This versatile, intricate piece of floral jewelry is simple and fast to create and offers high profit potential.
Floral jewelry—from necklaces and earrings to bracelets and rings—can be among the most desirable, creative and profitable types of designs offered by creative floral designers today. Keep in mind, though, that you have to show them to sell them because most floral consumers—from brides and their mothers to prom-goers—are still unaware that these exciting options exist.
This dramatic floral necklace, designed by Erik Floral jewelry—from necklaces and earrings to EXCEPTION A L ES T . 200 5 Witcraft, AIFD, CFD, is relatively easy and fast to construct, and it can command a price that provides a high profit margin—just as any custom jewelry does. And don’t hesitate to charge for your artistic talent and not for just the materials used; that’s what artists of all media do!
In addition, this design concept offers the versatility to enable you to create unique pieces to express every customer’s individuality, simply by varying the shape, size and color of the wire structure as well as the types and colors of botanical materials you choose.
Cut a long length of 12-gauge aluminum wire (color of your choice). Starting at one end of the length of aluminum wire, create a tight multi-loop coil (at least six loops in each coil) using jewelry/needle-nose pliers. Repeat this process at the opposite end of the wire.
Between the two end coils, create additional tight multi-loop coils by hand. Bend the center loops of each coil (two or so) outward, in various directions, followed by the center two or so coils, to create a series of smaller tight coils and larger open coiled loops.
Repeat Steps 1 and 2 to form four or five additional coil/loop structures (the number will depend on the size of the finished wire necklace structure you want to create). Bind the wire structures together with 24-gauge metallic wire, overlapping the structures in places, to form the shape of your choice (this design is essentially an inverted teardrop shape). Next, create the neck piece: Form a length of aluminum wire (measured to fit around the wearer’s neck) into a roundish shape. Tightly coil both ends of the wire with jewelry/needle-nose pliers, to create two small two- to four-loop coils. These small coils will interlock to create the “clasp” for the necklace. Attach the base necklace structure to the neck wire with 24-gauge metallic wire.
Spray an aluminum or stainless-steel surface, such as a cookie sheet, with cooking oil spray, 3-in-One Oil, WD-40 or leaf shine. (This will prevent the hot glue from sticking to the surface, making it easy to peel off.) Lay the wire necklace structure onto the oiled metal surface. Artfully drizzle hot-glue onto the wire structure, and allow the hot- glue to cool.
Carefully remove the finished wire/glue structure from the oiled metal surface, and trim any undesired errant hot-glue from the structure with scissors.
Attach two miniature callas to the wire structure by feeding the stems through the wire loops and securing them in several places with bullion wire.
Cut the stems off of Alexandra Farms’ ‘Princess Aiko’ Japanese Garden Roses, the succulents and individual Hypericum berries. Glue the botanicals onto the wire structure— in that order and facing outward—with liquid floral adhesive.
