A chronicle of the meanderings, false starts (which in retrospect, while sort of embarrassing turned out to be highly instructive), epiphanies, selective apathy (still evolving), wild mood swings, opinions (subject to frequent change), and life lessons of an inveterate dabbler (and her latest dabblings).

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

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.

10 comments:

  1. Really wonderful what you have done with the bead caps! I would love to get a disk cutter. Didn't know that it would be such a workout. Too bad your mini torch doesn't work for that. I remember when I have done it that I had to hold the wire in the bluest part of the flame. I have high hopes for my creme brulee torch should I ever manage to buy some butane.
    Thanks for sharing!
    Enjoy the day!
    Erin

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  2. Actually, I don't have a disk cutter but rather a hand punch. The disk cutters are quite different from what I have--not sure but I think maybe you have to hit them with a hammer or something? So you would have tired arms instead of legs!

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  3. They are all gorgeous, Miss Keirsten! The bead caps are so organic...they make each pair unique. I especially like the 1st copper ones. Too bad about your little torch...I have Bernzomatic mini-butane that I got at Lowes for about $25 and it has been making great balled copper headpins.

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  4. argh!!! guess I better go to Lowes tonight...Maybe I just misread the Chinglish instructions on my Chinese nano torch ("Not to lighting igniter only before on key turning off", etc.)

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  5. Beautiful earrings...you did a great job making the bead caps! Try a disc cutter,it may be easier than the punch, although if it exercise you are looking for stay with the punch!

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  6. They all are gorgeous Keirsten, love the first one especially. You've done a great job in fact doing the caps, but the results are beautiful.

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  7. very very pretty - and to get exercise as well?!

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  8. Okay I was so laughing at the thighs comment and of course immediately my gutter-brain had to say "umm...maybe that's not what that tool is for?"

    Yeah, I know, weak, but I had to do it.

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  9. P.S. The earrings are all awesome. You definitely got some "gain" for all your "pain."

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