Sublime Spring bracelet

The beginning of Spring lifts my soul each year, even though here in New England we're just as likely to have April snowstorms as we are to have gentle breezes, soft rains, and flowers poking bravely upwards!

When Artbeads.com contacted me and asked me to create a special Spring project using any materials that I wanted, I knew it was going to have to have something to do with flowers.  Even though we do get April and May snowstorms, I have planted tons of bulbs over the years that to manage to brighten my days...as long as they're not totally buried in snow!

So the product that I picked to use in my Spring jewelry project was, ironically enough, ICE Resin  :-)  I paired this with a beautiful round frame Patera bracelet and proceded to make fantasy flowers.

Materials and tools

Antique Copper-Plated Brass Round Frame Patera Bracelet
ICE Resin and mixing tools
Acrylic paints or inks
50 inches of lace
Nymo thread, white
22 gauge colored craft wire
Pearl-finished beads
Glass or lucite leaves
Jump rings


Scissors
Mixing cups
Sewing needle
Flat nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Wire cutters
Steel mandrel
Ruler
Tweezers

1. Cut 5 pieces of lace, 10 inches each, and color them in thin acrylics or inks.

2. Snip the lace slightly every 2 inches along one edge.  Take a running stitch along the other edge and gather the lace into rounds that will fit along the edges of the bracelet frames.  Stitch the circle closed.

3. Cut 3 inch lengths of colored craft wire for a total of 15 lengths. 

4. Turn a wide loop and bend it so that the wire continues up from the center of the loop at a right angle.  Slide on a large bead. 

5. Use a mandrel or the small tip of your round nose pliers to create a spring shape.  Bend the wire until the pearl is able to sit upright. 

6. Using small dabs of glue or double-sided tape if needed, arrange 3 springs in each frame.

7. Mix up the resin according to directions.  There is a video http://www.artbeads.com/ice-resin-ht-video.html at the Artbeads.com site.  Drizzle a small amount of resin into each frame and add smaller beads around the springs.  When all beads are in place, drizzle more resin over the tops, being careful not to overfill and overflow the shallow edges. 

8. Brush a small amount of resin along the inner edge of the lace circles.  Place them on the frames and allow them to dry thoroughly overnight.

9. Attach clusters of leaves together with jump rings and attach to the loops between each frame. 

As regards FTC disclosure guidelines: I have received ICE Resin and a Pantera bracelet free of charge from Artbeads.com in order to create a project free of charge for you.  I have not been paid for my endorsement as it pertains to the products received.
  

Copyright 2010 Cyndi Lavin. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed for profit. May be printed out for personal use or distributed electronically provided that entire file, including this notice, remains intact.

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