Ten Two Studios

Turning standard domino game pieces into pendants is pretty simple. Here are two methods of finishing, using beads to create a hanger.

To make pendants with colored sides, you’ll need:

• From Ten Two Studios, a standard domino image sheet of your choice. For these samples, I used the Colorful Standard Dominos sheet.

• Standard dominos, also available from Ten Two Studios, at the link above.
• Sharpie markers. You can also color the sides with acrylic paints or paint markers, but I like Sharpies best for their brilliant, transparent color.
• Matte medium or gel medium.
• A bead with a flat-ish side. The bead should be smaller than the shorter sides of the domino. Tubular beads with a hole large enough to accommodate a cord are best.
• E6000 glue, or your favorite glue for heavy embellishments.
• Rhinestones, sequins or other small, shiny items, if you wish.
• Clear sealer, if you wish. I used a clear satin varnish.

Use a Sharpie marker to color the sides of a domino. Try to keep your fingers out of the wet ink. Be sure to let some of the color roll over the top edge a bit. Set the domino aside to let it dry.

While the dom is drying, cut out the image you’d like to use.

When the ink is dry, apply a light coat of matte or gel medium over the colored areas. Wipe your fingers off when you’re done, just to be sure you don’t drag any colored ink onto the next step.

Apply a tiny bit of medium onto the front face of the dom. Now, you’ll have to work quickly through the next few steps.

Place the image onto the wet medium, centering it.

Stroke a small bit of medium onto the front face of the image. This will make the image slightly damp on both sides, which reduces wrinkles.

While the medium is still damp, trim away any excess image hanging over the edges of the dom, and round the corners.

Apply a tiny bit of medium around the edges of the image, to be sure the trimming hasn’t caused it to separate from the dom.

Now’s a good time to add rhinestones or flat confetti bits. You can use the wet medium as an adhesive, or you can let the medium dry, and use glue. Set the decorated domino aside to dry completely.

Glue a bead onto the center top of the domino, using E6000.

To make pendants with metallic sides, you’ll need:

• From Ten Two Studios, a standard domino image sheet of your choice. For these samples, I used the Grave Standard Dominos sheet.

• Standard dominos, also available from Ten Two Studios, at the link above.
• Wide Aluminum Tape, also available from Ten Two Studios.
• Matte medium or gel medium.
• A bead with a flat-ish side. The bead should be smaller than the shorter sides of the domino. Tubular beads with a hole large enough to accommodate a cord are best.
• E6000 glue, or your favorite glue for heavy embellishments.
• Glitter glue, if you wish.
• Rhinestones, sequins or other small, shiny items, if you wish.
• Clear sealer, if you wish. I used a clear satin varnish.

Cut out the images you’d like to use.

Apply a little medium to the front of a domino. Work quickly through the next few steps.

Press the image onto the wet medium.

Apply a tiny bit of medium over the front face of the image.

While it’s still damp, trim away any excess image hanging over the edges of the dom, and round the corners.

Apply a tiny bit of medium to the edges of the image, to seal them to the dom. Set aside to dry completely.

While the dom is drying, cut a 3/8″ strip from aluminum tape. Tip: this tape can be colored with Sharpies or alcohol inks, because it’s real metal—so, if you want blue tape, you can just color it blue. Yay!

Peel the protective backing off the tape, and starting at the top edge, press it onto all four sides of the domino. I lined the edge of my tape up with the back edge of the domino, which made the tape the tiniest bit taller than the side edges. Overlap the tape a bit at the end.

Roll that tiny bit of excess tape height over the front edge of the domino, to create a nice frame around the image.

If you wish, apply glitter glue to the image. (You’re doing this now rather than before taping because the glitter makes the edges of the dom lumpy.) If you wish, add rhinestones and sequins, applying with glue or medium.

Glue a bead onto the center top of the domino, using E6000.