Ten Two Studios

I love making little art pieces that are wearable, so when I came across some bamboo dominos that were drilled, I instantly saw pendants in my future, and snapped up all I could find! While I was sizing images to fit, I went ahead and turned them into a collage sheet, so you could follow along and make some yourself.
To make your own bamboo domino pendants, you’ll need:

• Pre-drilled bamboo dominos, which I’ll list for sale here as long as I can keep them in stock. (Please note that when this project was written in 2008, the large doms used to make these samples were still available. Although they have been discontinued, this same technique can be applied using the mini dominos that are now in stock.)

• A sheet of domino-sized images, also listed for sale here.
• Gel medium, or your favorite collage adhesive. I used Dick Blick’s Acrylic Matte Medium.
• Sealer or varnish to make the collage portion waterproof. I used DecoArt DuraClear Varnish.
• A scouring pad to rough up the surface of the domino a bit.
• A foam sponge applicator.
• Sharp detail scissors.
• A long dollmaking needle, to clear the domino holes out.
• 1mm leather cord for stringing.
• Beads, charms, or whatever your heart desires to embellish your finished necklace.

Cut the collage sheet into strips to make the images a little easier to handle.

Using detail scissors, cut out the images you wish to use on your pendants. I chose three, and rounded the corners of each one after I cut them out.

Use a scouring pad to rough the front side of the domino just a little bit. I used piece of a green pot scrubby from the kitchen. This is gentler than sandpaper, and won’t remove too much of the surface.

Using a foam sponge or your finger, apply a tiny bit of matte medium to the front face of the domino, smoothing it over the surface.

Apply a tiny bit of matte medium to the back side of an image.

Line up the image on the front side of the domino, and press it into place. You’ll find the images are sized to just leave the tiniest bit of the domion showing on all sides, to create a sort of frame for the image.

Apply a tiny bit of matte medium over the top of the image to seal it. Set the domino aside to dry. If you’re doing multiple pendants, now’s the time to go back and stick images to the next one.

When the domino is completely dry, apply a light coat of sealer with a foam sponge. Let the first coat dry, and apply a second one. I did this just on the front side of the domino, to seal the image, and make it somewhat waterproof. Let the sealer dry completely.

When the sealer is dry, it’s time to string it. First, clear out the holes in the domino by running a really long dollmaking needle through them.

Next, decide on the beads, charms or other lovlies for the bottom of your pendant. I found two beads on either side of a charm, or two small beads with a slightly larger bead in the center worked nicely. String whatever you choose onto the leather cord

Thread the two ends of the cord up through the holes in the domino, and snug your bottom beads in place. Do you like them? If not, it’s really easy to pull the cord out now, and rearrange things. If so, you can move on to the top of the pendant.

For the top, I liked a small bead on each piece of leather, against the top edge of the pendant. Then I threaded both ends through a third bead.

Tie a knot at the top of the last bead to hold everyting in place. That way, the beads won’t shift around while you’re wearing it.