Beaded Picture Holder

We all love to show off pictures of our family, friends, pets, and all sorts of things. However, why stick to a photo album or regular frame when you could use a fun and creative charming way to show off those pictures, and easily change pictures out as often as you would like.

What we are going to create is a picture holder that is two rows of beaded strands that show a little personality with themed charms and have built in clips that are ready to hold and show off your pictures.

Items needed

• Four Metal Clips with Hooks or Loops
• Eight Charms
• 2-3 Packages of Seed Beads (colors that go with your theme)
• 30 Medium or Large Accent Beads
• Two - 36 Inch Pieces of Beading Wire (thin enough to allow seed beads to be threaded onto)
• 12 Eye Pins
• 30 Metal Accent Beads
• Four Crimping Beads
• Two - 7mm Split Rings
• Two Keychain Rings
• Wire Cutters
• Crimping Tool
• Jeweler's Pliers

Preparing Charms and Photo Holders

1. Attach charms the bottom loops of the eye pins.
2. Cut the eye pin to a point where only just over 1/2 inch of the metal is sticking up.
3. Use the Jewelers Looping Method to close the eye into a top loop (Jewelers Looping Method - Hold the pliers approx 1/2 inch from the end of the wire and bend it at a 90-degree angle. Then grab the end of the bent portion of the wire with the pliers and tightly wrap it around them creating a complete circle)
4. For metal clips, if they have a small loop or hole, attach them to the bottom of eye pins, and then close the top of the eye pins with the Jewelers Looping Method above. If they already come with small metal hooks, use your pliers to close that hook into a loop.

Creating the Picture Holder

1. Thread a crimping bead onto one end of the first piece of beading wire.
2. Now string the charm onto the beading wire after the crimping bead.
3. Loop one inch of the beading wire through the hole in the charm and back up through the crimping bead. This will hold your charm in place and help you make an ending for the strand.
4. Using your crimping tool, tighten the crimping bead.
5. Trim the excess wire.
6. Thread 4 inches of seed beads and 1-2 accent beads on the wire, then a medium sized bead.
7. Thread one of the split rings onto the beading wire followed by another medium sized bead, to hold it in place.
8. Bead in the following manner 3 inches of seed beads and accent beads, medium sized accent bead, charm dangle, medium sized accent bead, 6 inches of seed beads and accent beads, medium sized accent bead, metal clip dangle, medium sized accent bead, 6 inches of seed beads and accent beads, medium sized accent bead, charm dangle, medium sized accent bead, 6 inches of seed and accent beads, medium sized accent bead, metal clip dangle, medium sized accent bead, 3 inches of seed and accent beads.
9. Thread a medium sized accent bead, a split ring, and then another medium sized accent bead to hold the split ring in place.
10. Thread 4 inches of seed beads and 1-2 accent beads on the wire, then a crimp bead.
11. String the charm onto the beading wire after the crimping bead.
12. Loop the beading wire through the hole in the charm and back up through the crimping bead. Pull to tighten.
13. Using your crimping tool, tighten the crimping bead.
14. Trim the excess wire.
15. Thread a crimping bead onto one end of the second piece of beading wire.
16. Now string a charm onto the beading wire after the crimping bead.
17. Loop one inch of the beading wire through the hole in the charm and back up through the crimping bead.
18. Using your crimping tool, tighten the crimping bead.
19. Trim the excess wire.
20. Thread 4 inches of seed beads and 1-2 accent beads on the wire, then a medium sized bead.
21. Thread the beading cord through the first split ring that the first wire is already threaded through.
22. Now bead in the following manner 2 inches of seed beads and accent beads, medium sized accent bead, metal clip dangle, medium sized accent bead, 5 inches of seed beads and accent beads, medium sized accent bead, charm dangle, medium sized accent bead, 5 inches of seed beads and accent beads, medium sized accent bead, metal clip dangle, medium sized accent bead, 5 inches of seed and accent beads, medium sized accent bead, charm dangle, medium sized accent bead, 2 inches of seed and accent beads.
23. Thread the beading wire through the second split ring that the first wire is already threaded through.
24. Thread a medium sized accent bead, 4 inches of seed beads and 1-2 accent beads, then a crimp bead.
25. String the charm onto the beading wire after the crimping bead.
26. Loop the beading wire through the hole in the charm and back up through the crimping bead. Pull to tighten.
27. Using your crimping tool, tighten the crimping bead.
28. Trim the excess wire.

If you were to hold the piece up with the pair of split rings, you should see that you have two different length drapes of beading wire with alternating charms and metal clips.

Attach a key ring loop to each of the split rings.

Now it's ready to hang. You could hang the loops on a pair of hook magnets that are sticking to the refrigerator; a pair of push pins on a corkboard, or even a pair of small nails on the wall. The metal clips are where you can attach your pictures and the charms and beads will accent the look of your favorite photographs.