Custom-designed Cabochons & Flatbacks from Hilmaspyssel – the guide for those who love personalized crafts
Are you wondering how to make your jewelry, keychains, or scrapbooking projects more personal – without special tools or advanced equipment? Then custom-designed cabochons and flatbacks from Hilmaspyssel are a perfect choice. With your own motifs, photos, or logos, you can create unique details that truly stand out, whether you craft for fun or run a small creative business.
In this guide, we'll go through everything you need to know about cabochons, flatbacks, materials, sizes, design, and how ordering on Hilmaspyssel.se works. You'll get practical tips, concrete examples, and answers to common questions – so you can confidently go from idea to finished, personalized product that lasts over time.

When you start searching for cabochons for jewelry making and crafting, you'll quickly notice that the words "cabochon" and "flatback" appear everywhere – but what do they actually mean, and what's the difference? To be able to design your own motifs at Hilmaspyssel, it's a great advantage to understand the basics first.
Difference between cabochons and flatbacks
Basically, both cabochons and flatbacks are decorative pieces with a flat back that are glued onto a base or directly onto an object. The difference primarily lies in their shape:
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Cabochons: Have a curved, often dome-shaped front and a flat back. They can be made of glass, resin, or acrylic and are often used in settings/trays for jewelry.
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Flatbacks: Are flat or almost flat even on the front, sometimes with slight facets or a simple profile. They are excellent for decorations, scrapbooking, and hair accessories.
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Applications: Cabochons are most common in rings, necklaces, earrings, and brooches, while flatbacks are often used where you want less height – for example, on cards, boxes, or phone cases.
This difference (domed vs. flat) affects both appearance, feel, and which glue and bases are best suited.
Sizes, shapes, and what custom-designed means
Cabochons and flatbacks come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Common sizes are 10, 12, 18, and 25 mm, but Hilmaspyssel offers several variations. Popular shapes include:
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Round and oval cabochons – classic for jewelry
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Hearts and squares – perfect for personalized gifts
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Motif cabochons with images, glitter, or transparent effects
When we talk about custom-designed cabochons and flatbacks, it means that your own motif – photo, logo, monogram, or illustration – is printed and mounted in or on the cabochon. Instead of generic standard motifs, you get a completely unique expression that matches your brand, your style, or the person you want to give the gift to.
In short: cabochons and flatbacks are small, flat decorations with enormous creative potential. Understanding the basics here will make it much easier to choose the right type for your specific project in the rest of the guide.
Why choose custom-designed cabochons & flatbacks from Hilmaspyssel.se?
Custom-designed cabochons and flatbacks from Hilmaspyssel.se give you something that ready-made standard motifs can never compete with: full control over the expression. You choose the motif, colors, shape, and size – and thus get jewelry and decorations that truly reflect your style, your brand, or the person you want to give a gift to. For many crafters, this is the step from "nice" to completely unique.
Advantages of custom-designed motifs compared to standard
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Personal touch on every project: Create cabochons with your children's names, your pet's photo, or an inside joke only your family understands.
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Perfect for businesses, clubs, and associations: Flatbacks with a logo or club emblem are excellent for bracelets, keychains, or giveaways at events.
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Stronger emotional value: A handmade keychain with a photo or date means more than a mass-produced piece of jewelry from a store.
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Better design control: You can adjust the color scheme, contrast, and style so that the cabochon matches the rest of your collection or brand.
A concrete example is a non-profit organization that has flatbacks with a logo printed and mounts them on bracelets for fundraising. Another is a parent who takes their children's drawings and turns them into small cabochons for necklaces – a simple idea that creates lifelong memories.
Quality, security, and service at Hilmaspyssel.se
In addition to the freedom of getting custom-designed cabochons, quality and service play a big role. Hilmaspyssel.se is a Swedish online store, which means clear terms, secure payment, and faster deliveries within Sweden. The focus is on:
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Carefully selected materials with a nice luster and good durability for everyday use
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Sharp, vibrant prints that make even small motifs clear
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Possibility of small quantities, perfect if you want to test an idea or make a smaller gift series
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Personal customer support that helps you if you are unsure about the size, shape, or resolution of your motif
When you combine this level of quality with the ability to order cabochons with your own motif, you don't just get craft materials – you get a flexible tool for memorable gifts, branded products, and genuinely personalized jewelry.
Design your own cabochons & flatbacks – step by step
Designing custom-designed cabochons and flatbacks for Hilmaspyssel.se is easier than many people think – the key is to prepare the motif correctly. In this section, we'll go through the entire process, from the initial idea to the finished design that is ready to be printed on cabochons for jewelry making or decoration. The focus is on clear, practical tips that help you avoid common beginner mistakes.
Prepare your motif – image quality, format, and colors
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Work with high resolution: Aim for at least 300 dpi and an image that is larger than the finished cabochon/flatback. This will help you avoid blurry edges when the motif is scaled down.
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Choose the right file format: PNG or high-quality JPG usually work best. Avoid screenshots from your phone as they often have compression and noise.
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Consider the colors: Clear, clean colors and good contrast between the background and the motif/text give the best results behind glass or resin.
When designing, zoom out to approximately the actual size of the cabochon (e.g., 18 mm) and check that everything is still readable. If you can barely see the details on the screen, they will be even harder to see in real life.
Layout tips + two concrete design examples
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Keep the motif simple: Few, clear elements work better than many small details. Use an icon/symbol rather than an entire photo if the surface is small.
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Short text wins: Names, initials, or a short word ("MOM", "BFF") are sufficient. Avoid long quotes on small cabochons.
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Create contrast: Light text on a dark background or vice versa. Feel free to try black and white text on a colored background for maximum readability.
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Center the motif: Imagine that a round or oval shape will "crop" the image – make sure nothing important is too close to the edge.
Example 1 – Simple monogram design:
Create a circle in a free design program (e.g., Canva). Choose a solid background color, add a nice, legible font, and write two initials, e.g., "EJ". Test different color combinations and save it as a PNG.
Example 2 – Children's drawing as a cabochon:
Photograph or scan the child's drawing in good light. Crop the nicest part (a figure, a heart, a sun). Gently enhance the contrast a bit so the lines are more visible behind the glass. Perfect for a necklace or a keychain.
How to describe your design when ordering from Hilmaspyssel
When you upload or submit your motif to Hilmaspyssel, the result will be best if you are clear:
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Specify dimensions and shape: Write, for example, "Round cabochon 18 mm" or "Oval flatback 25x18 mm".
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Describe desired placement: If the motif is not exactly centered, write, for example, "Place the heart in the middle, text below".
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Mention background: Do you want transparent, white, or a specific color behind the motif? Write it in your request.
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Request any adjustments: E.g., "Make the text a little thicker" or "Enhance the colors slightly".
Many people forget to do a quick test by printing the motif in actual size on plain paper. If you do this before ordering your custom-designed cabochons and flatbacks, you'll immediately see if the text is readable and if the details work. It's a simple step that can make a huge difference in how professional your finished jewelry or decoration looks.
Materials, sizes, and shapes – how to choose the right cabochons for your project
Choosing the right material, size, and shape for your custom-designed cabochons and flatbacks from Hilmaspyssel is crucial for both appearance and durability. Here we go through what top-ranked guides often mention – and add practical tips specifically for you who order custom prints online.
Common materials: glass, resin, and acrylic – what suits which purpose?
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Glass cabochons: Provide the most luxurious feel with high shine and a nice weight. Perfect for necklaces, rings, and bracelets that should feel exclusive. Withstands normal wear well but can crack if dropped hard on the floor.
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Resin cabochons: Lightweight, durable, and often less sensitive to impacts. Excellent for children's jewelry, keychains, and hair accessories where weight matters.
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Acrylic/plexiglass flatbacks: Economical and super lightweight material, good for scrapbooking, card making, decoration on boxes and canvases. Less sensitive if something comes loose and ends up in children's hands.
A smart approach is to choose glass for the jewelry you will wear daily, and resin or acrylic for larger decorations or products you sell in larger volumes – this keeps the weight and material cost down without sacrificing style.
The right size and shape for your craft
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Small cabochons (8–14 mm): Best for earrings, rings, discreet bracelets, and small hair clips.
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Medium (18–25 mm): All-round size for necklaces, keychains, bookmarks, and larger rings.
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Large (30 mm and up): Great for statement necklaces, scrapbooking, canvases, boxes, wedding invitations.
The shape affects the feel much more than many people realize:
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Round – timeless and easy to fit into pre-made jewelry bases.
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Oval – elegant, perfect for vintage-inspired jewelry and portrait motifs.
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Square/rectangular – modern, graphic look that suits logos and text.
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Heart and special shapes – ideal for gifts, weddings, Mother's Day, and friendship jewelry.
It's a good idea to make a mini-checklist before ordering from Hilmaspyssel:
- What are you making – jewelry, keychain, invitation, or canvas?
- How much surface area do you have – are you measuring in mm on the base/surface before choosing a size?
- Does the cabochon need to withstand daily use, children's hands, or a humid environment (e.g., near a sink)?
By matching the material, size, and shape with your actual use case already at the time of ordering, you save both time and money – and get cabochons and flatbacks that truly work in your project, not just look nice in a picture.
Creative uses – ideas with custom-designed cabochons & flatbacks
Custom-designed cabochons and flatbacks from Hilmaspyssel.se open up a whole world of creative possibilities – whether you make jewelry for your own use, gifts, or for a small webshop. Many specifically search for ideas with cabochons and crafts with flatbacks, but often only get general tips. Here, we take a more practical and detailed approach, focusing on projects that actually work in everyday life.
Jewelry & personalized gifts that are truly used
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Jewelry making for everyday and parties: Create necklaces with family initials, small discreet earrings with a favorite color, or statement rings with graphic motifs. Match the cabochon size with the jewelry base for a professional result.
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Personal gifts with photos or text: Make a Mother's Day necklace with a black and white photo, keychains with children's names for preschool staff, or bracelets with the coordinates of a special place. Short, clear text works best.
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Friendship and couple bracelets: Use two halves of a heart, two different symbols, or the same motif in different colors. Perfect as an inexpensive but emotional gift for friends or siblings.
A clever trick is to think in "collections": for example, make a necklace, earrings, and keychain with the same motif. This way, you can easily build up an assortment for markets or Etsy/Instagram sales.
Weddings, children's crafts, and small businesses – how to maximize benefits
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Wedding & party decorations: Use custom-designed flatbacks with the bridal couple's monogram on place cards, napkin rings, guest books, or thank-you gifts for bridesmaids and groomsmen. A unified motif makes the entire table setting look more lavish – without being expensive.
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Simple children's projects: Let the children draw a small picture each, scan it in, and make cabochons that they then glue onto ready-made keychain bases or bookmarks. Short crafting time, big "wow" factor.
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For DIY entrepreneurs: Build your own brand with recurring icons, colors, and patterns. Custom-designed cabochons can become your signature detail on everything from hair clips to brooches.
Always consider who will use what you create: children, adults, customers, or bridal couples. When you start from the recipient's style and needs, custom-designed cabochons and flatbacks become a powerful way to create products that feel both unique and are easy to sell or give away.
How to attach cabochons & flatbacks – glue, bases, and techniques
Knowing how to properly attach cabochons and flatbacks is crucial for durable jewelry and decorations. Here we review the most reliable glues, bases, and techniques that work well with custom-designed cabochons from Hilmaspyssel, so that your projects maintain both shape and shine over time.
The right base and the right glue for your project
First, you need to choose a suitable base and a glue that matches both the material and the application:
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Jewelry bases: ring blanks, necklace trays, bracelet links, earring posts, brooch bases, and keychain attachments provide a flat surface where the cabochon can "land" securely.
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Hair and accessory bases: hair clips, headbands, button bases, and paper clips are perfect for flatbacks that do not have a domed top.
- Recommended glue types:
- Jewelry glue/E6000 type for glass and resin cabochons – flexible and strong.
- Epoxy when you need extreme strength or to fill in small irregularities.
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Super glue (cyanoacrylate) for small areas and quick projects – but use sparingly to avoid white hazing around the edge.
Remember to always test on a scrap piece if you are unsure, especially with porous surfaces such as wood, fabric, or untreated metal.
Step-by-step and common mistakes to avoid
A simple, secure method for mounting cabochons on bases is:
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Clean the surfaces – wipe both the back of the cabochon and the base with a little isopropyl alcohol or dish soap water and let dry completely.
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Apply the glue thinly – a small "pea" in the middle is enough; then spread the glue by gently pressing the cabochon against the base in a circular motion.<
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Adjust the motif – align the motif carefully while the glue is still soft; look straight down so it doesn't end up crooked.
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Remove excess – if glue seeps out, remove it immediately with a toothpick or cotton swab.
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Allow to cure undisturbed – at least 24 hours for maximum strength, even if the glue feels dry earlier.
Common mistakes include bubbles under the cabochon, too much glue creeping up the edges, and moving the jewelry before the glue has fully cured. Work on a flat surface, one project at a time, to significantly reduce the risk.
Care instructions for long-lasting jewelry and decorations
For your custom-designed cabochons and flatbacks from Hilmaspyssel to stay beautiful for a long time, care is just as important as the mounting itself:
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Avoid water – remove jewelry when showering, bathing, or washing dishes, especially if they are made with paper print under glass.
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Protect from chemicals – perfume, hairspray, cleaning agents, and hand sanitizer can dull the surface or affect the glue bond.
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Store smartly – place jewelry in boxes or jewelry pouches so they don't get scratched by keys or other hard objects.
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Quick service for damage – if something starts to come loose, gently clean away old glue and reattach with a small amount of new glue, instead of "piling on" on top of the old.
With the right combination of base, glue, technique, and care, you will get cabochon and flatback projects that look just as professional as store-bought ones – but with the personal touch of custom design from Hilmaspyssel.
How to order custom-designed cabochons & flatbacks from Hilmaspyssel.se
Ordering custom-designed cabochons and flatbacks from Hilmaspyssel.se is easier than many people think – but a few smart preparations make a big difference to both the result and delivery time. In this section, we'll go through the entire process step by step, so you can confidently order your personalized cabochons with your own design without any surprises.
Step-by-step: from idea to placed order
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1. Find the right category in the webshop: Go to Hilmaspyssel.se and select the category for custom-designed cabochons/flatbacks. Filter by shape, size, and material that suits your project.
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2. Choose variant and quantity: Read the product page carefully regarding measurements, material, and recommended uses. Select the quantity – it often pays to order a few extra in case something is lost or incorrectly mounted.
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3. Prepare and submit your design: Upload your image via the page or according to instructions (e.g., via email). Ensure high resolution, good sharpness, and clear contrast.
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4. Specify your wishes: Write whether the design should be cropped, centered, mirrored, or if several different designs should be distributed on the same order.
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5. Approve proof (if offered): Some special orders involve receiving a digital proof – review it carefully before approving and placing your final order.
This structure reduces the risk of misunderstandings and allows production to start immediately, often resulting in faster delivery.
Tips, frequently asked questions, and pro tricks for a smooth order
To make your first order of custom-designed cabochons as problem-free as possible, consider the following:
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Preparation saves time: Have the measurements, shape, material, and intended use clear before you start filling in your order. This makes it easier to choose the right product from the menu.
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Collect multiple designs in the same order: If you're ordering anyway, take the opportunity to add designs for future projects – perfect for small businesses, associations, or school classes. You often save both on shipping and time.
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Ask about minimum quantity and delivery time: Hilmaspyssel is a Swedish store and can often handle smaller quantities, but check the product page for minimum order and estimated delivery time, especially before holidays and markets.
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If something goes wrong: Read the terms and conditions regarding proofs and reprints. If you have approved a proof, it's easier to see where a possible error occurred and how it can be rectified.
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Start with a test project: First order a smaller batch of custom-designed cabochons to get a feel for the print, colors, and material quality before making a larger investment.
By following these tips, you'll get maximum quality and enjoyment from your custom-ordered cabochons and flatbacks from Hilmaspyssel.se – and at the same time build a good foundation for future, even more creative projects.
Frequently asked questions about custom-designed cabochons & flatbacks
Q: Do I need to know design programs to order custom-designed cabochons from Hilmaspyssel.se?
A: No, you don't need to be a designer to order custom-designed cabochons or flatbacks. An image, logo, text, or even a photo on your phone is often enough. Hilmaspyssel can help crop, resize, and provide simple advice on contrast and readability. If you want to prepare the file yourself, free tools like Canva, Photopea, or similar work excellently for simple designs with text, initials, or symbols.
Q: What image quality is needed for a good print on cabochons and flatbacks?
A: The higher the resolution, the better, but since cabochons are small, a sharp mobile photo is usually sufficient. Aim for at least 300 dpi at the size the cabochon will be and avoid dark, blurry, or heavily cropped images. Contrast is important: light text on a dark background (or vice versa) gives significantly clearer results than tone-on-tone colors.
Q: How durable are custom-designed cabochons in everyday use?
A: Durability depends on both the material (glass, resin, acrylic) and how you use the jewelry. Glass often gives the most "luxurious" feel and a nice shine, while resin and acrylic are lighter and less sensitive to impacts. Regardless of the material, you should avoid prolonged contact with water, perfume, and cleaning agents. If you remove jewelry when showering, washing dishes, and exercising, they will stay beautiful much longer.
Q: Can I order just a few cabochons with my own design, or are large volumes required?
A: A big advantage of Hilmaspyssel is that you can order small quantities. This makes it perfect for personal gifts, a single wedding project, or for those who want to test a new collection on a small scale before scaling up. The exact minimum quantity depends on the product, but you avoid typical industrial runs of hundreds of copies.
Q: What do I do if the design is wrong or I change my mind after ordering?
A: Always check spelling, colors, and placement carefully before approving a proof. If the error is discovered after printing has started, it is normally considered your own responsibility, but if something has gone clearly wrong in production (e.g., crooked print, wrong size, or obvious color errors compared to the agreed original), reputable stores like Hilmaspyssel usually help with reprints or solutions according to their terms and conditions. Always contact customer service directly and attach photos for quick processing.
Q: I'm a complete beginner – what's the easiest first project to start with?
A: A good beginner project is keychains or simple necklaces with a round cabochon in standard size (e.g., 20–25 mm) and a clear design: initials, a short name, or a simple symbol. Choose a glass or resin cabochon, a ready-made base from Hilmaspyssel, and a jewelry glue that is suitable for glass/metal parts. This way, you learn how the size is perceived, how the glue behaves, and what your design looks like in reality – without the project becoming advanced or expensive.
Create more personalized jewelry – and let ideas become reality
You have now received a complete overview of how custom-designed cabochons and flatbacks work – from what they are, to how to choose the right material, design your own motifs, attach them beautifully, and order them via Hilmaspyssel.se. Together, these parts give you a common thread: you can go from a simple sketch or a photo on your phone to finished, durable jewelry, decorations, and personalized gifts that truly reflect you, your family, or your brand.
The next step is to translate inspiration into action. Choose a small first project – for example, a personalized necklace, a keychain, or a friendship bracelet – and write down your mini-checklist: design, size, shape, and intended use. Then visit Hilmaspyssel.se, look at bases, materials, and the category for custom-designed cabochons and flatbacks, and place your first order. Once you've tried a batch, you'll realize how easy it is, and you'll have a creative method ready every time you want to create unique, memorable jewelry and gifts.