Plastic Memory Necklace

Gwenne Pagarigan studied jewelry making in college. She enjoys making funky, hip pieces, like this plastic memory necklace that's like a miniature shadowbox.

Materials and Tools:

sterling silver sheet
fine silver bezel wire
resin
photograph
found object
silver necklace chain
soldering materials
pickling materials
various metal and wire cutters
blue painter's tape
Brasso polish

Steps:

1. Cut bezel wire and form shape. Solder wire ends together. Pickle until clean.

2. Solder bezel wire to sterling sheet. Pickle until clean.

3. Saw off edges and file away excess material from box shape.

4. Cut window in box; file and sand edges.

5. For a pendant, cut sterling square wire for hanging loop and solder on to the box. Pickle until clean.

6. Use blue tape to seal off the window space on the box.

7. Cut out a picture to fit the box and match a person to the scene for the plastic memory.

8. Pour resin into the cup about 1/4 inch deep and wait for it to harden. Pour resin and place the figure in the box. Pour enough resin to completely cover the person.

9. Ease the picture into the box and completely fill the box with resin. Let the piece dry for at least 24 hours.

10. Sand off the sticky layer of resin to mirror finish, and sand and file to finish the silver box simultaneously.

11. Use Brasso to polish the resin. Clean off and add chain.

Website: www.j-isforjewelry.com