More Glass Tile Pendants!

I made more really easy pendants!

To make a pendant like these, you need one of Sakura's glass tiles and matching bezel cup, Crystal Lacquer and an image that fits the tile.

The glass tiles are available in rectangular, square and circular shapes.

There are bezel cups to match.  There are also bails you can glue right onto the glass tiles. 

I made two pendants.  They both use scrapbook paper.  One is heavy cardstock paper from Graphic 45.  The other is thin paper from Sandylion.  They both worked well!


You could use almost any paper, and I think fabric would work fine, too.  I think this would be great with a map featuring your hometown or some of your favorite text. 
I sealed the images with Mod Podge.

You could trace the shape of the glass tile onto your paper and cut the paper to fit, but it’s really easy to just adhere the glass tile to the paper with Crystal Lacquer and then trim it when it starts to set up.  Crystal Lacquer comes in a bottle with a small dispenser tip that is perfect for squeezing out small amounts.  I lightly coated the back of my glass tiles with Crystal Lacquer.  I didn’t spread the Crystal Lacquer all the way to the edges of the tiles, because it sort of gets squished out when you put it down on the paper.  After coating the tiles, I placed them where I wanted them on the paper.  The tile wants to slide around on the Crystal Lacquer, so you’ll want to hold it in place for a moment while it settles.

Once the Crystal Lacquer started to set up, I trimmed the paper with scissors.

Then I coated the back of the paper lightly with Crystal Lacquer and set the tiles down into the bezel cups.  I used a wet paper towel to wipe away a little Crystal Lacquer that got squished out.

And that was it!  All I had to do then was put the pendants on chains.  Sakura offers ball chain in several finishes.  I added a brass chain for the brass finish bezel cup.

I live in a really dry place, and I could make these in the morning to wear the same evening, but in other places, you’ll want to let the Crystal Lacquer dry for at least a day or so.

Just think!  You can make this pendant with absolutely any image you want!  I hope you will try it.  Now is the perfect time, because for the month of July, you can get 20% off your total purchase from Sakura by entering coupon code Summer07 at checkout!

Lacquer Swirl Tile Necklace

Playing with 3D Crystal Lacquer and clear surfaces is way fun!!!  It is abstract, surreal, and wonderful patterns can be made.

July's Coupon Code:
Summer07
20% off your order with the above code!!!

The tile I used is round with a hole so you can make it into a necklace.  The 3D Crystal Lacquer is on the back and my homemade graphic artwork is on the front.

Take the tile and turn it over to the flat side - that is the back.

I used 3D Crystal Lacquer in the Metallic colors.  I ran medium lines of color alternating from gold to blue, filling the back of the tile.

Using a toothpick, I swirled the colors together.  I like the free-form look that was created.

For more control, you can marbelize the colors by pulling the toothpick down in a line from top to bottom of tile, repeating moving to the right until there are blended lines all the way across.

There are lots of plastic or rubber blending tools for this, but since this is such a small surface, the toothpick works well.

Lastly, I added a pearl Mica Flakes.  Sakura Hobby  has all sorts of add-ins.

Let this all dry.  When dried, add a layer of clear 3D Crystal Lacquer to seal it all together.  You can wear this necklace on either side!  See how pretty the lacquered and mica flake side looks!

On the flip side, add your art.  Collage, or as I did, made a graphic sticker and added that.  You could add dimensional elements instead of collaging as well.  Squeeze a small puddle of 3D Crystal Lacquer and push your element into it.  When dried, the lacquer will hold the piece in place.

Add a jump ring through the hole and string the fiber through the jump ring, tie end and wear!!!!!

Think of the acrylic books, clear plastic sheets, mugs where you can blend lacquer colors and embellish.  Anything clear will work.

Cre8tively Yours - Lea

So Charming!

Make your own Necklace Charm!

In this post http://www.createalways.com/2013/05/floral-fantasy.html 

I shared with you how to make the following flower motive using transparency sheets.

I cut a flower out of the transparency and glued it to a piece of colored paper and set it inside of this necklace charm found at http://www.sakuracraft.com/shop/Gem-Crafts/Jewelry-Findings/White-Brass-Jewelry-Findings.htm

I covered the entire image with 3D Crystal Lacquer - found here http://www.sakuracraft.com/shop/3D-Crystal-Lacquer/3D-Crystal-Lacquer--Clear.htm

When my lacquer was setting, I set a jewel in the center and let this all dry.  

These aren't air bubbles you're looking at, but beautiful glimmer from the Terri Sproul Mixers I used to paint the flower - found here http://www.sakuracraft.com/terri-sprouls-mixer.htm

Now this is a simple and easy project yes, but what I really want to share with you are the great prices on jewellery items Sakura Hobby Crafts has http://www.sakuracraft.com/shop/Gem-Crafts/Jewelry-Findings.htm 

And when you place an order in June, you can get - 20% off your entire order when use code Crystal06 at check-out!

Burlap Necklace with Crystal Lacquer (and a coupon)

This project was fast, easy and fun!

I have been hand dyeing fibers and I thought it would be fun to incorporate some of my ombre burlap into a necklace:

I also wanted to try Sakura Crystal Lacquer in Susan Lenart Kazmer’s new Media Mixage bezel cups.  So I decided to put some of my burlap into the heart bezel cups.  Here’s what they look like empty:

Each cup has a corresponding die, so you can cut whatever media you choose and it will fit exactly.

I stiffened some burlap with Mod Podge to keep the edges from fraying.  For instructions on how to do that, see my tutorial here.  When it was dry, I cut out the hearts using the Media Mixage dies that matched the bezel cups I had chosen.

You can put anything you want into the bezel cup, and make multiple layers.  I wanted to keep it simple, so I poured a little Crystal Lacquer into the cups first, then laid my burlap on that, then added more Crystal Lacquer.  Then all I had to do was let it dry, and assemble my necklace!

I also decided to use a couple of rectangle bezel cups:

I did have a few air bubbles show up in the Crystal Lacquer, which hadn’t happened to me before.  I don’t know if it was because I had multiple layers of Crystal Lacquer, or because I got some air bubbles when I poured some Crystal Lacquer from a big bottle into a small bottle.  It wasn't hard to get them out, but I learned something important.  When I used a toothpick to pierce a bubble, the result was multiple smaller bubbles.  When I used the toothpick to sort of lift the bubble up, it would disappear.  You need to get the air bubbles out before the Crystal Lacquer hardens.

The Crystal Lacquer was perfect for this project!  It holds the burlap in place and protects it at the same time!  You could use almost any media, including paper and other fabrics. It looks a little cloudy in my photos, but in real life, it is crystal clear!

Now is a great time to try Crystal Lacquer, because during the month of April, you can save 20% by entering the code Terri04 when you check out at Sakura Hobby Craft.  You will be amazed at how easy it is to use!

As always, please let me know if you have any questions about this project!