Swirled Microbeads Necklace

Swirled Microbead Necklace by Cindi McGee

I’ve been experimenting again…. sometimes the creative Mad Scientist inside me just can’t help herself.   This time it’s a twist on a way to add a pattern to a clay pendant… 

Materials: 

Makin’s Clay® - Concord Blue 60g

Makin’s® 

• Clay Roller
• Clay Cutters - Round

Makin’s Professional® Cutting Mat 

Judikins™ Diamond Glaze™

Judikins™ Pinwheel Flower Stamp 

Metallic Green Microbeads

Blue & Green “Indian” Beads 

Silver eye pin

Blue bead chain 

Closure

Jewelry pliers, scissors 

Instructions:

Roll Concord blue Makin’s Clay® to approximately 1/8” thick.   Use 40mm (largest in 3pc set) round clay cutter to cut circle from rolled clay.   Store remaining clay in airtight container with damp paper towel or moist towelette for later use. 

Use fingertip to apply a layer of Diamond Glaze over the surface of the stamp.  Stamp onto the round clay disc.  

Immediately cover in green metallic microbeads.   Let glaze dry about 5 minutes.  Carefully

lift disc and let remaining microbeads fall away.  Use toothpick or clay tool to remove any “stray” microbeads that are not within the stamped pattern and to make a hole for chain.  Fill in any gaps in the pattern with a touch of glaze and additional beads.  Let disc dry 24 hours

 

Apply thick coat of glaze between swirls of microbeads.  Let dry.   Apply a thin coat of glaze to outer edge and back of disc.  Let dry 

Add 3 “Indian” beads to silver eye pin, insert through hole in disc.  Add 3 beads to back of pin. 

Bend both ends of pin upward.  Use jewelry pliers to open eye in pin and wrap around bead chain.  Repeat with back of pin, making a loop at the end over the chain.  Add closure.