Embossing Metal With My Sizzix Bigshot

I must admit up until a few weeks ago I was vaguely familiar with the name Sizzix but as to what you actually did with a "Sizzix" I was completely in the dark! That was until I stumbled across a video from Vintaj showing how you could use their embossing folders with a Bigshot to create designs on metal ("metal" - my favourite word after chocolate!)
I was really impressed and itching to have a go, I just needed a Bigshot........ I waited a few weeks then when the urge to possess one overcame me I went out debit card at the ready..............and the shop had sold out! So I trundled off to The Range on the off chance and came home clutching my own surprisingly heavy pink and black wonder machine. It sat on the dining room table for a couple of days while I waited for the embossing folders I'd ordered online to arrive then the time came to start playing!

I started with some pre-cut 24g copper hearts and the Wildflower Vines and the Butterfly Swirls Deco Embossing folders. I was really impressed with the results. The design comes out really clearly. I added some patina ink on the practice pieces above to add a bit of colour.

Next I tried a Deco Etch folder on slightly thicker gauge copper and silver. The word "Etch" doesn't really describe the finished result - I'd say it looks more like a stamped design. I love this one especially after the metal is oxidized. I left the silver unoxidized for now as it's going to be part of a pair of earrings I have planned!
I used 22g gauge for these even though Vintaj recommend using thinner gauges - oops! But I had to try as 24g is a bit thin for my jewellery. I annealed the metal first to soften it and it went through the Bigshot fine.

These were annealed 24g copper using the plastic Sizzix embossing folders - the one's you use on paper and card. The design isn't as crisp but it's not bad. These have been oxidized and cleaned up with wire wool.

More examples! The more orangy coloured one's weren't annealed (the rectangle is 20g), the discs are 22g and 20g and were annealed first. Annealing the thicker gauge metal definitely helps to get a crisper design.

Deco Emboss folder top and Deco Etch folder bottom. The rusty looking areas are the red oxides from the annealed metal - I was too impatient to pickle first!

Overall I'm really impressed. Anything that lets me add patterns to metal is a great idea as far as I'm concerned plus buying a new piece of kit always pleases me!  Photos of finished jewellery coming soon!

Like A Rainbow! New Enamel Pendants

I felt like doing some torch enamelling recently so came up with these colourful pendants using sgraffito and enamel pens.

Sgraffito involves scratching a design into the enamel, either the first layer to reveal the metal beneath or you can fire one colour, sift another contrasting colour on top then scratch out a design or just lines to reveal the first colour layer.

I went for three different colours which involved using pieces of cardboard strategically placed whilst sifting! Fiddly but I love the effect.

I used enamel pens to draw (I use the term loosely!) poppies onto pea green opaque enamel. After firing I added the brown dots to give the flowers a centre.

More enamel pen circles and dots. I don't find enamel pens that easy to use, they can be a bit blobby and having to hold them perpendicular and squeeze quite hard at the same time is not condusive to drawing pretty designs! Circles and dots are fine though! I will be experimenting further and making some earrings in  ....... ..... circle and dot designs too :D

Appearing soon in my Etsy and Folksy shops

Findings Destash!

The mood struck me (and it doesn't happen very often) to have a bit of a sort out of some findings I've had for years and don't use. So I dug some pretty silver metal filigree beadcaps, connectors, Bali Silver spacers and sterling silver toggle fasteners out and photographed them while we still have this glorious sunny weather.

Very satisfying! I've just finished listing them in my eBay shop

Apologies for the blurry photos - Blogger strikes again!