In this post, I’ll be sharing an easy beginner jewelry making project: trendy DIY charm necklace pendants using air dry clay.
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Who says air dry clay is only for children’s crafts? Today, I’m excited to share a short and sweet DIY project involving air dry clay that will leave you with a one-of-a-kind statement piece for your jewelry collection.
Creating your very own fab and unique DIY charm necklaces is a fun and easy way to flaunt your personal flair. These trendy trinkets are perfect for spicing up your spring/summer look with a pop of color and fun vibes.
If you’ve read my beginner jewelry making tips, you’ll find that today’s project falls into the easy-medium difficulty level category.
What’s I love most about this project is that it’s super customizable. Air-dry clay charms can be crafted in a variety of shapes and sizes, and the possibilities for embellishing them are practically limitless. Whether you prefer a subtle look with a few small charms or a bold style with multiple larger charms layered on a necklace, the creative options are endless.
These clay pendants can also be used to create other small accessories like earrings, keychains, phone straps, and more! The process is simple and fun, so let’s dive right in.
Making Air Dry Clay Pendants
Materials
- air dry clay
- clay roller
- mini cookie cutters in assorted shapes
- jewelry eye pins
- superglue
- sand paper
- white acrylic paint
- alcohol markers (or acrylic paints)
- clay sculpting tools
- craft paint brushes
- liquid gold leaf
- gel nail polish top coat + UV lamp (or glossy sealant)
- jewelry jump rings
- chain
- lobster clasp
- basic jewelry making tools
How To
To create your own trendy DIY charm necklace pendants, start by warming up the air dry clay by massaging it with your fingers for a few minutes. Then, roll out a small piece of clay to about about 1/8″ thickness. Use cookie cutters or a knife to cut out shapes for your charms. I really liked this set of cookie cutters that includes several sizes of each shape.
You can also opt to mold the charms by hand, using clay sculpting tools to add texture or help shape the designs. Feel free to mix and match different shapes, colors, and sizes of charms to create a truly personalized piece.
Then, insert jewelry eyepins at the top of each charm for attaching them to the necklace. For extra security, you can add a small drop of super glue to the base of the eyepin. Alternatively, you can create a small hole at the top of each charm and connect them to the necklace chain using jump rings.
Next, let your clay charms dry completely according to the packaging instructions. Once dry, take the time to sand down any rough edges. Now, you can get creative with painting and decorating your charms. I began with a white acrylic guache paint base for priming purposes.
Once the paint dried, I used alcohol markers to create each design, although acrylic or gouache paint can also be used. Personally, I found markers to be more user-friendly and already had a wide array of colors in my collection.
To finish off, I applied liquid gold leaf paint to the back and sides of each charm, extending it slightly over the top edge to create a gilded gold border effect.
After your charms are painted, decorated and fully dry, you want to seal them. Sealing will not only protect your charms but also provide a lovely glossy look. I opted for a gel nail polish top coat and cured the charms under a UV lamp. It was a simple process, and the lamp significantly reduced the drying/curing time. Alternatively, you can use a glossy sealant, but be prepared for a slightly longer drying time.
Once your charms are complete, you can start assembling the necklace. Use cutters to trim a chain to your preferred length. Attach a lobster clasp to one side of the chain with pliers using a jump ring. On the opposite side of the chain, consider adding a larger jump ring based on the size of your chain links.
Arrange the charms in your preferred sequence, then connect each charm to the necklace using small jump rings and eye pins. It may help to put the necklace on first to figure out the ideal spacing between each charm.
Creating your own stylish and unique DIY charm necklace pendants is a fun and easy way to express your personal style. These trendy jewelry pieces make the perfect statement piece for spring/summer, adding a pop of color and fun to a more basic or neutral outfit. As you wear your personalized charm necklace, you’ll not only turn heads but also feel a sense of pride in knowing that you created it yourself.
Looking for more inspo!? Check out my Pinterest for tons of lifestyle, DIY, and crafting inspo… updated daily!
This post was all about a DIY pearl scarf necklace. If you like this content, check out these posts below!
– Custom Jewelry 101: A Beginner’s Guide to DIY Jewelry Making
– DIY Beaded Phone Charm Strap
– DIY Pearl Scarf Necklace | A Classic and Versatile Accessory
Xx- Laura
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