a lesson in copper.

now this is not me blowing off steam or me not being able to accept criticism, but i felt that it would be a good time to do some education around copper jewelry.  a customer sent me a prickly email about a set of copper and sterling rings that she had purchased from me, stating that the materials i use must not be pure copper or sterling silver because they had turned her ring finger green.  i'll admit that my anger flared up a little for a hot moment - mostly because of the insinuation that my materials aren't pure.  but then i realized that not everyone has the background that i have in regards to metal, so i figured i'd post some information here in the hopes that it will help someone else - because i want the people who wear my jewelry to love it.

there are mystical healing properties associated with copper.  not only is it one of the oldest metals known to man, but it also is an essential nutrient to all living things (and conversely, in large quantities, can be poisonous).  copper has a high electrical and thermal conductivity, surpassed only by silver, which is why copper is used in wiring and piping.  this property of conductivity is also attributed to spiritual energies and thoughts, as well as to helping to align and cure physical and emotional ailments.  pretty awesome, if you ask me.  the fact that copper has a gorgeous sheen and can oxidize to a fantastic multi-coloured patina adds to the beauty of it.

so why does copper sometimes turn skin green?  it's all about the body, baby.  the green stains that may be left on your skin after wearing copper jewelry are formed as your body absorbs the copper.  the chemical makeup of some people's sweat (in this case, the acidity) will react with the metal, which is why some people react and some people don't.  healers who wear copper state that the green tinge is a sign that the metal is "working", and that the colour also can indicate a body that is deficient in copper.  a body that is severely deficient in copper can also respond to the minute levels of copper in 14K gold.  related news - if you have a nickel allergy (and none of my metals contain nickel) you won't get a green stain on your finger, but will have redness at the point of contact with the metal, accompanied by itching and a burning sensation. 

i use certified sterling silver (92.5% pure silver, 7.5% copper) and pure copper (100% copper - duh) in addition to brass (an alloy of copper and zinc - we'll go into that another day), 14K gold filled and rose gold filled wire.  however, people's sensitivities all depend on their chemical makeup, and unfortunately, there are no sure fire ways to guarantee that one won't react to any metal - unless you stop yourself from sweating (yeah, right - seriously, how would you do that?) or don't wear any sort of jewelry at all.  you can coat the inside of your rings with clear nail polish to create a barrier between your skin and the copper, which most people find helpful.  it does need to be reapplied once in a while, but apparently does the trick.  you should also keep your jewelry away from chlorine, salt water, soap, lotions, and hot tubs (right, L?) and clean them often to keep their shine. 

having this response to copper is not unusual, just unsightly.  and of course it seems to affect the people who hate it the most.  it's not just a matter of avoiding "cheap" jewelry, because for some people, even the trace amounts of copper in gold or pure silver can cause a reaction.  i take great pride in the work that i do and i would hate to have someone be unhappy with a piece that they purchased from me.  however, that being said, nature sometimes finds a way to sabotage even the most beautiful fashion choices.

(thanks to metaphysicaldirectory.org, shimmerlings.com and about.com)

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chic coppers

woke up this morning and was featured by the lovely mediterra here!  her gorgeous copper themed treasury is to die for!!! 

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art history lesson - richard serra.

richard serra, "torqued ellipses", 1998.  DIA foundation

i've always been more of a two-dimensional "artist".  i never really was able to think depth-width-length (which probably also explains why i am so awful at math) and all the things i made in Sculpture 101 were sadly only viewable from one angle.  i can definitely appreciate an excellent statue (the nike of samothrace, or bernini's ecstacy of st. theresa, for starters) but anything in three dimensions eludes me from a creative standpoint.  maybe it's a brain thing, maybe it's artistic roadblock, or maybe i should just resign myself to the fact that i'm just better working on a flat surface. 

i did not retain much from the extensive art history curriculum i have under my belt, but i did pay careful attention to modern sculpture movements.  one of my absolute favourite artists from that era is the minimalist/process artist Richard Serra.  not only does he create enormous, fantastic, uber-masculine constructions in steel, but he also has a reputation of being a little bit of a jerk.  (of course, just my type.)  urban legend had it that once, one of his multi-ton sculptures had crashed through a gallery ceiling and killed someone.  RS's alleged response?  "it's part of the art.  so what."  while the story is not 100% true - actually, the truth is that a workman was killed while assisting in the removal of a Serra piece from an installation site; and seriously, no good curator worth his/her salt would ever install something that heavy on the second floor of a gallery - it lends an edge of emotional coldness to RS's already steely works.

i've had the pleasure of experiencing one of Serra's works in person - the husband and i had lucked out and stumbled upon an exhibition of his "torqued ellipses" at the DIA foundation in NYC.  forbidding, huge, silent, pitted with the mark of the machinery that made it and streaked with rust, the huge pieces of cor-ten-steel rested firmly on the cement floor of a gigantic warehouse, but yet, as you looked up from within the sculpture, you couldn't help but feel that, at any minute, the huge pieces of steel would slowly tilt and crush you in the process.  i spent a long time just sitting underneath the steel, marvelling at the size, shape and structure, and hoping i wasn't going to be flattened.

i was thinking about what i said about the fidget rings last night and i realized that they are probably the only pieces of "sculpture" that i have made and truly been somewhat interested in.  i am in love with the irregularities, the folds in the metal, the textures.  the unfinished-ness of them and the twist of the copper.  they make me think of sitting within Serra's steel - but being able to hold that same feeling in my hand.  i am definitely NOT putting myself anywhere near the genius that is he, but it's neat to think that maybe, just maybe, i have a little bit of sculptor in me.

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bigger is better. at least when you're melting copper.

i think i am destined not to sleep.  oh well.  means that i had a little extra time to research copper and how to set it on fire.  and i have a possible solution to my problem.  i have to go bigger............ in that i need a bigger torch.  *insert evil villain's laugh here and find the fire extinguisher*

my initial problem started because i assumed that copper wire would respond to the flame in the same way that sterling, argentium and fine silver does.  while copper does have a relatively low melt temperature (around 1900 degrees F) it is also an excellent heat conductor (hence its use in electrical, thermal and building applications) which sucks for me because this means that the metal draws the heat faster than i can supply it via my small handheld torch.  it also results in the wire "breaking" before the ball is completely formed at the end of my wire.  eureka!

apparently, a larger torch works even better and with a little tweaking of my technique, should get me the results that i want.  so today, i'm off to home depot and grabbing myself something bigger and hotter.  (that would be a plumber's torch.  get your mind out of the gutter.)

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back to work.

and not in the good artsy jewelry making sort of way.  it was back to the office for me this morning - and it was a gray, rainy morning, mirroring the way i felt.  sigh.  and of course, inspiration hits at inopportune moments, but i'm hoping to have some time to work on some new ring designs.

i did have some time to try to make a copper version of the tiny bud earrings, but quickly found out that copper has different melting properties than sterling.  much different.  i think i went through a whole tank of butane and now i have a whole bunch of twisted, charred wire fragments littering my workspace.  but i'm determined to get it right... so stay tuned. 

in the meantime... i'm totally loving the freelance whales.  what a nice surprise.  a little bit of ride, a little bit of swervedriver, a little bit of chapterhouse with a sprinkling of belle & sebastian.  because, of course, we can always just be friends.  yummy.

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lucky. horseshoe.

so the lovely j.r. wanted to see what i wasted so much wire on yesterday.  i've been mulling over the idea of a horseshoe hinged earring design - where the lower part of the hoop is made up of substantial hammered wire and then the loop that goes through the ear is thinner but still sturdy.  i wanted movement but chunky - does that even make sense?  i have to admit that i am not the best at making wire loops (damn carpal tunnel!) but i've been trying. 
the main design issue for me is making sure that the loops on the larger part of the earring are roomy enough for the smaller wire loops to move so that the earrings have some swing to them.  i also need to use a thinner gauge wire for the part that goes through the ear - 18 gauge is a little too thick, i fear.

here are the workable "prototypes" of the lucky horseshoe earrings that i finished last night.  the larger one is in copper (which i probably should have started with in the first place instead of wasting all that sterling) and the smaller in silver.  "lucky" is an appropriate name since it was probably not a good idea to have worked on them after having a drink - i was pretty lucky that i didn't hammer my fingers off.  (i did get my thumb once though.  #$%#$^.)

thoughts?

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an elvish treasury.

i've never been described as "elvish" before.  but i love the feeling of being in a fantasy novel!  thank you, bigskyart!

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sweet november

i can't believe that it's november already. in the flurry of work, motherhood and wifely duties, the time seems to be just flying by. i have been stealing some moments though to play with some new gemstones and sterling. i was commissioned to create an alternative engagement ring for someone and it turned out wonderfully! the client requested a labradorite stone to be set in silver, then woven together with a thick simple copper band. just lovely! so i have taken that ring idea one step further and have been experimenting with copper and sterling and stone. i think that the combination is just lovely... but take a look for yourself!

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new idea - FINALLY! introducing the knot & tangle ring!

so thanks to the lovely katie shuttle, i finally got inspired! i am introducing my new knot & tangle ring - the latest addition to my 'knotted up' collection! i made one each in copper and in sterling silver and they are just lovely. a new classic, perhaps? what do you think?

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Happy October!!!!!

new month, new season! i can't believe it's fall already! my laptop finally returned home and, if you can believe it, i loaded Windows and all the drivers and now it works again. a little differently than before (wtf is broadcom security???) but i'm happy.

i started using the stationary bike in our basement to try to get some exercise. i had been feeling a little cabin fever-y but it's a wonder what a little physical activity can do for the ol' brain. it also made me feel a little inspired. i'd ordered some silky, ribbony square copper wire that i turned into rings! more modern and contemporary than my other skinny stacking rings, these are perfect for the cooler weather! i'm also going to look into some bezel setting as well - nothing like a nice stack of rings to wear with autumn's chunky sweaters!

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August's Giveaway! My NEW Simply Skinny Earrings!

can you believe the summer is halfway over already? not that the days seem to matter to me - oh the joys of maternity leave! i seem to measure time now by whether or not the husband is going to the office or when Michaels opens later. how funny - especially since i used to be the girl with the daytimer!

anyhow - i've been trying to do some more designing in my spare time, and am launching a simply skinny earring line! in celebration, my august giveaway is the very first pair of simply skinny earrings in sterling silver and copper! you want 'em? (and of course you do!)

all you have to do is this:
- go to my etsy shop - http://muffintopdesigns.etsy.com/ - heart what you like the best, come back here and leave a comment

- become a "follower" of my blog (if you are already, that's fantastic!)

- for an extra entry, tell me what the colour scheme is for the mini's nursery! (i mention it in an earlier blog post - so go look!)

make sure you leave details (a link to your blog, an email address, etc.) so i can find you! go enter! now! i'll be picking a winner on august 20th!!! (why the 20th? i dunno. sounded like a good day to choose a winner!)

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