How to Make a Vintage Optical Lens Pendant
Optical lens pendants allow you to add photos or artwork to vintage optical lenses, creating a distinctive jewelry piece. Using an optical lens as your pendant, you can make jewelry that evokes the feel of a time gone by. Use vintage photos or old sketches to create a pendant that is as much a conversation piece as a work of art. You can highlight any photo or artwork you enjoy, from matching a pattern to a specific outfit or highlighting your favorite photo of your pet.
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Things You'll Need
- Optical lens
- Photo
- Clear dimensional glue
- Brush
- Craft knife
- Jewelry chain
Instructions
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Choose a photo to place under the lens of your pendant. The photo can be abstract, containing only colors and designs, or you can even use vintage images such as images from old postcards or postage stamps. If your photo seems too large for your optical lens, reduce it by importing it into a graphics program or with a copy machine.
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2
Place your lens on top of the photo you wish to display. Center the lens over the exact area you want to appear through the lens. Cut around the lens with your craft knife to size the photo appropriately for your optical lens.
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Brush a thin layer of clear dimensional glue onto the back of your optical lens. Press your photo face down onto the glue. Allow the glue to dry.
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4
String your new pendant onto a jewelry chain. Your pendant is now ready to wear.
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Tips & Warnings
You don’t have to limit yourself to just one photo. Print out small phrases of poetry or single words and create a tiny collage to fit into your optical lens pendant. Cut out the words or phrases before tracing the larger photo with your knife and glue them onto the base photo. Allow the collage to dry before cutting around the optical lens.
References
- “The Impatient Beader Gets Inspired”; Margot Potter; 2006
