SU/Nerdy Jewelry Making (help i'm obsessed)

So, I've recently started on making necklaces - and eventually other jewelry - based on characters and songs from Steven Universe. (Ebay is a great help in sourcing cheap gemstone beads, although ofc I'm a newb when it comes to stones and I guess I just have to rely on the honesty of the seller for if they're legit or not. There's also a really good bead store in my nearest city, but they're much more expensive and it takes me a lot of spoons to get there.)

This is the first one that I've finished so far, a really simple piece based off the regular version theme song -


It's kind of a prototype, but the weird twisty wire thing was supposed to represent Rose/Steven's gem (the pale stone in the centre is a rose quartz). I'm not 100% satisfied, but doing the shield at that size was too fiddly for my spoons at the time. Anyway, going outwards from the symbol is (round) Garnets, Amethyst (points) and (freshwater) Pearls, ending with rose quartz again to represent Steven.

I'm not entirely satisfied with rose quartz as a representation of those two characters, though, since the gem in question in canon is a much deeper pink than I've been able to find in that stone IRL. Maybe pink tourmaline? Or would that mess with the direct symbolism, do you guys think?

I'm also making some sculpey beads for more mixed-colour concepts. Here are some I did this morning but have yet to fire I mean bake. (I'm so used to regular clay nowadays, but it takes so long.)



(Ignore Janus, he's just mad it's taking me so long to cook him as well.) The pink and blue ones are for Garnet's first fusion (I'mma do a 'Something Entirely New' necklace and earrings after this, I think, even though my sapphire and ruby beads haven't turned up yet.) and the blue-green-white ones are meant to be Earth-coloured :3

I haven't got much experience with Sculpey, though. I know you're not allowed to use spray paints on them (I learned that the hard way), but is regular old clear nail polish okay for putting a shine on them? Any other varnishes I can use that won't melt them?

A lot of this is experimental, and I would really appreciate everyone's input!

 

Clear nail polish should work!! That's what I used to use, anyways :"D

 

Any varnish you can find at a craft store oughta work, clear nail polish would too.
(Also omg that necklace is gorgeous!)

 

Thank <3

(I'm gonna start putting these things up for sale on my facebook page once I've got enough of them if you'd be interested?)

 

in my experience mod podge makes a pretty good sealer

 

@Choco - what's mod podge? I've heard of it, but is it like a sort of glue looking thing? (Not sure if it's easily available in the UK, is all)

I sealed the beads from yesterday with clear nail polish and made a 'Someone/Something Entirely New' necklace and earrings set :3



Urgh blurry phone picture :/ Anyway it's made with garnets, the polymer clay beads I baked yesterday, small glass beads and sterling silver wire for the earrings. I'm much more pleased with this one - it's choker-length with an adjustable chain - which is covered by the clip in the picture - so it's designed to fit around the neck or the base of the neck. I'd say it's on the small side, because I was using myself as a model and even after gaining a little weight I still have a scrawny pencil neck :p

 

this is mod podge:

it is indeed a sort of glue looking thing. i googled & found results on amazon uk but i don't know how practical that would be for you? in america you can find it in walmart XD.

 

Yup, that would work. I will obtain some when my next paycheck comes in :3

 

would you ever be interested in doing gemsona jewelry? I'd love to commission you!

 

Oooh, absolutely! I do have a couple of commisions that need to be finished before I can commit to another one, though :3 (PM me and we can discuss it further <3)

 

would u mind terribly if i.....janked the idea of steven universe inspired/themed jewelry a bit? ive been trying to think of jewelry things to sell, and ive also been looking for an excuse to buy some Fancy Real Gemstone beads, and this seems like a good way to combine both :"0 i dont really do polymer clay stuff fwiw, mostly just bead work

 

As long as you're not directly copying my work, I don't think it's my call as to whether you're allowed or not XD

You're probably better than me anyway...

 

muffled [SOMEDAY I WILL MAKE FANDOM LAMPWORK BEADS] in the background

 

@Starcrossedsky and the day that happens, I'll be buying them off you to work into this kind of thing <3

 

I don't have any SU plans but I do have Tales of the Abyss plans and have for a long time.

[muttering about FILIGRANA and GOLDSTONE.]

 

Alright, haven't posted for a few days but I'm still making these babies - and I'm close to starting to put stuff up for sale, I think. I just need some more yin yang beads for my 'peace and love' set. Also, I need a second opinion -


I was making this strand - silver wire studded with small amethyst chips, wrapped around a length of upcycled rubber cord - as a representation of Amethyst's whip, with the intention of incorporating it into a more intricate character piece. But now I've done it, it looks so pretty on it's own I'm half-tempted to just cap it as is and call it a finished work.

What do you guys think? (Also should I keep showing you guys what I've made so far?)

 

I really dig it! What was the original plan?
(also yes please continue showing us stuff, it's so neat)

 

I was going to twist it around a larger more heavily beaded piece as kind of an accent, but now I'm wondering if a more subtle twist with maybe black wire against a finer cord might work better... the larger piece is gonna be pretty chunky what with the raw quartz and tumbled amethyst points...

Anyway, have my first version-attempt at Stronger Than You, because I couldn't resist any longer -



A blue strand of glass seed beads and garnets for Sapphire, a red strand of the same for Ruby, with a strand of orange and yellow beads interspersed with little brown-striped poppy jaspers for their foe, tied together with another one of those pink-and-blue!Garnet beads as the focal point. (Which my mum thinks brings down the whole piece, but she doesn't get the context.)

Also @prismaticvoid, do you want to inbox-message me so we can start talking commisions?

 

Ooh, I know rustoleum sells some products in chain DIY stores and the like around here! I'll have a look next time I'm in town. (And I hadn't bought any modpodge yet - clear nail polish seemed to be working well enough.)

 

AHHH GUYS I AM EXCITE MY SUGILITE BEADS ARRIVED



guess who is going to be rewatching Coach Steven and listening to a bunch of Nicki Minaj tonight :D I'm already considering calling the piece 'MOTHALOVIN MONSTA' but do you guys think there's a better censored word for 'motherf*cking'? (I'm determined not to use any swearwords in my work, I want it to be available to any agegroups old enough to wear pretty jewellery, you know?