Thursday, July 1, 2010

Undersea Pendants with Fantasy Fiber by Lori Mendenhall

When I first laid eyes on Fantasy Fiber I knew it would make the perfect background for a pendant. The amazing dichroic colors mesmerized me as I envisioned a dazzling ocean scene. Fantasy Fiber colors can be used straight out of the package, or you can combine the fibers prior to fusing to create even more interesting looks.


For my ocean backgrounds, I use the color “Edge of Night”. Take a small clump of the fibers and sandwich them between parchment paper. Using a medium temperature iron, fuse the fibers together into a sheet. Make sure you don’t over-iron to avoid scorching. See the Art Glitter website for more complete instructions.


Once my fibers are fused, I cut out the exact shape and size to fit into the bezel. If you are really lucky, you’ll have a paper punch which is the perfect fit for the bezel. Alas, I did not have that so I had to cut with scissors. The fused fibers are very sturdy and hold up well to being cut.


Lay the Fantasy Fibers into the bezel and add the charms and beads to complete the scene. I use clear seed beads to make the cute little air bubbles. (Funny to actually simulate air bubbles when working with resin because almost always you are trying to eliminate real air bubbles!)


When the scene is complete fill the bezel with resin. Let cure for a full three days. For a complete write-up of this project, see “Bead Unique” magazine, Summer 2010.

4 comments:

  1. very nice! i checked the magazine site and the art glitter site for details but could not find anything specific to the pendant projects...
    i'm interested to find out where you got the copper charms - if they are indeed charms, since i see no loops - or did you use copper tape and emboss the images? care to share?
    the pendants are gorgeous and whimsical - thanks for taking such great photos! TJGoogins

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  2. Thanks a bunch Regina and TJG! The metal you see are indeed charms they are actually silver not copper. I get my charms from many sources, many from try Fire Mountain Gems and Artbeads. I usually buy pewter - then clip the loops. if the cut is not clean I file it down so it's smooth.

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  3. Awesome job!! These are really cool!!! TFS :)

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