Count Coup

Cheap, plated mystery metal in the shape of a feather that I really like.
Blue patina applied with an embossing gun so the mystery metal didn't melt in a flame.
Sanding to reveal a copper color under the black n blue!

Woven chain, waxed linen and some buckskin cording; all combined for a piece of jewelry I feel powerful wearing.    

The Chief 


That was a close call.

 Now, freshen your face paint, 

 sharpen your tomahawk,

 step back on your war path and go collect you some scalps.

Delayed Spring and The Redeemer

The first day of spring break.

I am feeling an exhausted sense of deja vu. Will this winter ever end?  

Will I ever feel the thawing of cold bones and a hardened heart?

Wait....

What's that? Could it be?

Oh yeeeeeeeeees.

A real live, hot-blooded MAN.

And I didn't even have to pay him.

Yep.

Shanny has a new friend and he's super helpful.

(¯`v´¯)
`•.¸.•´

Sigh.

Here is what I've been working on while I wait for a delayed order of sterling;

Sorting through scraps of chain to either use in projects or sell to other designers. Some of them are only a few inches long and I'm not sure any one would want to buy them, but they do make for a nice pop of grungy color in pieces designed with some other artists work like

Birgitta's eco-friendly ceramic plaques;

You can purchase Birgitta's work here;

Angel Whisperer

What I find interesting is that if you were to type Angel Whisperer into etsy's search bar her shop doesn't come up, instead a few pieces from another designer that  mentions Birgitta's name is shown instead (which are beautiful and I loved seeing them, but it was irrelevant to my search as a potential buyer). Now I do not know when this change occurred in etsy, but I imagine that it has resulted in a few lost sales as I did not know to change HOW I searched, I only remembered Birgitta's shop name from months and months ago when I was collaborating with a few artists friends to post design ideas on Art Bead Scene.

To find her shop, I ended up going to facebook and searching her wall until I found a link to product in her store. Huh. It took too long and I imagine that an interested buyer would have given up, but I couldn't publish my post without properly crediting the artist that inspired the piece.  

Very, very interesting and no doubt a greedy attempt to push sellers towards paid for "ads" available on etsy, which seems to be the ONLY way to show up in any search on the site now days.

So anyway, here is what I would love to purchase from this talented lady who is based in Sweden.

Feminine Bracelet Focal

Twilight Face Pendant

Leafy Collar Focal

Each of these pieces give me a mysterious feeling and I would love to see them paired with patina chain and leather, as if I were some wood nymph from an ancient time that could survive in the forest with just jewelry and a bow n arrow.

What? It could happen, I'm learning a lot of survival skills from Cody Lundin on Dual Survival Show.

It just couldn't happen in this kind of snow. I would be dead within mere minutes.

Peace and Prosperity,

Shannon 

Preparing Raw Die Cut Copper

Even if you are using pre-formed copper or brass shapes to treat with patina, chances are you are not going to be able to jump right in and start coloring like a kindergartner with a new box of crayons.

Cutting your shapes from sheet metal is very fulfilling in that the shape is uniquely yours: sketched ahead of time, scribed onto the metal, sawed or snipped out, filed, filed, filed, planished, textured, domed or what have you.

But if you have a for sure seller, like the weathered cross, you can save time and work on your hands by using a die cut copper shape in 18 gauge which will make it more affordable to your buyer.

But please let me share with you that you will not receive a ready to go piece and there are a few steps to take before the metal is patina ready.

They arrive heavily oiled and often stuck together.

So place the stuck together metal back into the bag.

And use something flat to wedge in between the copper shapes. I am using a broken file cause that's what was in reach. The plastic baggie is helping me not carve up the surface of the metal so badly that it shows up under any texturing or patina work.

For the cleaning, I use baking soda and vinegar. This is how I clean my pipes and it doesn't leave spots on the raw copper like the industrial metal cleaner from a head shop that I was using.   

I fill a glass jar with distilled white vinegar and add some baking soda until it foams and bubbles up like the volcanoes Christian and I made when we were homeschooling. (I throw in whatever else metal-y that needs cleaning.)  

This can also be used for "The Black Plague of Tumblers" that happens every once in awhile. 

The time spent in the baking soda and vinegar solution seems to depend on the amount of oil and dirt that was present on the copper. I check on my erupting jar every 10 minutes or so, pulling out the foamy metal to check and see if the copper surface is clean. Once I see no more dirt or slick oil spots, I rinse, pat the metal dry with a paper towel and brush over it with fine steel wool.

Now where's my colors!?!

METALLIFEROUS

 has all sorts of die cut copper shapes for sale and even some brass pieces that take the patinas really well.

I am totally impressed with Jewelry Affaire's new PR & Social Media Manager; Yili Ma

I knew a project of mine was going into a future issue, I just wasn't sure when. That makes it really hard to help promote the magazine and my work with scheduled blog posts, shows and give-away's.

But Yili Ma sent a professional, timely email informing me of when to expect the magazine and what to do if it does not arrive.

She also included a pretty badge for the blog that links directly to the issue;

(instructions on how to use it!!! Thank you!)

and an offer to link to any shows promoting being a published author in their magazine.

"Hello Borders."

 I stride in flipping my long black cashmere cape over my shoulder and tossing my gloves and hat to the nearest sales representative.

"I'm here for my author signing." 

"You there, behind the counter, may I please have a caramel macchiato waiting at my table for me. And make sure the crowd stays behind the velvet rope. I'm agoraphobic and prone to spells."

I flounce to the back of the store feeling important and needed.

Ready to talk jewelry....

Anyway, I found all this so amazingly organized and easy, there was no way I could over look an important article that features another one of my favorite metal art clay artists;

Jennifer Tough.

The article includes instructions on adding a bit of color to the flowers that Jen makes and assembling them to inexpensive brass chain in dramatic but simple ways. I hope you have fun adding the technique to your Spring line up!

To celebrate my article being published in a more humble manner than the imaginary book signing, I am giving away this adorable Grungy Heart necklace. Oh yes! She makes hearts too!

 Please leave a comment in, er, um, comments if you would like to be entered in to win the Grungy Heart Necklace and I will draw a name a few days after I remember that I forgot to draw next Sat.

Thank you to the magazine Jewelry Affaire for letting me share my passion with their readers and to Jennifer Tough for sharing her talent with other jewelry designers.

Peace and Prosperity,

Shannon

Somethings I made with some left over metal

I have been hoarding a bit of  left over silver and thicker copper wire gauges.

It was time to risk them under the hammer!

Do you remember the Stephanie Wells book review;

The Earring Style Book ?

I have re-visited this book as an alternative means of creating the large hoop earrings I am obsessed with. The garage is too damn cold to hang out in for hours while I sort beads, string them on metal, hammer more carefully than I usually do and then finish by hand each individual piece as they can't go into the tumbler with their delicate glass and stone bits. I needed to move part of the work bench indoors whilst the propane oxygen tank sits unused in the freezing garage.

I'm having fun imagining my soiree through India.

Horseshoe Trio Links with Rubies

African Glass with Enameled Discs

African White Heart Beads with Hammered Copper

African White Heart Beads with Gold Coral

I had a lot of fun with these and next I will try La Bella Joya's fan technique with some of the larger hoop styles!

Won't that be fun!?!

I have petal shapes that are 2" in length;

and indigo jumbo sized gypsy frames;

Jewel Toned Frames;

And some rustic antique copper horseshoe links;

But I think the pair that I would wear the most would be the tiniest fan woven onto the mini antiqued sterling hoops;

Ack! So many plans, so little time!

If you are a designer who has tried the seed bead weaving onto the metal hoops can I feature your designs? I would love to see how they turn out!

I am going to offer this pair of the horseshoe trio links as a give-away;

So please leave a comment for this post if you would like to be entered in to win a free pair of antiqued copper horseshoe trio links.

Peace and Prosperity,

Shannon