Retired - Charming Discoveries Necklace

Note: Components and tools listed within this INSTRUCTIONS box and the printer-friendly PDF, if available, may have been discontinued since this project was published. Refer to the PURCHASE COMPONENTS and TOOLS AND OTHER SUPPLIES sections for current availability.

1. Look at your various collage bird sheet and choose 3 images you are going to want to use. I chose one that was a 13/16th diameter circle (the medium sized looking circle). Cut this image out and you can now use it to trace your other images or you can use the McGill Paper Punch in this exact size and punch out your images. Once you have 3 images cut out or punched, spread some Nunn Glue on the backside of one and press it onto a Vintaj 25mm stamping blank. I placed mine a little lower then center. See photo. Use your fingers to smooth out and let dry. Repeat this process with your other two images.
2. Apply an even layer of mod podge over all your images from above as well as the top surface of the stamping blank. Let dry.
3. Place all three of your image blanks onto a piece of card stock or flat plain paper no bigger then 6" x 2". You are going to use this piece of paper as a tray to transport your blanks to the UV light. Squeeze a dab of Gel du Soleil about the size of a dime into the center of each blank, right on top of the image. Using the tip of your small Gel du Soleil bottle, push the resin from the center towards the edges. Work slowly, the surface tension will keep your resin from spilling over. I shied away from the hole at the top of the blank, you can push the resin all the way to the hole or stop right before it. Once you are happy with how your UV resin looks, grab the edge of the piece of paper, and holding parallel to your work surface, place in the UV light for 15 minutes. Remove after 15 minutes, they are now fully hard and ready to go to the next step.
4. Place a daisy bead cap on a steel block. Using a Chasing Hammer, gently flatten the bead cap. Make a total of 3 of these. You do not need them to be totally flat, just flatten them a bit. Choose a place on each of your three blanks where there is a little blank space on the image or an area which looks like it could use a little more interest. At this spot, place a small dab of E6000. Press a flattened daisy bead cap into this glue. A little will spill out the center hole. Into this glue overflow, place an Austrian crystal flat back rhinestone in Crystal Golden Shadow. Let dry.
5. Gilders Paste is a wonderful way of coloring a lot of your jewelry components. For this project, we will just be using our fingers and a paper towel to apply the paste. There are varying opinions as to if you need to seal the Gilders Paste after it has fully dried for 12 hours. We recommend that you do seal it with a clear matte finish acrylic spray sealer. I found that 3 light coats worked best. You can purchase such an item at art stores and some hardware stores.
6. Dip the tip of your finger into the patina color Gilders Paste. Rub your finger over the Vintaj brass star, heart charm, leaf fastenable, tree of life charm, toggle bar, and waterlily toggle pendant. Use a paper towel to rub off any excess. You can choose how much patina you want and can either rub it deeply into all the brass recesses and wipe off the top to expose the brass again on the raised area OR you can just rub your finger lightly over the top of the raised area, leaving the recessed areas dark brass. Let dry for 12 hours and then spray seal.
7. With your flush cutters, cut your large link Vintaj etched cable chain so that you have a length 35 links long. Next, cut two lengths, 4" long each, of the smaller flat cable links chain. Open the last link on one of the 4" chain lengths, attach it to the end link of your 35 link large chain. Close the link. Do the same on the other side with your other 4" long chain length.
8. At each end of your chain necklace, open and attach a black oval jump ring. Before closing, attach one of the jump rings to one of the open work holes in your waterlily toggle. Close the jump ring. Take a 1" head pin and thread onto it 1 Austrian crystal 4mm bicone in Crystal Copper and your Vintaj leaf creative toggle bar. Create a wrapped wire loop right after you thread the toggle bar.
9. On the end of your chain which does not have the waterlily toggle, open and attach a black oval jump ring. Attach to the jump ring the wrapped wire loop from the toggle bar above and then close the jump ring.
10. Open 7 black oval jump rings. Place one on each of your resin medallion pendant blanks and patina painted charms. Do not close. Count 18 links on the large chain part of your necklace. On that 18th link, attach a resin medallion pendant. Close the link. Counting outwards from the "center" 18th link, place a charm on the 4th link from it on each side, then on the 8th link place another resin medallion, then on the 12th link place another charm. Close all the jump rings as you go.
11. Take a 1" head pin and thread onto it 1 Austrian crystal 4mm round bead in Indian Red AB. Create a simple wire loop after the round bead and cut off excess wire with flush cutters. Create 11 more of these.
12. Take a 1" head pin and thread onto it 1 Austrian crystal 4mm bicone bead in Crystal Copper. Create a simple wire loop after the bicone and cut off excess wire with flush cutters. Create 11 more of these.
13. Open 8 black oval jump rings and thread onto each 3 of the beads from the last two steps (you can choose if you want two red and one copper or one copper and two red beads, etc.). Via the jump ring, attach these clusters of 3 to your necklace at even intervals between your resin medallions and charms.
14. Have a wonderful time wearing this "charming" necklace.

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• PND-7049 - Vintaj Natural Brass Tree Of Life Circle Charm 20x24mm
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• PND-7160 - Vintaj Natural Brass Small Waterlily Toggle Pendant Charm 18mm (1)
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• XTL-9535 - Nunn Design Collage Sheet Various Birds For Scrapbook - Fits Patera
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• CHA-7130 - Vintaj Natural Brass Chain 9.5mm x 6.2mm Etched Cable Chain - Bulk By The Foot
  Project uses 1 foot. You will need 1 package.


• CHA-7140 - Vintaj Natural Brass Chain 4mm x 3.5mm Flat Cable Links - Bulk By The Foot
  Project uses 1 foot. You will need 1 package.


• FCL-4651 - Vintaj Natural Brass Leaf Creative Bar Toggle 30mm (1)
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• FJR-6000 - TierraCast Black Finish Brass Open Oval Jump Rings 6mm 20 Gauge (50)
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• FHP-6315 - Antiqued Brass Head Pins 1 Inch 24 Gauge (X50)
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• SWC-0459 - Austrian Crystal, 5000 Round Beads 4mm, 12 Pieces, Indian Red AB
  Project uses 12 pieces. You will need 1 package.


• BMB-4696 - Vintaj Natural Brass Lovely 6mm Daisy Bead Caps (6)
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• XTL-1054 - E6000 Industrial Strength Glue Adhesive (0.18 fl oz)
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• XTL-1031 - Nunn Design Glue Adhesive 2 oz. - For Patera Findings (1)
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• XTL-1041 - Mod Podge Gloss All-In-One Decoupage Sealer / Glue / Finish (4 fl. oz. )
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• XTL-1017 - Gel Du Soleil UV Epoxy Dimensional Gloss for Crafts & Jewelry 0.3 Fl. Oz.
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.


• XTL-1107 - Baroque Art Gilders Paste - Highlight Metal, Wood and More! 'Patina' 1 oz
  Project uses 1 piece. You will need 1 package.

• XTL-2152 - Beadsmith Jeweler's Chasing Hammer - 1 Inch Head - Metal Smithing
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• XTL-5600 - Xuron Sharp Flush Cutter Pliers - Wire/Soft Flex
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• XTL-5700 - Fiskars 5 Precision Tip Scissors - Super Sharp