Faux Show Springtime Pendant

This beautiful handmade pendant will be the envy of all your friends - they won't believe you made it yourself! If you love to make your own jewelry, this free jewelry craft pattern is perfect for you, incorporating all the lovely colors of spring.

Materials:

• Friendly Plastic Pellets – 4 oz size
• PolyRoller
• Pasta Machine
• Needle Tool
• Faux Show Rhinestone Frame- Large Square (available at Michaels Stores)
• Chain
• Clasp or toggle
• PearlEx powder- Duo blue green, duo green yellow, pearl white and reflex violet used - or colors of choice
• Alcohol Ink – Pinata Ink – Baha blue and passion purple colors used
• Acrylic Paint – White
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Envirotex Light Casting Resin (optional – but recommended)
• Small Round liner brush
• Non-stick cookie sheet
• Non-stick work surface
• Teardrop cutter 3/8” or size of choice
• Griddle
• Electric Skillet
• Scissors
• Basic Jewelry Tools
• Bowl of Cold Water

Designers Note: Plastic begins to cool when removed from heat source. Reheat as necessary to maintain soft plastic. Dry with towel. Adult supervision recommended when working with children and Friendly Plastic.

Steps:

1. Heat water in electric skillet to just below simmer – approximately 160 to 190 degrees. It should be hot, but not enough to burn your fingers.
    
2. Place three separate small handfuls of pellets into water until they turn clear and melt. (water should be slightly under simmer.
   
3. Remove a set of pellets with needle tool.
    
4. Daub finger with mica powder and mix white pearl ex into melted pellets. Repeat this step making other two colors. Reheat pellets if necessary to become soft and continue to work the mica powder into the plastic.
    
5. Marble together the blue and purple by twisting until desired marbled affect has been achieved. Flatten mix thru pasta machine at a #4 setting (medium thickness). Place flat plastic onto non-stick cookie sheet and heat on griddle.
    
6. Soften and flatten white pearl plastic thru pasta machine on a #3 setting and cut out 6 to 10 teardrop shapes with the cutter.
    
7. Flatten green plastic very thin with polyroller or #2 setting on pasta machine. Cut into several strips with scissors for foliage. Arrange foliage onto plastic as desired.
    
8. Arrange teardrops into a flower on softened marbled plastic as desired. Smaller petals were made by rolling a tiny amount of pearl plastic into a ball, flatten and shape into an oval. Place back onto griddle to reheat until petal has inlaid into marbled background.
    
9. Prepare alcohol ink by placing a few drops onto a plastic tray and allowing them to evaporate.
    
10. Dip brush into rubbing alcohol and then into ink. Paint petal marks onto each petal. Add additional accents using white acrylic paint if desired. Place back onto griddle to melt.
     
11. Press rhinestone frame over design where desired. Allow to cool.
     
12. Remove frame. Trim excess plastic.
     
13. Pop plastic back into frame.
     
14. Optional step: apply a coat of clear casting resin if desired to give a glossy glasslike appearance. Allow to dry 24 hours.
     
15. Attach to chain of choice and add toggle to finish.

Designers note: Because I wanted my pendant to hang on a diagonal, I used wire cutters to snip off the bail. Punch a hole with hole punch in one of the corners, add large jump ring and attach to desired chain or cording. Matching earring frames are also available – consider making a matching set of earrings, smaller pendant or set the smaller frame onto a ring form for a matching ring.