Home Is Where The Heart Is Sentimental Jewelry

In the March issue of Beadstyle magazine you will find some of my resin pieces!  I want to explain how I made them with this little online tutorial.
There are streets and cities that you instantly recognize.
They remind you of home. 
Capturing some of those street and map images and encasing them in resin is a perfect way to create a connection to home or to the remembrance of homes from your past.
For this project I used heart shaped bezels, a circle and a set of blank cuff links.  Envirotex Jewelry Resin is ideal for this project because it cures crystal clear and happily, it virtually de-bubbles itself!
Atlases, maps and online direction sources are a great way to get a representation of home.  All you need to do is ensure that your images fit into a bezel of your choice.
For my husband, I wanted to make cuff links that showed where he was born and then where he lives now.  I needed to find a map that clearly showed those two cities.  My old atlas was my source.
Paper needs to be sealed before you pour Envirotex Jewelry resin over it.  I like to coat my paper with three layers of Mod-Podge.  I let each layer dry and then allow my bezel to rest overnight before pouring in Jewelry Resin.  The next day, I mix a batch of resin following the instructions included and 48 hours later my pieces are ready to be worn, wrapped or given away!
Wouldn’t this be a great gift for someone born in Paris?  Perhaps you have a friend who wants to live there.  These personalized pendants will make everyone happy.
I really like showcasing an actual street address.  Gift recipients are so surprised to see their home address permanently displayed in resin. 

I hope these pieces inspire you to create heartfelt images of home for your gift-giving projects. 

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