How to Make a Postage Stamp Pendant

Make a postage stamp pendant from a piece of leather.

Postage stamps come in many shapes and sizes, and their many designs depict important events throughout history, people, animals, insects, art and flowers. The print designs on the stamps are small works of art done in a combination of colors. Instead of just storing a postage stamp that strikes your fancy, you can make a postage stamp pendant, which allows the wearer to display a particular stamp they enjoy. The backing for the pendant is either metal, plastic, wood or leather. Make a homemade stamp pendant from a piece of leather and jewelry jump rings.

Things You'll Need

• Postage stamp
• Pencil
• Leather scrap, 1/16th inch thick
• Scissors
• Awl
• Hammer
• Old magazine
• Sandpaper
• White school glue
• 1/4-inch Jeweler's jump ring
• Needle-nose pliers

Instructions

1. Turn the scrap of 1/15th inch thick leather so the back side is facing up. Lay the postage stamp on the back of the leather with the picture facing down. Make sure to put the top of the stamp away from you. Trace around the outside edge of the stamp.

2. Remove the stamp. Find the center at the top of the shape. Draw a half circle approximately 1/4-inch wide and 1/4-inch tall. Cut out the drawn shape. Make sure to cut around the top half circle.

3. Turn the leather over. Place the small piece of leather on the surface of an old magazine. Center the point of the awl in the half circle. Hit the top of the awl with a hammer and drive the point through the leather and into the magazine. Remove the awl.

4. Lightly sand the front side of the leather. Do not sand the small half-circle.

5. Place a coating of white glue over the sanded surface of the leather pendant. Center the stamp and glue it to the surface making sure to line up the edges.

6. Spread the jump ring apart with a needle-nose pliers. Insert the end of the jump ring through the hole on the leather pendant. Thread the jump ring through the hole. Squeeze the opening shut with the pliers.