Resin Christmas Ornaments

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Resin
• UV light
• Small eye hooks
• Silicone tools or toothpick
• Resin dye (Note the colors come in opaque and transparent)
• Glitter, sequins or other embellishments to place into the resin
• Pliers
• Scissors/X-acto blade
• Drill (small bit to coordinate with eye hook screw size)
• Ribbon/yarn

DIRECTIONS:

1. Read the directions on the packaging for the exact instructions on your resin/uv light of choice and modify the instructions to suit your desired jewelry item and resin/light.
2. Set up your UV light on your work surface.
3. Place the silicone molds onto a tray or plate.
4. Pour a thin layer of resin into your mold and place under the UV light for 90 seconds or the desired time on your products packaging to set the resin.
5. Add another thin layer of resin and add sparkles, dye, embellishments to the resin. Place under the UV light to set for another 90 seconds, or as indicated.
6. Add another layer of resin with minimal color added and layer in more embellishments or keep clear if desired embellishments have already been added. The more layers you want to your design the more layers of resin you can add. The last layer you will want to seal with a clear layer of resin with no embellishments to finish off.
7. Once the resin is cured drill a small hole in the top of the ornament for your hanger eye hook. Screw the in eye hook in place.
8. To make an ornament: Cut a piece of ribbon 6" long, thread through the eye hook and knot the ends together to hang.
9. To make a garland: Cut 9 pieces of ribbon a few inches longer than your desired garland length. Knot all 9 strands together, separate the 9 strands into 3 sets of 3 strands and do a basic braid to the entire length. Knot at the end. Thread a small piece of yarn through the eye hook at the top of each letter and secure them to the braided strand by knotting them in place several times. Cut off any excess on the tying strands. Repeat until all the letters are knotted in place.
10. When working with the letter molds the bottom of the mold is the back of your finished design. So you will need to work keeping in mind the first layer you put in will be the back of your ornament and layer accordingly. Do not put too many opaque elements in the front or you will not see the other layers.

JOANN HACKS:

• Work in thin layers to best cure the resin and to avoid bubbles.


• Add swirl patterns in your resin by dropping a small dot of dye into your resin, using a tooth pick pull the dye through the resin to add swirls, use one color or mix colors.


• Use an X-acto blade or scissors to trim any overflow resin, its best to set to a tacky consistency and then cut away before returning to the UV light to harden. It can't be done after being completely hardened but may by more likely to crack or have rough edges.


• Use a baking tray, paper plate, cutting mat or something on hand to protect your work surface and help with clean up. If you have something with a slight edge it will help contain rolling beads and loose glitter.


• If you get any air bubbles into your resin design you can use a heat gun to remove them. UV Resin is very heat sensitive so introduce the heat slowly and be careful not to stay in one place for more than a second or two.