Easy Staple Bezel And Glass Marble Earrings

Last week I was tidying up my studio and I ran across a couple of small Susan Lenart Kazmer staple bezels that I had in my stash of findings. Sometimes bringing a new set of eyes to familiar findings is such a good thing. As I looked at the shape of the bezels, I thought of my small drawer of marbles and glass globs. Whenever someone sends me flowers, I save the little round glass pebbles that they use to weight the bottom of the vase. I remembered some pretty iridescent pink and pale blue ones. Would they fit?

They did! They were really easy to make. Here's how:  For the pink earrings, I used a the antique bronze staple bezels. They are really easy to use, all you have to do is fold the prongs around the marbles. 

You can buy the staple bezels at http://stampington.com/the-shoppe-at-somerset. 

It helps to use two pairs of chain-nose pliers and to steady the marble on the table while you are working. I cut two 2" pieces of craft that wire my husband bought for me. He's a nice guy. They came in a package and didn't say the gauge, but I'd have to guess they were somewhere around 16 gauge. I bent the ends with my stepped pliers, using the smallest setting, then I used my bail forming pliers to make the earwires out of 20 gauge brass wire. My ears are not sensitive at all, so brass, copper... anything works for me. For sensitive ears, pre-made niobium earwires work really well. 

After I finished the pink ones, I made a second pair. This time I used the white bronze staple bezels and blue marbles:

For the long pieces, I used anodized steel 18 gauge wire from the hardware store. I used my coiling tool to make some little silver-plated 24 gauge coils to slip over the wires, to make them look a little thicker. I finished by making earwires out of 20-gauge silver-plated wire.

This is a fun little project, super easy to make, and it gives you a chance to use up all those little glass bits you've been hanging onto!

Until next time!

Leaving you with this quote: "Nobody move, I've lost my marbles!" (Or maybe in this case, I've found them!)