I’ve been playing with resin. These faux resin crystals don’t look like much just out of the mold, but after I clean them up and buff them on my JoolTool they’ll be really beautiful! I have many uses for them in my work…employing them as focal stones in bead embroidered pieces as well as pendants and earring components set in silver bezels. But what I truly feel like making right now are a collection of big, bold, beautiful rings…statement pieces that will be great fun to wear!

I’ve just finished this ring set with a pale rust resin faux crystal and I so love wearing it! One attribute of using resin instead of natural stone is that I don’t have to worry if I drop the ring or accidentally hit the faux crystal against a surface that would ordinarily break or shatter a natural stone! That’s a huge plus for someone who seems to always be dropping and bumping into things! I also love the fact that I can create faux crystals in any color I wish with the addition of alcohol inks. Ultra-fine glitter and glass shards can also be added to the resin to obtain an opal-like effect. I’m just beginning to experiment and will be working on faux druzy-like stones next week. I have a tutorial in the works too! There will certainly be good times and a lot of play in the studio in the coming weeks!