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T-Bar Jewelry Display

by Mariel.
(San Antonio, TX)

This T-bar bracelet display is made out of very inexpensive materials, and you can make it in an hour (including the time needed for glue to dry).

Materials:

one cardboard roll from paper towels

one cardboard roll from toilet tissue

craft paper

scissors

glue.

How to Make the T-bar Jewelry Display:

Cut enough craft paper to cover both the paper towel roll and the toilet tissue roll (two separate pieces of paper).

Cut two semilunar (crescent-shaped) slots on one end of the toilet tissue roll, so the other roll fits snugly in it.

Cover both rolls with the paper making sure to only put glue on the edge of the paper and not in the middle. If you do it will show where you put glue on.

Put glue along both slots on the end of the toilet tissue roll, and place the paper towel roll centered across them.

Let the T-bar stand for about fifteen minutes to let the glue dry.

While you wait cut three squares big enough to cover the holes at the ends of the cardboard rolls.

Whenever ready (glue settled) apply glue on the rim of one of the holes and place it on top of one of the squares you just cut.

This will make a seal, and later you will be able to trim it into a round shape, covering the hole perfectly. Cover one hole at a time this way.

The bad thing about this design is that it is not stable enough to put just one bracelet on it, so when using it you will have to play a little with balancing the weight of the bracelets on each side of the bar to prevent it from tipping.

Mariel

Comments:

Fabulous Eco-Friendly Display Idea
by: Rena

What a great way to recycle something and create an inexpensive bracelet display at the same time!

I also like that we could make this match our other displays simply by using a different color of paper or even spray paint.

Thank you so much for sharing your neat idea here, Mariel – I love it.

Bring On The Bracelets

by: Willie Mae

What a fantastic idea! I have to try this for my next show. I’m so happy that I got in on this good information coming through!

T-Bar Jewelry Display — great!
by: Willie Mae

I love making things also like you. I wonder if it could be made to hang also?

T-Bar
by: Willie Mae

Mariel’s design is great! Now my mind is ticking . . . balance. Have you tried making a flat base for it from a block of nice wood or maybe even a box that you can decorate the outside with pretty wrapping, place the base down in the box and fill the box with those pretty decorative and colorful pebbles you see at the dollar store that come in different colors? I think I’m gonna try this with my first bracelet display. Hey Mariel, if you decide to try this additional step and do it before I get to it, post again and let me know how it worked.

Adding some weight to the display
by: Rena

Hey, what about filling a small ziplock baggie with sand and placing it inside the toilet tissue roll before gluing it to its base?

The sand’s weight would add stability, and the baggie would keep the sand from traveling into the rest of the display – or other unwanted places!

Great thoughts here, Mariel, Paula, and Willie Mae!

Looking forward to seeing / hearing about how yours turns out, Willie Mae.

Thank You
by: Mariel

I would like to thank you all for the great comments. To Paula, I do agree about what you say, but for someone like me that can not afford “real” displays this is a pretty good idea. And about the balancing issue, well I fixed mine by cutting a toilet tissue roll in half and gluing it at the base. It actually gave me very good stability, but definately a piece of wood might work way better because of its weight. Again, thank you very much for all your comments. People like you are who empower people like me to keep trying. Thanks

make it more dent proof
by: Anonymous

You could also coat this with several coats of ModPodge decoupage medium…it creates a harder shell like surface so it would make it less prone to getting dented too quickly.

kicking it up a bit
by: Teresa

I think the sand in the baggie is a great idea for stabilizing this. I also like the mod podge idea. When applying the mod podge, use some tissue paper or gift wrap and glue it on as your first layer and then follow up with more coats of the mod podge. You could use white household glue and water it down slightly too. It will work just as well. You will end up with a beautiful and unique display!

Stability
by: Anonymous

Or even stuffing the horizontal tube with tissue paper would help prevent dents and make it a bit sturdier…

weight
by: Rose

Instead of sand in a bag, you might consider rice or beans. It would be less messy if by chance the bag would break

Plaster Fill
by: Swedie

You could line the cardboard tube with plastic wrap (so the moisture doesn’t soak through) and fill it with Plaster of Paris for weight.

Adding durability
by: Cheryl Feyen

Good ideas to add weight to the base. To add durability to the long roll, possibly fill the tube with ‘Stuff’ the spray insulation foam. When it dries it becomes quite stiff. You just have to keep pressure on the ends of the tube until it does dry or wait until it dries and cut down the ends where it oozes out and then cover the tube with your paper.

Use Plastic Wrap Rolls
by: Anonymous

Instead of paper towel and toilet paper rolls, try using plastic wrap rolls. They are way thicker and don’t dent in. I bought several at Dollar Tree and the rolls were white.

Question
by: Anonymous

Has anyone tried using a Pringle’s can? It seems it’s stronger but is it too big around?

Heavier T-bar idea
by: Sharon Solly

I have made a couple of these myself. I used old small mailing tubes I had in the house ( tend to save things like that – can use them for something right? )
I used one that was about 2 1/2 ” around for the T bar , then used scrap wood for the base and for the vertical support bar. Used screws in the wood base to hold it together well.
For the T Bar – I cut a hole that was a little smaller than the support bar so that it fit really tightly. Used alot of hot glue inside the tube around the bar sticking into it.

Once it was built…I covered the T Bar with black velveteen fabric using glue/ hot glue. Covered two round pieces of cardboard to fit over the open ends with the velveteen and glued in place – no open ends!

Looks fab!
HTH!