ObjectsandElements.com

How to Make a Quick Mixed Media Pendant

 
The "girls" at the office laughed when I got my treasure box from Germany full of Frozen Charlottes and dolly parts and pieces.  Then they tried to figure out what one would do with some of them and came up with this project idea.   

They decided to use a Peacock Feather for the tassel or "body" of the piece.  Use a scrap of wire and tightly wrap the top of the feather.  String on a washer or two to give space inside the head and also to keep it from pulling through the hole in the top of the head.  

                                           

Use a punch from a Dapping Set to form the Flourish Petal to the size and shape of the Flacon Googly Head.  Check the Patina Blog if you want to age the petal piece.  

String all the pieces on in the correct order.  You can grind the edges of the ceramic head with a grinding wheel, wear a respirator because you don't know this vintage material has in it.

 

Do a wire wrapped loop at the top to hold it all together.

 

                                       

Viola!  You have a fun pendant.  You could exchange some of the feathers for a more fiber fringe, see the  Fringe Post for ideas.  Have a great weekend, summer is almost over!

Renaissance Wax...why? Because I hate brash bronze!

I love it when I learn from other artists that I am in contact with.  I had a customer that wanted to know more about Renaissance Wax and piqued my curiosity so I got some and tried it.  I am now a convert to this nice little tin of wax.

I started to notice that my bronze pieces that I patinaed with heat kind of got a harsh look over time like this piece below.

See how harsh looking the bronze part is around the button that is tab-set in it?   I've discovered that sealing the finish with  Renaissance Wax will stop this progression.  The color of the piece remains where I want it.  It's hard to see the difference in the piece below in a photo, but the bronze is much softer chocolate and will stay this color.

 

I love working with bronze and the yummy chocolate color I get.  Here is how I get there.....

first I heat to glowing to anneal the piece to soften make it easier to work on.  I'm using MAPP gas which is inexpensive to use and easy to find at the hardware store in the plumbing department.  Make sure to use a fire brick or ceramic soldering board.  If you use this hot of gas on a household ceramic tile it can break and may cause damage.

After shaping it exactly how I want, I polish it up....

 After polishing, I lightly heat the piece again and let it cool naturally to bring it to the desired color.  Then I coat the metal  with a very small amount of Renaissance Wax and set aside to dry.

 After it's dry, buff up with a soft rag and you will get a nice finish and soft glow.

 

Love this bronze color!

Renaissance Wax was developed for use in the British Museum. A tiny amount goes a long way and lasts a very long time. It is Acid neutral, water and alcohol resistant, preferred by museums worldwide for protecting furniture, leather, marble, paintings and metal.  Will not stain or discolor with aging.

A small dab goes a long way, unlike most waxes that need generous application. Use a minimal amount, rub lightly, and buff if a gloss is desired. The long-lasting preservation reduces the need for frequent maintenance. Indefinite shelf life; no "polish smell;" no added fragrance to endanger material.

 

 

 

Using Nickel Silver....a frugal alternative to sterling

I recently made this cold join piece from bronze and nickel silver.  I had to remake the top piece and decided that I liked it enough to "spring" for sterling.  After I cut out the sterling and replaced the nickel silver, I was surprised to find that I really couldn't see the difference.  After working with so much nickel silver recently I didn't really care for the softness of the sterling.  The 3x3 square of sterling that I used is valued at approximately $75 on today's market and the nickel silver is $4.75 for the same size sheet!   

The only downside to Nickel Silver is that there are some people who are allergic to it.  If you are making jewelry for re-sale you need to clearly mark it.  I have been working with it a lot more lately and am really starting to like it a LOT.  In the kind of work I like to do (very handmade rustic)  I love the looks I can get from it and like to mix it with bronze to keep things interesting.    In this photo below, the wire and top sheet are nickel silver and the bottom sheet is sterling.

You  can polish it up very nicely and if you don't like your results you can toss into your "random pieces" pile to start over instead of crying....

The scratched out finish on the "stop" piece is one of my favorites finishes right now.  I use a piece of fine sandpaper and sand the surface changing my direction frequently but keeping a straight line as best as possible.  The glass piece is a vintage tricycle reflector and both are made with 22 gauge nickel silver sheet, the patina is heat.

  

The piece below was made with 22 gauge nickel silver sheet,  22 gauge bronze sheet, 12 gauge nickel silver wire and 12 gauge sterling wire---really, I CAN'T TELL WHICH IS THE STERLING!  The 12 gauge nickel silver wire runs about 50 cents a foot.  You will need strong tools and will build some good muscles as it is stiffer than sterling.

I'm kind of staple crazy right now as I'm working on cold join classes for 2012.  I'll be blogging on them sometime in the future...they are so fun!    

See more on the Staple Bezel Blog for a simple staple to get your creative ideas flowing...