Peacock - Creating Fun Resin Jewelry: A step by step guide to creating your own amazing resin jewelry

Copyright 2011 by Heather Peacock

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Credits
Cover Artist: Heather Peacock Author: Heather Peacock

Resin is a very versatile medium for creating fun and unique jewelry. But it can be a little complicated and overwhelming when youre first starting. This tutorial will tell you all of the tips, tricks, cost savers, time savers, and everything you wish someone would have told you about resin sooner! It can be hard to find resin tips online or from resin jewelry artists. Many resin artists refuse to disclose the secrets to how they make their gorgeous jewelry. Not me! Im here to share with you everything about resin that no one will talk about. Ive learned everything in this tutorial through years of experience and trial and error.

In this tutorial:*Getting Started*The Basics*Layering *Sanding Drilling and Finishing The materials you will need will vary depending on your project. First, lets discuss what type of resin you should use.

I have experimented with many different types and brands of resin, and the brand that is BY FAR the best and easiest to use is EnviroTex Lite Pour On Resin. Why EnviroTex Lite? A lot of other resins use a catalyst that requires an eye dropper or very precise measuring. EnviroTex Lite resin is a 1:1 ratio, using an equal amount of resin as hardener. This is much easier than trying to calculate the amount of catalyst youll need every time you want to use your resin. The package should look exactly like the photo below. Notice the white cap and black cap on the two bottles. The white cap is the resin and the black cap is the hardener.

But not all boxes of EnviroTex Lite are created equal. Notice how clear the bottles are in the image above. You should always open the box and take out the bottles before you purchase your resin. Ive bought resin, gotten home, and opened the package and found yellow, discolored hardener that was virtually unusable. Take a look at the photo below. If you open your package and notice the hardener is yellow or orange, do not purchase it. This usually signifies that the hardener is very old. If you have old resin lying around, youll probably notice that it has started yellowing. Using yellow hardener may leave your pieces sticky and could potentially ruin your molds.

**Cost Saving Tip** Go to http://michaels.com and sign up for their email list. Every few weeks, I get a

40% off coupon in the mail, and I always use the 40% off coupon to buy my resin! I havent found a Michaels yet that doesnt sell resin, and this will save you about $12!

Now lets talk about molds. Not sure what type of molds you can use with resin? There are a few basic types of molds that will work with resin. The first type of resin molds are molds that are specifically made for resin. These will say on the packaging that they are resin molds, and they usually look like clear plastic.

Another type of mold you can use is silicone or rubber. These molds do not have to say that theyre specifically for resin. Any type of silicone or rubber mold will work. I like to search online for unique silicone soap or candle molds that would make cool resin jewelry molds. Be creative when silicone mold shopping! The silicone heart mold shown below is actually a candy mold. Its one of my favorite molds and works perfectly for resin jewelry!

Another supply you will need to invest in is a mold release spray. Silicone molds will not need a release spray, but the plastic resin molds will. The next supply you will need is a cup, or cups, to pour your resin in. There are specialty measuring cups for use with resin. Theyre single use disposable cups and they range from about $8-$12 for a set.

**Cost Saving Tip** I dont use any fancy measuring cups. Why? Because Im cheap! If youre cheap, too, youll love this next tip! Instead of tongue depressors and clear measuring cups, I use Dixie cups, chopsticks, and lollipop sticks. Now, youre probably saying to yourself, WHAT?! But let me explain.

In the first image, you can see the cups that we will be using. Theyre just simple Dixie cups. The second image shows a red permanent marker and a chopstick (yep, I said a chopstick) that I have made red lines on. The lines will be used to help me measure the resin. (You dont have to use a chopstick. You can use any long object that you can make a mark.) The third photo shows my lollipop sticks that we will use to stir the resin with. Some people use tongue depressors, but I MUCH prefer lollipop sticks. Theyre smoother, smaller, and easier to use.
There are many more supplies that can be used in resin jewelry making, but a lot of them depend on what type of project youre doing. Some examples are:

*Glitter and Confetti
*Dye or Paint
*Photo Paper and Ink *And much more! Next page