articles

Fun to Make Summer-Style Barrettes

Show off Your Personal Style!

By Kate Finlay Zimmerman, Publisher, Macaroni KID Pasadena June 6, 2024

Supplies:
  • Scrap paper and pencil
  • craft foam cut into small pieces
  • scissors
  • permanent markers or acrylic paint
  • resin epoxy
  • stirring stick
  • silicon mat or painting grid
  • snap clip style barrettes
  • strong glue, such as Gorilla Glue



Instructions:

1. Decide what fun designs to make!  Watermelons and water splashes are fun and summery, but there are so many different graphics you can create!  Think sunshine, beach balls, lemonade, tropical flowers, sunglasses, stars, popsicles, fish, flip-flops, palm trees, a bicycle, or fireworks… or whatever makes you happy! A size somewhere between .75 & 1.5 inches seems to work best.



2.  Draw an outline of your design on paper or use a craft punch to punch out an   outline shape.  Hold the shape tightly on top of a piece of craft foam, pinching it with the fingers of your non-dominant hand, while you cut the shape out with sharp scissors.




3. Use acrylic paint or permanent marker to decorate the design, turning a triangle into a slice of watermelon or a circle into an exploding firework. Let dry fully.



4. Prepare your resin epoxy according to package directions.  Place your miniature artwork pieces onto a paint grid or silicone mat and pour just enough resin over the top to fully cover it.  You might want to use your stir stick to smooth out the resin. Within a few minutes, the resin will naturally level itself out, curving down on the edges neatly. Leave to dry for several hours.





5. Peel your designs up off the mat and flip over. Mix up a smaller batch of resin and repeat the pouring process on the back.  Let dry for several more hours or overnight.





6. Once the resin is completely dry, trim off any wonky edges with sharp scissors.  Clip your barrettes to a piece of paper and glue your artwork securely to the snap   clips toward the base of the clip.  Be sure to leave enough of the pointy side uncovered so it can grip your hair.  





7. Once the glue is dry, wear your barrettes with style!