How to make adorable little origami red elephants for earrings

Elephants are considered good luck in many countries, especially with the trunk raised.  Just, grab some origami paper and you can fold these origami red elephants and make the cutest pair of earrings.  Or you could just stand them up as a mini decoration.  Use the photos as a guide and you will find although tiny, they are not that hard to fold.

Adorable mini origami red elephants

Materials:

Origami paper, red

Nail file

Optional for earrings: 

Needle and head pin 

Needle nosed pliers 

Fishhook ear wires

Wire cutters

Instructions:

First, cut a piece of red origami paper 1 ½” x 3 ½” for each origami elephant.

Next, fold the paper in half lengthwise.  Turn, and fold the two top edges to a point (like you are making a paper airplane) Fold a second time to make a longer point. 

Turn and fold so that the folded point touches the other side.  Turn over so that the point is on the underside.  Now, fold the folded edge over so it meets the crease, but as you make this fold flip the point back to the front.

Then, fold the left edge under so it meets the center crease. Then fold the bottom folded edge of the point to the edge of the paper.  Then fold the point over to the left, and fold back again to make a kind of fanfold. (Front of the elephant) For the back, fold the flat folded edge over so it meets the center crease and then flip the edge back to the front.  (See photo)

Turn over the paper.  This is the only tricky part so use the photos as a guide.  You will see a kind of rectangle shape.  Just fold the top layer fold the corners inward.  Turn and do the same to the opposite side. Now, it is easier to take this in your hand to do this part, push the folded corners down and press open.  Do the same thing to the opposite side and then flatten them all down.  Use your fingernail or a nail file to make the creases. 

Fold in half. Fold the back legs in so they match the front.  To make the ears, squeeze and fold at an angle making the creases for the ears on each side of the head. The trunk will point down. 

Finally fold the trunk, up, and then back to make the trunk raise.  The red origami elephant is finished.

To make these into earrings, using a pint push through the underside to make a hole and insert a headpin.  Cut the headpin down if necessary. Then, use the needle-nosed pliers to twist into a loop adding the fishhook ear wires. Close loops.

How to make simple duct tape earrings for Breast Cancer Awareness

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  You can whip up these simple duct tape earrings to show your support.  You can also use this technique to make other awareness earrings using the appropriate color duct tape. 

I’ve used a pink camo duct tape to make mine for Breast Cancer Awareness, but you can alternately use a solid color pink for the same effect.

Materials:

Pink camp duct tape

Self-healing cutting mat

X-acto or craft knife

Ruler

Headpins

Small pink heart beads

Pink size E seed beads

Medium silver bead

Fish hook ear wires

Needle-nosed pliers

Hot Glue gun and hot glue sticks

Instructions:

1.     Cut two pieces of duct tape 1” x 4” using the cutting mat, ruler, and craft knife.

2.     Fold the duct tape in half together.  Repeat for the second piece of duct tape.  Now fold the duct tape into ribbon shape and use the glue gun to attach so it stays together.

3.     Next, thread onto a 2 ½” head pin in this order:  Seed bead, pink heart, silver bead.  Now poke through the top of the ribbon.  Add another seed bead.

4.     Then, using the needle-nosed pliers, bend the top of the head pin to the right.  Next, add the fishhook ear wire making sure it faces in the correct direction, and bend the wire closed. 

How to easily make polymer clay rosebud earrings

It's late spring, almost summer and roses are blooming in my yard like gangbusters!  I have mostly red ones but these yellow ones are so delicate and pretty.  So I thought it would be helpful if I listed the meanings of the colors of roses. The meanings, however, are pretty flexible.  Make your rose any color you would like because roses are beautiful any color!

Red rose - love and romance

Pink rose - love, gratitude and appreciation

White rose - marriage, purity and spirituality

Orange rose - enthusiasm and passion

Yellow rose - friendship, joy and good health

Red and white together - unity

Lavender - love at first sight

You will need:

Small amount of polymer clay in desired color

Clay needle tool

Post earring backs

E600 glue

Gloss finish (optional)

Small paintbrush

Home oven set at 275 degrees

Cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil

1.     You can make your earrings as small or as large as you desire depending upon how large your clay balls are.  Roll eight pieces of clay into balls.  Make them all the same size.  It is easiest to work on the end of a clay needle tool attaching your roses to the end.

2.     To make an earring use four of the clay balls.  Take one of the clay balls and flatten with your fingers.  Roll this onto the needle tool, pressing at the base.   This is center of your rose.  (See photo)

3.     Flatten a second ball with your fingers and attach to the base of the rose. This is the first petal.  Curl the ends down.  (See photo)  Continue flattening and attaching petals with the other two balls of clay like you did with the first one pressing at the base to secure them.  Remove the rose from the needle tool and set aside.  Repeat steps 2-3 for a second earring.

4.     When you have finished making your earrings you will need to bake them. Set them on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil and bake in a 275 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

5.     Using E6000 glue attach each earring to an earring post.  Let dry completely.  

6.     After your earrings have dried, brush on some clear gloss on the petals and let dry.  (optional)