I apologize for the fact that these look like they're going through some terrible process of decay. I unthinkingly applied a layer of water-based impatience under the varnish. I would have made a new pair but by the time I'd finished these the extra jelly beans were finished too. Rest assured these instructions are for shiny, delicious-looking beans.
There's quite a bit of creativity you can bring into the design of these. You can vary the colour and number of beans and how they are attached. These instructions are for the shiny, uncorrupted version of this design. I won't give you others, you have a brain.
You Will Need
- Basic Hooks (See Vocab Tab)
- 8 Jump rings (See Vocab Tab)
- 8 flat-end wire pins (See Vocab Tab)
- Round-nosed pliers (See Vocab Tab)
- Cutters (See Vocab Tab)
- 8 Jelly Beans
- Super glue
- Oil Based spray lacquer
Here's How
The first step is impaling each of the jelly beans. It's a tricky process. A brief description of the anatomy for jelly beans is that their relatively hard outer shell is just protecting stickiness. Any damage to this shell therefore, compromises the structural integrity of the jelly bean. It's important to be careful when impaling them, to keep the durability and visual appeal of these babies at a max. Hold them gently as you push the pin through to avoid cracks. This process will displace some of their stickiness onto the pin, your hands and everywhere but just stay calm and know that the jelly bean is suffering more than you are.
Once you've pushed the pin right through trim it, leaving roughly 1 cm protruding from the bean to give you room to make a loop. Then make a loop using the round-nosed pliers. This is a little more difficult than usual. You can't use the bean as a point to bend it from because too much pressure will crack the bean. Hold it gently and work slowly.
Now you can wipe all the jelly-bean innards off the pins, just don't use anything moist to do so.
Put a blob a super glue at the places where the pin comes out of the bean. This is to seal it and keep the pin in place. They used to use super glue to stick people's skin back together during the war when there was no time for stitches. Interesting facts are always relevant.
Once the glue is dry treat each bean to to couple of coats of spray lacquer.
Once that's dry attach a jump ring to each bean and join them together in a chain. Join the chain to the basic hooks.
Rating
Effort Required: 6/10
It's a deceptively delicate process if you want to get it right, especially the first time you do it. In this score I'm also including the effort of waiting for stuff to dry.
Durability: 5.5/10
Mine have lasted despite their pre-varnish exposure to water. This is indicative of a admirable will to survive on their part. Once varnished they should withstand moisture within reasonable limits. They're nervous sweets though; they tend to crack under pressure.
Cool Factor: 8/10
One jelly bean on its own makes a kind of sucky earring. Together though, these look like a miniature bunch of colouful balloons, which makes me happy.
No comments:
Post a Comment