Resin Jewelry

Stop time and suspend motion, magnify images, mold custom faux-gemstone cabochons, re-purpose found objects or preserve precious memories with a lock of hair or ashes. With resin, you are only limited by your imagination.

All-Inclusive Creativity

Most resins cure clear, but you can easily change the color with dyes, pigments and specially made, highly saturated tints. You can color the entire batch or swirl color through after the resin has been poured. Create wafts of smokey grey, colorful combinations, blue ocean-inspired waves and countless other looks. Mix in glitter or confetti for a fun and festive way to add tiny pops of color and sparkle. Preserve pressed flowers for bouquets that never wilt.

Much of resin's appeal comes from the magic of arranging small items in jewelry settings and pouring resin over them. This is where your individual creativity really comes into play, as almost anything can be enveloped in this transparent medium. Use unconventional items like sprinkles to form delicious designs or bring a steampunk edge with watch gears. Coat clusters of crystals, rhinestones or gemstone chips for dazzling visual variety and shine. Blend glitter, metallic leaf and micro beads for a star-flecked sky, undersea scene or an abstract assemblage.

Remember to use colorants with low moisture, as it can affect the resin's curing process. Be sure your inclusions are completely dry, as well, as some organic materials (flowers, moss, etc.) can cause the resin to bubble if there's any moisture remaining.

If air bubbles form in your resin during pouring, allow it to sit for a while before adding your inclusions. Once the bubbles rise to the surface, you can pop them with a quick pass-over with a torch or lighter.

Become your own lapidary and capitalize on the popularity of cabochons with your own custom "gemstones" created with glass glitters. Mix the powders, pour or apply them directly to the setting, then cover them in resin to create a beautiful faux druzy or geode. Glass glitters may also mimic the signature flash of opal for a fraction of the cost.

A Mold New World

For a free-standing feel, use a mold or doming mat made of a flexible material, like silicone, to shape mixed resin layers into a pendant, bangle, earrings and more. View a free video on casting with resin using flexible, silicon molds here. These three-dimensional faceted molds are reusable and easy to clean. There's no setting or backing required. Once the resin has cured, it can be easily drilled or glued to a bail to attach chain, cord, jump rings or earring findings.

Dried flowers, leaves and other natural materials are great inclusions for this style of resin jewelry. View our broadcast, originally aired on Facebook Live, for a step-by-step walkthrough of this type of project. Artists have even gone so far as to create miniature faux biomes by composing tiny organic elements, like mushrooms and insects, into a scene of permanent stasis layered within resin. Here's a free video presented by Lisa Pavelka on ''How to Use Resin in Open Settings''.

Once you have mastered the dome and are comfortable controlling the resin's surface tension, forgo the mold altogether. Carefully drop resin onto sealed images and other small items. Though achievable with a two-part resin, it is much easier with UV resins. This method is a fun way to create small buttons, stud earrings, water droplet effects, pendants, cufflinks and all sorts of other things!

Unleash Your Creative Spirit

Now that you've had a glimpse of resin's limitless possibilities, it's time to embark on your own creative journey. The beauty of resin lies not just in its versatility, but in the stories it tells and the joy it brings, both during the making and in the marveling afterwards. Whether it's preserving cherished memories or crafting a piece of wearable art, each creation is a unique expression of your vision. Remember, the world of resin is a playground for the imagination, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Embrace the challenge, experiment with bold ideas, and let your artistic spirit soar.