Category: Resin

Things I’ve made in resin – usually coasters or beads. Sometimes incorporating glass, but often also found objects such as sand / shells, hair from beloved pets, etc.

Ornaments II

The other morning I glued the metal hooks / receivers that will be used to hang the ornaments with MAC glue. I like to glue them even though the resin coating will hold them in place. The next step will be coating them with resin and decorating the resin with glass chips and mica.

Glue drying on ornaments

Before I can pour the resin, I have to elevate each ornament on something that the resin won’t adhere to. I usually use silicone cups or molds. They all need to have a bit of space between them so I can scrape drips off with a wooden craft stick while the resin settles. First I pour the resin and spread it around with a sponge on a stick to make sure everything is coated. Then I use a heat gun to remove bubbles in the resin. Once that is done, I can sprinkle glass chips and other decorations in the resin. Unfortunately, once I mix the resin I’m in a big sticky mess that doesn’t lend itself well to taking photos / video. I need to get my husband to help with that one of these days.

Ornaments elevated and spaced out.
Resin poured and decorated, curing.

Some of the smaller snowmen’s mouths drifted a bit after covered with resin. It’s always a new challenge, sigh. I also dipped the “Dichro-cicles” and hung them on my little laundry line. We’ll see how they come out.

Dichroic icicles dipped and curing.

Ornaments

I needed to make some more projects before mixing the next batch of resin (don’t want to waste the resin), so I spent today cutting out parts for snowmen and cardinals and prepping them for the resin.

  • Cutting glass
  • Grinding glass
  • Laying out the snowmen
  • More ornaments being laid out

Cutting / grinding / laying out the glass

After I lay out all the parts, I decorate the snowmen with nail polish for their faces and coal buttons (I did this previously for the cardinals I’m using). Once the glue dries, they can be coated with resin and decorated. Sometimes I use glass for the noses on the snowmen when they are larger, but these are smaller ornaments.

Decorated and ready for the resin

Once the decorations dry, I can glue the glass pieces to the clear backer glass. After they dry overnight, they should be ready for the resin coating.

Dichro-cicles

So I made an attempt at creating some icicle ornaments using dichroic glass and coating them with resin the other day. Well let’s just say that my initial attempt at horizontal curing isn’t ideal and results in a lot of lumpy cleanup in the best case and disappointing results in the worst case. So I rigged up a mini clothesline of sorts to use to hold the next batch while they cure. I’m sure it will need adjustments as well, but it’s an improvement in the making!

Icicle hanging arrangement made with twine and florist wire hooks

Of course, before I can coat the glass in the resin, I have to cut the glass, grind the edges and glue the metal holder on the top that will be used to hang the icicle. Once I’ve done all of that, they are ready to coat.

  • Gluing metal holders in place
  • Ready to coat

I thought I might be able to do a coat of resin today, but realized that I need more projects ready in case I have extra resin. So instead I cut and ground the edges of the recycled window glass I use to make smaller ornaments with scenes, birds, leaves, snowmen, etc on them.

Cut, ground and ready to decorate!

Corner Sun

My sister talked me out of adding the glass around the edge of the corner sun mosaic window, so I decided to pour the resin and add the blue shell background today. I prepared about 10ml of resin, which ended up being about 2-4ml too much. I poured the resin a bit too thick at the top of the window, so hopefully it won’t migrate too much while it is curing.

Corner sun, resin poured and blue shell in place

I also decided to experiment with some dichroic glass ornaments. I need to figure out a way to let the resin cure nicely on these, which is a challenge for me because they are small. I might need to find a way to let them cure vertically (hanging) instead of horizontally.

Dichroic glass “icicles” coated with resin

Sun in a Window

I like making sun mosaics. This one is peeking through from the top corner of a recycled window. I am planning to use the blue shell mica chips for the background, but might add some blue stained glass around the top and far left edges for definition.

Recycled window, approximately 13″ x 30″.
Background sky glass added around the top/left edges.

I cut the “sky” glass for the top and left edges around the sun, but am still deciding if I like it. The glass is beautiful, but I feel like the stripes might be too strong. Overall I like it so far, but I haven’t glued the pieces in place just in case.

8 Seasons done!

Wrapped up my “8 Seasons” set project today. I’m pretty happy with how they turned out. Eight panels (each approximately 6″ square). Two for each season (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter). These will be sold with the display stand as a set for $400.

  • Autumn / Acorns
  • Autumn / Pumpkin
  • Spring / Sunflower
  • Winter / Snowman
  • Winter / Wreath
  • Summer / Fireworks
  • Spring / Grape Hyacinth
  • Summer / Seahorse
Eight panels and display stand included

Snow and Flowers

Today I glued in place the three panels I worked on laying out yesterday. Now to wait for the glue to dry so I can pour the resin. I have one more empty panel I want to add to this group – need to come up with some ideas to round out the set! The spring flowers remind me of Grape Hyacinth more than Delphinium.

Next step – coat with resin!