Welcome Back GD: Lelainia Lloyd Project #1 Lucky Charm Pendant

"Hello Everyone, Lelainia here with this months projects.When I saw the Hotpicks HPHW04 and the "Lucky" charm from the Vintage Trinkets/Mechanicals Set, I knew I wanted to use them to make a necklace to wear in October. This necklace went together quickly and easily and was great fun to make".

The first thing I did was to stamp the cat image from HPHW04 on Polyshrink using Black StazOn Ink. I recommend reading the directions before you begin stamping on PolyShrink. 

Here is something I learned through trial and error: stamping on plastic is slippery. I don’t have great control over my hands, but even if you do, the potential is there to have the wet ink slide and create an unintentional ghosting of the image. See what I mean?
 

I stamped the cat image several times before I figured out that rather than applying the rubber to the plastic, I should apply the plastic to the rubber. Place the stamp ink side up and then lay the PolyShrink on top and gently smooth it with two fingers. This creates a clear image. Problem solved!

I cut around the cat image, leaving a very scant white border around the outside. I also cut out one of the failed stampings of the cat to use a test because I’ve never used Polyshrink before. I lay the test cat on a Teflon sheet and used my heat gun to shrink it. I can tell you that as it was shrinking, it curled up like crazy and at this point I was yelling “NO!! Don’t do that!!” but once the Polyshrink had reached the smallest it could go, amazingly, it lay perfectly flat! I’m telling this to you so that you’ll know not to freak out like I did-everything will be alright in the end. Once I had finished the test run, I felt confident that I could successfully shrink the good cat image. It came out perfect! 

Next I wanted to make a small hole in the cat’s head for a jump ring to go through. I used this little gizmo I have for hand drilling called a two hole metal punch. I love it-it makes adding holes to metal so easy! If you don’t have one, you could also use a teeny tiny Fiskers 1/8th hole punch. I also own one of those and it makes a very tiny hole, the perfect size for jump rings.

I opened a package of Finnabair Vintage Trinkets and chose the smallest 1 and 3 numbers. I use my little drilling gizmo to drill a hole in each number so I could put jump rings through those too. I coated the numbers with a couple layers of Tango paint. 

I used the “Lucky” charm from the Finnabair Mechanicals as the focal point of the necklace. It has holes on either side and in the middle at the bottom, so no need to drill anything for attachments. (Yay!) I decided to match the aged copper look of the charm when choosing chain and jump rings from my jewelry making supply stash. I chose to make the necklace on the shorter side, so I cut a length of chain 22 inches long and then I cut that in half. I attached a length of chain to each side of the Lucky charm using jump rings. I chose a lobster claw closure and attached it to the chain ends. I added the cat charm I made to the hole at the bottom of the Lucky charm.

I cut a second piece of chain 8 inches long and attached it with jump rings 5 inches up on either side from the Lucky focal point. I found the centre (4 inches from either side) and added the numbers 1 and 3 on either side of the charm.

I wanted to add some colour, so I picked through my orange button stash and found some dark orange buttons. 

I added three on each side of the Lucky focal point and one on each side of the number 13. (I like to work in odd number-it tends to create better symmetry than even numbers.)

That’s it! I told you it was quick and easy! See you all again tomorrow evening.

A huge thanks from everyone at PA HQ Lelainia this is {purrrfect}!!! Working with Polyshrink is a bit like working with animals/children ... you never know what is going to happen next, glad you kept on with the experiment, the ghosting of the cat image is so apt! Your charm pendant turned out fabulous, love the use of the numbers. Thank you for sharing this with us all.

We would love you to join in with our monthly challenge. If you are inspired by any of this month's guests who have blogged between Oct 1st 2014 and Oct 31st 2014 then join in and link up your creativity HERE. You will go in the draw to win a £50 voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. You need to add your link by 19:00 (London time) Oct 31st 2014.