Avocado Seed Jewellery

Hello again, welcome to Crafts for the Skint. This week we are delving into the compost bucket to make a unique piece of jewellery for just a few pence/cents.

All you need is:
An avocado seed.
Acrylic paints
A good craft knife
Gems and glue (optional).

Note: This project is not really suitable for children due to use of craft knives. It needs to dry out for a couple of weeks.

Ok... first you need to eat the avocado flesh! Remove the seed and rinse under warm water. Give it a scrub with a dish scrubber until any flesh is removed and it starts to feel smooth. Dry with a cloth.

Using great care and a sharp knife, cut the avocado seed in half longways down it's natural seam.  It will have a strange texture, like soft, waxy wood. I find it best to gently run the knife round several times  shallowly until it comes apart.

Now you have two halves, it's time to take the hard skin off. Peel the outside gently with a craft knife. If your avocado is a bit old, it may rub off with a scrubber at the washing stage,but if it's tough, just lift the woody skin with a craft knife and peel.

Now you have two halves to carve. Have a think about your design,get some inspiration and get going. The seed will change colour and darken to several woody browns  as you carve and you may get a blue, ink stain on your fingers. This is just the juice from the seed.

Ok, now you have two pieces to work with. Remember to make sure some of your detail stand proud by a millimeter or two. Use a pin to make a hole in the top of your carving if you wish to make it into a pendant.

 

I have carved a face, a hear and a sunflower (not pictured).

Now for a bit of patience! Put your carved seeds somewhere warm and dry for 2 to 3 weeks to dry out. They will darken and shrink a little.


By now your avocado seed carving should be dry and ready to paint! I have used acrylic paint mixed with a very small amount of water. You could add some stick on gems for glitz or leave them plain for a home homespun or rustic look. You don't have to paint them at all if you like the woody look. Attach to a cord or chain and enjoy impressing people with your jewellery make for a few pence/cents from avocado discardings!

Was meant to be Siouxie Sioux!!Sorry Siouxie!

Back soon with more Crafts for the skint!