Use pliers to cut your dowel to 6 in. / 15 cm in length. Sharpen one end using a pencil sharpener; don’t make it too sharp – remember, this is going to be in your hair. Paint if desired.

Make a paper template of the leather part of your hair stick barrette. You can use any shape you wish; ovals and rectangles work best. The size should be somewhere between 2 ½ and 3 ½ in. / 6.5 and 9 cm., depending on your hair type. Be sure to test out your paper template to make sure there’s enough room between the paper and the dowel for all your hair.

When you’ve found a shape and size you like, trace it onto leather using your pencil to emboss the outline.

Paint your designs directly onto the leather using leather paint. For best results, apply several thin coats rather than a few thick ones. Use one or more colors and get creative with the pattern. Dashes, grids, and squiggles all look great, or add a name or initial for a more customized version. When your design is dry, apply a coat of clear leather paint to seal pattern in place.

Use scissors to cut around your embossed outline. Next, use a hole punch to punch holes on both sides of the leather for your dowel. All done!