This totally reminds me of spring and warm weather and sunshine… all of which I would love right now. It was inspired by this Lanvin Ribbon & Pearl Drop necklace, on the right. It’s also $450 at Nordstrom.com.
I instantly thought of the fake flowers I used in a fascinator and birdcage veil for my friend’s wedding last year. I also happen to love watercolors, so I thought this would be the perfect chance to combine craft and art.
Supplies:
- White faux flower*
- Watercolor paints; student grade is fine
- Paintbrush
- – Pearls, or whatever beads you would like
- Headpins, if needed
- Jump rings
- Long piece of chain
- Clasp, if needed
- Jewelry pliers & scissors
- Paper towels
*I took this picture after I plucked away at the first few layers of petals. The bottom/bigger petals can be easily made into a second necklace!
1) Take apart the flower, and decide which petals you want to work with. I ended up using 9 of the top/smaller petals.
2) Paint the petals! Don’t be afraid to mix colors. I love the gradients that can be made with watercolors. TIP: Don’t use too much water. Try painting the entire petal with a light wash of color, then gradually work on adding more saturated color. Your hands WILL get paint on them, so keep those paper towels on hand.
I happen to love all shades of blue – especially turquoise – so I went for a similar shade of the original. Deeper blues on top with some green blended in towards the bottom. I wanted something similar, not exact, so the watercolors are perfect to control the colors and shades I used.
3) Let dry, at least for an hour or two.
4) Carefully pierce holes on top of the petals. I used the blunt end of a sewing needle. Attach the jump rings, then attach to the chain. Add a clasp if needed; I made this one long enough so that it doesn’t need a clasp.
5) Instead of pearls, I used connector gems. But it’s totally up to you as to what beads you use.
Since I already had all of the supplies, I spent around zero dollars. However, a faux flower will probably cost you about $2-3 at your local craft store, making this a budget-friendly project. Win.
xx K