Tips

DON’T FEAR THE FLAME “I want to learn how to solder but I’m SO afraid of the torch!” I hear this all the time. Many artists that create beautiful, beaded creations want to go to the next level and learn to solder so that they can add pendants to their pieces. What’s holding them back?…

FUN WITH A COPPER CUFF We had a fun time at the Bouncing Bead last Saturday making a copper cuff bracelet. Even though copper is a little harder to work with than silver, you can still get stunning results. This cuff is a copper overlay band sweat soldered, with a lace agate cabochon set on…

PLATING COPPER JEWELRY With the increase in popularity of copper in art jewelry making, you come up against the problem of soldering it. If you use silver solder, you have a silver line on your piece. If you use copper solder, you have a dirty silver line on your piece. Also, if you try any…

PORCELAIN JASPER INLAID CUFF This is the cuff I made for the Beginning Inlay Video project. I’m very happy with it for a number of reasons. First, it’s always fun to have an idea in your head and when you finish the project, it looks WAY better than you ever could have imagined. Second, I…

IMPRESSIONS Chrysocolla & Sterling Silver Ring This ring is special to me for a lot of reasons.  I was prevailed to be one of the first ‘complex’ metal projects for Step by Step Wire Magazine.   They’re now defunct – I hope it wasn’t me… Moving on, another reason this is a special ring is the sum…

COOKIES AND GLEAM So, you’ve got your mouth all set for a warm, home-made chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven. What could be better? You start mixing the batter, and about halfway through the recipe, you realize you don’t have any eggs! You’re sunk.  A little pre-planning and you wouldn’t find yourself in…