Reveal for SJ Honey Do List Jan 2022 (and UV Resin Tutorial)

 It's a new year full of new challenges in so many ways. Right now, I'm finding it challenging to stand upright (but that's my own fault for falling down.) As I heal, I'm looking for ways to stay creative and inspired. This is the seventh year that Sarajo and her husband, Eric, are offering up monthly photo inspiration on her blog and calling it "The Honey Do List". Though this month's inspiration photo is full of pinks (not my usual color), I am absolutely thrilled with what I created!

I even have a whole tutorial for this necklace at the bottom of this post and a few other designs, but let's talk a bit more about the challenge first. 

Here's the photo inspiration from Eric and Sarajo.

See what I mean about the pink? But, the dried flowers and the butterfly stuck in my brain. When I was sorting through a few things from my craft room, I stumbled upon a dried hydrangea flower that just happened to resemble a butterfly. I knew I HAD to feature it for this challenge. And, an idea bloomed.

I wanted to suspend the petals in resin within a wireframe. Though I hadn't tried this technique with UV resin before, I have done something similar with other resin. And, it was worth a shot. I'll never learn anything new if I don't take risks now and again. Besides, I already had a couple pairs of earrings that would work for this reveal too. 

Oh, the earrings! While laid up in bed, I've been consuming loads of video content - as mentioned in my last post. One of the jewelry-making YouTube Channels that I've been loving has been Halcraft USA. Denise Yezbak Moore creates most of their content and has some really beautiful and unique designs. I created two of them IN PINK! This first one is based on her Wandering Sky Earrings (I also shared them in the last post.)

From there, I watched her Moonstone Magic Earrings tutorial and made this pair of my own earrings in varying shades of pink.

I think both of these earring pairs work really perfectly with the Honey Do List inspiration and just had to share them with you. 

But, back to the real star of the show. 

Since I've been watching so many videos, I was ready to make some of my own again. So, I created one for this UV Resin and Wire Pendant. 

But, if you don't have time to watch, the instructions are fairly simple.

Begin by creating a frame with some thick-gauge wire. My antiqued copper wire was 18 gauge. Wrap your wire around a sturdy, round item that is as big as you need for whatever you're going to seal in the resin. I found that a glass acrylic ink jar was perfect for my flower. 

While wrapped around your template, bend the shorter end of the wire up. Then, use the longer end to create a wrap around the short tail. Trim the excess from the long tail and create a loop with the short tail. Hammer both sides of your wire circle flat, and press a strip of packing tape firmly on one side.

Add a thin layer of the UV Resin inside the entirety of your frame and cure it in a UV lamp. Place a dollop of your resin in the center of the frame then add your focal (flower) on top. Cure the resin so your focal is "glued" in the frame. 

Spread resin over the focal and within the whole frame to seal everything. Cure in the lamp. Repeat layers of resin and curing until you're happy with it.

Carefully peel off the packing tape from the back of your pendant. Add a layer of resin to the back and cure. Again, repeat layering the resin and curing until you are happy with it. 

And, with that, you have a dried flower pendant with a handmade wire frame. You just need to add a chain to complete your necklace. I chose to use small garnet beads and 24 gauge wire.

It works out great since garnets are January's birthstone.

As always, I give mad props to Sarajo and Eric for this inspiration. I don't believe I would have come up with this project if it hadn't been for them. And, I'm certain that this is one of my most favorite things I've ever made. So, BIG THANKS. 

Make sure you head over to SJ Designs Jewelry to see what Sarajo created from the inspiration as well as if any other artists found this as inspiring as I did. And, if you're inspired by the inspiration photo too, Sarajo will have the link open for several weeks so you can participate also!

Oh, and have you tried UV Resin yet?