CD Jewelry

You Will Need

- PROJECT BUDGET
- Almost Nothing

Make Your Own Funky CD Jewelry

yet another one of my reprinted articles, please enjoy!

Wondering what to do with all those lousy CDs that even the used music store won't take? Make it into funky jewelery! All you need are some CDs you'll never listen to again (or free Internet CDs that you get in the mail) and jewelery findings. Here's how to make yourself some really great, unique pieces.

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Take the CD and put it in the microwave for 5 seconds. It will begin to spark. Don't be alarmed. Try it a few more times in 5 second increments. The sparking is what gives the CD the cool cracked look and darkens the color.
The CD I used had a pale greenish iridescent color with a white back. Next, you can either put the CD into boiling water for a few minutes or bake it in the oven at 400, just until it begins to soften enough for you to cut it. A pair of heavy duty kitchen shears or garden shears works best for this step.

After your CD is cut into the shapes you want, you can use a Dremel to drill some holes into the pieces for your jumprings or other findings. Where you go next is entirely up to you, designwise. Lay out your pieces and plan how you want to put your project together. Do you have any cool beads you want to incorporate into the design? I had these pretty aurora borealis E beads and flat beads that I strung onto eyepins, and put them in between the CD pieces.

This really is a great example of upcycling, and so eco-chic!

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Caty C.

05 Jul 23:02

that looks really cool. But isn't it kind of risky to put a cd on the microwave. Maybe it's not so bad, but i'm kind of a coward when it comes to this things.

Cat Morley

05 Jul 23:05

Wow that is such an amazing idea, I hadn't realized what cool stuff you could make with CDs!

Cat Morley

05 Jul 23:09

I just read the microwave bit, I'd be a bit worried to do that, is it safe?

Impybat

06 Jul 00:12

Yeah, the microwave thing does look scary--but if you only put it in for a few seconds, it shouldn't kill anything. At least, I've been able to do this successfully a number of times!

Ezme

06 Jul 07:23

i would love to do this... except we dont have a microwave because we have an ray burn. :C but it is amazing all the same

Heather M.

06 Jul 15:39

Wow wow!! Microwaved Necklace!! Awesome try!!! and it looks really fantastic!!

Creative Origins

12 Jul 16:25

I love this! Never heard about the crackling effect.
Gonna try this right away. Thanks for sharing.

Pixii

20 Jul 15:51

I made earrings out of CDs once...except I never used a microwave, and I used a candle, a pair of normal scissors, and a hammer and thin nail for holes. I never thought to put them in the oven or boil them...that's helpful!

Alexa S.

28 Sep 18:47

Anybody who's worried about the CDs in the microwave part, don't worry. It won't do anything as long as you don't leave it in there for more than 6 seconds. I was SUPER NERVOUS the first time I did it (I think it was to make christmas ornaments) -.-

Just sit back and enjoy the show. TRUST ME. it won't do anything.