Tap Plastics : Making your own gemstone mold
I've written about making your own resin gemstones before. The previous tutorials involved using purchased resin molds. Today's video tutorial though is different.

The Tap Plastics instructor shows us how to make our own platinum silicone mold using large glass jewels or other objects of our own. Please note platinum silicone is NOT FDA approved for food contact.




The ability to make your own molds is very useful if you want to make one of a kind designs. The tips include how to prevent the backs of the finished pieces from feeling tacky. You can also place objects inside the resin before it sets or add finishing products to change the look of the surface. 

Resin gemstones can be substituted for rhinestones. If you need a little inspiration, check out my past blog post about this artisan's use of large rhinestones in her floating gem designs.  Some of the tutorial posts from Designer Inspired Sparkly Rhinestone Tutorials might also be of interest.

3D Crystal Lacquer UV Gem by Sakura Craft
This is a fun project from Sakura Craft where you get to add simulated gemstone particles to a pendant design.  They use the UV lacquer version which speeds up the curing time via uv lamp or sunshine. But I don't see why you can't use regular crystal lacquer if you are prepared to be patient. Have fun!



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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
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