Over Easter I shared with you all some crafts inspired by Polystyrene eggs. While shopping in the town centre when enjoying a recent holiday to Butlins in Bognor Regis, I popped into the ‘Works’ Where I uncovered these cute little polystyrene hearts.
Having recently used polystyrene miniature eggs to create Egg pendants with the children, it gave me an idea for a crafty project for these hearts.
The idea… Heart Friendship Pendants!
If you fancy a go at these yourself, they are relatively easy to make just a little fiddly if anything. Its the perfect craft to do with bigger kids. Alice who is 10 had lots of fun making hers.
Here’s what you’ll need to make two pendants like ours…
2 designs of decopatch paper (your choice of design and colours)
Decopatch Glue
Mod Podge Shimmer (gold)
Glue/Decopatch Brush
Tiger Wire/Craft Wire
fishing Wire
Tiny Gold Beads
Glass beads
Glass crystals (colours to complement Decopatch paper)
5 x 4mm flat backed crystals (colours to complement decopatch paper) I used white and blue.
Jewellery Findings (couple of crimping beads and crimp covers, 2x pendent attachment, jump hoops, 2x clasps & catches)
Tools…
Crimping tool
Brushes
Scissors
Nail (to pierce a hole through hearts)
Here’s how to put it all together to make your heart pendents
1) Use a sharp nail to pierce 2 small holes opposite one another, right at the top of your hearts in the centre, like so…
2) Cut papers into small manageable pieces. Decopatch your hearts using your paper pieces and decopatch glue. This is done by simply adding glue directly to the heart and over the top of the paper. Cover one side of pendants, allow to dry for 30-40 minutes before doing the other sides.
When it comes to covering the sections of the hearts where the two holes are located, do this using the nail to locate the holes and piercing the paper.
3) Once these are dry use a clean brush to apply a thin layer of Mod Podge gold shimmer. Apply to one side of the hearts, leave it to dry for 30 minutes before adding the shimmer to the opposite sides and again leaving to dry.
4) while the pendants are still wet, secure your 3 4mm flat back crystals in a row down the centre of one side of one of your pendants and the remaining crystals onto your remaining heart pendant in the same way. Now leave to dry.
5) Now take your two tiny gold beads and insert into the two holes with the holes facing up.
6) next take your pendant attachments and fit them to the hearts via the holes on the gold beads.
7) Next, take some fishing wire (enough to make desired necklace length) and thread it through each of your pendants hoops
8) Now thread on your glass beads and crystals like so. Five on each side looks nice. Do the same for your second necklace in a different style.
9) Make a knot on both ends of the wire while you prepare your findings.
10) Finally connect your crimps and covers, jump loops and catches. Sit back and admire your work.
We made 2 heart necklaces as Alice-Sara wanted to make these for herself and best friend as friendship necklaces.
The thing I love most about this project is the endless possibilities it brings. You can make a different heart for each day of the week just by changing the paper style or beads and crystals on your necklace.
What’s more, with the magic of Decopatch glue and Mod Podge your polystyrene heart is now stronger and much more solid, but still super light to wear.
Why not try it yourself, experimenting with different papers and beads as you go.
Hope I’ve inspired you to get creative with Decopatch papers… Enjoy.
Mummy Of Many Talents 