These chain and charm earrings are a fiesta of color, texture, and personality. They feature bright beads, layered shapes, and a picture charm at the bottom with a vintage image. Perfect for showing off your style and using up fun leftover craft supplies.
These are some earrings I made a while back. I get gobs of smiles from them because people always ask where I scored the charms and I always replay: They are handcrafted by ME!
I started with chain, then added beads and lightweight wood charms that I made. Super easy and vibrant – my favorite kind of earrings!
The charms are simply small wood discs that I glued pictures to, drilled, painted, and then coated with resin. (Check out my resin projects and tutorials here)
The magic is contrasting shapes of beads, eye pins, chain, and jump rings to assemble them. I’ve really been digging sky blue and bright red lately!
Supplies
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Earring hooks (2)
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Jump rings (6–10, 6mm or 8mm)
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Chain (two 1–2 inch segments)
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Headpins or eye pins (optional for beads)
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Assorted beads in various shapes and colors
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2 black star beads (or crosses)
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2 large blue shell discs (or similar focal beads)
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2 collage image charms (resin, bottle cap, or shrink plastic)
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Optional: Mod Podge, images, bottle caps, and resin if making the image charms from scratch.
Instructions
Prepare the image charms (if making from scratch):
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Print or cut out small images (about ¾ inch diameter).
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Glue the image inside a painted bottle cap or shrink plastic circle.
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Seal with Mod Podge or a thin coat of resin and let dry fully.
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Punch a small hole at the top of the charm (or embed a jump ring while resin is wet).
Assemble the bead dangles:
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Slide individual beads onto headpins or eye pins.
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Use round-nose pliers to create a loop at the top of each bead.
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Trim excess wire if needed using wire cutters.
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Make a variety of dangles in complementary colors and shapes.
Connect your focal pieces:
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Attach one large shell disc to the chain using a jump ring.
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Attach the black star (or cross) bead to a separate link on the chain.
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Add smaller beads throughout the chain for movement and texture.
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Use jump rings to connect everything so the chain has multiple dangles hanging freely.
Add your collage charm:
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Use a jump ring to attach your collage charm to the bottom of the chain.
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Make sure it hangs straight and is secure.
Attach to the earring hook:
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Use a jump ring to connect the top link of your chain to the loop of your earring hook.
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Repeat all steps to make the second earring.
Crafty Tips
Don’t worry if they’re not identical—quirky mismatches add charm!
Use charms that hold meaning to you, whether vintage photos, milagros, or hand-painted designs.
Mix textures for more visual interest: shiny, matte, transparent, chunky, delicate.
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Very cool charms Kathy!! Charms are always better when you make them yourself!