PolyShrink and Turquoise
Earrings
or Pin
Number of Layers: 2
Dimensions: 1.5" x 3.5"
Art Materials:
- Canvas White PolyShrink™
- Chalk pastels
- Crafter's Ink , or Fabrico™
- Rub n' Buff™ or Treasure Gold™
- Spray sealer (like Krylon® Matte)
- Beads
- 20 gauge brass wire
- 1 pair of ear wires
- Ultra Thin Bond, or E-6000™ Adhesive
Additional instructions needed:
The PolyShrink General Instruction sheet has complete instructions
for the "PolyShrink Ruler".
Please Click Here
Cutting
Out your Design & Adding Color:
Sand a piece of Canvas White PolyShrink. Cut out the back and front layers, based on your paper layout. Round any corners with scissors or a corner punch.
Using your fingers, rub chalk pastels into the sanded surface.Experiment with different colors on scraps of PolyShrink and bake to see how they will look after shrinking.
Once you have the overall background colors rubbed in, you can make additional texture in the surface with coarse (around 150 grit) sandpaper. Depending on the background color, the scratches may be difficult to see, so don't overdo. Pick up a small amount of a medium to dark shade of pastel on the tip of your finger and gently rub across the grain of the sandpaper texture. Stamp, sponge, or stipple additional texture or design in Colorbox Crafter's or Fabrico Ink.
Punch any holes using a hole punch, or if you have a drill you can make the holes after shrinking.
After you've baked the pieces, you can color the white edges using metallic rub-ons, metallic markers, or permanent marker. Always color the edges of the top layer before adhering to the back layer!
Glue the layers together using UTB, E-6000, or other craft glue. Attach beads and earwires.
Please Note: This page is proportioned
for trouble free printing.
Copyright
© Lucky Squirrel
Method:
First, select the pair of beads,
cabachons, or other components you'd like to use as the centerpiece
of your earrings.
Follow the instructions on how to make and use a PolyShrink Ruler in the General instructions. See the link at the bottom left of this page.
Using a shrunk PolyShrink ruler made from the same type of PolyShrink™ you plan to use for your earrings, measure the component that will be at the center of the earring. Use this measurement to help you make a layout on paper.
For example, the actual measurement of one of the turquoise donut beads used in these earrings is 1/2 inch diameter. When measured with a PolyShrink Ruler, the measurement is between 1 and 1 1/4 inches. Your design layout will be based on the measurement of your component.
Begin your layout by deciding on the size of the circular cut-out in the top (brown) layer. Allow for enough extra space around your component to see the back (green and purple) layer through the opening. Make a test of the estimated size by cutting out and shrinking a square with the interior circle cut out. Place your component inside the circle and check to see if you need to fine tune the measurement.
Once you know the size of the opening that your component will fit into, you're ready to complete a layout on paper.Begin with the measurement for the opening, and design the rest of the earring from there.
Use the same priciples to make a pin. Make an extra, slightly smaller layer, to fit behind the top layer, if you'd like the pin to have extra depth.