How To: Author Portrait Brooch

This is another shrinking plastic tutorial because, as I have said previously, I am rather addicted. This time, I've decided to show appreciation for some of my favourite authors, and make a brooch in their honour! My brooch is of Agatha Christie, but you could choose anybody you like (as long as it's not Justin Bieber or One Direction, OK?).

You Will Need:

• Shrink Plastic
• Permanent Marker
• Scissors
• Brooch Back
• Glue
• White Nail Varnish (optional)
• An Oven

First up, get a picture of whoever you want to feature on your brooch. I'm using the drawing on the front of this book, but you could use the internet to find a picture, whatever floats your boat.

Place your transparent shrinking plastic over the picture, and trace using a permanent marker.

When you have traced your image, place your shrinking plastic on a white surface to check you have traced every detail you need to.

I then like to outline the whole of my image with a thick permanent marker, to contain the image.

Cut out your image and place in the oven following the instructions on your packet. When your plastic is cool, coat the reverse with white nail varnish to make your drawing stand out.

When this has dried, glue a brooch back over the top of the nail varnish.

When dry, you are ready to wear your homage to your favourite author. I'm toying with the idea of making one with quotes from a novel attached to the portrait, or even with related items glued around the drawing. It would be amazing if I could find a second hand Cluedo set to glue the murder weapons around my brooch...

Why not wear your brooch with an ironically placed Speech Bubble Brooch? Which author would you celebrate in brooch form?