Jewelry Trend: Resin Jewelry 101

Resin jewelry is made from liquid plastic that turns solid when a hardener is added. Because of its versatility, lightness, and affordability, plus the introduction of easy to mix, low-odor products, resin’s popularity as a material for jewelry making has soared. Materials needed can be found at most craft stores.

Things you'll need:

• Two-part epoxy resin
• Disposable plastic cups
• Craft sticks
• Resin mold
• Small beads, glitter, plastic stickers
• Earring hooks or necklace bail

Step 1

Mix one part resin to one part hardener in a plastic cup. Stir with a craft stick for 2 minutes. Pour the resin into a second cup and stir with a fresh craft stick for an additional 2 minutes.

Step 2

Fill your resin mold halfway. Allow the resin to sit in the mold for 3 to 5 minutes for the bubbles to settle.

Step 3

Place any inclusions you would like in your finished jewelry into the molds. Small beads, glitter and plastic-coated stickers work well. Any nonporous item can be placed in resin.

Step 4

Finish filling the molds with resin. Cover the mold and allow to dry for 24 hours.

Step 5

Pop the jewelry pieces from the mold when the resin is dry by lightly pressing on the back. Glue your earring hooks or necklace bails to the jewelry.

Resin Jewelry Resources

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Supply Spotlight: Jump Rings

Jump Rings are a very popular and useful connector used in jewelry making. They come in all different kinds of materials including silver, gold, brass, base metal, silver plated, and color coated. Jump rings also come in various different sizes ranging from 2mm to 1cm and above. Although it’s possible to make your own jump rings most people buy them fairly cheaply at jewelry supply stores in packages of 100 or more. They often cost from $1.50 to $3.00 per package.

How to Open a Jump Ring

The best way to open a jump ring is by pushing one end forward and the other in the opposite direction.This is so it won't distort the original circle.

You can do using a flat-head plier on one side and the tip of your thumb and forefinger on the other.
Or you can use two sets of pliers. Close the same way.

Not like this.

Creative Uses of Jump Rings

Resources:

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Textured Finish on Metal

Here’s a great video from Bench Jeweler, on using a flex shaft to add a textured finish to metal. In the example, it is a ring, but you can use a similar technique to give a textured finish to any jewelry piece. I like to experiment with different sanding and grinding attachments on my dremel tool for a variety of finishes, and have even used this technique in a furniture touch-up project.

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