Monday 2 August 2010

My very first bottle of resin is empty....

...would you like to see where it went? I initially decided to venture into the world of resin after doing some fossil hunting with my Dad down at Barton-on-Sea. We picked up loads of little fossilized shells and I thought, "They'd be great set in resin." I then promptly shelved that thought.

A monthish later, Kerry, of PennyDog, offered a beginners resin kit on her facebook page. It had everything I needed- a book, pendant moulds, resin plus a couple of extra bits that I didn't realise I needed (mixing cups, measuring cups, stirry sticks, findings and a bangle mould). This kit is now sold out but Kerry is doing this one instead if you want to have a go. I highly recommend it!

After reading Kerry's book I promptly got to work. I popped a small layer of just resin in all of the mould cavities. After it had hardened, I popped in fossilized shells and then topped up the resin. The bangle needed another layer of fossils and resin. I mixed up too much for the final layer in the bangle so chucked the rest in the now emptied pendant moulds with some glittery bits.




Next the hard part. Sanding and polishing. I have a rotary tool for my jewellery making so could do the rough sanding there. Then I used wet and dry paper up to 1500grit. This was fine for the glittery stuff but I felt the pendants needed a glass like look. I tried micromesh (fantastic stuff for silver btw) up to 120000grit which looked good but a lot of effort. In the end I painted a thin coat of resin over the fossil pendants/bangle and now they are lovely and shiny.

I decided to spend some of my birthday money on a couple of moulds that I bought direct from Resin Obsession in the US (Kerry stocks some of their stuff but not the mould I had my eye on). I used them to make more glittery bits and pieces. These still need sanding etc.


One of the bits of resin related jewellery that I've made that I am most proud of is these little stud earrings. I made them by punching a circle out of sterling silver sheet and hammering it into a cup using a doming block. I then soldered a small length of 0.8mm wire on the back for an ear post. After pickling and polishing I popped a pressed forget me not in the cup and added a couple of drops of resin. The first pair I listed in my folksy shop sold that very same day!! I have made two more pairs, one is a commission and one is for the shop (and just listed them here.)


So, minus one pair of forget me not stud earrings this is everything I made with that first 6oz bottle of resin. Some bits will appear on folksy when they're done, some are already there and others were made for certain people. I'm hooked on the stuff and ordered another bottle from Kerry which arrived on Sat just before we headed off for the weekend! Yay!


16 comments:

Unknown said...

Love it Gemma

Sugarmice said...

The forget-me-not earrings are really pretty! sarah x

Bigbluebed said...

Lovely work and it is great that you had such a good time too.

gtlady said...

What a fab post, really inspirational - you make it sound so easy and your stuff, let alone that it is your first attempt - amazing, especially those forgetmenot earrings, totally beautiful x

Nanuk Jewellery said...

Wow, they look gorgeous! I haven't played with resin since I used it for one of my Uni projects, but I have been contemplating using it again, you may have inspired me to do just that!!

Unknown said...

Thanks girlies :o)

It is so easy!!! Everyone should have a go.
I highly recommend Kerry's book and kits and I'm loving the epoxy resin- I've never tried polyester resin but epoxy seems much easier and way less smelly!

Dottie said...

Well done you - they look fantastic! Look forward to seeing things as you list them!

Dottie x

Glamglass said...

Wow, I really must see if the resin that Kerry sent me last year is still fit for purpose .....Naughty me!! Just never found the time to get it out!!
Well done for making some beautiful pieces ;-))

Anonymous said...

This is really cool- it's really useful for me to see just how much you can get out of one set of bottles, I love the bangle- it's amazing!

Anonymous said...

Ooh and keep me posted if there's other moulds you're after- I need to place another order as only have 3 lots of resin left!

Sarah said...

Wow, great work Gemma! Looking forward to seeing what else you make! those studs are amazing, I wish I wore them but I am a dangly earring girl, any plans to make some drops with them,lol?

Unknown said...

Thanks everyone. xxx

Kerry there's loads I want but can't afford it atm I'm afraid.
Hmmm...I may do Sarah!

Suzanne Vaughan said...

Well done. Lots of fab stuff.

Chasing Beads said...

Oh, I so want to get into resin! I love your butterfly sparkly ones.

Ah, so many things I want to learn!

Miss Bohemia said...

I loved your post Gemma,

I just learned how to use resin and am just using it for altered art pendants, but what you have done looks fantastic! I also like that you explain what you did at each stage :-)

I can seen resin becoming my new addiction!

Jen

Anca Pandrea said...

Your work is beautiful! Love the colors and details!

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