Thursday, March 20, 2014

Perty Rhinestone Pendants

Thought I'd share an assortment of pendants I made using two-part epoxy resin clay. These are near-instant gratification projects. All you need is your favorite brand (I use Crystal Clay) and some geegaws to push into the mixture.


The focal point in the first pendant is a Peruvian clay mermaid, surrounded by vintage rhinestones.
After pushing everything into the clay, I brushed several colors of mica powders across the surface. Once the clay was dry, I wiped off the excess. For this style, it's best to take care to create a nice smooth surface.

 
In the second pendant, I created a high dome with the clay, and then carefully spaced vintage rhinestones in settings across the surface. Before the clay set up, I covered the remaining open surfaces with little gold "beads," pressing them in, and leaving them alone until the clay was completely cured.

 
Finally, here's one of my favorite looks. To create a mosaic tile effect, press black resin clay into a setting blank, to just below the edges, then press in your doodads leaving as little space as possible. This effect works best if you plan your layout before mixing the clay. You can also "grout" the piece after the first layer of resin clay dries, by pressing thin pieces in between the objects, then rubbing off the excess before the clay sets. I don't recommend grouting this pendant, however, because of all the prongs from the metal settings.
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