Resin Jewelry Dishes with Gold Flakes for Vanities

5 min read

Resin jewelry dishes with gold flakes catch small treasures and look like tiny works of art. A shallow dish holds rings, earrings, or keys on a vanity or a nightstand. Gold flakes suspended in clear resin give the dish a luxurious look. The project takes one afternoon plus curing time, and the result looks far more expensive than the materials suggest.

Epoxy resin suits this project because it cures clear and hard. A silicone mold shapes the dish without any release agent. You can tint the resin, add dried flowers, or layer the gold flakes for depth. Each dish turns out slightly different, which is part of the appeal of resin work.

Safety and Supplies

Work in a ventilated room and wear nitrile gloves and eye protection. Epoxy resin is safe once cured, but the liquid components can irritate skin. Keep resin away from food surfaces and wash your hands after handling it. You need epoxy resin, a mixing cup, stir sticks, a silicone dish mold, gold flakes, a heat gun or a lighter, and a dust cover.

Choose a resin rated for casting rather than coating, since casting resin cures in thicker layers without overheating. A dish mold about ten centimeters across gives a useful size. Buy gold flakes sold for resin work, since they are thin and spread evenly. Keep paper towels nearby for spills, and protect your table with a silicone mat or a sheet of plastic.

Mixing and Pouring

Measure the resin and hardener by the ratio on the package, usually two parts resin to one part hardener by volume. Stir slowly for three minutes, scraping the sides and bottom of the cup. Fast stirring traps bubbles that cloud the finish. Let the mixed resin sit for five minutes so bubbles rise, then pour it into the mold in a thin stream.

Scatter gold flakes onto the poured resin and push them below the surface with a stir stick. The flakes will drift and settle into natural patterns. Work quickly, since resin thickens as it cures. If you want a layered look, pour half the resin, add flakes, let it gel, then pour the rest. A single pour gives a random scatter, while layers give a controlled design.

Removing Bubbles and Curing

Pass a heat gun or a lighter quickly over the surface to pop bubbles. Hold the heat source about fifteen centimeters above the resin and keep it moving. Too much heat can scorch the resin or yellow it. Cover the mold with a box or a tray to keep dust off while it cures. Most epoxy resins cure in twenty four hours at room temperature.

Do not move the mold while the resin cures, since movement can trap new bubbles. Keep the room warm and still. If the resin feels tacky after a day, give it another twelve hours. Cold rooms slow the cure. Once the dish feels hard and cool, flex the silicone mold gently to release it. The dish should pop out cleanly.

Finishing the Dish

Sand any rough edges with fine sandpaper, starting at 220 grit and working up to 1000 grit. Wipe the dust away between grits. For a glossy edge, apply a thin coat of resin with a gloved finger and let it cure. The finished dish should feel smooth all around, with no sharp rim. A soft cloth buffs the surface to a shine.

Adding Dried Flowers

Dried flowers add color and texture to a resin jewelry dish. Choose small, flat flowers such as tiny daisies or lavender buds. Dry the flowers fully before you use them, since moisture can cloud the resin. Press the flowers between book pages for a week until they feel papery. A fully dried flower keeps its color in resin, while a damp flower turns brown.

Place the flowers face down in the mold so they show through the clear resin. Pour a thin layer of resin first, arrange the flowers, then pour the rest. This order keeps the flowers near the surface where they show best. Add gold flakes around the flowers for contrast. A dish with flowers and gold looks like a tiny garden.

Work quickly once the flowers sit in the resin

Work quickly once the flowers sit in the resin, since they can drift as the resin thickens. Use a toothpick to nudge a flower back into place. If a flower floats to the surface, push it down gently. A dish with well placed flowers looks intentional, while one with drifting flowers looks messy. Take your time with the arrangement.

If bubbles appear after pouring, warm the surface briefly with a heat gun. A quick pass of heat pops bubbles without disturbing the gold flakes below. Keep the heat moving and hold it at least fifteen centimeters away, since focused heat can yellow the resin. One or two passes are enough.

Wipe the finished dish with a soft cloth before you use it. A quick wipe removes any dust from curing and leaves the surface glossy and ready for jewelry.

Resin jewelry dishes make good gifts because they are pretty, useful, and quick to produce. Pair a dish with a pair of earrings for a complete present. Try variations with dried flowers, colored mica powder, or a second pour in a tinted resin. Each dish shows off the gold flakes in a new way, and no two dishes ever look exactly alike.

Do not stop here. More Resin crafts ideas are waiting below, beginning with Resin Serving Tray with Dried Lavender and Gold Leaf.

Related Articles:

• Resin Serving Tray with Dried Lavender and Gold Leaf
• How to Make Resin Earrings with Tiny Dried Flowers
• How to Make a Resin Clock with Dried Flowers and Wood