How to Select the Best Nunn Design Brass Bead Caps to Incorporate into Your Jewelry Designs

There are several options of brass beadcaps within the Nunn Design Findings Collection. It can be a challenging to make a decision on which beadcaps to purchase.

There are many ways that you can use beadcaps. I’ve broken my inspiration down into 4 different categories for you to explore. Hopefully this will inspire you and help you to feel confident in knowing, there really isn’t a bad beadcap choice!

1. Beadcaps as accents embedded into Crystal Clay
2. Beadcap accents with beads
3. Beadcaps incorporated into Tassels
4. Beadcaps made into beads

Let’s bring on the dog and pony show of jewelry samples from our gallery. Here are samples to help inspire you on each of these techniques  – of how to use brass beadcaps in your jewelry making designs.

---

1. Beadcaps as Accents Embedded into Crystal Clay

If you aren’t familiar with Crystal Clay, it is an epoxy that air dries. You have 90-120 minutes to work with the clay until is sets-up. When it sets, it is extremely durable. You do need to make sure your items are very well embedded into the clay.

Two earring projects, using Crystal Clay and Beadcaps, to create simple post and drop earrings.
Link to gallery: Jaca-navarra Earrings
Link to gallery: Monte Carlo Earrings
Read the tutorial: How to Instructions Monte Carlo Earrings

---

For this pendant, I cut a piece of glass tubing and applied Crystal Clay to both ends. I then embedded the brass beadcaps into the clay to create decorative ends for my tube.
Link to gallery:  Pleione Necklace

---

Credit: Stephanie Gard Buss

Here is a ring that Stephanie created using a variety of beadcaps embedded into Crystal Clay.
Link to gallery: Dall Ring

---

Credit: Stephanie Gard Buss

Here is another example of a pendant Stephanie created. I love how she used the same beadcaps and incorporated them with beads too.
Link to gallery: Yanskiy Ring

---

Credit: Melissa Williamson

Now, isn’t this awesome! A very unique and original use of a beadcap!
Link to Gallery: Waddington Necklace

---

Here are examples of stacking multiple beadcaps and embedding crystal chatons or brass stampings into Crystal Clay, creating fun decorative accents.
Link to gallery: Mami-wata Earrings

---

2. Beadcaps as Accents with Beads

The Nunn Design Beadcaps are available in multiple sizes. They work best with 6mm bead and 8mm beads, but I wouldn’t let that limit your exploration. Here are some examples of various ways in which we have incorporated beadcaps with beads.

The more, the better!
Visually this is very interesting!
Link to gallery: Monashee Earrings

---

This necklace shows how you can incorporate beads, but it can be used as a decorative element, like on this flat tag necklace.
Link to gallery: Flower Blossom Neckalce
Blog Tutorial: Flower Blossom Necklace Tutorial

---

Here is a tutorial showing how to make these stacked beadcap earrings.
Link to gallery: Beadcap Earrings Tutorial

---

Credit: Heather Thompson

I love how Heather, Nunn Design’s Operations Manager, created this beaded necklace incorporating beadcaps.
Link to gallery: Herfy Necklace

---

Beadcaps can also be used upside down to create an interesting visual.
Link to gallery: Ratz Earrings

---

I call this a “fully loaded charm bracelet.” It is a great example of the many combination of beadcaps, in an assortment of plates, used in interesting ways.
Link to gallery: Bezoar Bracelet

---

Credit: Stephanie Gard Buss

I love how Stephanie used waxed cording to string this bracelet together.
Link to gallery: Timor Bracelet

---

Here an example of using beadcaps with Nunn Design Beads.
Link to gallery: Catalana Bracelet

---

Credit: Erin Praiz-Hinz

Erin has an interesting way in which she incorporated beadcaps in this necklace.
Link to gallery: Tigris Necklace

---

Credit: Marla Salazee

Marla used beadcaps on the end of her seed bead bracelet in this example.
Link to gallery: Matronit Bracelet

---

Credit: Karen McGovern

I love how Karen created interesting dangles on these earrings.
Link to gallery: Vitis Earrings

---

3. Beadcaps as Tassels

I had a lot of fun creating these boho style tassels. There are so many interesting combinations of beads and beadcaps that you can create interesting tassels with!
Link to gallery: Murgese Necklace
Blog Tutorial: Leather Tassel Tutorial

---

Here is an example of a tassel-ish looking drop created with beadcaps.
Link to gallery: Tajumulco Necklace

---

Here are some tassels created with a paper bead covered in Crystal Clay and chain. Once the clay is cured, you wet and remove the paper bead core to make these light weight tassels.
Link to gallery: Paper Bead Hollow Form
Blog Tutorial: Paper Bead Hollow Form Tassel Tutorial

---

4. Beadcaps Made into Beads

To add more visual interest to the glass pearl bead, I added some Crystal Clay to the top and attached a beadcap with a rim of rhinestone chain. The bead drop charm next to the bead was created by embedding Faceted Ball Chain into Crystal Clay.
Link to gallery: Formidable Bracelet
Blog Tutorial: Excess Crystal Clay Bits – Make a Beaded Drop!

---

Make beads by placing two beadcaps together. To make the bead, I rolled a ball of Crystal Clay and squished beadcaps on both ends. I then threaded a headpin through the bead before the Crystal Clay had cured.
Link to gallery: Graham Earrings

---

Link to gallery: Haner Bracelet

Credit: Christee Ballard

On these pieces, Christee hammered several beadcaps flat and punched holes into them, creating bead pendants.
Link to gallery: Chopaka Earrings

---

I hope you feel inspired and clear on what you would like to create with Nunn Design Beadcaps.

Shop the Brass Beadcap Collection Wholesale!

---

What Do You Think?

Have you found other interesting ways to incorporate beadcaps into your jewelry designs? Please email me at becky@nunndesign.com

---

Shop Nunn Design Wholesale

Nunn Design has been supplying jewelry artists with findings for over 20 years. Shop wholesale jewelry findings for creative jewelry makers.

Shop Nunn Design!

---

How to Purchase Wholesale?

If you are interested in becoming one of the many designers who trust their jewelry to Nunn Design Findings, please join us by registering to become one of our wholesale customers!

Please visit our Where to Buy Page for a listing of online stores that sell Nunn Design Findings retail.

---

If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe to our blog. Here are 10 Reasons Why to Subscribe and a place to do so!