Welcome back to New Earring Monday! I hope you all have been having an amazing start to 2015. January has been busy with lots of fun things but I've still found plenty of time to create. This week's New Earring Post is all about texture and turquoise for me!
My first pair is a play on something that I first tried for the December We're All Ears Challenge. You can see that pair HERE if you missed them. I loved the way that first pair turned out... especially the side with the open gear. I wanted to take that idea and give it a different twist. I textured the open gears, added some of the Verdigris Vintaj patina paint to them, and then sanded them with some fine sandpaper until I got them to the right level of distress. I punched a hole at the top of each gear for the ear wire and then domed the pieces. I added little turquoise beads dangling from sterling balled head pins for some fun movement. Because of the effect of the domed gears, I call these "New Sheriff in Town."
Next up is a pair featuring brass blanks that I etched, painted, and domed. I love playing with my BigKick machine! I need to get back to it soon. Anyway, once again, I used the Verdigris patina (my favorite of the colors) and then sanded the excess paint off bringing parts of the blanks to a high shine. I usually use shorter ear wires, but got a bee in my bonnet to try something different for me. I love the look of wire wrapped ear wires and decided to give it a try myself with some craft wire and small turquoise seed beads.
I'm pretty happy with how these turned out, but I wonder if it would have worked better with slightly smaller gauge wire (I used 22 gauge craft wire). I think next time I will try 24 or 26 gauge and also continue the wraps a little higher on the ear wire.
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I'm impressed that your're finding time to try new techniques and be so creative. Just when I think I've got it together there's 3 deadlines in one week!
ReplyDeleteI love both pairs of earrings! I think I'll have to try wire wrapped earwires sometime in the future. And, I agree, perhaps a smaller gauge wrapping wire.
Oh, I love this color combo and the patina looks so beautiful! I have seen decorated ear wires and yours only increased my desire to try it out myself! The domed shape and texturing of the gears is awesome!!
ReplyDeleteLove! These are some of my favorites so far, Sarah. Especially the last ones...I think you're on to something the way you've detailed the ear wires.
ReplyDeleteThese are amazing, SJ. What lovely, creative designs and excellent craftsmanship. I wouldn't have the first idea of how to experiment with etching and paint, but now I want to try it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy! It's really easy with the right tools the way I'm doing it... a mechanical etch as opposed to chemical. I did a post about playing with the BigKick machine and Vintaj paints. It was focused on the embossing folders instead of the etching ones, but it's a pretty similar process. http://sjdesignsjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/04/fun-with-bigkick-and-vintaj-patinas.html
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