Studio Fun Fun Fun!!

Things have been somewhat slow this past week, which can be good and bad. When things are slow it can be hard because making jewelry is how I am trying to survive financially. However it can  also be good because it gives me a moment to regroup, or work on the business aspect of things. Slow periods is also when I try to design new pieces or try something new.

I have mentioned before my sister also works with 3 dimensional wood crafts but also incorporates some metalsmithing in her work. She purchased some string enamel and it was just to hard to resist, I had to try some out.

It is just to fun, fun fun!!, and very easy to use. I did one coat of enamel underneath to enhance the strips. Prepare your copper pieces by doming out the discs, and make sure they are clean with no oil from your fingers. Paint the enamel adhesive on the discs, then sift on the enamel you want to use. I went with a white and a lime green.

You can use a little trivet for torch enameling small pieces, aim the flame under the disc somewhat on the center base of the trivet. If you don't want to use this method you can try a tripod with a screen.

Use what I call the big girl torch, a micro torch will not work because the screen is a heat sink. You will see the enamel start to turn to what looks like sand paper, then it starts to look some what like an orange peel, and then it turns all smooth. After you do your first coat, clean your disc again and add the enamel strips you want. Go slow with the torch because you may blow off the little strips of enamel.

                        

The enamel strips will melt like magic into the first coat of enamel, just to fun!!!. For the white disc I just simply added a pinch of strips letting them fall randomly on the disc. Or if you want to be fussy you can place them one at a time in any pattern you desire like I did with the lime green and blue ones.

The possibilities are endless, I am already wanting to enamel a half domed disc and set it in a bezel for a pendant!!