Copper and Enamel Earrings

I really love the mix of copper and enamel in jewellery - the colour of the oxidized copper really makes the enamels jump. So continuing my "thing" about circles (it's been going on since I was a child!) I made enamelled discs in various colours and combined them with paddle-shaped copper "sticks."

 I haven't mastered the art of riveting enamelled pieces yet - it IS possible, I've seen other people do it but when I tried the enamel discs cracked. Another option would be to pin the enamelled discs by balling up silver wire on either side. I tried that too and only managed to ruin the enamelled piece. It did stick to the metal I wanted to attach it to but only because the enamel had refired and it would have cracked and fallen off eventually. 

So I stuck to wire wrapping the enamel disc to the metal - less risk of breaking anything!

I made these copper hoops a while ago and left them sitting on my work table until I decided what they would become. They became (......eventually) these wire wrapped hoops with three enamelled discs in turquoise, purple and mint wrapped onto the bottom so they can dangle in a shiny, happy, enamel way :D

Twist Away - Fine Silver & Copper Balled Wire Findings

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by a fellow jewellery maker who regularly buys my handmade findings (you know who you are Lindsay!) if I could make some double ball ended silver wires like the dragonfly kisses made by The Dragonfly Company. I'll be honest I'd not heard of the website or Lynne Senior who sadly died recently, but ordered some fine silver wire and made some. My buyer wanted a particular (ish) length which I got to eventually - knowing how much wire gets eaten up when you form the ball means you can then work out what length to cut the wire

 Fine silver is best to use as it forms nice smooth balls compared to the pitted, rustic look you get with sterling silver. They are used by twisting and wrapping into designs inbetween beads and also can be twisted once and dangled from loops if so desired. I might use some myself one day! In the meantime I quickly twisted some copper wires between jade beads to use as an example in my shops

Copper and fine silver versions are available in my Etsy shop now!

Hearts Aplenty! Valentine's Day Jewellery

With Valentine's Day fast approaching I thought it was time to write my first blog post of 2013. I can't believe my last post was on the 15th of December! I've been busy jewellery-wise recently "doing" hearts. I have a couple of heart templates which I made use of as I'm no artist drawing-wise and earrings tend to have to be matching!
Here's some of the hearts I cut -

I started off using my jewellery saw as that's the proper way to do it but, oh, I don't know, it just takes so damned long to do that I changed to using my Xuron shears with no ill-affect on the metal. I cut straight across at the top of the hearts then used my triangle file to file the "v". After filing and sanding the hearts were ready for the next stage. The hearts at the top were going to be enamelled, the larger etched hearts were to be adorned with a silver ball rivet and the smaller one's textured and dapped and stud posts soldered on.

There's something very satisfying about making studs - their small neatness possibly...... or it could be that they're just easy to make maybe!! I do enjoy making them though.

Another thing I've been doing recently is etching! I love it and now can't stop buying stamps to use with Stayz On ink for etching on copper. I think I'll have to write a post about it soon.

 

These enamel heart pendants and earrings were so difficult to photograph and get a true colour. I think the slate background had a lot to do with it and they would probably look better using a lighter colour for the background. I'll hopefully get round to it when the weather brightens up...sometime in June probably!

These sterling silver hammered and stamped heart studs are my favourites. "One day" I shall maketh myself a pair :D  Everything will be in my Folksy and Etsy shops very soon.