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You can find books and videos on working with wire to make fancy links or simple jump rings to make a variety of different kinds of chains. There are also books on wire wrapping to make settings for stones and bands for rings, etc.

I don't have my jewelry books handy at the moment, but I recall this one being a good book for beginners - and you can get a used copy on Amazon right now for around three bucks plus shipping. This book is a really good one on chain making. It's apparently out of print but still available new through Amazon affiliates for less than half its original price. I don't own this book, but it looks like it has a few different interesting techniques for wire working.

I'd HIGHLY recommend practicing with plated or filled/layered wires to begin, because of the expense. I picked up a roll of bare aluminum wire at Home Depot really cheaply a few years ago, to try new techniques. If I remember correctly it was used for electrical fences, which is why it was uninsulated. I've also used heavy copper wire to make stuff, after stripping off the insulation.

When you buy wire, the smaller the gauge number the fatter the wire. Really thin wire is often too flimsy for jewelry - unless you're doing something special, and really heavy wire is usually too clunky - though if it's fat enough you can file and hammer it to get some interesting textures.

Ultimately it would be really good to learn to solder with a torch, to close up all of the links in your chains and join pieces together, etc., but leaving links unsoldered when you're first starting out is usually OK, as long as they don't snag on stuff.

Good luck.

This is a really cute idea. Have you thought about self-publishing?

In January I self-published a picture book through Amazon's CreateSpace.

Pros:

• Because I was able to do everything myself (copy writing, illustrations, book layout, cover design, etc.), my total cost of production for the entire project was little more than the $10 I spent on clay to make the gnomes.
  
• The book is available for sale on Amazon and prints on demand.
  
• I set the price of the book myself and collect monthly royalties for each unit that sells.
  
• I can order copies of the book at cost and take a hundred of them to a craft fair to sell in person, or put them on consignment at a local gallery, or offer them at wholesale to an independent book seller, or basically do whatever I want. I'm the boss of my book.
  
  Cons:
  
  
• I didn't have a team of editors with years of experience in the publishing industry to advise me on the project or suggest revisions.
  
• If I want the book to sell, I have to market it myself.
  
• The book is available in paperback only.
  
• I have heard some authors express grievances with Amazon's "expanded distribution" sellers (do your research on this subject if you publish through CreateSpace), so I opted out of this channel.
  
  For me, self-publishing was the way to go because my only real goal was to create a book. I had an idea, thought it would be really fun to try, and seeing the project through to completion was a rewarding experience in itself.
  
  If your goal is to sell thousands of copies and outsource production of your monsters to China, you'll probably want to align yourself with an agent and/or publisher.
  
  If your goal is to put something out into the world because creating it makes you happy and it has the potential to bring happiness to others, then don't wait for a publisher to validate your awesome idea. Assess how much of it you can do on your own, and if there are aspects you may need help with (graphic design, copyediting, etc.), enlist the help of friends, or network with friends of friends, and see if you can't collaborate.
  
  Good luck!

I bought all my material at Aaron Brother's, a bit pricey but they had a buy 1 get 1 free on pretty much every piece I needed for the project. The case it's in is called a keepsake box. I used watercolor paper by Canson, but any cardstock type paper would do (think thickness of greeting cards, maybe a bit thicker). Each layer is spaced apart by two piece of doublesided thick sticky tape to give it more depth. And for the lighting I cut a small hole in the back of the box and used http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00713R2ZK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (straightforward to use, cost a few more bucks but I think the convenience is worth it. And as for the whole design, I just had a few ideas in mind and did it free hand. But the key thing to think about it how much of one layer will cover the other, and to make sure you have enough space to put everything you want into the picture. Make sure to keep checking your progress in between every layer. Hope that helps! Ask if you have any specific questions I forgot to mention.

Well you could use a clear spray varnish like this clear Varathane or Neverwet. But I don't know about those being dishwasher safe or food safe if that's what you're looking for. But since it's on the outside of the glass as long as it has about an inch around the top for where you drink from the food safe shouldn't be a problem.

Otherwise Mod Podge makes a finish that is dishwasher safe which is what I always recommend.

good luck!

There were two Klutz books back in the day for polymer clay, and each came with 8 half-bars of Sculpey III (a low-quality polymer clay); they wouldn't have the clay still included though if purchased at amazon, eBay, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/Incredible-Clay-Book-Klutz-Press/dp/1878257730
https://www.amazon.com/Create-Anything-Clay-Sherri-Haab/dp/1570543275
Those were very simple books oriented toward kids, and almost entirely small sculpted items in the second book (the first book had more techniques), but I see there's at least one newer Klutz polymer clay book (not by the same author/s though) on making sculpted "charms":
https://www.amazon.com/Klutz-Make-Clay-Charms-Craft/dp/0545498562

There are better books for those things though, even for simple sculpts (including "charms") like these for example:
https://www.amazon.com/Clay-Play-JEWELRY-Terry-Taylor/dp/0486799441
https://www.amazon.com/Polymer-Clay-Cookbook-Tiny-Jewelry/dp/0823024849

But there's also loads of FREE info, tutorials, etc, online at YouTube and at places like my website for making things like that, and many other things with polymer clay.

Here is the exact resin I use
I've found with careful control of resin temperature and slow mixing of small batches you can get a nearly bubble-free pour. These pieces are also 1x1x1.5" so they are quite small.

My initial test build had millions of bubbles but by changing a few parameters (dont store resin in the cold basement, mix with proper cups and a mixing spoon) I got something I was happy with!

Also this is regular clear epoxy resin just marked down for tables so that could be why they charge less for it.

Hiya! I have one of [these guys] (http://www.amazon.com/Xyron-XRN500-Create---Sticker-Machine/dp/B000WWGANC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1405812543&sr=8-3&keywords=sticker+maker) and I love it. As long as your paper is under 5" (or I guess 12.7 cm for you) you can make a nice clean sticker out of it.

I've never used it personally but I know that Mod Podge makes a dishwasher safe sealant that I've heard good things about.

I bought this book back in highschool when I was really into making hemp necklaces. It has a lot of cool knots that I haven't ever seen anywhere else. If I remember right, the directions were pretty easy to follow too.

I took a course on foil imaging in college. It’s one of my favorite art media’s ever!

http://www.theiowafoilprinter.com
We used these kinds presses to get the foil to stick to our base (we’d use any kind of polymer base. My favorite was elmer’s glue and normal printer ink)

I’ll add additional links on it and reading material on it.

(Book in foil imaging)
https://www.amazon.com/Foil-Imaging-New-Art-Form/dp/0965162079

https://now.uiowa.edu/2014/04/learn-foil-imaging-technique-created-ui-summer-workshop

https://www.behance.net/gallery/12736173/Foil-Imaging-(A-New-Art-Form)

For a friend's baby's birthday, I presented a copy of The Owl and the Pussycat and I made this toy to go along with. Thanks for the help on my original post asking for advice! I went with a teensy little satin stitch for the beak and just three stitches next to each other for the cat's eyes.

Lessons learned for if I do it again:

• The Joann Fabrics near me has basically no wool felt, and the nicer looking shiny embroidery floss is kind of awful and hard to work with
  
• For previous felt embroidery projects I just freehand cut things, and transferred patterns by drawing little dots on the fabric. This time I traced the pattern on to wax paper and ironed it on and OMG so much easier.
  
• How to start embroidery threads without a knot is invaluable information I wish I'd had years ago!
  
• somehow I had never discovered stem stitch before and I kind of love it.
  
  The only big unanswered question is how I should actually have handled tying off the knots when sewing the sides together. It's kinda haphazard as is and probably not terribly durable but my google-fu failed me in trying to find a better solution.
  
  Edit: also if I were doing it again I'd obtain a squeaky or a rattle to put inside, or maybe put a layer of crinkly plastic.

1.) Cut your paper pattern to just a little bit bigger than your surface. I got my paper from paper source

2.) Put down a thin layer of mod podge using a sponge brush. Make sure to cover the entire surface. I use matte, but you can use glossy or whatever you want

3.) put the paper down on the mod podge, being careful not to let air bubble develop

4.) push down the edges, but if they don't stick at this point it's not a big deal

5.) Let it dry for like 30-40 minutes

6.) When it's dry, use an exacto knife to trim the edge to your surface's dimensions. It's very important that the underlying glue already be dry because trying to cut it when it's still wet can tear the paper

7.) If the edges aren't totally glued down at this point, use a small sponge brush to touch them up and let them dry for 30-40 minutes

8.) Finally, with the paper glued down and cut to shape, use sponge brush to spread a thin layer of mod podge across the surface, making sure to spread it evenly. If you use a regular brush, your finish is going to get a much more textured feel to it, so that's why I prefer sponges. Let dry for 1 hour or more depending on how thick you applied the finish

If she's interested in continuing with the clay, I had this book when I was a kid and I loved it. I think my mom still has some of the figurines I made from it, haha.

Do you like the idea of a suitcase? Because you could still make a book/suitcase with pics and everything, put those few books in there and put this in there too:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lovers-Journal-Diary-Notebook-Organizer/dp/1441304827. you can write the list in there and she can make notes or use it as her book journal :)

Love the colors. I just got one off Amazon for $12, should be here tomorrow. Put it on my list of things I will never complete :p

Red foil leaf (as well as any other color you'd like)

https://www.amazon.com/KINNO-Imitation-Decoration-Handcrafts-Sculpture/dp/B07TWTNRHV/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=red+metal+leaf&qid=1574799197&sr=8-8

Not a dumb question at all! Unfortunately it doesn't, it's just a box with a lot of space in it to make the layers. The lights that have been recommended that I purchased for mine are these though! click here

Amazon sells that exact dome bowl thingy. I couldn't really find any alternatives that looked similar that weren't going to cost you an arm and a leg.

For the water (I imagine you'd have to put in some sort of divider, unless you want to just fill the whole thing up) you could use the technique this guy uses Youtube tutorial

http://www.amazon.com/Wall-Mount-Fish-Aquarium-Goldfish/dp/B0033SHT00

Modge podge
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.com/Mod-Podge-Waterbase-16-Ounce-CS11302/dp/B001IKES5O&ved=2ahUKEwjNh7LT0uHhAhUMZKwKHfDJB58QFjAJegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw2iY6wF4RHodprO46OLQlB6

You can paint this too!

This is a Twinkie Chan pattern from this book. Chan Book

There is a similiar bacon and eggs pillow pattern on Ravelry. Pillow

I am making a pillow next since I already have the yarn and know the techniques. I actually think the pillow will get more use than the scarf.

This is the kit I bought!

There is clear sticker paper that you can print on and then cut out yourself. There's several brands and you can find them at pretty much any craft store.

There's also some that you can draw on yourself.

If you're looking for intricate cuts, you may wanna look into investing in a die cutting machine (like the silhouette cameo or a cricut machine).
And also there's these small, simple sticker maker machines for like 10-20 bucks, not including the sticker refill (though I'm not quite sure how to use those. It's these though).

> Third: My casts have a yellow hue to them instead of being crystal clear as the product should be. While setting I did block them from sunlight. Could this be the result of measurement error or mixing error?

Did you use this resin? I had the same problem, and the company said that if you pour in increments thicker than 1/4", the excess heat discolors the resin.