What could be easier than making jewelry from cardboard? Kim Newberg of Environmental Technology Inc. adds EnvirotexB., a polymer product tinted with acrylic paint, to cardboard shapes to make earrings, necklaces, hair clips or pins. Materials:
Cardboard
Scissors or craft knife
Ruler
Pencil
Envirotex polymer compound
Small cups for mixing
Acrylic or other paint
Wooden spatula or craft stick
Glitter
Embossing powder
Paintbrush or sponge brush
Toothpicks
Goop GlueB., E6000B., or other jewelry glue
Jewelry hardware: pin backs, earring backs, barrette clips
Waxed paper
- Draw squares, circles, rectangles or other shapes on cardboard, using a ruler and a pencil. Cut out the shapes with scissors or a craft knife.
- Paint the cardboard pieces with acrylic or other paint. Let dry.
- Mix Envirotex polymer compound according to package directions. Combine equal parts of the resin and the hardener, and mix for 2 minutes with a wooden spatula or craft stick. It is important to mix thoroughly. Scrape the spatula or craft stick on the side of the cup frequently (figure A).
- Divide the Envirotex polymer compound into several small cups. Add 2 drops of acrylic or other paint to one of the cups. Mix well with a craft stick or spatula. Once you've mixed the paint with Envirotex, you have 15 to 20 minutes to work with the mixture before it starts to harden (figure B).
- Use a spatula or craft stick to drizzle the tinted Envirotex onto the painted cardboard shapes (figure C). With the stick, drag the Envirotex to the edge of the cardboard shape, being careful not to go over the edge. Kim mixed red acrylic paint with Envirotex and applied it in a crescent-moon shape on circular cardboard pieces that had been painted red (figure D).
- Mix another color of acrylic paint into a second cup of Envirotex, stir, and drizzle the second color onto the cardboard pieces, creating the desired design ( figure E). Use as many colors as you like.
- Mix a little gold embossing powder into Envirotex, and drizzle the mixture over the other colors (figure F).
- Once the entire surface of the cardboard is covered, let the Envirotex dry and harden overnight. Apply a coat of clear Envirotex over the top. Or, for a marbleized effect, drag a toothpick from side to side, swirling through the Envirotex that was applied to the cardboard (figure G). Let the Envirotex harden overnight, and apply a coat of clear Envirotex the next day.
Tips: - Mix the Envirotex components together well.
- Mix paint into the Envirotex to blend well.
- Be careful: Envirotex will not come off clothes.
- Wear gloves when working with Envirotex.
- Work quickly once Envirotex is mixed. The product begins to harden in 15 to 20 minutes.
Variations The "squish" method: With a toothpick, drop dots of a few different colors of acrylic paint onto a painted cardboard rectangle. Place another painted rectangle over the paint dots on the first rectangle, and "squish" the paint between them. Pull the two rectangles apart. The paint blends together in unique color patterns. Let harden overnight, and coat with clear Envirotex the next day. Glue on earring backs with Goop Glue or E6000 jewelry glue.
Barrette using the "squish" method: With a toothpick, drop dots of a few different colors of acrylic paint onto a painted cardboard oval. Turn the oval over onto waxed paper, and "squish" the colors together. Lift the oval off the waxed paper. Mix glitter into Envirotex, and drizzle over the barrette with a toothpick. Let harden overnight, and apply a clear coat of Envirotex the next day. Glue on a barrette clip (figure H).
Apply several different colors of Envirotex to a painted cardboard shape. When the Envirotex has dried to the tacky stage, place trinkets and jewels on top. They'll harden into the Envirotex and look as though they're floating. Let dry overnight, and coat with clear Envirotex the next day. Glue on appropriate jewelry hardware (figure I).
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