How to Make a Photo Bangle

Todd Popp creates this piece of jewelry with architectural style images.


Materials and Tools:

clear glass half-globe beads
polymer clay; black, white, gold, silver
glue gun and hot-glue sticks
nylon elastic cord
imaging software
food processor
pasta machine
rotary tool
heat gun
small circle cutter


1. Take digital photos of architectural elements of buildings or choose desired images for your photo bangle.


2. Create digital files of the images on the computer and using imaging software, size the images to the appropriate size to fit the glass half-globe beads. Print 10 images onto photo paper.

3. Roughly cut out the individual images so there is a border.


4. Hot glue the 10 images to the flat side of 10 glass half-globe beads so the images are visible through the rounded part of the globes. Let dry.


5. Trim the excess paper around the images using scissors.

6. Condition four shades of polymer clay; gold, silver, black and white. Cut clay disks from each color using a circle cutter.


7. Place the clay discs into a food processor. Process the clay until small pieces are created. Gather the small pieces and press them with your hands into a sheet. Pass the clay through the pasta machine three times. Note: When using appliances for polymer clay, do not use them again to prepare food products.

8. Fold the sheet into thirds and flatten with your hands.


9. Cut out 10 clay disks with a small circle cutter.


10. Press the clay disks on the flat side of the photo beads for a base, sandwiching the photo between the glass top and polymer bottom.

11. Hand-edge the clay to create a frame for the image in each bead.

12. Place the beads with the glass side down on a terry cloth towel. Heat the polymer clay side of each one with a hand-held heat gun until the clay is hard. Let cool.


13. Using a hand-held drill, drill holes through the clay portion of the beads for stringing.

14. Heat the beads to cure the edges of the drill holes using a heat gun. Polish the photo bangle beads on a towel.


15. String the beads on a stretch nylon cord. Tie a knot, trim the ends of the cord close to the knot and pull the knot inside one of the beads to hide it from sight.


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