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09/16/2014

Simple Dandelion-Stamped Cuff

When I sat down to stamp this bracelet, I had visions of making it much more fancy.  And complicated.  But I got this far and couldn’t bear to add more because I love, love the simplicity of it (and the whimsical dandelion pattern)!  So I’ll be sharing a very basic piece today, and who knows, I still may get around to making the other design that prompted me to start this project in the first place.  What do you think?

Dandelion Stamped Cuff at www.happyhourprojects.com

The good news?  This is a beginner-friendly project! Design stamps are tricky when you first start, so you can hammer away on a piece like this without worrying about lining it up, or even getting really consistent impressions.  It’s a GREAT way to practice designs.  I’ll leave links to a few of the products I used today in case you’re hoping to find them and make something like this for yourself.  Some of these links are affiliate links (meaning if you make a purchase from Goody Beads, it benefits my blog at no extra cost to you).  You can also just click to get the specs if you want to know more about a product. :)  Here is what you will need:

Dandelion Stamped Cuff at www.happyhourprojects.com

  • Bench Block and Hammer
  • 6×1 inch aluminum cuff (it comes in brass and copper, too, but those are harder for use with design stamps)
  • Design Stamps you love (this set is from Beaducation)
  • Bracelet Bender (mine is a different brand, but this is the first place I’ve seen it online)
  • Acrylic paint, sponge brush, and paper towel
  • Paper Tape
  • Polishing pad (optional, I didn’t use one, but if you let your paint dry too much, you are likely to need it)
  • Small file for removing sharp edges

First, tape your blank to your bench block.  There’s no right or wrong way to do this, you will eventually get to all the places on your bracelet blank, but you need it stead to stamp on.  Then, begin stamping designs randomly.  I’m going to talk a little about stamping in today’s post, but if you want more info, you can visit my Beginner’s Metal Stamping post for LOTS more info and even a video tutorial.

Dandelion Stamped Cuff at www.happyhourprojects.com

This design has two coordinated stamps, so I first used the big one, and then filled in my gaps with the small one.  The key is to have a steady hand, because you may need to strike your stamp more than once without moving it on the blank.  See, design stamps are generally larger and more detailed, so one strike may not give the impression you want – it can be a little light, and you’ll see right away if there was anywhere you may have had it even slightly tilted.  After a couple years of experimenting, I’ve found two things that work well for me.  The first is to stick with aluminum or another soft-strike metal.  The second is holding your stamp really still, and rocking it to a slight angle left, right, up, and down and giving the stamp a tap with your hammer each direction.  I do advise against more than one tap as a rule to avoid double-impressions, but if you’re very careful to hold your stamp tightly, it will often yield a better design.

My starter recommendation is to choose a smaller design stamp, and one less intricate, because you will do well with them more quickly than larger stamps (which have more area to displace).  But an all-over design like this is the PERFECT way to get started, because with no set pattern, any stamps that don’t look great won’t stand out among the overall design.

Once you’re happy with your stamping, I’m going to show you the easiest way to darken your impressions over a large surface area like this.  Dab a very small amount of acrylic paint (I like black, but you can use other colors!) onto a sponge brush, and rub it all over your blank.  painting in more than one direction (like first vertically and then horizontally – or even in a circular pattern) generally works best to be sure it gets into every little impression.  You don’t want to glob it on, it should be just a very thin coat, like below.

Dandelion Stamped Cuff at www.happyhourprojects.com

As soon as your impressions are darkened, wipe away the excess with a dry paper towel.  If you have any paint that dried on and won’t wipe off, you’ll probably need to employ an actual polishing pad to get off, so it’s best to work quickly with the paint for the easiest cleanup.

Once you’re happy with how it looks, it’s time to bend it!  I LOVE my bracelet bender, it’s one I found locally a few years back and have never found one available online, until I discovered that ImpressArt now makes one!  It’s so easy – WAY easier than the bracelet pliers.  Jest put one end into the notch, and bend it around the curve.  Repeat the process on the other side.

Dandelion Stamped Cuff at www.happyhourprojects.com

Chances are, your bracelet will probably have sharp corners, so it’s a good idea to file them down so they’re not pointy.  Any small file will do.

And with that – you’ve got a beautiful handmade accessory!  Seriously, I love the simplicity.

Dandelion Stamped Cuff at www.happyhourprojects.com

What’s your stamped style, do you love florals?  Stars?  Tiny little stick figures?  There are so many stamps out there to choose from, but the whimsy of the dandelions gets me every time!

Dandelion Stamped Cuff at www.happyhourprojects.com

Happy stamping!

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Filed Under: Bracelets, Fashion, Featured, Jewelry, Metal Stamping, Tutorials Tagged With: 10-minute project, accessories, bracelet, cuff, dandelion, fashion, floral, metal, metal stamping

copyright policy and terms of use

I love it when you love my work! All tutorials and photos published at Happy Hour Projects are copyrighted. If you would like to feature my tutorial on your website or share it on your social media you may use one photo to feature, as long as you provide a link back to the original post.

If you feature a photo, it may not be accompanied by the project tutorial or recipe, whether in my own words as it originally appears or paraphrased by you. This also includes personal sharing on social media and Pinterest. Publishing multiple photos from a project, or including instructions with an accompanying photo are not permitted and you will be asked to remove them.

I love to share my projects, and my tutorials, recipes, and e-books are ALL free for your personal use. However, photos and ideas that are published to this site are my protected intellectual property. You may print them at home, but please do not copy or distribute them. I also allow all designs to be made and sold at fundraisers, craft fairs, etc. If you are selling a piece made from one or more of my free tutorials in your online shop, I require that you use your own, original photography, and include a link back to my website to credit me as the designer.

I hope you enjoy what you read here, and please be fair when you share!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle Jude says

    09/24/2014 at 11:56 pm

    This is beautiful and I think one thing that makes it so attractive is how clean and simple it is. I think you made the right decision not adding anything more to it.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Jennifer says

    09/23/2014 at 2:13 pm

    Do you use any sealant to keep acrylic paint from wearing off?

    Very cute!

    Reply
  3. Sharon says

    09/19/2014 at 7:55 am

    Beautiful! I love the dandelions — perfect choice for this project.

    Reply
  4. Crystal says

    09/16/2014 at 5:27 pm

    You always amaze me with your beautiful jewelry!!! This has got to be one of my favorite pieces you’ve made!! I love it!! Btw…love your nails too!!

    Reply
    • Adrianne says

      09/17/2014 at 7:27 am

      Thank you!! :D

      Reply
  5. Debra says

    09/16/2014 at 3:56 pm

    That is simply beautiful.

    Reply

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    05/16/2021 at 9:24 pm

    […] Dandelion Cuff from Happy Hour Projects: […]

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    09/17/2014 at 12:23 pm

    […] Simple Dandelion-Stamped Cuff – 1 freebie(s)? […]

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Hello, and welcome! I'm Adrianne, an artist, author, designer, and blogger in mid Michigan. I work from home, chase my two kids, and this once-city-girl is learning how to care for chickens and adjusting to life out in the country. I have a compulsion for daily creativity... sometimes it's jewelry-making, paper crafting, metal stamping, mixing and baking, or giving new life to recycled items. But with 2 young kids, time is short! My goal here at Happy Hour Projects is to share projects and tips that you can do in an hour or less. The ideas you find here are designed to add a little creativity in your day, no matter how much (or how little) time you have!

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