« Custom Image Jewelry DIY »

For a while now I've been seeing pendants that I absolutely love filled with pics of starlets being fabulous. They've seemed kind of high to me for what you get, though. So I browsed around on Etsy looking for the supplies to make my own. It turns out that you can make jewelry like the rings and pendant above in less than 5 minutes! Looks like I have one idea for stocking stuffers in the bag!

The supplies for this project are getting easier and easier to find. In fact, I saw an end cap with the materials, called bezels at Hobby Lobby only a week or so after I purchased these online. The bezels come in a variety of colors from silver to bronze to gold in a variety of styles from plain to more ornate. 

For these particular bezels I used a glass cabachon to magnify my image and give the piece dimension. If you want to purchase a bezel and cabochon combo, I suggest purchasing from Etsy as I did. I received good quality for a good price and very quickly. I purchased from LA Bead Supply.

So, do you want to get started? You will need:

• Pendant, ring, earring bezels
• Paper glaze (sold with glue)
• X-acto knife
• Color printer and good quality paper
• Scissors
• Digital images or scanner and pictures
• Strong adhesive

STEP 1: Print small versions of your images you've either found online or scanned in yourself. To make less guesswork for myself, I scanned in the bezels and made my images fit within that size, but you can also measure with a ruler or eyeball it.

I would highly recommend using high quality photo paper. I did and they were easy to handle because the paper was not too flimsy and the quality came out really well.

STEP 2: Put a small amount of paper glaze on the backside (flat side) of the glass cabochon. Hold for a moment while it starts to become tacky, then place onto the photo image and move around until you are happy with the placement. Set aside to dry for several hours or overnight.

STEP 3: Use an x-acto knife to cut around the cabochon and remove the excess paper. Use your strong adhesive (I used e-6000) to attach the back of the cabochon firmly in the bezel setting. Allow to dry fully and then it's ready to wear!

If you prefer not to use the glass cabochons or are having a difficult time finding them, use your paper glaze instead. Simply attach the image to the bezel setting and then apply multiple, very thin coats of paper glaze on top with a small brush. Allow each coat to fully dry in between. Do not go really heavy because it will dry hazy instead of nice and clear.

I hope you've enjoyed today's DIY. See you tomorrow for the round up!

Update on Saturday, September 29, 2012 by Allison Murray

This post was featured in the One Pretty Thing Jewelry Roundup!