25 Gifts & Ornaments #19 - Steampunk Queen of Hearts Charm/Pendant

I am so excited about this charm...it turned out just exactly how I envisioned it!  I love it when that happens don't you?

25 Gifts & Ornaments

#19 - Steampunk Queen of Hearts Charm/Pendant

A timing spring in older watches is what makes them go...when you wind up the little dial it tightens the spring which in turn makes the watch run.   These timing springs are very sharp but are very cool because they are extremely strong (being able to hold up to being tightened thousands of times during it's life) and hold their shape very well.   The inside of the spring is a very tight circle while the outside is able to be formed to some degree.  You will be forming the left side of the heart with the outside while leaving the right side curled up in it's natural form.


Supplies:

Watch Timing Spring
Watch Parts
Queen of Hearts Playing Card
Instant Bond type Glue
Glossy Accents or Resin
Jewelry Bail

Instructions:

1. Carefully stretch out the timing spring (remember it's very sharp); make a crease in the center and pinch it with your fingers. 

2. You're going to form your heart so the center of the spring (the most tightly wound section) is aimed towards the middle of the heart.

3. Bend the other end around to where it meets the center crease.  Hold it in that position and add a dab of the instant bond glue at the center.  You now have one half of a heart that is an open lobe and the other is a nice tight swirl.

4. Use a bit of instant bond glue to adhere it to the queen of hearts playing card....remember to position it so the face will show up in the finished charm.  It doesn't matter where the swirl side of the heart is on the card because it's going to be cut away in the end.

5. Depending on which type of medium you will be using you could proceed in one of two ways....

Glossy Accents - Add a layer of GA to the open side of the heart.  Let the GA dry.  Add more GA and drop in various watch parts over the entire area - fill in the heart and let this layer dry.  Continue adding additional layers until you get a nice dome built up.

Resin - Mix resin according to mfg. directions.  Fill the heart and drop in your watch bits.  Let it cure completely.

6. After the GA/Resin has had a bit of time to dry/cure, cut away the playing card around the wire heart.

7. Rest the spiral part of the heart against the filled section and add a dab of instant bond glue. 

8.  Add a glue on bail to the back of the charm.



And now you've got an awesome piece of Steampunk goodness!