Unlikely Inspiration from My Garage

Dried Paint Chips from Rustoleum and ICE Resin

Unlikely Inspiration from My Garage

Remodeling and Renovation can be overwhelming! While cleaning out and packing up seem to be a huge undertaking, it also is a time where inspiration begins to appear.  I don’t know if it is because everything is all out in the open or the new materials are delivered, but it happens every time we start a new project. And this time inspiration came from an unlikely place -  our garage!  

Over the holidays, my husband and I thought of our next renovation even though we had just finished our kitchen just 2 months earlier in October.  My husband thought of new floors, I thought of wall to wall wood shelves with curtain rods added so vintage quilts could hang to add character (well, really to hide garage stuff) to the space.  My metalsmithing workshop will be on the far side and hopefully the cars will be on the big side, (no guarantees).  

Well, we packed up the contents and the floor company arrived.  As I watched them grind away the dirt, cracks and grease, a new floor was on the horizon and new inspiration was emerging.  I had done a little research on the coatings used on concrete floors and what I found out was that they use resin and dried paint chips...Well, I use resin (on a much smaller scale)  and then just like that …Inspiration appeared…could I find these beautiful paint chips? What would they do in Resin? What would it look like in a Bezel? On Paper??? The wheels were turning..

A quick trip to the Big Home Improvement store and with a few dollars spent, I had the beautiful flakes in hand.  Working with Bezels, I decided to paint a first layer just as the floor guys had done. I learned that in this smaller scale project, that part wasn’t necessary.  Once the paint had dried, I poured a little ICE Resin® to act as a glue, so my paint chips would not float in the resin.  Then adding a large amount of chips to the bezel, gently pushing them down as I filled the bezel with the rest of the resin, inspiration became reality - the focal point of a new jewelry piece.  With a sprinkling of German glass glitter in the resin, the bezel shines.  Finishing with leather and wire wrapped glass beads, this necklace will be a reminder that inspiration can come from the most unlikely places and that what’s in the garage doesn’t have to stay in the garage.  

Let’s Gather

ICE Resin®, disposable cups/stirrers

Nonstick craft mat

Bezels of choice

Colored Chips for concrete coatings (found at the Home Improvement Store)

German Glass Glitter

18 gage silver wire

Glass beads, silver beads and charms

Leather (1mm)

Leather adhesive

Flat nose pliers

Round nose pliers

Wire cutters

Let’s Make

To create the bezel

1.     Prepare ICE Resin® according to package directions. After mixing, wait 4-5 minutes to let the bubble settle down

2.    Pour a small amount of resin in the bezel.  With the stir stick, evenly spread a thin coating on the bottom.

3.    Using a spoon, fill the bezel with paint chips and gelntly push them down on to the thin layer.

4.    Fill bezel with resin

5.    Sprinkle German glass glitter on the top of the resin

6.    Set aside to dry (8-10 hours)

To create the wire wrapped beads,

1.    Cut a desired length of wire, being sure to add extra to allow for the wrapping. 

2.    Using round nose pliers, create a loop through top hole of the bezel.  Bring the short end around the wire and begin to wrap as desired.  

3.    Place beads on the long end of wire and create a top loop. 

4.    Using the long tail of the wire, wrap either tight just above the top bead or bring the wire around the beads.

5.    Trim any excess wire. “tuck the tail” of the wire so as not to have any rough edges exposed

**Add more bead dangles, word charms as desired**

Finishing with the leather cord

1.    Cut 3 cords in desired length that will fit over your head. Add extra for the knot and tassel ends. 

2.    Slip the cords through the top loop of the wired beads and secure with an overhand knot. 

3.    To secure the knot, add a little glue inside the knot

To create the slider clasp

1.     Cut 2 cords in desired length as in step two, being sure to add extra for the slider.

2.    Place the middle of the cords through the top loop of wired beads.

3.    Using silver wire, wrap the middle cords together.

4.    Divide the cords (2 on each side) and thread the cords in opposite direction through the large silver focal bead

5.    On each side, string a silver bead through both cords and knot the cords together

6.    Add a little glue inside the knot to secure the closure

Close up of wire wrapped beads

Blue paint chips

Wire wrapped beads and charms