All Excited About My New Thing

I never know what to do with disc beads, especially the ones that are cooler on the flat side than on the edge. Just sort of hanging them hasn't appealed to me, and often the holes don't afford much room for the heavier gauge wire which I prefer. I was recently asked to do a tutorial (haven't done it yet, I'll let you know when and where once it's up) using some glass disc beads, and had to puzzle over that for a long time before I thought of a way I could make the most of them. I went over and over the "engineering" in my head for a while, and decided it might work. I thought I would do a prototype with base metal, and some disc beads that have been sitting on my work bench FOREVER (see, keeping them where you can see them is important--if you keep looking at them every day, you'll eventually get an idea) first, just to make sure I could make it work. It worked! Here's my prototype below:

I'm a little underwhelmed with the photo, it makes more of an impression in person. I'll need to retake the photos with a different background--I was in a hurry this morning and didn't have time to paw through my backgrounds like I usually do. I also forgot to take a picture of the backside, which I wanted to show you. It looks like the backside of everything I've ever tried to embroider. Let's say the backside is very "abstract" and "organic" looking. I can't decide whether to put another little doodad inside that sort of empty space in the middle, I can't find anything that doesn't make it look too busy. Maybe just a spray of ball headpins in there. I might change out the chain as well for something with bigger links that would be adjustable. I don't have anything like that so I'll have to make it.


The swirling discs are raku lampwork discs from Blue Seraphim on Etsy--I love the navy blue with the latte color. There's a little purple, lighter blue and green in there too. There are large wood discs underneath them from Beads and Pieces. They are attached to the base (an abstract shape in brass wire) by hand-forged 20 gauge yellow brass ball headpins that have been antiqued in ammonia fumes and then hand polished. The focal section is attached to the rest of the necklace by 8mm Czech glass rounds in Montana Blue, with my brass beadcaps, also antiqued in ammonia fumes and then polished with steel wool and my Dremel. Four strands of brown Greek leather on each side are attached via handmade brass coil ends, and these attach to short lengths of chain.

I have some other disc beads I'm dying to do this with now--some gorgeous turquoise discs I've had forever but not used because just stringing them seemed such a waste (the flat side is gorgeous), and I couldn't figure out how to use them flat because the holes are so small. I think I'll make another piece like this with them. I have some other slightly different turquoise discs that would mix well with them. I've also gone on a ceramic button-buying spree, with the same idea. I think maybe I'll just make a whole collection of this kind of stuff. It'll be My Thing.

Not What I Had Originally Planned

Well, this wasn't at all what I had started out to make. I was determined to use my bronze Summers Studio pendant, but it just didn't work out. So I will continue to hoard that one until I can devise the PERFECT setting. I was so looking forward to using that, I almost gave up halfway on this one. I hate having to start over with a design idea. And I wasn't thrilled with this disc of chrysocolla, it was just so plain. In the process of creating a bail for it I got carried away adding gewgaws to it (there was epoxy), and I like it a little more. (For more info, CLICK HERE).



I had started out with bronze-colored chain (I left my brass chain in the ammonia fumes for a LONG time, until it turned sable brown), so I decided to stick with that. Used some of my hand-forged beadcaps that I had also bronzed in the ammonia fumes, and then spent ALL day trying to figure out what else to do with it. Finally settled on these great wood wheels from Beads and Pieces (fabulous wood bead selection). And of course, being me, I had to add just one more thing. So I dangled some little turquoise glass roundels partway along the chain to keep it from being too naked. I did have some brass spirals on there too, but then there were just too many curlicues everywhere and I took them off.



Didn't have time for the new torch yesterday. Frankly, I'm a little nervous. Making fire with something that's delivered in a truck is a little daunting. My cigar lighter torch is much less threatening. Bic is harmless. You light them at concerts. Unfortunately the thing I just made (above) was not on my to do list, so I can't cross it off. So the list is the same length. Long. I guess I should add it on there and THEN cross it off. But my list would still be the same length. Damn.

Anticipation

I know you all have been anxiously drumming your fingers and tapping your feet, waiting for me to do something with my hammered bead caps. So was I. The wait is over. I made six pair of earrings on Sunday with them, and was taking pictures late into the evening. Finally got them listed last night. So here they are:

Jungle Kingdom Green Opal and Copper


Desert River Delta Earrings with Verdite and Brass


Industrial Revolution Earrings in Labradorite and Brass (sold)


Pomegranate Bon Bon Dangle Earrings with Red Agate and Hammered Brass


Rock Lichen Earrings in Rhyolite, Nickel and Sterling Silver


Desert Peaks Earrings with Picture Jasper and Hammered Brass


All I can say is my thighs hurt. Punching metal with a hand punch is a full body exercise. It should be called a ThighMaster Metal Punch. The nickel is especially tough to punch through. I have to put it on the floor and put all my weight on it to get enough leverage to get it to go through. I need to gain weight apparently. I'm looking forward to using these same palettes in bracelets and necklaces. Which means my thighs are going to be REALLY sore.

P.S. Fired up the butane mini torch and did NOT burn the house down. I still have eyebrows. It would be about as easy to do that as burning the house down with a Bic lighter. The flame on my mini, or rather nanotorch is similar. (I think maybe we'll take it to the lake this summer and use it to light the barbecue.) Unfortunately the igniter doesn't work (Harbor Freight strikes again) so I have to light it with a match. But I did have fun coloring my copper. It wasn't hot enough to ball the copper though. Guess I need a propane torch for that. It's going to get dangerous around here.

My First Bead Caps

Well I finally did it. I stumbled my way, cussing, through the illegible one-page "instruction manual" for my metal punch from Harbor Freight (which did not, in fact, have "screws", but rather metric allen nuts, for which no allen wrench was provided (rather, a big dopey "key" was enclosed); my set of course was not metric so I had to go the hardware store), and stunned myself by actually figuring out how to use it. Punched out some little discs from copper and brass 22 gauge sheet, hammered them a little, put holes in the middle with my pin vise drill, domed them to fit a 12mm bead, hammered them a little more, and oxidized them. Here they are, after a little polishing. Pretty much the way I'd hoped they would turn out.



It was a stupid amount of work. It's the drilling the little hole that's a pain. Think I'll make a little dimple first with an awl next time, maybe it'll go faster.

I have some 20 gauge sheet that I think would make some nice, really burly bead caps, but I don't think I could punch through it. I almost couldn't get through the brass sheet; might have to have the BF do that. It's rated for up to 18 gauge, but man! I would need an elephant to come step on it for me. I need a hydraulic metal punch. If anybody has any tricks for punching tough metal, I'd love to hear them. Maybe I'm not doing it right.

I would love to do this in silver too. I'm contemplating getting some silver sheet too, but I'm afraid it would be even harder than the brass. Anybody have any experience with sterling sheet and metal punches? The 22 gauge seems like a good thickness for bead caps. Probably too thin for charms or tags though.

OK, going to clean up my mess and drink a beer with the BF. I think I'm going to use the two copper pair for some green opal and maybe some aqua terra jasper earrings. I'm going to put the brass ones on a pair of faceted red agate earrings.