Let dogs inspire your jewelry making for a gift.
A friend or family member who loves dogs, or one breed in particular, is often an easy bet when purchasing gifts. Dog paraphernalia is available in T-shirts, bags, mugs, toys and figurines. Consider a gift that shows your care for the person and her pet with a piece of homemade jewelry. You can feature her pet on something she can wear daily, giving her a chance to keep her furry companion with her at all times.
Locket
Create a simple gift that allows your dog-loving friend to take her dog with her wherever she goes--movie theaters, airplanes or the shopping mall--with a custom photo locket. Lockets are hinged pieces of jewelry that open like a book (some open in an up-and-down motion) revealing slots for two photographs. You can make lockets out of common household materials such as bottle caps or purchase them at craft stores and jewelry shops.
Take two of her favorite pictures of her pet (or surprise her by doing a new photo shoot with the dog) and shrink them down so they fit the locket. This can be done in a computer graphics program or by reducing their size on a color photocopier. Cut out the photos and slip them inside the locket for a memorable gift.
Dog Tag Pendant
Give new meaning to the word dog tag when you re-purpose an old military dog tag (found in thrift shops, antique stores or online) into a portrait pendant featuring her beloved canine companion. If you're artistic, do a watercolor portrait of her pet using a favorite photo; otherwise, just select a photo and size it down to just slightly smaller than the dog tag.
After the picture or photo is ready, seal it with contact paper or run it through a laminating machine to protect it. Lay it out on the dog tag (don't glue it yet) to see where the hole for the chain will go. Punch out the hole, then glue the picture to the tag. Let the tag dry, then use colored or decorated paper (something with an animal print such as paw prints or tiger stripes) to write the pet's name in a thick marker. Use stickers and glitter to add extra flare. Lay it on the tag, punch the hole, then protect the paper. Glue it to the other side, then thread a ball chain, beads or thin strip of ribbon in your friend's favorite color.
Brooch
Your dog-loving friend or family member will catch attention when wearing her breed-specific brooch. Search pet retailers for a small plastic toy similar to her dog's breed (such as a Pomeranian, golden Lab or Chihuahua) and purchase a mini-sized figurine and pin back.
Gather crafts odds and ends such as ribbons, foam, glitter and pom poms. Build the base of the brooch by layering sturdier items such as colored foam pieces (work outward to create the petals of a rose or have points sticking out like triangles). Glue the foam and let dry, then add elements such as glitter, feathers and pom poms. After those are dry, gently glue your mini-dog figurine into the middle of the brooch. Glue the pin back to the backside of the button.
Crafty types who enjoy reusing home materials can create this brooch out of a flat, big circle button, the kind used to advertise elections, charity walks and store openings, gluing all the materials directly to the face of the button.
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