Why I tried making tarot card earrings
Okay so last weekend I was just scrolling Instagram feeling bored when suddenly these shiny tarot card earrings popped up. Got me thinking – hey, could I actually make these myself? Found some cheap pendants online and grabbed my jewelry pliers from that failed beading phase last year.
What happened when I got messy with glue
First attempt was total disaster mode. Bought these mini tarot pendants & cheap metal hoops. Used gorilla glue cause it was the only thing in my junk drawer. Bad idea – gloopy mess everywhere! Ruined two pendants and my table now has permanent white stains. Got glue stuck on my fingers for two days like an idiot.
- Lesson 1: Super glue eats everything
- Lesson 2: Work on newspaper next time
- Lesson 3: Buy proper jewelry glue
Switching to wire wrapping kinda worked
Decided to skip gluing altogether after that nightmare. Dug out copper wire I bought for DIY plant hangers (never made them lol). Just started twisting wire around the card edges like mad. Looked like Frankenstein’s monster version at first – crooked and wobbly as hell. But after 5 tries actually got one pair semi-decent!
Learned fast that:
- Thicker wire = easier twisting
- Nail clippers work for trimming wire in a pinch
- The Moon card designs hide mistakes best
Testing different chains & hooks
My first pairs hung weird cause I used heavy chains like a dummy. Bought these thin dainty chains that looked way better. Also realized fish hook backs suck – they kept falling out when I moved my head. Switched to lever backs even though they cost extra. Worth it so I’m not constantly checking my ears.
Made three styles finally:
- Simple danglers: Single card hanging straight
- Double trouble: Smaller cards layered top/bottom
- Frame style: Wire wrapped like picture frame around borders
Final opinions after wearing them out
Took my three best pairs to my cousin’s birthday drinks. Double trouble ones got tangled in my hair when dancing – annoying! Frame style held up best but looked kinda bulky. Simple danglers got the most compliments though – easy to see the designs. Met a girl who actually recognized The Tower card and asked where I got them. Felt awesome saying “Made them myself!” even though mine look cheaper than store versions.
Would I do it again? Yeah actually – way cheaper than buying & feels special wearing unique pieces. But next time I’m buying pre-made settings online instead of messing with wire tricks!
