Penny Jewelry

Jewelry Making, TJ Creative Community Community

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I’m all for crafting for cheap and recycling! So here’s something i’ve come up with :)!

You Will Need...

a penny
hammer
sharp nail/screw (you may need a few in case one bends)
necklace chain or string (or keychain materials, magnet materials or any other materials for what you'll use these for).
Nailpolish. (or paint) nailpolish adds a cool effect however and is much much cheaper!
Triple Thick Americana Brilliant Brush On Gloss Glaze (long name. phew!) you can get a huge thing of this stuff for $6. (it will last you a long time). However, you don't need this persay, it just adds a more professional touch and I love it.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Grab your penny, hammer, and nail and head out to the garage! Make sure you use a fairly thick nail as thin ones will bend easily while hammering out your hole. It took me about 10 minutes maybe a few more to get a clean hole. Hammer out any imperfections accordingly.
Step 2

I have found that different nail polish brands work better for different techniques. For instance, if you’d like a nice sold color with a good even coat, use either Revlon or Pure Ice (Pure Ice is cheaper and I do like it somewhat better). Paint over the whole penny on one side.

If you’d like a marbled effect, use nail polishes that are thinner and runnier. I use Sally Hansons Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear. To get the marbled look, simply take the two nail polish colors and swirl them together on the penny until you get the desired effect. This can take a few practice rounds. Wash off before it dries to try again.

Pure Ice works well for small details on the penny like dots or stripes.

Lastly, for glitter pendents there are two methods. One, you can just use a glitter nail polish. Two, paint the penny one color and while its still quite wet, sprinkle on some glitter dust.

Use what works best for you and test out others!

ALSO, when using nailpolish, it’s a good idea in some cases to dab it on with your brush carefully rather than brush it on.

(the image shows some of my tested designs)
Step 3

Wait for approximately 30 minutes for the nailpolish to completely dry. You may need to wait an hour.

Next take your Triple Thick Americana Gloss Glaze, dip a small amount on a paint brush, and gently brush over your penny (being careful not to fill the hole you’ve created). make sure to cover all the edges nice and evenly.

Wait for about one hour for the gloss to completely dry. (it can take less time but just to be safe). Once the gloss has completely dried, you can add a jump ring (as I have) and a chain or string. You don’t need a jump ring however and can just use string. Or at this point if you were wanting to do anything else with the penny you can.

And you’re finished! Perfect for gifts or just for fun crafts with the girls!