the center of each shape to create a hole in the middle. Try to keep the shape of the beads and the square in tact as possible, because as you move the straw through the shape, it will warp it. Remove the straw and adjust the shape accordingly.
STEP 4: In a ramekin, bake your polymer according to the polymer clay package instructions. Remove and let them cool.
STEP 5: After your beads have cooled, you can paint and customize as you like! The easiest and cleanest way to paint these is by placing the straw back into the bead and paint it so you can cover the entire surface. Once you’re finished, let them dry completely.
STEP 6: As you let your beads dry, it’s time to cut your ribbon. Cut it as long (or as short) as you want it to hang. For this, we wanted it to hang low as a statement necklace, we cut the ribbon about 35 inches long.
STEP 7: Cut two 2 inch pieces of copper piping. For this we used scrap pipe from some of our copper piping projects we’ve created like our copper pipe plant stand and our Edison bulb light fixture, but if you don’t have any copper pipe scraps lying around, you can learn how to cut copper pipe with a scorer here.
STEP 8: Now it’s time to assemble! Thread the black ribbon through all the beads in your preferred sequence (we decided to alternate the copper pipe after each bead), and tie a knot at the top.
And just like that, you have your brand new statement necklace!
If you loved this DIY and are ready to make your own statement with your new necklace, make sure to show us by tagging us on Instagram @BeMakeful! Safe to say, we’ll be wearing this piece all summer long!
Priscilla Castro
As a creative, you can often hear Priscilla say "I can make that!" This Los Angeles native has let her creative guide wear many hats in her career, as a writer, strategist, photographer, and DIYer, especially when it comes to fun projects for her mini-schnazuer Ellie and her room. When she's not creating, you can find her at a local show or taking a weekend roadtrip away from the city.
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