How to Make an Altered Domino-Beaded Pendant

Do you like turning something old and boring into fabulous, wearable art? If so, you might like to know how to create your own altered domino-beaded pendant .This is a fun altered art project for both pros and beginners, using old dominoes, paints or ink pens, beads and cording. You will also need a drill to make your altered domino-beaded pendant.

Drilling Your Dominoes

I like to start with drilling the dominoes I will be working on. If you spend an hour or two creating your work of art, you don't want to ruin it with a a sideways hole running through your domino. I drill several dominoes all at once, so I can then work on painting the pendants at my leisure, without having to set up the drill and clamps and working area each time I want to make a new pendant.

You can use any size of domino you want, as long as you have a small enough drill bit for it. I like to use dominoes that are about one by three inches long, and drill through the one inch side of the domino, less than a centimeter from the top.

Mark both sides of the domino where you want the hole to be, exactly where you will be drilling. Clamp it with a small c-clamp to your worktable, and drill through one side of the domino half way, and then through the other side, until the two sides of the hole meet in the middle. Drill slowly, and as straight as possible. This will ensure that your drill hole is where you want it to be, and also will prevent a messy breakthrough on the opposite side if you were to drill straight through.

You can prevent scratching your domino in the clamp by wrapping it with some paper or cloth first. You can use any household drill for your altered domino pendant project. You can also use a drill press if you are lucky enough to have one, as it makes drilling much easier. You can also use a dremel tool if you want.

Painting and Decorating Your Domino Pendant

Now it's time to paint and decorate your domino pendant. I started with acrylic paints, which work fine on dominoes. Painting on such a tiny surface is difficult, however, and there are better options. Alcohol-based ink pens work much better, and are easier to work with for this project. I like to use Sharpies. They come in many bright colors, even in metallic colors. There are different tip sizes to choose from, for making fine to thicker lines.

You can draw or paint whatever your heart desires. You can do cats or other animals, people, or even just designs or abstract work. You can do one or both sides of the pendant. When you're done, if you are using alcohol-bases ink, you should add several layers of sealer or lacquer, to seal as well as bring out brighter color.

Thread your altered domino-beaded pendant onto sturdy cording, adding beads to match your design, and you are done