I was inspired by a necklace I saw Erin Madsen from DCWV wearing in a video for paper stacks. It looked kind of like iridescent shells, but being a crafter I saw milk jug material. I waited for my family to finish the gallon of milk in the fridge, then I rinsed it out and cut the flat side off. I used the Flower Bunch file from the Craft Room Library. That file really seems to be my go to file for spring projects. I chose a flower with defined petals and duplicated it until I had nine flowers, then resized three each to 1.5″, 1.25″ and 1″. I thought at this point it might get tricky, but it didn’t. I put the milk jug pieces on a new conditioned mat, as I did not want them to move during cutting. Just to make sure they didn’t slip, I taped them with painters tape also. I cut them on the stencil material setting and did 2 passes, first on a blade depth of 2 and then on 2.5. It cut beautifully.
I wanted to wear my necklace for spring so I added alcohol ink in yellow and pink with a pearl mixative, giving me that iridescent shell look just like the one I saw. I then heated the flowers with my heat gun so they were more pliable and I could shape them. (Be careful with this step as they do get hot.) I poked a hole in the center of each flower and used a jewelry pin to stack one of each size to form my flower. With the pin sticking out the back of the flower, I cut it down and made a loop to string the flowers on my chain. You can use cord or ribbon as well. I then added a flat back pearl to the center of each flower with glossy accents. I can’t wait to wear this, and it really was a fast and easy project.
~Marjorie
Supplies:
Plastic Milk Jug
Alcohol Inks and Pearl Mixative
Jewelry Pin with a flat head
Flat Back Pearls
Chain, Ribbon, or Cording
Clasp (If using ribbon, you can just tie it)
Jump Rings
That is really cute, it’s amazing what can be done on the Pazzles and being as crafty as you are it must be so much fun 🙂 Thanks for sharing 🙂
Jen
Marjorie, this is fabulous!! I love when someone finds a unique way to “use and re-use”! Hmmm…I think I need to ask my daughter with six kids to save her milk jugs for me 😉
Genius! This is Beautiful and VERY creative. I love it!
Marg, you are amazingly creative! No one but you would have thought of cutting up a milk jug! Your necklace is beautiful and you should be very proud when you wear it – being eco friendly.
Earrings too? This is great! I’ve got to try it.
That is amazing! who would have “thunk”? Now I am going to have to buy some milk in a plastic gallon so I can try it! Thank you for sharing!
Marjorie,
How clever! I was in Jo Anne’s looking at some very similar flowers, thinking that I could probably use my Inspiration with polymer’s clay. But, it wouldn’t have the same slightly transparent look that the flowers there did. This is the answer! How clever! Did I already say that?! I wish that you could see the ones at Jo Ann’s because yours are just as pretty if not nicer!
Stunning Marjorie, great inspiration. I love how you have used the alcohol ink in yellow and pink with a pearl mixative, just my colours!!!!
WOW just WOW
A green project,and. . . done on the inspiration! Very clever and it turned out beautifully. Thanks for sharing.
So creative! Thanks for sharing this wonderful piece.
Wow! and all of the above!
Beautiful necklace and such a fabulous idea!!!!
Very clever a brilliant piece of upcycling ! X
Love it!
How superb! Clever girl to use a milk jug!!!! Love this! Maybe some day soon I can venture into trying this! Thank you for the “inspiration”!!!!
So, so cool! Will try using a milk jug and alcohol inks with a different design, thanks for the inspiration!