Jewelry Making Daily

Soldering 101: Glossary of Terms and Tools

TammyJones — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:31:00 GMT

It's hard to feel like you've mastered any technique if you aren't familiar with the terms associated with it. Soldering is no different--even as you get comfortable with moving your flame around while keeping an eye on the state of your flux and the color of your metal, pat-your-head-rub-your-tummy style, you still want to be able to fully understand what you're doing when you're soldering--and the tools you're using to do it. This handy glossary of some common soldering terms, excerpted from soldering articles by my metalsmithing teacher and soldering queen (and contributing editor to Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist), Lexi Erickson, will help you get your feet wet in the world of soldering and prepare you to learn more.

An alloy is a mixture of two or more metals.

Cupric oxide is a reddish oxide that forms when a piece of sterling silver is heated. This is usually removed by immersing the object into warm pickle. Cuprous oxide is a dark purplish stain that not only occurs on the surface of the piece you are soldering but also much deeper into the metal. It is difficult to remove cuprous oxide (firescale), but it can be removed by sanding the piece until all discoloration is gone.

Firescale is the common name for a purplish stain that shows up on sterling silver when it is soldered. If you are careful, very little firescale will appear during annealing. In sterling, firescale is caused by air mixing with the copper in the sterling, and using a flux solution will minimize the firescale. When soldering brass or bronze, the firescale looks like copper, which means the alloy was overheated, causing the copper to surface.

Flow point is the temperature at which solder will flow into and fill up a join by capillary action. This temperature is between 85-120°F hotter than the melting point. The melting point is the temperature at which solder will ball up.

Flux is a borax-based solution mixed with water, alcohol, or mineral oil, that will reduce the chance of firescale on sterling silver and copper alloys. It also keeps the metals clean as they are soldered. Most jewelers today use a premade commercial flux for all soldering processes. Prip's Flux is a commercial liquid flux which works well on all metals and is the best flux to use on copper alloys. Anti-flux is anything nonflammable that will adhere to the metal and keep solder from flowing onto an unwanted area.

The mill side is the manufacturing side of your metal. The manufacturer alloys and rolls your metal into sheet or other milled products such as wire, bezel wire, and so on.

Pallions are small chips of solder cut from a sheet or flattened wire. They are usually 1mm or smaller in size.

Pickle: Pickle is sodium bisulfate, a white granular powder, used for removing oxides from metal after soldering. It is mixed at about 3/4 cup of pickle to a gallon of water. Citric acid may be used as a pickle, but Lexi uses PH-Down, found as a pH balancer for swimming pools, because it's much cheaper and readily available at the local pool supply store.

(Why is it called pickle? According to Charles Lewton-Brain, possibly because German jewelers used an alum solution to clean their soldered work, and alum was used to make pickles, too. It might have started as a simple jeweler's inside joke!)

A pickle pot is an electric pot, which may be a commercial pickle pot, a Crock Pot, or even a coffee cup set on a mug warmer pad, which holds the liquid pickling solution and keeps it warm. Pickle works best when it is slightly warm, not boiling. Almost any ceramic or glass container can be used for holding warm pickle.

Solder is an alloy of fine silver and zinc. Fine silver is too soft to be used by itself, so it is alloyed. Sterling silver is 925 parts per 1,000 silver, with the remaining 75 parts usually copper. Both brass and bronze are alloys, mixtures of copper and other metals. Copper is often used unalloyed.

Solder ghosts are places where your solder has flowed outside of the seam.

Solder picks are tools used to help place and move solder. A sharp solder pick can also be used to push molten solder into place along a join. Solder picks vary in materials, price, and flexibility.

Your soldering station is where you do your soldering. This area must be fireproof and stay free of any combustible materials, such as paper towels. You may use large ceramic tiles and lay firebricks on top as a soldering station, or you may use a metal soldering station. Whatever you use, keep it clean.

To learn more about soldering from the queen of soldering herself, you must treat yourself to Lexi's soldering DVDs, Metalsmith Essentials: How to Solder Jewelry and How to Solder Jewelry, Vol. 2. Learn from the best, like I did!

5 Handy Copper and Wire Jewelry-Making Tips

TammyJones — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:51:00 GMT

Preparing for Tucson this year has me digging through the Jewelry Making Daily archives, finding projects and techniques that I want to try this year so I can prepare my Tucson shopping list. In my research, I've come across so many great tips for using all kinds of materials, wire in particular. Here are some of the wire jewelry-making tips that I discovered--all taken from Sharilyn Miller's Contemporary Copper Jewelry.


Funky Chandelier Earrings from Contemporary Copper Jewelry

1. Many of the projects in Sharilyn's book are accented with wire coils. Sharilyn recommends making a bunch of wire coils all at once and keeping them on hand, ready for whenever a project beckons. She creates long coils of fine-gauge wire (24-, 26-, or 28-gauge) on heavier 20-gauge wire and cuts them into smaller pieces as her wire designs require. Bonus tip: Don't forget to label your coiled wire pieces so you'll know what gauge you're working with when the time comes to use them!

2. I think making a stash of wire coils for future use is also a great way to get your fingers warmed up when beginning a project. Plus it always takes me a few minutes to get used to the feel of the gauge, hardness, and general workability of a new wire, especially if I've been working with a different one just before, and making coils is a great warm-up or practice for getting used to a new wire before actually beginning the project at hand.


	Spiral Fibula Pin from Contemporary Copper Jewelry

3. Be careful when forging the ends or curves of ear wires; over-forging the wire too thin can create sharp razor-like edges that you definitely don't want to slide into your ear! Forge gently with a chasing hammer or be safe and use a hard plastic mallet. This is a good reminder to always check ear wires (and other wire edges that will touch the skin) for sharpness.

4. Another reason to avoid over-forging wire: it can become brittle, especially on the edges. This one surprises me, every time I read it. I've never experienced metal becoming brittle, so perhaps I'm doing something right! But it's good to know it can happen.


See how much smoother the arc is in the copper tubing curved by threading heavier gauge wire through it (top) vs. the copper tubing I tried to curve by hand alone (bottom)?

5. This one came in handy for me after Tucson last year: Hidden in my jewelry-making stash were some lengths of tiny copper tubing, which I found so interesting and unique I'd never used it. (You know how that is, surely? You get a small amount of a really neat supply, so you hoard it instead of using it!) I was afraid of breaking or collapsing the tubing if I tried to curve it and put it to use in a necklace or bracelet, but then I found a great solution in Sharilyn's book. Sharilyn suggests inserting heavy-gauge wire into the metal tubing before hammering it on a mandrel to help shape it into a rounded form without kinking it. Eureka!

I didn't want to hammer this tiny copper tubing yet, but putting a stronger, heavier-gauge wire through it and gradually pulling the ends toward each other helped me create the arc I'd been trying to achieve in this little copper tubing for so long! Now I'm not afraid of ruining it and I'll actually use it. (Well, some of it, right?)

All of these great tips were taken from a quick browse through Sharilyn Miller's Contemporary Copper Jewelry, which is loaded with copper and wire jewelry projects as well as techniques that you can learn and then adapt to your own jewelry designs--plus it includes a bonus DVD so you can watch and learn along with Sharilyn, wherever and whenever you like!

Unlimited Possibilities: Making Jewelry with "Delicate, Organic, Exquisite" Polymer Clay

TammyJones — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:20:00 GMT

Having spent so many years working in the craft industry, I have been familiar with polymer clay for a long time--but hardly ever in terms of jewelry making. And after spending so much time working with gemstones and the cool hardness of metal, the versatility and fluidity of colorful polymer clay jewelry is refreshing. (Not to mention the affordability!)

I had never fully grasped the artistic qualities that polymer clay jewelry could have, though, until I saw Rie Nagumo's work in our new book, Enlightened Polymer Clay: Artisan Jewelry Designs Inspired by Nature. Rie is a polymer clay and metal clay jewelry artist and teacher who lives in Japan--and that beautiful simplicity that comes to mind when I think of Japan and Japanese design is evident throughout this book. Even the book's format is unique and distinctively Japanese, which makes for a no-fuss way of learning polymer clay jewelry-making techniques such as basics like rolling and flattening but also more creative techniques like mokume gane (which began as a Japanese sword-making technique), image transfers, and caning.

Many of Rie's designs have a softness and translucence about them that I've rarely seen in polymer clay. She replicates natural elements such as flowers, leaves, seeds, and even quills with such skill, it's hard to tell that they aren't the real thing. Her work truly captures and embodies the "delicate, organic, and exquisite nature of polymer clay," but at the same time, she shares basic information that makes this book just right for polymer clay enthusiasts of all levels. Rie begins by reviewing these five basic processes used to create with polymer clay.

1. Conditioning polymer clay makes it easy to work with and involves kneading the clay between your hands to warm it before rolling it with a rolling pin until it's thin enough to pass through a clay-dedicated pasta machine. Folding and passing polymer clay through a pasta machine repeatedly, raising the setting each time, prepares it for the next step in making polymer clay jewelry. Note: If you don't have a pasta machine or prefer not to use one, Rie recommends conditioning polymer clay in sections by hand and then with a rolling pin, with the help of a hair dryer or heat lamp for added heat, which relaxes the clay and makes it easier to condition.

2. Color making: One of the most appealing features about polymer clay, for me, is the limitless colors and color patterns that can be achieved with it. In various brands, polymer clay is available in dozens of colors, but those colors can all be modified and mixed to create new colors and color patterns. You mix polymer clay colors the same way you condition the clay; simply combine two or more colors in your hands, then by rolling pin, and then move on to folding and passing through a pasta machine repeatedly until the desired color or effect is achieved.

3. Forming polymer clay is the most fun of all the basic clay-working processes. You can roll it, flatten it, texture it, stamp it, mold it . . . ruffle it, fold it, stack it, coil it. . . . Anything goes! Flattening, rolling, and layering are the techniques that Rie focuses on in the book, but don't be fooled--she creates masterpieces with those simple techniques.

4. Curing: In order to harden and preserve your polymer clay designs, it should be cured in a clay-dedicated small oven. You'll want to place a piece of cardboard on the oven tray, topped with parchment paper, and place your polymer clay jewelry on the parchment. (Curing on direct metal will cause your clay to become shiny and should be avoided.) Preheat the oven to 250° F first, and then cure your polymer clay pieces for 30 to 60 minutes between 250° and 265° F. Note: Polymer clay can melt and/or release toxic smoke if its temperature goes above 265° F. Make sure you have a good oven thermometer for a temperature gauge (don't rely on the oven's setting to tell you the temperature) and watch it carefully; also always work in an area with good ventilation.

5. Finishing: Don't forget the finishing! After you've cured your polymer clay jewelry masterpieces and they've cooled completely, they need to be finished just like any other jewelry creation would be. Finishing for polymer clay means wet sanding with waterproof sandpaper or a sanding sponge, using progressively finer grits, and then dry polishing with a cloth buffer in a rotary tool or something similar. You can follow that by coating the piece with a thin layer of varnish if you want to further protect it and/or give it some shine.

To learn more about making polymer clay jewelry and to be inspired by twenty-nine polymer clay jewelry designs that are, I dare say, unlike others you've seen, get your copy of Rie Nagumo's Enlightened Polymer Clay. Whether you're entirely new to polymer clay or have been using it for years, you'll be comfortable with and inspired by this gorgeous little book.

Jewelry Soldering Basics: Using Solders, Flux, Tools & Creating a Safe Soldering Space

TammyJones — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:33:00 GMT

If you've been a Jewelry Making Daily reader for awhile, you've undoubtedly seen me write about Lexi Erickson, my beloved friend and metalsmithing teacher. Lexi is so generous with JMD readers, sharing her knowledge about all things jewelry related, including metals, metalsmithing, and soldering. She's the queen of soldering, having written a ten-part comprehensive series about soldering for Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, and she has taught soldering to students in metalsmithing classes for over twenty-five years. (She must have started teaching at age four, right?)

So as we began to prepare our newest free jewelry-making eBook, Jewelry Soldering Basics: How to Solder Jewelry: Solders, Flux, Tools & Setup, Lexi was a natural choice to be the expert author.

In Jewelry Soldering Basics, you'll learn all about what solder is and how it works to adhere one piece of metal to another. You'll learn the different kinds of solder used in soldering jewelry, such as hard, easy, and medium solder, etc., but you'll also learn the forms that jewelry solder is available in, such as wire, sheet, and paste solder. More importantly, you'll learn when to use which kind and which form of soldering when you're soldering jewelry for the best-looking and best-lasting results. Lexi explains that solder is an inexpensive metal alloy (usually silver and zinc), and how the makeup of the alloy determines its melting point or when the solder will flow in joins that you're soldering. We've outlined all that information for you in convenient soldering reference charts that you'll turn to again and again as you solder metal jewelry. You'll even learn what solder to use when soldering jewelry in copper, bronze, and brass as well as silvers.

Lexi also explains how to set up a proper fireproof soldering station so that you work efficiently and safely. In addition to soldering safety tips, she shares all the of the supplies that you'll need to solder jewelry, including soldering tweezers, torches, pickling supplies, soldering blocks (firebricks), and more, all in a handy soldering supply glossary.

In Jewelry Soldering Basics: How to Solder Jewelry: Solders, Flux, Tools & Setup, you'll also learn all about flux--what it is, what it does (why you need it!), and the various types of flux used in soldering jewelry. Lexi explains why you use flux when soldering jewelry and how flux can help protect your metal from some of the unwanted side effects of the torch's heat--such as pesky firescale. (Don't know what firescale is? Then you need to download Jewelry Soldering Basics!)

"Although learning how to solder jewelry is a big step, it's one that can save you time and effort--even money," says Merle White, editor in chief of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine. As Merle says in her introduction in the eBook, soldering lets you do the seemingly impossible: turn two pieces of metal into a single piece of metal. "Soldering is the 'gateway' jewelry-making technique that will let you take your jewelry designs to a whole new level." You'll learn to solder silver jewelry but also copper, which I know many jewelry makers are using these days.

Wouldn't you like to have expert advice when setting up an area in your jewelry-making workspace that is dedicated to soldering? And couldn't you use a glossary of all the specialized terms you'll encounter when learning about soldering and how to solder jewelry, including basic soldering supplies and tools you'll be using in your new soldering station? Wish you had the benefit of a master metalsmith such as Lexi's time-tested, expert tips on such a fundamental jewelry-making techniques as soldering jewelry? Get all of that and more in our newest free eBook, Jewelry Soldering Basics: How to Solder Jewelry: Solders, Flux, Tools & Setup!

Step by Step Wire Jewelry, February/March 2012

Karla Rosenbusch — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:59:00 GMT

Some Projects in this Current Issue


Teardrop Hoops
Deborah Gray-Wurz


Ear Wire Revolution
Julie Miller


Celtic Spikes
Rebeca Mojica


Geo Cuff
Lilian Chen

Projects in Previous Issue


Style & Grace
Anica Gabrovec


My Copper Heart!
Christine Dunbar


Allison Ring
Emily Judkins


Swirly Girly Hoops
Taylor Saleem

Projects in our Store


spirit dancer
Cindy Wimmer


wilma flintstone cuff
Eva Marie Sherman


whimsy hearts
Jodi Bombardier


sugar plum petticoats
Kerry Bogert

ADVERTISING AND FEATURES

Advertising Sections

marketplace

advertiser’s index

Features

off the wire
By Denise Peck, Editor-in-Chief

Spotlight
By Jane Dickerson

Playing with Fire
By Ronna Sarvas Weltman

Gemstones for Jewelry Making: Pantone's Spring 2012 Color Palette

TammyJones — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:53:00 GMT

I'm passionate about color and all of its little nuances. I'm fascinated by the different appearances a single color can have based upon the light it's viewed under, and I get satisfaction from identifying multiple hues in an object that appears to be just one color, like a "gray" metal pan that, upon closer inspection, is actually awash in blues, purples, roses, browns, and grays.

Gemstones are one of my favorite sources of color. I use a lot of genuine gemstones in my own work, and I find myself calling colors their gemstone names, such as ruby for my favorite bluish raspberry reds, rhodochrosite for that juicy grapefruit color, and Padparadscha for that very distinctive pinky-orange color that only a true Padparadscha sapphire has. I sometimes find myself thinking of all colors in terms of their matching gemstones. I had to laugh when I saw that Pantone's color palette for spring 2012 includes a color named after a gemstone, sodalite.

Pantone's 2012 Color of the Year: Tangerine Tango
Pantone's color of the year for 2012 is "Tangerine Tango." According to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, the color is "sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive . . . an orange with a lot of depth to it." Tangerine tango is an invigorating color that "marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy," Eiseman said.

In gemstone terms, Tangerine Tango could be a beautiful bright orange or Padparadscha sapphire, a fire opal, a very fine sphalerite, or a juicy spessartite garnet.

Pantone Spring 2012 Color Palette
Some gemstones, such as spinel, sapphire, garnet, tourmaline, and topaz, come in such a rainbow of colors that they can be used to fulfill just about any of the rest of Pantone's Spring 2012 color palette. Here's the list of this spring's hot colors according to Pantone, along with some specific examples (from top to bottom) of which gemstones you could incorporate into your gemstone collections or jewelry designs to be on trend for spring.

Solar Power: citrine, hessonite and spessartite garnet, fire opal, amber, sphalerite, heliodor

Bellflower: amethyst, fluorite, spinel, kunzite

Cabaret: rhodochrosite, rhodonite, bixbite, ruby, spinel, rubellite

Sodalite Blue: sodalite of course, plus sapphire, iolite, kyanite

Margarita: prehnite, fluorite, jade, nephrite, moldavite, prasiolite, some peridot

Sweet Lilac: kunzite, Rose de France amethyst, fluorite, garnet

Cockatoo: indicolite or Paraiba tourmaline, apatite, chalcedony, fluorite, turquoise, zircon

Driftwood: pietersite, pyrite, hematite, jaspers, agates

Starfish: hematite, jaspers, agates

To learn more about the rainbow of colors that gemstones can add to your jewelry designs and which gems are available in which colors, pre-order your copy of our newest book about gemstones, Gemstone Settings: The Jewelry Maker's Guide to Styles & Techniques by Anastasia Young (author of one of my other favorite jewelry-making books, The Workbench Guide to Jewelry Techniques).

In Gemstone Settings, you'll learn more about popular gemstones that you've probably been familiar with for years, but you'll also be introduced to some lesser-known gems such as chrysoberyl and diopside. You'll discover great tips and information for using gemstones in your own jewelry designs, including how to set them, various types of gemstone settings, and jewelry design that starts with the gemstone and works into a design--plus basic jewelry-making techniques such as soldering, casting, wire wrapping, and more. If you love using gemstones in your jewelry making like I do, it's a great new resource for your jewelry bench!

I'm really drawn to Cabaret or Sweet Lilac with Driftwood--a slightly different twist on classic pink and brown. What's your favorite color or color pairing for spring? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below.

"The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos" Blog Tour

TammyJones — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:26:00 GMT

We're kicking off a fun new blog tour today to celebrate the international launch of Heidi Adnum's book, The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos, which is now available in North America from Interweave, in the UK from Search Press, and in Australia from Murdoch Books.

Throughout the tour you'll learn the keys to taking great photos of your work, hear from some of the successful designer-photographers featured in the book, see some before-and-after photos from bloggers who have read the book and used Heidi's advice, and hear a lot from Heidi herself! Oh yes, and there will be prize drawings at some of the stops!

Follow along, and enjoy the tour!

1/23
Crescendoh - Jenny's Blog

1/24
papernstitch


	Heidi Adnum

1/25
Mark Lipinski's Creative Mojo Podcast
live interview with Heidi at 3:50 pm EST

1/26
Rena Tom

1/27
CraftBuds

1/28
SweatShopofLove
co-creator of @HandmadeRyanGosling

1/30
Artist Success with Lesley Riley

2/1
Jenny N Design - featured designer in the book

2/2
Rifle Paper Co. - featured designer in the book

2/3
See How We Sew

2/4
Imagination Kids Toys - featured designer in the book

2/6
Canadian Living Crafts' Blog

2/7
Feeling Stitchy

2/8
UK Handmade

AUSTRALIA

2/9
WhipUp.net

More TBA . . . stay tuned!

Creative and Alternative Metals: Mokume Gane

TammyJones — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:17:00 GMT

Or, Mokume Gane: What It Is, How to Really Mess It Up, and How to Do It Right

By Lexi Erickson

I was recently interviewed for an article on jewelry-making techniques and was asked, "What was your biggest jewelry-making mistake as you were learning metalsmithing?"

Well, aside from the Art Nouveau tiara, which was my first soldered piece (isn't it everyone's?), I suppose it has to be my mokume gane project, attempted in my second semester of jewelry making at the university. Mr. Barker, my professor, casually explained the process. It seemed simple enough. Stack three 1-inch squares of copper, silver, and nickel together, solder them, and roll them through the rolling mill until they are twice the length (2 inches); cut them in half, solder those together (you then have six layers), and repeat the process until you have twenty-four layers. Simple, easy, right?


raindrop mokume gane from Reactive Metals

That's what everyone did . . . except me. Being an overachiever (and not one who follows directions well), I took it on up to ninety-six layers! Yep, ninety-six layers of alternative metals, all rolled down to what measured a thickness of 20-gauge sheet when I got through with it.

In making mokume gane, when you have the metals to your desired thickness, you "bump it up" using a round or flat punch, thus causing a lot of "hills" on the back. After that you file the "hills" smooth, taking what seems like hours, and gradually you see a pattern that looks like a topographical map or burl wood. That is, unless you did ninety-six layers and then the layers are so thin that you see nothing at all. So after more than twenty hours of work, all I had was a blob! My layers were thinner than aluminum foil.

Take my advice, don't do that! Plus, we had to wait hours for the one rolling mill we had for twenty students. The whole thing was not a pleasant experience for me. I put the technique on a back burner for years.


	James Binnion mokume gane brooch. Sterling, copper and brass, with sterling overlay and black onyx center stone.

What is Mokume Gane?
Mokume gane (mocha-may gan-aa) is a Japanese sword-making technique developed in the 1600s by Denbei Shoami. It is elegant and sophisticated, and though it seemed to me to take forever to do, it really doesn't, and the effort is nothing less than spectacular. There are several outstanding artists who specialize in it (Surprise! I'm not one of them), but James Binnion, one of my favorite artists, has perfected this technique. In fact, he's one of the nicest guys in the business, and if you want to learn the process, I highly recommend taking a workshop from him. In his workshop you will learn a time-honored technique and will be very proud of your achievement. It yields a gorgeous piece of metal. I highly recommend it.

But if you don't want to spend twenty hours making a piece of mokume gane sheet, you can purchase ready-made mokume gane from Reactive Metals. It comes in a variety of distinctive patterns. You can order a sheet, draw your design on the sheet, cut it out, and voila! There it is. Now you won't have the satisfaction of pounding, rolling, and soldering all those layers of different metals, but you won't have the blisters, bruises, and burns, either. So choose your poison.


ladder mokume gane from Reactive Metals

You can also order pre-made sheets of already soldered together copper and silver (or copper and brass, if you're into alternative metals) and pattern it yourself. That's what my students do and they really enjoy "bumping it up" and then filing down to see the patterns appear on the front side. It's very exciting, and you can design your sheet the way you want it to look. They absolutely love doing that.

The Mokume-Gane Process
Actually, as I have learned more about this creative metal process and its history, I have found mokume gane to be almost Zen. I enjoyed my recent foray into making my own billet, because I wasn't under any time constraints and didn't have to share my rolling mill. The most exciting part is finishing the piece with patina, developed by Phil Baldwin (and appropriately named Baldwin's Patina), which makes the wood-grain pattern jump out at you. The patina only colors the brass and copper, leaving the silver a shining white. Spectacular effect for alternative metals fans! It's available from Reactive Metals, too.

So whatever you decide to do--take a mokume gane class from James Binnion, buy the metal already patterned, or pattern it yourself, mokume gane would be a great new addition to your jewelry techniques library, especially if you're interested in working with alternative metals. And the Reactive Metals catalogue is full of toys and unique alternative metals, such as titanium and niobium . . . think I'll go see what I can order now. . . .

To learn more about mokume gane, other special metal jewelry techniques and alternative metals, check out our collection of jewelry-making magazines and magazine collections, many of which are on sale in the Jewelry Making Daily Shop Winter Wipeout Sale, now through January 24.

Lampwork Glass Bead Making: 8 Lessons Learned

TammyJones — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:11:00 GMT


	My first day's attempts at making lampwork glass beads.

Even though I've had one (very good) lampwork glass bead-making class (thanks Marcy!), I'm still fascinated by lampworking and am determined to do more of it this year, even if it's just in classes. It has been awhile since my first lampworking class, though, and I realized the other day that my apprehensions about being able to do lampworking had returned. So, I pulled up the blog from my lampwork glass lesson last year for a little refresher and to remind myself that it's DOABLE--meaning, I didn't catch anything on fire, I didn't get burned, I didn't drive my teacher crazy, and I DID leave Marcy's studio with some fabulous results. Now I just have to DO IT! Share my lampwork glass bead-making journey and be inspired to embark on your own!

Whether you make your own lampwork glass beads or just love to use them in your jewelry designs--or both!--a great place to get inspired for making lampwork glass-bead jewelry creations is in the Jewelry Making Daily Shop. Two of my favorites, Totally Twisted and Designing Jewelry with Glass Beads, are both 40% off!

Five Elements of Design: Mastering the Basics in Jewelry Design

TammyJones — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:06:00 GMT

I've been thinking a lot about jewelry design lately, about the difference between designing jewelry and creating jewelry . . . that is, designing jewelry (drawing that vision on paper or using some sort of design software to create a rendering of the envisioned piece), which a dear friend of mine does very successfully for a living, and creating jewelry (using real, raw materials and jewelry-making techniques to create jewelry, by hand), which is what I do.

I've made all kinds of things--jewelry, home decor, furniture, clothes, every craft imaginable, art, etc.--but I feel that I can't design/draw to save myself, in spite of considerable art classes and experience in school. My jewelry-designer friend thinks that's insignificant and is quick to share tales of accomplished designers he knows who can't draw either, but I still feel that something is lacking in the jewelry-design corner of my world and strive to draw more, in an effort to improve my ability to take a piece from mind's eye to sketchbook.


	*The holes show repetition but also an assumed line that moves the eye around the piece.*

In doing so, I remembered some great posts from Jewelry Making Daily about principles and mechanics of design and jewelry design in particular. Get back to the basics with me in this jewelry-design post by Lexi Erickson, master jeweler and jewelry instructor to the stars (well okay, not to stars--but to me and decades of other lucky students).

To learn more about jewelry design, get your copy of our newest DVD, Successful Jewelry: Design Idea to Wearable Art. In it you'll meet three successful jewelry designers--including Layne Freedline of Layne Designs, Steven Ford of FordForlano, and our own Helen Driggs--and learn along with them as they create a resin containment box portion of a design, make a bail/setting for another design, and master some basic polymer clay jewelry-making techniques.

Meet Tube, Gypsy, Crown and Bead, the Four Types of Nonbezel Stone Settings

TammyJones — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:41:00 GMT

We've talked a lot here on Jewelry Making Daily about creating perfect bezels and making bezel settings, but I think the other types of stone sets are getting jealous--so let's take a look at them, shall we?

Beyond Bezels: Try your hand at other stone settings
by Helen Driggs

I have outlined the basic types of nonbezel settings. This is basic information, and your particular stone might need adjustments to the process, but this is a good starting point for learning. There are spiffy design modifications you can add to the basic construction of these settings, but take my advice--practice the basics over and over until you can create a clean, well-fabricated setting.

When choosing practice stones, remember that round stones are the easiest, followed by oval, pear, marquise, then trilliant, and finally square. Remember, this is practice--you will end up scrapping your work after a time, so use end cuts or other scrap metal to play with. I made a bunch of 14-gauge ring bands just for setting practice. There are bead, pave, gypsy, channel, and tube-set CZs scattered around them. As I get better at stone setting, I go back to them and add stones to keep my skills up.

Tube Setting
This setting gives you lots of bang for the buck. It is relatively easy, and the most important thing to master is keeping the setting bur perpendicular to the tubing walls so the table of the stone remains level.

Gypsy Setting
The gypsy setting positions the stone's table flush with the surface of the surrounding metal, giving the appearance of a stone suspended in the metal, as if it were cast in place. The most important thing about a gypsy setting is a tight fit of stone to metal.

Crown or Coronet Setting
The crown setting resembles its namesake--viewed from the side, it looks like a miniature crown. Usually, this setting is made from a tapered cone, so mastering the fabrication of a cone is the first step. Most prong settings are based on this construction method; some use wire rather than sheet as the raw material. Once you understand the math, fabricating the setting is relatively simple.

Bead Setting
Bead settings rely on skillful use of the graver, beading tools, and positioning of the stone seats. Beads can hold adjacent stones--in the case of pave--or just one. Bead settings can also be enhanced by cutting a star in the top of the beads with the graver around the setting to create an extra flash of shine around a small stone.

To learn more about stone settings and how to set stones in beautiful art jewelry from a variety of master jewelers and experts, turn to Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine. Back issues of LJJA are available on convenient annual collection CDs, and while supplies last, the 2008 Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine collection CD is 60% off in the Jewelry Making Daily Shop!

P.S. You'll find general instructions for creating the four stone settings mentioned here in our free stone-setting eBook.

Bronze Metal Clay: My First Impressions and the Charm Swap

TammyJones — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:03:00 GMT

I participated in my first metal clay charm swap last month during our L'Esprit du Metal guild's holiday party, and now I have a beautiful bracelet full of talent, friendship, and special memories. If you're a member of a metal clay guild (or any sort of jewelry-making group at all), I highly recommend doing a charm swap!

Working With Bronze Metal Clay
If you're a fan of Jewelry Making Daily on Facebook, you probably saw photos of my charms when I was working on them. I simply rolled a tiny ball of metal clay and pressed it into an antique button--a technique I use often with metal clay, since I'm so in love with old buttons. (Don't forget to put a bit of balm, olive oil, or mold release on your buttons if you try this technique.)

I'd never used the bronze metal clay before, but I have to say I loved it every bit as much as the silver that I've always used. You work it exactly the same (though the firing is different), but the affordability of the bronze set me free! Since I didn't have a big investment in the clay, I wasn't worried about taking design risks and experimenting. I had a big task to do (making LOTS of charms) so I didn't get to experiment too much, but I can't wait to get more bronze clay and play some more.

The bronze clay didn't seem to dry as quickly as the silver, either (though I've never used metal clay in such a damp, humid environment before--that had to help even a tiny bit), and I love the warm golden glow it has. I was especially pleased with the subtle color differences after firing, too; some pieces were brighter than others, some a little rosier (coppery), some more truly golden. I didn't fire them myself; a friend fired them for me in her kiln, so I can't say what caused the differences or even tell you how to recreate them, but the next time I use bronze clay, I'll let you know if the effects are replicated.

Here are some quick tips to keep in mind if you participate in a charm swap:

1. Include a jump ring! I didn't have any to match mine nor wire to make any, so I didn't, and I really regretted it. Some ladies brought their bracelets (or necklaces) and pliers with them and whipped up their masterpieces right during our party--but mine had to wait because I hadn't put it on a jump ring, and . . .

2. Consider the shrinkage factors of various metal clays and make sure the hole in your charm is big enough for a jump ring. Again, I didn't. There were so many small details in my charms, I didn't want a big hole to ruin the design. Later I bought drill bits especially for enlarging the holes, but when I sat down to do it, they looked large enough. I tested the holes with a few different jewelry-making wires I had around the house, and they fit fine. What I didn't think about was the heavier gauges of wire that folks might use to securely attach their charms or the fact that you need a bit more wiggle room to fit a round jump ring through a hole than you do for just wire. So while the straight wire fit, I should have tried a round jump ring--they didn't fit. Shame on me! Lesson learned.

3. Tie your charms to a business card or gift tag or put them in a labeled baggy so that folks can know who their charms came from. (I took a photo of my charms on with their labels before I removed them and assembled the bracelet.) I had this idea before the party and meant to share it with the group, but I didn't; then guess who forgot to take her own advice and put her own charms on a business card? And guess what brilliant group of ladies all remembered to do so? Oh, Tam.

4. Sign your charms in some way. I put a big T on the back of mine (as you can see, above), just "written" with a pin while the clay was drying, and others in my group made similar signatures on theirs.

5. Be distinctively you. One lady in my guild attached a tiny metal clay heart to all of her charms, which were all different shapes, unifying them in a unique way. Dianne Hoyt does bead work, so she made a peyote-stitch beaded loop on her charms (at right).

Katherine Wadsworth, a talented lampwork glass artist among us, made glass beads in her signature Natalia Designs style for her charms--and then added metal dangles to them to fulfill the rule that charms had to be metal in some way (it's the blue bead and dragonfly one in the top left of the photo below). Several ladies in my group added a tiny pearl or other gemstone bead to their metal clay charms.

My Metal Clay Guild Charm-Swap Bracelet Charms
I'm so pleased with my unique charms and the talented ladies who made them, I wanted to share with you. Each one is meaningful in its own way, and they're all so creative! That amazing two-piece charm in bronze and silver (near the top right in the image below) is our guild's logo and nametag (L'esprit du Metal), created by Simone Patout Palmer.

In addition to the ideas mentioned above, one that I found particularly clever was from my friend and guild member Angie Brice. She used a large holiday-themed stamp of a Christmas tree with lots of details to create her charms. She pressed the stamp into rolled-out silver metal clay (don't forget to use some balm, olive oil, or other release agents when you press something into clay or vice versa) and then cut out the shapes carefully to capture ornaments or other details from the stamped image. The charm I received had a doll and a candle on it; other had deer, bears, and various toys on them--and if you put them all back together, they'd essentially rebuild the complete image of the decorated tree. I LOVE this idea! It makes our charms all part of one greater whole, in more ways than one.

I hope our charms inspire you to make your own custom metal clay (or other metal) charms and have a swap with people you care about and whose work you admire. You'll end up with a truly one-of-a-kind, very meaningful piece of jewelry--and you'll have a great time creating it, I promise!

To learn about working with metal clay, check out the best and most complete metal clay resource I know, our Easy Metal Clay ebook (also available in an instant download). Also don't miss all our other metal clay resources, which you can learn about on our metal clay topic page.

Making Three-Dimensional Metal Jewelry: What can your hammer do for you?

TammyJones — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:05:00 GMT

I'm always amazed at the malleability of some metals . . . the most typical metals that artisan jewelry makers work with at least--I can't speak much about metals like platinum and titanium and the like. Maybe someday! But for now, whenever I work with a piece of silver (in various forms--fine, Argentium, sterling, etc.), copper, or brass, I get very geeked out thinking about what's actually happening to the metal when I heat it, apply chemicals to it, or hammer it.

Hammering in particular is a big one, because the actual act of hammering is so simple. Jewelry making aside, who hasn't used a hammer? Everyone hammers up a nail for a picture, it's a very common thing to do. I don't know many kids who didn't have some sort of hammering toy, whether it was hammering shapes into matching holes or hammering pop-up animals, etc. We've known (and probably not given a second thought to) hammers most of our lives, but when I sit down at my bench with a piece of metal and begin to hammer it, it's a whole other story.

The change in metal that can be created through the simple act of hammering really impresses me--textures of course, you know that--but even new shapes can be achieved. Without a saw, you can turn a shape of metal into another shape, literally just by the sort of stretching and compressing/thinning that happens to it during hammering, by placing your hammer strokes in the right places at the right times.

The best example I've seen of this was in master jeweler Bill Fretz's DVDs, Metalsmith Essentials: Basic Jewelry Hammering and Forming and Hammering and Forming Metal Jewelry, Vol. 2. I was literally captivated watching the concave and convex, fluted and domed cuffs and three-dimensional pendants he created in his demonstrations, all achieved with simple hammering techniques. (Just hammering, I promise!) Here are some of my favorite tips from Bill.

1. You can create a slight dome with a steel (rather than nylon) hammer, too, but be careful not to twist your hand or turn your wrist at all as you hammer; hit straight down onto the metal to avoid creating divots on it. This is important to remember for all hammering in order to avoid creating marks and texture on the metal that you don't want. (See number 3 if you do make a mistake mark.)

2. When hammering on an anvil, move the metal, not the hammer. Keep the hammer bobbing in a straight-up-and-down motion and just turn the metal piece. Hold the hammer lightly in your palm and let it bounce off the metal in a fluid motion. Hammer each blow with equal effort for uniform marks or textures. If you hammer softly most of the time and harder once in awhile, those harder blows will stand out. It might create a look you want or one you dislike--just know that it will create a different and noticeable mark.


before after

3. After planishing with the round side of the hammer, you can refine the surface of your metal blank and smooth out the slight hammer marks by turning the hammer over and continuing with the flat side. Bill recommends this as a good exercise for creating better hammer control and accuracy. It is a more advanced hammering technique, because you risk errant blows creating unwelcome half-moon marks or divots on the hammered surface. If you do create a half-moon divot while you're hammering metal using the flat side of a hammer, you can turn the hammer over and use the round side to hammer it back out. Then continue refining the surface with the flat side.

That's just the tip of the iceberg! Bill's decades of experience shine through during his demonstrations, dropping tip after tip to help you along in the process. And you won't believe how easy it is to create the three-dimensional shapes he creates just by hammering with the right tools--and the right instruction, which he provides in both of his DVDs. No sawing (if you start with the right blanks), no soldering (though you can take your work one step further if you want, later), and no cold connections--just wonderful metal manipulation with hammers and stakes. Learn more in Bill Fretz's DVDs, Metalsmith Essentials: Basic Jewelry Hammering and Forming and Hammering and Forming Metal Jewelry, Vol. 2.

Creating the Perfect Jewelry-Making Studio: Jewelry Tools and Supplies

TammyJones — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:12:00 GMT

In writing last Friday's blog about the most talked-about posts on Jewelry Making Daily in 2011, I came across a great one that I saved for today: a look at jewelry-making tools and supplies from master jeweler and soldering queen Lexi Erickson. Lexi was generous with her jewelry-making expertise all year long, and one of her most popular posts was a look inside her studio at all of her amazing jewelry tools. I was lucky to be Lexi's student in that very space--what a dreamy place! Every jewelry-making tool and supply your heart could desire.

Take a look at Lexi's studio in Jewelry Making Essentials, Part One: Confessions of a Jewelry Tool Junkie and don't miss Jewelry Making Essentials, Part Two: 23 Everyday Items for Your Jewelry Workshop. Then grab a copy of the new Tucson Show Guide (also available in digital format), a complete jewelry-making tool and supply guide packed full of information about how you can get the latest and greatest tools and supplies for your bench, along with maps and show information so you'll be in the know, just in time for Tucson 2012. I'll be there, will you?

People Are Talking About...The Best of 2011 on Jewelry Making Daily

TammyJones — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:09:00 GMT

Gosh we had fun last year, didn't we? We did lots of wirework and metalsmithing, a little chain maille (ahem), metal clay of all kinds, and lots and lots of mixed-media jewelry, using fun jewelry-making materials such as enamel, resin, fibers, found objects, and even paper. We created great new how-to videos about working with metal (I loved those brass bangles) and wire, participated in an extremely fun bead soup blog party, learned an amazing new electroforming technique, played along with the Project Accessory show, and so much more.

Last year also marked my one-year anniversary in this fabulous job; we talked about Jewelry Making Daily's most popular posts ever--so far--back then, but what about the ones that really got you talking? I treasure your comments and feedback, so here's a look back at our most commented stories of 2011.


	*My Bead Soup Blog Party Necklace*

Bead Soup Blog Party
I participated in my first blog party last year and I can't wait for the next one. It was a great exercise in making jewelry outside my comfort zone using materials I wouldn't normally use, and I was very happy with the creative ideas that surfaced during the process--which were encouraged and confirmed by your great feedback! This post got by far the most comments of any Jewelry Making Daily post ever. Thank you for sharing!

Handcrafted Jewelry Tips and Tricks from Bead Soup Blog Party Participants
One of my favorite posts all year, I learned so much blog hopping to see the amazing transformations made by jewelry designers like you, using beads and findings sent to them in the bead swap. I'm continually amazed at the talent shown by literally hundreds of jewelry designers online every day. Have I mentioned that I love my job?


Making Perfect Bezels. Photo by Wendi Beauford.

Creating Perfect Bezels
This hot topic started on our forums and caught my eye. Lexi Erickson, our soldering queen extraordinaire, offered great advice for creating perfect bezels for your jewelry designs. See what jewelry-making tool is the secret to her success and had everyone talking.

Selling Jewelry Online and Taking Great Photos
How to sell your jewelry online, how to get started with a home jewelry business, how to market it, how to photograph your jewelry--these were all hot topics in 2011 and I'm sure they'll continue to be!

My Chain Maille Adventure
Despite several tries, I've come to terms with the idea that chain maille jewelry just isn't for me--but it sure is just the thing for many of you! It's a fascinating jewelry technique to me, and I was so encouraged by all of your comments and tips.


	My beloved wire cutters, after. Now when the blades are closed, the holes glare at me like the snaggly teeth of a jack-o'-lantern.

Ode to My Ruined Wire Cutters: Making Found Object Jewelry
I learned the most while writing about how I ruined my beloved wire cutters and doing research to ensure I knew why it happened and how to avoid repeating it. I was happy to get your comforting comments and also so happy to see that you found my research helpful!

Trash-to-Treasure Jewelry Make-Along
I had a great time making jewelry along with the first few episodes of Project Accessory, and it was fun to post a jewelry design-in-progress and let you help me decide how to finish it.

Look at all the fun we had! And there was so much more. One of my favorite parts of 2011 on Jewelry Making Daily was the cool new eMags we released, including Live Wire and Everyday Bracelets--and now they're available on iTunes! Our eMags are comprehensive resources packed with fun and stylish jewelry projects, tips from your favorite expert jewelry makers and designers, and neat interactive features that changed the way we think about magazines forever, including live links, imbedded video tutorials, and zoomable photos. It's a fun new way to learn jewelry making, and we have more in the works for this year. If you haven't tried one of our eMags yet, don't miss out on all the fun!

Quick Japanese 12-in-2 Chain Maille Jewelry Tutorial

TammyJones — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 06:28:00 GMT


	Photos by Michael Richardson.

One of our most popular posts in all of 2011 was this Japanese 12-in-2 chain maille tutorial from Sara Richardson. I see snowflakes when I see her finished piece--but I'm always wishing for snow this time of year! It also makes a very stylish pendant, or link several together into a bold bracelet. A pair would make wonderful earrings, and can you imagine a necklace made of these designs all the way around? Fabulous!

Quick Japanese 12-in-2 Chain Maille Tutorial
Sara used fourteen 18-gauge 3/16" (4.8mm) ID bright aluminum rings and twenty-four 20-gauge 1/8" (3.2mm) ID purple anodized aluminum rings for this quick tutorial. (These jump rings are from Blue Buddha Boutique.)

		1. Open a large jump ring. Thread 8 closed smaller rings onto the open large ring. Close the large ring. Thread another open large jump ring through the same path. Close the second large ring.
		2. Add 4 small open jump rings to the larger rings from Step 1. Close the smaller rings. You should now have a total of 12 smaller rings on the two larger rings.
		3. Thread a new large jump ring through two of the small rings from Steps 1 and 2. Before closing, add 4 closed small jump rings. Weave on another open large jump ring, making sure it goes through all 6 small rings in this step. Close the second large jump ring.
		4. With another open large jump ring, weave through 2 small rings from the middle (Steps 1 and 2). Also weave through 2 of the small jump rings added in the previous step. Then add 2 more closed small jump rings before closing the large ring. Weave a second large ring through the same path and close.
		5. Repeat Step 4 three times. As you go along, you'll see a flower pattern begin to emerge.
		6. Weave an open large jump ring through the 6 remaining small rings left hanging: 2 from the middle (Steps 1-2) , 2 from Step 3, and 2 from repeating Step 4 the third time. Close the ring. Weave another open large jump ring through the same path, and close that ring. That's it, you're done!

Want more chain maille? Expand your jewelry-making skills in chain maille and other wire jewelry techniques with our brand new Step by Step Wire Jewelry 2010 collection CD, including seven project- and tip-packed issues from 2010, all in one convenient digital format.

Quick and Easy Cold Connections: Make Riveted Flower Dangle Earrings

TammyJones — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:52:00 GMT

I wanted to make some fun and unique earrings for a friend for Christmas, ones that incorporated mixed metals and flowers--and these pretty earrings by Karen Dougherty immediately came to mind. Karen designed these earrings especially for Jewelry Making Daily readers, to celebrate her book Metal Style: 20 Jewelry Designs with Cold Join Techniques.

Karen defines cold connections as the joining of materials without the use of solder or flame, but cold connections aren't just an alternative for jewelry makers who don't want to use a torch. "No heat means more design possibilities," Karen says, because cold connections allow the joining of materials that might not be able to withstand the heat of soldering. That means you can combine materials like plastics, rubber, fabric, ribbon, softer metals with different melting points, and more. What no-heat materials will you add to these earrings to make them your own?

Tools and Materials:
2 pairs chain-nosed pliers round-nosed pliers household hammer nylon or rawhide mallet flat file flush-cutting pliers riveting hammer decorative metal stamp permanent marker Fretz raising hammer		texturing hammer (2) 3-piece brass flower shapes (2) 3/4" and (2) 1/4" 24-gauge sterling silver discs 2 sterling silver flower spacer beads (2) 1/8" lengths of 12-gauge round copper wire (2) 3" lengths of 20-gauge dead-soft sterling wire stainless steel surface (old iron face, etc.) 1.8mm and 1.25mm hole-punching pliers round file or diamond bead reamer Zero Zero or other center finder - optional

Steps:
		1. Place one 3/4" diameter sterling disc right side up on a smooth stainless steel surface. Texture using sharper edge of your texturing hammer. I used a two-headed Fretz raising hammer. Move the disc around in a circular pattern while you hammer. Tap the surface from the center outwards, in a downward and outward swiping/tapping motion.
		Note: Your piece of silver will become a little distorted. Simply flip it over and tap on the reverse side to flatten. Be careful not to tap too hard or you'll distort the pretty texture you just created.
		2. I use a Zero Zero Center Finder (a wood-workers' tool) to find the center of my discs. Use its guide ledge to hold the disc in place while you trace a line across it with a fine-tip marker. Turn the disc 90 degrees along the same guide and draw another line; the intersection of the lines is the center of the disc. (Bonus: Karen provided a simple center-finder template for your use.)
		3. Punch the center hole with the 1.8mm hole-punching pliers. Line up the punch and view the placement from as many angles as possible to make sure you have the center. Even if you're off a small bit, it will be obvious when you rivet your pieces together. It's imperative that your rivet wire is a tight fit for this hole. You'll have to ream out the hole with a bead reamer or round needle file. Tap your disc with a nylon hammer to flatten any curves that form during punching.
		4. Use 1.25mm hole-punching pliers to punch the top and bottom smaller holes for the earring finding and the dangle. Punch holes along your straight line. Wipe off marker.
		Tip: To make these holes equally distant from each edge of your disc, you can wrap a piece of scrap wire around the tip of your hole-punching pliers to serve as a gauge for distance. Tighten the wire with chain-nose pliers so it doesn't slide off.
		5. Prepare your flower pieces by cutting off the existing rivet with flush cutters (if yours are riveted) and separating the pieces. Adjust the petals of the flowers as necessary to open them up. If you can't find some that are already made, you can cut some out of 26- or 28-gauge sheet with a jeweler's saw.
		6. Using a flat file, file one end of a piece of 12-gauge copper wire perfectly flat. This step is imperative if you want your rivet to work. If the wire end is not flat, the wire will bend. Load your pieces on the wire in order, being sure to leave approximately 1/16" excess wire on either side. Snip with flush cutters. Remove the pieces and file both ends flat. Test for flatness by trying to stand the wire on its own.
		7. Load the components on the wire, and stand it up on the steel plate. Use the sharp end of a riveting hammer to rivet one side. Turn and lightly tap the piece a few taps, flip it over and repeat on the other side. Flipping and hammering evenly is key to a good rivet. Use the blunt, wider side of the riveting hammer to smooth out rivet marks on both surfaces of the rivet. It's not vital that the rivet be very snug. It just needs to hold the pieces together. Bend the petals up with chain-nose pliers.
		8. Stamp the 1/4" sterling disc with a household hammer and design stamp. I position my stamp first with my eyes, knowing which is my desired top and bottom, leaving space for the hole at the top. Then I line up the stamp on an angle and look at its reflection on the metal. Give it one good tap. Darken the design with permanent black marker and then wipe off excess ink.
		9. Use the 1.25 mm hole-punching pliers to punch a hole in the stamped disc. Tap the disc with a nylon or rawhide hammer to flatten it out if needed.
		10. Cut two 3" pieces of 20-gauge soft sterling wire. Bend a right angle in the wire at 1-3/4". Create a wire loop and load the stamped disc onto the wire. Bend the tail loosely around the straight wire.
		11. Bend another right angle in the wire to create another loop shape. Remember to load the dangle onto the riveted earring before you wrap the loop.

Make another earring just like that one to complete the pair, and use Karen's instructions for making unique ear wires to finish the earrings.

For twenty more cold-connection metal jewelry-making projects, get your copy of Karen's book Metal Style: 20 Jewelry Designs with Cold Join Techniques, now available in instant, convenient eBook form--or save money and get the eBook and the printed book together in a great bundle deal!

Karen's Sources:
eBay: Brass Flowers
Jatayu.com - sterling discs, stainless block, hole-punching pliers
Wiredarts.net - Fretz hammers
Amazon - center finder
Beaducation - metal stamp

Where Should You Sell Your Jewelry?

TammyJones — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:14:00 GMT

by Ronna Sarvas Weltman (Originally published in Step-by-Step Wire Jewelry, Feb/March 2011)

Just about everybody who makes jewelry has thought about selling it. Although one obvious reason for selling jewelry is to make money, that isn't the only reason. Validation that your jewelry is desirable to others is another motivation. For many artists, interacting with buyers is an important part of the experience. Considering your motivations-and how you enjoy spending your time-is an important part of the puzzle you need to ponder before deciding how and where to sell your jewelry.


Facere Jewelry Art Gallery in Seattle,WA; photos courtesy of Facere Jewelry Art Gallery.

Selling Your Jewelry in a Gallery
Karen Lorene owns Facere Jewelry Art Gallery in Seattle. She points out why it is a beneficial career move for an artist to have his or her jewelry marketed in a gallery. "The biggest reason," she explains, "is we give them exposure. We give them tons of exposure online. In the end, people still want to touch it. A lot of our customers check us out first on our website and then come in with a list of what they want to look at. The other thing we do is we advertise a lot, to an extent that an individual would be hard pressed to do. Our advertising budget is $50,000 to $80,000 a year. Most artists don't have that ability to get the kind of exposure that comes with that advertising."

Acquiring prestige is another reason to sell your work in a gallery. Because Facere is nationally recognized as a high-end venue for art jewelry, it is a public relations asset to sell your jewelry there. "We just published a book and will be publishing another in the spring," says Lorene. "We publish a literary magazine. That opens up a whole audience that would be difficult for an individual without gallery representation. There's a stature that comes with being chosen. There is a lot of great work out there, but the perception might not be as strong if it is not publicly viewed. We try to place work in museum collections and private collections. Whenever we have new work or a special showing, we're in touch with as many major collectors in the country as we can find."

Many artists are shy about marketing their own work, and Lorene is sensitive to that. "The artist's job is to make jewelry," she explains. "Our job is to sell. We're clear about that. That's why we're here. Many artists feel hesitant about talking up their own jewelry. We don't! We take care of hustling in every possible way we can think of."


	Earrings by Jan Raven: Argentium sterling silver and 14k gold-filled wire; photo by Larry Sanders.

Selling Your Jewelry at Art and Craft Shows
But talking up their own jewelry is not uncomfortable for every jewelry maker, and the thrill of connecting with and building relationships with customers can be intensely rewarding-and fun. The first time wire jewelry artist Jan Raven sold jewelry, she set up a tiny table at a folkdance with a small Christmas sale. "Because people were admiring things I was making and I was making more than I could give away, I decided I'd set up table and sell a few things. It was very informal, low key, low stress, with very little overhead other than making the pieces. I had maybe fifteen items and sold five or six pieces. There were about forty people there. There was great feedback, even from people who didn't buy. I got a lot of positive feedback that they liked what they saw. It was just an affirmation my work was likeable by a wide variety of people. Without that initial positive feedback, I might not have continued on the journey."

Raven spent the next year exploring making new jewelry and new techniques and started investigating venues to sell her work. When she did sign up to sell at a local show, she had no idea what it would be like. "I recruited a few friends to sit with me," she explains. "I didn't know if I could do it myself or if I would be bored, so I asked friends as moral support. I had relatively decent sales considering I didn't know what I was doing. But I got positive feedback and decided to do five or six shows that first year."

Raven gradually discovered she liked being at art shows. "I enjoy talking to people about my background, about how I got into it, and about my work. I've never been an interact-with-the-public type of person, but for some reason at art shows I was very outgoing and enjoyed it thoroughly. And I enjoyed talking to the other artists and my neighbors on either side at shows. I was such a newbie that first year, and my neighbors helped me out whenever they could."

Raven has found that she markets her products by marketing herself. Almost all of her sales are from people who have seen her work previously. They might not purchase it initially, but often they'll buy it later and then become repeat customers. "I think that people who buy individually made items really appreciate getting to know the artist. At art shows people aren't just buying jewelry, they're buying a little piece of me. They find it fascinating."


Bracelet by Lorelei Eurto: brass with polymer clay beads by Pam Wynn; photo by Lorelei Eurto.

Selling Your Jewelry Online: Etsy
Online sites like Etsy provide a venue for selling jewelry directly to customers. Lorelei Eurto is enthusiastic about her experiences selling via the Internet.

"Etsy is more of an addiction than anything else," she explains. "Every day, I spend the first hour of my day listing my newest jewelry from the beading session the night before. It has become so much of a daily routine that it feels almost uncomfortable if I'm not able to. I do a lot of shopping on Etsy. It has become sort of a thrill of the hunt, especially if I can get my hands on the newest art beads and be the first to use them in my designs."

Because Etsy is so easy to use, it is a good option for hobbyists as well as professionals. Eurto thinks it is a great opportunity for anyone starting a jewelry business. "I would highly recommend opening an Etsy store if you are just starting a jewelry business," she explains. "Etsy does everything for you, allows for detailed descriptions, allows you to add appropriate tags for premium searching, allows you to upload five pictures for each piece of jewelry. And with the fairly small commission that they make, it makes it hard to refuse this type of selling. For each listing, I pay twenty cents, and they take three percent of every sale."

Eurto is disciplined about listing regularly and marketing her new listings online. "It is essential to list often on Etsy to get your items viewed on a regular basis. The more you list, the more your items end up at the top of the queue, and when people search the newest listing under jewelry, necklace, bracelet, or earrings, they are seeing your designs at the top of the list. If you can't list once a day, I would recommend at least renewing items, at least one per day. Typically after listing each jewelry item in my shop, I also upload my photos to Flickr, in addition to uploading photos to Facebook and Twitter. Now with easy links on each listing in Etsy, you can 'share' your items on a variety of different online venues, which increases your visibility even more."

Prior to the onset of the computer age, selling in galleries or stores and selling at art and craft shows were the most common options for selling jewelry. The Internet has now ushered in a third option, which is selling online. Each model has its assets and drawbacks. Generally speaking, what works best often has more to do with the artist's personality, preferences, and circumstances than any obvious advantages of one model over another. --RSW

To learn more about selling your jewelry online--especially taking great photos--get The Crafter's Guide to Taking Great Photos by Heidi Adnum. It's packed full of information on photography basics such as light, camera settings (shutter speed, aperture, and more), styling and props, backgrounds and composition, and photography equipment such as light boxes and diffusers. It incudes several chapters on photo editing, finishing, and storage, as well as the business of selling: branding, marketing, and social networking. Best of all, it includes information and tips from dozens of successful crafters who share specific information for photographing and selling jewelry online.

My Favorite Jewelry-Making Tips for Wire, Metal, Polymer Clay, and More

TammyJones — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:32:00 GMT

I love a great time- and money-saving tip. I mentally collect them like Heloise must, and when I learn a new one, it's like a new word--I use it and share it as often as possible. If only there was some way to truly measure the value of a great jewelry-making tip, the amount of time and money that a truly great tip can save. How fun it would be to tell a jewelry-making friend, "Did you know a Sharpie marker is the perfect size 'mandrel' for making ear wires? And so far I've saved $32.19 and 11 hours of time with that tip!" Ha!

Since there's no way to measure the value of a great tip, I'll just be overly dramatic about it and say these tips (taken from some of my favorite jewelry-making books) will save you endless hours and tons of money. How's that for value? Enjoy!

From Totally Twisted by Kerry Bogert, wire- (which means money!) and time-saving tips for wire jewelry making:

1. Scraps add up quickly when you work with wire: There's no way to tell exactly how much wire you'll need for any given link, because each person's wrapping style is a little different. Keep a box handy to collect the wire bits and bobs left over from your wire projects. Short lengths of wire coil can be reused for projects. Many companies also offer refunds or store credit for raw materials such as sterling silver scraps, and that, my friend, is beads in the bank!

2. To get consistent wire-jewelry results, repeat each step of a link for the number of links you're making all at once. For example, if you need seven links, first cut seven wire lengths, then wrap seven loops. Don't cut one, wrap one, cut one, wrap one.

From Ancient Modern Polymer Clay by Ronna Sarvas Weltman, two tips for creating polymer-clay beads with the right base-bead materials:

3. Use a dried cork clay or aluminum foil base bead when you want round polymer clay beads. After you have covered the base bead with polymer clay, poke a hole where you will be completing the bead hole after the bead is cured to release any trapped air.

4. Use cornstarch packing peanuts when you want a very organic, irregular shape and also want hollow polymer clay beads. You can press several cornstarch peanuts together if you wish to form a larger base bead. Use a tiny drop of water to get them to stick together and molded into a circle shape, but be aware that too much water will dissolve them.

After the beads are cured, you can leave the cornstarch peanuts in if you wish, but sometimes the material makes it difficult to thread beading cord through the bead. If that's the case, just immerse the bead in water to saturate the core, which will dissolve. Then put your mouth over one hole and blow the cornstarch out (like blowing an egg). You may need to immerse it again and blow more to get all the material out.

From Enchanted Adornments by Cynthia Thornton, how to fix a crack or other mistake in your metal clay masterpiece after firing:

5. Repairing Sintered Metal Clay: Fix them with slip or patch them with clay. If you are going to make repairs, don't polish the piece. Leave it rough so the slip can bond properly. If it looks thin, or if the crack is still visible, apply another layer. Allow the slip to dry and fire fully again. Or use a small butane torch and a heatproof surface (such as a firebrick or soldering plate) to heat the piece if it's a minute repair or a very thin, small piece.

At first a little smoke will come off the piece; this is the organic binder burning off. Continue to heat in a circular motion until it's cherry red. Hold for about a minute, then remove the torch and let it cool. This works for pieces that aren't designed for lots of wear and tear, such as decorative embellishments. It is not recommended for hinges or a toggle bar.

From The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Jewelry-Making Techniques by Vannetta Seecharran, keeping track of solder chips and what to do when soldering goes wrong:

6. Keep small chips of solder handy, fluxed, and ready to use after you've cut them by keeping them in a flux dish on your bench.

7. Solder flows to the heat. If your solder flows away from the joint, the piece was not heated evenly and the solder flowed to the hottest part of the metal. Pickle the piece to remove all oxidation, file away the old solder, and start again.

8. If your silver piece turns green and black and the solder didn't flow, a weak flame and prolonged heat have caused the flux to burn away before the job was done. Pickle to remove all oxidation and start again.

I hope these tips are as helpful to you as they are to me! All of the Interweave jewelry-making books and eBooks are packed with more great tips such as these. Grab your favorites now, and use code SAVE30 to save 30% (or more) on these and other jewelry-making products in the Jewelry Making Daily Shop through midnight tonight, December 28, 2011!

Easy Enameling: Make Enameled Copper-Tube Beads

TammyJones — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 07:44:00 GMT

This time last year, I finished up my list of New Year's resolutions, among which were promises to add lampwork glass and enameling to my jewelry-making toolbox. I marked lampwork glass off my list (thanks Marcy!), but I didn't quite make it to enameling.

I had good intentions, though, and (sort of) started learning enameling. Last February I was pleased and fortunate to see a free demo of enameling on copper tube segments to make colorful beads by Ruth Prince, a very talented and generous lady in my metal clay guild back in Tennessee. She made it look so easy, and I took lots of photos to share with you someday. . . .

Today's the day!

Enameling Copper Tube Beads

Prepare before you begin:

copper tubing (diameter to fit lampworking rods) cut into segments (any length you want) and cleaned with ammonia, pickle, or baking soda (until water spills off and doesn't bead up)
an old coffee can of vermiculite warming on a hotplate
narrow piles of 80-mesh enameling powder in various colors (not too close together, they need room to spread out) on a lazy Susan or something similar (something that won't melt and that you can easily turn with one hand)
a standing torch strapped safely in place so you can work with the flame hands-free
several lampworking rods with copper tubing segments inserted on the ends

To enamel on copper tube beads:

1. Heat the copper-tube bead on the end of the lampwork glass rod and roll the copper through some enamel powder to pick up your first layer.

2. Move the bead into the flame, turning it slowly so that it gets heated evenly and the molten glass--which the enameling powder is becoming--doesn't drip. Keep turning the rod and moving the bead in and out of the flame, checking for the enamel to fuse into the "orange peel" stage (where the surface of the glass is textured like a dimpled orange peeling). When that is achieved, move the rod out of the flame.

3. Roll the hot enameled bead through the powders again to pick up more powder--either more of the same color or a new color--and repeat the process, turning the rod slowly and moving it into and out of the flame.

Note: You can't mix enamel colors to achieve a new color like you mix paint. Red and blue won't make purple, etc. The powders don't melt together, they fuse--and each color will remain present. You can, however, play with color by enameling in thin layers.

4. Continue adding layers to create unique color patterns and/or to increase the size of the bead. When all of your layering is done and you've achieved the look and size that you want, continue heating the bead in the flame, checking it occasionally until the powder's surface is no longer orange-peel textured but glassy and smooth.

5. After you remove the bead from the flame, keep turning it about 45 seconds to a minute to prevent dripping or drooping and also to allow it to cool slightly; then stick the bead in the warm vermiculite.

6. Allow the enameled beads to cool and anneal slowly in the vermiculite. When you're done making beads, turn off the hot plate and allow the vermiculite to cool slowly as well.

Voila! It's as easy as that--roll and heat, roll and heat. If you can properly roast a marshmallow on a fire, I think you can make enameled copper-tube beads! And aren't they gorgeous? You couldn't make two identical ones if you tried, and I love their truly one-of-a-kind nature. Plus it's so quick and easy to do!

To learn more about enameling and other unique jewelry-making techniques, grab some back issues of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist and Step-by-Step Jewelry magazines, and use code SAVE30 to save 30% (or more) on these and other jewelry-making products in the Jewelry Making Daily Shop, now through midnight December 28, 2011!

Helen's Top Tips for Aspiring Metalworkers: A Jewelry Expert's Metalsmithing Dos and Don'ts

TammyJones — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 06:25:00 GMT

I meet people on a regular basis who want to learn metalsmithing and other jewelry fabrication techniques, and I'm fortunate to always have a wealth of resources to share with them. One such resource is Helen Driggs, senior editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine and host of best-selling jewelry-making Metalsmith Essentials series DVDs, including Basic Fabrication, Textures and Patinas, and Riveting and Cold Connections.

In addition to those, Helen is also a metalsmithing teacher. Former Beading Daily editor Kristal Wick interviewed Helen awhile back to find out Helen's advice for aspiring metalworkers. Kristal confessed that metals are excciting and alluring to her--me too!--but also intimidating. Many folks are intimidated by taking that leap, but Helen shared great information and metalsmithing tips that I wanted to share with you, too--especially for all of you who have vowed to go beyond stringing or wirework to metalsmithing in the New Year! You can do it! Here's how.

Kristal: What's your best advice for anyone who wants to begin working in metal?

Helen: The most important thing I did was take a 10-week Jewelry and Metals class at the The University of The Arts in Philadelphia. It gave me a firm foundation in all of the basics, plus I learned to solder, use the shop tools properly, and I had access to open-studio time to continue working after hours. That time was invaluable, because I was able to see what the metals majors were working on, ask lots of questions, and I was exposed to many techniques and metalworking disciplines that weren't covered in my basics class, such as blacksmithing, enameling, forging, and casting. Seeing that work going on helped me to decide what I wanted to pursue in my own work. Plus, art school is just a kick!

Kristal: Do you have any Dos and Don'ts for the aspiring metalworker?

Helen: DON'T buy every tool just because it is there. Buy what you need, as you need it, or as you learn how to use it. Buy it if you are certain you need that tool at least once a week. It's really better to have lots of metal than lots of tools! Although I seem to have lots and lots of tools...

DO take every class or workshop you possibly can, according to your interests. Being a good metalworker is based on skill building: each thing you learn builds on what you have already learned. Even if you don't want to go in the specific direction the class is focused on, be open to learning what that teacher can show you. Pay attention and commit to making the object you are learning to make to the best of your ability. Do it the way the teacher shows you. Take a lot of notes and ask the teacher for more information. Then, you can freelance later at home.

DON'T work too far above your skill level, because you will only become frustrated. Sure, everybody wants to make complex, well-designed, interesting, and beautiful pieces with gold and precious metal. But first you need to be a competent fabricator, be able to solder well, use your tools like an expert, know how to set stones, and work in several metals to do that. The best thing to do is practice a technique without a thought of making a piece of jewelry. Work in copper or brass. Get good at sawing, forming, and soldering. When you perform a specific task over and over, you'll eventually have what it takes to make nice jewelry. Make twenty bezels just for the sake of learning. It's worth it. "Go slow and get them all" is my motto.

DO read everything you can to learn about techniques. There are literally millions of ways you can go with metal. It's your job as an artist to find your way. Once you find a technique you like, try making 5 or 10 pieces using that technique to build a body of work with a logical progression. Eventually, you'll figure out where to go next.

DON'T give up. If a piece stonewalls you, set it aside for awhile and start something else. Eventually, through good work and practice, an idea to solve the problem on the set- aside piece will spring up. All artists have blocks—it is a natural part of the cycle of creativity. I always have four or five works running at once. Breaking away to do something different is often just what I need to help me go back to address a problem in another work.

DO try something spontaneous once in awhile. Creativity is really just play. Just take out a hammer and a sheet of copper and see what happens. Or, find a project in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist and give it a whirl. If you don't have the exact materials, do the best you can with what you have. Remember—you are learning, so no effort is wasted. --Helen

Learn More About Metalsmithing with Helen
So if you're ready to embark on a metalsmithing adventure and learn more, get Helen's first DVD, Metalsmith Essentials: Basic Fabrication (or download it instantly). Through nine lessons, Helen walks you through the steps to get started with metal jewelry fabrication, including sawing, filing, hammering, forging, texturing, and more. You'll learn about metalsmithing safety, metal jewelry-making tools, and the fundamentals behind making jewelry out of silver as well as alternative metals brass and copper. She also shares how to punch and drill holes in metal, cold connections, metal stamping, money- and metal-saving tips, fold-forming techniques, and how to properly finish your designs. It's a truly comprehensive metalsmithing introduction!

Even More Metalsmithing
Still want more? We've gathered all of our best metalsmithing information and resources in one convenient spot. Think of it as your go-to resource for metalsmithing and bookmark the Metalsmithing page!

Jewelry Tools 101: Guide to Jewelry-Making Hammers

TammyJones — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:20:00 GMT


	Much gentler than a rawhide mallet, Lexi's current favorite hammer is a paper mallet. "Choosing a favorite hammer is like choosing a favorite child," she says. "Today this one's my favorite, but tomorrow it will be another."

I was reading instructions for a metalsmithing project the other day and saw a tool I'd never heard of: a spiculum forming hammer. I immediately thought of my friend and master jeweler Lexi Erickson's wall of hammers that I saw in her studio last year. She has literally dozens of jewelry-making hammers on that wall, surrounded by all sorts of basic and specialty jewelry tools--but she loves those hammers!

So back to the spiculum forming hammer. . . . I looked for it in our jewelry-making tool eBook and found more kinds of hammers than I ever imagined. Naturally, I had to share.

The Illustrated Guide to Jewelry-Making Tools: Hammers
by Sharon Elaine Thompson

Hammers are the most basic of the metalsmith's tools. Without a hammer, you are not a smith. Most hammers have two faces that are differently sized or shaped; mallets have identical faces. Most hammers have straight shafts; the exception is the chasing hammer. Most hammers can be used for several functions; some are specialized. The fundamental differences are this: there are hammers for striking metal and hammers for striking tools. A brief description of their uses follows. (Note: Peen refers to the business face of the hammer. A ball-peen is a ball-shaped face; a cross-peen is one that is at right angles to the handle.)

Raising hammer: two rectangular, blunt, or wedge-shaped cross-peen faces, used to "raise" the metal from flat sheet to dimensional form by striking the outside of the form.

Mallet: identical faces and can be made of plastic, rawhide, or metal.

Goldsmith's hammer: one flat and one cross-peen head for riveting and other work.

Forming hammer: a heavy hammer with flat or domed faces, used to move metal.

Planishing hammer: flat or convex faces, to smooth metal that has been worked by other hammers or to harden metal.


*nylon raising hammer*	*narrow raising hammer*	*spiculum forming hammer*

*rawhide mallet*	*goldsmith's hammer*	*forming (L) & planishing (R) hammers*

Ball-peen hammer: an all-purpose hammer with one round and one half-domed face, for flattening and shaping metal, removing dents; can be used to drive chisels, punches, stamps.

Chasing hammer: one flat face for striking other tools (such as stamps) or planishing metal; one round face for forming and riveting; handle has a bulbous end and a narrow neck for more bounce back and less strain on the wrist.

Riveting hammer: one round and one chisel-shaped face, for riveting, tacking, and lightweight forming.

Embossing hammer: two rounded, differently sized faces, for a variety of metalwork.

Texturing hammer: machined or patterned faces, for striking texture directly onto metalwork.


*ball-peen hammer*	*flat-faced chasing hammer*	*nylon mallet*

*bordering hammer*	*large embossing hammer*	*riveting hammer*

*curved-face chasing hammer*	*jeweler's embossing hammer*	*texturing hammer*
		Photos by Jim Lawson.

More About Jewelry Tools
To learn more about all kinds of jewelry tools (hammers included) and how to use each one, turn to Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist. When you subscribe to Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine, you'll receive issue after issue packed with jewelry-making and lapidary stone-cutting projects, jewelry tool features and test comparisons, tips from art jewelry experts and gemologists, galleries of work to inspire your own jewelry making, and more.

What's your favorite jewelry-making tool? Are you in love with one of your hammers? I'd love to hear all about it in the comments below!

P.S. So what about that spiculum forming hammer? It's a very specialized tool used by jewelers to create spiculums. . . and apparently a spiculum is a long needle-like hollow form. The thin tips of a spiculum forming hammer are ideal for hammering a thin piece of metal into a grooved forming block.

Stylin' with Metal

TammyJones — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:50:00 GMT

By Barbara Delaney from Jewelry Making Daily's sister site, Cloth Paper Scissors

Jewelry is a very important part of any wardrobe, and as far as I'm concerned, you can never have enough jewelry. I'm not talking diamonds and sapphires here, I mean solid, everyday, fashionably current pieces. Jewelry that no matter what the occasion, you put it on and you feel that your outfit is complete, that you look mah-velous.

What can make a piece of jewelry even more special is if you make it yourself. I always thought working with metal would be difficult, very time consuming, and just plain beyond my reach. But I discovered that nothing is impossible if you take your time, have the right tools, and have the guidance and instruction you need. And that's where Metal Style comes in.

The pieces in Metal Style by Karen Dougherty will enhance any wardrobe, and Karen makes it very easy to create these wonderful pieces with her easy-to-follow directions and helpful tips. What's more, she'll help you incorporate some of your metal found objects for a truly unique piece.

Below are some of my favorites pieces and some of Karen's helpful tips for working with metal, so that you can have success creating your new jewelry wardrobe.

Cold Fusion Necklace

Work or play, this little number will definitely add some style to any outfit. A variety of metals, wire and rivets, miniature bolts...who could resist this one?

Tip: Sometimes hole-punch pliers can mar the surface of the metal around the hole. Try sandwiching a thick piece of paper between the tool and the washer for cushioning.




Double-sided Pendant Silver and gold are always a nice combination. This necklace is reversible, with one metal on each side. It can be casual or dressy! Tip: If texturing with a design stamp, use a 16-ounce brass-head hammer to make the impression.




		Riveted Flower Rings This ring screams fun, and the best part of this one is that you can choose the textures for the metal. It only looks difficult. Tip: Use brass texture plates, commonly used for PMC patterning. Available in assorted patterns, they make the metal look like it's been rolled through a rolling mill.




Trio Bangles with Recycled Charms Recycled metals put the jingle in this one. Lots of fun and as colorful as your "finds." Tip: A good hand tool set should include assorted pliers for gripping, bending, cutting, and shaping wire and sheet metal.

If you're looking to add to your jewelry stash or need a fun and fashionable gift for a special person, look no further. With 20 designs to choose from, there is something for everyone in Metal Style. Make sure to get your copy.

Have fun! - Barb

Resin Confessions and Foolproof Solutions: 15 Resin Jewelry-Making Tips and Fixes

TammyJones — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 06:03:00 GMT

I have a confession to make: I get nervous when I'm going to make jewelry with resin. My fears are totally unfounded--I was taught by experts, use the best materials, and follow instructions exactly--but I still inexplicably hold my breath when I'm using resin. Yesterday, I realized why. I hate to waste.

Waste? What does that have to do with resin, right? When I'm drawn to work with resin, it's because I have something special to encase in it, a prized memento or souvenir . . . which, of course, there's only one of, so if something goes wrong, the bezel is wasted and my treasure is ruined.

But not always. In addition to tips that help scaredy-cats like me avoid common resin pitfalls (such as bubbles, cloudiness, and tackiness) and ensure that resin sets properly and clearly, there are ways to fix some resin mishaps, too.

Resin Tips
1. Work in a dust-free area with good ventilation and turn off fans in the area that could blow dust, etc., into your resin.

2. Wear gloves that fit well and snugly. You don't need saggy glove tips dragging resin around and messing up your work!

3. Mix resins very carefully. If the ratios are off even a little, you risk resin that will not cure and set up properly.

4. Work in good lighting. I've found that good overall, all-around light as well as a small lamp with direct light are best for me. The all-around light helps me make resin jewelry without making sloppy mistakes, of course, and the direct light really highlights tiny bubbles in resin, like inclusions in a gemstone. The lamp's warmth will come in handy for curing, too.

5. Scrape the sides and bottom of the cup when you're mixing resin, mixing for about two minutes, but avoid working it too much--no need to create extra bubbles to deal with. Mix until there are no streaks or cloudiness.

6. Pour resin into your mold or bezel slowly to avoid spillover and prevent trapping air around your encapsulated treasures, which causes those pesky bubbles.

7. For deep bezels or layered designs, work in layers to create the look of floating. Items will likely sink to the bottom and appear all on one layer if you don't work in steps, adding a base layer of resin and putting items in place one layer at a time, allowing layers to almost completely set in between.

8. Cover your resin masterpiece with an overturned cup or similar and place it under your lamp. The warmth from the light will help the resin cure. Resist touching or moving it until morning!

Resin Fixes
1. Ideally, gravity will work the bubbles to the top and out of your resin. If it needs some help, you have a few options. For deep bubbles (in wet resin), pop with a pin or fine toothpick. (Do this before the resin starts to set or you'll ruin it.)

2. For bubbles closer to the surface, a little hot breath can sometimes give them the last bit of encouragement they need to rise. You can also apply heat with a torch, passing it VERY briefly over the surface. Don't linger or you'll burn it! Heat guns and hair dryers aren't recommended as they can blow dust and who-knows-what into your work.

3. If your resin doesn't set up in the bezel, even after giving it a couple of days to be sure, you can use Attack! to remove the resin from the bezel. Anything you put in the resin is most likely gone, however, so consider this a last resort.

4. If your resin doesn't set up in a mold, just clean it out as best you can and then use rubbing alcohol to clean the mold before trying again.

5. If your resin looks foamy after setting, unfortunately there's nothing that you can do. This foaminess is caused when moisture gets trapped in the resin, usually from plants that aren't completely dry or sealed. Make sure organic matter is dry and that porous materials are well sealed with gel medium before encasing them in resin.

6. If your papers and artwork look blurry after the resin has cured, it's heartbreaking. Avoid blurred inks by sealing papers well with gel medium.

7. Ideally, resin dries to a glossy, perfect glass-like finish. To create a satin or matte finish--or to hide imperfections--buff the surface with fine- and gradually finer-grit sandpapers.

So now, whenever I sit down to work with resin, I have a new strategy. I make something using slightly less precious materials first and get out my jitters--then let my second piece be the more precious piece . . . and I reread these tips to remind myself that it's not rocket science, it's way more fun!


	*There are even instructions in the book for making your own custom texture plates and reverse-image stamps!*

Want more information and inspiration for working with resin and other creative mixed-media jewelry techniques? Get Cynthia Thornton's charming book Enchanted Adornments: Creating Mixed Media Jewelry with Metal Clay, Wire, Resin & More (the "more" including polymer clay, shrink plastic, and even more) in an instant eBook download. One of my favorite jewelry-making books, it's a stunning collection of beautiful drawings and fantastical fairy-tale–like journal entries that introduce the projects. Plus it's loaded with tips and projects as well as inspiring designs from favorite jewelry artists Gail Crosman Moore, Kate McKinnon, Lorelei Eurto, Margot Potter, Jamie Hogsett, and others. It's a storybook, gallery, technique guide, and project collection all in one.

P.S. Did you see Beading Daily editor Jen's experience with resin?

How to Sell Jewelry: Tips for Your Home-Based Jewelry Business and Selling Jewelry Online

TammyJones — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 06:39:00 GMT

What a dream to be able to make money doing something that you love to do: making and selling jewelry. Even if you don't want selling handmade jewelry to become your full-time career, it's gratifying to design your own handcrafted jewelry, offer it for sale, and for people to buy it! In our new eBook, How to Sell Jewelry: Tips for Selling Jewelry Online and Improving Your Home-Based Jewelry Business, you'll get expert, manageable tips from successful jewelry business owners that will help you learn how to sell your jewelry.

How to sell handmade jewelry is a question that I get asked very often, second only to how to price jewelry (which we'll get to in a minute). The key to starting a home jewelry business is to decide what you want to achieve. Do you just want to make money selling jewelry on the side? Or do you want to start a home-based jewelry business? Then, do you want your jewelry-making business to be boutique-based, or do you prefer selling jewelry online--or both? After you've answered those questions, you need to know how to sell your jewelry to complete a plan of action for a successful business.

You can learn all of that in our new eBook, How to Sell Jewelry: Tips for Selling Jewelry Online and Improving Your Home-Based Jewelry Business. You'll learn how to sell handmade jewelry, make a profit, and have fun, all at the same time! Plus how to use social media (Twitter and Facebook) to sell jewelry online (or in a brick-and-mortar store--yes, social media online can help you sell your jewelry in traditional stores!), how to price your jewelry, and what SEO (search engine optimization) is, and how to use it to your advantage.

Here's a quick recap of some of the essential jewelry-selling tips and information you'll learn in the free jewelry-selling guide.

How to Sell Your Jewelry Using Facebook by Cathleen McCarthy
Facebook is loaded with easy and effective ways to help you reach potential customers, whether you're selling jewelry online or off, which Cathleen outlines for you. It's easy to share images and news about your jewelry on Facebook--you sharing with fans, fans with their friends, those friends with each other, and so on. You can freely share dozens, even hundreds of photos of your handcrafted jewelry, and nothing gets attention for selling jewelry online like great photographs.

How to Sell Your Jewelry Using Twitter by Cathleen McCarthy
Your Twitter profile is an extension of your handmade jewelry brand, and Cathleen's Twitter tips will help you put your best foot forward using it, ensuring that you keep your Twitter (and Facebook) presence fresh and engaging to potential customers. Show the world that you're a serious jewelry craftsman and tempt them with photos of your designs and news about sales and products--all of which equals free online marketing through social media.

How to Sell Your Jewelry by Improving SEO by Cathleen McCarthy
Cathleen explains the basics of what SEO is and how to use it to your advantage online, to increase visibility for your jewelry business. Learn what words to use to help potential customers find you and what to Google before you start. Will you use your own name or create a brand name under which to sell your handcrafted jewelry? What words should you use to describe your jewelry? How do you spread the word (via social media) about your jewelry after you've made it? Cathleen shows how to harness the power of the Internet to promote and grow your business.

How to Price Jewelry for Your Jewelry Business by Suzanne Wade
The most heated discussions I've ever seen regarding jewelry revolve around pricing--fairly and effectively. It's a very emotional process for jewelry makers, who've often spent hours--days, weeks, or months even--working on a piece of jewelry. When selling handmade jewelry, it's one thing to make a sale, but it's another thing to make a profit--and in order to make a profit, you have to recover the cost for all that time as well as the other costs involved in a handmade jewelry business, including materials and overhead costs. If you want your jewelry making to be a business and not just a hobby, you have to put aside the emotional attachment to your work. Suzanne has tips and ideas for profitable jewelry selling, including a simple equation to help you determine fair prices.

I wish I'd had all these simple but powerful jewelry-selling tips and ideas when I decided to sell my jewelry online. So don't hesitate, download your copy of How to Sell Jewelry: Tips for Selling Jewelry Online and Improving Your Home-Based Jewelry Business now and you'll be making money in no time!