Web Shop Shout-Out...

Ornamentea, hurry up and go there. Really, just put the name in Google or click the link and go there! I discovered this shop a while ago and have been so pleased with the fun bits of this and that I have found there. It's a grab bag of a place, with everything from tools, to base metal findings, to super cool 3-D cast pewter twigs, to lace inset plexyglass sheets. The tutorial pages are also very nice, with great tips about coloring metals like brass (rip some paper towels into strips, put in a lidded plastic container with a few drops of ammonia, add your brass, close the container and shake for a few minutes--voila--aged brass). Don't skip the "Micellaneous" tab, that's where the odd bits live, from brass bullet casings to tiny acrylic leaves.  Oh, and did I mention that the prices are FANTASTIC?   Enjoy...

A pendant I made using a bullet casing and heart charm from Ornamentea, along with pewter wings and a rutilated quartz bullet.

OUCH! I Guess I Don't Really Need That Finger Anyway...

So I'm teaching myself cold connecting with rivets. I have some great books that illustrate the process (Susan Lenart Kazmer has a FANTASTIC book illustrating all the ways to cold connect), yet I continually go it alone. Why is it that sometimes you just have to figure things out on your own, even when you have great information at your fingertips? I find that I work this way often. Not sure if I'm just too stubborn or impatient to open a book first, or if this is just part of my "creative process". At any rate, my fingers bear the brunt of my self-taught "lessons". My left hand in particular, the hand I use to hold the teeny-tiny elements I am attempting to rivet together with a steel riveting hammer held firmly in my right hand. I've whacked the crap out of my fingers. Sigh, there goes my career as a hand model.

That being said, I love riveting. It is very easy once you have the right tools, and you practice a bit. I got my rivet hammers from Burnt Offerings Jewelry and Adornment. FANTASTIC mixed media artists, and they have great tools and supplies. VISIT THEM!

Here is my first cold connected bracelet. I made it using copper disks colored with patinas, layered with hammered copper washers riveted with sterling silver wire. I connected each disk "sandwich" with black rubber "O" rings. This took forever, I was learning as I went along, and I have to say that I was quite proud of myself when I finished. Now I know I can rivet with much more confidence and I'm already working on new designs.

So, don't be afraid to try something new--even if you don't think you have the perfect skills. Of course, don't be totally stupid--I'm not suggesting anyone teach themselves how to use a blowtorch! But, don't be afraid to pick up a hammer, or a book for that matter, and teach yourself something. Remember, Band-Aids come in the cutest colors and patterns now-a-days!

Image Transfer Solution Tutorial

In an earlier post I mentioned my experiments with Image Transfer Solution. I really love this stuff--you can now transfer laser printed, toner-based images onto just about anything incuding metal. Since my post I've been asked by ArtChix Studio to create a tutorial of the process and I've included a pdf version here (you'll need Adobe PDF Reader). I created a simple locket pendant using a pre-fab brass locket and images from ArtChix. ArtChix has such great collage sheets, all are laser printed and work well with ITS with a few minor adjustments. Take a peek, then get yourself some ITS, visit ArtChix, and make something amazing!