Embossed and Stamped Leather Bracelet

I hope you’re not getting tired of jewelry made with leather, because I’ve really been enjoying all the things I have discovered I can do with it.  You know what that means, don’t you?  I’m dying to show you something new!  I figured out how to emboss leather with a pattern using regular paper crafting tools – I got out my Sizzix Big Shot and one of may favorite embossing folders, I stamped up a blank to go along with it, and I made this beauty:

The great part about it is it didn’t take me long at all to make!  The techniques I used today are embossing, stamping, and riveting.  Stamping and riveting projects are things I share all the time, and in fact if you want to know everything there is to know about how to get started with metal stamping, you can check out my comprehensive beginner’s tutorial.  I’ll touch on it a little today but be sure to visit that post if you want to know more.

I’m going to leave you the links to the products I used below, in case any part of this project (or hey, the whole thing) catches your eye, and you want to know where to find the supplies.  These are affiliate links, which means if you decide to click through and make a purchase, it does support my blog at no extra cost to you (and thank you, by the way).  If you’ve had your eye on a Sizzix Big Shot, I can also offer you guys a 15% coupon code to use at Sizzix.com just for being a great reader and all around fabulous crafty enthusiast.  After you click the link below, just enter SZB2015 at checkout.  ;)

• Upholstery Leather Remnant, cut to 6.5 inches x 20mm wide
• 20 mm glue on end clasp set
• Bench Block & Hammer
• ImpressArt Lollipop font
• ImpressArt SoftStrike 1 1/4 inch pewter feather blank
• Sizzix Big Shot (with extended platform and standard cutting pads)
• Darice Vine Embossing Folder
• ImpressArt 6mm Topaz Crystal Rivets
• ImpressArt Crystal Rivet Setter
• Large double-hole punch
• 9-Piece Hollow Leather Punch
• Super New Glue 

Let’s start with the part I’m most excited about: embossing the leather!  This is just the same as embossing paper.  You place the leather in the embossing folder, sandwich it between your cutting pads, and run it through your Sizzix Big Shot with the extended platform set to the #1 tab.  I rolled it back again to make extra sure it embossed well, but I’m so happy with the end result.  You’ll see it when you scroll down.

Next, I stamped my metal blank.  I have been crushing on this Lollipop font ever since it was released.  You can of course stamp whatever you like, but I was inspired today to stamp “brave”.  Again – if you want to know more about stamping, be sure to visit my metal stamping for beginners post, for more than you ever wanted to know about getting started, haha.  Some really cool products have been released since I write the post 3 years ago, and I recommend that all beginners pick up some pewter blanks in the ImpressArt SoftStrike line.  They are easy to get a good impression on, and they have a nice weight to them.

Next, I punched a second hole (use the 1/8″ size punch) in my blank so that I could attach it to the leather cuff.  I also used a hollow leather punch to put two holes in my leather, so that I could rivet the two together.  Setting crystal rivets is easy – just snap them together through the holes, place them crystal-side-down on the rubber bench block that comes with the rivet setting kit, position the tool over the backside of the rivet, and tap it a few times with the hammer to set it permanently.

Finally, I brought the whole thing together with a set of glue-on ends.  You could punch a hole and use a lobster clasp and jump rings, or mount a snap if you prefer (just increase the length to accomodate it), but I love how nicely the glue-on ends finish a bracelet.  Just add a few drops of super new glue, and hold the leather in place until it sets (which just takes a few seconds).

What do you think?  I love the vines with the feather shaped blank!  I also embossed some simple leather bookmarks since making this bracelet, so there’s more applications than just jewelry.

Happy stamping, friends!