These were on my Bead Table Wednesday, but I am the slowest beader in the world, so they haven't made it out the door, but I hope they do soon!

At least they have jump rings on them!
These will be listed in my Etsy store soon, I hope, or
made into jewelry.
However, if you see something you might want,
convo me on Etsy and we'll talk.
My Etsy

A Crush on Copper - Love me Knot

Skype has been busy lately because Deb Batten, Firebird Flamework on Etsy and Sew Much to Do and Meltin' Glass Too, and I have been busy chatting and talking about artistic growth. Out of these conversations has come a series of challenges that we plan to explore to help each of us develop creatively and nurture the artistic nature of our souls.

We will, probably, post these challenges about once a month on our blogs. We expect that, on occasion, life will most likely interfere, but we are going to give this opportunity for growth a real try.

There are several things we plan to do, but one of the most important ones is to work outside of the medium with which we are most comfortable--glass. We will bring glass in at some point, but for the most part, we want to challenge ourselves to develop our skills and creative ideas in other areas. We also hope to do more than make jewelry as we express our creative ideas .

This month, November, we will be working with copper since we both have "A Crush on Copper." We decided that our task will be to make something with copper wire and copper shapes. The main component with our copper wire will be the "Love Knot." We will also include with our non jewelry creation copper shapes. This should be fun! Look for the reveal on November 24th in our blogs! My brain is straining right now, so I'm off to think. See you later.
Oh, be sure to check out Deb's blog for her side of the story. Remember, this is not a competition (;-). It's a reason for artistic growth.

New In My Etsy Store

More about this later, but I'm venturing into the world of metals. I plan to keep lampworking, too, but I think I've found a new love! I am taking online classes (later blogs) that are helping me with this new love task.
You can find this pendant here.

I'm slowly but surely restocking my headpins. They were a big hit at the show last weekend.
I hope to add more soon.
These are called Poker Face. Don't ask why. They just are.

I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I cleaned out my closet today, and
I found this bag of unused recycled braided sari yarn, 100% silk. I bought it a while back with full intentions to use it, but now, I can't remember why!
So, I listed it in my Etsy store! I have way too much and plenty to share!

How about some new murrini? They are so relaxing for me to make! I almost go
zen with murrini. I guess that's why I have so much here.
You can find this, newly listed, in my Etsy store.

These floral headpins were so much fun to make! I love poking glass and moving it around. I used dark annealed wire to make these headpins! They'd look great on earrings or a pendant.

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more!

It finally worked! Copper Etching with Salt!

One of these pieces of copper is the final, successful result of etching copper with salt. I wish the photo were better. Which piece of copper do you think was successful?















Let's take a closer look.


I found a tutorial on Lampworketc about etching copper without harsh chemicals. The writer of the tutorial used salt combined with low voltage electricity and an aquarium bubbler. The name of the tutorial was Copper Etching with Salt. Included in that tutorial was another link to another tutorial on etching copper with salt in Art Jewelry Magazine. I wrote my list and headed out to Radio Shack, Walmart, and Menard's to obtain the objects on my list. I came home and saturated the water with salt to begin the etching process. The water was saturated, the battery was hooked up and ready to go. I dipped the anode in the water and I waited. This photo was the result. All I did was to corrode the copper because I had put the battery into the battery holder BACKWARDS! Oh, well, time to try again!





















This time, the battery was hooked up correctly. The resist was applied, and I began the process of etching again. Unfortunately, my brushing was too vigorous. Piece #2 was sent to the copper graveyard. I gave the process a rest until today. This time, I changed the salt I used. In the last two tries, I used the salts that were recommended in the tutorials. I didn't realize that these 2 salts had an agent added to them to prevent clogging. I found another batch of sea salt at the store. This time, the salt did not have anything else added to it. The result, a beautifully etched copper bead!




















The design was simple. Dots. It is lovely! I hope to try more complicated designs in the future!

OMG! Have You eVeR Worked with Liver of Sulphur?

I actually read directions for using liver of sulphur several times. I also checked 3 different sources for directions. I followed safety precautions by using good ventilation. I was, and I emphasize was a liver of sulphur virgin, that is, until today. I thought I knew what to expect, but, guess what, I didn't! OMG! The smell was rank. I think I've smelled rotten eggs that smelled better than LOS. I'm getting a headache just thinking about the smell now. Then, I dipped my copper charms into the solution, and I couldn't believe what happened within seconds!
What happened to my pretty copper charms? ( I now understand why the directions said to use a small piece of LOS. I thought the chunk I used was small, but, I guess, it wasn't small enough!)

After my initial panic, I began to clean the copper using the directions I had read. I used my steel wool. I also tried a bit of CLR mixed with water, but don't tell anyone! I should have used more CLR, but, like I said, I was a liver of sulphur virgin at that time.
Batch one is a little darker than I would have liked, even with the intense cleaning I did, but as I look at them now, the charms don't look terribly ugly!
With Batch 2, I used a teeny, tiny piece of LOS. I liked the results a lot better. Clean up was easier, too.

Lesson for today:

When using liver of sulphur, think small, very, very small.

Also, don't try to patina as many pieces as I did. You can work faster.

Go to the hardware store and buy a metal brush.

This can only get better!

Now, I'm just playing!

I didn't realize how fun it would be to make collages using Picassa!
Here are a couple more for your viewing pleasure?

Now, here's one made of copper.
Now, how fun is that?
I learned something new,
and,
I'm excited!

What I've Been Doing With the Economy Being So Bad

There's a lot of advice out there about what to do when sales are poor. With the economy being so bad, my sales are poor. Here's what I've been doing. I have been promoting and promoting my work. In the meantime, I've been learning new skills. (All of this has been good advice.) I love copper! I've been working with copper wire to learn new wire working techniques.

I started out by coiling wire in reverse coils to make this bracelet.







How about this ring? (Luckily, I don't turn green from wearing copper!) It's coiled, too!

















This lead up to a pattern I love!
Egyptian Coils!
Did you know that this pattern is over 4,000 years old. Jewlery made using this design has been found with mummies in ancient Egypt.


















Since I needed new jewelry for the Bead and Button Show, I decided to make a necklace to match the bracelet!

















I'm one happy camper!