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Learn How to Make Handmade Jewelry! 24 Techniques to Get You Started!
Part 1 of 3
Exploring the many techniques for making handmade jewelry is what Nunn Design is passionate about. The findings that we design and include in our collection allows each artisan the ability to create jewelry that is unique to their own brand.
We believe that jewelry consumers crave something new, but not too new. Nunn Design strives for just the right balance of innovation and classic style allowing for a formula of success.
Learn how to make handmade jewelry with the 24 techniques featured in this 3-part series. This post is part 1 of 3.
Part 2 can be read here.
Part 3 can be read here.
1. Crystal Clay, PearlEx Powders & Colorized Resin
This technique features my favorite earrings to wear! They are unique and elegant.
This tutorial, Make These with Crystal Clay, PearlEx Powders & Colorized Resin, will walk you through working with Crystal Clay and how to colorize Nunn Design 2-Part Resin. You might also be interested in this tutorial, Make These Bitsy Earrings with Colorized Resin, for learning how to create a flat surface for pouring the resin into the post earrings.
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- Crystal Clay
- Jaquard PearlEx Powder
- Nunn Design 2-Part Resin Kit
- Castin’ Craft Opaque Pigment-Blue
- Brass Post Earrings
- Pewter Post Earrings
2. Resin Drop Pendants using Excess Resin and Gilding Flakes
Nunn Design 2-Part Resin requires the mixing of 2 tbsp total of the two-part formula in order to properly cure. The working time of resin is also limited. With these two factors in mind, finding ways to use the excess resin prior to it hardening in the cup is a challenge that we strive to solve.
In this tutorial, Nunn Design Resin Drop Pendants using Excess Resin and Gilding Flakes, you will discover a way to use excess resin with gilding flakes to sculpt interesting drop pendants.
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3. Sculpted Resin with Gilding Flakes
A similar technique is featured on our blog, although for these sculpted resin pendants I added some gilding flakes onto the backside. This extra step takes place after step 16 of this tutorial, Make Sculpted Crystal Clay using a Silicone Mold with Colorized Resin Overlay. While the resin is still in the mold apply gilding flakes to the backside flat surface. The resin will be slightly tacky and in the “soft cure” phase (about 6-8 hours into the curing time). Use a Q-Tip to burnish the gilding flakes onto the resin. Let the sculpted resin fully cure in the mold the remaining amount of time. Follow the rest of the tutorial step-out instructions to complete the sculpted resin technique.
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4. Resin within a Wire Frame
Once you learn the basics of how to use Nunn Design 2-Part Resin within a Wire Frame, it really is up to you on how creative you want to be! In this tutorial, Resin Filled Pendants in Wire Frames, I walk you through the steps on how to use Jaquard PearlEx Powders to create an interesting design within the resin. The only step that you will need to change in order to achieve this different effect is to apply Glitter Roxs, instead of PearlEx Powders. The results will be totally different!
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5. Crystal Clay, Gilding Flakes and Nunn Design Resin
This tutorial, How to Use Crystal Clay, Gilding Flakes and Nunn Design Resin, will walk you through all the steps necessary to create using this great technique. The results can be elegant or contemporary depending on the color of Crystal Clay and the patterns that are made using the Gilding Flakes.
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6. Glitter Roxs with Gel du Soleil or Nunn Design 2-Part Resin
Glitter Roxs are colorized glass flakes imported from Germany. They are ideal to embed in Gel du Soleil, a resin that cures with ultraviolet light, or with Nunn Design 2-Part Resin. Here are a couple of different tutorials to walk you through the steps of using this quick, easy and colorful technique using these mediums.
In this tutorial, How to Make Pendants with Glitter Roxs & Gel du Soleil, you will learn how easy and fast it is to use Gel du Soleil. The curing time is 20 minutes and there is no resin waste. Gel du Soleil is a great medium to use for smaller production runs and for projects that are time-sensitive. Gel du Soleil is ideal for teaching a group of students that want to take cured pieces home.
In this tutorial, Make These Bitsy Earrings with Nunn Design Resin and Glitter Roxs, you will learn the basics for using Glitter Roxs with Nunn Design 2-Part Resin. Although the tutorial features post earrings to create the final jewelry project, the same steps will be used in a bezel to create a pendant focal.
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7. Sculpted Crystal Clay with Gilders Paste
Although there isn’t a technique for this exact project, the steps for this tutorial, Make These Sculpted Relief Epoxy Clay and Resin Pendants will get you almost to the same place. To create the color for this technique, wait until the Crystal Clay is fully cured and then rub on Gilding Paste.
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- Crystal Clay
- Nunn Design Bezels
- Gilding Paste (not available)
All 3 Parts in the Series:
Make sure to read the other posts within this series to learn all of the handmade jewelry techniques!
- PART 1: Learn How to Make Handmade Jewelry! 24 Techniques to Get You Started!
- PART 2: Learn How to Make Handmade Jewelry! 24 Techniques to Get You Started!
- PART 3: Learn How to Make Handmade Jewelry! 24 Techniques to Get You Started!
How to Purchase Wholesale?
If you are interested in becoming one of the many designers who trust their jewelry to Nunn Design Findings, please join us by registering to become one of our wholesale customers!
Nunn Design primarily sells wholesale, but we do offer Retail Kits, Embroidery Kits and Retail Buy & Try Programs for certain projects. For all other findings, please visit our Where to Buy Page for a listing of online stores that sell Nunn Design Findings retail.
Shop Nunn Design Wholesale
Nunn Design has been supplying jewelry artists with findings for over 20 years. Shop wholesale jewelry findings for creative jewelry makers.
Shop Nunn Design!How to Purchase Wholesale?
If you are interested in becoming one of the many designers who trust their jewelry to Nunn Design Findings, please join us by registering to become one of our wholesale customers!
Please visit our Where to Buy Page for a listing of online stores that sell Nunn Design Findings retail.
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Y’all inspire me sooooo much! For number 7, is the gilders paste Silver-colored? I like the two-tone of the piece, but I’m not sure which is what? I would extrapolate that the mold has gold pearlex powder, then a silver gilder’s paste is added to the high points?
Mary-
You are correct in your extrapolation.
Gold PearlEx Powder is smeared with a Q-Tip down into the crevices of the silicone mold. Crystal Clay was placed in the bezel and pressed into the mold. After the piece is fully cured, I came back in with gilding paste and smeared it on the “high points” of the sculpted clay.