I love bangles, bangles of all sorts. But going to the accessories store and paying US$10 a bracelet just kills me. Especially when there are twenty other people in the store buying the exact same thing. I’ve taken to rummaging through my local surplus store in search of industrial parts that I can wear around my wrist.
This past weekend, I found a large bin of hose clamps. These adjustable rings just begged to be made into jangly bracelets. I bought three for $2.25. Then I headed to the craft store – I was craving sparkle.
At the craft store, I found a bag of flat-backed Swarovski crystals. You can get cheaper crystals, of course, but I love the Swarovski because they have a really clear shine and they reflect light so well. I spent about $6 to get a small bag of blue and teal crystals.
Once I was home, I cleaned the ring clamps with nail polish remover. I used a flat-head screw driver to adjust the size until each clamp was just the right diameter. I mixed up some epoxy and, very carefully, applied a small amount to the back of each crystal.
Now that everything is dry, I have three unique bracelets that combine the edginess of industry with the sparkle and fun of crystals! (You can see more pictures here.) And all for less than one plastic bangle would have cost me at the accessory store. I even went back for a small hose clamp to make into a ring!
