How to Make "Scrabble" Tile Pendants

The art of upcycling is that of using crafting skills to transform something old into something new, with a new use. If you've got an old "Scrabble" game with wooden or plastic letter tiles, don't throw them out; those tiles make some sturdy, attractive jewelry pendants for necklace or dangly earring features. Decorate a "Scrabble" tile pendant with any paper design you like.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Scrabble letter tiles
• Decorative paper or printed image
• Marker
• Decoupage medium
• Power drill
• 1/8-inch drill bit
• Large jump ring
• Needlenose pliers

1. Lay the "Scrabble" tile on the paper. If there's a particular design or portion of the paper you want to feature, center the tile over this. Trace around the tile using the permanent marker.

2. Cut out the shape with scissors; as you cut, position the scissors just inside the marker line to get the right size and leave the ink line behind.

3. Apply a light coat of decoupage medium to the tile. Paste the paper piece in place over this. Paint the top of the paper with another coat of medium to give it a hard, shiny coating on both sides. Let dry according to manufacturer's instructions.

4. Fit the drill with a 1/8-inch drill bit.

5. Drill a hole in the tile from front to back. Position this in the top center of the tile, ¼ inch from the edge.

6. Open the jump ring using the needle-nosed pliers. For best results, pull the wire ends apart sideways, rather than pulling it so that the ring opens wider; this will ensure that it closes securely.

7. Thread the jump ring through the hole in the tile. Bend the wire to close the jump ring.

References

• "Bead on a Wire: Making Handcrafted Wire and Beaded Jewelry;" Sharilyn Miller; 2005