by Mark Montano
5 Gather up a ball of paper about the size of a baseball and add around 1/4 cup of Elmer’s glue. Knead it together.
6 Place wax paper on a plate or tray.
7 Form your mush into stone shapes or roll into spheres to create beads and stones, any and all sizes you want.
8 Put your stones or beads under a desk lamp to dry them quickly. Mine usually dry overnight. You can also let them air-dry, but this usually takes a day or two.
9 When they are completely dry, paint your stones or beads any colors (except black—that comes later) and let them dry. I like to mix blues and greens together to make the perfect turquoise colors.
10 Coat the stones with black paint, then quickly rub off the paint with a rag so that it’s only in the cracks of the stones. If you need to dab on more color, you can.
11 Once your stones are dry and look the way you want them to look, apply several coats of Minwax Polycrylic to give them a glossy, beautiful finish.
PAPER TURQUOISE STITCHED LEATHER CUFF
Sometimes I feel big jewelry can be uncomfortable to wear because it’s heavy. Not the case with this piece! With the paper turquoise and some leather, you can make big, chunky pieces and they’re light as a feather. Now get out there and stop some traffic with this cuff!
YOU’LL NEED
Large paper turquoise stone
Flat, thin cardboard
Scissors
Fiskars pinking shears
Elmer’s Glue-All
ICE Resin
Lumiere Sunset Gold metallic acrylic paint
E-6000 glue
Piece of leather (3 inches by 9 inches)
Sewing machine with turquoise thread
Snap set (or Velcro)
Rubber or plastic gloves
HERE’S HOW
1 Make a large paper turquoise stone for the center of the cuff.
2 Trace the stone on cardboard to determine the size of your setting and with regular scissors cut out three oval pieces in descending sizes (but all bigger than your turquoise stone). These will form your setting and make it look three-dimensional.
3 Go around the edges of the largest and smallest ovals with pinking shears to give some texture. Glue them together with Elmer’s glue.
4 If you need to, review the instructions on the ICE Resin. Mix your resin outside using gloves. The fumes from resin can be harsh and you will need to work in a well-ventilated area. Brush the ovals with a small amount of resin and let set overnight in a room or area of the house that you don’t use. This will make the cardboard as hard as a rock.
5 Paint the setting with the Lumiere metallic paint and let dry.
6 Glue your stone on the setting with E-6000 and let dry.
7 Cut your leather cuff in the shape you want using pinking shears. I chose a tapered shape as shown below, using the pattern below.
8 Stitch around the edges of your cuff and randomly in the center to create a design.
9 Measure your wrist and mark where you will place your snaps (or Velcro) and set in the snaps. Snap sets are easy to come by and very simple to use. Just follow the instructions they come with.
10 Glue the entire stone and setting on the center of the cuff with more E-6000 and let dry.
TURQUOISE CONCH
This project is based on a conch belt I had when I was growing up, with a big silver buckle and a tiny piece of turquoise in the middle. As much as I loved it, I never found an occasion to wear it, but it was always one of my favorite possessions, and making this reminded me of it. Just thought I’d share that with you.
YOU’LL NEED
Flat, thin cardboard
Scissors
Elmer’s Glue-All
Fiskars pinking shears
Three 11/2-inch-diameter chunks of paper turquoise
Wax paper
ICE Resin
Old paintbrush that you can throw away (for the resin)
Lumiere metallic silver paint
Small paintbrushes (for the paint and clear coats)
Drill with small drill bit
E-6000 glue
10 large silver-tone jump rings
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
2 pieces of silver-tone chain, each 4 inches long
1 lobster claw closure
Minwax Polycrylic clear coat or Minwax Clear Brushing Lacquer
Rubber or plastic gloves
HERE’S HOW
1 Using the patterns below, trace shapes on the cardboard and cut them out with regular scissors.
2 Glue them together with Elmer’s glue.
3 Trace around your three chunks of paper turquoise on the cardboard shapes and cut out the shapes a bit larger than the line you traced using pinking shears. These will be your settings.
4 If you need to, review the instructions on the ICE Resin and my tips. Mix your resin outside using gloves. The fumes from resin can be harsh and you will need to work in a well-ventilated area.
5 Lay out all the pieces on wax paper and brush on the resin to coat them thoroughly. Let them dry on the wax paper overnight in a room or area of the house that you don’t use.
6 Paint all the pieces with the Lumiere metallic silver paint and let them dry.
7 Drill holes on opposite sides of each piece.
8 Glue your turquoise chunks on the three corresponding pieces with E-6000.
9 Attach your pieces together with jump rings.
10 Add 4-inch piece of chain to each end.
11 Add jump rings and a lobster claw to the ends for closure.
ZIGZAG TURQUOISE
This entire cuff is made from recycled materials, which couldn’t make me happier. It’s wonderful when something that might have gone into the garbage turns out this beautiful. I don’t say this often, but in this case it’s really true . . . THE POSSIBILITIES HERE ARE ENDLESS!
YOU’LL NEED
Cardboard (I like recycling the Medium Priority Shipping boxes from the post office)
X-ACTO knife or boxcutter
Elmer’s Glue-All
Clothespins
Fiskars pinking shears
Large chunk of paper turquoise
Lumiere metallic paint in rust
ICE Resin
Old paintbrush that you can throw away
Wax paper
E-6000 glue
Minwax Polycrylic clear coat or Minwax Clear Brushing Lacquer
Rubber or plastic gloves
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut a strip of cardboard 21/2 inches by 9 inches and rub it over the edge of a counter to give it flexibility.
2 Roll the cardboard to create your cuff, making sure it’s big enough to go over your hand comfortably. Use Elmer’s glue to close the cuff and hold it in place with two clothespins while it dries.
3 Cut strips that measure 21/2 inches by 3/8 inches with pinking shears and glue them around the cuff with more Elmer’s glue and let dry. This is where you can create any kind of design you want.
4 Trace and then cut out with pinking shears a shape a bit larger than your piece of paper turquoise. This will be your setting.
5 If you need to, review the instructions on the ICE Resin and my tips. Mix your resin outside using gloves. The fumes from resin can be harsh and you will need to work in a well-ventilated area.
6 Place your cuff and setting on wax paper. Brush the pieces with resin, making sure the pieces are thoroughly coated but the resin is not drippy. Let dry overnight. This will make your cardboard pieces as strong as metal!
7 When the cardboard pieces are dry, paint them with the Lumiere metallic rust and let dry.
8 Glue the large piece of turquoise on the setting piece with E-6000. Now glue the finished stone and setting on the cuff with more E-6000.
9 Coat the entire cuff with Minwax Polycrylic or Minwax Clear Brushing Lacquer for a tough finish.
Hint:
If you do get drips or blobs, carefully cut or scrape them off with a craft knife.
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SQUASH BLOSSOM
I love visiting my aunts in New Mexico and seeing all the wonderful ladies walking around in big turquoise jewelry. There are so many variations of turquoise, and mixed with either silver and gold, they’re absolutely beautiful. I had a handful of faceted stone beads, but not enough to make a whole necklace, so I fashioned some paper turquoise beads and created this showstopper.
YOU’LL NEED
Silver beading wire
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
Silver-tone crimp beads
12 paper turquoise beads
14 large beads
1 large paper turquoise centerpiece stone
1 silver-tone lobster claw closure
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut a piece of beading wire about 18 inches long.
2 Add a crimp bead then a lobster claw to the end.
3 Loop the end of the beading wire back through the crimp bead and crimp the bead with your needle-nose pliers.
4 String your beads, alternating large beads and paper turquoise beads. Remember to stop halfway and put your large turquoise chunk smack dab in the center.
5 To finish your necklace, add a crimp bead at each end, then loop the beading wire through a silver jump ring and back through the crimp bead. Pull the beading wire taut and crimp the bead with your needle-nose pliers.
6 Finish one side with a lobster claw for the closure and trim any excess beading wire.
SEED BEAD–COVERED METAL CUFF
So, a while ago, I was watching The Oprah Winfrey Show, where I saw a woman who covered everything in her house with seed beads. I mean everything. Let’s just say (without being judgy) that she seemed like kind of a nut. Then I got to thinking . . . this lady got herself booked with Oprah, and I’ve never even come close . . . so how much of a nut could she be? I covered these metal cuffs in seed beads and plan to contact Oprah’s people as soon as this book hits shelves!
YOU’LL NEED
Turquoise stone or large bead
Metal cuff bracelet (from the dollar store)
Elmer’s Glue-All
Seed beads in matching or complementary color
E-6000 glue
Minwax Polycrylic clear coat
HERE’S HOW
1 Glue your stone to the middle of the metal cuff with E-6000 and let dry.
2 Spread a thin layer of Elmer’s glue on the rest of the cuff, sprinkle seed beads all over, and let dry.
3 Spread another coat of Elmer’s glue on the bracelet and add another layer of seed beads, making sure to cover up any holes left on the bracelet.
4 Fill any holes or gaps around and underneath the stone with more glue and beads. so that it’s like a setting of gems.
5 Keep adding layers of Elmer’s glue and seed beads until it has the effect you want and the entire cuff is covered.
6 Finish with two or three coats of Minwax Polycrylic. Let dry for about ten to fifteen minutes between coats.
REAL TURQUOISE AND BRASS STAMPED RINGS
I have been finding flat turquoise beads all over the place, so I decided to make a simple statement ring out of one. Check out www.amazon.com for a huge selection of turquoise beads that would work well for this project.
YOU’LL NEED
Real turquoise stones or flat paper turquoise stones, 1 inch by 1 inch or larger
Stamped brass ornaments
E-6000 glue
Dish towel
Ring blanks
HERE’S HOW
1 Glue your stamped brass ornament onto the turquoise and let dry.
2 Place your paper turquoise facedown on a crumpled dish towel, making sure the back presents a level surface for gluing.
3 With a generous amount of E-6000, glue the ring blank on, and let dry.
TEXTURED METAL AND PAPER TURQUOISE CUFF
I have been trying for ages to figure out a way to give plain metal some texture. Other than hammering it, which looks amazing, I was stumped. Then one day the answer dawned on me. Embossing powder! Embossing powder is a fine powder that adds a raised texture to flat images when heated. It turned my crafty world upside-down.
YOU’LL NEED
Large chunk of paper turquoise
Aluminum flashing
Tin shears or heavy-duty scissors with serrated blades
Scrap wood
Flat metal cuff
E-6000 glue
Krylon gray primer
Krylon Gold Metallic
Elmer’s Glue-All
Gold embossing powder (www.createforless.com)
Embossing heat gun or very hot hairdryer
Minwax Clear Aerosol Lacquer
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut a piece of aluminum flashing about 4 inches by 4 inches with tin shears or heavy-duty serrated scissors. Trace around your turquoise chunk on the flashing and cut out the shape, plus an extra 1/8 inch around the diameter.
2 Glue the shape to the metal cuff with the E-6000 and let dry.
3 Spray the entire cuff with gray primer and let dry.
4 Spray the cuff with metallic gold and let dry.
5 Coat your cuff with a thin coat of Elmer’s glue. While it’s still wet, sprinkle embossing powder to cover it. Shake or lightly blow off the excess.
6 Heat the cuff with your heat gun or a very hot blow dryer until the embossing powder bonds.
7 Spray the entire cuff in Minwax Clear Aerosol Lacquer to coat thoroughly
8 Glue on your paper turquoise stone with E-6000 and let dry.
EASY-WEAR HARDWARE
Like many creative people I know, heading to the hardware store is part of my daily routine. I’m always looking for something interesting to use in my creations, and I rarely leave empty-handed. A while back I designed a room for the guy who owns my local hardware store, and we became good friends. Now, when something colorful and fun comes in, he calls me. The last call I got was about colorful mason twine and clear plastic tubing. He thought that I could use them in my next book. And he was right. Go, True Value in Silver Lake!
A TINGE OF FRINGE
I love fringe. Even the word feels happy to me. When you think about it, things associated with fringe are always really fun. Like flappers in fringy flapper dresses; hula girls in their fringy grass skirts. And let’s not forget Gypsy Rose Lee, the burlesque dancer who was never without something fringy to wow the crowds. For these cuffs, I made my own fringe from some colorful twine I picked up at the hardware store. Now, what could be more fun than wearing some fringe around your wrist? I say, not much!
YOU’LL NEED
Piece of vinyl
Piece of cardboard
Scissors
E-6000 glue
8 yards of colorful mason twine
Transparent tape
Several pieces of ribbon, different widths, each 9 inches long
Sewing machine
2-inch piece of sticky-back Velcro
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut a piece of vinyl 2 inches by 9 inches. Cut a piece of cardboard 2 inches by 10 inches and place the vinyl piece on top of the cardboard.
2 Squirt two small lines of E-6000 like railroad tracks along the edges of the vinyl.
3 Tape the end of the twine to the end of the cardboard and start wrapping the twine around the vinyl and cardboard, making sure each row of twine is right next to the other.
4 When you finish wrapping the twine, let the glue dry. Cut the fringe down the center of the back on the cardboard side. (As always, I find Fiskars to be the best scissors! Just sayin’.)
5 Stitch your ribbons on top of the vinyl to create stripes. Make sure to stitch along the ends of each side of the cuff to keep the fringe in place.
6 Trim your ends and fold over 1/2 inch. Stitch across the fold to create a clean edge as shown in photo e.
7 Stick the Velcro strips on the ends of your cuff for the closure.
Hint:
For added security, you can stitch the Velcro in place on t
he sewing machine.
GRAY PEARL AND CRYSTAL SHOE CLIPS
I found a roll of something called gutter guard at my local hardware store and have not been able to stop playing with it since. Something about the ease with which you can cut it and the perfectly spaced diamonds . . . it’s really useful. Needless to say, I went nuts with it and I’m sure after this book is finally put to bed, I’ll still be coming up with ideas for it. I hope you do, too. It’s not very expensive at all and there is quite a bit of it in every roll, since gutters are usually the length of a house. (And how great is it that something called gutter guard can be transformed into glamorous shoe clips!)
YOU’LL NEED
Plastic gutter guard
Scissors
E-6000 glue
Toothpicks
50 gray pearls
2 large 3/4 inch x 3/4 inch flat-back crystals (or experiment with what you have on hand)
2 clip-on earring blanks
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut a 4 inch by 8 inch piece of gutter guard into two triangle shapes measuring 7 x 7 x 6 grid squares, as shown in photo a, or in any shape you like.
