Instructions:
Place the stick of plastic on a protected work surface. I start with a wash of the blending fluid over the plastic stick.

In a random pattern apply drops of ink in one or two colors as your background colors. Allow the colors to blend together. Use your paintbrush to fill in any white areas that are left. Clean brush.
Dip the brush into the rubbing alcohol and touch the plastic where you want to create white circles. These circles will resemble puddles.

Choose another coordinating color of ink and dilute slightly with rubbing alcohol. Using the brush apply this color within the white puddles. Continue this process until you have obtained a pattern you are happy with. Try using different colors.

Now comes the splashing part: dip you brush into the rubbing alcohol, apply a drop of a desired color of ink to the bristles and splash (splatter) the ink across the surface of the plastic. Repeat this with as many colors of ink as you like. Allow the finished design to dry completely.

Using a scissor cut the plastic to the desired size. I cut mine 2 3/4”.

Apply the Envirotex sealer following the manufactures instructions.

Note: I like to place my pieces on a non-stick cookie sheet. This way if there is any run off, it will be easy to remove later. Once I have the Envirotex mixed, I like to pour it into a small squeeze bottle. The application will be more precise and much easier. Blow softly, through a straw to pop any bubbles that remain. Allow the resin to dry at least 12 hours. If there has been any run off, remove the piece from the pan by pressing the needle tool under it and lifting it off the sheet. You can cut the excess that has run off with a scissor. Envirotex cures completely in 24 hours.

Create three 5 1/2” square cards, using black card stock. Measure 1/2” from the fold and score using a stylus.

Measure and mark the hole placement along the fold. 3/4” from the top with the holes 2” apart. Punch the holes, insert and set the eyelets.

Print the sentiments of your choice onto white card stock and cut out as 3/8” strips. Tear the ends off to a suitable length. Use the remainder of the white card stock and cut three 2” x 3 3/8” rectangle mats. Distress the edges of both the sentiment strips and the mats using the distress ink.

Now cut three 1 7/8” x 3/1/4” rectangle mats from black card stock and three 1 3/4” x 3” mats from the checkerboard paper.

Layer and adhere the mats together using glue or double-sided tape. White, black, checkerboard. Adhere the Splashed plastic onto the checkerboard mat. Next, position and adhere the matted piece to the center of the card.

Position and adhere the sentiment below the splashed plastic.

For more creative inspiration follow these links:

www.youtube.com/friendlyplastictv

www.amaco.com

www.favecrafts.com

www.rarelizzie.wordpress.coom

www.justbananas.com

www.lindapetersondesigns.etsy.com

www.jen-lowe-designs.blogspot.com

www.milllanestudios.blogspot.com

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Designer: Lisa Pavelka

Materials

Friendly Plastic® – Metallic Solid Red, Metallic Solid Copper, and Metallic Solid Gold

AMACO® Non-Stick Work Mat

AMACO® PolyCutters™ – set 70897D

AMACO® Needle Tool

Embossing Rose Leaf Cutter Set

Circle Cutters – ½” and 1”

Gold Jump Rings – 16 (6mm)

Gold Jump Rings – 4 (10mm)

1 Pair Gold Ear Wires

Olive Oil

Cosmetic Sponge

Metal Kabob Skewer or thin gauge knitting needle

Scissors

Jewelry pliers (round nose, chain nose, and wire cutters)

Neck chain with links

Optional: CRYSTALLIZED -Swarovski Elements (Crystal Column bead and 3mm, 4mm, and 5mm bicone beads used), small gold spacer beads, small gold spacer discs, gold head or paddle pins, Drill

Necklace

Step 1

Pour a small amount of olive oil onto the cosmetic sponge. Rub the sponge on the leaf cutters with the plunger depressed to prevent them from sticking to the warmed Friendly Plastic®. Soften Friendly Plastic® in hot water (140F-150°F, 50-60°C). Use care immediately after removing the plastic from the water as it can be hot. It cools very rapidly, so it’s best to work quickly.

Step 2

Press the cutters down over the plastic with firm pressure around the outer collar to cut the leaf shape first. Then, holding the cutter in place, press the plunger down firmly into the plastic to emboss the vein leaves. Clean and re-grease the cutters after each use. Tip: use scissors to clean up any uneven edges after the plastic cools.

Step 3

For the necklace, pierce a hole in the top and bottom of each leaf about 1/8″ in from the edge in the center. The holes can be enlarged after the plastic hardens using a drill. Attach to a chain in the order shown in the middle link of your preferred neck chain using a jump ring. Space the leaves to allow room between each one for hanging the twisted spikes made in Step 4. Attach the three medium and single small leaves as shown, using jump rings. Tip: to open and close the jump rings properly, twist the ends away from one another using the round and chain nose pliers. Do not pull the ends apart as this distort the jump ring’s shape, weaken it and make it difficult to close with a tight connection.

Cut out the following number of leaves in the sizes and colors indicated to make the necklace as shown:

1 Large Red Leaf

2 Large Copper Leaves

2 Large Gold Leaves

1 Medium Copper Leaf

2 Medium Gold Leaves

1 Small Gold Leaf

Step 4

To make the six spiral spikes that are hung between each leaf cascade, cut six long strips of both red and gold Friendly Plastic®, 1/8″ wide. These can all be the same length or you can cut them in graduated sizes as desired. Warm one strip of red plastic in water and press to the back of the same-sized gold plastic while still warm to create a dual sided strip of gold and red colors. Repeat this with all remaining strips. Working with one strip at-a-time, re-soften the combined plastic and twist by hand. Slightly flatten one end between your finger tips and pierce with the needle tool. Hand in between each of the five, large leaves.

Step 5

To create the five spiral springs, cut out 1/8″ wide by 1.5″ long strips of Friendly Plastic® as follows: 2 – Red, 2 – Gold, 1 – Copper. Warm one strip at a time and wrap around a greased skewer or knitting needle, leaving evenly spaced gaps between each rotation. Dip in cold water and slide of the skewer/needle. Warm one end in hot water and gently fold down over to form a hang-loop at one end. Trim to the desired length and attach through the jump ring holding the largest five leaves to the neck chain.

Step 6

For the toggle closure, soften a 1″ x 1′” piece of red Friendly Plastic® in hot water. You can press a greased texture mat into the plastic if desired before cutting out with a large circle cutter. Use a small (1/2″) circle cutter to punch out the center of the red circle, re-warming the plastic if needed. For the toggle bar, cut a 1/4″ wide strip of gold plastic to a length matching or slightly longer than the outer diameter of the toggle opening. Soften in water and fold in half, lengthwise. Cut a tiny strip of gold plastic, warm and fold over a jump ring to securely attach it to the toggle bar. Connect the toggle bar to the neck chain end using one small, followed by one large gold jump ring. Attach the toggle to the other end of the neck chain using the other large jump ring.

Step 7 (Optional)

Embellish the necklace with dangling crystal accents handing from just a few or all the leaves as shown, suspending the bicone components on head/paddle pins and a crystal column with a jump ring. Cut the excess wire at the end of the pin to leave 3/8″ length. Bend at 90° angle and roll into a hanging loop at the end of each dangle. Be creative and create whatever assortment of dangle colors and sizes you find pleasing for a kinetic creating that gracefully swings and sways as you move.

Earrings

Step 1

Following the directions for the necklace, heat Friendly Plastic® and punch out two sets of graduated size leaves with the embossing cutters as follows: 2 Large Copper, 2 Medium Gold, 2 Small Red.

Step 2

Use the greased needle tool to pierce a hole in the top and bottom of the largest leaf as instructed in Step 3 in the necklace instructions. Re-warm the plastic if necessary. Pierce holes only in the top of the medium and small leaves.

Step 3

Attach the leaves (directly on the ear wires depending on the direction of the attachment loop, with a large – 10mm jump ring) so that they overlap from smallest to largest in a free-swinging fashion.

Optional: A gold spacer disc can be placed on the jump ring over the smallest leaf to embellish the drilled holes and add a dangle made of crystal components at bottom of the large Copper leaves.

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Carft Project - Autum Fires Jewelry

Friendly Plastic® Pendant, Necklace, and Earrings

Designed by: Jana Ewy

Materials Needed:

AMACO® Friendly Plastic® 7” sticks – Copper/Black, Red/Red, Indian Red/Black, Purple/Black, Royal Blue/Black, Swirl/Blue

Small dish of ice cold water with a few drops of olive oil in it.

Note: keep the cutter in this dish.

Non-stick baking sheet

Envirotex Lite® sealer or any high gloss acrylic sealer

Non stick cookie sheet

Jewelry Findings

o 3 Sizes of silver, oval link chain

o Silver pendant bail

o 2 Silver lobster claw clasps

o 2 Silver ear wires

o Silver head pins

o Silver eye pins

o Silver jump rings

o Silver and antiqued brass bead caps

o Silver spacer beads

o 8mm Swarovski crystals in assorted colors

o 3mm crystal and glass beads, bi-cone and square

Tools :

AMACO® Craft Marbling Comb

AMACO® Needle tool

AMACO® PolyRoller

AMACO® PolyBlade

Cutters – rectangles in three sizes

Cutting mat

Matte knife or utility knife

Scissors

Electric griddle set at 265°F (130 °C)

Heat tool

Round nose and needle nose jewelry pliers

Wire cutters

Step 1

Using the cutting mat, ruler and matte knife, cut two 1/4” strips from each color of plastic. Now cut each strip in half with scissors.

Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 1

Step 2

Pre heat the griddle to 265°F (130°C). Place the baking sheet onto the griddle. Place the plastic strips onto the baking sheet one at a time in the color pattern shown. Make sure each strip is stuck in place before adding the next strip. Try to press each strip tightly against the one before, to prevent any gaps. Allow the plastic to soften and seal together. If any gaps do appear, simply tap over them with your finger pressing the softened plastic together. Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 2

Step 3

When all the strips have softened and sealed together, place the teeth of the Marbling Comb against the baking sheet and draw the comb towards you in a wavy “S” pattern cutting through the plastic.

NOTE: It is very important that you keep the teeth of the comb against the pan while cutting through the plastic. If you only rake over the top, you only split the metallic finish and take the chance of exposing too much of the base plastic. Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 3

Step 4

Place the teeth of the marbling comb in between the lines you just cut. Now push the comb away following the same wavy pattern, bisecting the previous pass. Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 4

Step 5

Remove the pan from the griddle. While the plastic is still warm, cut two large rectangles (pendant, front and back), 4 medium rectangles (earrings, front and back) and 8 or 10 small rectangles (bracelet, front and back) by pressing the cutter into the softened plastic. Dip the cutter back into the cold water after each cut. This will help keep it from sticking to the plastic. Allow the plastic to cool. You may place the pan under cold running water to speed the cooling process along. Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 5

Step 6

Use the Needle Tool to press under the edges of the cooled plastic and remove it from the pan. Pop out the rectangles. If needed, use the craft knife to cut around each one. Repeat steps 2 through 6 two more times. You need at least 10 marbled pieces.

Step 7

Apply the Envirotex® Lite sealer following the manufacturers instructions. Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 7 NOTE:Place pieces on a non stick cookie sheet. This way if there is any run off, it will be easy to remove later. If you are working with small pieces like in this the bracelet, place a strip of double sided tape across the cookie sheet and adhere the pieces onto the tape. This will help keep them from moving around. For the other pieces, just hold them in place with the needle tool. Once the Envirotex® Light sealer is mixed, pour it into a small squeeze bottle. The application will be more precise. Blow softly through a straw, in order to pop any bubbles that remain. Allow to dry, at least 12 hours. If there has been any run off, remove the piece from the pan by pressing the needle tool under it and lifting. You can cut the excess off with scissors. Envirotex® Light cures completely in 24 hours.

Step 8

To create the components for the pendant, earrings and bracelet heat and soften the back of a marbled rectangle using the heat tool. You don’t want to soften the whole piece, just the surface, enough to press the jump ring with bail (pendant), jump rings (earrings), or eye pin (bracelet) into place. Be careful not to touch the softened plastic with your fingers. Once the jump rings eye pins or is in place, align the two pieces (front and back) one on top of the other and gently press the two together. Moisten your fingers with water and lightly rub around the edges of the component to smooth and secure the bond. Allow the components to cool completely. For the bracelet components trim the long end of the eye pin to approx. 5/16”, use the round nose pliers to form a loop. Example of what Autumn Fires looks like after step 8

Step 9

Assemble the jewelry pieces into a pleasing composition. The beaded components are created, by sliding the beads and bead caps onto the head pins and eye pins. Trim the long end of the pins to approx. 5/16”, use the round nose pliers to form a loop. Use the jump rings to attach the beaded components to each other or to the chain. Try cutting and attaching different size chains together for a more updated and interesting look.

For more project ideas order Jana's Book:


Friendly Plastic 101

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