Sunday, October 26, 2008

Project #3 and lots of other stuff....

Project # 3 "bead shelf necklace" - really didn't appeal to me - but I went ahead and made it anyway. I used the torch a lot on this one. A BIGGER torch that gets really hot. It helped a lot to make the copper turn red red. Yay! I was getting way frustrated with trying to melt balls on the ends of the copper. It just wouldn't work with the little hand torch I was using - the wire would break first or just turn black and brittle. But the big torch does it quick! I used many techniques making this necklace. Pounding, texturing, drilling holes, punching holes, balling the ends of copper, and wrapping metal beads.

...and this is a fused fine silver jump ring! MY FIRST ONE! I have a great book called "Silver Wire Fusing" by Liz Jones . This is the first project from this book that I have tried. EASY PEASY! I just made a fine silver ring by wrapping the silver around a dowel and cutting it I had to make sure the edges were flush. Then I heated the whole ring in a circular motion for just a moment and touched the blue tip of the torch flame to the cut edges of the ring and waited for the cut edges to get really shiny (liquefy!). I quickly lifted the heat away and then plunged the ring into water. Fine silver doesn't tarnish when heated and doesn't need any flux.

I also made another project towards the end of the book - I have no idea what project number it is - but I liked it. It's called the "wire hands bracelet" only I didn't make a bracelet. You had to make 16 hands to make a bracelet. Forget it. I was lucky I made 3. How did Mary Hettmansperger ever make 16! These hands are tedious and time consuming....and I am so anal mine had to be as precise as I could make them.... So, after the first one that turned out way lame, I made 2 more, sort of my own version. I made them into earrings. I haven't taken the pics yet for this one. ...Manana....

Oh...here's the final version of the "guardian angel" painting.


Let's see - what else? I got my jewelers saw to work! I couldn't get it to hold the blades for the life of me! So I took the set screws out and - lo and behold - all of the broken blade tips were still inside...what a maroon! So I used it to cut some shapes out of copper, and I'm sawing away....really killing my wrists trying to hold the copper in place and level.....and then it dawns on me - duh! - CLAMP the copper down. I don't need to try and hold it with my hands and saw at the same time. Sometimes taking a class first is probably a good idea........

9 comments:

jackie said...

Connie! Your newest copper creation is wonderful!! So many different and interesting elements going on in this piece - love it!
I also love your finished "guardian angel"!
And I'm so proud of you for making good on your promise to yourself to "use your tools" - you're doing some amazing stuff!
hugs,
jackie

Joanne Huffman said...

Blogger just ate my comments, so I will try again.

I love the necklace. You make me want to try a shelf project. I look forward to seeing your earrings. I'm really impressed with your silver jump ring. Your guardian angel is a skeletal masterpiece. Connie, I really love all the art you've been doing lately.

Joanne

Anonymous said...

Your bead shelf necklace is great! Good for you for going for it. Can't wait to see your wire hand project...

Anonymous said...

Your bead shelf necklace is great! Good for you for going for it. Can't wait to see your wire hand project...

Connie Carpenter Macko said...

So many lovely things here! I want to thank you for sharing the stumbling blocks and pitfalls you encounter while creating. So many people are afraid to admit it's not all effortless. I think it makes me appreciate the pieces even more! Carry on! What's next?

beautifullybrokenme said...

Another gorgeous piece - you are a truly talented artist.

:-) Molly

Amber Dawn Inventive Soul said...

My mom in law used to make these out of painted canvas, paper, wire and beads.
Now I see them all over the place on the web!
I do think that yours is a BEAUTIFUL color and I like the concept of it!

I want to make some too!

:)

Brenda said...

I just love that crazy looking little guy! Entirely too cute!

Kathy McElroy said...

I love how your jewlery piece turned out. You always create such wondeful things. i bet you have so much fun playing with your power tools.