I have seriously crafty friends. My pals Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza just came out with a new product line called Jewel Pop Shop. Cathie is one of our very own BlogHer bloggers (check out the interview I did with her).
My other friend, and past BlogHer DIY Editor, Kathy Cano-Murillo also just recently launched a new product line through her brand The Crafty Chica. I was so excited to get my hands on products from both talented groups that I just had to make something extra fabulous. Kathy specializes in Day of the Dead imagery, so a Dia de Los Muertos-themed Jewel Pop Shop necklace seemed perfect!
Jewel Pop Shop is just what the name implies, jewelry supplies. There are funky pendants, plastic flowers in juicy colors, beaded chains waiting for charms, and more: so many jewelry-making possibilities. The Crafty Chica line has a strong Day of the Dead theme, with that special Kathy Cano-Murillo twist (like skulls with cupcakes). There are patches that I have made into planters, rub-on tattoos I converted into string lights and now small appliques that I am working into jewelry.
The first thing I did was paint my Jewel Pop Shop pendant white. These pendants would also be fabulous with Crafty Chica paper decoupaged on them, by the way.
I love painting sugar skulls too, so I painted two wood beads white so I could adorn them later. I like to paint beads by sitting them on a paintbrush pushed into some Styrofoam. This way, you don't have to handle your bead as you paint it.
Using craft glue, I attached the sugar skull appliques to the painted white pendant. I also added some Jewel Pop Shop flowers into the skulls' hair.
For good measure, the entire pendant got a once-over with some puffy paint to add more color and texture.
Using craft paint and gel pens, I made my two small wood beads look like skulls to match the rest of the necklace.
All that was left, once the paint and glue was dry, was to attach all my parts.
I had so much fun making this necklace that I decided to do my makeup to match.
Dia de los Muertos is a rich and beautiful tradition from Mexico. I encourage you to read all about it and learn what those sugar skulls mean.