Working with Fantastic Jeweler's Dots

I've received LOTS of questions regarding our Fantastic Jeweler's Dots lately. They're super easy to use, safe for all ages, and really hold up to the wear and tear of daily use. They're made of a high-tack adhesive, which means whatever you use them on will stay put for a VERY VERY VERY long time! BUT there are some steps to ensure that you get the most out of them. That prompted me to write this tutorial/FAQ post featuring our favorite little Craft Fantastic workhorses. They might be small, but they are mighty!  

First, let's look at how they work and the steps necessary to apply them to a  pendant tray. At the bottom of these instructions you'll also find answers to some commonly asked questions regarding the Fantastic Jeweler's Dots, so be sure to scroll all the way down to the bottom to get the most info out of this article.

I've chosen some different sized trays ranging from mini to extra large to demonstrate how best to position them in the trays. 

Trays sized medium and smaller will require only one Jeweler's Dot to get the job done. Tiny trays may only require a 1/2 dot. If that's the case, just cut the dot while the dot is still attached to the wax insert. If you pull the dot off the wax insert and try to cut it in half you will end up with a sticky blob attached to your scissors. Trust me on this one. 

Trays sized large and up will require 2 dots due to the larger surface area. Also, the glass pieces sized for these trays are heavier because they are larger. A second dot will ensure that they stay securely in place.

ALWAYS apply the Jeweler's Dot to the tray and burnish it down using your fingernail. This step ensures that the adhesive forms a bond with the tray. If you try to apply the dot to the paper side of the glass and then press the glass into the tray there will be less surface area that comes into contact with the tray and may even leave an air pocket between the glass and tray.  

Here I have applied all of my Jeweler's Dot to my trays taking note of size and being sure to burnish down each dot with my fingernail.

Next I remove just the thin red liner of the dot to expose the adhesive. It is easy to forget to remove this liner and then wonder why the glass fell out. Trust me on this one, too! LOL! 

Here I've removed the second red liner.

I've tried to angle the tray in this picture so that you can see the clear Jeweler's Dots are firmly attached to the tray, only the thin red liners have been removed. I have on occasion become so over zealous when creating a piece that I inadvertently pull the entire dot out of the tray, sticky and all. OOPS! When this happens, I discard the dot. Once it's been handled and exposed to the oils on your skin or to dust, the adhesive quality is compromised. Best to start with a new one. 

Next, I place my glass piece in my tray. This is particularly easy with a square or rectangle tray, but glass rounds can be a bit more challenging. If using a glass round make sure it is positioned in the manner you want. There's not much wiggle room for positioning the glass once it's in the tray. 

Press the glass piece firmly into the tray. It should feel secure right away. There's no need to let it cure or dry. It's ready to wear!  

Just another angle.

Here's my finished pieces. I create LOTS of samples for the online store, social media and to send to local shows. They get knocked around and handled pretty roughly, but I've never had a piece of glass fall out of a tray. Use these steps and I bet you'll have a similar success rate :)  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...

What happens if the dots get wet?

A. The Fantastic Jeweler's Dots are pretty sturdy and will definitely hold up to perspiration and other mild forms of moisture, HOWEVER, paper in general, is not sturdy and will start to deteriorate when wet. If the paper gets wet it will dissolve and the bond between the dot and the glass will weaken possibly causing the glass piece to fall out.  

Can I stick the glass cab in the tray if the Fantastic Glaze & Glue is still wet or damp? 

A. No. The Glaze & Glue should be completely dry before affixing it to the tray with a Jeweler's Dot because of the same reasons as listed above. If the paper is wet it will start to dissolve and weaken the bond between the dot and the glass. 

Can I re-use the dots?

A. No. The dots are made from a very high-tack adhesive meaning they are very strong. However, if they are handled too much, exposed to dust or oils, they will lose their tackiness. Once a dot has been placed in a tray, it cannot be scraped out and used again. 

What if I absolutely hate the way my jewelry piece turned out? Do I have to throw everything away and start over?

A. NO! Never throw a Craft Fantastic project away. If you have already affixed the glass cab into the tray, gently pry the tray out with a craft knife. Continue to scrape the tray until you have completely removed the Jeweler's Dot. Soak the piece of glass for a few minutes in very hot/boiling water. When it's cooled enough to touch, use your thumbnail to scrape the softened glue and image away from the glass. Continue to scrape until the glass bead is completely clean and ready to use again. Then take that piece of glass and tray and create something wonderful! 

Thanks for tuning in today! Please feel free to email me at DearCrafty@CraftFantastic.com with questions. I'm happy to help! Also, subscribe to this blog in the sidebar and never miss a post. And feel free to follow us on FACEBOOK and subscribe to our monthly NEWSLETTER for giveaways, secret sales and new product peeks!

Printing Photos and Images at Home

I get questions each week regarding the Craft Fantastic line of products and how to use them with various mediums, but the one that pops up more than any other is the topic of this week's blogpost...

"How do I print images at home to use with the Craft Fantastic glass, trays and findings?"

(The Short Answer - If you read through this post and continue to have trouble printing images at home, the issue is most likely your printer. Your best bet, in this case, is to have the images printed by a professional printer such as FedEx.)

Back to my blogpost... Sure, it's phrased in different ways, but it's the one question that's in the forefront of everyone's creative brain when they first discover how easy and fun the Craft Fantastic products are to use.  

Maybe you want to scan some family photos and create some personalized pieces for special members of your family. Perhaps grandma would love a pendant featuring a picture of the grandchildren. Or maybe you want to make a Christmas ornament using a photo of the house you grew up in as a child to give to each of your siblings. Or maybe you want to scan a picture of some of your own artwork and reduce it down to use on a bracelet. Whatever the case may be, I'm going to try and answer your most common questions about using computer printed photos and images.

I'm going to break this topic down into a series of smaller questions. 

Let's get started...

Can I use real photos or original artwork?

A. NEVER use original photos or artwork. Most photos have a glossy coating which will not work with the Glaze & Glue and the application of the glue might even cause the photo colors to run. Preserve your original photos and artwork by making copies or scanning them into your computer. That way you can make as many copies as your crafty heart desires and still have the originals tucked away in a photo album for all to enjoy years later.  

Is it best to use a laser printer or an ink jet printer to print images?

A. Laser printers produce the best copies, picking up minute details and replicating a vast array of colors, however, ink jet printers have come a long way, baby, and produce pretty good looking copies, as well. Some ink jet printer ink will smear when used in conjunction with the Glaze & Glue, but over the years this seems to happen less and less. I think vast improvements have been made to the production of ink jet printers, so print some images and give your ink jet printer a whirl to see if it will work. I've not had any problems with my home printer (its' an HP and certainly nothing fancy), but if you do run into an issue with smearing, you can always take your photos to a professional printer such as Fed Ex and have them print some inexpensive laser printer copies for you.

What type of paper should I use?

A. I know that there is the natural inclination to go fancy and expensive with paper, but in this case, fancy schmancy paper is the enemy. The best paper for this process is a standard 20 lb text weight copy paper found reasonably priced at Walmart or any of the office supply stores. Steer clear of glossy photo paper or any other coated papers as these will not allow the glue to bond the paper and the glass cab together. In fact, the Glaze & Glue will not cure properly and will most likely cause the image to eventually smear. Also, don't go too heavy. Cardstocks usually consist of layers of paper and when the Glaze & Glue is applied it can sometimes cause those layers to separate and may even cause your bead to fall out of the tray. So, in the case of paper, a cheap, standard, text weight paper is the best.

What type of paper are the Craft Fantastic Art Images printed on?
A. The Craft Fantastic Art Image Sheets are printed on brochure paper. It almost feels like a heavier magazine type paper. At first you might think this looks like a coated paper, but it is actually quite porous and therefore it works well with the Glaze & Glue.

UPDATE (June 16, 2016) - I want to also add that our Art Image Sheets are printed by a professional printing company. We don't have access to information regarding the brand of paper used or the exact process. The sheets are printed to our specifications using brochure paper. We cannot be sure that the brochure paper available in big box office supply stores is comparable to the paper used by our printer. When printing at home, we always recommend using a standard 20lb text weight copy paper.  

How do I resize my images?

A. Once you have selected the image you want to print, you can resize the image in your printer settings by reducing the scale from 100% to whatever size you want. You may have to print a few test copies to get it just right, but thankfully we're using inexpensive text weight copy paper so the loss is minimal.

What if my image smears?

A. Not all printers are created equal. We still occasionally encounter a printer that will smear the image when the Glaze & Glue is applied. This is rare nowadays, but if you run into this problem have them copied at a professional printer such as Fed Ex. 

What if I absolutely hate the way my jewelry piece turned out? Do I have to throw everything away and start over?

A. NO! Never throw a Craft Fantastic project away. If you have already affixed the glass cab into the tray, gently pry the tray out with a craft knife. Continue to scrape the tray until you have completely removed the Jeweler's Dot. Soak the piece of glass for a few minutes in very hot/boiling water. When it's cooled enough to touch, use your thumbnail to scrape the softened glue and image away from the glass. Continue to scrape until the glass bead is completely clean and ready to use again. Then take that piece of glass and tray and create something wonderful!