Time for an Etching Update May 7, 2014

Looking back at my posts of the last couple of months,

I see that there’s not much jewelry shown.

Time to correct this, I think!

Since returning from Africa, I have renewed my mania for etching copper…If I’m honest, obsession is probably the more accurate term. If anyone is thinking about starting to learn this method using ferric chloride, I’d highly recommend seeking tutorials, both text/photo and video on-line.

Beaducation has a free detailed video series here. This supplier also has a huge variety of inexpensive pre-cut shapes in base metals that would work very well with this etching method. I have only working with copper sheet metal…cutting my own copper discs with a die cut tool and shapes by hand with heavy kitchen sheers (actually very easy).

I do have one difference in method than shown in their series. They recommend covering the edges of the pieces in a heavy coat of permanent black marker ink, so that the etchant does not eat this part of the metal. I do not do this and there is a good reason. They are working with smooth, pre-finished blanks. I’m using hand cut pieces that are still a bit rough around the edges. Happily, I discovered that by leaving the edges exposed to the acid, these were naturally smoothed and finished by the treatment.  Much less work filing and sanding for me!  And you’ll notice in these earring components the very cool rounded ridge and striation marks all along the edge…love this!

 

           Still learning to “read” the process…this pair needed to stay in the acid a little longer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    These last three photos were taken a sunset on my porch.

Love the touch of gold added to the gorgeous patina!

 

 

 

 

Just listed a few of these pieces in my Etsy shop !

And I promise to share more jewelry very soon!

Lynda

Rainy Monday… October 28, 2013

Woke up early, early this morning to the lovely sound of rain.

Here in the very most southern part of California,

this can be a rare occurrence, especially this time of year.

We’re more likely to have a heat wave with the fierce Santa Ana winds,

more scary weather for us, as we remember this past week,

the deadly wild fires of ten years ago.

The refreshing rain outside gave me the needed courage

to do some refreshing inside my studio.

The courage to take out all my jewelry inventory

that has not sold in the last two years.

 A bold, severe look was due.

Some pieces passed my scrutiny to live another day, but many did not.

 A few just needed some sprucing up or re-fashioning.

Many were taken apart to become part of future pieces.

Tiny bits and scraps of sterling silver ended up

in the scrap heap.

Beads had to be sorted and stored away.

Useable pieces of chain, ear wires, components received

a thorough scrubbing in the tumbler.

Hear that??

That’s my sigh of satisfaction.

Nothing like a cleansing rain to help you see new life

and possibilities.

Here are a few new things from my workbench

in preparation for a local Holiday Market mid November.

Not the best photos…did I mention it was raining today ?

p.s. many of these new pieces have bits and pieces

of the rejects here and there.

(click image to enlarge)

So, I’m curious…

How do you handle with your past-its-expiration-date inventory ??

I’d love a few new ideas !

Beach Treasures April 16, 2011

This extra long silk cord holds two kinds of fresh water pearls… green and chocolate brown… abalone chunks, and tiny mother of pearl disks.  It can be worn long, doubled and even tripled.  Just in time for spring and summer.

New Construction

Finally decided what I wanted to do with all these lovely torched copper pieces. The first one shows the wonderful variety of patinas created by heating textured copper washers with a micro torch. The other has textured copper tubing beads with abalone chunk accents.

Abalone Spirals February 26, 2011

Time for more copper forged discs…This time with colorful abalone insets and sterling silver spiral designs.