Jewelry making tip: Chains!

I'm a student, so I don't always have a lot of money to spend on jewelry supplies, so whenever I can find some way of spending a little less money on materials, I'm a happy girl (And so is my husband)

One thing I hate spending money on, is chain. It's a big part of the piece, but I don't get to have a lot of fun with it. It's mostly just practical. But I was out shopping the other day at my local flower shop, and saw they had a bunch of gorgeous ribbons, and some of it was pretty cheap. So I took home a small selection and started playing with it, and I have to tell you I'm in love!!

Not only is it less expensive than metal chain (especially silver) but it also adds colour and texture to your piece.

Here's the latest piece I did with ribbon instead of chain. I love this leaf ribbon - it's perfect for my fairy pieces. I use the same method for attaching the ribbon as I do for leather cord. You can find my tutorial here!

So next time your out shopping keep an eye out for ribbons. I've found them in flower shops, grocery stores, craft stores and at fabric shops. I also tend to look for them whenever I'm travelling, it's a great souvenir and it doesn't take up much space in the suitcase.