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Category Archives: Design Tips

Cool 2 Cast New E-Book and Product Review Blog Hop

07 Friday Nov 2014

Posted by Beadphoria in beading inspiration, Beading Out Of The Box, Design Tips, Giveaways, Great Resources, Jewelry Making Product Reviews, Mixed Media, Pendants

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Beadphoria, Bella Crafts Quarterly, Cool 2 Cast, Cool 2 Cast e-book, Cool 2 Cast ebook, Cool 2 Cast instructions, Craft Book Reviews, How to make your own pendants, Jewelry Book Reviews, Jewelry Making Book Reviews, Sculpey Molds, silicone molds, Suzann Sladcik Wilson

By Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Cool2Cast-cover72dpiWelcome, my creative friends! Recently, my colleagues at Bella Crafts Quarterly asked me to review their new e-book Cool 2 Cast -Tips, Techniques, and Ideas for Jewelry, Home Decor, and Embellishments.  I was also sent a sample of Cool 2 Cast to try out.

IMG_4588 Cool2Cast Jar and moldsFor those of you not familiar with Cool 2 Cast, this medium is a must try for jewelry makers. Cool 2 Cast allows you to make your own pendents and embellishments from molds or free form from texture plates or rubber stamps. It has a texture similar to plaster, but much more lightweight.

Some of the materials you will need to create Cool 2 Cast pendants.

Some of the materials you will need to create Cool 2 Cast pendants.

Since I had never used Cool 2 Cast before, I was heavily relying on the instructions in the Cool 2 Cast e-book. I am happy to tell you that the instructions were very well written with lots of photographs for the steps. The book also includes lots of inspiration with numerous projects included.

IMG_4161

Examples of large stamps, texture plates, and silicone molds you can use with Cool 2 Cast.

I decided I wanted to try my hand at making some pendants. From the book, I knew that I would need the Cool 2 Cast, silicone molds and a large sheet rubber stamp, bails, jewelry glue, some sand paper, paint and possibly a few embellishments.

IMG_4146The mold that I decided to use is a new one from Sculpey called Cabochon Shapes. I really like it. It gives you four different shapes in three different sizes. I also decided to use the clock rubber stamp from above to try a little free form molding.

IMG_4171I let my Cool 2 Cast sit for and hour and then released them from the molds. Then cleaned them up with 220 grit sand paper. As you can see, the results turned out very nice.

Cool 2 Cast Pendents by Suzann Sladcik WilsonHere are a few of the samples of the finished pendents. I decided to make the clock into something with a steampunk theme. On three of the other ones, I decided to add Swarovski embellishments, because, well, who doesn’t like a little extra bling?! The little pink one was made with pink glitter paint. I might turn that one into a ring.

If you would like to order your own copy of the Cool 2 Cast e-book to create your own custom jewelry pieces, click here. You can see a list of blogs featuring other Cool 2 Cast and find out how to win your own starter set of Cool 2 Cast by clicking here.

What would you create with Cool 2 Cast? Is there one of the pendants that I created that you like best? Let me know in the comments!

Halloween Spooky Night Polymer Clay Pendant

07 Tuesday Oct 2014

Posted by Beadphoria in beading inspiration, Beading Tutorials, Design Tips, Designer Crafts Connection, Polymer Clay

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Tags

Glow in the Dark Jewelry, Glow in the Dark Pendants, Halloween Jewelry, Halloween Necklace, Jewelry with Sculpey Clay, Polymer Clay Pendants, Sculpey Clay, Suzann Sladcik Wilson

By Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Halloween Spooky Night Necklace by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Halloween Spooky Night Necklace by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Welcome, my friends, to a special Halloween edition of the Beadphoria Blog. I have to admit that Halloween is one of my favorite times of year. We love Halloween so much that we make sure that the house is decorated for trick or treaters and enjoy handing out full size candy bars to the kids that stop by.

Today’s project will bring a delightful little bit of fright to your jewelry collection. The Spooky Night Necklace features a fun and easy to make polymer clay pendant.

Halloween Spooky Night Polymer Clay Pendant by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Halloween Spooky Night Polymer Clay Pendant by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

This pendant does hold a little secret. The cut outs of the moon and stars in the black layer of polymer clay reveal the glow in the dark layer underneath. The pendant shows it’s starry sky even in the dark! The dark purple cubes in the necklace also have a sprinkling of glow in the dark pigments in them, just to give some extra sparkle to the necklace.

To create the pendant, I used a layering technique to give the piece a three dimensional effect. Here is how I made it:

Materials for Spooky Night Pendant (Clay conditioning machine and brush for glaze not included.)

Materials for Spooky Night Pendant (Clay conditioning machine and brush for glaze not included.)

Materials:

  • 1/4 brick Sculpey Premo Clay in Black, Purple, and Silver
  • 1/4 brick Sculpey III in Glow in the Dark
  • Clay Conditioning Machine
  • Needle Clay Tool
  • Sculpey Glaze in Gloss
  • Paintbrush
  • Card Stock for Sketch
  • Jump ring
  1. Sketch your scene for your pendant. Photocopy sketch onto card stock paper and cut out.
  2. Condition your clay using the clay conditioning machine.
  3. Set the width of your clay conditioning machine to the 3rd widest setting and roll out your clay.
  4. Set your sketch on top of the Glow in the Dark clay and trace around the outside with your needle tool.
  5. Set your sketch on top of the black clay and trace around the outside with your needle tool. With the sketch still on top, trace over your makings for the moon and stars with your needle tool, so that an impression is made in the clay. Use these impression as your guide to cut out the moon and stars with the needle tool.
  6. Follow the same steps as in number 5 for your purple layer, this time tracing the trees.
  7. Cut an outline of the lower half of your pendent onto the silver clay. Use your needle tool to create a jagged edge for the grass.
  8. Place your black layer on top of your glow in the dark layer. Place your purple layer on top of the black and the silver layer on top of the purple.
  9. Use your needle tool to create a hole for your jump ring at the top of your pendant.
  10. Bake your pendant at 275 degrees for 30 minutes.
  11. Apply glaze to the top and sides of the pendent using your paintbrush. Allow to dry.
  12. Attach a jump ring to your pendant and you are ready to shine!

I hope you enjoyed learning how to make the Spooky Night pendant. Don’t forget to hop through the Designer Crafts Connection by clicking on the box on the left to see what the other designers have cooked up for this Halloween season!

Beadphoria for Designer Crafts Connection: Hope Pearl Vacation Memories Necklace

01 Monday Sep 2014

Posted by Beadphoria in beading inspiration, Beading Tutorials, Design Tips, Designer Crafts Connection, Mixed Media, Necklaces

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Tags

1 Step Looper, Beach Jewelry, Jewelry Made with 1 Step Looper, Jewlery by Suzann Sladcik Wilson, memory jewelry, mixed media jewelry, Mixed Media Pendents, Pearl Jewelry, Shell Jewelry, vacation memories

by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Hope Pearl Full Necklace

It’s time again for the Designer Crafts Connection Blog hop. Being that today is Labor Day, the theme for the month is vacation memories. One of the places that people, (myself included), love to visit on vacation is the beach. There is nothing better than soaking up a little sun and relaxing with your toes in the sand.

Many times, a favorite activity to do on the beach is to collect sea shells. But what to do with them once you get them home? You could put them in a jar, but why not turn them into a wearable memory?

Hope Pearl Necklace close upThe pendent on this necklace is easy to make. I added the word “hope” to my shell because to a pearl is created when a piece of sand irritates an oyster. That irritation is beautifully covered by the coating that becomes the pearl. It gives me hope that sometimes when things seem rough, something beautiful can come out of it.

If you don’t want to use a word, you can put the date of your vacation. Another idea is to put the location when you found the shell. Either way, you would have a wonderful memento of your time away.

Here is how you make it.

Materials:

  • 1 Shell
  • 1 Small Pearl
  • Plain Paper
  • “hope” Rubber Stamp
  • Staz On Ink Pad in new “Ganache” color
  • Decoupage Glue in Matte
  • Copper Foil
  • 1-10mm Twisted Jump Ring
  • Lead Free Solder
  • Flux
  • Quick Grip Glue
  • 30 Freshwater Pearls
  • 60 inches of 22 Gauge Silver Wire
  • 2 8mm Jump Rings
  • 1 Toggle Clasp

Tools

  • Soldering Iron
  • Flux Brush
  • Hemostats
  • Scissors
  • 1 Step Looper
  • Round Nose Pliers
  • Chain Nose Pliers
  1. Clean and dry your shell thoroughly.
  2. Wrap your shell with copper foil. Burnish the edges with your fingers or with a bone folder.
  3. Brush copper foil with flux.
  4. Using your soldering iron, apply solder to the copper foil.
  5. Attach your twisted jump ring to the top of your shell using your hemostats and a little extra solder.
  6. Glue the pearl to the inside of your shell using Quick Grip.
  7. Stamp the word “hope” onto your paper using the rubber stamp and Staz On ink. Cut word out using scissors.
  8. Glue the word “hope” to the inside of your shell using the matte Decoupage glue.
  9. Cut your 60 inches of silver wire into 2 inch sections.
  10. Place a pearl onto the middle of a 2 inch section of wire. Create a loops at both ends of your wire using your 1 Step Looper. Repeat for the rest of your 29 pearls.
  11. Using your round nose pliers, link together 15 of your pearls. Attach the bottom loop of the chain you created to the top of your pendent. Repeat process with the other 15 of your pearls.
  12. Attach the toggle clasp to the tops of your chain using your 8mm jump rings. Your necklace is now finished!

What is your favorite way of preserving your vacation memories? Let me know in the comments above!

 

 

 

Tool Box Treasure: Beadsmith 1 Step Looper

05 Tuesday Aug 2014

Posted by Beadphoria in Beading Tools, Design Tips

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

1 Step Looper, 1 Step Looper Review, Jewelry Making Tools, New Jewelry Making Tools, Suzann Sladcik Wilson

By Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Beadsmith 1-Step Looper

Beadsmith 1-Step Looper

Hi everyone! We are getting to the time of year of school starting. I used to love being able to buy all new tools and supplies for the school year. This year, I recommend treating yourself to a new tool, too! Let me introduce you to one of my new favorite pliers – the 1 Step Looper from Beadsmith.

This tool is one that will make your life so much simpler. In the past, it was difficult to have your loops look consistent. When making traditional loops, you need at least two if not three tools – cutters, round nose pliers, and possibly a ruler if you want the length of your head pins cut to exactly the same.

The 1 Step Looper replaces all three tools and gives you consistent loops every time! I have used it with great success on several projects now, including the Caribbean Blue bracelet I made in this earlier post, many pairs of earrings, and in the Loopy for Pink and Pearls set shown below. I did have a couple of loops that I had to redo – but that was mostly because I didn’t hold the bead close enough to the edge of the pliers.

Loopy for Pinks and Pearls by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Loopy for Pinks and Pearls by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

What is nice is that you can make your own custom eye pins. The 1 Step Looper works with 18 – 24 gauge wire, so it should work for most of your jewelry making needs. Each loop that is created is 1.5mm.

If you need to make bigger loops, Beadsmith has recently introduced the 1 Step Big Looper. These pliers still work with 18-24 gauge wire, but create a loop twice the size – 3mm. I have not tested the 1 Step Big Looper, but I am pretty sure it will give the same fantastic results.

To be able to get your own pair of 1 Step Loopers check with the following sites:

Art Beads

Amazon

Beadaholique

Jo-Ann’s

Rings n’ Things

Here is a You Tube video if you would like to find out more.

Do you have a tool that you love right now? Let me know in the comments!

 

Designer Crafts Connection: Jewelry Trends-Pastels and Petals

07 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by Beadphoria in beading inspiration, Design Tips, Earrings, Jewelry Trends, Necklaces

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

April Showers brings May Flowers, Designer Craft Connection, Designer Crafts Connection, Jewelry Trends, Jewelry with flowers, Pastel Jewelry, Spring Jewelry, Suzann Sladcik Wilson

By Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Pastel Petals by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Pastel Petals Set by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Welcome to the Beadphoria Blog! Today’s theme for the Designer Crafts Connection is “April Showers brings May Flowers”. This gives me the perfect opportunity to let you in on two strong trends in jewelry making right now – pastel colors and flower motifs.

Spring is finally starting to make an appearance, so along with that, we are starting to see spring colors in jewelry. Pastels are a perfect way to add a touch of the season to your wardrobe. Here are some stones and crystal colors you can consider using in your designs.

  • Pearls – Freshwater and glass pearls often come in pastel tones, including pinks, blues, and yellows.
  • Swarovski Crystals – Pink:Rosewater Opal, Rose Alabaster, Rosaline; Purple:Light Amethyst, Violet Opal, Violet; Blue:Light Sapphire, Air Blue Opal, Light Azore; Green:Mint Alabaster,Chrysolite,Peridot; Yellow:Jonquil; Peach: Silk, Light Peach
  • Gemstones – Pink: Rhondonite, Rose Quartz, Tourmaline; Purple: Light Amethyst, Fluorite; Blue:Aquamarine, Blue Lace Agate, Larimar, Blue Topaz, Chrysoprase; Green:New Jade,Peridot, Fancy Jasper; Yellow: Citrine, Aragonite

For my design, I used 6mm mint opal Czech glass beads, 8mm pink freshwater pearls, and 10mm faceted round Aquamarine beads. The silver beads give a nice separation to the colors and a little extra shine. I added the pink organza ribbon to bring a some softness to the necklace.

Are you ready to jump on trend bandwagon and start designing with pastels and flowers? Let me know in the comments below!

If you want to see more designs inspired by this months “April Showers brings May Flowers”, click on the Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop Button on the left hand side of this post.

Here’s hoping you have a happy spring!

 

 

Passion for Love Necklace using Jewelry Attitude

29 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by Beadphoria in beading inspiration, Design Tips, Great Resources, Jewelry Making Product Reviews, Mixed Media, Necklaces, Pendants

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Tags

Craft Attitude, DIY Jewelry, image transfer for jewelry, Jewelry Attitude, Necklace Designs, polymer clay, Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Valentine's Day Jewelry

By Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Passion for Love Necklace by Suzann Sladcik Wilson using Jewelry Attitude

Passion for Love Necklace by Suzann Sladcik Wilson using Jewelry Attitude

I admit it. This Valentine’s Day I think I have a new love. It’s name is Jewelry Attitude. This printable jewelry film makes creating your own custom images for jewelry so simple. Unlike other image transfer techniques for jewelry, you can use an inkjet printer. This is a bonus for those of us that don’t have a laser printer.

Jewelry Attitude Printable Jewelry FilmWhen I was designing the “Passion for Love” necklace, I knew I wanted something with a vintage feel. By using Jewelry Attitude by Craft Attitude, I was able to create custom pieces that really express that. Applying Jewelry Attitude onto polymer clay was pretty much effortless. You can use it on a wide variety of surfaces including resin, stone, metal, wood, fabric, and well, just about any thing else you would want to transfer an image onto!

Scroll down to find out the steps on how easy it was to create the Passion for Love necklace using Jewelry Attitude.

Materials to make custom jewelry pieces using Jewelry Attitude

Some of the materials to make custom jewelry pieces using Jewelry Attitude

Materials for Custom Jewelry Pieces:

  • Jewelry Attitude jewelry film
  • Computer
  • Printer
  • Pasta Machine for Polymer Clay
  • Sculpty Premo Polymer Clay in Frost White Glitter
  • Scissors
  • Clay cutting tool
  • Heart shaped cookie cutter
  • Oval Template
  • Fine tipped permanent marker
  • Extra Strength glue stick

Materials for Necklace:

  • Custom Jewelry Pieces made with Jewelry Attitude
  • Gold Beading Wire
  • 8 gold 2×2 crimp tubes
  • 1 gold rose toggle clasp
  • 1 gold head pin
  • 12 gold 3mm spheres
  • 6 salmon colored crystal rondelles
  • 5 vintage rose beads
  • 28 light pink freshwater pearls
  • Crimping Pliers
  • Wire cutters
  • Round Nose pliers

How To:

Use a pasta machine dedicated only to polymer clay.

Use a pasta machine dedicated only to polymer clay.

1. Soften your polymer clay using a pasta machine and roll out your clay on the thickest setting.

Shapes cut from polymer clay.

Shapes cut from polymer clay.

2. Cut your shapes using heart shaped cookie cutter and the oval template. Place holes in your shapes using either your clay cutting tool or a toothpick.

3. Bake your pieces for 30 minutes at 275 degrees.

4. Open a new document in your word processing software. Paste a flower image onto your document. Copy the image so you have three flower images. Make two of the images 1.5 times larger than the original.

5. Write the word “Passion” over the smaller image and “Je t’aime” onto the larger image.

Sheet of Jewelry Attitude film

Sheet of Jewelry Attitude film

6. When printing your image remember these two things:

  1. Print onto the shiny side of the Jewelry Attitude
  2. Set your printer so that the images are reversed.

7. Let the printed images dry.

Trace your cookie cutter and oval template onto the Jewelry Attitude film.

Trace your cookie cutter and oval template onto the Jewelry Attitude film.

8. Trace your heart and oval shapes onto the Jewelry attitude film.

Cut shapes from the Jewelry Attitude film.

Cut shapes from the Jewelry Attitude film.

9. Cut out your shapes from the Jewelry Attitude film.

Polymer clay pieces covered in Jewelry Attitude.

Polymer clay pieces covered in Jewelry Attitude.

10. Apply glue to your polymer clay pieces. Remove the paper backing from the Jewelry Attitude film and apply it to your polymer clay pieces. Use your clay cutting tool or a toothpick to pierce the film where the holes are.

11. String and crimp a small section of beading wire through the top left hand hole of your heart. Place one gold sphere, one rose bead, and one gold sphere onto the wire.Crimp the end of your wire to the bottom hole of one of the oval components.

12. String and crimp and longer section of beading wire to the oval piece that you connected to the heart. String on one crystal rondelle, three pearls, a crystal rondelle, one gold sphere, one rose bead, one gold sphere, and crystal rondelle, 11 pearls, and one gold sphere. Attach one half of clasp and crimp.

13. Repeat steps 11 and 12 on the right hand side of your necklace.

14. Onto a headpin, place one gold bead, one rose, and one gold bead. Make a loop with your round nose pliers at the top of your headpin. Thread the bottom hole of the heart through the loop. Wire wrap the loop closed. Cut off any excess wire with wire cutters.

Make sure you hop around and see all the other great projects made for Valentine’s Day using Craft Attitude.

ValentinesBlogHop
Monday Jan. 27 – Gloria Uhler
Tuesday Jan. 28 – Wendy Crafts
Wednesday Jan. 29 – Candie Cooper
Thursday Jan. 30 – Suzann Sladcik Wilson
Tuesday Feb. 4 – Jonathan Fong
Wednesday Feb. 5 – Marjie Kemper
Thursday Feb. 6 – Anita Houston
Friday Feb. 7 – Trudi Sissons

Beadphoria for Designer Crafts Connection: Something New – Bezel Effects from ImpressArt

06 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by Beadphoria in beading inspiration, Design Tips, Jewelry Making Product Reviews, Mixed Media, Necklaces, Pendants, Reviews, Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Beadphoria, Bezel, Bezel Effects, Bezel Effects Kit, Bezel Effects Product Reviews, DIY pendants, ICE Resin, ImpressArt, Jewelry Product Reviews, Make Your Own Pendants, Suzann Sladcik Wilson, Theresa Cifali

By Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Golden Blossom Necklace by Suzann Sladcik Wilson using Bezel Effects by ImpressArt

Golden Blossom Necklace by Suzann Sladcik Wilson using Bezel Effects by ImpressArt

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope this new year brings you lots of new and exciting things. A something new and exciting I would like to share with you this month is Bezel Effects by ImpressArt.

Bezel Effects Kit

Bezel Effects Kit

When my fellow designer, Theresa Cifali, asked me if I wanted to try out the new Bezel Effects kits, I jumped at the chance. I looked forward to trying a technique completely new to the jewelry making world.

Inside of the Bezel Effects Kit

Inside of the Bezel Effects Kit

A big plus I noticed when I opened the Bezel Effects kit is that the instructions are printed on the inside flap of the kit. No losing the pesky instruction sheet here! Also, there are samples of what the effects look like when dried.

Bezel Effect Kit Components

Bezel Effect Kit Components

The Bezel Effects Kit contained everything I needed to complete 4 projects:

  • 3 Paints – 1 in the moon effect and two in the Prisme effect
  • 3 pipettes to drop the paint into the bezels
  • 1 package of Ice Resin by Susan Lenart Kazmer
  • Measuring cup and wooden stir sticks for the Ice Resin
  • 3 gold bezels
  • 1 pair of silver earrings
IMG_2418

Bezel Effects Pendants by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

I tried a little experimenting when I made my pendants. One thing I learned is the paints have a mind of their own. Where you drop you paint may not be where it stays, but that is what makes the effects turn out so cool. For the pendant in the center of the photograph above, I tried to place the paints in three separate stripes. As you can see, the paints ended up shifting. I still like how the end result turned out.

The paints take 24 hours to dry and then 6-12 hours for the resin on top to cure. You also want to make sure that your projects are somewhere that they are safe from being disturbed during the two drying times.

There is a wide variety of colors in each of the Bezel Effects, which makes customizing your pendant easy. The Bezel Effect web site (http://www.impressart.com/bezel-effects/) also has bezels, Ice Resin, and project inspiration available.

That is my “something new” for the New Year. What new thing will you be trying this year? Don’t forget to hop through using the Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop and see what favorite and new techniques everyone else is doing.

Wishing you all a year filled with joy, good health, prosperity, creativity, success, and lots of friendship!

Beadphoria for Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop: Wicked Hard Rockin’ Men’s Necklace

07 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by Beadphoria in beading inspiration, Beading Tutorials, Design Tips, Necklaces, Projects

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

3mm Swarovski Crystal Flatbacks in Light Siam, Beacon's Quick Grip, Beadphoria, Crystal Katana, Designer Crafts Connection, DIY Jewelry, Halloween Jewelry, Halloween Necklace, Men's Halloween Jewelry, Men's Jewelry, Skull Jewelry, Suzann Sladcik Wilson

By Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Welcome to another It’s coming upon one of my favorite times of year – Halloween! It’s the perfect time to dress up and sometimes show a little bit of your darker side. Today’s men’s jewelry necklace is the perfect way to do just that during Halloween or any time of year.

Wicked Hard Rockin' Men's Jewelry Halloween Neckace

Wicked Hard Rockin’ Men’s Jewelry Halloween Necklace by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

This necklace was originally commissioned by a high school friend of mine, Mike Bertrand. Mike wanted a necklace that would complement a skull ring that he owns. Men’s jewelry is something that I don’t get to do that often, so I gladly took up the challenge.

Mike's Skull Ring

Mike’s Skull Ring

Mike is a big guy who works security for a living, so I knew the piece had to be substantial. For the center piece of the necklace, I used an actual ball bearing that I picked up at American Science and Surplus and attached it using a large jump ring. (side note: American Science and Surplus is a fantastic resource, especially if you are looking for things that are out of the ordinary for Halloween or year round. The item descriptions are a hoot and always good for a laugh.)

Materials to make red eyed skull beads in the Wicked Hard Rockin' Men's Jewelry Necklace.

Materials to make red eyed skull beads in the Wicked Hard Rockin’ Men’s Jewelry Necklace.

To truly match Mike’s ring, I had to customize the skull beads that I found. By using 3mm Swarovski Crystal Flatbacks in light Siam and setting them in the eye sockets of the skulls, it almost seemed the eyes were glowing! The Crystal Katana made it a breeze to pick up and place the Swarovski Flatbacks, while Beacon’s Quick Grip made sure the Swarovski Flatbacks stayed where I wanted them to.

I am happy to say that Mike was very pleased with his necklace and wore it right away.

Are you planning to make jewelry this Halloween? Please share in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by, and don’t forget to hop along to the other designers by clicking on the box on the left to scare up some spooky ideas for the season!

Etchall Blog Hop – Seeing Stars 4th of July Necklace

15 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by Beadphoria in beading inspiration, Beading Out Of The Box, Beading Tutorials, Design Tips, Great Resources, Jewelry Making Product Reviews, Mixed Media, Necklaces, Pendants, Projects, Reviews, Soldering

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Etchall, Etched Jewelry, How to etch glass, jewelry for 4th of July, patriotic jewelry, Soldered Glass Pendents, Suzann Sladcik Wilson

By Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Seeing Stars 4th of July Necklace

Seeing Stars 4th of July Necklace by Suzann Sladcik Wilson. Etchall etching cream was used to create the stars on the glass of the pendent.

For months now, I have wanted to take my soldering in a new direction. I wanted to try etching the glass, but was afraid of the harsh chemicals that I thought you needed to create the designs. Little did I know until this month’s DCC blog hop that there was an answer to my fears in the form of Etchall! Etchall etching cream does not contain the hazardous acids that many other etching cream do. This also means there are no noxious fumes. Etchall cream can also be used over and over again, which is not the case for its competitors. Check out this tutorial to see how easy it is to use Etchall to make an impression on the glass you use for soldering.

Supplies to make Etchall pendant

With just a few supplies, you can make your own custom pendent

You will need the following:

  • Etchall Etching Cream
  • Etchall Etchmask
  • Etchall Squeegee
  • Two glass slides
  • Scissors
  • Star Paper Punch

Instructions:

1. Lay one glass slide onto the back of the Etchall Etchmask and cut a piece of the mask slightly larger than your glass slide.

Making Mask for Etchall Pendant

Glass slide with star mask waiting to be etched.

2. Using your punch, cut out star shapes in your mask. This will create your stencil.

3. Once you have punched out the stars for your stencil, carefully pull the backing off and press onto the glass slide. Rub the squeegee over the stencil to make sure all areas are laying flat against the glass.

Etchall applied to glass

Patiently waiting while Etchall does its thing!

4. Pour cream along long edge and spread with your squeegee, covering all exposed areas. Wait 15 minutes.

5. After the 15 minutes are up, use your squeegee to return unused portion of cream back into the bottle.

6. Rinse well underwater to remove remaining cream. Remove stencil from glass under running warm water.

Finished etched glass

Glass slide with etched stars.

7. Your stars are now permanently etched onto your glass!

Foil Around Pendant

Etched glass with scrapbook paper, another slide for the back, and copper foil tape.

8. Cut out a piece of scrapbook paper of your choosing to fit between the pieces of glass. Wrap with copper foil tape.

Seeing Stars Soldered Pendent made with Etchall by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Finished Seeing Stars soldered pendent by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

 9. Finish your pendent by soldering around the copper foil and adding a jump ring.

Beadphoria for Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop: Window Into My Heart Polymer Clay Pendent

04 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by Beadphoria in beading inspiration, Beading Tutorials, Design Tips, Mixed Media, Pendants

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop, polymer clay, Suzann Sladcik Wilson, valentine s day, Valentine's Day Jewelry

By Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Window Into My Heart Polymer Clay Pendent by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Window Into My Heart Polymer Clay Pendent by Suzann Sladcik Wilson

Welcome, my creative friends, to this month’s Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop! This month we are feelin’ the love with Valentine’s Day themed projects. Today we are bringing you a project that is sure to warm the heart of anyone that receives it.

Our “Window Into My Heart” Polymer Clay Pendent is quick to make and beautiful to wear. Here are the materials you will need to make it:

Materials:

  • Black Jump Ring
  • Stayz-On Ink in Black
  • 1″ x 1″ glass square
  • Stamp for inside heart
  • Polymer Clay  – Premo Accents in Red Glitter
  • Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter – for polymer clay use only!
  • Pottery knife or blade
  • Clay Conditioner or Pasta Machine for Polymer Clay use only!
  • Oven for Baking Polymer Clay

Project Alternative: You can personalize the glass with a special date or name using permanent markers.

For more inspiration to expand your creativity the Valentine’s Day, make sure to click on the Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop button on the left hand side. Thank you for stopping by, and we wish you a Valentine’s day filled with joy and love!

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BeadStyle November 2010
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Four Seasons of Beading
by Barb Switzer
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Bead Trends, May 2009
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Simply Beads, August 2008
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Simply Beads, June 2008

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