There are two trains of thought when it comes to eyeballs in jewelry--obviously a hot topic. I love the eyes that we carry on Objects and Elements but "The Girls" think they are creepy! This piece is made with our Vintage Doll Eye that actually blinks...but don't miss the Fat Cat Eyes, Doll Eyes, Glass Eyes and some in various colors.
I've been playing with molding putty, resin and some of the hardware that I have collected to make lightweight pieces that I can use in my jewelry designs. I like the depth and vintage look that the hardware gives. To make the mold mix the putty one to one and knead together with your finger tips until it's one color. Don't do it in a balled up fist or for too long or it will set up before you make the mold.
Make a "patty" slightly larger than the hardware and push the hardware in deep enough to get the full imprint. Don't push through the back.
let it set up for about half an hour and remove the original.
I like to let the mold cure for at least one day before I pour resin into it--three is better. It makes a real bubbly resin peice if you get too impatient. Mix the resin according to the package directons and pour into the mold. Let dry overnight and remove. Once the resin piece is dry you can paint color or patina anyway you like. I ususally spray paint mine black to start with and then use Gilder's Paste in layers to get a nice patina look. I also sometimes use Espresso Ink dribbled on to darken the deep areas just like a natural patina. If you want more specific instructions go to the Patina Blog.
The cool thing about the resin hardware pieces is that they are easily drilled and cut to make them work. I had this flower piece on my workbench and also the eye looking for a cool place to go and one day it just dawned on me that they would work together! I drilled out the center and patched the patina and popped the eye in--love it!
Weigh in about how you feel about eyes and the two funniest answers will get a packet from The Overflowing Stash and a set of eyes!
