Paper Clip Flower Ring

I have some cool and funky office supplies lying around; I pick them up at office supply stores when they are on clearance. For the office supplies challenge, I rediscovered these round paper clips and realized they would make an easy, attractive ring in the shape of a flower.

Since making it, I also found it makes a great "fiddle ring" - the spinning beads are fun to play with, which can also be great for those stopping smoking. 

Step 1: Tools and Materials

This is a simple project that uses a minimum of materials and tools.

• Round/spiral paper clips. I bought mine years ago, but you can get similar ones on Amazon - like these, for example.
• Flat beads
• Needle-nose pliers, the thinner, the better

Step 2: Bend Up the Center Wire

The first step is to bend the center spiral so it is perpendicular to the outer ring. The outer ring is the part that will go on the finger. I found this to be automatically adjusting and quite comfortable. If you have thin fingers, you can squeeze to adjust it.

Step 3: Add Beads

Because of the sharp curve, I found the thinner the beads, the better. This ring uses a combination of flat glass and vermeil flower beads. Keep adding beads until the inner ring is full, with a bit of space left over.

Step 4: Bend Closed

The final step is to bend the wire so the beads won't fall off. These paper clips have tough wire, so I could only bend it this far; however, this is sufficient to keep the beads on.

You can also bend the end of inner circle so it comes closer to touching the outer circle.

Step 5: Wearability

I tend not to wear a lot of jewelry, because it can be uncomfortable, and I have sensitive skin. However, this ring is quite comfortable, and the nylon coating of the wire means my skin won't be irritated by the wire.

All in all, a simple, pretty, and quick project!