When I was a kid (somewhat 25 to 30 years ago) I saw this pendants on quite a few big country fairs and and always wanted one - but sadly I never got one...

This rice pendants past my mind recently - maybe the result of a kids trauma that's still bubbeling under the grown up womans surface - yes that is sad...

... BUT BEHOLD! you can get rid of this particular trauma today! ( or tomorrow... or whatever day suits you...)

with a steady hand and a little help of your cat... or a store bought pen ... you decide!

I chose the cat-version :) But I will provide a link for you guys that do not - or want not - enjoy the company of a feline fella...

Step 1: Materials

First a short explaination to the material choice, I live a little "OFF" and have a 70km ride to the next bigger stores, so I always try to get creative with stuff I already have, instead of ordering online or buying something that I probably only will use once - so of course, use substitutes :)

Non cat version:
a permanent fineliner like this one

For the cat owners version only: (more thoughts to that in the next step ;) )

a cat whisker ( NO! don't cut it off! just look at the cats favourite sleeping place - you'll find one pretty soon :)

mechanical pencil ( if you dont have one, don't worry, you can use a regular pen instead )

acrylic paint ( I used black and red, but any colour will do)

you'll also need:

long grain rice ( i used jasmine )

kids clay, or sticky tape - helps alot

magnifier - if you have very good eyes, you can skip that

a needle (to erase mistakes )

for the pendant:

clear oil - baby oil works great

a jewelry vial (buy online or find one at your home: perfume samples ( get rid of the print with alcohol), old glass fuses ( don't know if you can open them easily, it just crossed my mind) or a small bottle - there's many possibilities if you think hard ;)

syringe for filling oil into the pendant

glue gun

optional but pretty: glitter ( have you ever thought about glitter as microplastic? No? - well, that's basicially what it is...

I used brass - shavings - looks almost like gold :o) )

A short article in the National Geographic about the glitter issue... there is no real research about glitter in particular, but you might give it a thought and avoid it...

Step 2: Help of Your Generous Cat Donor

First of all, I do not encourage to cut your cat whiskers - they shed them naturally - just search at your cats favourite spots - if you look for it, you will find it pretty soon.

why a cat whisker you might ask?

Answer: I tried all fineliner markers i had, and found them to big to write on a rice seed - buying one - possible... find another solution - more my kind of style.

I thought about using hair as paint brush, but found it not stiff enough - while cuddling one of my cats, I found a possible solution, -stiff, sturdy and goes from thick to very thin - the idea was born.

originally I wanted to glue it on a pen, but then I remembered the push pencils I had in my drawer.

- and well it fits perfectly!

Just insert the whisker -thick side in- into the pencil (you have to push down the back of the pen, so the holding mechanism opens).

- cut it, but keep the thin part, in case you want to go thinner.

Tadaaaa the perfect paint brush for your rice experiment!

If you don't have a mechanical pencil: glue it on the tip of a pen

Step 3: Preparations

look for long, unbroken rice seeds to write on

push some rice seeds on your clay / sticky tape to secure them from wiggling around

dillute the acrylic paint with water ( not to thin, just that it doesnt dry out to quickly )

dip the whisker-pen into the paint and do a test writing on paper.

Step 4: Getting Started - the First Try :)

with steady hands - don't drink to much coffee

slowly write the first - short- names or words

get a feeling for your pen, and don't get frustrated if the result isn't what you aimed for - it takes practice (or talent :D)

I'm a watchmaker in profession, so I'm used to small, gentle movements - but my first attempts were okay for 5 capital letters maximum.

fortunately there is a lot of rice in these packages, and it's kind of mind soothing to concentrate all your thoughts on this little rice seed.

Step 5: Getting Bold

after the first attempts it's time to get a little more bold

- I choose to make my whisker brush finer, less stiff and thinner tip

then I managed the first longer names and also lower case letters.

next step is about erasing mistakes

Step 6: Erasing Mistakes

If you are overall okay with the result, but there is one letter, that you could have done better...

well you can erase your work...

take the needle and gently scratch the part you don't like away - repaint it and admire :)

( I'm not sure if that will work with a marker - let me know if you tried )

Step 7: Add Colour, Paint Both Sides of the Rice Seed

it makes a nice effect to add some colour, paint a heart red, make small dots...

also to make the rice even cooler - write a couples names on both sides

- of course this craves for guts: when you're happy with on name to flip it over and write another... which might turn out not so great ...

but hey, there is one great difference between writing on a rice seed and real life: you can erase mistakes...

and also the person that get's it as a gift will be very kind and forgiving - or that person will never, ever retrieve another gift from you! HA!

Step 8: Making the Pendant

Fill the glass jewelry vial (or whatever you found ;) )

with brass shavings ( or if you really want: glitter)

maybe some glass beads would be nice as well - just don't overdo.

add the chosen rice seed(s)

I ended up adding a two sided seed

and a "I love u forevaaaaa" seed ( yes, I'm still young and groovy in my mind )

I think the one with colour pops the most, and two sided ones are more interesting to look at.

Step 9: Adding Oil and Close It Forevaaaa! ;)

preheat your glue gun

fill some oil into your syringe - you don't need much

your glue gun is warm -right? then proceed...

fill the vial with oil, but leave some space - this helps the glue to make it tight and also it creates an interesting air bubble, that adds some movement - If you're not into bubbles, make the space smaller :o)

add a small drop of hot glue and press the lid onto the vial.

you're done!

next step is about admiring ;)