Oh-so Vintage

Set Helen Cant's Parisian themed collages into bezels to create this charming set

Helen Cant, MJ Designer

"The beautiful vintage images I’ve used are from http://www.thegraphicsfairy.com and I really enjoyed piecing them together to create these wonderful collages!"

Vintage imagery is superb for creating on-trend, antique-styled jewellery with resin. To make these pretty and fabulously feminine pieces, download and print the Parisian-themed collages Helen has cleverly created for us, and get crafting straight away! Combined with a stylish colour palette of cream and black beads, this glorious set has a really authentic feel.

Printing the images

1. Download the PDF file for this project from the TOOLS panel. Load a piece of high-quality, matt-coated paper into your printer and for optimum results, ensure your printer is set to its highest quality level in the preferences menu and that you print the images at full size. Once the images are printed, leave the paper for at least an hour to allow the ink to fully dry.

Necklace

1. From your sheet of prints, cut out the heart-shaped image, coat the reverse with PVA glue and position into a large heartshaped bezel. Press down well to ensure it is completely adhered before leaving to fully dry. Apply four coats of PVA to seal the paper and allow to dry between each. Once the last layer is fully dry and feels free of moisture, prepare 10ml of resin according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Pour a small amount of resin into the centre of the bezel and spread to the edges using a lolly stick, adding more to fill. Remove any air bubbles by gently warming with a heat gun for a few seconds at a time. Leave to dry for at least 24 hours or until fully set.
3. Thread an 8mm clear faceted glass bead onto a head pin followed by a 6mm black faceted glass bead. Trim the excess and form a loop using round-nosed pliers.
4. Repeat the process to create three matching, beaded head pins. Create a further six beaded head pins using single 10mm cream pearls for four, and single 10mm black faceted glass beads for two.
5. Cut a 48cm length of medium link, silver-plated chain. Attach the resin cabochon to the centre using an 8mm jump ring and secure the beaded head pins to either side using 6mm jump rings. To finish, attach a lobster clasp and extension chain to the ends of the chain using jump rings.

Bracelet

1. Cut one of each of the small circular images from the print out and coat the reverse of each with PVA glue before positioning into three small circular bezels as before. Once fully dry, apply four coats of PVA glue and allow to dry as before. Once the last coat of PVA glue is fully dry and feels completely free of moisture, prepare 5ml of resin according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Pour a small amount of resin into the centre of each of the bezels and spread to the edges using a lolly stick, adding more resin to fill. Remove any air bubbles and leave to dry as before.
3. Cut a piece of large link, silverplated chain to the desired length. Thread a 20mm white resin rose bead onto a head pin, trim the excess and form a loop using round-nosed pliers. Create four further beaded head pins using a selection of cream pearls as well as clear and black faceted glass beads as before.
4. Using 6mm jump rings, secure the resin cabochons along the length of the chain interspacing with the beaded head pins and a silver-plated Eiffel Tower charm. To finish, attach the two parts of a toggle clasp to either end of the chain using jump rings.

Brooch

1. Cut the oval shaped image from the print outs and coat the reverse with PVA glue. Position into an ovalshaped bezel, pressing down well as before and leaving to fully dry. Apply coats of PVA as before, and prepare 5ml of resin according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Pour a small amount of resin into the centre of the bezel and spread to the edges using a lolly stick, adding more resin to fill. Remove any air bubbles as before and leave to dry for at least 24 hours or until fully set. Decorate two of the kilt pin loops with an embellished chain drop and a rose bead, and add the resin cabochon at one end.