Resin Jewelry Making - How to Prepare Inclusions

Resin jewelry making provides you the ability toaway, but for extra caution, seal the image with a
encapsulate objects and suspend them in the resin;small amount of craft or decoupage glue. This will seal
producing jewelry items that incorporate materials thatthe image and prevent ink from bleeding out into the
may not otherwise be used in jewelry making. Manyresin and the original image becoming transparent.
items may be embedded within resin jewelry including3-D Objects
insects, plants, pictures and fabric. The most importantSmall 3-D Objects such as games pieces, shells and
thing to consider when embedding objects into resin isfigurines can usually be added to resin with little
that the inclusion is completely free from moisture aspreparation. They must firstly be washed with
the moisture can interfere with the resin curingdetergent and left to dry. For best results to avoid
process. The following explains how inclusions shouldcreating air bubbles, they should be brushed with a
be prepared before being embedded into resin.layer of resin prior to adding them to the liquid resin.
Flowers and VegetationCandy
Flowers, leaves and other garden vegetation must beTo prevent flavourings from candy, dried foods and
dried and completely free of moisture. They can eithersweets from bleeding out into the resin, they should be
be pressed (by using a press or between pages of asprayed with clear acrylic spray and left to dry
large book and blotting paper and left for severalthoroughly over night. As with 3-D objects, to prevent
weeks). Pressed flowers should be coated with craftair bubbles, they should be coated with a brushed layer
or decoupage glue as darker flower colours mayof resin prior to adding them to the liquid resin.
bleed into the resin and lighter colours may becomeFabric
transparent. Alternatively, small blooms of flowers canMost fabric can be included in resin jewelry without
be dried be covering them with silica gel for severalany prior preparation, however to prevent any fabric
weeks. They can then be sprayed with clear acrylicdye from bleeding into the resin the fabric can be
spray before being embedded into the liquid resin.sealed with craft or decoupage glue. Alternatively, a
Woodrange of fabric paper is available in craft shops that
Wooden pieces should be sealed with resin, craft oralready coated so its colour will remain once
decoupage glue and cured before embedding intoembedded in resin.
resin. This will prevent air bubbles from escaping fromExamples of other items that that may be embedded
the wooden piece, which will in turn create bubbles inwithin resin jewelry and usually do not require any prior
the resin jewelry casting.preparation include glitter, glass, metal power, beads
Pictures and Photographsand confetti. These items can be included within resin
For best results use mat or photocopied images asjewelry for decoration or to change the texture of the
some ink-jet printed images will bleed when glue isobject. Light objects will suspend within the resin but
applied to seal the image. For best results, print theheavier ones will sink to the bottom, therefore heavier
image on photo paper and leave 24 hours toitems must be added when the resin has cured for a
thoroughly dry. You can often embed it like this straightwhile and the resin has become firmer.