OscarCrow Handmade Jewelry

Marking out accurately measuring and marking on metal.

2012-02-20T08:44:00.000-06:00

Part of making jewelry is buying the components at a good price. I have discovered a good source for acquiring lots of parts is Ebay. More stuff than you will ever need. Everything in this shot is from sellers there. The first three rings on the left are from Hong Kong....sterling with fake stones.I paid .99 for each with $4 shipping for the 3.I will pull the cheap stones and under neath is a good shank that can be used..even the mounting can be modified to work in a custom made piece. Going around the top row in this picture we have some sterling mountings from jamminggems on ebay $11-18 each and they are prepared with proper easy to mount prongs already notched. The stones are real, quartz, peridot, and citrine. They come from Thailand and cost on average $5 The cutting is perfect..buying smart I get these at the price of glass and they drop right into the pre-notched mounts. The bottom pieces are today's project.

A rectangular druzy and a bit of gallery wire already bent around the stone and a sterling band are ready to become a ring. But first we need to measure and transfer the size to the sheet metal for the base. Instead of measuring and marking or tracing around like I showed last time I wanted to show you the right way. Using a pair of dividers from the hardware store we can accurately measure and mark all at once and do it perfectly.

Dividers are like a compass with two points. These are machinists dividers. Place them across the length careful to leave a tiny gap between the wire bezel and the point.

Place the dividers on the metal and pull across with one point over the edge of the metal.

This leaves a perfectly parallel scratch the length of the bezel.

Do the same with the width.

Now we have a squared up rectangle ready to be cut out.

Put the stone into the bezel and place it onto the sheet. If it matches(and it will) cut out the piece of sheet stock with your jewelers saw.

Some folks will try to tell you the saw is slow, but its very accurate if used correctly. We have made the base plate for the ring sized correctly with very little to file off and never used a ruler. Simple and accurate. The divider is your friend.And they are inexpensive. Here is a link to some that are similar to the ones I used here and they sell for less than $6 http://www.jewelrytools.com/eurotool/jewelry-dividers/Divider-3-Inches.html

This is the finished ring.Next time we will explore those HK mounts and make another drusy mount to fit.

Ring Construction using pattern wire and sheet.

2012-02-09T10:21:00.000-06:00

Sometimes we find a stone that has a non standard size or shape. This rose quartz is a good example. It is a high dome cabochon that has lovely color and is 19x22 mm in size. A standard calibrated mounting is not available in this size. So we will make one to fit. Because the base should be fairly thick and sterling is expensive in 20 gauge I chose single clad silver filled sheet http://www.riogrande.com/Product/3-1-10-Silver-Filled-Single-Clad-Sheet-20-Ga/105379?pos=3. This is bronze with a layer of sterling 10% by weight on one side of the sheet. In the picture you can see the bronze side. I also used gallery wire 4mm wide and a double half round sterling wire for the shank.

First step is to cut a piece of gallery wire close to the circumference of the stone making sure it will be able to overlap by 1/4 inch. Form it roughly to the cabochon by wrapping and pressing it to the stone.

Next using a sharpie fine point marker and holding the wire wrapped around the stone mark the length on both ends at once.

Next cut through this mark and file flat the ends so they will meet up evenly with no gap.

It should look like this. The pattern wont always match but don't try to make it match because it wont fit the stone if you do.

Here it is sitting on a ceramic soldering taper. I soldered the bezel with hard solder. You will want to have 3-4 grades of solder to do a project like this at first because the hard melts at a higher temperature than the medium which is used to solder the bezel to the plate..and use soft or easy for the shank attachment. This keeps previous joins from coming apart.

next insert the stone and form the bezel to fit exactly by pushing on the base of the bezel all around.

Next trace the shape loosely onto the backing sheet and cut it out. I use a jewelers saw for this...shears will distort the metal and you want this to be perfectly flat to solder on the bezel.

Set the stone and bezel on the cutout sheet to confirm it fits The remove the stone and pickle both pieces to clean and prepare them for soldering. I place the pieces on a wire grid on top of a soldering tripod..you can use a charcoal block or ceramic soldering block as well. Place chips of solder around the inside edge of the bezel wire and apply flux to the whole thing. Then heat the base with a soft flame and when the flux melts begin to move the point of the flame around the inside heating the area to be joined until the solder flows.

You can see the solder flowed well and has round all around the edge attaching the bezel to the plate. Put this in the pickle pot and when it is clean the silver will be white and ready for the next step.

I chose this traditional double wire and bent it around the ring mandrel after sawing through the center to form the Y shape which will be supporting the large stone.

I next filed the edge of the base to the edge of the bezel and smoothed it with an emery board.

Here the shank wire is prepared and the points of attachment filed flat. At this point it is good to file the ends smooth and remove sharp edges.

Place it on the base and using easy solder attach the shank, then pickle again and begin the finishing process. File first, any rough edges then using emery boards or sandpaper in 400 grit wrapped around a stick smooth the file marks away. Then using your favorite rotary tool like a heatless mizzy wheel polish all surfaces.

I finished with a wire brush and some bobbing compound on a rotary buff.

The inside should be finished with clear or milky stones because the surface will show through the stone. Here I used a rotary nylon brush and tripoli to give a smooth finish.

The all that is left is to mount the stone. If you are successful in making the bezel the right size the stone should sit with no wiggle in the bottom of the plate. If you are using an opaque stone glue can be used.. In my case I used the tall prong tops to hold the stone by pushing them against the stone all around. I always start at 1-3-6-9 around the clock then when the stone is locked in do the rest of the prongs until the stone doesn't rattle.

And there we have the final result a custom made ring.

Bezels Wire and strip to frame and support.

2012-01-30T15:58:00.000-06:00

When i see a piece fit for a pendant or focal in a constructed piece I don't always have the luxury or the limitation of having a fixed standard size. This bone rose cab is a good example. It was carved from bone and the artist used the size of the bone to determine how big the final cab would be. The artist did not make it a "calibrated size" So a pre-made bezel or frame wont fit. The solution is a wire frame or bezel.

Using 22 gauge square copper wire I first surrounded the cab with care and left about 1 inch extra and trimmed the wire. Next since the wire was springy half hard I annealed it to soften and create a pliable material.

Fitting the wire close to the cab and then looping it through the hole at the top was the first step.

This close up shows how I bent the wire from the edge of the cab to the back and through the hole. Catching the left over tail I secured the wire with flat nose pliers.

Then I choose some bronze half hard round wire in 28 gauge and started to wrap a few coils around the copper then through the bone and going clockwise around the piece, drilling through where appropriate I bound the copper to the bone cab. It is a casual look to be sure but it matches the rough style of the carving.

On the back side you can see 3 crossovers that support the back. The right angle bends are made with flat pliers to tighten the wire.

Here is another type of bezel. A classic low wall to hold a cab. This also could be used to contain Ice Resin or other materials. Start by wrapping the thin 30 gauge bezel wire around the focal.

While holding it tight to the focal I used a fine point sharpie to mark both ends of the metal.

This overlap gives a starting point for cutting the length.

Ideally you will cut through with saw or clippers and have the ends held together by just the metals curve.

Here I have heated the join with the torch and applied a brazing wire which flowed across and sealed the two ends. Unfortunately the heat caused the metal to move a little and the ends are offset. If this happens cut through and re flow the metal.

A test fit shows the bezel is close enough for this type of application where glue will be used to secure the cab.

Next a suitable background is marked with the outline of the bezel.

The ink from a sharpie will last through texturizing but when the metal is heated to attach the bezel it will evaporate at about the same temperature as the metal will flow.

I have placed the textured background onto the soldering grid and around the edge applied some wire brazing rod. The torch needs to heat the overall structure of the background plate and the bezel at the same time. When sufficient heat has been applied the temperature will reach the melt point of the wire and it will flow around the seam. You can draw the braze to the heat by using the sharp blue tip of the flame.

You can see it fills the gaps and looks better than either silver solder or soft solder would since it is the same color as the copper.

The focal piece has a pitted surface and I added pits to the metal background to tie the pieces together. This will be wire brushed to remove some of the darker scale but retain the color on the copper. It is destined for a larger art piece made in copper and silver. We will revisit bezels later and try to make a standard silversmith style stone setting.

Forming Filigree with a Rawhide Hammer

2012-01-15T19:50:00.000-06:00

Filigree is very often used in making bracelets and because it is very work hardened by the stamping process, forming the curves can be difficult. The usual tools are the mandrel of choice..you can use any hard object...I like the bracelet mandrel best because it is oval and the result can fit an arm better than a round like a pipe. The second tool I prefer is a rawhide hammer. Any soft face non metal hammer will work...metal ones will dent and flatten the stamping and that should be avoided.

First try bending the filigree over the mandrel by hand. If it forms to the curve you are good to go.This one sprang back.

Hitting it over the edge of the mandrel will give you leverage Watch your fingers..I pinched my index finger with the hammer and it hurts! Striking near the mandrel will give less and may move the metal if it is soft enough.

I was able to get it to this form which was not enough for my project.

Heating with the torch will change the color of plated goods like this copper plated piece. Use the soft end of the flame..not the blue tip. Its hard to see in this photo but the blue flame is about 2 inches from the metal while the brushy flame tip is on the metal surface. Heat until the color starts to chase around on the surface and keep the flame moving.

You can see the copper color has dulled a bit but the metal has cooled on the mandrel and is ready to form.

Again strike with the hammer and remember to reverse the piece frequently to avoid an uneven bend..bigger on one side.

You can see how much more the filigree has curved and yet the surface is still deeply rounded. If we had bent this with bail making pliers it would be all wonky and have flat areas and uneven curves...not very professional.

This thinner and smaller filigree has been formed by pushing down with both thumbs at once. But still it springs back... and because it is raw brass, it goes to the torch and is brought to red hot then quenched.

Here the color is nice and dark which will be a good contrast to the copper of the first piece

Copper peeking through the matching forms gives life to the overall concept. Before construction begins , the filigree should be finished with polishing or coloring.

I had a surprise when I tried to anneal this Tim Holtz watch face. The outer bronze plating reticulated as the cheap pot metal inside melted. This brings up one big important fact...know your materials. This is not a real watch face...they are made of very thin and often porcelain covered metal. Use small ones that don't need bending or change the design to something else.

I decided to go with a strip of leaves in three colors..riveted together. They will be formed with the rawhide hammer and mandrel to fit the first two pieces...more on this piece to come. Next time I will show how to do a real basic..a soldered bezel in brass.

Carnelian and filigree ring

2012-01-11T16:25:00.000-06:00

These parts surfaced on my work bench this morning and I immediately knew what to do. A simple 10 minute ring. The base is the floral shank from http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Floral-Ring-5276 The filigree is a mystery to me...I bought it from some one a long time back and it has sat there laughing along with about 2000 other pieces..but today I picked it up and found a stone..real stone...carnelian cabochon in 18x25mm that fit right in. I emphasise real stone because alot of people are using cheap looking but expensive glass or acrylic cabs...this cost 3.00. The same size in decent Czech glass was 4.50. I see no reason to go to artificial costume materials when they are more expensive than the real thing. Unless the color is better.

First step was to punch a hole to rivet the base on. I used my http://www.metalclayfindings.com/product/1000130.aspx rivet and punch tool.

A matching hole is punched in the floral ring.

Then riveted on as you may be able to see here. To set a rivet with this tool you just turn the T-handle and form the head. Neat and quick.

Then after lining up the two components a second hole is punched again by turning the handle.

As you can see this leaves a neat clean and tiny head. Ready for the stone to drop in and to set the prongs.

Stone in place and ready to go. Let me introduce you to my trusty 40 year old prong pusher.

An essential and simple tool. Actually you can use a piece of hard wood or a clothes pin...anything that will push the prong over onto the stone.

Notice that a few on the left are started then a few on the right..then a few top and bottom . This order will insure the stone is evenly set and doesn't move. I always start on the long side to lock in then around the clock skipping a few each time.

The end result is a nicely set cabochon.

Under the daylight in my light box the stones color is a bit cooler and the whole piece looks a little like Victorian Morning jewelry.

The top is 2.25 inches long and sits on the hand very lightly.Because it is curved it is comfortable.

Its off to Etsy to see if someone else wants to have a little Victorian elegance.

Simple steampunk watch case ring with roses.

2012-01-06T10:25:00.000-06:00

The basic components for this type of ring are a vintage watch case with back and a suitable decoration, plus your favorite ring shank. I chose a cigar band in silver plate from http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Cigar-Band-Style-Ring-5533 and a resin floral bar from there as well. They also carry watch cases from time to time in this style.

The first step is to cut off the ends of the decorative bar so it will fit inside the watch case.

Next rivet the case to the shank. I like to use this technique for getting good position on the holes. Punch the first one then rivet it then punch through the ring into the second ensuring an accurate fit.

Next fit the flower decoration into the base and sand or file the top edges to fit the watch case top. As you can see there is a cutout for the stem of the watch to protrude. If you turn the top around so its notch is on the opposite side you wont have a hole into the case. Of course you could fit a crown to a stem and drill through the cab inside and glue it in place for added decoration.

You can see here that the top covers the bottom notch completely.

The resin is easily filed to fit the opening and it makes a nice little accent in the ring.

I used some E-6000 glue to set the flower and to fix the top onto the case.

And its ready for sale...10 minutes tops and sure to be profitable. If you find a silver or gold filled watch case adding a sterling shank would up the panache. And since the strap lugs are still there you could add personal adornments like ribbon or charms to the case.

Make a tab mount for a cabochon from a flat disk

2012-01-02T15:52:00.000-06:00

Have you ever bought a nice bead or cabochon and could not find a mount to match? All you really need is a disk of your favorite metal and a few tools. For this project I used a fine point sharpie, drill bit in a flex shaft or dremel ( you could use a punch) A jewelers saw and texture tools. I added some brazing and fusing in the decoration so a torch and pickle pot are also used.

First decide where you want the stone to sit on the metal form. Draw around the stone to create a pattern for the next step.

I offset the stone toward the bottom and decided on 4 prongs or more correctly tabs since these are flat. Holes are drilled for the saw blade and the connection or bail.

Put the saw blade in the center hole and support the metal flat on your bench pin sawing in a vertical manner. Never tilt the blade or try to saw with no support...you will just struggle. The saw can work better if you add some bit lube or bees wax to the blade. Saw out beyond the circle by 1/8 inch or 3 times the thickness of the metal to accommodate the bend.

Here I have been brazing on the disk for texture and have annealed the disk for texturing. Some people will want to forge with a hammer or other tools to impart texture.

I beat it with a grooved face hammer ,then fused some silver wire to the surface. Further heating and beating led to this form.

After fire you should pickle the metal. I use cold acid pickle in a crock pot. Hot works faster but it stinks and I am never in a hurry so room temp works fine.. White vinegar will work if you have overnight.

Next the tabs are pulled up and trimmed to the final shape after setting the stone in place to mark the length. This is where you can do almost anything to refine the shape. You could round the ends and edges or leave them rough as I did

With the metal brushed with a rotary brush in the flex shaft I am ready to bend the prongs over the stone. In the case of this piece I used a nylon face hammer and tapped them over on to the stone.

The basics are done and the stone (lapis lazuli) is set in textured disk. Next time we will explore some finishing techniques to complete this piece.

New books to read, new metal to work

2011-12-30T09:29:00.000-06:00

My daughter gave me this book for a present. It is one of the most complete overviews of historical jewelry I have ever seen. It has become my leisure time reading lately. Filled with great illustrations of jewelry from all eras and locales it is a valuable design source. I have already made 2 rings from illustrations in the book, duplicating hand forged rings from 2000 BC in Europe. Its worth a look. And since my daughter is a savvy shopper this is probably available at Half-price or similar stores.

This book I purchased for my self. It is like an encyclopedia of technique for silver...and what works for silver works for copper,brass,bronze and other metals. Soldering,shaping,etching,cold connections its all in there with clear photos and concise instructions to get you over the little hurdles in metal working. It is available through Interweave.

Since silver is expensive these days I have been trying alternatives in both wire and sheet. Silver filled is a good alternative especially in wire work. Here are a few sheets of silver filled bronze. The sheet with 380 on it is the back..jewelers bronze or NuGold the others show the front which is clad in sterling silver. The piece on the left is heavily forged..fold formed,hammered for texture and heated repeatedly to anneal. Then pickled. Even before polishing the fine silver color is apparent.I plan to make a ring shank from the top piece with sterling on the inside and the bronze out side. Imagine etching through this sheet with ferric nitrate and revealing the gold layer through the silver...Just as a design element the two color metal has many possibilities. I purchased my single clad 1/10 silver filled sheet from RioGrande.

New inspirations for a New Year...be creative and grow your mind and your art.

Doll Restoration 101 Making new from old broken parts.

2011-12-19T12:56:00.000-06:00

When a treasure like this box shows up in the mail I spend a lot of time sorting and looking for similar or hopefully matching heads and bodies. This time I hit pay dirt.

Among the 350 pieces in that box was this pair of matching doll parts..a head and shoulders and a body. To recreate the original doll form that is over 100 years old is the goal. I start with a mold box and place a layer of non- hardening clay in the bottom. Next I place the doll part into the clay and embed it halfway paying attention to undercuts. In order to remove the doll part later we have to fill any undercuts with clay and fill voids in and around the doll as well.

After pouring a layer of plaster, curing it and spraying mold release and pouring again we get a 3-d mold. Fill it with liquid clay and allow it to dry over night. This is what we have. Complete with air bubbles, pour lines and flash around the seams.

The next step is to remove the fettle(seam lines) and flaws by carving , filling, and smoothing. The pieces then are cut to match. In this case I used the v-neck of the shirt as my cut line and cut off the body from the head, and cut away the upper chest from the body. A small amount of slip is place in the matching cuts and it is pressed together to bond the clay.

This is the result ready for more trimming and drying in a dehydrator for 3 hours. Then the clay is hard enough to sand , file and burnish further refining the surfaces. Mold marks and trade marks are removed.

The tools I used to begin finishing are a folder 120 grit sanding disk and a triangle file. After the piece is completely dry fine sanding with 1000 grit sanding pads will leave a smooth finish. Next the piece will get fired to bisque which will allow me to further refine the details using diamond tools. Next time I will show her with glaze and a few of the pieces I have recently made like the duck girl and dino man. I am working on another doll this afternoon...

Beaten copper bracelet

2011-12-10T16:56:00.000-06:00

The raw materials for this project are a sheet of copper,some square wire and for tools we will use planishing and texturing hammers,plus a torch and vises. The wire is used to make a shape in the metal. It is placed under the sheet and struck with the hammer repeatedly. Then we bend the first fold.

The bends will be raised with a hammer after flattening along the seam.

The edge of the fold is clamped in the vise and the pieces separated and hammered flat.

Then another fold is added.

Again the seam is pounded flat and placed in the vise.

I continue until the folds cover 3/4 of the length. Alternating direction each time.

A planishing hammer is used to flatten the metal and the ribs.

I chose to flatten the ribs in a twist..each end goes a different direction .

After flattening the ribs the metal is heated to anneal and quenched in cold water. The heat has begun the decoration of the metal.

Next the whole is folds down the length. It is flattened again placed in the vise and opened leaving a central ridge.

The ridge is then hammered flat locking in the center of the folds and creating a wonderful texture.

Next the edge is textured with the linear pattern hammer which gives a ruffled look. To me it seems like the edge of an orchid or iris petal.

Pounding continues on the round mandrel and the final shape emerges. To smooth the edges of the metal it is first sanded then buffed on a 6 inch wheel with Tripoli. It is then cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner and wiped dry.

It looks ancient and a bit abused.

I think the texture makes it look like a medieval armor cuff. Total time was about 1/2 hour. It could be further polished or textured or colored...from here its all good.

More simple earrings and fun stuff

2011-11-30T08:42:00.000-06:00

Earrings are fun to design and I enjoy trying to use some eclectic items to create slightly odd combinations. This one will work with any bead and really any color wire. I had copper hooks and so chose 16 gauge (1mm) square copper wire for the hoop. Two approaches came to mind..one to solder the join in the loop and the other was to hide it in the bead and use a little E-6000 to fix the position of the bead. This bead is a little tight on the wire so I chose the glue.

With the bead to one side of the join, I put a drop of E-600 on the wire next to the bead, then closed the gap like one would with a jump ring, swinging the wire close and bending slightly to tighten the gap. Then push the bead into place and let it sit. The hoops were formed by wrapping a foot of the wire around a wood dowel. Then cutting with the flat side of the clippers to the facing segments. You can make a whole pile of circles at once with this method.

The loops are about 1 inch across.

Add a natural background and they are ready to sell.

This project is another 5 minute ring. I started with a foot of 8 gauge sterling silver and wrapped it around a ring mandrel and hammered it around the out side with a smooth planishing hammer. This gives a faceted look to the silver and hardens the ring. Next I filed the ends of the wire to smooth and shape them. and punched a hole 1/16 in in one end. I riveted a 6 prong silver snaptite mount 10mm diameter in place and polished the ring to a smooth texture

The ring is adjustable over a 4-5 size range and the head is filled with a man made ruby.

Here are the components of an art doll that I created from an antique German body and a plastic dinosaur head. Each piece was cast in plaster then liquid clay was poured into the molds and when it was set up a little the head and body were removed and joined with more liquid clay. The result is on the left. That was fired to about 1860 degrees and allowed to cool then glazed and fired again.

This dapper little fellow is the result. I have made three and will continue to make more...4 will become the knights in a fantasy chess set I am creating.

This is the next combination I will make; a duck headed doll. Coming up will be the restoration and reproduction of an 1840s cherub and an 1830s boy doll wearing his dads clothes. I have acquired over 500 new dolls and parts in the last week. All dug up in Germany

This is a shot from the location where the dolls are being recovered by Cornelius Peschel. The picture is from his Ebay listings. His seller id is cocona36 check out his offerings.

Simple dangle earrings in silver and stone.

2011-11-18T10:16:00.000-06:00

The components for this design are a pair of french hooks with fine chain,a jeweled head pin and two different sized beads. I chose to use silver for the metals and agate and tiger eye beads from http://www.magpiegemstones.com/catalog/item/5238556/8841592.htm

First step is to place the beads on the headpins.

Next bend the wire at a sharp right angle.

Then grasp with round nose pliers or bail making pliers and wrap around the tip tightly forming a hook shape.

Leave enough room to slide the end of the chain onto the wire...

And form the wrap making a tight 2 layer wrap

Then snip off close to the bead.

The result are a pair of attractive dangles.

With the jeweled headpin adding just a touch of class at the bottom. This pair was just listed at www.oscarcrow.etsy.com

Further wrapping with wire and a pair of winter earrings.

2011-11-16T09:22:00.000-06:00

I had a bit of wire left over from the last project so I decided to make a wire wrapped stick pendant with it and a raku bead I made last week. The technique is not my invention..its been around a long time. My adaptation plays the copper wire color on the bead and wire off the silver wire for great contrast. Take about 12-15 inches of 24 gauge wire..I used dead soft sterling round wire. and a piece of the twisted copper. Fit a bead that is just loose enough on the big wire to allow the smaller wire to be inserted into the bead. On the copper wire I flattened the end and drilled a hole through.

A little sanding to remove any burrs and you have a place to run a jump ring or very fine chain through.

Place the bead on the wire and tuck in the small wire..in this case I pushed 1/2 inch of the wire into the bead.

Next wrap the small wire once around the big wire tight against the bead.

Bring the wire tightly around the bead and wrap in the same direction, then pulling tightly on the fine wire go around the bead again as many times as you wish..I went 8 times. Then finish off by wrapping the end around the wire to tie it off. I see my wrap is a little loose and will have to be redone.

This is the back side of the finished piece ready for a jump ring and a chain.

These are some simple silver earrings made from commercial branch forms and sterling hooks.

Another shot with a plain background. These parts were ordered from Hong Kong on Ebay last year and after using some in other projects I decided to make dangles from these. They are of course headed to my Etsy shop. www.oscarcrow.etsy.com

A simple twist on earrings

2011-11-15T07:40:00.000-06:00

The raw material for this pair of earrings is 1 foot of 10 gauge square dead soft wire. I use this source http://www.wire-sculpture.com/square-copper-wire/10_Gauge_Square_Dead_Soft_Copper_Wire_10ft-5953-899.html

Using a battery powered drill and a vise..Insert the wire into the drill chuck and tighten it then clamp the free end into the vise and slowly spin the wire with the drill. A few seconds will result in this nicely twisted stock. Since twisting will harden the wire you may want to anneal it with your torch and this will change the color of the copper as well. I cut two equal length pieces and smoothed the ends with a grinding wheel. One safety note. Copper transfers heat instantly. I have a burn on my index finger from the metal friction heating while it was being ground. Its best to wear gloves or use a pair of pliers.

Simply rotating the wire against the spinning grinding wheel gives a rounded end that can be further smoothed with a file or sandpaper.

After annealing ( heating to dull red in a flame) the wires have softened enough to easily pound a flat on one end I used a riveting tool to punch a hole in the flat. Copper never stays bright even under lacquer it will quickly change to its dark brown state. I prefer to help it along with a 20 minute bath in concentrated liver of sulfur. Put 4 drops of http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Patina-Gel-Liver-of-Sulfur-5768 into 1/4 cup hot water and let the copper sit in that for 20 minutes. The result is a beautiful deep purplish brown.

Here the wires are propped on a piece of untw isted wire after annealing but before the patina. I sanded the edges of the ridges with 600 grit paper to put a lighter element in the color and then sprayed with lacquer.

Adding a pair of copper hooks and oval jump rings from bsueboutiques completes this simple project. The twisted wires could be colored with alcohol inks or any of the other patina methods to give you a color that you enjoy. Feel free to copy, adapt, reproduce, and share any of the techniques you see here. This is a free share zone.Enjoy and be creative.

Earrings from copper wire in fall pantone colors.

2011-11-09T16:41:00.000-06:00

The raw materials for a pair of hammered earrings. A list would have these tools hammer and block or anvil,torch,dremel or flex shaft tool with sanding and buffing wheels, drill or punch and rivets. I choose to use Snap set heads from www.wire-sculpture.com

These heads can be drilled or punched to take a 1/16 inch rivet Holes were punched in the ends of the 10 gauge copper wire after hammering a flat paddle shape on the end.

Further texture was added to the wires with a variety of hammers. Then after sanding off rough edges, Guilders Paste was applied to give some detail in the bottom of the textures. I used patina which is a blue/green color then rubbed it into the textures and buffed it off the higher parts. The Hooks were connected directly to the wires and the heads were riveted on. I looked at several colors of CZ and after reading an article on the fashion designers pantone color for fall as told in this article http://www.wire-sculpture.com/jewelry-making-blog/

I decided on these bright yellow similar to the bamboo shade and the patina matched one of the other colors. I like the combination.

As you can see the Pantone fall colors are really natural like this fallen leaf.

Another view showing the wires.

These look very secure.

A pendant made using a dapping block with copper disks

2011-11-04T09:21:00.000-05:00

The tools needed to make domed circles in copper are a dapping block and punches and a hammer. I anneal the metal before dapping to soften it.In this case you can see a disk and a washer on the block, an eyeball,a dapped and decorated disk , an open back bezel,and a brass ox decorative ring. My first thought was to create a mount for the eyeball. I chose some copper disks from www.bsueboutiques.com and using a torch heated the copper to a dull red color the allowed it to cool completely. The disk is placed in a depression in the steel block and the punch set in the middle.

Next it is hit with the hammer a few times to fully round the disk into a dome.

I did the same with the copper washer and adjusted the size by using a different hole in the block to create the size cup that was desired. You can actually cup the disk from a flat slight curve to a complete hemisphere just by moving the disk to smaller and smaller depressions in the block and using the corresponding smaller punch. The disk may need to be re-annealed as the curve deepens and the metal work hardens.

This pair of domed pieces look like a mount for a gem to me...a 10 mm head with a cz could be mounted in the opening and a bail connected to form a pendant. I will do all soldering and finishing before I mount a stone in this.

I decided that the backing disk for the eyeball looked better than the eye. I placed it in this 35mm open back bezel in rusty black finish and inserted the brass ring also from www.bsueboutiques.com. A hole for a wire was drilled through at the break in the ring. The coloring on this copper comes from heating the metal from underneath and allowing it to cool and watching for the color to develop. When it reached the current set of colors I allowed it to cool and sprayed lacquer over to seal it. I will finish it with a large jump ring and a chain.

These are some raku ceramic beads I made. The colors from the glaze and reduction firing remind me of the copper in the metal.

This is a bead that gives me an idea to create a focal to go into the copper disk and washer..Similar coloring framed in the copper would look nice.

Producing multiple copies of heads.

2011-10-29T09:14:00.000-05:00

When you find a product that sells well it is important to ensure a good supply of the item. In my shop www.oscarcrow.etsy.com I specialize in both metal jewelry and ceramics. Both old vintage doll parts and newly created copies of my favorite pieces. Since many of these are one of a kind I feel like keeping them forever...that makes me a collector ? Or just a hoarder? But I like to share with everyone so I make copies. This technique will work equally well for those of you who work in Ice Resin or polymer clay. A great book for using Ice Resin is http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Explore-Create-Resinate-by-Jen-Cushman-7614

To make a mold I use oil clay that never gets hard for a base and embed the heads in it half way then spray Pam cooking spray over the surface lightly and pour plaster over the faces. The sides of my mold are wood held together with wood screws.

The result is shown here a negative impression with the details fully realised. I am using US Gypsum No. 1 pottery plaster. It is a very hard and durable material. If you work with Ice Resin you would want to treat the fully dried mold(at least 3 days) with a suitable mold release. Cushman's book and Kazmers' website will have details on the best to use. If you are working with polymer clay I would suggest http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Original-Sculpey-8464 and condition the clay very well then push it into the mold firmly and it should release and result in a very workable product.

I work with liquid clay called raku slip. I pour it into the molds with a turkey baster and let it set up. Capillary action in the dry plaster pulls the water from the clay and when the clay has shrunk away from the sides it is ready to remove from the molds. I make holes for stringing at this point by piercing the clay with a square brass tube that I rotate leaving a smooth hole. Then the pieces are off to the dehydrator for drying. When they have become dry I fine tune the parts and sand or trim as needed . Next they go into a kiln for a 4.5 hour bake at 1856 degrees cone 6 . Then the pieces are ready for glazing and another soak in the kiln and then reduction if raku is the final state. If I use regular glaze I let the kiln come down in temp overnight and remove the pieces then.

This is last nights firing. From the top is a doll,two angels that I created from separate parts. Notice the different colors in the clay...the wings are one clay body and slightly pink while the bodies are white. Second row are two pawns from a chess set I am creating...boys heads on one side for pawns and girls on the other . Next is a skull doll and a bust. Then a doll and a head bead a face cab and a round bead. And the final row has another doll body and three frozen charlottes that are only 1 inch tall. I now know why there are so many little charlottes broken..from a perfect mold I have pulled 1 without feet and a broken arm,and two with out heads...very frustrating learning when to unmold the tiny doll. Last is a face cabochon. Something I have learned with this is that items made in this way shrink from the original size about 10%. This is how we can make smaller and smaller copies by making a mold of a copy.

Copper wire wrapped bracelet demo and a fall cuff in mixed metals.

2011-10-18T10:19:00.000-05:00

I got this dragon stamping from B'sue boutiques http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Medieval-Dragons-7753 and some 10 ga half round copper wire dead soft from http://www.wire-sculpture.com/half-round-copper-wire/10_Gauge_Half_Round_Dead_Soft_Copper_Wire_10ft-5956-900.html

Looking over the dragons I decided to make the connection as a collar.

Using the ring bending pliers I made a tight loop on the end of the wire and slid the long end through the stamping. Then using bail making pliers I rolled in from the end a tight spiral and finally put a twist so the spiral would lay flat.

Duplicating that on the other side gives a nice balance.

on the under side I used the nylon jaw pliers to fold the ends over and finished with a light tap with a planishing hammer's ball end. This locks the wire to the stamping.

The shape of this spiral is common in ancient designs on pottery and often represents a wave.

Here is the completed bracelet with a copper toggle and hoop. Because I started with dead soft wire it is easy to customize the length by rolling tighter on the spirals to shorten the bracelet.

Another view showing the simple attachment to the toggle. No jump rings here just wire. Now I have to give credit for the inspiration to http://www.interweavestore.com/Jewelry-Making/Projects/Linked-Spirals-Bracelet.html?SessionThemeID=20&a=jp111018 I am a subscriber to their email daily and this is the design that made me want to make this. I did not download the article just looked at the picture and went from there.

I have also been making a fall cuff with components from http://www.bsueboutiques.com/ Using the 5 inch filigree over a plain cuff and wiring and gluing on the leaves and bird this fall cuff has emerged.

I bent the 5 inch filigree to match the cuff then punched holes through both and riveted on the filigree. The leaves were buffed with a sunshine cloth and and the stems bent around openings in the filigree then copious amounts of E-6000 was applied to fasten the leaves.

The bird was also glued down and the leaves bent to match the cuff and to act as prongs over the bird. Both of these will be available through my shop www.oscarcrow.etsy.com Please come take a look at them and all the new dolls up recently.

The Sari Ribbon Blog Hop Is Here

2011-10-13T10:17:00.005-05:00

This is my offering for the blog hop. wire wrapped sari over wire with beads and a rock crystal. Please visit every ones sites and see what they have created.

Vickie Wills
http://www.jewelrybyvee.blogspot.com/

Susan Kennedy
http://www.suebeads.blogspot.com

Michelle Mach
http://www.michellemach.com/blog/

Michelle Lee Hardy
http://fireflyvisions.blogspot.com/

Ruth Crawford
http://www.home-with-ruth.blogspot.com

Hilary Frye, FryeStyle
http://fryestyle.blogspot.com/

Diana P.
http://www.suburbangirlstudio.com

Brenda Sue Lansdowne, B'sue Boutiques
http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com/

Elizabeth Owens-Dwy
http://www.clarityofpurplesage.blogspot.com

Connie Rios-Relyea
http://www.JewelsDesignsCreativeCorner.wordpress.com/

Jennifer Justman
http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/

Deb Davis
http://www.naturaltreasuresbydeb.blogspot.com

Beanzie
http://www.thevintageheartcharmbracelets.com/the-vintage-heart-charm-b/

Cathie Carroll
http://www.cathiecarroll.com/

Rosemary Cowit
http://www.gemrosedesigns.blogspot.com/

Georgene Lockwood
http://sylvanavintagedesigns.wordpress.com/

Cathy Buckley
http://cathybuckleycatsmeow.blogspot.com

Harry Wood
http://www.oscarcrow.blogspot.com

Sonya Stille
http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com

Mary Deis
http://mdeis.blogspot.com/

Heather Goldsmith
http://asibeadit.blogspot.com/

Susan Rouleau
http://mountainshadowstudio.blogspot.com

Terry Matusyk
http://pinkchapeau.wordpress.com

Pam Chesbro
http://afortunatesoul.blogspot.com/

Mary Shannon Hicks
http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Janice Everett
http://JLynnJewels.blogspot.com

Davinia
http://www.daviniadesign.com

Kristina Johansson, Maneki
http://wildrosesandblackberries.blogspot.com

Kris Binsfeld
http://www.cherishdesigns.wordpress.com

Mandy
http://www.beadsforbrains.blogspot.com

Charlene
http://thebeaddreamer.com/blog/

Catherine Jeltes
http://www.galleryzooart.com

Jackie
http://kydojewellery.blogspot.com/

Sharon Palac
http://www.sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com

Deb Beechy
http://beetique56.blogspot.com/

Jean Yates
http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/

Patrice Pfeiffer
http://treeseatreasures.blogspot.com/

Dorcas Midkiff
http://wondrousstrangedesigns.blogspot.com/

Lynn Perry Bennett
http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com

Linzi Alford
http://www.magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.com

Deb
http://greenshoot.blogspot.com/

Cynthia Wainscott
http://www.exoticperujewelry.blogspot.com
Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp
http://skyejewels.blogspot.com
Alice Craddick
http://alicesbeadsandbaubles.blogspot.com/
B'sue Boutiques Creative Group
http://www.flickr.com/groups/bsueboutiques/

Sari Ribbon Blog Hop List

2011-10-13T10:02:00.000-05:00

Here is the list of people taking part in the Sari Ribbon Blog Hop
Sari Ribbon Party Blog Hop

Vickie Wills
http://www.jewelrybyvee.blogspot.com/

Susan Kennedy
www.suebeads.blogspot.com

Michelle Mach
http://www.michellemach.com/blog/

Michelle Lee Hardy
http://fireflyvisions.blogspot.com/

Ruth Crawford
http://www.home-with-ruth.blogspot.com

Hilary Frye, FryeStyle
http://fryestyle.blogspot.com/

Diana P.
www.suburbangirlstudio.com

Brenda Sue Lansdowne, B'sue Boutiques
http://www.bsueboutiques.typepad.com/

Elizabeth Owens-Dwy
http://www.clarityofpurplesage.blogspot.com

Connie Rios-Relyea
http://www.JewelsDesignsCreativeCorner.wordpress.com/

Jennifer Justman
http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/

Deb Davis
http://soulsfiredesigns.blogspot.com/

Beanzie
http://www.thevintageheartcharmbracelets.com/the-vintage-heart-charm-b/

Cathie Carroll
http://www.cathiecarroll.com/

Rosemary Cowit
http://www.gemrosedesigns.blogspot.com/

Georgene Lockwood
http://sylvanavintagedesigns.wordpress.com/

Cathy Buckley
http://cathybuckleycatsmeow.blogspot.com

Harry Wood
www.oscarcrow.blogspot.com

Sonya Stille
http://dreaminofbeads.blogspot.com

Mary Deis
http://mdeis.blogspot.com/

Heather Goldsmith
http://asibeadit.blogspot.com/

Susan Rouleau
http://mountainshadowstudio.blogspot.com

Terry Matusyk
pinkchapeau.wordpress.com

Pam Chesbro
http://afortunatesoul.blogspot.com/

Mary Shannon Hicks
http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Janice Everett
http://JLynnJewels.blogspot.com

Davinia
www.daviniadesign.com

Kristina Johansson, Maneki
wildrosesandblackberries.blogspot.com

Kris Binsfeld
www.cherishdesigns.wordpress.com

Alice Craddick
Alice'sBeadsandbaubles@blogspot.com

Mandy
www.beadsforbrains.blogspot.com

Charlene
http://thebeaddreamer.com/blog/

Catherine Jeltes
http://www.galleryzooart.com

Jackie
http://kydojewellery.blogspot.com/

Sharon Palac
www.sharonsjewelrygarden.blogspot.com

Deb Beechy
http://beetique56.blogspot.com/

Jean Yates
http://prettykittydogmoonjewelry.blogspot.com/

Patrice Pfeiffer
http://treeseatreasures.blogspot.com/

Dorcas Midkiff
http://wondrousstrangedesigns.blogspot.com/

Lynn Perry Bennett
designsbylynnea.blogspot.com

Linzi Alford
www.magpieintheskyspoilheaptales.blogspot.com

Deb
http://greenshoot.blogspot.com/

Cynthia Wainscott
www.exoticperujewelry.blogspot.com
Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp
http://skyejewels.blogspot.com
B'sue Boutiques Creative Group
http://www.flickr.com/groups/bsueboutiques/
Cant wait to see what wonders are going to be displayed tomorrow.

Quick ideas for rings and using ceramic elements in jewelry.

2011-10-06T09:43:00.000-05:00

This ring is made from a feather stamping. It was annealed and then bent around a steel ring mandrel. Heating the metal to a red color with the torch then quenching in water softens the metal so it can be easily bent. If you don't soften first you make kinks or sharp bends where the metal is thinner.

This is another fave of mine for rings. The north wind again,heated and formed. Also this was treated to an extended bath in LOS to darken the brass.

This one is just a happy flamingo cab from http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/25x18mm-Flamingo-Cameos....New-Size-6868 surrounded by the same size crown mount which is riveted to a floral shank.

Again the band is from Bsues stock with a little bat charm riveted through the middle. Simple,cheap and just right for a $10 ring for any ones Halloween attire.

As I have been learning to make things in clay a leaf seemed to be just the focal for a fall ring.

First step is to cut out some paper to match the leaf but a little smaller.

copy that in copper or other metal to match the outline of the paper and punch or drill a center hole.

Drill the matching hole in a ring shank..this is a copper ox cigar band from www.bsueboutiques.com and after filing smooth the edge rivet it to the ring in your preferred orientation. Then apply E-6000 glue to both the leaf and the metal..wait a minute the press together and let it set.

And you have a fall fashion ring. I chose copper for the shank to match the hint of copper in the leaf.

I made this little duck from clay and attached him to a square of clay then fired it. Now to find what form of jewelry will best display his ducky charm.

Fairy pendant and a repair lesson

2011-10-03T13:34:00.000-05:00

I showed the beginnings of this a while back. It took some contemplation to resolve the edge issues and find the silver vine. To recap it is an original charlotte with cicada wings and a brass bezel mounted to a forged copper disk. The wings are set in resin as is the charlotte.

I acquired a few hundred more dolls and as some are in need of repair, I wanted to share an easy method with you. This little fellow is dressed in his dads clothing but the hat's brim is broken. What to do?

Apoxie sculpt is a great solution for this type of repair and for lots of jewelry use. It is a 2 part epoxy resin in stiff clay form. Mixing equal parts will get a very sticky material that can bond many things.

Here you can see the 2 parts are different colored.

And after a thorough mixing they become a single color and are ready to use. The mix reacts chemically to harden after 3-4 hours.

Here the hat has been filled in and shaped.

And here the whole piece is seen with the repaired hat brim. After it completely hardens I will sand the surface to blend the edges into the ceramic and then it will all go into a mold for reproduction.

This is a box of heads I am currently listing for sale at www.oscarcrow.etsy.com Many fine items will be available and lots of small detailed heads,bodies, and even a few strange things. Come over to my shop and take a look.

Remember to sign up for the Sari Ribbon Blog Hop coming soon...I have to get my sari project finished. I had one but my daughter had a birthday this weekend and she got that one..a cuff with three ceramic pumpkins surrounded by matching orange sari ribbon.

Ideas from underground grow into art.

2011-09-27T11:38:00.001-05:00

This little putti figure caught my eye in an Ebay auction. It was one part of 200 pieces of broken dolls and other ceramics. After winning the bid and receiving the shipment it was difficult to photograph much else in the boxes because I kept being drawn back to this piece.

Although it is broken, the form excites my brain. When I saw the wings were complete I knew I had to reproduce them in ceramics. Using the two part silicone molding compound I copied the inner surface and made a casting of each wing.

I have been making these little skulls every day and finding lots to work with in changing the colors and textures of the glazes. While sleeping I dreamed of one of these little skulls flying around like a hummingbird...

And this was the result. It is about an inch and a half wide and an inch tall. The photo doesn't really do justice to the colors of shimmery copper,blue and green on the head. It is a bead drilled for hanging from top to bottom. I will make a few of these and I think I will make a necklace with the form of a rosary with this at the center of the y.

As i have been making Halloween items here is a pumpkin ring.

And a grinning skull ring. all these will be available at my shop later today.

Next time we will explore some restoration techniques with ceramic figures..That shipment from Germany has lots of unusual figures to work with.

Ceramics used in a necklace

2011-09-21T12:40:00.000-05:00

This little fellow is a recent creation from my kiln. The glaze and conditions in the reduction chamber control the coloring. Its started with an even glaze painted over the head and the kiln god does the rest....always a surprise in raku.

Collecting these dolls is fun. Finding all the variations that have been made over the last 160 years is impossible but as the archaeologists dig and sell more and more styles emerge. I am learning to copy some of the more interesting examples by making plaster molds and casting in liquid clay called slip. The level of detail is much higher than a push mold can give.

Once you obtain interesting pieces of ceramic for jewelry making the second stage of creativity kicks in..just like when you buy a great focal or a new stamping. In my case I decided to create a bronze piece for this small scarab from my friend Dorcas at http://www.etsy.com/shop/wondrousstrange?ref=top_trail She is a masterful maker of beautiful raku. I had some raku beads the Dorcas made and added some agate beads which echo the color of the scarab and contrast well against the bronze.

the raku beads are a fusion of metallic color and matte texture that I find interesting. I choose brown rayon cord for the necklace but find it is a little rough about the neck so I may change it out in favor of some silk or sari ribbon. Simple knots restrain the beads as a side station.

A closeup of the pendant shows the high shine in the beaten metal and hint at the fascinating part of this piece..a dapped depression behind the scarab polished to a mirror shine and reflecting the top of the scarab. It resembles a reflector from an oil lamp. The agate beads are held up on paddle pins that allow them to move and make tinkling sounds on the bronze shape. The contrasting textures and colors give a lot of interest to this necklace.

Raku and traditional stone mounting.

2011-09-13T10:17:00.000-05:00

I have been reading and making and firing and making and glazing...ceramics are addictive. I am a sculptor at heart and this medium makes it possible to create fairly quickly and actually I feel like a little kid again. The freedom to play in mud and have something interesting at the end is very satisfying. I call this one "Home is where the Heart is.)

Fall always makes me think of Halloween or Sam Hain, All Souls or Dia de Muertes. And celebrating with little skulls is part of the tradition...Fall festivals in general reflect the passage of time and people...these little grinning head bones aren't frightening to me just fun. About the size of a quarter in two tones of glaze.

My favorite so far is this little lady with a classical white crackle glaze and copper/blue/silver hair.

I am having fun with little houses as well. This one features a tree and a snowy yard. The windows glow with cheery warmth of the copper iridescence.

Now on to the jewelry...stones are available in many colors from sources all over the world. I prefer to work with synthetics most of the time. My preference is for man made gems that are the real chemical composition as the mined ones but perfect in cut and clarity and color.From the left is a hydrothermal quartz,four CZs and a ruby.

The package tells the story on composition...Ruby Corundum...that means its real...not a simulant but red corundum. It will test as a real ruby and needs to be labeled correctly when it is sold.

Even with the high price of silver it is possible to work with this type of ring. The mounting is less than $20 and the stone...in this case a deep amber cz 15mm round brilliant was $3. It can sell for around $90. The mounting is called a pre-notched, snap set. That means you don't need a setting bur to cut the seat, that has been done for you. You just set the ring on the bottom of the stone on a flat firm surface...

And push straight down until the stone snaps in place.

Once set the tips of the prongs need to be bent over the girdle to secure the stone and to minimize a prong catching. A final polish and cleanup and its ready to sell or adorn your hand. The stone came from http://www.wire-sculpture.com and the mounting from http://www.jamminggems.com

2011-09-07T14:59:00.001-05:00

The little village and other pieces did not get smoked...I had wet the paper in the reduction can too much...I should explain..Raku is a multi step process. First you make the piece in wet clay or cast with slip..liquid clay and dry it. Then its fired once to burnout the impurities in the clay and vitrify the clay. Then its painted with glaze which is like liquid clay with colorants and its fired again. When the glaze is red hot and has flowed its put into a covered container with some type of combustible material and the magic happens....the colors can change into metallic because the oxygen is used up when the 1800 degree clay is laid on the paper in the reduction chamber( mine is a steel sauce pan with tight lid, this week..Next week I will have a steel garbage can..much more easy to work with).

The hot ceramic sets fire to the paper and burns up the oxygen.

Then the chemical magic happens and well it didn't this time. But I got nice blue and green glaze on the pieces. The blue is supposed to be blue but the green was supposed to be copper? Today's fifing may shed some light on this.

The big head on the right is the only one to change a little but the green faces remind me of maybe garden gnomes or veggie people...Next time I will show you today's firing..warts and all. Its in the reduction chamber right now and I saw smoke!

Here is a little bauble. A 19.80 carat lab ruby I set yesterday. Oh of course someone may purchase this little sparkler..at my etsy shop www.oscarcrow.etsy.com

Next time in addition to the ceramics fun we will talk about gems and their imitators. And we will see some pretty stones and talk about mountings.

2011-09-06T12:43:00.000-05:00

The series of rings I call the Bowl of Blood are finished. This one looks as if its waving goodbye. I was inspired by the watching of a whole season of True Blood on one weekend this spring before the start of the new season. And now as the season is about to end this coming Sunday..I have run out of bowls. So its time to show you the set and send them off to Etsy for hopefully some new homes.

This little lady inspired me to add a small trim ring under the bowl.

This one seems to be sinking or rising from the blood.

The final piece is my favorite its just as weird as the rest...but something about a bare foot and chubby leg resting in a bowl of blood just tickles me.

Because my life and art are constantly changing and evolving I decided it was time to add some ceramics to the techniques available. I am working with a small electric kiln called a firefly. Its capable of high fire or low in ceramic as well as PMC. So expect to see me fumble along creating in these new media. First up is a series of houses in raku. This little neighborhood is only an inch across the base. It will be glazed and re fired today along with some very nice faces and a heart.

Here is the other view. I also am going to be working up a slip mold for my favorite doll heads and making my own "German style" repros in raku with hopefully metallic glazes. More to follow. Check back later Thursday and I will share what comes out of the kiln.

What to do with broken doll heads? A creative solution.

2011-08-30T10:04:00.000-05:00

As you know I buy large quantities of doll parts that are damaged. Sometimes I get a face that is broken diagonally like this one. It is always a challenge to find something good is hiding in a piece like this. I actually was thinking of some other design and handling this like a touchstone or talisman. It worked its way around my hand and ended on top of my ring finger.

You can see it is deep and thin and probably would not make a great ring top.

But add a little two part silicone mold compound and we have a perfect mold to cast a solid replacement. I choose to use ice resin with an addition of titanium white paint and PearlX macropearl

Here is the second head with the white Ice resin on the top and a second layer in a slightly different color.. I poured the first layer and let it cure then positioned a ring shank in the mold and poured the second layer.

Here you can see the first head with a silver plate floral ring http://www.bsueboutiques.com/item/Floral-Ring-5276 embedded in the second layer. This makes it a permanent part and no connectors are needed. This also reduces the height so it seems to fit closely on the finger. I made this one to fit a left hand with the face looking up at you but you could do it for either hand or make it straight on. If the object you would like to use is not broken...just make your mold at an angle by inserting the head into the mold compound at an angle...or tilt the full mold to one side when you fill it with resin.

The edges are a little rough and need to be sanded down so they are comfortable. An emery board works well for this.

Before and after...a little paint was used. Matte Neo opaque white first then Pearl White Lumiere for the hair...looks like a pale platinum blond. You could color the face and hair to be whatever you like best. Acrylics like the neo opaque have little body and go on smooth with a soft brush. I used a stiffer bristle brush to give some dimension to the paint.

Another view with the shank showing.

This is a little garden sprite made from a broken doll and wings from a dead cicada. Yes I pulled the wings off a bug! He was already dead so no guilt...Next time I will talk about the adhesive choice and show the piece complete...its still a work in progress at this point.

Wire Heart-wrought iron style in copper

2011-08-23T15:00:00.000-05:00

I was at a cemetery recently and was fascinated by the wrought iron gates. The patterns reminded me of a heart and when I opened my wire box today I saw some square copper wire in two different sizes,10 gauge and 12 gauge. I also picked out some square silver filled and gold filled in smaller sizes. Using the pliers shown her I put some spirals on the ends after annealing the copper which is quite stiff.

The large size copper bent more smoothly than the silver and gold filled.

I textured the wire with hammers and then flattened it and ground some surface texture in with a diamond wheel.

Here the textures are easier to see. I textured the edge of the smaller 12 gauge and the face of the larger 10 gauge.

Next the wire pieces were sprayed with a patina generating solution and left to change. Then some 22 gauge wire in half round half hard gold filled was used to bind the upper sections together.

The bottom was bound as well with the half round wire.

Using ring bending pliers a large jump ring is made from 12 gauge wire after annealing.

Holding the jump ring in a ring clamp makes filing the ends of the ring a snap. This is a must have tool for working with rings and wire.

And here is the final result with a rollo chain in brass ox from www.bsueboutiques.com

The heart will be listed at my shop www.oscarcrow.etsy.com

Heart Necklace finished and a wire necklace with Raku

2011-08-16T11:29:00.000-05:00

As I was trying to find time to finish this necklace...life reared its busy head and kept my creativity worn out. Last week we moved one daughter back to school. Out of one apartment into storage then into another apartment all in another city. Then this week cataract surgery for my wife....all the trips to doctors,clinics,surgery and recovery...all I had to do was sit and read a book...but it wears. I took my sketch pad and drew designs for the necklace. The first attempt had a screw eye on the lower lobe of the heart. This was hanging on a rack where one of my three cats could swipe a paw and knock the heart off the screw eye. So I took some 16 ga silver filled wire and rolled up a simple bail and epoxied it in place.

To keep the mixed color/metal look going but in check I added some large rings in copper and bronze. Some double link copper chain and a toggle completed this piece.

I had originally though I would make a silver link necklace for the heart, but it became too busy for the design of the heart. I kept the side pieces and added a beautiful raku orb from my friend www.wondrousstrange.etsy.com and this is the result.

A few silver components and a new piece was born. Its all headed to my shop on etsy. www.oscarcrow.etsy.com

Please come take a look at all the new items. Over a thousand doll parts are being shipped from Germany...I cant wait to share. The postman left the first box a few minutes ago...legs..how about next time we make a simple necklace with a leg and see where it goes.

A wooden heart

2011-08-09T16:18:00.000-05:00

I have tried several times to make a wood heart and each time I have gotten this far I got distracted and made something else. This time the end has been visualized and the techniques were well practiced. I have been wood working for 35 years or more so making a wood heart shape and carving round edges was easy. Anyone with a coping saw and a block of any wood can do it. Trace the shape from a cutout or pattern or even a cookie cutter.I rounded over the edges with a belt sander and smoothed the face of the wood to 320 grit with a series of sandpaper sheets.

All of you I think are familiar with Guilders Paste from www.bsueboutiques.com . I applied some Pinotage then rubbed it in, applied Aztec Gold , then Silver, and rubbed it in and applied some more...well you get the idea. The holes were drilled after that through some metal I chose to apply over the wood.

In this case I took some scrap from a folded piece of aluminum and beat it to fit around the base of the heart.

Then a piece of beaten copper was drilled and tucked in next to the aluminum and the wood was drilled through the metal.

Bronze rivets were glued into the holes with E-6000 and a screw eye put into one lobe of the heart.

To finish off the piece I found a silverware plated bird at my favorite seller www.bsueboutiques.com and glued it down with E-6000. A forged wire bail was formed from 16 gauge sterling wire . Next time I will show how to make a necklace to match and finish this up.

Follow up on wire ring.

2011-08-03T15:50:00.000-05:00

I love wire! Sometimes I even take it out of the package to play with it. Truthfully it intimidated me at first. Then I got smarter and bought a DVD from wire sculpture.com and learned a great deal about what is possible with wire. I suggest you go to their site and look for the beginners series of DVDs. They cover tools,materials and have wonderful projects you can make in little time. Start with craft wire or copper or brass and practice. That's the key...follow the directions on the DVDs and make the rings or bracelets or stone settings in inexpensive materials a few times. Then buy some good wire and make a real fine piece.

These are the kind of labels you will encounter in wire...lets take one and dissect the secret codes..14G RD DS ARG looks like the secret squirrel code to open a walnut. but it really says the wire is 14 gauge round dead soft argentium silver. This is a tarnish free silver wire in a fairly large size. OK lets take another 22GHR HH GF its 22 gauge half round half hard gold filled. Its fine flat on one side and great for wrapping shanks made of square wire to both hold the shape and make it look nice. The Egyptian jewelers of old used this type of wire in the rings they made for the pharaohs.

The bottom one is 18G SQ DS GF 18 gauge square dead soft gold filled. The main thing to remember is the hardness,dead soft,half hard and full hard; each has a use...for intricately bent pieces use DS for shanks and prongs and general wrapping HH and for pins and very strong items full hard or spring hard. The sizes are obvious and if using beads match the size of the wire to the hole in the bead. The use determines what shape is best..round for casual,half round in small sizes for wrapping,in big sizes for shanks,and square for formal applications where multiple wires need to lie against each other.

Here are three wire wrapped rings from yesterdays work. on the left is a casual nest ring with a square stone and to the right yesterdays offering and in the middle a more refined square wire version.

I made the wire ring in yesterdays post starting with a design from Wire-Sculpture .com. This is one of my favorite places to get wire,gemstones and findings in silver,gold filled and now silver filled. That's right silver filled wire. Its silver coating is hundreds of times thicker than plated wire and just like gold filled it can be worked in lots of designs. I just ordered 10 feet in 16ga round to begin with. Try wire wrapping, its easy and when done just right deserves to take its place along side cast and constructed works. Its the historical base for most gold work.

Simple wire wrapped ring...5 minutes to make.

2011-08-02T11:00:00.000-05:00

Start with about 18 inches of your favorite wire. I am using 16 gauge copper rose gold colored craft wire from http://www.wire-sculpture.com/16-gauge-silver-plated-copper-craft-wire . This seems half hard...I will use dead soft on my next one. Wrap it around your ring mandrel a little smaller than your desired final size leaving equal amounts on each end. Grip the wire close to the mandrel and bend up at a right angle on each side.

If you measure the distance between the holes in your focal...in this case a raku button by www.wondrousstrange.etsy.com and wrap your wire to match the approximate width the button will slide directly onto the band and rest properly.

Make a bend at equal distances above the surface of the focal and cut the wire with your side cutters.

Then curl up the wire into a fern frond like spiral. Since I used 16 ga half hard wire this was a bit tough and the marks from the pliers show.

When you curl the second piece..other patterns are ok..make it your way; make sure the spiral goes in the opposite direction.

Then carefully flatten the coils to the surface. This is where I discovered why dead soft wire would be best. A better spiral or other pattern could be made with soft wire.

All that's left to do is wear it.

Finishing the bail and a wooden ring

2011-08-01T15:22:00.000-05:00

Here is the fairy flower focal with a piece of nice chain I would like to use. When making a bail this is the first choice that should be made.The size of the chain shall indicate how big the opening in the bail should be. To do it by finding a chain that fits the bail after its done may limit your design choices.

I used some 14k gold filled wire about 16 ga round half hard to make the bail. Using the rod from my jump ring tool, I made 5 coils about 2 mm bigger than the chain.

The chain slides through with ease and doesn't bind up.

To attach the bail I bent the petal forward and inserted the wires through, trimming to a short length and bending them at a sharp right angle to hold the bail firmly.

Folded against the filigree and nearly invisible, the wires are secure.

And when you turn the pendant around the bail is secure and hidden from view. The flower seems to float in front of the chain. Next I will use Renaissance wax to seal the copper , add a closure to the chain and send it to Etsy. Hopefully it will find a home.

This is another on going series of rings...houses. This is made from Cordia wood from Mexico and Andaman Island Padauk for the roof.Next time we will return to the doll box and search for the right foot for a necklace(or will it be a left foot?). See you then.

Hot here in the middle of the country.

2011-07-29T14:21:00.000-05:00

This is a piece I call Summer Love . It comes from my college days when I was between a 5 year old relationship with a young lady I expected to marry and a non realised relationship with another young lady I fell for after the breakup. That summer was hot like this one. We were taking a sculpture course with outdoor exhibitions and I asked a classmate to be part of my one day sculpture...we were making temporary large scale sculptures from found objects and displaying them one a week for one day on the quad. Then they were destroyed. Mine was a foam rubber mattress from the Goodwill cut into the shape of a piece of toast. With a square plastic inflated yellow pillow for butter it was called Breakfast in bed. While I had high hopes she had a different idea...from me hearts and flowers and in the end she like the raku doll on this piece ran into the sunset. The metals represent the heat of summer with the sun shining down on the clock that spun too fast. Ah well the summer of 69 is what fed the image on the pendant. I put it up for sale at Etsy www.oscarcrow.etsy.com this morning.

This is a German head from about 1860 painted with a bronze metallic surfacer and given a blue patina. This material seems to work best on semi porous surfaces like this bisque head. Immediately after painting you spray with the activator and the blue/green develops. If you wait too long the reaction is minimal. Spray while its fully wet and it will turn solid blue or green. I may repaint this one to get a better color.

These are some of the littlest dolls ready to go up to Etsy tonight barely 1 inch tall, there were 50 in this batch.

I have been listing so many parts I almost forgot to put together a full doll. This is a partially frozen Charly...his arms and legs will need to be wired on. He goes to the shop as well.

I am still waiting for MLSJEWEL to contact me about the spoon...if you know this person tell them to get to me.

Forged flower and winner of the spoon.

2011-07-28T14:30:00.000-05:00

I got some of these copper colored flowers from Bsueboutiques a while back and after cleaning in my workroom a package of these surfaced.

I decided to texture it with a cross peen hammer and then heated it with a torch while watching the surface. As the copper cools it begins to discolor in this case leaving a metallic iridescent color.

After texturing and adding the patina it was time to add the backing piece and a center. I chose to rivet it with a 3/32 copper rivet.

When assembled the tip of the rivet protrudes too much. about 2 thicknesses of playing cards is enough to make a proper head. No more than the diameter of the rivet itself should protrude above the surface.

I chose to use a nail set to set the rivet. It has a concave tip about the diameter of the rivet.

Clipping it off with side cutters gets it ready to round up with a hammer and the nail set.

Four or five taps with a hammer and we have a nice round rivet.

I was ordering some raku from my favorite potter DG Midkiff better known on Etsy as wondrousstrange. This little woodland fairy matched the color of the copper and so was glued down with E-6000. The next installment I will create a wire bail for this piece.

Now to the winner of the drawing...drum roll please...My daughter picked from the entries and came up with Msjewel. If you will contact me at harrywood1@msn.com with a mailing address I will send you the spoon. Thank you all for entering.

Any one need an arm or a leg ? Update on the Spoons.

2011-07-25T11:58:00.000-05:00

My most recent shipment from Germany had lots of arms and legs. Some little ones about 1.25 inches long up to 3.5 inch in arms and legs varied as much. What to do with such treasures? Well of course I will sell them to others but for my self, I will pick some of the best to use for beads. Also for multi-media constructions. And of course that next bowl of blood ring will get a pair of legs...

This is a set of 12 pair plus one in the 1.25 inch size headed to Etsy next. I scanned a piece of 1/4 inch graph paper and printed the grid on charcoal card stock for a good toned background that can give a hint of size. That often helps when selling supplies.

A typical pair up close. The wire hole in the shoulder is large enough for cord or ribbon up to 1mm. Perhaps a bird head in dark brass and this pair on a necklace? With a few bright red glass pearls?

Some 2 inch legs with shoes. For jewelry use I might recommend a bead cap over the top to both protect and to support the leg.

Now to the spoons...most responders have said keep the spoons intact with one dissenting vote. Wednesday at midnight(or really Thursday AM) I will put every ones name in a box and have my wife select the winner. This is an American sterling silver in a lily of the valley pattern.

This spoon is much older , from Great Britain, Birmingham, England according to the hallmarks...right facing lion and anchor plus a year mark that looks like a g It also has .950 silver?

This last one has the Native American markings and a Steel Pier engraving. I've decided even this early to send these to my shop on Etsy. Someone else can be the steward of the silver...if they don't melt it for cash...probably they wont do that for less than 5 dollars...that's all a local "gold"buyer offered...I think most of these gold guys are ripoffs...or geniuses. Thursday's blog will have the winner of the flower spoon.

A New Bowl of Blood Ring and spoons for jewelry.

2011-07-20T15:28:00.000-05:00

Here is one of the broken dolls emerging from the red surface in the bowl. Or is she sinking in?

In this shot you can see the bowl is tipped by off setting the rivet hole to one side. This plays balance against tension...we expect the bowl to be level creating a kind of action in a static piece. Its almost as if the doll is rocking the bowl as she emerges. Perhaps the next one will be a pair of feet sticking up as if the person had just dived into the bowl. A little like a magicians trick, caught in stop motion or a frame from a film.

I was cleaning my work room and came across some spoons that were purchased for making rings...a long time ago..kind of gives away my age when you think of it...I was about 25 when the spoon rings were in vogue. Now that I have shuffled these around for so long and not cut them apart...I find it getting harder to destroy the silversmiths art for my own...my contribution to this lovely would be to cut away the bowl and bend the stem into a ring. While it would be pretty I think someone may value the spoon for its complete form.

The flower is very pretty and the leaf is also well done. Perhaps before I sell it I will make a mold...or ?

This one has a Native American and corn and a canoe with paddle... and one other has English hall marks before 1895.another has lilies of the valley up the handle..Even though they are sterling I'm torn between re-purposing and preserving them. Let me know what you think...spoon or jewelry? In fact lets make it a contest...post a response here for 1 week and next Wednesday I will draw a name from the responders and send that person their choice a flower spoon or a ring made from it.

How an HBO series and a handful of brass parts become jewelry.

2011-07-06T08:50:00.000-05:00

I was watching the marathon of True Blood just before the new season debuted and a package from www.bsueboutiques.com arrived. In it were seven little brass bowls about an inch across. As I was watching the shows one after the other and looking at these bowls an idea surfaced in my mind. I like theme jewelry. Its fun to pretend a piece has magical properties...take a steampunk time machine necklace as an example...it really doesn't takes us forward or backward in time but it is like a license to dream.
This piece is created along those same lines and will be part of a series of 3-5 rings with blood and white body parts as a unifying theme. Sort of vampire chic meets steampunk...The construction is simple...rivet the bowl to the ring and fill with Ice Resin into which is added Pearlx Super Copper and scarlet oil paint. The result is a sparkly red with copper highlights...a good stand-in for vampire blood. And since some vampires are alabaster white a ceramic dolls arm is set in the center. Seen up close the bowl is set at an angle to appear as if tipping over and the blood is cast to another angle and appears to be sloshing out. The arm seems to reach up as if emerging from the blood.
The next installment may have a bowl of skulls or a face emerging from the blood...we will revisit this as the story of the Blood Bowl Rings continues.

Assembly of a flower ring

2011-03-18T09:12:00.001-05:00

The first picture has the components I used from B'sue Boutiques we have a silverplate cigarband ring and a silverplate flower. I used my hole punch and riveter from crafted findings #1000127 to punch a hole in the ring and in the head. The head is from http://www.wiresculpture.com/ and is a sterling silver snaptite 8mm. The cz comes from them as well. The rivet was placed into the ring from the finger side and a small amount of E-6000 glue placed between it and the flower component. I placed it back into the riveter with the head over the semi tubular rivet and compressed it. The second picture shows this completed.

To set the stone place the head over the stone on a firm surface and press down evenly.

If you don't get it just right the result will be as circled in this photo a loose prong. To fix this you push it to the stone with a prong pusher...I use half of a spring type clothes pin...it wont hurt the stone or prong if you slip. Alternately you can grasp the prong with precision needle nose pliers and move it sideways and toward the stone.

I liked the result so much I made three...a yellow sapphire,a blue tanzanite and a red cz. They will appear at http://www.oscarcrow.etsy.com/ later today.

The long reach riveting system

2011-03-04T15:45:00.000-06:00

I am blogging without pictures today because my main computer went nuts this afternoon. I think the hard drive is going out. Any way what I have for today is sort of a review of a tool that is sold by Crafted findings it is a hole punch and rivet system for semi tubular rivets. It works great. When I can get pictures back I will post some of it in action. The big difference between this unit and the smaller ones from craft stores is the depth and thickness that the jaws on this unit have. I was able to punch holes in 25x18 crown mounts with 1/4 inch deep bezels. Something the little punches cant do. Also this is easy on the hands. It should be mounted in a vise so your hands are free to hold the various pieces of metal when you punch or rivet. Hopefully by tommorrow i will have photoshop on this computer and have the photos to explain this fine product.