The pentacle and pentagram are truly protections symbols. They aren't bad at all...people just started flipping them around and connecting them to the Devil (in which they would be called an inverted pentacle or inverted pentagram).
It's an Earth/North tool for protection in a circle or altar in my practice. (I am a North/Earth, so I use them often. I carry one on my key chain at all times.) Each corner is connected to an element...Earth, Air, Fire, Water and the top being Spirit. The pentagram is the five sided star, drawn all lines through, while the pentacle is the same lined star, just inside of a circle. It has other meanings for different religions and beliefs, too, most also for protection. Romans, Christians, Pagans and many others have, at some point or another, used this symbol for their own beliefs...again, mostly as protective charms or religious symbols.
Back to the thought on making one yourself...I mentioned I had made one from clay. I used Sculpey clay, you can get it in most craft stores for super cheap. Knead the clay, roll it out, make the pentagram/pentacle you want, bake it and done! Easy! Then you can paint it or attach it to whatever you'd like. I made mine by rolling the clay like cookie dough and using a small circle cookie cutter to cut out a circle, then just etched in my design...you could do that, or cut out the circle with a cutter, then use a knife to cut out the inside pieces so it's open, if you'd prefer. Just another idea for you.
