Let me start by saying that I DON’T CRAFT. �Seriously. �I never got that gene. �My sister and my Mom did though… and they are the most creative people I know. �They both have these amazing minds that come up with crazy ideas that are fresh and just spectacular.
So now that you know that about me….. that is exactly why I wanted to be involved in testing the Cricut Explore and trying it out. �If you want a real review from someone who has no idea what they are doing, that would be me! �And if I can do it and create an awesome project like this—-all of you guys can too!
This month, I decided to create a Gear Statement Necklace straight from my Cricut. �I’ve seen necklaces�with actual gears before. (Steampunk style for all of you out there who know what that is….) But I thought it would be super cool if I could re-create it with my Cricut Explore and save money at the same time! �You know me, saving money is what I do! �Since Christmas is coming up, I knew doing some fun reviews for Cricut could help you guys know if you wanted to put it on your lists or not. 
SUPPLIES YOU WILL NEED:
- Cricut Explore�(Reg $299.. it’s on sale right now for $249!!)
- Chip Board (To save money, I actually purchased pre-made Chevron Boards.)
- Metallic Spray Paint. �I purchased Gold, Bronze and Silver. �(A Gold and Black would be super pretty too!)
- Gold Necklace Chain�(Mine was around $3.00)
- E-6000, Super Glue or something similar
- Scrap Piece of Lace (Hopefully you have this somewhere already at home)
- Cricut Explore Deep Cut Blade (Reg $29–but only $12 right now on Amazon!)
- Rust-Oleum Painters Touch 2X Ultra Cover CLEAR Gloss
HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR SUPPLIES:
- Hobby Lobby has a 40% off one regular price item coupon you can print off on their website or show on your phone. That can help with anything that isn’t already on sale. �(The Spray Paint will be the most expensive, if it isn’t already on sale. �So that is what you would probably want to use it on.)
- Use your JoAnn Fabrics, Michael’s or Hancock Fabrics Coupons to help you save! �**You can also shop these stores�online and it might actually end up being cheaper with Free Shipping Minimums. �Or the shipping cost may be cheaper than gas for you. They all have coupon codes online to save even more money on a regular basis as well!
- Shop online! �You can usually get all of the items you need from Amazon at�really great prices.�Plus, remember that with Amazon Prime your order will ship free. Or, if your order total is $35 or more, it will ship free too! You can get Amazon Prime if you�sign for Amazon Mom�(It�s a FREE 3- month trial),�or by�signing up for the Amazon Student Program.
LET’S GET STARTED:
[gview file=”https://freebies2deals.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/gears21.svg”]
Step #1: �Open up Design Space in Cricut and download this SVG file of gears you can use for your necklace.
Step #2: �If you are going to use Chip Board, make sure you have the Cricut cut through each gear 5-6 times to make sure it has cut all the way through. �Also, you will want to use a Deep Cut Blade.�
Step #3: Once you have cut out your gears, start spray painting. �Having multiple metallic colors makes the necklace look like actual gears. �So have fun with it!
OPTIONAL Step #4: You can take that scrap piece of lace I talked about above and lay it over your gears to imprint a lace pattern. �It adds a little dimension. And if you choose to spray paint lace patterns on all of the gears, you will get a more feminine vibe on your necklace. �I opted to do the front and center gear with a lace imprint so you can see the difference.
Step #5: �Lay out the gears in the order and pattern you want for your statement necklace. Then use your E-6000, Super Glue or whatever you have to glue the gears together so they don’t come apart. �I wouldn’t recommend a glue gun. �It won’t hold it well enough.
Step #6: Spray your entire necklace with Rust-Oleum Painters Touch 2X Ultra Cover CLEAR Gloss. �Let it dry. �Then flip it over and spray the back. �This should help add a final layer to keep the spray paint on and give the necklace a little more strength and stability.
Step #7: Weave your chain through your gears to complete the necklace.
Pretty simple, right??! �One thing to note is that since we are using Chip Board, this necklace isn’t going to be indestructible like a real gear necklace. �So you will want to keep this baby away from your kids and keep it in a safe place.
**If you don’t have time to do this project now, Pin it for later.
I’ve teamed up with a bunch of fun Crafty Bloggers—all of us incorporating Lace into our projects one way or another. �Here they all are:
Make sure you check out all of their projects! �These guys are actual Craft bloggers, unlike me, and had some awesome ways to incorporate Lace using the Cricut Explore!
