How to Create Artificial Gems
Creating artificial gems is a fun hobby that you can then use to save money, by making your own jewelry to give away as gifts during birthdays and holidays for your friends and family. You may even want to start your own costume jewelry business. After a trip to your local crafts store, with a little the time and effort, you'll be able to make some really beautiful artificial gems.
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Things You'll Need
- Clear or colored flat glass marbles
- Aluminum foil
- Permanent markers in various colors
- Scissor
- Polymer clay
- Clay tools
- Glass pan
Instructions
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1
Tear off a piece of aluminum foil to use on the bottoms of the stones. Keep it smooth, or crinkle it to give it a different effect.
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2
Use a permanent marker to scribble on the foil. Color the flat side of a clear glass or colored marble as well. Mix different colors together, using additional markers.
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3
Place the marble against the colored side of the foil. Use scissor to cut a circle from the foil that is slightly larger in diameter than the marble's base. Hold the marble against the foil to help you cut the proper size. Center the marble and press the foil around the edges so that it folds flat against the stone.
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4
Make a circular base of polymer clay that is big enough to support the marble. Carefully press the marble and foil onto the clay well enough that air cannot get into it. Press the stone through the clay.
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5
Create a distinctive pattern in the clay using a clay tool. Place the clay, along with the gem and foil, onto a glass or Pyrex pan and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for between five and 10 minutes.
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Tips & Warnings
Add other colors and patterns to the backside of the stone for a more unique look.
Be aware that when you mix permanent marker colors, the different colors will bleed together on the tips of the markers.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
