All things Handmade: We, the people :O)

All things Handmade: We, the people :O): "ink"

My custom items don't always get a lot of air time, so I thought it would be nice to feature them here. This is an Argentium sterling silver byzantine bracelet with a gorgeous Venetian glass heart. I wind the wire on a mandrel, cut the rings and assemble all by hand. I welcome custom work, so if you're interested, visit my Etsy Shop and contact me and see if we can't make something especially for you!

I am used to doing custom work, but I am so proud of this latest one. I recently got a request from a customer to make a mother's pendant, but could I also make it a pin because her mother wears more pins than pendants. Using the birthstones for April, for the mother and two daughters, I sat down and created this combination pin/pendant. I am really pleased with the way it turned out and the customer was thrilled!

My very first attempt at etching copper and I am quite pleased with the results. I have been designing this and making this in my dreams for quite some time now, and only recently got the ingredients together to make my dream come true. Now that I've started, I have plans to do more. The process from making the design on copper, etching and then the oxidizing is very fulfilling when the finished product is realized. I've taken some brass wire and a black tourmaline bead and 2 copper beads to make a bale and I've hung it on a greek leather adjustable cord. It is not listed in my Etsy Shop yet, but will be in the next few days. I rather like the organic look and can't wait to expand my line.

WEll, today I got a nice surprise, an email from Mike, from the blog What My Girlfriend Wants
telling me that my Pearl Dangle Ring was featured on their blog, along with several other talented Etsians. This is really a boon to my confidence that out of all the jewelry sellers on Etsy (and there are hundreds, if not thousands), mine was exceptional enough to be chosen. And I am in good company, as the other Etsians chosen also offer some lovely pieces.

Ok, so I've been making jewelry for about 8 years now. Never once have I oxidized any of my sterling silver until the other day. It seems to be a popular trend, this darkened silver, and I have to say, after trying it out, it really changes the look of the jewelry.


At first I tried the boiled egg method.....it's where you boil an egg, cut it in half and put your silver in to oxidize in a natural way. Egg yolk has sulphur in it which causes the chemical oxidation process. Um...not for me. So I bought a bottle of Liver of Sulphur. Mixed it up according to directions, with 1 cup of cold water and...voila! Nothing. So, being the reader I am, I have done my homework and researched this method and find that the water must be very warm. So I microwave the solution. Upon opening the microwave, I am overcome with the smell of rotten eggs. Not a few, but hundreds, maybe thousands of them. I hold my breath, dip the earrings in and like magic they start to transform!!!

The smell is becoming rather noxious, so I open the back door for some ventilation. Did I mention it's 6º here with a wind chill factor of -30º? So, here I am freezing and gagging trying to fish the earrings out of the solution, manage to wash them off and try to decide if I want to save the solution or dump it. I opt for some saran wrap over the container while I decide.

The earrings turned out fantastic!!! The finish is permanent and a very striking contrast to the ruby red quartz briolettes. Serpent - Blackened Silver and Ruby Quartz Long Dangle Earrings

Since winter is in full swing I'm not sure when I will try this again, doing it inside is just not an option. Freezing my butt off outside is also not an option I'm likely to try anytime soon, either.

Lori