C'est La Vie Necklace

This necklace features an envelope locket with the message C’est La Vie (That’s life!) stamped on the letter inside. To customize this for Mom, think about replacing the letter with a tiny picture of you as a baby, or of all her children. If your favorite ‘Mom’ doesn’t have human children, a tiny picture of her furry family would be treasured.

Flat-nosed pliers, instead of the usual chain-nosed, will help you to open and close sturdy jump rings without marking the surface of the metal. Use two pairs-one in each hand-and grip the jump rings firmly but not too tight.

Finished length: 18 inches

Ingredients
- 2 antique brass large filigree circles, 44 mm
- 2 antique brass flat filigree flowers, 28 mm
- 1 antique brass large envelope charm
- 19 inches of antique brass extender chain, cut into 2-3 inch sections and 2-6.5 inch sections
- 1 vintage beaded double posey
- 3 vintage beaded leaves
- 7 swarovski rhinestone beads, 8 mm
- 1 glass pearl bead, 8 mm
- 1 faceted glass bead, 8 mm
- 3 antique brass thick head pins, 1 inch
- 15 antique brass extra thick jump rings, 7 mm
- 6 inches brass wire, 20 gauge
- 1 antique brass square jump ring
- 1 antique brass spring ring clasp, 12 mm

Tools
- round nose pliers
- 2 flat nose pliers
- chain nose pliers
- wire cutter

Using your hands, bend the petals on the vintage posey upward and together as shown. Thread the posey stem wire through the front of one of the flat filigree flowers and use this wire to stitch the flower onto the filigree by passing the wire through the filigree several times. When flower is secure, coil the remaining stem wire and push it flat against the back of the filigree. Set aside filigree flower.

Use the same method to attach the three vintage beaded leaves to one side of the large filigree circle. Cluster the leaves so they overlap and secure them with their wire stems. At the base of the leaf cluster thread a head pin from the back of the flower upward through the surface. Place the pearl bead onto the head pin. Using the round-nose pliers grip the end of the head pin and curl it toward the bead until the bead is secure. This will produce a coiled, stem-like twist on the top of the bead. Repeat with on rhinestone bead and the faceted glass bead. Set aside filigree circle.

Using your round-nose pliers and wire cutters create looped beads from the remaining rhinestone beads and the 20 gauge wire. Set aside.

Using your flat-nosed pliers open the square jump ring. Thread the end links of both 6.5 inch pieces of chain onto the jump ring and close securely. Using your flat-nosed pliers open an extra thick jump ring and thread it through the other ends of both 6.5 inch chain sections. Add a looped rhinestone bead before closing the jump ring.

Stack both the beaded flat filigree flower and the un-beaded one. Using your flat-nosed pliers open a jump ring and thread the ring through the loop on the rhinestone bead and then through BOTH of the filigree flowers. Close the jump ring securely. Repeat this with and additional jump ring on the opposite side of the flower just slightly above center. This odd alignment will help the necklace to hang straight.

Using your flat-nosed pliers open a jump ring. Stack both the beaded filigree circle and the un-beaded one. With the beaded leaves in the position shown, thread an open jump ring through both filigree circles at a point slightly above the middle on the left-hand side. Close the jump ring securely. Attach the filigree flower to the filigree circle with an additional jump ring as shown.

Using the same jump ring technique connect the right-hand side of the filigree circle to the left-hand side of the envelope charm as shown.

Using your flat-nosed pliers open a jump ring and attach it to the right-hand side of the envelope charm and to a looped rhinestone bead. Close jump ring securely and continue to attach rhinestone beads with jump rings until you have created a five-bead strand. At the end of the five bead strand use a jump ring to attach both 3-inch chain strands.

Using your flat nosed pliers open the remaining jump ring and thread it through both 3-inch lengths of chain and then through the loop on the clasp. Close securely.