3xR
I’m doing this challenge
with the EtsyMetal team I belong to where we’re trying for one year to reuse,
recycle, and repurpose stuff we’ve already got in our workshop. Here’s what I came up with for the first
week.
The enameled heart
was supposed to be earrings but something happened to his mate. The textured bronze heart was a teaching
example. The silk ribbon I’ve had for
years. I buy things ‘cause they’re cool
or beautiful (or usually both) and then never use them. Argh!
So anyway, I put all three together and now have a unique and funky
necklace for sale.
These little hearts
were old stock copper that I’d probably prefer to hoard since my supply is
limited but that’s NOT the mentality I need.
I hate using something I know I will never see again, but I can’t keep
everything. So I enameled on these and
they turned out so stinking cute! I did
the first few with the torch, but then switched to the kiln for the transparent
colors because the base coat on those is white and I can’t keep white enamel clean
with my torch.
Stamping on Metal
Clay
Someone asked me
the other day if you can stamp on already fired metal clay. So I tested it out and the answer is
yes. On flat pieces, anyway.
This metal is
softer and more porous than traditional metal, so go easier with your hammer
blows.
Invaluable Tools
Okay, these aren’t really tools, but they are two things in
my workshop I’d hate to live without… and both recommended to me by the same
person. Thanks Elizabeth Dauch. And thanks for gifting one of them to
me. You rock!
So the two tools (or items, really) are…
A cup bur for my dremel. I love this so much better than using the hand tool. Sorry traditionalists.
And a universal chuck for my dremel. This thing saves me HOURS each week, I'm sure. Ha ha ha! All the dremel bits I need in any given jewelry making session seem to alternate in shank size so I used to have to change the collet out constantly. Ugh! Now, it's SOOOOO easy to use any bit size I want. Yay, universal!
Etsy’s Latest Announcement
Speaking of yay... now, apparently you CAN list your other website(s) in
your Etsy shop/listings. According to
this article called Clarifying Offsite Linking Policies (click to read), here’s the current
stance on non-Etsy links…
“As long as you’re not urging or suggesting that your buyers
leave Etsy to make a purchase, you’re welcome to include any links you want in
your shop - to your personal website, your blog, other online venues,
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.”
Keep in mind that although you can put these URLs in your
shop announcement, your item descriptions, and your profile, they will only be
clickable (hyperlinks) in this special section of your About page.
This section is called RELATED LINKS.
To get links into those spots on your About page:
Go to YOUR SHOP: BLAH BLAH STORE NAME (upper right of your
Etsy screen).
Click on “Info & Appearance”
Click on the second tab there… “About”
Scroll all the way down to “Shop Links”
Add what you want there and hit SAVE.
Argentium Prices
And last but not least, in case anyone wants to ride on the coattails of my
research today… I was looking up prices for one ounce of 20 gauge
Argentium. Here’s the breakdown…
Thanks for your research on silver prices. I tend to avoid FMG because they're so pricey, but doing the side-by-side comparison really shows just how much!
ReplyDeleteGreat argentium price comparison - especially if you ever wondered how much more expensive FMG is. Wow!
ReplyDeleteI also didn't know about the off site links in Etsy - handy! Thanks for all the good information.
Thanks for your price comparisons. When shopping, you really have to do your math and calculate and compare same-to-same. Over the years, I have found great pricing at Santa Fe Jewelry Supply, too.
ReplyDelete