How to Make Eggshell Jewelry

Highly detailed Pysanky-style dyed eggs can be made into jewelry.

Eggshells have been decorated for centuries, from fabulous Faberge eggs adorned with gold and gemstones to folk-art eggs from Romania and Poland to, of course, commonly dyed Easter eggs. Small eggshell pieces are often glued to paintings and small objects, so it should be no surprise that eggshell jewelry is also available and can be made by most crafters. One way to create eggshell jewelry is by using a dyeing process and wax on thick pieces of ostrich eggshell. These shells are strong enough, when backed with epoxy, to become earrings and pendants the size of a quarter. The eggshells are also large enough to allow you to make a whole set of pieces from a single shell.

Things You'll Need

• Broken ostrich eggshell
• Plastic template
• Design
• Rotary tool with diamond cutting wheel
• Kistka (wax pen)
• Wax
• Dyes
• Naphtha
• Tissue
• Varnish
• Two-part tabletop epoxy
• Black enamel paint

Instructions

1. Clean off the broken ostrich egg. Use a plastic template to lay out the shape of the jewelry pieces you want to create. Plastic templates are drawing tools that are sold at most art-supply and craft stores. Each template has pre-cut shapes in many sizes, making it easier to draw perfect shapes. Draw the shape you want your jewelry to be in on the eggshell with a pencil. Space the pieces within 1/4 inch of each other. Avoid bad spots in the shell or cracks.

2. Separate each individual jewelry piece from the shell by cutting between the shapes with a rotary tool with a diamond cutting head. This is a rough cut to separate one jewelry piece from the next. With a large shell, you may have 10 or more individual pieces on a single shell and you may not want to dye all of the pieces in the same colors. Allow excess shell between the finished edge of each design and where you cut.

3. Draw over areas you want to resist dyeing using a wax pen. You may cover the entire shell in wax. Soak the shells in naphtha to dissolve the wax. Naphtha is a type of hydrocarbon-based solvent. Wipe off the remaining wax with a tissue.

4. Apply a light coat of varnish over the traced shapes. Allow the varnish to dry.

5. Mix a two-part tabletop epoxy and fill the back of each designed piece. The back of each shell will be curved, allowing you to fill it with epoxy as if it were a shallow cup. Allow the epoxy to harden for two to three days. This adds significant strength to the shell.

6. Cut the jewelry piece to its finished shape using the rotary tool. By making your finishing cuts after you have filled the shell back with epoxy, the jewelry piece is much more likely to hold up to the cutting process. Paint the edges of the shell black with enamel paint if the white edge doesn't complement your design.

Tips & Warnings

• Jewelry findings such as earring posts or hoops, clasps or pins can be embedded in the epoxy. Attach the jewelry findings while the epoxy is still wet.

References

• Nanette Thorelle: Making Ostrich Eggshell Jewelry