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 … [Read more...]
The Secret Life of a Metal & Hammer Hoarder
If someone had told me 15 years ago that I would be salivating over sheets of metal and hammers I would have [tweet_dis_img][/tweet_dis_img]laughed out loud! Yet here I am ... getting excited over my collection of hammers. This is one of my favorite ones. The surface creates a soft almost satiny texture on my Copper, Silver or Brass metal. But the fun only starts with this … [Read more...]
Do you love COPPER Jewelry?.
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 … [Read more...]
Onyx: Legends and Fascinating Facts
This is one of my Favorite stones! While most think onyx is a black stone... this is far from true. Most of the solid black onyx you see has been dyed to cover up the inclusions. The slab shown here is from my stone soup collection. You can see the white and tan inclusions clearly. To me, this is what makes this semi precious stone so beautiful.................. The name onyx … [Read more...]