Sci Fi Earrings Project

I recently sold my ‘Satellite of Love’ necklace (shown below) and needed to make some matching earrings. So I have recorded how I made those, so you can see the process.

First of all, let me show you the necklace:

Sci-Fi necklace Satellite of Love

I decided that the earrings should be based on the pendant of the necklace, i.e. a hoop with discs attached  – the pendant part can be seen in the image above.

These are the steps taken to create the earrings (all parts are sterling silver):

Step 1: Create the circle using 1.2mm sterling silver wire by wrapping it something a suitably sized and circular – in his case I used a bottle top

Step2: I then cut the silver so the ends overlapped by about 4cm and using round nose pliers I curved two loops going in opposite directions at the ends of the wire

Step3: I then grasped each end together using the loops to close the circle:

Step 4: I then hammered out the wire hoop to flatten the edges so that I could solder the discs onto the ear hoop  – I repeated this to create the matching ear hoop:

Step 5: I then created 3 different size sterling silver discs for each hoop. To do this I used a disc cutter to create the discs.

Step 6: I then decided where on the hoop the discs would be positioned:

Once I had the position right, I moved onto the next stage soldering the piece together

Step 7: To solder the discs onto the hoop I had to prepare the hoop and the discs by dipping them into boric acid solution to prevent fire stain occurring and painting a solution of flux to help with the solder process.

Step 8: I then added hard solder pallions to the hoop and sweat soldered the pallions.

Step 9: I carefully added the silver discs on top of the sweated pallions of solder and heated the disc up to red hot. This melted the pallion and the disc was then firmly soldered to the hoop

Step 10: I then had to clean the soldered piece by quenching in cold water and pickling in a 10% sulphuric acid solution around 70 centigrade for 20 minutes.

Step 11: I cleaned the freshly pickled earrings using wire wool and soap

step 12: Finally to complete the earrings I added a sterling silver ear wire using a split ring to the loop made in step 2 above.

Trials and Tribulations: Part 2 A New Start

I recently posted about how sometimes, when you make a piece of jewellery, even though it may have taken you a long time to do, the result may not be exactly what you want. So, you have to just , start again.

Well, I did: start again, that is. I took the necklace as mentioned in the post “The trial and tribulations of making handmade: hard decisions” and made it into something else.

I had a look at the necklace and realised that I could re-use the handmade links and turn them into three bracelets. To break up the necklace, I had to cut the wrapped silver from the green moss agate beads, however that went into my scraps pot for melting down at a  later date. The links however, were fully able to be re-used. From those links I created three bracelets. One from the green moss agate beads and two others using some, quite fabulous, black freshwater pearls that I just bought.

One of the black pearl bracelets will be sold by WowThankYOu on behalf of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust

So, in the end, what seemed like a large waste of time, ended up in a good result: three bracelets, one of which, the proceeds will go to charity.

Here’s a sneak preview of one of the pearl bracelets which will be going off to the Edinburgh Assay office for hallmarking shortly:

Black pearl bracelet

The Evil Eye is Among us…

At last I have finished the Evil Eye necklace. It has taken an age, which is quite appropriate as the whole idea of ‘The Evil Eye’ is an ancient one.

Wikipedia have a good article on The Evil Eye here.

I was taught the version of the Evil Eye that says that you can put a curse on people using your own ‘evil eye’. Well I’m not sure about that, but as Shakespeare said in Hamlet, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio. Than are dreamt of in your philosophy”.

So… The Peridot is set, the silver polished and hallmarked, the chain is complete and the Aventurine, wrapped. The Evil Eye is here for one individual in this universe, to use, to ward off those evil spirits and bad luck.

And the silver ‘eye’ is polished so that you reflect all of those bad things away from you (if you are interested in having the Evil Eye on your neck you can see it in my Etsy shop and shortly Folksy and Joolia too):

The Evil Eye

Close up of Peridot iris

Oh HUzzah! I Won The Prettiest Moon

How lucky am I.

I won another blog giveaway and this time it was the prettiest, sweetest moon beam.

As a jewellery artist, I really appreciate the love and care that goes into making handmade pieces of jewellery. The jewellery artist that held the competition was Sophie Franck of Trinket Box Jewellery. All of her jewellery is pretty, these earrings for example are just gorgeous:

This is what I did with my moonbeam charm. I added it to a fine silver chain and hey presto, the most beautiful, delicate neckalce:

Moon on a chain

Thank you Sophie, it has come to a good home and I am ‘over the moon’ with it XX

I think we need more jewellery!

My jewellery escapades, have been sorely neglected on this blog for a few weeks, due to presenting the fine work of other handmade artisans. So, to amend this situation, I will show you my latest creation, entitled:

“I am finding myself becoming more and more abstracted”

I am currently working ona range of statement necklaces which I am calling ‘Totem necklaces’, mainly because they are formed from several parts, that are connected to form a pendant. This piece started out as sterling silver wire and sheet silver.

Part 1:Making the basic parts

I created semi-circles from the silver wire, soldered them, pickled them and then tumbled them.

I then formed several silver discs from sheet sterling silver

Part 2:Starting the construction

The first part of constructing the pendant, involved soldering the semicircles to each other, to form a  weave. This become more and more difficult as the piece grew, because of the heat sink effects of a larger surface area of metal. I created 2 sections of the weave, the smaller of which would be attached to the large, so that it hung below.

Once the soldering was complete I picked, cleaned off excess solder and tumbled the two sections.

Part 3:Doming the silver discs

While the two weave sections were being tumbled I used a doming block and punch to dome the silver discs, creating a concave surface. I then drilled holes into each disc to allow them to be hung from the main pendant.

Part 4: Joining the parts

Once the main two weave pieces were cleaned, I attached them using some sterling silver rings, that I had previously created (I usually make a load at once as they always come in handy).

Part 5: Completing the pendant

To complete the pendant, I attached the domed discs to the main pendant to create dangling discs. I added a Swarovski crystal to the bottom of the pendant to finish it off.

Part 6:Finishing the statement necklace

I attached the pendant via a sterling silver wire hanger to a leather necklet. In fact I am going to make 2 different length necklets to use with the pendant.

So, here is the finished piece. It’ll go on sale once it has returned from the hallmarkers:

Abstract statement necklace in silver

Abstract statement necklace in silver

Another Blog Giveaway: A Necklace to Celebrate the Chinese New Year

The Chinese calendar is a true lunisolar calendar – i.e it incorporates phases of both the Sun and the Moon. In 2010 (or rather 4707) the Chinese new year begins on Valentine’s day or 14th February. This year is the year of the tiger.

Red is traditionally used during the new year celebrations to ward off bad luck and gold is used to attract good fortune.

So with this in mind, I have created a new blog giveaway using these colours, to celebrate the Chines new year and to bring the wearer good luck.

The piece I have created is a necklace.

It comprises a pendant, which hangs upon a  silk thong.

The pendant is made from sterling silver, hammered into a spoon shape and textured to add depth and dimension to the spoon. It is made up from 3 spoons and a central wire hanging down. The central wire has 5 red Swarovski crystal beads that represent the Wu Xing or 5 elements.

To enter the giveaway you need to leave a comment in my shadowbox which is located by clicking this link

IMPORTANT Its really IMPORTANT that you leave me an email address on the Etsy Stalker comment otherwise I wont have any way of contacting you.

I will then, on March the 1st, run the sequence generator widget on random.org (this gives me a timestamp to show when I have run it and the top number in the generated sequence is the winner, i.e. the number which equals the numbered comment on Etsy Stalker).

London will be celebrating the Chinese New Year, you can find out more about that here

The competition is open to worldwide users and I’m happy to pay the postage, but if you live outside the UK you’ll have to be responsible for any customs charges: although there shouldn’t be any as it’s a gift.

Pictures of the prize:

Chinese New Year necklace 1

Chinese new year necklace

Legal bit (sorry!):

By accepting a prize, all winners agree that the Host  will have no liability whatsoever for, and will be held harmless by winner for any liability for any injury, loss or damages of any kind, to winner or other persons, including (without limitation) injuries, loss or damages arising out of or relating to death, and, injuries, damages or losses to property, due in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the prize or participation in this promotion.

The Sun God Has Risen

At last, I have finished the necklace ‘Homage to the Sun God‘, see earlier post.

The final stages included soldering the rays to the surface of the Sun – ironically you seemed to need temperatures that normally are only found at the centre of the Sun to get the things to bond!

The problem being that the disc is made from thick sterling silver and so was acting like a heat sink, allowing the heat to flow away from the solder. Took some doing, but eventually the solder flowed and the rays became part of the Sun.

In the meantime, I also created a bezel cup in which to sit the heliodor beryl gemstone. I decided that I would sit the beryl unconventionally, upside down, to have the effect of the sun’s flames coming out from the belly of the Sun. The bezel cup was slightly sunk into the Sun disc to house the beryl.

After that the next most difficult part was to clean up the disc, as I couldn’t tumble it, as the bezel housing for he beryl is quite delicate, so it became very laborious and took a number of goes with varying grades of wet and dry and then finally very fine wire wool and soap, to make the Sun shine.

I then drilled a hole into the Sun disc from which the Sun hangs via a silver hook to the chain.

After that the beryl was fitted into the cup and the necklace was complete and the Sun finally rose.

Here are a few images of it. I’ll be listing it on Etsy and Folksy very soon. What’s particularly nice about this necklace is that it can be word with the Sun pendant or without a chain on its own. So you can have your crazy pendant days or your much quieter chain only days.

Homage to the Sun God

me wearing the Sun God

A Different View of the Sun God Necklace

A slightly different way to show off jewellery for sale: Deviant Art jewellery

A lovely woman I know on Deviant Art (nimue-morgan ) liked one of my necklaces (there’s a link below) and so she painted it onto one of her characters called Sundazzle and she has allowed me to use it to show off the necklace.

I think it’s a great and different way to show off a necklace or any other jewellery that’s for sale – what do you think?

Sundazzle wearing one of my necklaces

Blog Giveaway: Handmade Sterling Silver Bracelet

Hello!

To kick off my Etsy Stalker shadowbox listing I am doing a blog giveaway of a handmade bracelet, made by yours truly.

To enter the giveaway you need to leave a comment in my shadowbox which is located by clicking this link

IMPORTANT Its really IMPORTANT that you leave me an email address on the Etsy Stalker comment otherwise I wont have anyway of contacting you.

I will then, on February the 1st, run the sequence generator widget on random.org (this gives me a timestamp to show when I have run it and the top number in the generated sequence is the winner, i.e. the number which equals the numbered comment on Etsy Stalker).

The Bracelet

Is made from hand forged sterling silver links. Each link has a 6mm brecciated jasper bead wire wrapped to the links to form the bracelet. The clasp is a sterling silver lobster clasp. There is also little heart, which I made from PMC (polymer metal clay) that hangs from the clasp end.The bracelet length is approximately 7 inches (18cm).

It hasnt been hallmarked yet but if you win it you can wait for it to be hallmarked, or I’ll send it out to you without hallmarking.

The competition is open to worldwide users and I’m happy to pay the postage, but if you live outside the UK you’ll have to be responsible for any customs charges: although there shouldn’t be any as it’s a gift.

Here are some pictures and good luck (and if you have any questions just let me know):

Legal bit (sorry!):

By accepting a prize, all winners agree that the Host  will have no liability whatsoever for, and will be held harmless by winner for any liability for any injury, loss or damages of any kind, to winner or other persons, including (without limitation) injuries, loss or damages arising out of or relating to death, and, injuries, damages or losses to property, due in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the prize or participation in this promotion.

The Evil Eye Necklace: Progress Part 2, The Chain

After the fiasco of the ‘lost’ rings, I couldn’t face making anymore, so I decided to go in an entirely different route for the chain.

Instead of rings, I decided to use sterling silver strip to form individual silver links to create the chain.

I cut an inch in length from the silver strip to form each link as shown  below:

I then hammered each link to flatten both ends of the link and make a flared link:

Once I had done this for each link, I then wanted to shape the links to give them a sort of bone like look. This meant I had to file down the ends to form the shape of the end of the ‘bone’, you know that curved structure at the joint ends (what is it called?). I used my favourite file (yes I have a favourite file) to do this, which is a half round needle file (oh my love), followed by various grades of ‘wet and dry’ sanding paper to give a  nice smooth finish. You can see the sort of shape in this image below:

After forming the bone shapes, I placed each link between some flat-bed pliers and gently shaped the link so that it curved slightly, this gave it more depth and to sit more nicely on the neck:

Once all the links had been completed and shaped I then needed to drill two holes in the end of each link to allow jump rings to be used to join the links. The joining of each link, using two tiny jump rings per end, was the most fiddly thing I have ever done. However, its looking good…

Next post will be on making the evil eye pendant itself.