This fun little project makes use of a boring old pair of hoop earrings.

With a little bit of wire work and just a few beads you can dress them up with your own custom dangles.

And, you can make as many of these dangles as you want, in any colors you want.

How about lots of colors? Can’t you just see these each with several leaves in different fall shades?

Then you can swap ’em around any way you want.

I kinda like all the dangles together at once. I’m wild & crazy like that. 🙂

Watch the video on YouTube: Swappable Earring Dangles

Materials:

• 1 pair hoop earrings, any size you like (it’s preferable if they can be locked closed so you don’t risk losing your dangles)
• 1 or more pairs of beads for each set of dangles
• 2 head pins (for each pair center drilled beads)
• 6-8 inches 22 or 24 gauge wire (for each pair top drilled beads)
• round nose pliers
• 2 pair chain nose pliers
• wire cutters
• crimping pliers, if needed

Directions: 

Find the location on your round nose pliers that is a little larger around than your hoop earrings.  Mark this point with a sharpie.

For each dangle with a center drilled bead:

1. Slide bead(s) onto a head pin. Use chain nose pliers to grasp wire just at point where it exits last bead.  Bend wire at 90° angle.  Grasp bend at marked point on round nose pliers and wrap wire around pliers as far as possible to start to make a loop.  Reposition pliers to finish loop.
2. Grasp loop with one pair chain nose pliers and use second pair chain nose pliers to wrap remaining wire around wire below 90° bend. Use wire cutters to trim, if necessary. Use chain nose pliers  or crimping pliers to tuck in end.
3. Slide loop back onto chain nose pliers as far as it will go.  Press loop tightly onto pliers and wiggle slightly.  This will make your loop bigger and more round and will also tighten up your wire wraps.

For each dangle with a top drilled bead:

1. Slide a 3 to 4 inch piece of wire into hole of bead, leaving 3/4 to 1 inch sticking out on one side. Bend both wire ends up at 90-degree angle to hole of bead. Bend wires over top of bead, making a triangle shape. Bend remaining ends of wire up, perpendicular to bead hole. Trim shorter wire to 1/8 inch from bend.
2. Grasp wires just at the top of the triangle bend with chain nose pliers. Bend longer remaining wire at 90° angle. Grasp bend at marked point on round nose pliers and wrap wire around pliers as far as possible to start to make a loop.  Reposition pliers to finish loop.
3. Repeat steps 2 & 3 under “For each dangle with a center drilled bead” to complete.

Make lots & lots then mix and match with abandon!

Happy creating 🙂

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