Check It Out:

Kids can learn about jewelry and how to make their own with jewelry craft books offered at the Newport Beach Public Library.

As with most craft books, these cover the equipment and materials necessary to make jewelry, along with some safety tips.

Kids will discover the joy of creating and wearing jewelry that is uniquely theirs with the help of some of these titles.

“Jewelry Crafts” by Barrie Caldecott gives kids instructions on all sorts of make-it-yourself jewelry projects, including one you can’t wear — a decorated Faberge-style egg.

Projects that are made to be worn include a foam bangle, plastic bracelet and necklace, and an ornamental glass stone ring.

“Junk Drawer Jewelry” by Rachel Di Salle and Ellen Warwick illustrates how to make nifty jewelry from things one might find around the house.

With all the interest in recycling these days, why not take some of that accumulated household clutter and make fun jewelry out of it?

Crafts include a guitar pick necklace, origami earrings, bathtub-chain anklet and duct tape wristband.

“Jewelry” by Meryl Doney illustrates different types of jewelry from all over the world.

It briefly describes and gives instructions on how to make jewelry from many different cultures.

Some of the sample crafts include a Papua New Guinea seashore necklace, Chinese hair ornaments, Italian trading beads and a Native American dream catcher.

This book also has a section on the history of jewelry and a glossary.

“Totally Beads” by Sonal Bhatt shows kids how to make all kinds of terrific beaded necklaces, bracelets and hair doodads.

This is an in-depth book covering lots of different beads and beading styles. Instructions are laid out clearly for such crafts as necklaces with beaded loops, or beaded flowers, or a hanging icicle effect.

One can also make a pretty waves-and-pearls matching anklet and bracelet set. Hair ornaments include beaded barrettes with a neat twisting effect, and butterfly or dragonfly bobby pins.

The possibilities for neat handcrafted jewelry are endless with the techniques presented in this book.

“Beading” by Thiranut Boonyadhistarn also covers beaded jewelry and hair ornaments, and includes a section on how to make your own beads from polymer clay.

Designs include a beaded safety-pin bracelet, bag charms and charm bracelet. Other items of interest in this book are a color wheel and metric conversion chart; also, tips on storage of beads and techniques for working with them.

“The Art of Native American Turquoise Jewelry” by Ann Stalcup describes turquoise and some of the ways it is used by Native Americans to make jewelry and other things.

There’s a craft project as well, but this book is more about the beautiful and creative ways that some Native American tribes use turquoise and silver.

With the ideas in the books available at the Newport Beach Public Library to choose from, kids can have hours of creative fun making unique jewelry for themselves, to match with friends, or to give as gifts.

CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public Library. All titles may be reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at www.newportbeachlibrary.org . For more information on the Central Library or any of the branches, please contact the Newport Beach Public Library at (949) 717-3800, option 2.