Gentle Reader, it’s time to forge out into the real world. I have moved. You can check me out here:
http://www.twistedandwired.com/
Same name, now stuff for sale.
New Designs in Various Stages
Published April 9, 2010 Uncategorized 2 CommentsTags: endings, jewelry, wire wrap
I like the look of hard-wrapped stones. Hard-wrapping gives wire work an orderly look. However, there is a huge problem, and that has to do with the ends.
Twisting the ends down can leave the piece looking knotted on one end. This detracts from clean lines of the hard-wrap. Turning some of the end wires into a bail may resolve some of the problems, if your bail is perfect. On the other hand, if the bail is less than perfect, those flaws will be more apparent. I know this because I am still having quite a problem with my endings.
I thought about it long and hard and decided to turn my pieces upside down, leaving the ends long like tendrils. A holder is fashioned from the top, and spiral springs inserted as a bail. The ends are finished with small round beads.
Although the cabochons are on the small side, I like the way this looks. The pieces look fine on a neck ring, but if put on a longer cord, they will hang nicely.
Labradorite cabochon with smaller labradorite beads, wrapped in sterling silver.
Look at the shimmer in this piece! You can’t see it in the first photo, but this particular cabochon really catches the light!
Obsidian cabochon with black agate beads, done in copper.
Back view of obsidian piece.
Let me know if you like these, or if they are a little too fussy. Feedback is a good thing!
It’s time to take my addiction to wire wrap to a new level.
Per the direction of my husband (who loves my work), my wire wrap teacher (who thinks my ideas are… well, twisted and wired) and our accountant (who thinks I should sell enough of of my jewelry to pay for my obsession), I have decided to attempt to sell my items. That’s right, I’m a microscopically small business.
First off, I had to get a tax ID number. That’s not so hard with the internet. The IRS wants anything and everything they can get their grubby fingers on, so they make it painlessly (painfully?) easy. It’s even free!
The next step is to secure the name with the county. Lucky for me, there are no other businesses in Oakland County with the name Twisted and Wired. Ten bucks and I’m in.
The third step is to register with the state. This is so when I shop for materials, they won’t charge me sales tax, and indeed some places charge wholesale instead of retail. Plus, some suppliers will only sell wholesale. It took a couple of weeks, and I now have my certificate.
Of course, I’ll have to pay sales tax, if and when I sell anything.
Next on the agenda is setting up my Etsy store. This will happen in the distant future. The paperwork chase has made me tired and I must energize before I tackle photographing, cataloging and posting my creations.
Until then, here are some of the latest:
Copper and pearl bracelet, liver of sulphured. This time I only dipped in for a few seconds. I love it.
Captured moukaite, articulated bail. Copper frame with NuGold wraps.
Silver and amethyst free form ring.
Another silver/amethyst free form ring.
Copper, NuGold and tigereye free form ring.
Copper heart pendant. I’m into hearts, you know.
That’s it for now. Have a happy Easter!
Liver of Sulfur, Friend or Foe
Published March 19, 2010 Uncategorized 1 CommentTags: copper jewelry, experiments, jewelry making, liver of sulfur
I thought I would take my jewelry to another level by adding patina to some of my pieces. For example, I’ve been having a great time with the fish, but was wondering what they would look like with a classic green patina.
So I went to my local jewelry supply company, CR Hill (just down the road from the house, how convenient) and looked at the packaged solutions. I purchased what promised to be “green.”
Let me tell you, if you are interested in green, stay away from the manufactured liquid. It was a putrid green, not what I expected, and on a fish I really liked. I decided to pickle the fish in an attempt to get the green off. I was pleasantly surprised to lift it out of the pickle pot. It had amazingly turned to a nice shade of salmon. I liked it! (Fish = salmon, get it?)
During my trip to the store, I also picked up some liver of sulfur. Liver of sulfur is supposed to add an antique or shadowy look to your metal pieces. I like shiny and polished, but I thought I would experiment with another look.
First of all, do NOT do what I did. I followed the directions on the container: one teaspoon to 12 ounces of warm water. It’s way, way, way too much chemical. It will overpower the piece turning it completely black, and stink up the kitchen so much that throwing up is a definite possibility
I also threw in completed pieces. If you are going to experiment, use scrap metal, not something you really like.
Of course, I didn’t learn this until after my experiment.
I was nearly in tears, but brought my disaster to class. After an all night tumbling, the pieces were still too dark. Mary told me to use steel wool to take some of the finish off, and it worked. I also Dremeled all the pieces with a wire brush.
Here they are: not perfect but better than black.
Free wrapped trapped crystal pendant.
Simple copper bracelet.
Captured stone in copper. Small pendant.
Copper bracelet with beads and crystals, handmade copper charms.
Free wrap pendant with crystals and stone beads. I think I liked this better polished and shiny.
For those of you who are novices in jewelry making, please, learn from my mistakes. For finishes, easy does it.
One of My Pieces Made It Into the Student Contest!
Published February 16, 2010 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: art contest, birmingham bloomfield art center, wire wrap
Just got the email. Not sure which one it is… I guess that will have to wait until class tomorrow.
BBAC started a new series of classes and of course, I signed up again. Even though I’ve already taken this class, the instructor (Mary) has given me and the other “oldies” new projects.
Currently, I’m working on more fishies. So far I have three complete. I’m also trying to figure out a way to construct the sharp part of a pin as part of the initial design and not an addition. I know I can add it later, but I don’t know. Wouldn’t it look cooler if the pin were part of the frame?
I moved everything back down to the kitchen table again. However, a nice student in the class, Becky, turned me onto Tuesday Morning, where they have the coolest little tote. It’s the kind that has lots of pockets and drawers and is deep enough to put my hammers in. So on the unlikely chance that someone comes over for dinner, I can throw everything in and head back upstairs.
I have to limit my time twisting wire. My hands hurt after too much. No more marathon sessions. Now that Christmas is over, there’s no need to power-create jewelry.
when I took a beginning wire wrapping class at the Birmingham-Bloomfield Art Center.
Then I signed up for the advanced class…
Now I am hopelessly addicted.
Twisted and Wired 