kimeejicosplay:

I wanted to share a neat trick I came up with to solve my gem dilemma. I know there are other ways to do this, like using clay to shape a gem and paint it, or even resin casting, but I thought this worked very well for me :D

The Kougyoku headpiece is supposed to have a red gem in the center, and I wanted to keep it as accurate as possible. 

I had these little guys but they were just too small, and the wrong color.

                                         ***MY SOLUTION***

Materials needed:

• clear gems
• sand paper
• 4 sided nail buffer
• nail polish or acrylic paint

You can buy these large clear gems or your preferred size/shape gems at a craft store. I got mine from Michaels near me! I liked this box of gems because it has a variety of shapes that can be used on different occasions.

The gems are clear in color but the back has a silver coating

First you want to sand the silver backing off the gem. Lay the sandpaper on a flat surface and rub the flat side of the gem in a circular motion until all the silver is removed. The gem will look cloudy because of all the scratches. Try not to rub the sandpaper on the gem while holding it because it causes the gem to become grooved and uneven.

This is when the magic happens!! Just like you would use the nail buffer on your nails, rub your gem in the same order. You will see it become clearer and smoother.

Ooh it’s clear now! 

Now paint the back (flat side) of the gem with nail polish or acrylic paint with two to three layers. Ta Da~! You can make any color gem you want!

This is simple, but effective!  

I hope this helped XD

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