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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metalsmith-to-be. maybe.

as of late, i've had some downtime (huh.  it feels like i've had a lot of downtime lately.  what does that mean?) to think about what i really want to do with my creative life.  (besides win the lottery and buy a tiny little cottage studio on the banks of a river)  and i'm thinking that i want to expand my metalsmithing skills.  for people who have maybe been following me, i chose a introductory metalsmithing class instead of pre-natal courses when i was pregnant.  while it was a struggle because of my temporary carpal tunnel syndrome, and the fact that my belly wouldn't let me get close enough to the table, i loved it.  and it definitely led me in the design direction i was mean to move towards.  i ordered several jewelry fabrication books and devoured them - but still find my skills rudimentary at best.  either that, or i can't seem to move past the joy of melting things.  (don't worry, i've already ruled out pyromania.)

now i feel "itchy" (not in the STD sort of way) and want to learn more.  i am in love with gemstones and feel like i want to move beyond simple bezel settings.  not that there is anything wrong with my bezels, but i feel that even though i am not sculpturally-minded, i think that i could probably handle carving a setting out of wax and casting it.  channel setting, prong setting, tension setting... yum.  i just hope that i can overcome my impatience to get to the end product to learn properly.  in my latest indigo books run, i've added tim mccreight's fundamentals of metalsmithing in the hopes of expanding my skills.

i really admire people who teach themselves how to do something and do it well.  i'm hoping to add myself to that list one day.

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is it wrong to fall in love with sterling silver?

in the midst of planning the mini's christening and house hunting, i actually had some time to do some metalsmithing! (probably a reaction to the stress.)

seriously, i think i'm in love with these sterling stackers. totally edgy, these are less organic feeling than my original stacking rings, but just as cool. these babies are more substantial but sit quite nicely on my finger... hmmm... a new favorite perhaps?????

as for the house hunting, well, we're hoping that the 3rd times' a charm. we're currently working on our third offer, so keep your fingers crossed! then we'll have to gear up and get ready to sell our house! stressed? yeah, i totally am.

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Obsessed with Solder... and Procrastination at it's Best!

the act of soldering is quite mediative. turn on the crockpot to warm the pickle solution. set up the firing brick. turn on the exhaust fan. cut the metal, apply the solder paste. place on the brick. fire up the butane torch, adjust the flame. apply heat, watch the metal and solder heat up and flow together... then, just at the right moment... quench and throw in the pickle solution. i think i'm becoming obsessed with the way that the solder flows into the metal, and the forms that are created - even with a simple ring! i love how the solder polishes up to a high shine just like the rest of the ring when i throw it in the tumbler - it really lends a handmade, organic quality to it! i'm definitely not making a "perfect" ring, but they way these turn out, is perfect to me! they still turn out as comfortable to wear as if i had sanded them for hours, and have a lovely, rustic look to them!

i'm also working on my bezel settings... not the easiest thing in the world to master, but the "Starry Starry Night" ring above didn't turn out too badly. i did add some adhesive to the underside of the cabochon to add some security, but i wore it to work on Thursday and it survived the whole day! i'm quite thrilled at how this one turned out!

obviously i am too busy playing with fire to get all of my documents ready so that i can get my taxes done... we DEFINITELY need the money before the baby comes, but it's too much fun playing in the meth lab! i am also pretty certain that i owe some GST money to the Government... geez. this is what i get for not setting up my business paperwork ahead of time! i have vowed to pop in a Grey's Anatomy DVD and take the grocery bags full of receipts and forms to sort through tonight. sigh! the joys of owning a small business, working full time, and not being organized! i DID clean out the fridge (no, not by eating) and realized that we had a lot more condiments than actual FOOD! who does that?

fyi - if anyone is looking for something etsy to do, the TradeAHolics' team is having a Trade and Stay event starting tomorrow! check out the team blog here: http://etsytradeaholics.blogspot.com/ and join us! i'm probably not going to trade this time around - i'm trying to get my shop stocked up before the mini-muffin comes - but it's ALWAYS a blast.

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For the Love of Metal...

the husband did a wonderful job of painting the bathroom and cleaning up the baby's room - and they say that men don't get that "nesting" feeling! i tell you, he is so fabulous. as much as we both feel a little twinge of regret that we didn't start our family earlier, we will probably be better parents the age we are now than if we had started 10, even 5 years ago... i feel a little badly for him because all i want to do is solder and think of new designs for my etsy shop! but seriously, do you think it's possible to love your spouse even more than you did when you married them? i do!!!! (thanks, beb, for all the work you've done this week! the baby and i love you!)

i'm sitting in the basement after a fabulous session in the "meth lab" (as my makeshift metalsmithing area in the kitchen shall now be known!), nursing my dry, cracked hands and listening to the items i fired up this evening rustling around in the tumbler. the mini-muffin is bubbling around in my belly... she probably has picked up on my creative excitement! and in the meantime, the husband is sleeping! i've been working on a new design of ring - inspiration courtesy of the cabochons and sterling silver wire that came in the mail today! tonight is the first night in two months that i haven't had a metalsmithing class, and i miss it! i know i've said it before, but i am sooo glad that i stuck it out and finished the course!


i have to admit that with this little bit of downtime i have - my full time job is winding down as i prepare to go on maternity leave, and metalsmithing class is done - i've been considering making some changes to my shop, as well as to my "style" of jewelry making. when i look at where i started in July 2007, i feel that i've moved and grown! i've been thinking about taking things a little more seriously. i printed out several "success" stories from etsy's blog, The Storque, and am taking notes. kind of exciting... a new business direction and a baby!

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The View from the "Meth" Lab...

i am going to admit that i think i'm addicted to soldering now. sigh! i KNEW something like this would happen... :) anyway, here is the view from my guerrilla "meth" lab setup in the kitchen. and no, we are not going to eat those bagels.

the rustic eternity circle pendant above was made by me! i love the way it catches the light.

here are the sterling stacking rings after spending some time in the tumbler. they are so bright and shiny, while being delicate and ethereal at the same time.

off to hunt down some more metal!

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Metalsmithing is Over... and I'm SAD!

i really can't believe it. my metalsmithing class is over! i think about how frustrated i was when i started (and was nearly ready to QUIT after the first night) and how i feel really happy about taking it now! i thought i'd share some pictures of the things i completed in the 8 short weeks of instruction... and how psyched i am to get started making things on my own!

above is the sterling silver ring that i finished during the last class. the stone is a 14mm pink rhodocrosite set into a sterling silver bezel (all made by me - as you can probably tell from the roughness of the bezel edge).

here is the first heart that i completed - sawn, pierced, polished and suspended from sterling silver chain.

here is the second heart in brass - a little more freeform in design and hung from brass rolo chain.

today i actually set up a little ghetto metalsmithing area on top of the kitchen stove (under the range hood for ventilation - i should have taken a picture because the husband asked if i was running a meth lab!!!!!!!!) so that i could make some delicate organic sterling silver stacking rings. i cute the sterling silver by hand, soldered, pickled and then tumbled in my trusty tumbler for hours! i can't wait to put these in my shop!

so there you have it! i think it was mostly a success - i definitely learned a lot of new things, and now the books that i have on metalsmithing make so much more sense! totally inspiring! now i can tell the mini-muffin that she and mommy took a metalsmithing class together!

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Grabbing the Brass (or Copper) Ring! And Planning the Mini-Muffin's Nursery

yes. it's my first REAL ring! after struggling with the jeweler's saw, i finally accomplished something!!!! i know it doesn't look like much, but who knew that so much goes into making rings out of sheet metal????? the one above is out of copper - hand sawn, hand filed, annealed, pickled, soldered and hammered on a mandrel. quite a rush - probably not in the same way as skydiving or bungee jumping gives you a rush, but i'm pregnant and can't do those things right now. i love the way the metal responds to the open flame and how you can make it do what you want with just a little coaxing (or pounding!) i'm quite proud of myself - given the pathetic-ness of my initial "piece" (see my January 24th post). we're working on a band ring in sterling silver now and it's looking good so far! i'm really, really excited - now if i could just stop napping to design and cut metal! i definitely am not feeling as discouraged as i did a few short weeks ago! i still may one day be a world famous designer!!!!!



speaking of napping - i suppose the napping isn't really my fault - the mini-muffin is now almost 30 weeks along and she feels like she's getting so big! the husband can feel her moving all the time now and it's so miraculous to be able to be sharing this experience with him! i'm getting a little stressed out now worrying about maternity leave, finances, registering for baby items, and getting her nursery put together - but my wonderful cousin, littlepapercuts, is walking me through it. she has done TONS of kids' rooms and i'm pretty lucky to have her help us out!




these pictures are of her son Alex's room, and they were a winner in a HGTV photo contest last November! she has such a wonderful sense of design and style that i couldn't possibly hope to have. we're working with a pale green and buttercream colour scheme (today anyways) and she already has tons of ideas. (which reminds me, i really should be taking photos and measurements to email to her! sorry, jo!)

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If I Had a Million Dollars...

so, the metalsmithing class continues, and so do i! the third class is finished, and i'm feeling pretty good about it! i continue to push through the pins and needles in my fingers, and it isn't bad at all. we've conquered sawing, piercing, filing and polishing - and now we're onto soldering!

so, of course, i started dreaming about the world-famous jewelry designer i'm going to be (ha ha) and surfed the internet for the things i would need for my studio. Lacy and Company here in Toronto has a FABULOUS deal - everything you need to equip your jewelry studio can be purchased there! (see picture above) and even the jeweler's bench is perfect for me - there is a lovely, half moon shape cut out. just for my belly! LOL!

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The Joy of Metal... and Overcoming Crafters' Block

i shared last week my frustration with my carpal tunnel and my metalsmithing class... well, this week was MUCH better! as embarrassed as i am to share the picture above, i'm showing the "piece" i completed in the first class (on the left) and the much more acceptable one on the left. yes, i know we were learning the basic techniques of sawing, piercing and filing - but i was kind of disappointed to come home with the little rectangle. i showed it to the husband, who gave me a sweet little look of pity and said that he could probably do that. (how supportive!) he also said that the little squiggle in the middle - my attempt at piercing - looked like a - *ahem* - sperm. i suppose it does.

anyway, this week, we starting working on our first official project, which is a pendant in brass or copper. i chose a simple heart design - both in tribute to my favorite holiday, Valentine's Day, and to keep my frustration level down. and you know what? it turned out much better than i thought! i wish i could have tackled something more elaborate, but figure that since i'm just learning, i should try to get my technique down before i attempt to sculpt the Paris skyline in sterling silver. i don't know if i'm just more used to the pins and needles and pain in my triceps now, or if i just forced myself to push through, but i wasn't half as frustrated as i was the week before. and NO, i DIDN'T stop at McDonalds!!!!! YAY!!!

since i've started the class, i've also realized that for a while i must have been experiencing a little bout of "crafters' block". since we got pregnant, i feel that i've slowed down a little in regards to creating. the first trimester, i was so sick and tired that i couldn't THINK of new designs, much less sit in the basement and make anything, and the second trimester came with all the holidays and this carpal tunnel syndrome and all the baby excitement. i spent a lot of time (and $$$) just relisting items in my etsy shop but not really making anything new. now, i think (and hope) that the creative drought is over! i found myself in the bead store with a little basket of goodies and the latest issue of Stringing magazine, and i've been thinking about new things... such as the dragonfly necklace above! i'm really happy with it and hope that this means that i'll be back to intensive jewelry making!!!

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F*cking Metalsmithing Class... and the Value of Retail Therapy!

i couldn't even post about my class last week because i felt that the whole thing ended up so disappointingly. no, i didn't set any fires, and no, i didn't end up cutting my finger off like i had anticipated, but i did end up crying in the car.

i'm not one to toot my own horn, but i'm usually really good with my hands. with CRAFTY things. (get your mind out of the gutter!!!!!!!) however, this carpal tunnel thingy certainly had me beat at last week's class. i was clumsy and slow - it took me about 20 minutes to figure out how to load the saw blade correctly and then 30 seconds to snap it right off the frame. i am sure my instructor thought i was an idiot, but she was patient and kind with me. the mini-muffin was trying to be encouraging, bubbling around in my belly the whole time, but it really didn't help.

so i went home, tail between my legs, where i poured out the whole frustrating experience to the husband, who listened patiently. after telling me that i should have stopped at McDonalds for some emotional eating, he told me to hang in there and just learn as much as i can and to take my time. which, of course, is the logical thing to think. it's funny how your emotions - and CARPAL TUNNEL - can just take over.

lucky for me though - the results of my latest etsy shopping trip had come in:

this lovely, lovely messenger bag from bayanhippo (http://bayanhippo.etsy.com/), which i had been coveting for DAYS before i finally buckled and bought it!

and a fabulous boxful of stuff from the always wonderful BizzieLizzie (http://bizzielizzie.etsy.com/) who has the most amazing bags in the most fabulous of fabrics. this little baby to the right now holds my digital camera and memory cards and is the perfect size to fit in my ScabbyRobot (http://scabbyrobot.etsy.com/) purse! she also made a wicked cool messenger-style bag for me... sigh! i feel like a celebrity, having this woman sew for me!

i am going back tonight to keep trying. i'm not one to give up easily!!! what kind of example will i be for the mini-muffin if i give up now? (plus they probably won't reimburse me, LOL) i've been waiting so long for this class. hopefully i won't burst into tears tonight!!!!!!!!!! but i probably WILL stop at McDonalds.

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The Baby Bump and the Metalsmithing Class

so tomorrow i'm starting the metalsmithing 101 class that i've been saving up for since last January! i've been so psyched, you can't even imagine. apparently, according to the husband, i've talked about the class ALMOST as much as i've talked about the baby! wow. that says something!

the only thing that kind of throws a wrench into the whole euphoria about this is that i now have carpel tunnel syndrome - a lovely side effect of pregnancy. however, i'm pretty thankful - no swollen ankles or stretch marks or super huge weight gain YET (yup, my mom did call me to tell me that she gained 70 pounds during her last pregnancy - thanks, mom.) ... just this really awful pins and needles/tight muscle/swollen feeling from my triceps to the tips of my fingers. i'm not sure how happy they'll be in the classroom when i drop my butane torch onto the floor, setting everything on fire!!!!!

speaking of the baby - my uterus now measures 25 inches from bottom to top and i heard her heartbeat again today at the doctor's and it's so strong. kind of like a tiny horse clip-clopping in my uterus. the thought of the mini-muffin having such a strong heart makes me teary. (and so sappy sweet that i sometimes throw up in my mouth.)

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