Monday 21 July 2014

Summer jewellery making

Thanks to Billy for holding the fort for me here on his birthday. He would like me to thank you all for his birthday wishes and yes he had a lovely day. I have been enjoying some crafting time in my studio after work and I have been making something special for my upcoming bloggerversary this coming Saturday, yes I will have been blogging for 4 years. I have also been restocking my Etsy shop with some new bag charms including a new garden themed one.
Here are some that I have recently made and sold including some fun ladybird themed ones.
This one is available in my Etsy shop here
as is this one - perfect for the summer
These I made as a commission

Of course I will be holding a giveaway to celebrate my 4 years and here is a rather blurry sneak peek of the first prize I will be offering...you will have to come back on Saturday to see the piece in it's entirety. I think you will love it ;0) I also have a second prize too.

As I am  showing some of my jewellery today I thought I would take the opportunity to share the summer term projects from my silversmithing class. First up is an etched copper blank which I also added some enamel to. This was more a technique piece but I may use this on a lid of a box.
First I transferred the design to my copper rectangle using an iron.
 After etching it in an etching tank I added some enamels
 This is such a laborious task as you have to build up the colours gradually and keep filing them back. It took several weeks to complete.
 And here is my finished piece. It's a really poor photo again taken with my phone, it's much prettier IRL.

The project that I did not quite finish is a design piece that was called 4 legs and a "tale/tail" and needed to feature a stone setting. I bought a gorgeous amber cabochon and my Hb thought it looked like a tortoise shell so that was my plan...to made a tortoise....my idea of 4 legs and a tail.

Originally I was going to make an abstract tortoise but then I decided I could make some limbs in fimo and make moulds which I could press silver metal clay into to form his 4 legs, head and a tail.
I first sawed an oval from sheet silver to make a backing for the shell and made a bezel to hold the "shell".

 This is how the stone will sit once it has been set
 I sculpted by hand all the limbs using  fimo. I then pushed the fimo limbs into moulding compound and let the moulds set. I then pushed out the fimo and used the impressions to make the silver parts.
 I  pressed in the silver metal clay and let it harden. Each part  then had to be polished and fired with a torch.

Here are the silver limbs in their finished state. I was really pleased how much detail was picked up by the moulds. This photo makes me giggle it looks like an invisible tortoise.
Next was the "fun" i.e trying to solder on the four legs, head and  tail. I had to solder the head and tail first using hard solder...this was really fiddly to keep in place.
 Next I had block everything out with rouge and solder on the 4 legs using easy solder, taking care not to melt off the head and tail.
 but hey presto here he is!

 Obviously he has not yet been polished. I will not be able to set the stone until September when class returns by I am really pleased with him. I have added a fitting to his head to wear him as a pendant. I will share him later in the year when he is all finished.

My card today is nothing to do with tortoises but everything to do with weddings and anniversaries. As well as my 4th bloggerversary on Saturday it is my 33rd wedding anniversary on Friday and my Hb and I have lunch booked in London, we have taken the day off work. Also on Saturday our daughter and SIL are hosting a family BBQ to celebrate their 2nd wedding anniversary (which is on 28th). I cannot share their card here so I thought I would share a wedding card I made. It has a lovely summer feel with a little added bling.
Here are a couple of close ups, the sentiment is a  LOTV stamp which I stamped using Versafine ink.
and the beautiful butterflies are Cheery Lynn as are the green leaves under the roses which I have glittered up. I added a silver edged ribbon and silver gems on the butterfly bodies.The inside is lovely silver card with a Cheery Lynn heart which surrounds a sentiment I made on the computer. The butterfly border is JoyCraft
 and here you can just see the silver peeping through

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

Cheery Lynn silver and/or gold
A little bit Crafty it's magic
My Mum's craft Shop summer
Stamping sensations summer blooms
Whimsy stamps summertime
Little Claire's summertime
Fashionable stamping dreaming of summer


I have my girlies up to stay for a few days as my SIL is away working, precious times. Thanks for visiting today and remember to pop back on Saturday to help me celebrate my 4th bloggerversary with some fun prizes.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

19 comments:

  1. Oh wow Jane that tortoise is going to be amazing, I can't wait to see it finished, such a tremendous amount of work involved!!
    Love all your new bag charms too especially the ladybirds and you card is so very pretty!
    Wishing you and M a very happy anniversary on Friday and of course happy anniversary to M & T for Monday, lots to celebrate! :)
    V x

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  2. I know the word "AWESOME" is so over used it has become void of any meaning but it does describe your creations so perfectly Jane! I'm awe-struck! Amazed at what you can do, the levels of technique and patience is remarkable! Bravo and thank you, this was really interesting. I love your card as well ;)

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  3. oh gosh Jane, had to read your post several times and look closely at all the photo's you are so very talented and love your bag charms, will be back Saturday :)
    hugs Kate xx

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  4. Hello dear Jane,

    What a wonderful tortoise that is going to be, I LOVED the image of "invisible" one! Such fantastic work!

    Enjoy your special day Friday, here's to you and M and 33 years of happiness and many more to come! Please send my best to M&T too on Saturday too. I wish you a very happy and sunny weekend soon!

    Yours,
    Mia

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  5. Loving your elegant card, and bits of glitter in the roses! Happy Anniversary to you and your husband! Sounds like lots of celebrations going on..so many happy wishes to all! Oh and the new bag charms you created are just beautiful. Thanks for joining this week's Cheery Lynn Designs challenge...good luck to you!

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  6. Hello Jane! I totally love the tortoise you are making.. and I can relate to each of the parts of making it.. reminds me of my scarab pendant I made. The turtle is perfect as you've seen those sea turtles on vacation. I hope I win your giveaway! *H*A*P*P*Y* * *A*N*N*I*V*E*R*S*A*R*Y*!*!*
    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  7. What gorgeous makes, so many wonderfful things. Very pretty card and Happy anniversary. Thanks for sharing at LC. I have a little candy on offer x

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  8. Oh my goodness Jane, I almost missed your jewelry post. That would not have been good, I would have missed such talent. Love the key chain bobbles, the ladybugs are so cute. Now the turtle is something else, it is amazing and will be so unique. I bet you can't wait to see it really come to life! Great job and love the copper plate too. It would look great as a lid on a special box. I hope you are having a wonderful week Jane, xoRobin

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  9. Oops, Happy 4th Blog Anniversary, happy 33rd Wedding Anniversary and 2nd to your lovely daughter and SIL xoRobin

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  10. I am in awe of your amazing jewellery projects, and the tortoise looks fantastic! What a fabulous card too - love the sentiment! Thanks for joining in our Summer blooms challenge at stamping sensations and good luck!

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  11. You have been busy with all your beautiful makes Jane and congrats on your four years blogging.

    And your card is a sheer delight, thanks so much for joining in our Summer Blossoms theme at Stamping Sensations challenge.

    B x

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  12. Hi Jane, loving all your info on your jewellery, lots of processes and patience. Looking forward to seeing your finished necklace. Your card has an elegance to it and is a beautiful design with a wow factor, just gorgeous. Thanks for joining in the challenge at Cheery Lynn designs this week and good luck.
    Julie x

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  13. Hello Jane,Lots of celebrating going on this July!! Congratulations on your wedding anniversary and for M and T, also. I can't believe it's already two years for them!!
    You are always so creative. I hope to take a jewelry making class this autumn.(and I LOVE turtles)
    Happy 4th blogoversary, my friend.

    Happy late July....
    Anne and all
    PlumCreek22

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  14. How detailed the work is that you are putting in to make your tortoise, Jane! It will be lovely! Your card is very pretty, and I wish you and your hb a very Happy Anniversary! Looking forward to your giveaway....the little charms are so pretty, I still love the little bee one that I won!
    Happy week, enjoy all the celebrating :)
    Helen xox

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  15. What a creative woman you are, Jane! That turtle will surely be gorgeous. Best of luck on the CLD challenge!

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  16. Hi Jane! This turtle is going to be amazing! Fantastic idea and lots of work - First I thought what on earth you'll make with those pieces. I love your charms and I'm happy to have two of them! Can't believe that one more year of blogging has passed again. Happy anniversary already and have a lovely weekend! x Teje

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  17. I love reading about the tortoise process, it's going to look just perfect once the stone is set! What a clever idea. Bxx

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  18. Such a beautiful card Jane and I love the butterflies and your pretty flowers with the gold glam too!!!

    Thanks for playing along with us at Cheery Lynn Designs this week.

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  19. All the projects you shared in this post are amazing. You are very talented, Jane.
    Your wedding card is stunning. Love the shape and all the pretty die-cuts. Fantasstic work. Thank you so much for sharing your gorgeous card with us at Stamping Sensation. I hope you join with us again in our new challenge.
    Eret x

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Jane x