ObjectsandElements.com

Forging Earrings...

OK, once I get started it's like eating brownies, you can't stop at one...Here are some more ideas and shapes for forged earrings....if you missed the first post with the step by step photos, go to the  Rustic Hoop Earrings blog.  I'm off to the Bead and Button show--come say hi if you are there! 

I've been obsessed with this shape lately-- I'm sure it's because of all the brightly colored long summer skirts I've been seeing!

I started  with 12 Gauge Bronze Wire and cut  5-6 inches depending on how large you want your hoops.   Heat to glowing to make sure the wire is fully annealed and quench.  Bend over something round to make the bottom hoop and flatten with a chasing hammer.  The easiest thing to use is a piece of hardened steel such this piece from my dap and die set.  

 

Next shape the sides, it's hard to get them perfectly matched.  TIP:  I always make both of the earrings in a pair at the same time so they turn out matching...

Shape the sides and then hammer to match the bottom leaving the ends so you can turn the plane and make the holes where you can put your ear wire.  

It's tricky to do these ends and I have found that turning a bench block on end works the best for shaping and for drilling I do the same with a block of wood.

                                         

The holes are difficult to make in  the wire and the best way I've found is to use my Hole Punch Pliers to mark where I want to drill and then use a Size 60 Drill bit as it's small enough to put the hole through the 12 Gauge wire.  When I try to do it any other way I end up skittering off and messing it up...

                                              

 Make the ear wires to look something like this  (oops don't notice that they aren't the same...)

Add the ear wires and tap lightly to work harden them into place. I usually count 20 taps to make sure they are nice and strong.

Here are some more, the shapes  are obviously endless and so fun...

1

 long and swingy...

These  are made from 12 guage nickel silver wire and sterling ear wires...they were pennies to make and very nice!

 

Don't let wire limit your design...this one is made with a scrap of sheet metal--there are no shortage of those around here...

                                    

I was thinking that holes could be made in these or maybe stones added on wires...these are still on my workbench and may show up again...leave a comment if you'd like The Overflowing Stash is growing not shrinking!!  

 

Winners of the ARTChix naming contest were HARD to choose! the winners are Beaker--because I LOVE Muppets and Ellie short for Objects and Elements and I love a great brown nose job! Rachel Weaver and Julie Tracy send me your address by email to linda@objectsandelements.com thanks for all the entertaining ideas!

Art Chick needs a name...

The winners of the The Overflowing Stash are:

Rae Fisher

Lynda Carson

and Last Minute Lynn

 

thanks everyone for your comments, it is so fun to read them!  I'm busy packing for the Bead and Button show and have three articles to write so the next blog is delayed.   We love ARTChix studio and carry their beautiful collage papers and this week when I went into the studio to my surprise we had new ArtChix of our very own!  Several little peepers have taken up residence in a shipping box with a nice warm light.  This one escaped and was hunting for some sparkly new jewelry designs--she kept posing over and over!  She needs a name so leave one and the winning name will receive a fun gift from us!  

Summer Brain Dump

Sometimes I have random pieces on my workbench so here is another brain dump blog....I wondered if I could make earrings from these cute little Garment Pins and they worked great!  I just cut the sharp end off and rounded it with a Wire Rounder and added one of our great drops.  If the drop you choose is bright just heat it a little until it's the same color as the pins.  This pair of earrings would be less than $1...

                                   

then of course I got out of control and made more!

                                         
 and more...this needs some alchohol inks on the edges...or bronze nail polish?

                                    

and more!

                                     
We even captured some stepped out photos for this pair...cut about three inches of  20 Gauge Bronze Wire and make a loop about one third the way up.  I always make them at the same time so my earrings are balanced.  These wires were heated first to make them a bit darker to match the rest of the earring.

                 
add the Spike and wrap the short end loosely.

                                        

                                            

Place the Pearl Orb on the wire and then make a loop at the top and wrap loosely again.  Add a pin or make an ear wire and you have earrings!

Oops, then I got distracted by these Baby Fish who need to be worn for summer! They are steel and can be enameled, polished or painted with nail polish or alcohol inks!  

I made a silver hoop out of  20 Gauge Sterling Wire, added a scrap of chain and three jump rings and have this adorable stringer of fish...

                               

 

Wait! one last thing on my workbench, it's a project for Martha's birthday....her email is "teacup" and when I saw this idea in the May/June Cloth Paper Scissors and just had to try it.   It's so cute on my front porch I think I'll hide it from her...

                                        

I used her cup and saucer and glued them together with E6000.  

    

I flattened a vintage silver spoon with a Rawhide Hammer so it wouldn't leave any marks.  This hammer is really good for flattening your metal after you texture it too.

                                              

when I stamp in words I always revert to my old high school poster days and write it out and start in the middle so it ends up fairly balanced.  

    
The best away to control the stamp so it won't jump is to hold it by using ALL the fingers on your hand and rest the little finger on the surface.  It makes a huge difference in the control you have.  I learned this method in a repousse class and it has worked really well.

                                           

 

Leave a comment and we'll send you something from The Overflowing Stash and something off my work bench!  Linda

And the winner is!

Sorry to be so slow about getting this drawing done!  I had to take a short vacation to visit my adorable grandkids in California....I got lots of little girl hugs and kisses and now I'm back to work...I just used my random number generator and Anabella is the winner of the copy of the book "Making Wire and Bead Jewelry"!  Thanks everyone for your comments....I'll get busy this week and come up with some new eye candy...Linda  

Making Wire & Bead Jewelry

First things first....congrats to Lynda and Cecile for winning The Overflowing Stash this week!   Thanks for all your comments, it's very helpful...and fun!

Here is a photo of the cover of a new wire working book out by my two favorite wire workers!

Tracy and Janice live in the Seattle area and I learned all my wire working skills from them.  When I heard they wrote a book I knew I needed it...I wasn't wrong.  This book is a great addition to any workbench as wire working is a great addition to any jewelry. 

The work is strong and adaptable for your own designs and the step by step photos really help you see how to do the basics and some of the great new techniques shown here.

Here is some eye candy from inside.... 

                                           

 

If you read my blog you know I'm a sucker for cages, this one is pretty cool...

              

Never one for patterns, I'm tempted by this one!!

These wrapped links are great to add strength to your work and go right along with heavier work made of sheet metal/found objects.

                                        

 

 

Wire work can be strong, lean and mean or strong pretty and fluffy... I think this piece is all of them!

                                

If looking at these pictures makes you want to play with wire right away go to the Cages or  Forged Wire Vine blogs and try your hand at it then order this book and try these great projects--most of all have fun!

If you would like, leave a comment to enter the giveaway of a copy of "Making Wire & Bead Jewelry"  generously donated by the publisher Lark Jewelry & Beading.

Making a Chain of Stone or Pearls

                          

My recycled "rake" fish is holding some of my favorite pieces to wear!   Some of these pieces are very old from my first foray into jewelry making and wire work.  I find myself using this technique over and over as it's very useful.  I use it like the photo below so my heavy metal pieces have a little more feminine feel.  The piece below is the Pinwheel Tabs and part of the Objects and Elements Architecture classes that I'll be teaching this year at Bead and Button and BeadFest.    

    

Use this technique for any stones or pearls that you want to make into a chain.  First determine what gauge wire will fit in your bead.  I prefer to do this technique in heavier wire such as 14 gauge, so I frequently have to use a bead reamer to enlarge the holes.  It's monotonous work but oh so worth it!    

Once you figure out what wire gauge, make a practice piece and determine how much of a wrap you want and how long your wire needs to be to accomplish the wrap on both sides.  Cut several pieces of wire and get started. 

Make a loop like the one above but keep the pliers in the hole and add the pearl.  If you are using a tapered pliers mark the spot with a sharpie on the pliers so your loops are consistent.

                                            

 start the wrap so the pearl stays in position. 

 Make the wrap at the other end  then finish off the first end too.

 

 Tuck the sharp end into the wrap.  You could also make your wrap much larger and fatter with more wire.

The next pearl will need to be connected to the first one to start the chain.  This is a very strong chain as there are no openings.   You can also connect the component in the photo directly above with jump rings to another component that is the same.   See the second photo in the series for this sample.  

 You can make it as long as you like or use as a component with ready made chain too!

Leave your comment to enter The Overflowing Stash contest....

If you are loving this technique check out the new wire working book by Tracy Stanley and Janice Berkebile for lots of great instructions, photos and variations.  "Making Wire & Bead Jewelry".    I just got mine in the mail today and will be reviewing it and sharing some photos later.

 

The winner's of The Overflowing Stash this week are.....Shirley Moore, Suzanne and Kathy. Names are drawn by a random number generator. Thanks everyone for your comments--it really helps me to know what you like when I'm working on new blogs....Linda

Rustic Bronze Hoop Earrings--the Options are Endless!

Look at the rustic handmade look of these hoops and they are so easy to make!   The cost of materials is less than $2 and the time less than an hour--what a nice gift they would be.

     

These are made from 12 Gauge Bronze Wire and 22 Gauge Sterling wire.  The size of the hoop will determine how much bronze wire to cut.  Wrap the wire around something about the right size and cut.  When making hoops its good to make several pair at a time so they match in case you lose one!  And its more efficient  to do several pair at this point.   

                                        

Hammer both ends of the heavy wire so you can punch a hole on each side.  Bend one end up to "catch" the end of the ear hoop.

    

Drilling a hole in wire can be tough, Hole Punch Pliers make it easier to control the hole placement.

                                    

Using the ball peen end of a Chasing Hammer on a Bench Block; hammer out the hoop.  This is a great place to add additional texture or even change the planes of the flattened areas.  

                                       

Cut a piece of the 22 Gauge Sterling wire about 2" or 5 centimeters.  Make a loop in one end and bend back with your thumbnail.  See photo below for how it should look. 

   
   

 Use your fingers to make a large bend in it and pliers to bend up the end.

   

Attach through the hole and adjust to fit, then tap the ear wire repeatedly on your block with your chasing hammer to "work harden" the wire.  Usually about 20 times.  This is "tapping" and shouldn't flatten the wire.  

   
Use a Wire Rounder to smooth the end of the ear wire.  This prevents scratching when you put them on.  

   

Viola!  You have a very cool pair of hoops.  Now the sky is the limit...add your own look and flair to them.  Beads or stones can easily be added and wrapped as a quick way to add some color...Take a stone and a head pin and do a quick wrap and add to the bottom of the hoop.                                                      

                                          

Leave a comment and you will be entered in the drawing to give away three of  The Overflowing Stash packets!  

 

 

The Fork Returns...

One of the winners of The Overflowing Stash and a silverplate fork was Karen Burns....she was nice enough to send a photo of what she did with it.  I like the addition of the pearl to the fork tine...thanks for sharing Karen!  

The winner of The Overflowing Stash for last week is Polly Anna--again!  I really try to spread the junk all over the world but her wisdom in understanding the men in her life has kept me laughing all week!  It just couldn't go unmentioned.  The other comments were wonderful and I always appreciate the sharing that happens...I learn the most I'm sure...Linda