I’m thrilled to guide you through the process of crafting your very own DIY resin earrings. My creative journey has recently led me to explore the world of resin combined with wonderful gelli plate prints to create wearable art.
Personally, I love using gelli plates to make prints, and am always on the lookout for different ways to use fun prints. Jewelry pieces are a great way to showcase the prints. Not tried Gelli printing before? I have you covered with my how-to start gelli plate printing how-to post – it is such an easy way to create prints at home.
There are different types of resin available, ideally use for a slightly domed effect on your finished DIY resin jewelry (with the added bonus that you do not need a uv light to cure the resin)
Table of Contents
Materials for your gelli plate earrings with resin
- Wooden earrings blanks
- Sealant such as
- Jump rings
- Earring hooks
- Gelli plate prints or any patterned paper
- Resin epoxy
- Stirring stick
- Measuring/mixing cups
YouTube Tutorial
DIY Resin Earrings
The first step is to prepare your wooden earring blanks by coating them with your chosen sealant, one side at a time (don’t forget to include your edges). Ensure they are fully dry before moving on
Using your wooden blanks as a template draw around them on your chosen paper using a pencil. Cut out your chosen decorative paper along the pencil line. Your paper will be fractionally larger than your wooden backs.
Adhere your paper to the wooden blanks, I have used Liquitex Basics Acrylics to paint the wood, apply the paper then seal.
Once dry trim any excess paper away and sand any rough edges with sandpaper or a nail file.
Lets prepare the resin mixture. Measure out equal parts of Part A (resin) and Part B (hardener) in a well-ventilated area, wearing protective gloves (ensuring you follow the manufacturer’s instructions). Mix epoxy resin together using a stir stick.
Stir gently in a warm room, 21-24 degrees is ideal, this helps prevent air bubbles.
Apply a small amount of resin, starting at the middle of your earring, and spreading to the edge of the pieces, as you can see I am using a wooden stick. You have approximately 30-45 minutes working time.
If you accidentally get any resin on your hands or it drips over the side of your earrings I suggest using baby wipes to clean the excess resin. Nail varnish remover is also very helpful to clean your hands, speaking from experience I will always wear protective gloves in future!
With practice you will learn how much epoxy resin to apply, for my first attempt I did not add enough resin and as it dried the dome did not spread to the edges of the pieces. If this happens to you sand the fully dry resin, clean the surface, and apply a second coat. Set the resin pieces aside to cure, I suggest leaving them overnight.
The next step is to use a sharp needle or sewing unpicker from the back of the piece poke through the wooden hole, through the paper, and the resin to create a small hole ready for your jewelry fittings.
Using jewelry pliers attach a jump ring and earring hook to each earring.
Top Tips for Working with Resin
It is a good idea to protect your flat working surface as once resin dries it is permanent!
Good lighting is extremely helpful, particularly when checking if your resin has any bubbles.
Do not throw any excess resin down the sink as it will block it!!
Frequently Asked Questions: DIY Resin Earrings
My resin has air bubbles, what do I do?
Let the resin set for 2-3 minutes before applying, as many bubbles will disperse on their own. If you need to blow through a paper straw and/or you can pierce the bubble with a cocktail stick.
How do I clean my resin mixing cup?
Wipe out the mixing cup with kitchen roll to remove any wet resin. It is very important not to pour any excess resin down the sink. Finish cleaning with bay wipes then hot soapy water.
Epoxy resin jewelry is a great way to start your experiments with using resin in your DIY crafts. It is easy to make beautiful pieces with a huge range of resin jewelry molds available.
Looking for a bigger project? My friend Julie has a beautiful upcycling project with bottle caps and resin, check it out.
