Directions for Decoupage Jewelry
Creating beautiful decoupage jewelry is easier than it sounds. Decoupaging, which seals a paper image on to a sturdy base, allows you to create personalized jewelry out of scraps of papers or even photographs of loved ones. Using common crafting items, your own images and creativity, you can create one-of-a-kind jewelry items in your own home in only a few hours.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Chipboard, heavy cardboard or balsa wood pieces
- Scissors
- Paper with images
- Decoupage glue
- Paint brushes
- Jewelry findings--jump rings, pin backs, earring hooks, bracelets, chains
- Jewelry glue
- Jewelry pliers
Instructions
-
-
1
Select the images you wish to use for your decoupage jewelry. Choose smaller images for earrings or bracelet charms, larger images for pins and necklace charms.
-
2
Cut chipboard or heavy cardboard to the desired shape of the decoupage charm, or use pre-cut balsa wood pieces.
-
-
3
Apply a thin coat of decoupage glue to your choice of wood with a paintbrush. Apply the images while smoothing out any air bubbles underneath. Allow it to dry thoroughly, over night if possible. Apply another one to three coats of decoupage glue, sealing the top and sides of the images to the base, allowing the glue to dry thoroughly between coats.
-
4
Glue a pin back to the back side of the decoupage piece to create a pin. To create earrings or charms for necklaces and bracelets, poke or drill a hole in the board and then insert a jump ring. Add earring hooks, or add another jump ring, then attach to a chain or bracelet using jewelry pliers.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Decoupage jewelry can be as simple or as ornate as your desire. For larger pieces, use more than one image, or add a "frame" by gold-leafing the edges. Gluing on tiny rhinestones or even sequins adds glitz.
Making decoupage charms for a bracelet is easy, but it's just as easy to create a bracelet from several linked decoupage charms. Link the charms together with large jump rings, then add a clasp.
For a more finished jewelry look, purchase flat metal jewelry "charms" meant for use with photos. Add decoupage glue to the inside of the frame, add your image, then add a few more layers of the glue to seal.
Images, such as photos, printed with ink-jet printers are not for use with decoupage, as decoupaging liquids can make the inks run. Have photos or other images printed at a print shop that uses laser printers.
