Up Cycled Altoid Tin With Jewelry Resin

 Resin Crafts Blog readers meet Valerie Spanswick of Sparkle Park Designs.  This is her Buddha Box featuring an up cycled Altoid tin!  I asked her if she would mind sharing some tips with you and she wrote me this fabulous "how-to."
For this up cycled Altoids tin I wanted to use my photograph of a red-columned pagoda. The tin is decorated with origami paper and a small metal Buddha, so the photo carries on the Asian theme. The pagoda is actually along the shore at Newport, Rhode Island. The photo was taken on film, so I had to scan the print. I enhanced the color in Photoshop to give it a vintage look, and then added some hand-painted highlights.
The gold frame encircling the picture was made from twisted gold paper – not a technique I would use again! All the paper was applied using Mod Podge, then sprayed with lacquer, and the little gold beads were glued on. I like the look of the tin decoration, but I wanted to picture to stand out more. 
Plus, I was worried the beads would fall off or the gold frame would get damaged.

On the Resin Crafts blog I read that Carmi often brushes resin on her pieces. So I bought some cheap paint brushes and coated the picture in Envirotex Jewelry Resin. I also brushed the resin on the gold frame and made sure to get some over the beads. I ended up doing two separate layers because I had left brush marks the first time.

Now the picture really stands out and almost looks like it's under glass – without being breakable! And I'm not worried about the beads falling off anymore. I think the resin really finished the piece off and also made it more durable.

 Thank you so much for your tips and advice Valerie!
For even more resin inspiration check out her etsy shop!

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