Let’s Make Sparkly Bug Jewelry!

Seems like a perfect time for making easy sparkly fabulous insect jewelry.

As you know, I love sparkling up plastic bugs.

I made this bracelet last year with tips, which you can see here…

You can get plastic bugs anywhere during the Halloween season it seems.

I got a bag full for $3.99 at my local drugstore called Walgreens.

I was looking at them, thinking to myself, I really need some insect earrings…

I got together some wire, pliers, ear wires and of course, bugs.

I used an ice pick to test poking a hole through the plastic bug.

It worked, and the hole self heals, so you don't end up with a big hole at all.

The wire pushed through easily, so I went ahead with bug earring concocting.

At this point you make a decision.

Either you can put in your ear wires now, or after you glitter.

I chose to do this after glittering.

But next time I might do it before, so I don't have to work through the glitter.

There are two ways you can glitter your bugs.

Paint them with white craft glue and sprinkle glitter, then let dry.

Or, you can do what I do.

Spray paint your bug, and then sprinkle the glitter onto the wet spray paint.

It holds really well.

In fact, my insects from 3 years ago are still glittered using the spray paint technique.

I went outside to spray paint, as you must do this in a well ventilated area.

This time around, I also decided to gold leaf some cockroaches.

You can buy spray gold leaf adhesive (which is tackier), or you can use spray paint (clear or not), to stick the gold leaf on.

I just spray painted a little clear spray paint onto my plastic cockroaches, and gently pressed the gold leaf down.  Then I put them aside to dry while I worked on the other bugs. (gold leaf both sides)

I glittered up all sorts of spiders and such…

While they dried I went back to the gold leafed cockroaches.

I used a brush to carefully brush off the excess gold leaf…

Then I twisted the bugs a little to get a tinge of a crackle effect.

Now I was ready to go inside and make earrings.

I started by re-opening the ice pick holes I had made earlier, with a sturdy corsage pin.

Then I took my wire and looped it to create a space to hang the ear wire from.

I looped one end, and then put the straight end through the hole…

Then I took the straight end and twisted it around my looped wire a few times, then snipped it off.

Then I added my ear wires.

Oooooo, I love these.

They are so scrumptious on!!

You can do anything you want with your bugs of course.

Wear them, use them for decor….

Anything!

I am making a pair of mismatched bug earrings.

One long centipede, one short fly.

You can hot glue brooch backs onto them, for brooches.

You can glue them onto bracelets like I did last year.

Or just place them around the house for decor.

The uses are endless, and the insects are more than lovely all glittered up!

This is so much fun, and addicting!!!

I think a bug jacket or sweater would be so fabulous.

Just hot glue a bunch of these all over you.  Or all over a hat or head band.

I dare say, I think the cockroaches are going to be worn by me all the time.

Not just for Halloween.

They are so awesome in person.

Make some and see for yourself!

You will be so happy you did 🙂

Trust me.

 

Looove, V

 

 

ps:  I am shipping every 24 hours to make sure any Halloween orders arrive on time.

Potion label cutting a plenty!!

Lots of Halloween cards and labels here…..