Amate StudiosTM
Design Create Innovate
Fireworks Ring
Designed by Cheryl Ball
Materials Needed:
Amate Studios™ Designer’s Collection™
Box ring – Medium Silver Overlay – 50600050
Aleene’s® Fusion™ Adhesive
Thick felt – red and royal blue – I find my thick felt in the dollar bins at craft stores – this was a star found at Joann’s in the $1 bins along the checkout lane.
Seed Beads – royal blue, red, pearl white
Small needle and thread to match beads
Pencil
Scissors with sharp tip
Craft knife and mat – optional
Instructions:
- Draw or print out a 1½” star on paper and cut out. Trace onto red felt then cut out.
- Place square of ring in center of star then lightly trace around with pencil.
- Use small sharp scissors or craft knife and cutting mat to cut out center of square. Place over square of ring and cut larger if needed.
- Thread needle with red thread. Sew red seed bead just inside edge around entire star as shown.
- Thread needle with royal blue thread. Thread on number of royal blue seed beads to fit along side of center square. Couch the beads in place by coming up one side of thread between beads then crossing over thread and pulling tight. Couch several places along string. Repeat step with remaining three sides.
- Cut two small squares of blue felt to fit inside square of ring. Glue layers together and let dry.
- Thread needle with white thread. Push needle through bottom of square then thread on about an inch of white beads. Leaving last bead free run needle down through remaining beads and out through bottom of square pulling tightly. Repeat step creating several more strings of white. Repeat step with red and blue beads to create fireworks effect making sure all beads are on top of square and not on sides.
- Position beaded star over square of ring, then add small dots of glue on either side under star on ring. Press star in place to secure. Glue beaded square into well of ring. Let dry and enjoy.
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Fathers Day Key Ring
Designed by Terry Ricioli
Materials
Amate Studios™ Pendant Tray Wide Tag (#154)
Grungeboard™, plain and striped, about 1 ½” by 2” pieces
Copper Alpha Brads or other small letters to spell “Keys” (JoAnn Scrap Essentials™)
Small metal key charm (Darice® Charming Embellishments)
Binder ring, split ring or key chain
Optional: Opaque Paint Marker (DecoColor™ Liquid Copper from Marvy® Uchida)
Acrylic paint: small amounts of black and gray-blue
Jewel glue and paper glaze (Aleene’s®)
Paint brush, paper towel, sandpaper, wire cutters, chain nose pliers
Instructions
1. Cut one tag shape from plain board and one shape from striped board. To cut a shape, color the edge of the pendant tray with a non-permanent marker and press onto board. Carefully trim shape to fit. Wipe marker off pendant tray.
2. The plain board will be unpainted. Paint striped board with black and wipe off. Paint over that with gray-blue and wipe board scraping into grooves with paper towel and fingernail.
3. Sand with small piece of sandpaper to distress the surface of the board. Dry brush the board with touches of gray-blue paint. Let dry.
4. Glue plain board into tray. Glue painted board on top of the plain board.
5. Trim prongs from brads and press any remainder of the prongs into the back of the brad. Arrange brads on top of board to get desired arrangement. Remove and apply glue to the back of the brad and glue to board. Glue key next to letters.
6. Brush paper glaze over board and key.
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Fireworks Necklace
Designed by Michal Rainsbarger
Materials: For Pendant
- Silver Amate pendant #PN038A from Base Elements
- Clear monofilament
- 14 5mm iridescent sequins
- 14 Size 11 silver lined crystal Toho seed beads
- Glossy black cardstock paper (one sheet)
- Silver reflective cardstock paper (one sheet)
Materials: For Necklace
- Silver flexible beading wire such as Beadalon 49srtand or Softflex 49strand
- One silver toggle clasp
- 2 sterling crimp tubes
- 2 silver wire guardians
- 6 silver cluster wire beads (Beadalon)
- 6 6mm Swarovski crystal bicones (Jet and Black Diamond)
- Size 11 silver lined crystal Toho seed beads (approximately 288)
Tools:
- Scissors
- Extra fine Sharpie paint pen (White)
- Wire cutters
- Crimp tool
- Ruler
- Hot glue gun
- Weldbond glue
Instructions: Pendant
- Speckle the black paper with tiny dots using the paint pen. Let dry. Cut the paper to fit inside the back of the pendant. Set aside.
- Cut a piece of monofilament about 6” in length. String on one sequin and one seed bead. Feed the monofilament back through just the sequin, pull tight and tie both ends of the monofilament into a knot snug against the sequin. Set aside. (these are the fireworks)
- Repeat step 2 until you have 14 pieces of monofilament with sequins and beads. (fireworks)
- Tie the ends of all the fireworks together. Leave about 1” between the sequins and the knot. To ensure the knot holds, glue it together with Weldbond. Let dry. Trim off the excess monofilament under the knot.
- Using the hot glue, melt a small glob on the inside bottom corner of the pendant. Push the knot of the fireworks into the hot glue before it cools and hardens. Push the fireworks through the pendant so they show from the front.
- Glue the piece of black “starry” paper to the back of the pendant, starry side down with a small amount of Weldbond. Let dry.
- To ensure the back of the pendant looks finished, cut a piece of silver reflective paper to cover the back of the pendant. Glue it down with the Weldbond. Let dry.
Instructions: Necklace
1. With the pendant in the center, string an 18” necklace using the seed beads, wire clusters and crystals in any pattern you desire.
2. Finish the ends by attaching the toggle clasp using the crimp beads and wire guardians. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
Father’s Day Tag
by Sam Katz
Supplies Needed:
•Amate Studios Designer Collection Wide Tag Pendant Tray #60600154 in copper (or other finish)
•About 1/4 block of polymer clay. Any brand will do for this project. I chose Premo, ecru & white for an earthy, marbled tone, but any light single color or color combo will work.
•Either a clay dedicated pasta machine or acrylic roller
•A tissue or clay blade (or an X-Acto knife will do)
•A set of metal letter punches (rubber stamp letters or phrases will also work)
•A cheap plastic paint brush
•Acrylic paint in a brown tone (I prefer a mix of mostly burnt sienna with a little yellow ochre, used here)
•An old torn up sponge
•Various found items for texturing
Instructions:
1. Condition each of your colors separately.
(If you are not familiar with conditioning polymer clay, you can go to:
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art/Default.aspx?c=a&id=755 for a short video.(You will need to create a free acount, but it is fast & easy)
2a. Stack 2 sheets made on the thickest setting of your pasta machine offset by a little bit & run through the pasta machine. Fold in half & repeat (always putting the folded edge through the pasta machine first) until you have a blend that you like. I prefer to stop before the 2 colors are mixed entirely, for a marbled effect.
2b. Alternatively, without a pasta machine, use the same method shown in the video for hand conditioning the clay & mix until you have a blend that you like & use your acrylic roller to make a flat sheet approximately the depth of the pendant tray.
3. Find an area of the clay that you like (you may have to trim the top edge to make it accesible).
•Place your clay near the edge of your work surface & press the pendant tray, face down into the clay.
•Allowing the loop at the top to hang over the edge of your work surface will allow you to get an even impression.
•Push almost all the way through the clay.
•Gently remove the pendant tray. You now have an outline to work within to design your piece.
4. Using your metal punch letters, gently push each symbol or letter into the clay, to spell #1 DAD.
A couple of notes here:
•This may take some practice, so don’t try the first time on your favorite, prepared clay.
•Practice on a piece of scrap clay & be sure to hold the punch straight up & down.
•I found that I didn’t have a # stamp, so I used the lower case “L” from a smaller set of punches
•Again... practice that!
•Alternatively, you can use rubber stamp letters or a pre-made rubber stamp with a phrase that you like.
5. Once you have your lettering finished, you may want to smooth the areas around the lettters a little with a finger or your favorite clay tool, if you made an impression of the edge of the punches. Remember, fingerprints will add charachter.
6. Using your clay blade (or X-Acto knife), trim around your piece, following the indentations made by pressing the tray into the clay as a guide. (If you are new to clay blades, be sure to hold it by the dull side!)
7. At this point you may choose to add texture to your piece using found items like a twig, textured rock, or seed pod.
•I used crumpled tinfoil.
•If there was any distortion to the edges of your piece, re-trim.
8. Gently fit your raw clay piece into the pendant tray.
•It should be an exact fit so you may have to bend & cajole it a bit to get it in -be patient.
•Once you have the clay in the pendant tray, gently press with your fingers to ease out any air bubbles that may be
caught under the clay.
9. Place on a ceramic tile, pice of cardboard or a cookie sheet & bake, at the temperature reccomended by the manufacturer of the clay brand that you are using, for 20-30 minutes. Let cool.
10. Mix a small amount of acrylic paint & using a stiff brush, paint the surface of your clay, being sure to get all the way into the lettering & any texturing you did. Quickly, before the paint dries, use a barely damp sponge to remove the excess paint from the surface of you piece. Repeat if necessary. You may want to have some Q-tips or cheap “duel tip cosmetic applicators” to remove paint from small areas. Be sure to clean any paint residue from the pendant tray.
11. Place on a ceramic tile or a cookie sheet & bake, at the temperature reccomended by the manufacturer of the clay brand that you are using, for 10 minutes to bond the acrylic paint to the polymer. Let cool.
12. This will make a great key chain for dad or a pendant on a leather cord!!
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Patriotic Shaker Pendant
Products used:
Amate Studios Design Base Elements Frame Pendant
Ranger 1”x1” Memory Capsule- circle design
Ranger 1”x1” Memory Glass
Taylored Expressions Tiny Twinkles or Swarovski Flatback Crystals (Red, White, and Blue)
Ranger Glossy Acceents
Ranger Melting Pot
Ranger UTEE in Clear
Ranger Perfect Medium
Suzie Weinburg Cool Tools-Spoon
Ready made Organza Ribbon Necklace
Star Confetti
Holeless Metal Micro Beads
Craft Glue
Foam Adhesive
Heat Tool
Instructions:
- Heat Melting Pot with UTEE to temperature.
- Add foam adhesive to the outside corners and sides of the Memory Capsules; attach to the inside of the frame pendant.
- Add star glitter and micro beads to the inside of the capsule.
- Add a little glue to the corners and sides of the Memory Glass; Attach to the capsule. (be careful not to shake the pendant so as to not have beads stick in between the capsule and glass).
- Carefully add UTEE into the sides of the pendant using your spoon.
- Using your heat gun, heat the backside to smooth out the UTEE you spooned to the inside-allow to cool.
- Once cooled, add Perfect Medium and spoon on some UTEE; tap excess off.
- Use your heat gun to melt UTEE to a smooth finish. Allow to cool.
- Turn pendant over and add Crystals around the frame opening using the Glossy Accent as your “glue.”
- Once dry, go over the crystals carefully with more Glossy Accents to secure.
- Finish pendant with organza necklace.
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July 4th Barrett
Designed by Lacy Carrall
Supplies:
Amate Studios Large Oval Hair Clip
Junkyard Art Independence Day Clip Art
Gold Stars
Diamond Glaze
Instructions:
1. Trim clip art to fit Barrette Base.
2. Secure clip art to Barrette Base with a small amount of Diamond Glaze or other adhesive.
3. Apply a thin layer of Diamond Glaze to the edge of the Barrette Base to secure the gold stars.
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Ephemera Glass Tile Ring
Designed by Michael Jack Putnam
Materials:
Amate Studios Flat Square Ring
7/8" Square Glass Tiles
Collage Paper/ Ephemera
Dimensional Lacquer
Modge Podge
Two Part Epoxy
Wax paper
Tools:
Scissors
Instructions:
1.Start by cutting out your desired ephemera/ collage paper/ photo to the size of the glass tile.
2.Then seal your paper piece with a quick layer of Modge Podge on front/ back/ sides. Let dry.
3.Then adhere paper piece image side up to the rougher side of glass tile with Dimensional Lacquer.. Let dry.
4. Do any last minute trimming to the paper if it over hangs from glass tile.
5.Mix up two part epoxy on wax paper. Adhere your glass tile (image up) with two part epoxy to your ring.
