Petrol Rainbow Fur Dangle Charm Tutorial. You’ll find more info on making pieces with stones and direct pours in our Advanced Breastmilk Jewellery Course and Advanced Memorial Jewellery Course. I’ve also created two free courses to help people learn how to make breastmilk and memorial jewellery – click here to register and take them! If you don’t have time then here is a quick bit of info on the two techniques. Please watch tutorials if you are new to keepsake jewellery making to find out which one fits your needs.
UV Resin Rainbow Tutorials – Videos
Petrol Rainbow Fur Dangle Charm
You’ll need the following supplies
- a necklace or ring setting (teardrop bezel necklace)
- a single silicone mould or a practice bezel setting
- vinyl gloves
- resin sparkle mix (you can use eyeshadows!)
- a dust mask
- label backing paper
- some sandpaper
- 3 cocktail sticks
- 10g UV resin
- breastmilk preservation powder (breastmilk kit only)
You’ll also need your client’s breastmilk, ashes, fur or cord! That way, if it’s lost in the post they can send a little more.
Tools and Equipment you might need
- LED UV lamp**
- more cocktail sticks
- more label backing paper
- hairdressing scissors
- tweezers
- a tiny measuring spoon
- resin sparkle mix set
- magic silver polishing stick
- silver polishing cloth
- dangle charm bail
- tiny heart charm
- jump ring
- jump ring opener
- flat pliers
UV Resin Rainbow Tutorials
Petrol Rainbow Fur Dangle Charm
Hi, I’m Nikki Kamminga from Keepsaker Supplies. In this video I’ll be using UV resin in a direct pour to make a “Petrol Rainbow” Fur Dangle Charm. It’s a gift for a client who has been ordering memorial beads from me at Tree of Opals for the past four years, for her beautiful dogs. This video is dedicated to Tala who passed away.
This is a photo Debbie very kindly sent me of her bracelet. I’ll soon be sending her this dangle charm along with a matching bead with Tala’s fur and collar. I’ll tell you some more about Tala at the end. You can buy the kit for this kind of teardrop bezel here (links above), also the dangle charm setting, sparkles and tools. Use eyeshadow for the extra colours if you’re starting out or making something for yourself.
To make the rainbow, put a small drop of resin and some sparkle mix on a piece of label backing paper for each of the colours you’re using. I’ll be selling the colours premixed soon so please keep an eye out. This is a petrol colour scheme, inspired by the rainbow that appears when petrol is on water, blues, greens and purples. Stir each colour thoroughly. Make sure you’re wearing PPE such as gloves and a resin respirator mask, hair tied back etc.
Put your bezel cup on something to hold it steady, such as a small ramekin. For the first layer, put a small amount of the first coloured resin on the side and move it how you like. Don’t worry about perfection in the first layer: you won’t end up seeing it. It’s more of a guide for the second layer. Add each colour in turn. I’m doing five colours for this piece. I’m doing roughly diagonal lines because I like the look of pieces like this. It doesn’t matter if they’re wonky, you will make something stunning however it comes out!
Cure a couple of times under UV. UV pen lights are plenty strong enough and they’re great for beginners or if you’re selling your own DIY kits. Do a second layer with the same colours, I worked backwards this time. You don’t need full coverage and each layer should be very thin otherwise the light can’t penetrate enough to cure the UV resin. I like to slightly swirl where the colours meet to create an ombré effect.
You could add cremation ashes, umbilical cord or breastmilk powder mixed in with the colours if you want. Cure again and meanwhile prepare the fur. Prepare some fresh label backing paper with a thin line of resin then place the strands of fur or hair along it. White human hair is often actually transparent like thin strands of glass. When it’s put in resin it often disappears. Tala’s fur is white, it actually has pigment: that’s why you can see it in the finished piece. Cut the lock to the right length. It should be about the same height as the bezel, or the same width if doing it sideways. If you’d like a tutorial on making shapes with hair please let me know in the comments
The third layer is the fur. Moving the hair around inside the bezel takes a lot of patience and a little practice but there’s no rush. I needed to trim it a few times and it was still a bit long! I’m also adding a few strands of fabric from Tala’s beautiful lavender collar. You could also add ashes in this layer if you’re using them, they will be more visible than mixed in with the colour (or do both). When you’re happy you can cure it under the lamp.
For the fourth layer, do a thin layer of clear resin on top to protect the fur. It should come level with the edge of the bezel. When you’re making these, try to watch out for resin going over the edges, you can wipe it off if it has. Cure again a couple of times. I noticed some fur poking out of the side, this is normal.
This can be easily corrected by taking a magic silver polishing stick, which I sell on my website too. Gently rub away the fur in circular motions with the green side. You can use this on the silver too if you’ve spilt resin on it (pick it off first). Then polish with the white side. Your fifth layer is the doming coat. I’m using Padico UV resin today which domes beautifully. If you use other brands that are prone to stickiness, you can finish with a thin layer of top coat. Don’t dome too much, otherwise the resin is more likely to pop out!
Cure it making totally sure it’s completely level then allow to cool completely and cure again, then cool and repeat a third time before touching it. To add the findings to the bezel you will need a jump ring, jump ring openers and a pair of flat pliers. Be careful not to pull the jump ring apart, the sides should go north and south instead so when they’re pushed back, there’s no gap. Add the dangle charm bail. I’m also adding a teeny little heart because they’re cute and I add them to most necklaces and dangle charms these days
You can add a chain if you prefer, or an 11mm carabiner clasp for large link bracelets. Debbie has a European bracelet for large hole beads, so this dangle charm bail will fit perfectly. I’m so grateful for Debbie’s permission to film this with Tala’s fur as part of my series of courses to make breastmilk and memorial jewellery. Tala was rescued as a puppy and despite being white, spent her days covered in mud, and hanging out with her new brothers Koda and Maska. Tala means wolf in Native American. She was known as medicine wolf to the family because she always knew if someone was sick. She passed away from a tumour on her liver and will never be forgotten. I have a photo of Tala pinned to my notice board because she reminds me that every single client has a very special reason for ordering keepsake jewellery.
I feel extremely privileged to get to do this for a living and when I tell clients it’s an honour to work with their loved ones’ ashes, fur, cord and breastmilk it really is. If you’re thinking of starting a keepsake business, please know it’s conversations like these with your clients that make it completely worthwhile. I’m happy to solder the dangle charm settings onto any of our pendant settings, just ask nicely in the order comments.
Thanks for watching. Now relax and do some crafting
*on upselling stones – please make it clear to the client you’ll always return the spare stones free of charge, regardless of their decision. I feel that these belong to the client and it’s unethical to charge someone extra to get back their loved ones’ ashes. Blog here on upselling and linkselling! – Nikki
**personally, I like to make the practice setting in a 6mm round bezel cup setting so it’s real silver. I tell the client it’s a free gift but also have ways to linksell here, see the following blog 🙂