Make These Great Faux French Enamel Tags

Learn how to create this great look of Faux French Enamel in our tutorial. Stay connected as we show projects.

• Learn the basics of how to use a Nunn Design Transfer Sheets
• Learn how to print your own transfer sheets
• How to mix and colorize Nunn Design Resin with Castin’ Craft Opaque Pigments
• Learn trouble shooting techniques on how to apply the transfer sheets to a flat surface

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Learn How!

Nunn Design Supplies:
Nunn Design Resin Kit
Craftin’ Crafts Opaque Pigment – White
Transfer Sheet Decorative Word
Nunn Design Flat Tags

Tools:
Plastic bags to cover work surface
Gloves
Toothpicks
Scissors
Paintbrush
Small jar/cup for rinsing paintbrush
Q-tips
Small dish for water
Paper towels
Wet-wipes
Warm lamp
Safety glasses
Timer
Business cards or card stock
Additional cups or bowls to cover curing resin project(s)

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How and Why to Clean Your Nunn Design Flat Tags

Step 1. The Nunn Design Flat Tags are oxidized to provide the antique look to the precious metal plating. The oxidization, when it comes into contact with the resin, could change the color of the resin. To avoid this, clean the flat tags thoroughly prior to application of the resin.

Dip the tip of a Q-Tip into rubbing alcohol and clean away any of the blackened oxidization from the tags surface. Shoot, I just clean the whole things for kicks.

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How to Mix Nunn Design 2-Part Resin

The Nunn Design Resin Kit contains:

• A 4-ounce bottle of clear epoxy resin
• A 4-ounce bottle of epoxy hardener
• 2 precision tips to screw onto the bottles
• 5 mixing cups
• 5 mixing sticks
• Printed instructions on how to mix the resin

Step 2: Read the resin instructions for safety concerns regarding the Nunn Design Resin. Put on your latex gloves and I would recommend safety glasses. I wear readers so I think that my eyes are protected. Make sure you have a pile of wet-wipes on the ready!

Step 3: To mix the resin you’ll want to have an exact one-to-one ratio. The one-to-one ratio has to be one tablespoon of Part A first and one tablespoon of Part B. This is a volume thing, not a weight thing. You have to mix the full mixing cup of resin to have the resin properly activate. I thought this was an excuse to get me to use more resin, but trust me, it isn’t! It is important to pour Part A first into the cup and then Part B. It is a chemical thing about part A being heavier or something.

Place one of the mixing cups included in the Nunn Design Resin Kit onto your table.
I suggest getting your eyes level with the resin so you can see the lines on the measuring cup. Remove the lid to Part A of your resin kit and slowly pour the resin into the mixing cup up to the 1 Tablespoon mark. I suggest that you go slow until you start to gain more confidence. When you start to get near the 1 Tablespoon line, tilt the Part A bottle down, slowing the flow of the resin. Slowly drizzle the resin into the cup until you have hit the 1 Tablespoon mark EXACTLY! To end the flow of the resin, twist the bottle. Use a wet-wipe to fully clean up resin from the edge of the bottle. Make sure to put the Part A lid back onto the resin bottle.

I fold my wet-wipe over to make sure I don’t contaminate Part B when I clean up the edge of that resin after I pour it. I am also making sure that I don’t get any of the resin onto my hands.
Following all the same steps used for Part A, pour Part B into the mixing cup until it is EXACTLY at the 2 Tablespoon mark. Clean up the edge of the resin bottle and securely twist the Part B cap back onto the resin.

Step 4: Set your timer for 2 minutes. Using the stir stick from your Nunn Design Resin Kit, slowly and carefully stir your resin scraping the bottom of the cup and the sidewalls as you stir. Go slowly because it is easy for the cup to overflow. I hold the cup down at the base and use my fingers to help rotate the cup around. Stop from time to time and scrape the resin from the sides of the stir stick and continue to stir for the full 2 minutes. If your resin is still cloudy after your timer has gone off, continue to mix until clear.

After mixing is complete and your resin is clear, scrape both sides of your stir stick on the edge of your resin filled cup.

Another habit that I have developed, is being aware of where I rest my stir sticks. To avoid getting resin all over my work surface, I like to rest the resin stir sticks in one of the mixing cups or onto a small Ziploc. I can easily peel the resin off of the Ziploc and reuse it. I can also reuse my stir stick once the resin has fully cured. I do know people who wipe out and reuse their mixing cups, but I haven’t done that so I cannot recommend it.

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Prepare For Pouring

Step 5: I tend to work in small area (typically my kitchen table), so I like to work on a surface that I can easily move around and not disturb. Place some business cards or some heavy card stock onto a cookie sheet, making it easy to transfer around the tags without getting any resin on your fingers. Lay your tags onto the business cards, keeping in mind that you will be covering them later with cups to prevent dust for getting on the surface of the uncured colorized resin.

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How to Colorize Nunn Design 2-Part Resin with Castin’ Craft Opaque Pigments

Step 6: For this tutorial, I’m adding Castin’ Crafts Opaque Colorant White to the resin. You can mix the full 1 fluid ounce measuring cup of resin if you want, but I transfer the mixed resin into smaller cups because it is easier to stir and less messy to move around when less full. Transfer the resin to a smaller cup and squeeze a couple of drops of the white colorant into the resin. If the resin isn’t as opaque as you would like, add more of the white colorant to the resin and continue to mix thoroughly.

  

For this tutorial, we are only using Castin’ Craft Opaque Pigment – White to colorize the Nunn Design Resin. To create other colors, take a look at our Pantone Cheatsheet for other color mixing formulas:

Tip:  Be sure that the colorant does not equal more than 10% of your resin as having more than 10% could cause issues with curing.

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Drizzle Colorized Resin onto Tag

Step 7: Dip your stir stick into the colorized resin and drizzle a small amount onto your tag.

I like to apply a small amount into the center of the tag and then use my toothpick to pull the resin to the edges. It is always better to under apply the colorized resin and add more if you want a higher dome.

Since we will be applying a Transfer Sheet Word on top of the cured resin, I tried not to dome my tags too high.

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Too Much Resin?

Step 8: If you have applied too much of the colorized resin, you can roll your toothpick in the resin and transfer it onto another flat tag.

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For Intricate Edges

Step 9: For tags that have intricate edges, drizzle a small amount of your colorized resin into the center. Use your toothpick to drag the resin to the edges, filling the intricate corners and edges of the tag.

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Cover To Prevent Dust

Step 10: Cover your curing colorized resin to prevent dust from getting onto the surface. You can use the additional cups included with the Resin Kit, Dixie Cups, glass bowls or a large Tupperware bowl for this purpose.

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Clean Up at “Soft Cure” Stage (6 hours)

Step 11: 
You will want to ‘babysit’ your resin for the next 1 – 2 hours. If you see bubbles rising to the surface, using your hot breath – breathe on them. It isn’t a “blow” sort of breath – more of a “huff” sort of a breath. The hot air will make the bubbles expand, rise to the surface and pop. As the resin starts to set-up and become thicker, it will be more difficult for the air to rise to the surface. Make sure to check in on the curing resin and double check for air bubbles.

Step 12: If you have resin that has over-poured or seeped under the flat tag and onto the card, wait about 6 hours until the resin is at its “soft cure” phase. Remove the tag from the card and apply a couple drops of Goo Be Gone onto the backside.

Let the Goo Be Gone sit for 1 minute, then use the end of a mixing stick to scrape and remove the excess resin.

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Applying the Transfer Sheet

Step 12: With a pair of scissors, trim one of the words from the Nunn Design Transfer Sheet. Continue trimming and adjusting until the transfer sheet image fits nicely onto your tag.

TIP:  If you are interested in creating your own transfer sheet images, read on to Step 18!

Make sure that there is no transfer sheet image over hang off the sides of the tag.

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Step 12: Fill a small shallow dish with warm water approximately ¾ of the way full. The Nunn Design Transfer Sheets are printed on a film with a paper backing. When the transfer sheet is submerged into water, it separates the film front from the paper backing.

Drop one of your transfer sheet words into the water and wait 30 seconds. I like to work with one of my transfer sheet words at a time, so I’m not in a rush as all of the backs release from the film fronts at the same time. The film is very fragile, so you will want to be gentle when handling it.

When you remove the transfer sheet word from the water, you will be able to feel the film and paper backing sliding apart from one another and you hold them in your fingers. Leave the paper backing attached to the film front and dry your fingers with a paper towel.

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Step 13: You will need to mix-up another batch of clear Nunn Design Resin. Follow steps 2-4.

Step 14: 
Spread the mixed Nunn Design clear resin over the surface of the flat tags with a toothpick. The resin will provide a layer of moisture between the cured resin and the transfer image. If the resin isn’t on the tag prior to applying the transfer sheet, it is easy to get air trapped under the transfer sheet image.

Step 15: Slide the film of the Transfer Sheet Word off the paper backing and onto the colorized resin tag. Move it gently with your fingers until you have it in the position you want.

The film will gently lay down into the pool of resin.

Step 16:  Press down gently onto the transfer sheet image with a toothpick, pressing out any excess resin and potential air bubbles from underneath the image. Drag the resin to the edge of the flat tag with a toothpick. The resin is self-doming and wants to know where the edge is. Use your toothpick to drag resin up and around the hole of the flat tag.

Step 17: You will want to ‘babysit’ your resin for the next 1 – 2 hours. If you see bubbles rising to the surface, using your hot breath – breathe on them. It isn’t a “blow” sort of breath – more of a “huff” sort of a breath. The hot air will make the bubbles expand, rise to the surface and pop. As the resin starts to set-up and become thicker, it will be more difficult for the air to rise to the surface.

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Create Your Own Transfer Sheet

Step 18: To create your own transfer sheet images, you can purchase blank packs of LazerTran Paper!
Here are the links to purchase on Amazon:

For an Ink Jet Printer:

For an Ink Jet Printer: Lazertran Waterslide Decal Paper Lazertran for Inkjet

For a Lazer Printer:

For a Laser Printer: Lazertran Waterslide Decal Paper Regular Lazertran

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String your creations on a chain and pat yourself on the back. I find this technique to be super fun and am slightly addicted to creating them!

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Watch Video!

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How to Purchase Wholesale?

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Please visit our Where to Buy Page for a listing of online stores that sell Nunn Design Findings retail.

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