One of the side effects of being a DIY blogger is that I’m always looking for ideas for new projects. So I try to stay on top of trends, and one I came across recently that seems like it would be perfect for the holiday season is circle barrettes. Simple and elegant, it turns out that they’re also really versatile, especially if you have two.
Clockwise from top left: Express-o, Le Fashion, Celine S/S 2015, Nasty Gal (sold out)

You could buy one from Urban Outfitters, but if you already have most of the supplies, like I did, making your own is a cinch. I already had brass tubing, and a tubing cutter left over from various projects (like my himmeli gems), so if you’re thinking of doing some crafting with brass tubing for the holidays, you might as well make a couple of these. I’ve already found a couple of lovely ways to wear the two I made, and I’m guessing they’ll get plenty of use for holiday festivities.

Supplies

Brass ring, 2-inch diamater – I bought mine locally for 50 cents each, but I found some online here, here, and here.
Brass tubing, 1/8-inch diameter – I bought mine here, but I’ve seen it at Ace Hardware stores, and you can also get it on Amazon.
Tubing cutter – You can get these at any hardware store, or on Amazon.
Ruler
Marker

Steps

1. Measure and mark the brass tubing. I found that 3 1/2-inches was a good length for the 2-inch circle.
2. Cut the tubing at the spot you marked by rotating the tube cutter around the tube, tightening it, and repeating, until the tube is cut through.
3. Put in your hair. Not sure how? Grab the hair around your face and pull it back. You can just hold it with your fingers, or use a small claw clip. Put the circle around the clip. Insert the tube you just cut beneath the chunk of hair held by the clip, then take the clip out.

My hair seemed secure this way, but it’s pretty thick and textured, so if yours won’t cooperate, I found a trick to hold it. Loop a small hair tie around one end of the stick, then around the back of your hair, and around the other side of the stick. I used a black hair loop so you could see it, but if you use a clear one or one that matches your hair, it’ll be nearly invisible.