Playing around with patinas is lots of fun. I never know what to expect next!  My favorite patina is the one created using ammonia and vinegar. Yes, I said ammonia and vinegar.
This combination creates a gorgeous blue color. The kicker is… each time the color comes out slightly different. Isn’t that the fun of creating at any rate?

The unknown is nerve racking and invigorating at the same time. Ultimately I have learned to roll with the punches and work my finished designs around the color I end up with. There are chemicals that can be used to create the same color every time, but honestly I love the naturalness of this process. Not a chemical in sight.

Below you can see a few more of the designs using this blue patina. So now you know a secret about me. I love adding this patina to my designs whenever possible.

Shop for my designs here.

Become an Alene’s Adornments Collector today.

Get First Look at newest designs, tidbits and legends about gemstones, jewelry care tips and of course.. COLLECTOR ONLY specials and discounts.

The post Jewelry Patinas- Ammonia and Vinegar appeared first on Alene's Adornments Blog.

If you have been following my blog or any of my Social pages… you already know that

I LOVE WORKING WITH COPPER!

When I first started taking metals classes, copper was used as the ‘learning’ metal.  Meaning ‘work with copper to get the feel of metal and what you can accomplish’ . Once past the learning curve, then venture on with Silver and/or Gold.

However, with the incredible price increase  for gold and silver, many jewelers have discovered the fun and beauty of working with pure copper…. like me!

Here then are 3 of my favorite patinas for copper. 

FLUX:

I  created this by accident. When working with silver you must coat the metal with flux before heating. This prevents firescale.

This is not necessary with copper but I was multitasking (not always a good idea when using heat!) and ended up spritzing the copper with cuprinol. (a spray flux).  The result is this reddish mottled effect. I just love it! 

  PEANUT OIL:

This one is a little trickier to work with. I brush peanut oil onto the copper. A VERY Thin Coating. Then I heat from BELOW the piece. IF you heat from above you run the risk of setting the oil on fire!  The resulting colors are brownish caramel tones. Please note that although I do treat all of my designs with a lacquer, this patina is NOT recommended for any person allergic to peanuts.  There are other oils that give a similar effect. Sesame oil is a potential option.

VINEGAR and AMMONIA:

The most vibrant blues and greens are created with this patina. I coat the copper with vinegar and keep an open smaller container of ammonia inside the larger closed bin. That way the fumes from the ammonia mix with the vinegar to create amazing blues and blue/greens.

[tweet_box design=”box_05″ float=”none”]Copper is easy to work with, affordable and provides so many beautiful design opportunities.  My designs are all available for purchase at Alene’s Adornments[/tweet_box]

Get your free copy 21 Practical Tips; Caring for your copper jewelry 

The post THREE Gorgeous Patinas for Copper Jewelry appeared first on Alene's Adornments Blog.

Gold jewelry has always been coveted. Even though gold prices have come down over the last 2 years, they are still over
double the price of 10 years ago.[tweet_dis_img][/tweet_dis_img]

Today, gold is $1267 an ounce.  Compare this with Silver at $17.75 an ounce!

I really feel that wearing beautiful baubles enhances our self image. In the past I eagerly wore gold designs. Now that I create my own pieces, I gravitate to silver and copper.

in 2007, when I first began designing, I took multiple classes to improve my skills. My instructors had us experiment with copper metal before creating the finished design in silver.

And guess what happened!  I fell in love with copper!  Copper’s rich color is enhanced  when you add heat or other elements. The resulting colors can range anywhere from bright copper to deep red, teal blue, vibrant purple and more.

I love adding in Fine Silver or Sterling silver . What’s the difference?  Fine silver is 99% silver. When working with lighter weight designs, the pure silver is too soft. Thicker alternatives (like ring shanks) work the best. 

[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none”]Sterling silver contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper (needed to strengthen this softer metal).[/tweet_box]

The combination of the two colors is explosive.  In fact I decided to copyright the name I use for this process.  Sprinkled Silver is fun to create. Every single design is different depending upon how the metals combine.

A bit of history:

[tweet_dis_img][/tweet_dis_img]Silver was used in coinage beginning around 550 BC. IT was also popular for use in photosensitive materials used in photography. .. before the digital age! And of course silver has been used in jewelry over the ages.

Copper was probably the first  metal to be used by humans and is considered sacred to many cultures. Copper has a natural ability to conduct electricity so, when worn, is said to harmonize the body’s energies, clearing any blockages or imbalances.

There will always be a place for gold in our bauble wardrobe of course… But consider copper or silver for your next purchase. I think you will be surprised and delighted by your selection!

The post Is Silver the New Gold? Is Copper the new Silver? appeared first on Alene's Adornments Blog.

[tweet_dis_img url=”http://www.alenesadornments.com/sacred-spiral-collection/sacred-spiral-sterling-pendant.-18-long.-2sssant/”][/tweet_dis_img]

Do you own a piece of jewelry that is darkened or blackened ?

This type of finish or patina is called Antiqued. I create it using Liver of Sulfur.

Liver of Sulfur is that stinky stuff.. and I do mean STINKY. Just like rotten eggs. Sounds delightful doesnt it? Liver of Sulfur comes in nugget form within a small jar or tin like this one.

As long as the contents are kept dry this tin lasts a LONG time. I am on my 2nd tin in 7 years. I use it about once a month.

This potassium sulfide solution combines with the sterling silver to form a colored surface. The design turns blacker  when the solution is VERY hot.(water combined with the nugget) Plus I can control the tint by how long I leave in the solution.

Why do I love this finish so much?

[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none”]While shiny sterling and copper is beautiful, it does not compare to the detail and depth I get with the blackened finish. [/tweet_box]

I can leave the recessed parts black and shine up the raised surface… Gorgeous!

 This is my favorite way to use Liver of Sulfur. 

 I seal the finish with wax or a lacquer once I am happy with the tint.

I use Liver of Sulfur on copper too.  This cuff design features copper and sterling antiqued finishes.

For more antiqued finish designs;  alenesadornments

The post Creating an Antiqued Finish on my Jewelry Designs appeared first on Alene's Adornments Blog.

I love working with metal. Can you tell?

Creating my collection of Copper and Sterling Silver PURE METAL earrings requires lots of elbow grease.

First I texture the raw metal. This is usually done by hammering but can be done with a rolling mill as well. The metal must be softened (heated) before starting the texturing.

Since the metal becomes distorted from the hammering, it is vital to texture the metal BEFORE creating the shapes.  Want to know how I discovered this? By doing it wrong several times before the light bulb in my head finally went on!

Next I create the shape using my disc cutters, a saw or metal cutting shears.

Once created I place all the metals on to a board (see image) to determine which components will work together for the individual design. I photograph the board so I can remember it, too! (VERY IMPORTANT)

After that I apply the patinas.

Liver of Sulfur: for an antiqued, blackened effect,

Vinegar and ammonia: for the blue/green color,

Peanut oil: for the rich golden bronze effect

 Heat: for the reddish colors. There are other patina processes as well. These are the main ones I like to use.

Finally: I add a coating to maintain the finish, Form and shape the final pieces, assemble, add earwires and photograph!  and VOILA they become part of my collection.

Is there any way to have more fun than this?

Lots of steps and each one performed with love.

Check out the full collection at www.alenesadornments.com

The post How do I create Pure Metal Earrings? appeared first on Alene's Adornments Blog.

Well those of you who follow me KNOW that I adore copper. 

When I first started taking metals classes, the instructors always had us making the designs and templates with copper. Copper was considered a low cost alternative to silver and gold (Duh!)

So we could make lots of mistakes on our journey to become designers… without the financial burden. 

That made lots of sense of course, and I have gone through more copper than I care to admit

In the process, I also discovered that I loved working with copper.  Patinas (the finish) with copper are amazing. Heating can produce a bronze color. Adding peanut oil deepens the color, Sesame oil reddens it, vinegar and ammonia turn it blue green… and so on. In my designs I fuse copper with sterling to achieve yet another unique and vibrant finish. 

FYI: If you are concerned about the ‘greening of the skin’ that can happen when copper oxidizes, remember that I treat all my designs to inhibit this process.

Did you know that copper was probably the first metal to be used by humans?  It was used by the Egyptians in 4000BC and also used as far back as 8000BC by the Neolitihic people. Copper is found in tandem with many other minerals, too. Chrysocolla is a great example of this!

Copper is a great conductor of electricity. When worn it is said to be an effective treatment for arthritis as it opens up blocked energy flow.  Copper’s energy flow enhances the properties of other gemstones too.

You can find my copper creations at http://www.alenesadornments.com

Here are two to drool over!

The post Do you love COPPER Jewelry?. appeared first on Alene's Adornments Blog.

Patina is a term widely used by jewelers who work with metals.

After reading the real definition, I see that I was loosely defining this word to include colors other than the natural color that comes from oxidation. 

So perhaps I need to re-title this blog as ‘The Nitty Gritty of coloring metals’ 

I LOVE seeing the different ways I can make the metal colors shine and ‘pop’. This design to the left is copper that I dipped in sesame oil (when it was still hot). It created this RED finish. So vibrant, don’t you agree? To the right (NOT my cleaning supplies) are the natural household products I use to create these gorgeous colors.  (Vinegar, Ammonia, sesame oil and peanut oil to name a few)

Did you know that copper, when coated with vinegar and exposed to Ammonia (in a closed container) will create a natural blue color?  like this?

FYI, these earrings are on closeout right now for $30.00

My favorite though is still the heat patina. Once you heat the copper and plunge it into water, amazing things tend to happen. And the best part is that each time you get a different effect. I have experimented with this so much trying to get the same colors each time.. but the copper has a mind of its own. That is what makes designing with copper so much more fun.

I hope you enjoyed this peek at how metals can be colored. 

Check out my current closeouts today. Great values and most ONE OF A KIND.

 For alerts from Alene  (first look at new designs, closeouts and Subscriber-ONLY discounts,

sign up here.

The post The Nitty Gritty on Jewelry Patinas appeared first on Alene's Adornments Blog.