DIY Minimalist Leather Earrings

Do you walk around in a store and when you spot a beautifully produced jewelry piece, your first thought isn’t “I need to buy this” but instead, “I could totally DIY that!”? I know I can’t be the only one! With the minimalist trends sweeping the fashion industry, being bombarded by classic products is inevitable. And you know I’m not complaining!

My (and the world’s) current love for triangles, leather, and metal accents inspired me to design a unique pair of earrings that you can make in… less than 10 minutes!

No, I’m not joking. With these items under your crafting belt, you’ll be able to create at least 25 different jewelry pieces.

Don’t worry if you don’t have enough storage space, since you can make these to…

1. Wear yourself. Be a fashionable lady and #ootd that goodness!
2. Gift to a friend because you guys are golden ;).
3. Add in a favor bag for a party.
4. Use to propose to your bridesmaids.
5. Again, wear yourself!

What you’ll need:

• Leather hide (gold)
• Jewelry pliers
• Jewelry findings (hooks, jump rings, etc)
• Metallic temporary tattoos
• Rotary hole punch
• Scissors
• Pencil

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Sketch the earring design you want to have on the underside of the leather hide. I love how the gold hide has the beige underside, so you can show both sides in the front like I did to display the gorgeous neutrals!

• If you want to create this two triangle dangle earring, note that the bottom of the top triangle and the top of the bottom triangle (say that ten times fast!) need to be the same length. This will make sure the jump rings align easily after you punch the holes.

Step 2: It’s time to get your tattoos on! I chose little arrows to accent the gold side. Then I added two dots to add geometric interest to the beige/gray side of the leather. Follow the instructions provided (super easy, pretty much lay it down, add water using a damp paper towel, then remove after 30 seconds)!

Step 3: Use the rotary hole punch to puncture holes in the leather. You’ll do this on…

• Top triangle: all three corners
• Bottom triangle: top two corners

Random, but don’t you think these earrings look a little like curious mice?

Pretty much, just turn the punch to the smallest hole setting, set it over a corner (not toooo close, but close enough) and clamp down on the punch until you hear a little *click*. That means it’s done!

Step 4: Get your jewelry findings and attach all the pieces together! Use the jewelry pliers where necessary to open the rings and clamp the ends shut. I’ve laid out how the earrings should look for your convenience (and also because it looks pretty awesome). For the finishing touch, just attach the hook onto the earring body and there you have it!

Step 5: Put on these bad boys and paint the town red! And if you’re taking a driving test any time soon, here’s a tip: put your hair in a ponytail (or what your hair lets you do) and don this pair. They’ll dangle to let your evaluator know you’re turning your head and catch the light glinting on the tattoos!

Yay for DIY jewlery! See you guys later! xoxo