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.

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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 hammer. Currently I have over 25 different pieces ranging from ones that texture.. styles that form, and some that just plain flatten a rivet. Talking to other jewelers, I am aware that mine is a small collection compared to many. We are all Hammer Hoarders!

Aren’t tools supposed to be a man’s toy box? Truly times are changing. I know women who love to hammer. This includes not only jewelers but also those in the construction business.  There is such a feeling of strength, control and accomplishment that a hammer brings to us.

The use of simple hammers dates to about 2,600,000 BC when various shaped stones were used to strike wood, bone or other stones to break them apart and shape them.  This evolved into stones attached to sticks with strips of leather or animal sinew. 

The hammer’s archeological record shows that it may be the oldest tool for which definite evidence exists of its early existence.

[tweet_box design=”box_01″ float=”none”]”The world is more malleable than you think. and it’s waiting for you to hammer it into shape.”       Bono[/tweet_box]

In addition to sheets  and coils of copper, brass and silver, I also am the owner of a bench vise,  drill, Lots of pliers, two saws and so much more. Here’s the picture of my workbench to give you an idea. Do you see the tool chest in the back? it is filled with all my supplies.

The best part of this is the FUN I have creating (and sometimes recreating) my jewelry designs. Each time I sit at this bench, the rest of the world melts away. All the ‘issues’ of the day or week dont seem to matter at all. This passion is truly a gift and I appreciate it so much.

Here’s hoping you find some of this inspiration when wearing one of my designs.   Alene’s Adornments.

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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.