Hi all, and welcome back!
Today, I'm going to be discussing some jewelry-making items and tools that I've gotten this year that have made my life a lot easier for the projects I've been doing. Lately, I've been working on upcycling things like bottle caps into charms and keychains, and donating my projects to local shelters through my church.
Without further ado, let's get into what I've gotten and loved this year!
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First off are these adorable acrylic letter beads, which are versatile for me because I am making these inspirational pieces for the shelters, but also I am a raver and go to music festivals, where a huge portion of the culture is crafting together as a community.
Whether you're crafting at your kitchen table or stringing bracelets in the middle of a music festival, having the right beads makes all the difference. After testing dozens of bead kits, these stood out for one simple reason: they combine quality, durability, and convenience in a way that's hard to beat.
If you love creating jewelry, keychains, kandi, or other bead art, this set checks every box. These beads are also made with smooth, consistent plastic that’s vibrant in color and uniform in size. You won’t find jagged, janky edges, chipped pieces, or mismatched holes here.
These beads are durable and don’t easily crack or fade, even after hours of dancing or being worn outdoors. If you've ever had a bracelet snap mid-festival, you know how valuable that kind of reliability is. I accidentally gripped a few with my pliers too hard, and they did not break in half like an egg shell, which is a lot better durability than I can say for other brands of plastic letter beads I've had in the past.
Lastly, this set comes beautifully organized by color or type, making it incredibly easy to find what you need at a glance. If there is one thing that drives me nuts at fests, especially, it's digging through a whole bag trying to find one letter that may or may not exist. This takes the guesswork out of it.
Whether you're:
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Making friendship bracelets for you and your fest crew
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Creating custom earrings or necklaces for a small Etsy shop
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Spending a cozy Sunday afternoon DIY’ing with the kids
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Or prepping for a kandi trading session before the main stage…
This bead set is what I will be getting from now on- especially because it was cheap as can be as well, and came in the convenient acrylic case shown- which could be upcycled for other beads or projects in the future
Ultimately?
Vibe Check: Passed
Crafting Quality: 10/10
Festival Friendly: Absolutely
Next up, we have these really amazing and inexpensive charms, which I thought would go great for my project involving the shelter donations I've been doing lately...
If you're a DIY jewelry maker or a festival crafter, these engraved word charms offer a standout blend of
craftsmanship, practicality, and portability. These come in a baggie and could easily be transported if you wanted to add them to your bead collection for fests or do group crafting.
From unboxing these charms, the solid alloy material feels impressively weighty and durable. Unlike flimsy, budget charms, these pendants hold up well in daily wear—no bending, no fading. I got the darker tone because I didn't want to risk any sort of discoloration over time, but a lot of reviews said these held up, even in the lighter tones.
I also liked these because it came with 80 charms in 20 different words and styles, some secular and non-secular, to keep the designs more inclusive for anyone at the shelters, as I know some folks stay at religious-based shelters out of necessity, no harm in that! I wanted to make sure there were options for everyone going through a difficult time.
I especially like using these for bookmarks or tassels and keychain accents.
On to my next item... this is one I was not expecting to love so much! I've never been a key-chain girlie, but here I am!
Whether you're making keychains, bag charms, or festival accessories, these metal swivel snap hooks are a reliable pick. They have a smooth swivel action and durable build, and I've found they’re a versatile staple for DIY and everyday use. I also haven't noticed any discoloration after use, which is important to me.
The 60‑piece kit includes 30 lobster-claw snap hooks and 30 split key rings, neatly sized and ready to integrate into your projects. I didn't realise it came with the split key rings, which were surprisingly helpful. I was just going to willy-nilly use jump rings to attach my designs, but the split rings worked so much better!
I've been using them for keychain making, bag charm attachments, DIY backpack or zipper pulls, and festival trades.
Finally, I have two recommendations for jump rings and I'll elaborate on why under each of them briefly, because they are a necessary evil for making projects like this...
First, I have these, which are great for projects that need durability, like festival items, keychains, or anything where there will be possible tugging or pulling. These are a bit difficult to work with because they are so hard, but they are super sturdy, and last the test of time, which is important to me, especially working on projects I intend to last a long time.
For more dainty projects, I got these, and I really love how they are organized neatly by size and came with a jump ring opener ring. They are still quite sturdy, but not as thick as the above jump rings, making them perfect for necklaces, bracelets, etc. I think they would work alright on a keychain-style project, but wouldn't be as sturdy as the above-mentioned rings. These are definitely lighter weight, but I was impressed at how much resistance they had compared to other jump rings of the same size and style.
Well, those were my jewelry-making picks for 2025—a mix of sturdy, stylish, and versatile tools to keep your creativity flowing all year long. ✨ Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a little time with me today. Whether you're crafting at home or on the go, I hope these favorites help you make something beautiful. 💖 Happy creating!
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