In November I decided it was time for me to update my space at the West James Gallery in Columbus where my mom, sometimes my uncle, and I sell a variety of arts and crafts. I added some framed photography and a variety of new jewelry. I've been trying some new techniques and came up with a couple different styles of necklaces and bracelets. These necklaces I've been having fun working on the past couple weeks and I love how they turned out. The cool thing is that there are so many different ways you can work with the bezels, filling them with any variety of materials. My first try I cut out images from a magazine but when I added the clear resin the colors were dulled and the text from the opposite side came through, all in all it did not turn out so good. I tried some different things but so far this is my favorite. I wanted something bright with rich color. One day I picked up a new nail polish, a deep sparkly blue, and the thought just struck me. It was exactly what I wanted. 
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I started by doing a test to make sure that the nail polish would work with the bezels and the clear epoxy I bought to fill the bezel. I used a material called Glossy Accents but there are many options you can use. If you want to be professional about it use an actual resin, but it can be quite difficult to work with. Other alternatives would be something called Diamond Glaze or DG3 Art Gel. I couldn't find these at the craft store I went to but the Glossy Accents has worked great so far. It basically seals in whatever material you put in your bezel and gives you a hard glossy finish. I put in two thin layers of nail polish in the bottom of the bezel and let it dry. I left them sit for a couple days until the nail polish smell went away and then put in a layer of the Glossy Accents. Be careful to look for bubbles so you don't end up having them in your final piece. You can use a pin or toothpick to pull the bubble to the side and pop it. Let it dry on a flat surface for 24-48 hours. After that you can add your pendant to a chain or make your own like the one above.  |
