How To Use UV Resin and Decoupage Earrings

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I’m sharing how to use UV Resin and how I made earrings with it, along with decorative napkins, using them as decoupage for the earrings!

Hello friends!

I’m back today, sharing all about the resin I used on my Air-Dry Clay bowls. Plus, I made some resin earrings using napkin decoupage. Fun fun! I’m loving the resin and how it just elevates everything I put it on.

If you have any questions, be sure to ask in the comments below. Always happy to answer!

Let’s start with the small trinket bowls I made first.

If you saw that post, you’ll know that I made the air-dry clay bowls, and once they were dried, I decoupaged them with napkins. To seal them, I didn’t use poly; I used UV Resin instead. And I love the result!

This is what I used.

I like it because it’s safe for beginners, has less than 2% shrinkage, is super glossy and crystal clear, requires no mixing, is made in the UK, and cures under UV light in 1-3 minutes. Super easy to use!

APPLY RESIN

Literally, apply it and use the included stick to spread it around.

Be sure there are no bubbles (you can remove them with a sharp, pointed utensil before curing).

CURE

Cure for several minutes.

And done.

Look at that finish! SO good.

Makes it so durable, as well.

Love, love. I’m a fan, obviously!! haha

Okay, let’s make resin earrings with UV Resin

Now, before I show you what I did, let me just say that there are many variations and ways you can do this. You can add paint, glitter, paper, or whatever you prefer inside the resin. I chose to just pour the resin into the molds and then adorn them afterward.

I found these molds at Michael’s.

ADD RESIN TO MOLDS

Once the resin was poured into the molds I wanted to use, I cured them under the UV light.

If I added paint, glitter, etc, they could be done here.

IF PAINTING, SAND FIRST

But I chose to paint and add napkin decoupage. So before doing anything, I gave them a light sanding so the paint would have something to grip onto since the resin is so slick and shiny.

PAINT

I painted them white as a backdrop for the napkins.

APPLY DECOUPAGE GEL

Then I used Decoupage Gel to attach the napkins I chose.

APPLY NAPKINS

These are the napkins I found to use on the earrings. I’ll also be using them in the trinket bowls I make for the air-dry clay comparison post soon. So you’ll see them again! Plus, a couple of bunny napkins I’m planning for an Easter project or two.

Be sure to use only the top layer of the napkin. Most napkins come in 3 layers.

SAND EDGES TO REMOVE EXCESS

Once they were dry, I used fine sandpaper to remove the excess.

Let me preface this by saying, I didn’t really have any clear direction I was going in. This was truly a “decide as I go” project. lol Fully organic, for sure!

APPLY RESIN TO EARRING FRONTS

As you can see from the photos above, they are super flat-looking before adding the resin.

I repeated this procedure for the backs, as well. When wearing earrings, they will turn so you’ll want to do both sides.

I love how this resin “stays in place”. Where I put it, it stayed. The edges didn’t run except for like 2 small places, which were easily remedied.

You can see what I mean below.

Be sure to pop any tiny bubbles before curing. I used a pointy stick to do this. (It came in the clay kit linked above.)

UV CURE

After adding the resin, they looked so high-end and gorgeous!

DRILL HOLES

Now it’s time to drill the holes back through. I found this kit, and it was super easy to use. (also, as you can see, I added gold paint and a dark blue to go with the napkin choices on those two sets)

You simply twist it by hand.

ATTACH EARRING BACKS AND ASSEMBLE WITH FINDINGS

Once that was done, I put the earrings together using jewelry findings. I had some on hand, but also ordered some from Amazon. (also linked above)

This was part of a kit I got for the earring backs, which included the glue. (the ones to the left are just sitting on top waiting to be glued, not glued all wonky like they are, lol)

FINISHED EARRINGS

I thought I’d take a few photos of them on some of my vintage glassware.

I have a vintage glassware problem, like I have a pillow and fluffy throw problem! haha! My grandmother’s china cabinet, which I recently inherited, is full to the brim with it. But I bet I could find more room if I come across more vintage glassware that I just can’t pass up, though!! lol

Here are all 4.

A few more photos…

By the way, I used to hand-make all kinds of jewelry, so I had many of the tools needed to make these earrings. That’s an entirely different post for another day, though!

Okay, so I liked the pink and blue/gold ones, but they hung a little too long for me. So, I redid them with postbacks instead.

These will both be much more enjoyable to wear, for me anyway.

Hope you enjoyed learning all about the resin. It’s so much fun to use, and I love all the possibilities. Not to mention, the gorgeous finish it creates.

Give it a try!

PIN it to save it for later!