How to Make Jewelry Pendants Using Scrabble Tiles

Attach artwork to the back of a Scrabble tile to make creative jewelry and keychains.

Scrabble tile pendants can make perfect personalized gifts for friends and family. With the tile acting as a backing, you can use these small tiles with any design you like to create many different looks. The tiles can be obtained inexpensively from the Scrabble game, and the supplies needed to make them into pendants will go a long way, so you can make lots of these pendants for your loved ones without spending much. If you are an artist, you can immortalize your own characters as pendants or make a few extra dollars from your new craft by selling them at local craft shows or on online crafting websites.

Things You'll Need

• Paper printed with design or pattern
• Razor blade or utility knife
• Straightedge
• Small paintbrush
• Clear-drying craft glue
• Decoupage glue
• Rubber-based permanent craft glue
• Medium grit wood file or sandpaper
• Jewelry pendant bails

Instructions

1. Cut out the paper square with the design or pattern on it using the actual Scrabble tile as a template. Lay the tile centered over the design you have chosen and trace around the tile. Leave an extra ¼ inch on every side of the Scrabble tile to allow for easy handling. Then, using your straightedge on the tracing, cut out the square with your utility knife. The cut-out design should be centered in the square and should be on a paper slightly larger than the face of the tile.

2. Paint a thin layer of clear-drying craft glue, such as Diamond Glaze, on the back side of the tile and press it onto your cutout. Apply even pressure from the center of the tile toward each edge to press out any air bubbles. Use your straightedge to push out air bubbles, if any remain. Allow the glue to dry for 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Turn over the tile and cut off the excess paper using your utility knife. Get as close to the edge of the tile as you can.

4. Use your wood file or sandpaper to file down the edges of the paper where it meets the tile. File from the paper design toward the tile only to avoid potentially lifting the paper from the tile. Stop filing when the edge where the paper meets the tile feels smooth and is flush, and always file gently since the wood used to make Scrabble tiles is very soft and you may wind up filing off more of the wood than you intended to.

5. Paint a thin layer of decoupage glue over the top of the paper and around the edges of the tile to seal the design. Allow the glue to dry for 20 to 30 minutes.

6. Squeeze clear drying craft glue onto the top of the sealed tile starting around the outside edges and then filling in toward the center. Cover the entire top surface and get as close to the edges as you can without the glue rolling off the top. Surface tension should keep the glue on the top if you don't apply too much. Use a needle to pull out any bubbles that may appear. You don't have to worry about disrupting the surface too much when pulling out the bubbles, since the glue will level out as it dries. Allow the glue to cure according to manufacturer's instructions, printed on the package.

7. Turn the cured tile over and attach the pendant bail using rubber-based permanent craft glue, such as E-6000 adhesive. Squeeze a dot or two of the adhesive onto the lettered side of the tile on the center of the side from which you want the pendant to hang. You can also place a dot of glue on the backside of the bail if you prefer. This method may leave less glue residue visible when the project is complete. Press the bail on with the glue and hold in place for a few seconds to secure the position. Allow the glue to dry for 12 hours and your tile pendant will be complete and ready to wear.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not get the tile pendants wet, as the wood will soak up water and the glaze is water soluble.

References

• Annie Howe's Keepsakes: How to Make a Gorgeous Scrabble Tile Pendant
• Make and Takes: Scrabble Tile Pendant Tutorial
• Albu Design: Make Your Own Scrabble Tile Pendants