Murano glass wire heart earrings.

Cut a piece of wire about 8" (20cm) long. To begin use the nylon jaw pliers to completely smooth your piece of wire. Flush cut the end and make sure it is smooth. If you are working straight from a spool or coil of wire you need to add the Swarovski crystals before you start shaping the wire. Using your round nose pliers start a spiral by making a half circle at the very end of the wire then keep rotating the wire until it is about a 3/4 circle, now switch to flat nose pliers using the pliers to hold the beginning of the spiral and using your other hand to hold and coax the wire into a spiral shape. Holding the wire further away from the shape allows the wire to form the spiral more easily than holding it close. This spiral is about 2 complete rotations.

Continue to follow your pattern making the straight side. To make the V shape at the bottom of the heart hold the edge of the flat nose pliers right on the spot where you want the bend and bend the wire up against the pliers. Then place the pliers on the other side of the V to get a tighter angle. Add 7 Swarovski crystals pushing them down to the V.

Use a mandrel or thick pen to shape the top of the other side of the heart shape. For the first earring bring the tail of the wire behind the spiral and for the 2nd earring if you want a mirror image bring the tail of the wire in front of the spiral.

Using flat nose pliers hold the wire tail from the second side of the heart just under the level of the bottom of the spiral and bend the wire to the back of the pliers and completely up straight. Hold the mandrel or pen above the heart shape and take the wire over the mandrel and down again to from the top curve of the ear wire. While the ear wire is on the mandrel push the spiral side in towards the center of the heart and catch it around the other side of the heart to lock the shape together.

Shape the back of the ear wire and trim the end. Buff the wire to remove any tool marks. You can hammer the shape on a steel block with a mallet or planishing hammer or put it in a tumbler to work harden the wire.

Place the little glass heart on a headpin and make a simple loop. Thread this loop onto the spiral.