Guest Blog: Rachel and her Resin Adventure

Today we have guest blogger Rachel Baron sharing her first attempt at resin. Enjoy! Jen

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If you’re anything like me, you probably have a million different crafting gadgets, gizmos and set-ups that you will never find time to use...but you still *need* them, so you just keep telling yourself someday you will learn to make Siberian Jewel-Studded Knitted Longjohns. (Disclaimer: I have no idea if those are even a thing, so if they are I apologize to any creators of Siberian Jewel-Studded Knitted Longjohns for being sarcastic.)

One of the creative endeavors I have had forever is Ice Resin. I bought a kit a couple years back with the idea of making a necklace for my cousin who had released her first EP. I figured a nice resin pendant with her cover art would be something she would love. And she would. If I would ever make it. Which I’m doing. Right now, with all of you.

First, I printed out a copy of the album art. Since I have an ink jet printer, I knew I’d have to seal the image. I also knew I had mod podge somewhere, but in the vortex of my supplies area, it was no where to be found. I did find some Vintaj Glaze Metal Sealer. However, this stuff was meant to be used on metals, not paper. But I’m a trailblazer, so I forged ahead and prayed it wouldn't turn the image into a giant ink smudge. It didn’t.

Then, I had to carefully trim the image. Here’s where you learn a little more about me: I’m not a precise artist. I’m more of a mad scientist. To sit and carefully trim an image s-l-o-w-l-y is a creative torture. But I made it through--not perfect, but through. You can probably see that it was a smidge too wide to sit completely flat in the bezel, but I was afraid my next trim job would be a hack job, so I went with it.

Next was mixing the resin. The kit had these cool little measuring cups that have the fluid ounces marked. But since I am 40+ those little lines were almost invisible. So here’s a handy tip: make a couple of dashes with a Sharpie Marker to help you out.

The Ice Resin comes in a Part A and a Part B that you mix together. I squeezed the Part A of the resin, and thought, “Wow, this is thick stuff!” Then I realized I had to snip the tip off the dispenser. Who reads directions? I added equal part of the Part B, which is the hardening agent. Easy enough!

I stirred the resin for the required 2 minutes (see I did read some of the directions), and I have to admit, I was alarmed by the number of bubbles. I hoped they would somehow work themselves out, otherwise I would have a cloudy pendant.

Next, was time to pour. I did a little at a time until I got a feel for the viscosity of the resin. Then I realized the surface I was working on wasn’t quite flat! I tried to gently lift the paper I had been working on to move the filled pendant to flat quarters...and dumped the pendant--and resin-- all over my shirt.

But a true professional never panics, so I just up and fled to my other work station and was able to salvage the piece. Somewhere along the line I lost one of my sandals, it was that intense.

The finished pendant turned out great, despite my goof-ups! There were no bubbles, as I feared, and it was incredibly easy to work with--once you follow directions and actually prepare yourself properly!

When I do more pieces (which I will, this was a practice run), I will do a few at a time. You have to mix at least a half ounce to get the Ice Resin to cure, and while that doesn’t sound like a lot, I could have easily made about 4 or 5 pendants out of that. The Ice Resin only will sit for 45 minutes, so you can’t save the rest for later.

Now that I have tried the resin, I can move on to one of the other myriad of supplies and tools that are haunting my work table. The only question is, what’s next?

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You can read more by Rachel on her Blog and shop for her beads and jewelry on Indiemade and Etsy.