Gold Deer Head Trophy Filigree Necklace!

Gold Deer Head Trophy Filigree Necklace!

The perfect statement necklace for your winter wardrobe!

Nope, it's not laser cut acrylic!

You wont believe how simple this is to DIY!

This is an amazingly simple DIY project!
You just need:

Shrinky Dink plastic (or plastic #6)

Scissors/hobby knife or Silhouette Cameo

Gold spray paint or paint marker

Chain, jump rings, clasp, pliers

I sourced a couple pictures, and then...
yes...drew them together into this fabulous Stag bust on filigree swirls!

I scanned them into my computer and used the power of photoshop to make it ready to import into the Silhouette Studio software.
Right click to save off to make your own...personal use only!

(You can thank me by following on facebook, pinterest, instagram or twitter!)

If you are using a Silhouette Cameo or Portrait...here's how you do it.

(If you are cutting this by hand, commence cutting by laying a sheet of shrink plastic over the printed image and taping it down...use a cutting mat too!)

Import the picture into Silhouette Studio.

Then select the TRACE AREA button.

Click and drag it over the entire deer image.

Then, crank up the high pass filter slowly,
until your deer head is completely yellow.

Then select "TRACE"

Voila! You are ready to cut that stag out!

(note: this cut out is about 8 by 10...it will shrink considerably later)

At this point you could cut it out of vinyl...printable gold foil...or just paper!
I used...SHRINK PLASTIC!

I pressed it onto my cutting mat (which needs replacing big time)

And put my blade at level 10...
My settings were custom: Blade depth 33 and speed set at 1.

And set on "Double Cut"

After it cut it out...I just clicked "cut again"
and it traced the same lines double cut again...

And then I did it again!

It took 8 to 10 passes to cut out this thick plastic!

Then I removed the cutting mat...and peeled off the deer/filigree.

Carefully getting all the inside holes too.

Then I put it in the oven set at 350* F for about 5 minutes.
This is a big wide project, so keep watching it with a metal spatula on

hand in case you need to keep it from folding on top of itself...then let it cool.

Shrink plastic shrinks quite a bit...like 40-60% of original size.

Look at the leather mat in the pictures for some identifying scratches and you will see how

much smaller it comes out!

Next use a paint marker or some Gold Spray paint and cover the plastic!

I ended up touching it up with spray paint so I could be sure the insides were coated.

Awesome right?
It's amazing...no one will even guess that this is a shrinky dink!

It looks like laser cut metallic acrylic!

Next, you'll need 2 jump rings and some chain!
Just use jewelry pliers and hook the chain on the end loops.

I made this one adjustable so it can be a long necklace or a choker!

It looks fabulous!
Admit it, you are impressed!

Just imagine what I could do with a laser cutter or 3D printer! I know.

Please share this tutorial with others!
Super fun gift idea too--great as a stocking stuffer too!

Check out my blog Doodlecraft for more amazingness!

And please vote for me!