Cherished Collage Pins

Before you begin, you need a variety of materials. Your collection of supplies will have anticipated usage over many projects. You might consider making this jewelry as a project with friends so as to optimize the inventory. I also used beads from tiger eye and other stone necklaces. I also used necklaces and pins from the Goodwill that I bought and disassembled. Sometimes the Goodwill sells jars of jewelry sold in a glass vase which gives you the feeling of a grab bag assortment. You do not have to remove the old rhinestones, however, until specific ones are needed in your design.

I added lots of purchased brand new charms and beads and even buttons (I cut the backs off of them.) I used the very small beads to make a design (as shown here on the astronaut pin). Some craft stores sell jewelry backings that look like frames. I layer a flat button surface on these before building up layers of beads,buttons, jewels, and charms. Some of the designs may facilitate hanging a component from the main section of the pin. Have some metal rings available for this option (There is a pink fish dangling on the first pin shown in this lens). You can choose to create a very symmetric design or one that does not have a symmetric base.

As a work surface, foil wrapping paper seems to work well. Align the pieces you wish to assemble into a pattern without glue and draw a sketch on the foil of the positions as a reminder before you begin to glue. Use E-6000 glue in a well ventilated room. The assembly period varies, but usually isn't more than an hour and a half.

Shown here are frames and buttons and architectural elements that can be glued together for a base. Foil paper is used as a work area for gluing.

A variety of materials including MahJong tiles, buttons,seed beads,glass beads. A plastic unicorn,dinosaur,dragon,and star from craft store packets.