DIY Network

Shrink Plastic Photo Pendant Turn favorite photos into fun jewelry. From "Stylelicious" episode DSTY-304

Host Jennifer Perkins shrinks a digital photo to create a one-of-a-kind photo pendant.

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Materials:

digital photo (approximately double the size you'd like for the finished pendant)
shrink plastic printer paper
embossing heat gun
handheld drill
jump ring
needle nose pliers
scissors
clear spray polyurethane
jewelry wire
jewelry clippers
hook and eye clasp
decorative glass or plastic beads
crimp beads

Steps:

1. Size a digital image on your computer, it should be about twice the size you'd like for the finished pendant. Following instructions on shrink plastic printer paper; print photos onto plastic. Note: the plastic for an inkjet printer works best. Also, be sure to set your printer to print on transparency paper.

2. Cut the printed photos into an interesting shape. If you'd like a perfect circle, use the bottom of a drinking glass as a template. Shrink photos with an embossing gun. Note: It takes about 10 seconds to shrink the plastic with an embossing gun, you can also use an oven to shrink the photos but it will take longer, just keep an eye on the plastic as it shrinks until it is the size you want.

3. Center and drill a hole in the shrunken photo using a handheld drill. Insert a jump ring through the drilled hole.

4. Coat the pendant with a thick coat of clear spray polyurethane.

Figure A

5. To create the necklace portion, loosely wrap jewelry wire around your neck and cut off the excess, make sure to leave approximately five inches extra wire for adding clasps.

6. Add the hook and eye clasp to one end of the jewelry wire and secure with a crimp bead. Lay out bead pattern, with pendant in center, on bead board, then slide wire through (figure A). Note: If you don't have a bead board, string half of the beads on the jewelry wire, add the pendant to the center, then add the remaining beads.

Figure B

7. To finish the necklace, add the other end of the hook and eye clasp, making sure to tuck the end of the wire through the last few beads and secure the wire with a crimp bead (figure B).

RESOURCES :

Heat It Craft Tool
Ranger Industries
Website: www.rangerink.com

Dremel Drill
Dremel
Website: www.dremel.com