Safety First

No one does ironic jewelry quite like the notably candid Tom Binns. He has a penchant for taking fine "diamonds, emeralds, and shit" and dimming them down with sterling silver skulls and everyday objects such as laminated plastic. Take for instance his Rythym of Cruelty necklace. A pair of preppy pearls turn punk with the addition of a few safety pin closures. A veritable fountain of DIY inspiration, Mr. Binns also debuted a collection entitled "Get Real" at Colette in which he took magazine clippings of fine jewelry and laminated them to create wearable pieces. In a time when it's considered uncouth to flaunt one's wealth, Mr. Binns has come up with the perfect solution for the recessionista!

What You'll Need:
Safety pins
Pearl beads
Seed beads (optional)
Beading string
Two jump rings
Scissors
Pliers
Superglue

Seeing as how I just made a necklace, I decided to make a bracelet version on this go-round. Start by linking together three safety pins. Using the pliers, attach the two jump rings on either end of the chain of pins. Measure your beading string around your wrist (or neck), leaving ample room on each end. Double/triple knot the beading string to one of the jump rings. Put a dot of superglue on the knot (to ensure it won't come undone) and snip off the tail. String the pearls and beads together for the length of your bracelet. Knot, glue, and snip the second end!


If you have an overflow of safety pins and a bit more time on your hands, be sure to try his pin and pearl necklace.

xx,CC