​Flying Reindeer Pearl Charm / Pendant "Balloon Animal"

Flying Reindeer Charm / Pendant "Balloon Animal"

This flying reindeer can be used as a statement pendant on a necklace, doubled to create earrings, or times by 9 to create all of Santa's reindeer! 

Materials Needed:

• Miyuki Size 11#D4202 Galvanized Gold (4)
• Amoracast Vermeille Antler Cap (1)
• Gold Craft Wire 28 Gauge (12 inches)
• Swarovski Crystal 3mm Bicone Light Siam (1)
• Freshwater Pearls 4-5x6mm White Rice (11) Or Rice Pearls of your choosing - we also have a similar size sold in a strand here
• 14K Gold Filled 3mm 22 Gauge Jump Ring (1) or Gold Plated
• 14K Gold Filled 3mm Bead (1)

Tools Required:

Needle Nose Pliers (also known as chain nose)

Flat Nose Pliers

Round Nose Pliers

Wire Cutters

Bead Mat

Instructions on Construction:

1. Cut about 12 inches of 28 gauge wire

2. Thread on 2 pearl beads

3. Bring them to about the middle of the wire

4. Thread a gold seed bead, then while holding the two pearls at the middle of the wire, take the wire and thread it through the two pearl beads - not through the seed bead.

5. Pull the wire tight and it will look like this. One of the legs are now done!

6. Thread the 3mm gold filled bead on the right wire as shown above

7. On that same wire, thread on 2 pearl beads and 1 gold seed bead

8. Thread the wire through the 2 pearl beads, skipping the gold seed bead

9. Your project will look like this, then pull tight!

10. Now the back legs are done, it is a good time to bend them parallel so they don't stick outwards once the wire is tightened in the next few steps

11.Bend the legs at a 90 degree angle and thread on a pearl bead through both loose wires

12. Take the right wire and thread on 2 pearl beads and 1 gold seed bead. As before, thread the wire back though the pearl beads and not the seed bead

13. Pull tight but bend the leg down so it is not sticking out too forward

14. Repeat steps 12-13 with the left wire

15. Bend the front legs to be parallel to each other

16. Thread on a pearl bead through both wires

17. Bend one wire back - this wire will wrap around the other wire

18. Wrap the wire about 7-8 times to create and strengthen the neck

19. Cut excess wire

20. Thread on the antler caps like this - antlers towards the body

21. Thread on your last pearl bead - I kept the most tapered pearl to use for the reindeer's head

22. Add a swarovski crystal then thread the wire back through the pearl bead and the antler cap - not the swarovski crystal

23. Pull the wire tight and very gently flatten the wire around the swarovski crystal

24. Bend your wire at a 90 degree angle to start creating your wrapped loop *Now wrapping a loop with the antlers in the way will be difficult, so it is okay to just do a simple loop here!

25. Bend wire over round nose pliers to start your loop

26. Bring wire around pliers to complete the circle

27. Wrap the wire to finish the loop

28. Thread your jump ring through the loop and close with pliers

29. Done! You can play with the positioning of the legs and head of the reindeer to match the look you're going for!