Capture the magic of winter in a Snowflake Resin Shaker Charm!
Winter can sometimes get dark and dreary, so I decided to brighten things up with a sparkling Snowflake Resin Shaker Charm! Made with resin, this wintery shaker charm can be used as a keychain or even a phone grip, and is a great gift idea. There are quite a few steps to make one, but these charms are actually really simple to make with adorable results! I hope you love this project as much as I do!!
To make your own Snowflake Resin Shaker Charm, you will need these supplies:
- Amazing Clear Cast Resin
- Measuring Cups
- Stirring Sticks
- Disposable Gloves
- Circle Shaker Mold
- Transparency Film
- Permanent Marker
- Blue /Silver Chunky Glitter
- Snowflake Glitter/Sequins
- Hand Drill Tool
- Unscented Baby Oil or Glycerin
- Oiler Bottle
- Super Glue or UV Resin
- Jewelry Eye Screw
- Key Ring with Chain
- Phone Grip
*Save 10% on resin supplies when you shop ETI with code AFM
SAFETY FIRST: Before getting started, wear disposable gloves, protect your workspace, and be sure to work in a well-ventilated area!
Prepare about 10-15ml of Amazing Clear Cast according to package directions. Be sure to work in a well-ventilated area and wear disposable gloves. Pour in equal parts of resin and hardener to the mixing cup. Slowly stir the resin together with a stir stick for two minutes. If the resin looks cloudy or has any streaks running through it, you need to keep stirring it until it becomes clear.
Add a generous amount of blue and silver chunky glitter into the mixing cup. Stir the resin mixture well for a minute or two until the glitter is evenly incorporated. Give the resin a few minutes to "rest" and allow the bubbles to rise to the top.
Slowly pour the resin into the mold and fill it all the way to the top. Be careful to not overfill.
Pop any bubbles that rise to the top using a heat gun, blowing through a straw, or by spritzing with alcohol. Leave the resin to cure in an undisturbed, well ventilated area for 12-24 hours. You will know that the resin is completely cured when it is no longer tacky to the touch.
"Demolding" is my favorite part of the process. Carefully remove the piece from the mold. Trim away any excess resin with scissors or a craft knife. I love all of that shimmery sparkle! It totally reminds me of snow sparkling in the sun.
If the resin still feels flexible, it may just need more time to cure. Let the piece sit in a warm, flat area to cure for a few hours (or days).
Fillers are what make shaker charms so much fun, and there are SO many options out there, like chunky glitter or small resin shapes. I used a pinch of snowflake sequins and white microbeads. Get creative and have fun with it!
Cut a small square of transparency film and place it on top of the charm. Carefully trace the circle opening with a permanent marker. Cut the transparency film a little bit larger than the traced circle. Remove the marker lines with a little bit of alcohol and a lint-free cloth.
Add a small amount of super glue* all around the top edge of the circle opening. Place the circle of transparency film over top and press it down well. Be careful not to let any glue get on the inside of the opening with the filling, and that the edges are completely glued down. If there are any gaps, the charm will leak!
*This can also be done using UV resin. Add a thin line around the opening, and place the transparency circle on top. Cure the resin with a UV light.
You can keep the charm as is and give it a shake, but I prefer to give the shaker charm a "waterfall" effect, which makes the fillers slowly float back down. To do this, you need to fill the charm with baby oil or glycerin.
Since the opening of the charm has been sealed off, we need to make an opening to fill it. Use a hand drill tool to carefully drill down through the side edge of the charm.
Fill an oiler bottle with baby oil or glycerin. Put the needle through the opening and slowly squeeze the bottle to fill the charm with the oil. Take your time - sometimes the oil will go back up through the hole and spill everywhere!
If you notice the oil leaking through the edges of the transparency, wipe the charm clean and repair any open areas using super glue or UV resin.
Once the charm is full, wipe the top off well to remove any oil residue. Cover the hole with a couple drops of super glue or UV resin to seal it off. While it's still wet/uncured, twist an eye screw through the hole. Leave the charm standing up and let the glue dry/cure the UV resin.
If you notice any leaks around the eye screw, add a little more super glue or UV resin around the area.
Use pliers to hook a jump ring through the eye screw, and then attach the key ring chain to the jump ring. Close the jump ring to connect the key ring to the charm.
Lay the charm flat on its back. Mix up a small amount of resin, but leave it clear. Carefully cover just the top of the charm with resin without going over the edges. This will give your charm a domed top that also completely seals the front of the charm.
Pop any bubbles that rise to the top . Leave the resin to cure in an undisturbed area for 24 hours.
Cover just the top of the charm with resin (same instructions as above) to give your charm a domed top that also completely seals the front of the charm. Pop any bubbles that rise to the top. Leave the resin to cure in an undisturbed area for 24 hours.
Once cured, attach the charm to a phone grip.
Attach the snowflake shaker phone grip to your phone, and enjoy watching the snowflakes fall every time you use your phone! Not only are shaker charms great for a personalized touch to your key collection or phone, but they can easily be attached to purses, backpacks, and so much more! It also makes a great gift idea for friends and family!!
