A Charming Shimmer Sheetz Necklace

 A Charming Shimmer Sheetz Necklace
By Judi Kauffman for Elizabeth Craft Designs

Judi Kauffman is back as today’s Guest Designer with a super easy necklace that catches the light and is sure to elicit lots of compliments. This jewelry is made with Shimmer Sheetz using the new Jewelry Die sets. This necklace took about half an hour to make.

Here’s how:

1. Layer 2 pieces of Fire Opal Gemstone Shimmer Sheetz with a piece of Elizabeth Craft Designs’ Transparent Double Sided Adhesive Sheet in between.
*Note: A 2-layer 4” x 5” piece will be more than enough to make a 3-charm necklace, with enough left over for earrings or another necklace.

2. Using an ink applicator tool, dab on alcohol inks in two or more colors on one side of the double thickness Shimmer Sheetz made in step 1. I chose Espresso and Metallic Gold Mixatives, feel free to vary. Allow some of the original color in the Fire Opal Shimmer Sheetz to remain visible.
*Note: The ink-altered side will be the FRONT of the charms.

3. Lightly sand the other side of the double thickness Shimmer Sheetz.
*Note: The unaltered sanded side will be the BACK of the charms.

4. Die cut one each of the three Jewelry Die 1 Sea Glass shapes shown.  Cut a second time with the smaller shape inside the larger one so the pieces are open at the center, creating three “ring” shapes. (There are 8 dies in the Jewelry Dies 1 Sea Glass set, 4 large and 4 small – This project does not include the two long narrow shapes.)

REMEMBER – You MUST use the Metal Adaptor Plate as follows for die cutting Shimmer Sheetz:
Inside your machine’s standard cutting plate sandwich, place in this order – Metal Adaptor Plate, altered Shimmer Sheetz facing UP, dies with cutting side facing DOWN.

5. Emboss the three charms using your favorite allover pattern embossing folder. (Shown: Fleur de Lis). Make sure that the raised design is on the FRONT side of the charms. Use a sanding block and very little hand pressure to lightly sand the charms, revealing the silver core of the Gemstone Shimmer Sheetz. (Don’t sand too much or you’ll lose the color contrast created with the alcohol inks in step 2.)
*Note: If you have substituted an Iridescent color, when you sand the charms you will reveal the white core of the Shimmer Sheetz.

6. Punch a 1/16” hole at the top of each charm and a second hole directly below the first one, closer to the opening in the ring shape.

7. Using head pins to make mini charms, add one or more beads to the inside of each charm. Use a jump ring to attach one of the charms to the necklace (chain link). Use eye pins and beads to make longer dangles for the other two charms. Silver seed beads echo the color of the chain; pearls and square quartz beads pick up the colors in the Shimmer Sheetz!

OPTIONS:

*Make more charms, space the charms farther apart or closer together.

*Feel free to use the Jewelry Die 2 Droplets or mix the two sets.

*Instead of a chain link necklace, attach all 3 charms to one jump ring to create a muliti-dangle pendant and suspend from a leather cord.

*For a contrasting reverse side use two Shimmer Sheetz colors instead of just one.

*Alter Shimmer Sheetz with more or different alcohol inks.

*Use alcohol inks on both sides (don’t sand either side until step 5).

Supplies:

Elizabeth Craft Designs

• Jewelry Set 1 – Sea Glass (954)
• Fire Opal Gemstone Shimmer Sheetz (SS 0218)
• Transparent Double Sided Tape Sheets (503)
• Cuttlebug and Big Shot Metal Adaptor Plate (803)
• Fleur de Lis Embossing Folder (E109)

Other 

• Tim Holtz Ink Applicator Tool (Ranger)
• Tim Holtz Alcohol inks in Espresso and Gold Metallic Mixatives
• Sanding block (fine grit)
• 1/16″ hole punch
• Beads: silver seed beads, small ivory pearls, and quartz squares
• Head pins
• Eye pins
• Necklace chain
• Jump ring
• Chain nose pliers (Artistic Wire)