ObjectsandElements.com

This is how I organize my sterling wire. Most of it is not spooled so this works the best of anything I've found and holds a remarkable amount of wire! Its a plastic file folder that has several sections and also has a flap with a handle so it's easy to carry. Easily found in any office supply store. I put labels on each section of the gauge and it's easy to find the right gauge when working. It's also easy to take to class!

Recycled Bullet Shells for Tough Chicks!

This is Kami....she has been involved in Objects and Elements since the beginning and now is living in Seattle going to school.  She is our "person on the street" who lets us know what is hip and cool.  She also does all the sketches we use in our packaging.  

 This is the bracelet that she made recently out of some of the bullet shells we carry.

 As you can see she drilled the ends and then threaded a .5 mm leather cord through to weave them together.  She used a crimp end to finish off the leather cord and then attached a lobster clasp.

 Then Kami discovered our cool spikes in two sizes and attached as many as she could to a rolo chain with jump rings and added a lobster clasp. 

So if you want to be hip like Kami you may want to make some STRONG jewelry.  And you could add some bling in between the spikes :)  

Our newsletter sign up is not working on our new website template so I'm going to give you the code for our free shipping offer that went out with the newsletter this week.  Just put "FreeShipping" in the discount code box on any order over $25.  Thanks for reading!  Linda

WOW, I can't thank you all enough for all your great ideas....How fun to have ideas from others who do the same kind of work! I have learned some things here and I'm sure that everyone who has been reading has too. It was hard to pick the winners as they were all great, but this week The Overflowing Stash AND the saw blade tubes go to Heather W, Kait and Kim for being as OCD as I am! Don't forget anyone who places an order on ObjectsandElements.com can get the saw blade tubes just by asking in the remarks...I'd send them to everyone if I could afford all the postage!

Organize Me!

If you have been reading my blog for awhile you know my goal was to get some serious organizing done the week after Christmas--and I did!  Of course things kept creeping into my week but I fought off what I I could and made some real progress.  Here are some of my favorite things I got done and what I learned.....

I had these lovely vintage bottle that I found and I put my saw blades in them.  The label shows the size along with the right gauge sheet metal.  I can never remember so it's right there!  I also opened the packets and the blades are loose.  I get frustrated when I'm sawing and break a blade and have to sit and futz with the silly wire trying to get my blade loose!           

                                     

I also have all these punches that needed an easy home that I could grab and move to the work bench.  

My best tip for organizing?   If everything has a place then it's easy to clean up!  I am really lucky to have a big studio space--I've sacrificed a garage for my black car and have to scrape ice--but it's worth it!  

I like my pliers on this Organizer and have two, one for older trashed and steel pliers and the other for my better ones.  

I prefer drawers to bins because I don't have to stack them.  The small boxes on top are the items I'm always reaching for; eyelets, jump rings, head pins, washers...I can just grab the right box and I have a lot in there to sort through to find the exactly perfect piece!  yes, I like dolly parts in jars....what does that say about me?

                                  

Most things are in drawers but somethings just look nice out where I can see them...notice that beautiful sunshine coming through the window on a Seattle winter day!

     

Leave a comment with your favorite organizing tip and I'll send a set of tubes to my favorites so you can make your own saw blade holders :)  I'm on vacation next week......it is 
medically necessary" to go to the warmth and sunshine in the winter...Linda 

 

The winners for Fork Art are Karen Burns, Shirley Moore and Alice! send me your snail mail address and I'll send you a stash packet and a fork to play with...Linda

RECALL.....just in case you didn't hear the Worthington Brand of MAPP gas has been recalled because of a faulty seal. Please take any that you have to your local hardware store and they will refund your purchase. You can sub out Propane for now until MAPP is available.

Fork Art

I like to cruise through the local antique stores just to see if there is anything there that I "need".   I have a fairly large collection of old silver plate--it's perfect when you have a party as extras and I love that it doesn't match, I hate using paper and plastic.  When I found the bin of $1 forks I was thrilled!   In this area that's a steal.  I quickly snapped them all up and this is what I made with one of them today.  

                                  

 

This ring is very cool on--that photo didn't turn out of course.  I like it on the middle finger splayed out over the ring finger.

I was inspired to make this ring when I saw a cheap ring someone was wearing.  It was ugly but I liked that it went over two fingers.    I also loved that the fork had a spot for a monogram on the end.  I stamped it in with two sizes of alpha punches after I softened the metal.

I started by sawing the handle off the fork with my jeweler's saw.  I used a Size 2 blade  as it was the heaviest size on my work bench.  It was very easy to do.  I filed the raw edges to make them rounded and smooth.

Carefully heat the handle to avoid bubbling the silver plate.  This will soften it so you can forge it.

I bent the small end of the handle of the fork with the heaviest pliers on my bench.   It's hard work but can be done if you move the metal slowly.  

You can probably make this ring without the ring mandrel though I used it to help me get the size correct.  

I still had the fork end, so I just started playing with it.  It has such a sweet pattern on it I had to finish it into something.  

Start by heating the fork and then drilling a hole in the stem.  Always make a mark with a Center Punch so the drill bit doesn't skitter.  

 

Take a pair of round nose pliers and start randomly curling the tines of the fork

                                          

 

This fork is great for a diet...

   

Use a scrap of sterling wire and make a loosely wrapped loop then tie on a ribbon or add to a chain and go.  Two pieces of jewelry for $1!

If you leave a comment I will do a random drawing and send some of you a lovely fork to work with!  

 

Audrey Hepburn please....

My cute niece Shay came over to play in my studio during the holidays and I made these earrings for her.   She likes to channel her inner Audrey Hepburn and these new steel bows grabbed her right away.  I thought they should be black and white--very Coco Chanel and chic like Audrey.  

                

                                                                

I just took the steel bow and punched a hole in each end with my handy Hole Punch Pliers.  I used the Painting with Fire method of heating my steel to glowing then dipping in the enamel.  It really works great and counter enamels at the same time!   Then I used a silver headpin made from wire by drawing a bead.  Usually when you do pearls you have to make your own headpin unless you want to drill out the holes.  I like a chubby wrap and then added ear wires or make your own.  They are adorable on and perfect for Valentines day!  The cost of materials was under $3.00 a pair.

 

                      

This pair of heart earrings could easily be customized with an alphabet stamp set by putting your statement on them.

It's a two minute project, use the left broken heart and the right broken heart, brass ear wires and rhinestone rondelles.  The cost of materials is only #2.30 a Pair!  Send a message to someone with these cuties.  

If you want to be entered in our weekly drawing  leave a comment!  

 

Oooooh La La...French Faces for all who made me laugh!

Several years ago when I was scouring the flea markets of France, I found these wonderful faces that just had to be shared.  Of course life got busy and they got buried....Then miracles happen! and the wonderful Helga Strauss of ARTchix Studio was in my resin class at the Bead and Button show...I have LONG admired her work and her website so I was very excited to have her come over to play...she lives in Victoria,, British Columbia which is right up the "beach" from Seattle.  We are now working together on some collage sheets as I have lots of fun images and no skills and she does such a great job of them...she just finished this one below and it's my favorite!  There are some seriously wonky eyes here!  Check out the guy second from the bottom on the right!  Helga has generously offered to allow me to give away a sheet to everyone who commented on the latest blog--I just could not narrow it down!!  

If you commented on the last blog on "eyes" you made me laugh! and if you left a comment and want a copy of this sheet,  send an email to me at linda@objectsandelements.com and you will get a code to download the images and print them. This offer expires February 1, 2012  Just in case you hate cutting, we have a paper punch that will cut them perfectly and very shortly some new bezels that they will fit perfectly in.   I finally have power and heat and can get back to work so a new blog is in the works.....love the comments!!!

Linda                                           

                                            

Don't Look if you are Squeamish...

There are two trains of thought when it comes to eyeballs in jewelry--obviously a hot topic.  I love the  eyes that we carry on Objects and Elements but "The Girls"  think they are creepy!  This piece is made with our Vintage Doll Eye that actually blinks...but don't miss the Fat Cat Eyes, Doll Eyes, Glass Eyes and some in various colors.  

I've been playing with molding putty, resin and some of the hardware that I have collected to make lightweight pieces that I can use in my jewelry designs.   I like the depth and vintage look that the hardware gives.  To make the mold mix the putty one to one and knead together with your finger tips until it's one color.  Don't do it in a balled up fist or for too long or it will set up before you make the mold.

                                                     

Make a "patty" slightly larger than the hardware and push the hardware in deep enough to get the full imprint.  Don't push through the back.   

     

let it set up for about half an hour and remove the original.  

 

    

I like to let the mold cure for at least one day before I pour resin into it--three is better.  It makes a real bubbly resin peice if you get too impatient.  Mix the resin according to the package directons and pour into the mold.  Let dry overnight and remove.  Once the resin piece is dry you can paint color or patina anyway you like.  I ususally spray paint mine black to start with and then use Gilder's Paste in layers to get a nice patina look.  I also sometimes use Espresso Ink dribbled on to darken the deep areas just like a natural patina.  If you want more specific instructions go to the Patina Blog.  

The cool thing about the resin hardware pieces is that they are easily drilled and cut to make them work.  I had this flower piece on my workbench and also the eye looking for a cool place to go and one day it just dawned on me that they would work together!  I drilled out the center and patched the patina and popped the eye in--love it!   

Weigh in about how you feel about eyes and the two funniest answers will get a packet from The Overflowing Stash and a set of eyes!