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If you love soft pastels, tiny details, and that sweet “kawaii meets shabby chic” look… you’re going to have fun with this.

Today I want to show you different ways to use flat-back cabochons in your crafting projects. These are the teeny tiny resin pieces (about half an inch to an inch across) that come in shapes like unicorn clouds, hearts, bows, strawberries, cherries, and all kinds of playful little characters.

They’re small. They’re glossy (some are flat for that “brushed” comfy look). They’re ridiculously cute. And they are way more useful than people realize.

Instead of just saying “these are available in the shop,” I’d rather walk you through how to actually use them in real projects — planners, journals, resin pieces, bows, packaging, even gifts. You’ll see why I love having bowls of these on my desk.

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1. Planner and Traveler’s Notebook Charms

This is one of my favorite ways to use mini cabochons: dressed-up planner charms.

Take a lobster clasp, a jump ring, a tassel or ribbon, maybe a bead or two, and then glue one of these tiny cabochons to a flat charm base or a small bezel. You’ve instantly got a custom dangle you can clip to your TN band, planner spine, zipper, or pouch.

Why this works:

• The cabochons are small enough not to weigh the planner down.
• You can theme them. Unicorn clouds for magical. Strawberries for sweet. Hearts for love notes / journaling.
• It makes your planner look “yours,” not mass-produced.

Tip: Layer with a small tassel, a pearl bead, and a bow cabochon to create a chunky charm cluster. Clip it to a ring, and boom — personality.

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2. Scrapbook Covers and Mini Album Spines

Cabochons make very cute focal points on scrapbook covers, mini album spines, and handmade journals.

Think of them like enamel badges or decorative “buttons.” You can tuck them into a cluster of lace, paper flowers, pearls, bows, and ribbon. They work especially well in corners, or right next to the title label on the cover.

What I love about them here:

• They sit up just enough to add dimension.
• They bring in color without you having to print or die-cut anything.
• They can help tie a theme together (ex: strawberry cabochon on a recipe / baking journal, heart cabochon on a love / memory book, unicorn cloud on a magical / birthday album).

You can also glue one onto the spine like a little “seal,” almost like a tiny badge.

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3. Bows (Yes, Actual Bows)

If you’re a bow maker, keep reading.

Cabochons make gorgeous bow centers. You can hot glue (low temp) a cabochon right into the middle knot of a hair bow or cheer bow to turn a plain ribbon bow into a themed bow.

Ideas:

• Unicorn cloud cabochon in the center of a pastel hair bow for a birthday girl.
• Strawberry cabochon on a summer / picnic-themed bow.
• Heart on a Valentine bow.
• Polka dot bow cabochon on top of a layered grosgrain cheer bow for game day.

You can do the same thing with paper bows in scrapbooks and mini albums. A plain die-cut bow on a layout becomes so much cuter with a tiny charm layered at the knot.

This is also a great way to decorate paper clips or planner clips: glue a bow to the top of a jumbo paper clip, then glue a mini cabochon in the center of the bow. Instant custom clip.

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4. Gift Packaging, Party Favors, and Treat Bags

Cabochons are perfect “presentation magic.”

If you’re gifting handmade items, or you sell handmade items and you want your packaging to feel special, try this:

• Tie ribbon or lace around the box, bag, or glassine envelope.
• Add a small cardstock tag.
• Glue one tiny cabochon to the tag.

That’s it. It suddenly looks curated. Like boutique packaging.

People save that kind of tag. They post that kind of packaging. That’s free branding for you.

Heart clouds are adorable on Valentine or anniversary gifts. Strawberry clouds are adorable on summer party favors. Unicorn clouds are adorable on birthday treat bags.

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5. Resin, Keychains, Shaker Mixes, and Charms

Cabochons also play really nicely with resin and charms.

Here are a few ways to use them:

• Embed them in UV resin trays, keychains, and custom charms.
• Glue them onto metal keychain blanks and seal over the top with clear resin.
• Add them inside shaker elements (mini albums, cards, planner dashboards).
• Use them as the “centerpiece” charm on a dangle attached to a zipper pull or purse charm.

You can pair them with tassels, pom poms, pearls, and glitter mixes. The mix of textures — soft faux fur, shiny metal hardware, glossy cabochon, lace — that’s what gives a piece that “boutique kit” feeling.

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6. Journaling and Memory-Keeping

Flat-back cabochons are great little “story markers.”

Think:

• Strawberry cabochon next to a recipe memory or a tea party entry.
• Heart cloud on a love letter page in a journal.
• Unicorn cloud in a birthday memory spread.
• Bow on a baby milestone page.

Instead of stamping or printing an icon, you’re gluing one. It adds touchable texture to memory pages. Texture = keepsake.

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7. Display Pieces and Altered Storage

If you alter boxes, mini drawers, jewelry chests, little organizer tins, or craft room storage, you can use cabochons there too.

You can cluster them around a metal label pull, line them along the corner of a lid, or glue one to the front of a tiny drawer as an accent. It’s a cute crossover between “practical storage” and “decor that makes you smile every time you sit down to craft.”

If you’re selling decorative storage at craft fairs or online, those small details matter. That’s the difference between “handmade” and “collector piece.”

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A Few Helpful Notes

• These pieces are mini. Most are around half an inch to an inch. That small size is why they sit so nicely on bows, tags, clips, and planner charms.
• They’re flat-back. No holes, no loops. You glue them, you embed them, or you seal them in resin.
• Use low-temp hot glue, strong craft adhesive, jewelry glue, or UV resin.
• Tiny parts = not a toy. Keep away from little ones and pets.

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Why I Love Working With Cabochons

They let you finish something fast.

Let’s be honest: sometimes you don’t have an hour to die-cut layered flowers, distress ink the edges, emboss, glitter, trim, seal, all of that. Sometimes the project is already pretty — it just needs a focal element that says “this is my style.”

Cabochons do that in one step. Glue, done.

They’re also small enough to collect by color, by theme, by mood. Unicorn clouds for magical. Strawberries for sweet. Polka dot bows for girly. Hearts for love. You can mix them into literally anything you’re already making.

And that’s why I keep little dishes of them sitting on my desk.

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Want to Try Them?

The new cabochon sets are now available in small themed packs (each pack includes 5 pieces of the style you choose, like unicorn clouds or strawberries). Quantities are limited, and once a style is gone, it may not come back in the same exact design.

Use these ideas. Make them yours. And please, please tag me in what you create — I love seeing you turn supplies into something beautiful.

💗 Tag: @Decor8yourlife
💗 Hashtag: #Decor8yourlife