Create Helen Cant’s pretty botanical-themed découpage jewellery set

What you need...

• BEADS Pearls, cream: 8mm x 5; 10mm x 2, Glass, faceted, topaz: 8mm x 4; 10mm x 1, Glass, bicone, 6mm; topaz x 2, light pink x 5, Cabochons, flowers, flat backed x 3, Charm, leaf, antique copper x 1, Gems, flat back, topaz x 3
  
  FINDINGS Jump rings, antique copper, 6mm, 9mm; Chain, antique copper, medium links, 46cm; Earwires, antique copper x 2; Head pins, antique copper; Eye pins, antique copper; Cabochon bail, glue on, antique copper x 1; Lobster clasp, antique copper x 1; Extension chain, antique copper x 1; Bead caps, antique copper; Brooch back; Ring blank, filigree; Wood shapes, solid birch: standard heart (51mm) x 1; square (25mm) x 2, (38mm ) x 1; Box, papier mache, heartshaped; Paper, inkjet, matt coated; Sheet music, scraps; Pages of text, scraps; Ribbon, lace
  
  TOOLS Drill, hobby, Paint, acrylic: blue, yellow, white, Paintbrushes, Printer, inkjet, Pliers, round-nosed, Cutters, wire, Glue: PVA; strong, Varnish, diamond glaze, Craft knife, Scissors, Ruler, Tape measure, Tea bag
  

instructions

1. Preparing and Printing images - 1. Visit http://www.thegraphics fairy.com and browse the free Clip Art categories selecting a variety of images to use. We chose ones from the Botanical, Birds & Eggs, and Bugs & Butterflies sections). Place the images into a blank A4 document in a program of your choice with ruler guides. Measure your wooden shapes and box and begin to plan the composition of the pieces, identifying the sections of the images you are going to use. Scale the images referring to the document ruler guides so that the identified sections fit the wooden shapes.
   
   2. If your program has an option which allows simple shapes to be drawn, try creating a to scale representation of the wooden shapes. Then use these as a reference to help you to size your images. Alternatively, create rough trial prints and experiment, cutting out sections of the images and fitting them to the wooden shapes.
   
   3. If necessary return to your document and make any required adjustments to the scaling. Once you are happy with the size of your images, load good quality matt coated paper into your printer and print them out. For optimum printing quality, ensure your printer is set to its’ highest quality level in the preferences menu.
   

2. Earrings - 1. Apply three coats of a suitable shade of acrylic paint to the edges and one side of two small square wooden shapes as before. Cut two matching sections of flower motif from the downloaded images. Firmly adhere to each of the shapes using PVA. Ensure that you press down and flatten the images well to make sure no air bubbles are trapped beneath, then leave to fully dry. Using a soft paintbrush apply a coat of varnish to each of the blanks as before to seal the paper before leaving again to dry.
   
   2. Drill a small hole at the top of each of the wooden shapes. Thread a bead cap followed by a 10mm pearl then a 6mm topaz glass bicone onto an eye pin. Trim the excess then form a neat loop using round-nosed pliers. Repeat to create a matching pin. Open two 9mm jump rings and thread through each of the holes of the wooden shapes before attaching to the beaded eye pins. To finish, slip onto earwires.