MAKE STUFF - neon rope earrings

Last week I had three days where I was in a funk. I didn't even want to email people or design any posters or list any events on local websites. It was terrible and confusing. I momentarily considered the possibility that I might have had mononucleosis for the third time.

Anyway I DID NOT HAVE MONO thank goodness. (By the way, I didn't even get to kiss anybody either time that I had it.) I suddenly snapped out of my funk, dono why or how, but continued drinking the amount of coffee that I had adopted mid-funk, so now I've got alllll thissss energy! So I did all my emailing and designing and listing, and then asked 'what else, self?? what else can I do?? and don't say prepare for school, which is starting in September, because I really don't wanna do that.' And my self responded, "MAKE STUFF!"

OKAY!

A few months ago, I made these rope-look earrings out of twine. The problem is that they kind of look like they're made out of human hair, which is maybe what you're into, and that's fine, but it isn't quite my look. I bought all this neon cord back when I was choreographing something that involved faux tin can telephones, and I figured I could redo the earrings with some more obviously artificial materials.

Here's what I did! Follow along at home youguys!

SUPPLIES

I got the braided utility cord at Tags, everybody's fave Cambridge hardware/everything store. I picked up the earring fixings and the thin craft wire at, yooouuu guessed it, a craft store! Play Time in Arlington is my go to spot for these kinds of things.

If you're using normal rope, you won't need a lighter. This is to seal off the rope when we cut it.

STEPS

First, cut the rope. I'd start a little crazy -- each piece should be about a foot and a half long.

Now we're going to connect the rope to the earring, unless you'd prefer to krazy glue it to your ear. No judgment here.

Well, that was a Staple's commercial from a few years ago.

Now just knot it up!

I recommend doing the first knot on BOTH earrings before moving on to the second if you want to keep them even. When you're happy with your knots, cut off the excess rope. Then use the lighter to melt the cut ends of the rope so it doesn't unravel.

As you can see, I did one with a little rope trail and one without. The trail seems a little more hey-let's-party, whereas the short one seems so extremely appropriate for the office. (As you can see, I have no idea what's appropriate for the office. I have never held a job that didn't involve me educating the youth or dancing or both, except for one month when I worked in a horrible little ice cream shop.)

LOOK GREAT

Alrighty so I took lots of pics of myself wearing them in front of the best lit white wall in my little apartment (read: my bathroom), because I am the easiest person for me to get to do things at a moment's notice! (Amy is so very far away from me right now visiting her dear nephew or I surely would have roped her into this HA GET IT.)

or the beach! or the local thrift shop! Wherever you go, you will go there now having seen the most vain picture of myself that I have ever taken and then publicly posted.

I don't even know what I'm saying or doing anymore. *this post brought to you by a bus trip across state lines*

So yeah! Go make some stuff! I like simple projects like these -- not a lot of materials, and lots of room to play with the basic concept. I'd love to see if anybody makes anything similar!

KEEP DANCING OKAY??

-M