Objects and Elements

Little Birds...

Have you had a chance to look at our copper bird blanks yet? The soaring sparrow motif is hot right now, and these little pre-cut birds are a great base for adding mixed media techniques.

Design team artists Deryn Mentock and Barbe Saint John were recently inspired to use these little birds in their work.

It's interesting to me to see how these ladies think alike. When they submit their designs for the month, I find they've often chosen the same elements to work with without knowing it. Both artists have their own distinct styles, of course, so the projects never look the same even using the same elements.

Both ladies used the birds as a base to add enamel color to. Neither used a kiln to set the enamel, just fired it using their torches. Torch-fired enamel is a process that adds a rustic pop of color to your metals. Susan has been teaching a great enamels class this year, with plans for it in 2010.

  
In addition to her enameled bird, Deryn added a vintage crystal that she altered using some colored paper, a word and some ICE Resin to seal the mini college. Rustic beads, sterling silver wire and stuff from our grunge sparkle mix complete the design. (When turning in the design, Deryn wrote in her email how much she "loves working with the grunge sparkle" and commented how its one of her favorite objects and elements products).

Barbe torch-fired a gorgeous blue enamel onto the copper bird blank to create a colorful Paris necklace using our letters and numbers, which she added some French book text and sealed in ICE Resin. I'll be showing Barbe's fanciful necklace in the future, so all you have right now is a "sneak peek" of the project.

I hope today's post gave you some soaring inspiration as you head into the holiday season.

Have an artful day everyone! -- Jen

The Wonderful R, aka Richard Salley

Today is indeed a lucky day. Not only did the super talented Richard Salley agree to be our objects and elements Guest Artist, but he took our humble request a step further and did a mini-tutorial for you. His inspiration for this piece: A rusty paint jar lid and our brass bracelet blank.

No wonder Jane (his wife and one of our design team members) has nicknamed him the Wonderful R. After taking a look at Richard's project/tutorial below, be sure to read his objects and elements Guest Artist Q&A.

***

Found Object Hinged Bracelet

By Richard Salley

Step 1: See something beautiful in a rusty paint jar lid.

Step 2.  Cut a circle (or use a metal punch) from our patterned brass sheet and use a jeweler's saw to cut a slit down the center.

Step 3. Dome the circle with a dapping block and insert recycled silk sari fibers through the slot.

Step 4. Secure the fibers with a piece of wire on the underside of the circle.

Step 5. Etch the blank brass cuff

Step 6. Fabricate some hinges on either side of the bracelet and attach using objects and elements brass eyelets. 

Step 7. Use a jeweler's saw to cut a strap from brass sheet to serve as the hinge. Insert brass wire into strap and hinge.

Step 8. Add heishi beads for spacers. Draw a bead at either end with torch to secure strap

 

Step 9. Attach rusted lid to hinge strap using objects and elements mini nuts and screws.

Step 10. Attach brass dome with fibers to rusty paint lid with brass wire.

Step 11. Apply patina to entire piece and then polish to bring out highlights.

 Viola! Finished piece.

***

We hope you enjoyed that tutorial and Richard's gorgeous piece as much as we did. If you'd like to learn more from Richard in a beautiful setting (and get the honor of drinking a pitcher of margaritas with him) check out his upcoming workshop in Mexico. He's teaching at the Hacienda Mosaico in Puerto Vallarta January 24-30th, 2010. A few spots are still available.

You can also see his work at Richard's website and read more on his blog.

 

Lady of the court

One of the things we love about Design Team member Barbe Saint John is that she has a wonderful imagination and ensures that every piece she creates is connected to some kind of story.

A modern-day alchemist, Barbe turns broken, rusty, old, sometimes ugly and tarnished things into new and fabulous art to wear.

For one of her monthly submissions, Barbe discovered an antique button in her stash. Rather than using it as is to create a bracelet, she decided to make a ICE Resin cast replica of the button.

"It turned out Medieval-looking and I immediately thought it looked like something the ladies of Camelot would wear," she says. "I named it the Morgana bracelet."

Digging around in her objects and elements drawer, she came upon our recycled glass discs and thought, "Hey, chain maille!" Handmade sterling jump rings woven with red glass rings form the bracelet chain. The non toxic clear resin cast button fits perfectly into our inexpensive brass resin bezels.

Even Barbe's handmade clasp dovetails with her Medieval theme. Gotta love a simple hook-and-eye closure!

New ICE Resin Website

It's official; Our new website dedicated to all things ICE Resin™ is ready for its premiere debut!

We've been working to build the site over the past few weeks. Our skillful web guru, aka Devin, worked his magic with the code. The brilliant Karen Michel made it look all purdy (pretty). I wrote/edited the articles. Susan and Linda did the step-out tutorials on how to properly mix and pour our non toxic resin. Linda acted as chief, overseeing the project and keeping us all on task. Our wonderful Design Team ladies lent us images of their beautiful jewelry made with ICE resin and other objects and elements bezels and components.

It was a team effort, and all and all, we are thrilled to give birth to this new site that, hopefully, answers every question you've ever had about working with ICE.

And now....here's where YOU come in. We need help getting the word out about our new website. If you have a personal blog or website and you add a link to www.iceresin.com we'll give you a 10% discount on your next resin order at ObjectsandElements.com. Kelli is our amazingly efficient and talented store manager, so be sure to send her a personal "hello" when ordering.

Add the link in your blog roll for blogs or on your homepage for websites, and when you check out at the objects and elements store, enter the word "appreciation" as the coupon code. Make your anchor text (the text that is underlined) say ice resin or non toxic craft resin, rather than the full website URL, because it really helps the search engines find us better. (Technical advice courtesty our web guru Devin.)

If you're a store owner looking to have someone teach a resin project, please click on our link of certified instructors. We're in the process of getting more certification classes together and will be adding more instructors soon.

If you're a jewelry designer who teaches and is interested in our certification classes, please check out the site for more information on how to apply.

Thanks again to everyone who uses our ICE Resin™ and tells the world about how wonderful it is to work with. We believe in it so much that we can't wait for jewelry makers and crafters everywhere to get their hands on it. Our absolute best advertising is word-of-mouth from you. We can't tell you enough how much we appreciate our talented customers.

Have an artful day! -- Jen

Resin, paper, photos...

While I've been focusing on jewelry-making, I still create college, assemblage and memory journals. 

A friend introduced me to scrapbooking a decade ago when my son was born. It made sense to chronicle his life, but it went against my inner artist to buy pre-made embellishments. I began learning and incorporating altered techniques, and discovered college jewelry around that same time.

Five years ago, I met Susan. I'm proof of the saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." I went through a Susan class craze (I call it SLK-U, as in SLK University). We struck an immediate friendship, and before I knew it, I was assisting her classes, mostly helping the crafters in the room, such as myself, navigate a new language of cold-joins and jewelry.  

It was during this time I was searching for a product beyond gel medium to seal and protect my work. Susan introduced me to her signature ICE Resin™.

(Note: There are a number of options to seal your work, but you may have to play around with them to find the perfect match for you. Many of the resin and/or glaze formulas reconstitute in water, require a UV light, or contain chemicals. 

Handcrafted Jewelry 2009, published by the editors of Beadwork Magazine, did a great job explaining the differences with their article, "A Crafter's Guide to Resins.")   

This little memory journal came about when I was recently creating a class sample while staring down a deadline for our new ICE Resin website. This memory journal fit the bill of doing something non-jewelry related while still teaching others how to use photographs and paper with our resin.

The big bezel on the cover is a photograph of my son and baby daughter that's been altered and sealed in a lovely layer of ICE. The small collages are images created by Beth Rimmer, a fabulous digital designer, set into our brass resin bezels, which are terrific for college. The paper is by my fav paper arts company, 7Gypsies.  

If you wish to learn how to use photographs (for any genre of art project) with ICE Resin, please visit our new website for instructions.

-- Jen

Playing with Fire, aka Torch safety

Thanks for all your comments regarding Jane's metal texturizing tutorial! We received some questions on the blog and also via email about what kind of torch to buy, what kind of fireproof set up should one have, etc., so we decided to delve into this topic further.

It seems silly to tell you to be careful when using fire, but we'd be remiss if we didn't. If you are just beginning to learn metalsmithing, you might want to invest in the small butane torch. It's a perfect first step in torch-buying because they're inexpensive and replacement gas is easily available at your local hardware store. Plus, you can always whip up a luscious creme brulee when company comes to dinner!

These little torches are wonderful in learning how to play with fire. Get some inexpensive copper sheet and watch the colors emerge when direct flame is applied to the metal.  It's also pretty on brass, as the color turns from bright to a warm, antique finish in seconds. Adding patina to metal with fire will also teach you how to hold and aim a torch, which will help you get comfortable with the process. 

You will need a protective surface when using a torch. ObjectsandElements.com carries an annealing pan with pumice stone and also a ceramic soldering board for exactly this purpose. Please do NOT experiment with a torch unless you have the proper set up in place.

Here are some other basic safety rules, courtesy our friend Jane Salley to keep in mind:

1. Use a fire proof surface and keep anything flammable/burnable out of the immediate area.  If you are using the torch indoors, have a fire extinguisher on hand.
 
2. Make sure you have everything you need to complete the task within easy reach.
 
3. Have pliers or tongs dedicated to the torch station.  You don't want to be putting a flame to your “good” jewelry pliers.  Leather gloves are great to assist with awkward hot items
 
4. Have a small bucket of water handy for quenching.
 
5. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for lighting the type of torch you are using. 
 
6. Use eye protection – you never know when something is going to pop, spit or splatter.
 
7. Once you light the torch, consider everything at the torch station hot.  This sounds overly cautious, but it is very easy to burn yourself on something you didn't think was still hot.

8. Don't be distracted when you are using the torch.  If distractions are likely, just put off your torching to a time when you can give it your full attention.  You don't want to hurt yourself or ruin your project.

These are just some basic safety guidelines and not a complete collections of all the possible considerations.  If you are going to be working with a torch frequently, invest in some books so that you can be fully informed.

**

Now get into your studios and start playing (safely!) with fire. -- Jen

Texturizing technique at objects and elements

Today's technique is brought to you by ObjectsandElements.com Design Team Member Jane Salley. She's teaching us how to texturize and color copper sheet (although the same technique can be used on bronze, brass, and sterling silver sheet metal).

  (This is the finished project of Jane's texturizing technique. Steps to follow:)

***

By Jane Salley

1. To texture this piece of sheet copper I have chosen the objects and elements Texturing Hammer Crosshatch & Stars. I will be using the Stars side of the head. I pad my bench block with an old mouse pad to deaden the sound. (You can also use a pounding pad to cushion the blows.)

2. Strike the copper firmly, spreading the blows evenly over the copper until it has hardened.

3. Using a torch (small butane will do) anneal the copper. While the copper is being annealed a patina will appear. Stop torching before the metal gets black and ashy. The lovely colors of the patina may be lost if the copper gets too hot.

4. Add more texture with the hammer. If the copper hardens before the proper texture is achieved anneal again being careful not to make the metal black and ashy.

5. You can decide to stop here if you like what you have and put on a coat of finishing wax.

6. Choose 3 or 4 colors of oil pastels to add interest and depth. I chose teal, light and medium greens, and a peach to compliment the color of the copper.

7. Rub the oil pastels into the dents and crevices. I like using cotton swabs because they hold the color allowing in to be pushed into all the low spots.

8. Gently flame the surface of the colored to melt the oil pastel and get some more oxidation on the copper.

9. While the metal is still warm (not hot) add a little more color where needed.

10. Buff the pastel off the high spots until you get the look you want. You can repeat steps 6-9 until it's just the way you want it. Be careful not to burn the oil pastels when flaming it.

11. Apply a coat of finishing wax and buff according to the manufacturer's instructions.

This is the finished piece of copper and the earrings I made from it.

***

Thanks Jane for showing us how to properly texturize our metals. Ok, dear readers, here's a heads up to the next Reader Challenge. Get into your studios within the next week to 10 days and get some metal texturized and ready to go. I'll be posting the challenge in 2 weeks.

Here's wishing you an artful day! -- Jen

 

From our Design Team: Simple and Stunning

There are times when we all dig through our jewlery box looking for the perfect simple necklace or bracelet to accessorize a jeans-and-T-shirt kind of day. When our design team members Barbe, Deryn and Kristen all turned in some minimal, yet beautiful, designs I ooohed and ahhed over the pictures. Take a look: 

 

Barbe created her Moderne necklace by first cutting a rectangle bar from copper sheet using her jeweler's saw. She attached three objects and elements enameled discs to the copper sheet with our mini nuts and screws. The cascading circles, each size smaller than the previous, gives the design elegance and motion. Raw brass chain link is the casual finishing touch.

Aren't Deryn's Red Saucer earrings lovely? Created by punching copper circles with a disc cutter and dapping them, she added color with a borax patination solution. She attached the pearls with mini nuts and screws and formed her own ear wires from 20 gauge sterling wire.

Finally, I think Kristen's bracelet is the perfect accessory for a casual work day. She used her chasing hammer on 14 gauge sterling wire to create a forged bangle. She filled our small open-backed bezel in bronze with the word "Grace" suspended in ICE Resin. Bead dangles strung with 22 gauge bronze wire, dipped in liver of sulpher to age the metal add the extra bling that takes it from simple to stunning.

Thanks for looking. Have an Artful day!  -- Jen

Hooray for PEPE tools

Linda wanted me to let you all know we've received a new shipment of PEPE Tools, specifically the Combination Disc Cutter and the 23 piece Dap and Die set. Linda and Susan swear by PEPE tools. Susan says she typically goes through at at least two disc cutters per year in her classes, but has used her new PEPE set for a year now and it still cuts like butter.

This cutter produces perfect little metal circles from soft metals up to 12 guage thickness. It's a great way to use up your small metal scraps and easily get a great base shape to work with. PEPE disc cutters are individually machined and tempered to perfection.

Susan's been using a PEPE Dap and Die set for years in her class workshops. This set is still in great shape and has definitely been put through the paces. For those of you who do production work, we're also carrying the PEPE Jump Ring Maker.

As a matter of fact, we're jonsing to tell our PEPE rep the company ought to create an endorsements area on their website and list ObjectsandElements.com as its number 1 fan.

These sets are $148.00 each ($149.00 for the jump ring maker), but Christmas and Hanukkah are right around the corner. Now just might be the time to put it on your wish list.

I can see my letter to Santa this year:

Dear Santa,

Please bring me a new jewelry studio outfitted with all the best tools. Please throw in 2 little magical elves to stay at my house who come out at night and clean my studio every evening while I sleep so I can wake up fresh and ready to work each morning. While they're at it, can you have them magically clean the rest of the house too. It'd be a shame if it was only my studio that looked nice and tidy every day.

Give Rudolph a big kiss for me!

Love, your friend

Jen

Preserving Nature Tutorial

Here's a technique I've developed to incorporate fragile objects into strong, permenent works of Jewelry art. (Note: This article originally appeared in Handcrafted Jewelry, a special 2009 issue from the editors of Beadwork magazine.)

By Susan Lenart Kazmer

Supplies:

• ICE Resin®
• Large bezel or frame,  Jumbo Backless Open Triangle Bezel from www.objectsandelements.com
• Contact paper or very sticky tape
• Dried pressed flower
• Small scrap of paper with appropriate words
• Small dry stick
• Chain or Neck Ring
• Strip of torn silk fiber (we used a piece from our Fiber Bundle at www.objectsandelements.com
• 16 gauge wire with bead drawn on each end about 5” long
• Optional: Oil Pastels or oil paint, wire working pliers, headpin and stones for the dangle piece

1. Attach bezel to contact paper and warm with fingers to make sure that it is solidly adhered to prevent leaks.

2. Mix ICE Resin® to package instructions. Pour a thin layer in the bezel and arrange the paper and dried flower to a pleasing arrangement. Add more resin to fill, but not over the top edge. Place a warm task light over the piece to release the bubbles and leave on a flat surface to dry for at least 6 hours.

3. With the extra resin coat the dry stick with a thick coat of resin using a disposable brush or a rolled up piece of paper towel. Leave on a garbage bag or non-stick craft sheet to dry.

4. After the flower and bezel piece is dry, leave on a very flat surface and pour resin carefully into the bezel until it domes.  Leave to dry completely without moving!  It’s easiest to do this by dropping the resin off the stir stick or using a tiny disposable squeeze bottle.  Use the extra to coat the stick again.

5. When all the resin is completely dry, remove the contact paper and smooth the back if needed and clean up any spills. Using snips clean off any extra resin on the stick and then knock the shine down with steel wool.  You can also rub in some brown oil paint to make it more realistic.

6.Take the 16 Gauge wire and draw a bead on each end, quench and then hammer flat like a ribbon.  Anneal (soften) by heating thoroughly with a torch and allowing to cool. Take a large pair of round pliers and start curling it to fit around the stick.  Attach the pendant while you are doing this by stringing onto the wire.

9. Finish Assembly by wrapping a torn strip of fine silk fabric around the stick and then attaching to the neck ring or chain. Make it natural looking and leave an end hanging.  If you want to add a hanging piece to the bottom of the pendant use a charm (in this case a piece of hand blown glass) and attach by casually looping wire and finishing with a wrap.