Poor Guy

This little guy is getting neutered tonight. Say a prayer for him. ;)

Metal Work

I ordered some brass sheet metal and it finally came in! I am working on a few pendants and am excited to show you my first attempt(well-second attempt if you count the copper one I made and showed in an earlier post).

I like how it turned out but there are two things I am changing for the next attempt. For one-I don't like how shiny it still is. I tried using a wire brass brush to give it more of a satin finish but it didn't turn out right. I am not sure what I did wrong. Secondly, I didn't feel that the patina darkened the letters enough so I darkened it with a sharpie marker (little trick I saw on the Internet somewhere). It looks fine but I think it's a bit too dark now and stands out more than what I want. Any suggestions???

It's been fun experimenting though. I really like sawing with a jewelers saw and am getting better at not braking blades. My craft table is a huge mess already and now it has metal dust all over it. I am thinking I need a special table space for this type of work...

Happy Thursday!

Watercolors

Today I drove into Nashville with a good friends and we shopped at Plaza Art. I just LOVE that store! I didn't go there intending to buy anything but I always find something. I bought some watercolor paints! They came in a set of 12 and they aren't professional grade I guess but I am no professional so who cares. A few months back I bought one of those little plastic cases that contain about 5 colors of paint thinking that would do the trick. It's ok but I really wanted more colors and I kind of like using the tubes.

I got them home and decided to sit down and give them a try. Here is a little picture I painted today.

 I really enjoyed using the paints and I foresee many other pictures to come.

Lip Balm

If you love flavored/scented lip balm check out this esty store! Look at all those flavors! It's like Bonne Bell Lip Smackers only more grown up. ;)

Bye Bye FB

I just deactivated my Facebook account and it feels so good!

A Trade

I made an online friend, a fellow jewelry maker, who is so talented and has given me advice and opinions on all the different aspects of silver-smithing. Her name is Amy and she has an Etsy shop where she sells the most wonderful silver and copper jewelry. See her shop HERE.

I have long admired her work and was in major need of a new pair of earrings. I wear the same pair EVERY single day. I asked if she would be willing to do a trade. I would make her something and in return I asked if she would make me a pair of copper earrings. She agreed and so I went to work on a leather coin purse that she asked me to make. I meant to take pictures of it but I got so excited when I finished it I quickly mailed it off to her.

I received the copper earrings in the mail the other day and I SOOOOO LOVE them. They are light as a feather and so pretty. Take a look here!

 Do you see that they are rain clouds?!? So clever!

This is me wearing them-a happy camper to finally have another pair of earrings!

Thank you so much Amy!

If you love these like I do you can purchase a silver pair HERE.

Happy Saturday!

Playing Around with Copper

A few nights ago I decided to get out a sheet of copper and just play around with it. I haven't practiced sawing with my jewelers saw in a long while and wanted to try sawing out a small shape. I drew this little butterfly shape and sawed it out. I stamped "fly" onto the metal and then banged around the edges with a hammer to add some texture. I didn't necessarily plan on my little scrap becoming a pendant, but in the end that is what it became. I have been wearing it since I made it.

I pretty much used up the last scrap of copper that I had and so I ordered a sheet of brass to play with next. It's a bit thicker and I think it will be fun to make a few more similar necklaces, but hopefully they will be a bit more refined.

I wish I could buy silver but it's CRAZY expensive right now. I can buy a 6"x12" sheet of 20gauge brass for about 13 dollars or buy the same size in silver for like over 500!!!!!!!!!!!! I mean can that be right? Yikes! I am not sure how people do it!

New Glasses

I have always wanted a pair of cat eye-ish glasses! I finally got a pair thanks to an awesome groupon deal for See Eyewear in Nashville. They have the most awesome unique frames there!

Some New Things!

I have been working on some new things to sell in my Etsy shop. It's taken me a while to actually get them in my shop. Taking pictures and writing descriptions can take what feels like forever and I sometimes put that part of the process off for longer than I should. Today has been an excellent day though to do these kinds of things. I FINALLY did it and here are a few pictures...

As much as I love working with leather I have been dying to work more with metal. I am still collecting all the tools needed to do the kind of work I want to do, but in the mean time I realized I can still make a few things with what I do have. Last night I made the copper butterfly pendant above. I sawed it out with my jewelers saw and gave it texture with my special little hammer. Gave it a nice antiqued patina and made it into a pretty necklace.