10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects Vol 4

with paper, fiber, ceramics, mechanical parts, resin,
polymer — even foodstuffs! — to create jewelry that
tells a personal story and is sure to inspire compli-
ments! 10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects, Volume 4
of the Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, brings

you some of our favorite designs in this hot, hot, hot
genre. You’ll make earrings, pendants, pins, and a
bracelet while learning to adapt a wide variety of
materials to jewelry as you recycle found objects and
interesting remnants. So pull out your stash of cool
things that you haven’t been able to decide what to
do with and let’s put them into jewelry!

Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor

Jewelry Projects

Mixed Media

have been designing and
making jewelry since 1992.
The focus was always metal.

I had never incorporated any
color in any material in my
jewelry until I started explor-
ing the possibility of using wool
felt in my work. Whimsical and
bright, the tassels were the first
expression of my new direction.
I knew I was on a very different
path from the one I had been on
when only working with mixed
metals. Now, I combine metal-
smithing skills with an alterna-
tive color choice: wool felt.

M a T E R I a l S

Silver tubing (ID 2.5mm) nine
3.5mm-3.56mm sections

2.5mm sterling mesh chain

10 sterling jump rings, tiny
(for wire)

2 sterling jump rings, small
(for bracelet ends, clasp)

10 sterling jump rings, medium,
(for wires and tassels)

18- or 19-gauge sterling wire

10 sterling end cones

End caps

Sterling clasp

Felt sheet

T O O l S

Flux

Hard and easy sheet solder

Saw blades

Scribe

Straight edge

Cutting surface

Sharp scissors and
rotary cutter

Nippers

Round, flat, and needle
nose pliers

Fine square/flat needle file

liver-of-sulfur or other
oxidizing agent

Scotch Brite pad

220-grit sandpaper

Pickle pot and pickle

Torch with small or medium tip

Soldering surface

Soldering pick

Soldering tweezers

Oxidizing tweezers

Copper sheet to act as heat sink
if needed

Tube cutting jig

Saw frame

s k i l l s

y o u

n e e d

m a t e r i a l s

a n d

t o o l s

y o u

n e e d

•

sawing

•

sweat soldering

•

patina use

Felt tassel & sIlver BraCelet

Project

MICHElE a. FRIEDMaN

Opening Photo: HaP Sakwa
Project Photos: JOHn aMeS

a f u s i o n o f f i b e r a n d m e t a l

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

Saw 9 sections of tubing, each approxi-
mately 3.5mm long.

Sand outside of each section, leaving
inside unsanded.

Cut about 7” of mesh chain. Snip 10 sections
of wire, each about

” long.

File one end flat on each.

With rotary cutter, cut 3

” wide x 1

“

long strips of felt for each tassel. Use straight

edge and cutting surface for accuracy.
Insert 2–3 paillons of easy sheet sol-
der inside each section of tubing and
heat until solder melts.

Repeat for end caps. Pickle.

{Photo 1}

Close 10 tiny jump rings.

Solder opening of each ring against
flat end of each wire section to cre-
ate eyepins without openings.

Slide tubing sections onto mesh chain.
Space each section equidistantly. Position
end caps on ends of chain. These compo-
nents need to fit snugly.

{Photo 2}

Sweat solder tubing and

caps to mesh as follows: Apply generous
amount of flux. Heat each segment until
solder within flows to join them to chain.

Pickle. Check each section and end caps
for successful soldering. Repeat until all
pieces are soldered and secured.

Solder clasp and end jump ring using
remaining 2 small jump rings.

{Photo 3}

Use needle and flat nose pliers

to attach each eyepin to bracelet with
medium jump rings. Place between tubing
sections and end caps.

{Photo 4}

Attached eyepins move only

between tubing sections, not over them.

Solder medium jump rings closed.

Oxidize entire bracelet and cones.

Rinse, let dry and strip oxidation as desired
with Scotch Brite pad.

{Photo 5}

Make tassel by placing hand-

made eyepin through top of cone. Pierce
and place felt strip on eyepin.

{Photo 6}

Use scribe to force felt

into cone.

Leave approximately

⁄

” of wire, snip excess.

Use round nose pliers to loop end under felt
to prevent it from popping out of cone.

Repeat for all cones. Trim felt with scissors
as desired.

tIp

Pay careful attention to all

parts of the piece and avoid
overheating. Try using copper
sheet to shield the piece and
act as heat sink if needed.

Michele A. FriedMAn has been a self-employed metalsmith and jewelry designer since 1992.
She has exhibited jewelry lines in art, design, and craft shows all over the country and is repre-
sented by galleries nationally. E-mail: mafdesign@hotmail.com Web: www.mafdesign.blogspot.com

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

roject

paper, resIn, and perIdot pendant

embed a famous design into a pretty wearable

•

SKILL S you n eed

MaterIaL S an d to o L S you n eed

M a T E R I a l S

30mm sterling silver bezel cup

14-gauge sterling wire: 6” length

14-gauge sterling wire jump ring
hammered flat

Sterling beaded wire: approx. 1

⁄

”

6mm sterling bezel cup

6mm peridot cabochon

Desired image (copied onto HP
Glossy Photo Paper with HP ink
jet ink — other brands may also work)

Glue stick or white craft glue

EZ solder

Two part epoxy resin

Popsicle stick and clean disposable
plastic cup for mixing resin

Paper towel

T O O l S

Hand tools: wire nippers, round
nosed pliers, hammer, steel block

Finishing tools: ammonia, water
and liquid dish soap solution, soft
bristled toothbrush, oxidizer or
liver of sulfur, file or sandpaper

Soldering tools: flux, pickle, torch,
nickel (5-cent piece) to use as
soldering support, flex shaft cut-
ting disk, chamois buffing wheel,
polishing compound, level

Optional tools: ring mandrel, circle
template

Resin tools: glass drinking cup,
butane lighter

S O u R C E S :

Tools & Materials: Most of the tools
and materials for this project will
be available from well stocked
jewelry supply vendors.

24 gauge bezel with a wall height of
2.30mm high: Rio Grande #950274,
www.riogrande.com

Resin: Rio Grande Colores Resin
with Thin Hardener 1:1 ratio, www.
riogrande.com.

T I M E I T T O O k :

1 hour plus curing time is what it
took me. I used a premade bezel
both to cut down on time and to
make it more accessible to begin-
ners (I’d say about 2 hours if you
wanted to fabricate you own bezel).

ElEaNORE MaCNISH

Opening Photo: JIM LawSOn

Project Photos: eLeanORe MaCnISH

wirework

soldering

resin use

have had a love affair with
the work of William Morris
since attending an exhibit

of it at the Victoria & Albert
Museum in London many years
ago. I remember just walking
though it over and over. By the
fourth or fifth walk-through,
the security guards and I just
nodded to one another — hope-
fully they didn’t think I was
“casing the joint”! Many years
later, I still love his designs and
use prints of them in much of
my work.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 1}

Shape the beaded sterling wire

into a circle that fits inside bezel so you can
just drop the circle in. Solder the ends with
EZ solder. Place it in the pickle.

➤

When making the circle, it is easier to

achieve a perfect one by forming it on a
ring mandrel set in a vise.

{Photo 2}

Cut a 6” piece of 14ga wire. With

round nosed pliers, coil each end equally.
Fold wire in half to form a bail. Hammer
each side on a steel block to flatten. Lightly

file or sand the back of the bezel cup and
wire bail to remove any oils or dirt. Flux.

{Photo 3}

Lay the bezel on the soldering

block. Place a nickel next to the bezel and
lay the wire bail across the bezel cup and
nickel. Solder the bail onto the bezel cup
using EZ solder.

➤

The nickel will act as a support for the

wire to keep it from tilting as you solder.
Pickle, rinse, and oxidize it. Polish it with
buffing compound on a chamois wheel.

{Photo 4}

Using a cutting disk, make a

groove in the inside wall of the bezel to pro-
vide an anchor for resin — it does not need
to be deep. Soak it in ammonia solution for
a few minutes and scrub with a toothbrush.
Rinse and dry it.

{Photo 5}

Make a copy of the original

image on glossy photo paper with an ink jet
printer. Trace a circle on copy and cut it out.

➤

If you are using an original image, you

will need to seal the image completely —
including the edges — with a sealer like
decoupage sealer and let it dry completely.

{Photo 6}

Prepare the area where the

poured resin pendant will cure and make
sure it is level.

I use a cheese board with a glass dome set
on a bookshelf to cure my pieces. Taking
into account that surfaces which look level
are not always level, make sure you use an

actual level and prepare the curing area
before you pour the resin.

With a glue stick or a thin layer of white
glue, cover back of paper image and press
into the bezel cup. Cover it with a paper
towel and burnish with your fingertip to
press out any bubbles.

Covering the image with a paper towel
prevents any moisture or oils from your
fingers from smudging the image. Let it dry
completely.batch. Mix glitter thoroughly
into resin after each addition.

{Photo 7}

Set the pendant on the curing

surface and use a coin to raise end opposite
wire bail so that it is level.

I started out with a quarter, but when I
added resin, the resin immediately started
to flow toward the bail, telling me it was not
level — so, I switched to a dime.

Place the peridot cab in a 6mm bezel cup
and set it. Lightly sand or file the back of
the bezel cup. With a popsicle stick and a
plastic cup, thoroughly mix the resin ac-
cording to the package directions.

➤

I used Rio Grande Colores Resin with

Thin Hardener at a 1:1 ratio, though the
instructions advise 2:1. I use the Colores
with a 1:1 ratio because I like how thin the
resin is and how it easily seeps into nooks
and crannies.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 8}

Put a small amount of resin

(about size of a domed quarter) in the bezel.
Pick up the pendant and swirl the resin
around so that it touches all the inside edges
of the bezel and completely covers the
image. Replace the pendant on the curing
surface and drop it in the beaded wire circle.
Drop in the bezel-set peridot and position it
where you want it to be.

It is important to start with a small
amount of resin because you will displace
some resin by adding the beaded wire
circle and the bezel set cab. You can al-
ways add more resin later — initially, start
with less than you think you will need. It is
much easier than trying to clean up resin
that oozes out the sides of the bezel!

➤

Using a butane lighter, lightly sweep the

flame over the surface of the resin to pop
any bubbles. For this resin, there should be
no bubbles; if there are bubbles, the lighter
flame should take care of them.

{Photo 9}

Making sure there are no

bubbles and that the peridot is where you
want it to be, cover the pendant with a
drinking glass or glass dome and place it
aside to cure for at least 24 hours. Check
on the pendant a few times over next few
hours to make sure there are no bubbles
and that the cab has not moved.

To check whether the resin has cured,
check the leftover resin in your mixing
cup instead of the actual pendant!

➤

When the leftover resin is rock hard,

your pendant will be fully cured! Attach
the jump ring to the bail and slide onto a
neckwire or chain to wear it.

eLeanore MacnISH

is a glass

beadmaker and silversmith living in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has
been making glass beads for 9 years
and doing silver work for 1 1/

years.

Visit www.emacnish.com to see more of
her work.

For over 4 years,

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In every issue you’ll fi nd:

•

Expert advice from premier wire artists

•

12–15 original jewelry projects with full-color

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•

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2106152-SSBF-090521.pdf Processed by DG February 25, 2009

easy option:

No Solder

You can buy premade bezels with pendant
bails attached from most well-stocked craft
stores and eliminate soldering altogether.

vIntage IllustratIon pendant

Project

ElEaNORE MaCNISH

Opening Photo: JIM LawSOn

Project Photos: eLeanORe MaCnISH

a c o n f e c t i o n f r o m r e c y c l e d e p h e m e r a

o make this pendant, you
need to go on a scavenger hunt.
Gather all sorts of earrings,

vintage illustrations of cakes, and
whatever you think might look good
hanging from the bottom of your
pendant. Good places to start hunt-
ing are a flea market or tag and
yard sales. I gathered orphaned ear-
rings, vintage jewelry, coins, tokens,
and game pieces for my pendant.

skills you need

•

fabrication

•

bezel setting

•

soldering

M a T E R I a l S

Vintage pastry image

Vintage rhinestone earring

Vintage pearl drop

22-gauge sterling sheet

22-gauge sterling sheet:
2

⁄

” x

⁄

” for bail

Fine silver bezel wire deep enough
to hold image and resin

Fine silver bezel wire tall enough
to clear edges of earring

16-gauge wire for jump ring

ammonia, water, and liquid dish
soap solution

Toothbrush

Oxidizer or liver of sulfur

uV cure resin

Methyl alcohol or nail polish
remover

Clear packing tape

White craft glue

T O O l S

Layout tools: permanent marker,
graph paper, tracing paper, spray
adhesive, pencil

Hand tools: saw frame, 2-0 saw
blades, carbide tip scribe (or punch
for dots), round nosed pliers,
setting tools, hand shears,
respirator mask, small hammer,

container (larger than pendant
and deeper than length of bail)
filled with rice

Soldering: torch and tips, third
hand, solder (hard and extra EZ,
low temp paste solder), flux

Finishing tools: flex shaft,
chamois buffing wheel, polishing
compound

Additional tools: drill bit for
16-gauge wire

material

and tools you need

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 1}

Lay out objects and play

around with composition.

{Photo 2}

Choose an earring for top of

piece and remove back finding. Choose a
focal cake illustration. Choose an object to
hang from the bottom.

{Photo 3}

On graph paper, outline edges

of all components and design overall shape
of pendant.

From here,

you need to decide where

any areas of stress might be and how to
compensate for them. I make a “pendant
plan” for each metal piece, indicating where
I will solder, and in what order.

My pendant is made up of 3 pieces of
metal. I soldered the bezels onto the front-
facing silver sheet with EZ solder, and then
soldered the bail and the back curlicue with
low temperature paste solder.

{Photo 4}

Fit bezels for rhinestone ear-

ring and cake illustration. Use pliers to
conform bezel to outlines. Make bezels a
bit larger than components.

{Photo 5}

Solder bezels together with

pallions of hard solder.

Make adjustments as needed to sketches after
laying soldered bezels back on graph paper.

{Photo 6}

Trace design for each metal

piece on a half sheet of tracing paper. Spray
22ga sterling sheet with adhesive, apply
tracing paper drawing to adhesive, let dry.

{Photo 7}

Rip overhanging tracing paper

from edge of sheet and saw out shapes. On
soldering block, burn off paper and adhe-
sive (fumes are toxic — wear a respirator
mask). Pickle, rinse, file, sand smooth.

{Photo 8}

Solder bezels to front of cut-

out with easy. Pickle, rinse. On back of
cutout, lightly flux bail and curlicue panel.
Apply small amount of low temperature
paste solder. Support piece as needed.
Solder, pickle, rinse, dry.

‰

My pendant plan and notes.

i fabricated a bezel-set clasp from
a vintage button.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

Using a marker, dot where you want a
border. Punch dots using a carbide tip and
small hammer. Remove marker with meth-
yl alcohol or nail polish remover. Oxidize
piece as desired. Polish with chamois buff-
ing wheel and compound. Soak in ammo-
nia solution and scrub with soft bristled
toothbrush. Rinse and dry completely. Set
earring in bezel.

{Photo 10}

Seal paper illustration by

sandwiching between 2 pieces of packing
tape. Trim to fit in bezel. Dip finger in small
amount of white craft glue and run along
edge of sealed cake illustration to encase
edges. Set aside to dry. Glue illustration
into bezel. Let dry

{Photo 11}

Lay pendant in rice and adjust

till level. Squeeze UV resin onto surface of
illustration to desired depth. After a few
minutes, look for bubbles at surface. Wave
a lighter flame over top of resin to burst
bubbles.

{Photo 12}

Set container holding pendant

in sunlight for about 5 minutes to cure.
Make a jump ring from 16ga wire and attach
bottom charm to pendant. Support bail and
bend tab over a support to make a hook.
Attach pendant to neck wire or chain.

eLeanore MacnISH

is a glass

beadmaker and silversmith living in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has been
making glass beads for 9 years and
doing silverwork for 1

⁄

years. Visit www.

emacnish.com to see more of her work.

oldering

etups

You will probably need
to use solder supports
to get everything to
set up correctly. i use
nickels and a third
hand to support the
different levels of my
pieces before i solder.

aper

and

esin

When you prepare paper for

resin, it is very important
to seal the paper — includ-
ing the edges! if you do not
seal the paper the resin will
turn the paper translucent. if
you miss a couple of spots,
the paper will act like a wick
and pull resin into its fibers.
Sometimes, i like the effect
of a little bit of resin bleed-
ing into the image because
it adds to the aged look,
however, if it’s important that
the image be consistent, you
must seal it completely!

When i seal paper for resin,

i sandwich it between 2

pieces of clear packing

tape, cut the image out

of the tape and spread

glue around the edges.

if the image is too large

to be covered by the tape,

i brush both sides with white

glue, let it dry, and then cut

out the image and seal the

edges with glue. it is neces-

sary to seal any paper

product — vintage or

contemporary.

On the back,

i added a sprinkle-

filled surprise.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

here, the left side of the sheet music

was sealed and the right side was not

sealed. it makes a gigantic difference!

skills you need

material

and tools you need

y miniature frames can be incorporated into virtually any piece
of jewelry, or made into personalized cufflinks. The double-sided
frame will hold up to two photos or artwork which can be removed

and replaced as desired. Pay close attention to the exact thickness of
the required sheet — this will result in a precise and snug fit.

•

basic fabrication

•

sweat soldering

FraMed FoCal CharM

roject

SHOSHaNa FaRBER

Opening Photo: JIM LawSOn

Project Photos: SHOSHana FaRbeR

I n t e r c h a n g e a b l e i n s e r t s t h a t

c a n c h a n g e w i t h y o u r m o o d

MaTERIalS

Sterling sheet; at least
16mm x 16mm, 0.9mm thick

Sterling sheet; at least
20mm x 40mm, 0.7mm thick

Scrap copper or brass sheet:
at least 11.5mm x 30mm,
exactly 0.9mm thick

TOOlS

Soldering brick; torch; hard
solder; flux; titanium
soldering pick

Jeweler’s saw; blades; wax

Calipers

large metal file; small
needle files

Emery paper;
flat thin wooden stick
(such as a coffee stirrer)

1mm drill bit

Fabric containing
metallic fiber weave
or steel mesh

Rolling mill

Sterling findings
of your choice (jump rings,
bail, cufflink components,
chain)

Polishing compounds:

Greystar and rouge

Soft bristle brush mandrels
for Foredom; cotton buffs

Computer; digital images;
adobe Photoshop or other
imaging software

Printer; sheet of
photo paper
“8 mil” thick
(not millimeters)

Small sheet Mylar,
at least 25mm x 25mm,
“4 mil” thick (0.1mm)

Japanese or
decorative papers
or miniature drawings

ufflink

design

option

if making cufflinks, the back of
the piece must remain solid.
Finding components can be
soldered directly onto the solid
backs of the frames.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 1}

Square off corner of 0.9mm

thick silver sheet. Use calipers to mark off
a parallel line exactly 2mm from one side
of corner. Mark off lines exactly 14mm from
both sides of corner. Finally, mark off lines
exactly 16mm from both sides of corner. If
you like, go over lines with a thin pen.

{Photo 2}

Saw out center of “three-

legged” square, being sure to cut along
the inside of scribed line. File inside edges
completely level and ensure corners are
square. Saw along outside lines of square,
cutting out three-legged shape from sheet.
This will be inside layer of frame.

{Photo 3}

Move frame to soldering block.

Cut out many pallions of hard solder. Flux
piece and heat slowly. When flux settles,
distribute pallions evenly over top of piece.
Heat metal until solder flows, using titani-
um pick to distribute solder and coat entire
top of piece. Set aside.

Anneal an approximately 20mm x 40mm
piece of 0.7mm sheet.

{Photo 4}

Wrap annealed sheet in metallic

fabric of your choice. Ensure metallic thread
runs horizontally — or parallel — to edge you
are feeding through rolling mill.
If using steel mesh, place wrapped piece
between two small brass plates to protect
rollers.

{Photo 5}

Insert wrapped piece into

rolling mill. Make note of gauge setting,
remove piece, and tighten rollers at least

1⁄4 turn more. Feed fabric-wrapped metal

sheet through mill. Cut roller-printed metal
into 2 pieces, each at least 20mm x 20mm.

{Photo 6}

Return to soldering block.

Flux one roller-printed square. Place
three-legged frame, solder-side down, on
top of printed square. Sweat-solder pieces
together by heating evenly, until you see
solder flowing around joint edge. Trail sol-
der pick along seam as solder flows. Pickle
piece until oxides are removed. Rinse and
dry. Trim any overhanging edges and file
gently until piece is once again square.
Position piece with frame-side up. Use cali-
pers to mark an inner window 3mm from
outside edges.

{Photo 7}

Drill hole in center of square.

Insert saw blade into hole and carefully
cut out inner window. File edges level and
corners square.

raming

it may be easier to mark your
lines along the inside of the
frame by scribing them 1mm
from the inner edges. if you like,
trace the scribed lines with pen.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

proteCt your rollers

You might want to “sandwich”
the metallic screen and sil-
ver for roll printing inside of
a folded piece of cardstock
to prevent transfer of the
metallic screen impression
of the rollers of your mill.

{Photo 8}

Sweat-solder another frame

and roller-print another square for other
side of piece. File and sand outside edges.
Position piece so window faces up.

{Photo 9}

Drill hole in center of solid back

sheet. Saw 4 diagonal lines out from drilled
center to each corner of window.

Using top window lip as guide, carefully
saw out back window. File edges level and
corners square. Wrap a thin, flat wooden
stick or coffee stirrer in emery paper and

sand edges of both windows smooth and
level. Cut a flat, 0.9mm thick copper or
brass rectangular strip 30mm x 11.5mm.
Insert strip into side groove of completed
frame. If needed, use rolling mill to reduce
thickness gradually until the strip slides in.
With rawhide mallet, gently tap each side
of frame and along protruding end of brass
strip to ensure that inner grooves are
aligned. Attach findings or jump rings of
your choice. Inner frame layer will accom-
modate a drill hole up to 2mm — center-
punch exactly 1mm from side of piece.

Polish piece before attaching chain. Apply
polishing compounds to textured metal
with soft bristle brush so pattern doesn’t
wear away. Use cotton buffs for sides.

Using Adobe Photoshop, crop or alter
selected high resolution images. Resize
to 11mm x 11mm, or cut decorative paper
squares or drawings to this size. Cut two
11mm x 11mm squares of Mylar. Sandwich
photos between Mylar sheets. Slide image
sandwich into frame’s side groove, being

sure to push inserts straight to back
of frame.

SHoSHana Farber

completed her

diploma in art, craft, and design with a
major in Jewelry and Small Object Design
from the Kootenay School of the Arts
in Nelson, British Columbia. She lives in
Toronto and has built a studio where she
designs and manufactures jewelry under
the name Showsh Design.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

Create strong designs

with wire techniques.

Discover the vast

potential of metal clay.

Mix up your metal jewelry

with new cool techniques.

Download this must-have resource today to:

• Get instant access to stunning projects and expert how-tos.
• Master the most popular designs in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist.
• Skip the guesswork, with helpful hints and step-by-step instructions.
• Use endless variations to create even more one-of-a-kind designs!

Now You Can

Collect Them All!

Get started on these fun jewelry-making

projects today at interweavestore.com

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M a T E R I a l S

Vintage ruler

Vintage typewriter key
(preferably with tabs on the
back)

22-gauge sterling sheet

Small scrap of 20-gauge
sterling sheet

Silver bezel wire tall enough
to clear surface of ruler and
typewriter key

14-gauge sterling dead soft wire;
approximately 1

⁄

” long

14-gauge sterling jump ring

22-gauge sterling sheet, 1” x 2”

22-gauge sterling disk,

⁄

”

Solder — Hard, EZ, and Extra EZ

Flux

ammonia, water, and liquid soap
solution

Toothbrush

Oxidizer or liver of sulfur

T O O l S

Drill bit for 14-gauge sterling wire

Drill bit to countersink hole for
14-gauge wire

2-0 saw blades

Saw frame

letter stamps for message tag

Torch

Round nosed pliers

Carbide tip scribe

Setting tools

Hand shears for cutting bezel
wire and gallery wire

Chamois buffing wheel

Polishing compound

Third hand

Vise; rawhide mallet or flat
jawed pliers

Small woodcarving chisel or
razor blade mounted in a handle

Permanent marker

Rectangular joint-edge file

Files and sandpaper for
smoothing metal before
polishing

material

and tools you need

y friend Lucille wears
four pieces of jewelry
90% of the time. The

same pieces every day — when
you’re standing behind her,
you know it’s her just by
looking at the clasp on her
necklace. She loves those four
pieces and they look fabulous
on her — so more power to her!
However, having this kind of
friend makes the whole gift-
giving thing rather difficult
when making jewelry is what
you do.

My solution? I made her

a pendant and put it on a key
ring to disguise its true nature.
I also stamped a bunch of
wrong information on the sil-
ver “card” purely by accident
(if you knew me, you’d know
that’s not uncommon), which I
discovered when another friend
was looking at the piece with a
befuddled look on her face. The
accident made the whole situa-
tion really funny. “Shut up! You
are not 50!!!” the message says
— and she’s not, because the
gift was for her 53rd birthday.
I’d even been at her 50th birth-
day party and all of the ones
after it! I did have the best of
intentions, though — and luck-
ily, Lucille loves the piece, so I
consider it a success.

Found oBJeCt pendant

Project

ElEaNORE MaCNISH

Opening Photo: JIM LawSOn

Project Photos: eLeanORe MaCnISH

a v i n t a g e r u l e r a n d t y p e w r i t e r

k e y m a r k a m i l e s t o n e

skills you need

•

fabrication

•

soldering

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 1}

Cut length of ruler. With perma-

nent marker, mark edges of ruler on 22ga
sheet.

{Photo 2}

With permanent marker, draw

outline of pendant around traced ruler
lines. Saw pendant out of sheet.

Make optional message tag if desired.

Measure ruler edge. Measure distance
between bottom edge of ruler and where
on ruler you want arrow to point. For my
pendant, arrow point is halfway up length
of numerals. Arrow should look like a
capital “T” with a triangle on bottom. The
vertical line of “T” is the shaft, and hori-
zontal top of “T” is the tab. Transfer arrow
measurements to 20ga sheet and saw
arrow out.

{Photo 3}

Bend tab at 90° angle to

arrow.

{Photo 4}

Place bent arrow on ruler and

slide along edge until you arrive at place
you want arrow to point. With permanent
marker, outline tab on back and mark
where shaft lies on edge of ruler.

Chisel out tab outline. Carve a little at a time
and verify fit often by setting tab into niche.
Tab should be flush with surface of ruler.

{Photo 5}

File groove for shaft of arrow

on edge of ruler, using marker lines as
guide. Groove must be deep enough for
arrow to sit flush in ruler, so it doesn’t dis-
tort bezel fitting around ruler.

Bend tabs of typewriter key back, to create
legs — like a little table.

{Photo 6}

Using cushioned plier handle,

tap on key letter to remove it and all inte-
rior parts. File or sand steel bezel of key so
it is shallow enough for bezel wire to clear
curved edge.

Make silver bezels for ruler and typewriter
key using hard solder.

essage

cut the tag out of 22ga sheet.
ensure it is a little bit smaller than
the pendant. Use letter stamps for
the message, annealing the metal
prior to stamping it if necessary.
Stamp on a steel block for the
cleanest impression and to keep
the tag flat.

eyring

esign

ption

lean

orners

i use a vise and rawhide mallet
to hammer the shaft of the arrow
down for a clean corner, but you
can also use flat jawed or
conforming pliers.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Metal Clay Jewelry Projects

{Photo 7}

Solder ruler bezel to

cut out sheet with EZ solder.

{Photo 8}

Solder typewriter key bezel to

disk with EZ.

Pickle, rinse, and dry both bezel assemblies.

{Photo 9}

Solder 14ga wire to back of

disk with Extra EZ solder.

{Photo 10}

Using carbide tip, make an

indention on each end of pendant for hole
placement. Drill holes in indents. Use larger
drill bit by hand to remove burrs from

drilled holes — much like making a counter-
sink for a screw.

Assemble piece by attaching 14ga jump
ring to drilled hole in top of pendant (and
message card if you made one). Solder
jump ring with Extra EZ solder using a
third hand to hold jump ring.

File and smooth all silver cutouts and 14ga
components, oxidize, rinse, and polish
using chamois buff and compound. Rinse
in ammonia/water/soap solution and scrub
with soft toothbrush. Fit arrow into filed
notch on ruler. Lay arrow and ruler into
bezel; set. Lay letter, plastic lens, and steel

rim of typewriter key into bezel. Verify let-
ter is in proper position related to soldered
wire on back of disk. Set key into bezel.
Using round nosed pliers, bend 14ga wire
on back of disk into a hairpin loop: curved
loop on top where it hangs on the pendant,
and straight from there on. Slide type key
charm into hole at bottom of pendant.

eLeanore MacnISH

is a glass

beadmaker and silversmith living in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has
been making glass beads for 9 years
and doing silverwork for 1

⁄

years. Visit

www.emacnish.com to see more of her work.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

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roject

pottery shard BrooCh

a n o s t a l g i c k e e p s a k e f r o m
a b r o k e n d i n n e r p l a t e

enjoy the challenge of working with found objects
and incorporating them into a wearable piece of
jewelry. If you’re like me, you probably have fond

memories of enjoying a special dinner with family or
friends, using the “good” china, or maybe enjoying a
cup of afternoon tea from vintage tea cups. Inevitably,
a piece of china or one of the prized teacups acciden-
tally breaks, and it’s painful to just throw the shards

into the trash. In this simple project, I’ll show you how
to recycle the broken shards and make a simple brooch,
perhaps reminding you of one of those special times
with friends and family.

Instead of using a commercial finding for this piece,

I decided to make my own pin mechanism. It’s easy
to execute and gives the piece a simple, handcrafted
elegance with an extra personal touch.

M a T E R I a l S

Pottery shard

22-gauge sterling sheet: 2" x
1

22-gauge brass sheet: 2" x 1

28-gauge sterling bezel wire:
5mm height x 6"

20-gauge round sterling wire: 6"

18-gauge round nickel
wire: 4"

One 7mm half-drilled
button pearl

#65 Drill bit

Hard and medium solder

Texture to roller print
(texture paper)

330 epoxy

liver of sulfur

ammonia

T O O l S

Soldering tools: torch, solder
pick, Solderite pad 6" x 6",
pickle pot with pickle, copper
tongs, cross locking tweezers

Hand tools: metal shears, wire
cutter, saw frame, saw blades,
beeswax or Bur life, bench pin,
6" half round file, needle files,
2

" bent steel burnisher

Other tools: rolling mill, buff-
ing machine, dust mask, safety
eyewear, Sharpie, Fabulustre
or buffing compound, 4" muslin
buff, flex shaft

JulIE JERMaN-MElka

Opening Photo: JIM LawSOn

Project Photos: JULIe JeRMan-MeLka

•

SKILL S you n eed

MaterIaL S an d to o L S you n eed

soldering

bezel stone setting

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 1}

Select pottery shard.

➤

The shard I’ve chosen is

" x 1

", so all of my measure-

ments are based on using a piece of pottery about this size.

{Photo 2}

Cut a 1

" x 1" piece of 22ga sterling sheet. Anneal

and pickle. Rinse in water and dry completely. Cut a piece of
22ga brass sheet slightly larger than the silver sheet. Do not
anneal.

{Photo 3}

Cut a piece of rice paper to 1

" x 1

". Sandwich

rice paper between silver and brass sheet and pass through
the rolling mill under pressure to roller print.

➤

Your silver sheet will distort and elongate with this process.

{Photo 4}

Make bezel for pottery shard using flat nose pli-

ers. Solder bezel together using hard. Pickle bezel until clean.
File any excess solder on seam. Rub bezel on sandpaper to
clean bottom edge.

{Photo 5}

Place shard on rollerprinted silver sheet. Trace

outside edge of shard with Sharpie pen to create an interest-
ing shape for your brooch. Mark on metal sheet will be slightly
larger than shard. Saw along Sharpie line and then fine-sand
edge.

{Photo 6}

Place bezel on sheet making sure there are no

gaps between them. Solder bezel to roller printed sheet using
chips of medium solder.

➤

If there is a gap, rub bezel on sandpaper again to true up

edge before soldering bezel to sheet.

{Photo 7}

Decide where you want the pearl. Center punch

a divot in metal and drill a hole using #65 drill bit. Insert a

" length of 20ga round wire through hole, extending it

out of back of brooch. Solder wire from back of brooch with
medium. Cut, file, and sand excess wire until flush with back.

My original sketch for the piece

tIPS on SuPPLIeS

if you don’t have a rolling mill, you can purchase
embossed metal sheets from Metalliferous: www.
metalliferous.com, 888-944-0909, or david h.
Fell: www.dhfco.com, 800-822-1996.

i prefer using Fabulustre buffing compound
because it gives me a lustrous finish and i don’t
need to prefinish. it contains a cutting and a
polishing compound in one bar.

Texture paper is handmade paper and can be
found at art supply stores. look for paper that
contains elements embedded in the paper, which
will give your piece a more interesting texture.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

➤

This is also a good time to stamp the

back of the piece with a sterling stamp and
your personal maker’s stamp if you have
one.

{Photo 8}

Use 4" of 20ga round nickel

wire for pin mechanism. Bend wire in half
and solder ends to back of brooch with
medium solder. Pickle and sand any excess
solder.

➤

Make sure you locate the mechanism

above the central axis so the pin will sit
properly when worn.

{Photo 9}

Snip wire for catch at

" and

bend over.

{Photo 10}

Curl wire for pin stem with

round nose pliers twice to create tension
for mechanism. End of pin should extend
slightly beyond catch. Snip end if too long,
then file, sand, and polish.

{Photo 11}

Set shard in bezel and check

height: bezel should just barely extend
above shard. File bezel down if too high.
Push walls of bezel over shard using bent
steel burnisher.

➤

I use a triangle file to file the bezel cor-

ners. This creates a V shape, so the metal
will not fold over itself during setting.

{Photo 12}

Polish brooch on buffing

machine to desired polish. Clean off buffing
compound using weak solution of sudsy
ammonia mixed with water and a soft
toothbrush. Rinse piece under warm water
and dry with soft cloth. Dissolve a pea size
piece of liver of sulfur in a cup of warm
water.

{Photo 13}

Dip brooch in solution and

rinse in cold water. Repeat until you
achieve desired patina color, then let air
dry. Polish lightly to bring contrast to piece.

{Photo 14}

Adjust height of stem for pearl

by cutting and filing until pearl sits flush
with silver sheet. Mix equal parts of 330
epoxy on small piece of paper with tooth-
pick. Put small amount of epoxy on stem
for pearl and place pearl on stem. Allow
epoxy to dry.

juLIe jerMan-MeLKa

earned her

M.F.A. from Colorado State University
in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she lives
and works. Her work can be seen in
galleries throughout the United States.
She also teaches part time at Laramie
County Community College in Cheyenne,
Wyoming. You can see more of her
work at www.flyinganvildesigns.com.

SettIng tIPS

Your pottery shard may have an irregular top surface, so you will
have to file the bezel to the proper height in order to have a bezel
that is visually pleasing.

Place the pottery shard in the bezel and file the bezel to match
the edge of the shard, making sure to have the bezel extend
beyond the shard.

i start with pushing the bezel over on the side of the corner first,
and then proceed around the shard.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

hile doing my resin
research I embedded
everything I could think

of! At an estate sale, I spied
some cake decorations in a
cabinet and thought, “Hey!
I wonder if I could put those
sprinkles in resin!” Before I
tried it, I didn’t think it would
work: I thought the resin
would degrade the color coat-
ing on the candy, but I was
wrong — it worked beautifully!

These earrings make

great gifts. They take about
20 minutes to make and 15
minutes to cure. They are
exceedingly happy, bright,
and truly sweet. You’ll need
to work on a sunny day, at
least if you use the same
UV resin I did, as it needs
to cure in the sun. If you
choose traditional two-part
epoxy resin, you can work
on a cloudy day, too.

sprInkle earrIngs

Project

ElEaNORE MaCNISH

Opening Photo: JIM LawSOn

Project Photos: eLeanORe MaCnISH

S w e e t l i t t l e t r e a t s m a k e a s p e e d y g i f t

M a T E R I a l S

20-gauge sterling wire:
two 1

⁄

” lengths

Two 15mm sterling bezel cups

Candy sprinkles of your choice

Silver, copper, gold, or palladium
metal leaf

White craft glue

EZ solder

Resin

ammonia, water, and
liquid dish soap solution

Oxidizer or liver of
sulfur

Tacky clay

Pen

T O O l S

Soldering: torch, striker,
nickels, soldering brick,
flux, pickle pot and pickle

Hand tools: wire nippers,
flat nosed pliers, file, fine
grit sandpaper

Other tools: glass drinking
cup, butane lighter

Finishing: chamois buffing wheel,
polishing compound, brass brush,
soft bristled toothbrush.

material

and tools you need

skills you need

•

soldering

•

basic fabrication

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 1}

Cut two 1

” lengths of 20ga

wire. File ends smooth.

Lightly sand back of bezel cups and wire to
remove any oils or dirt.

{Photo 2}

Lay bezels side by side on

soldering block. Place nickel next to each
bezel. Lay wire across bezel cup and nickel.

‰

The nickel will

support the wire at the

same height as the bezel cup and keep it in
position while soldering.

{Photo 3}

Flux, lightly heat until flux

becomes chalky. Lay pallion of EZ solder
on each bezel cup, ensuring solder touches
wire. Solder.

Pickle, rinse, dry. Oxidize. Polish with buff-
ing compound on a chamois wheel or with
brass brush. Soak in ammonia solution for
a few seconds and scrub with toothbrush.
Rinse. Dry.

{Photo 4}

With flat nosed pliers, grasp

end of each wire and twist a few rotations.

‰

Wire anneals and becomes softer during

soldering; twisting the ear wire work
hardens it and makes the metal stiff again.

While you’re twisting, make sure you keep
the wire straight. Five or 6 rotations are
usually sufficient.

{Photo 5}

Apply a very light coat of white

craft glue to interior of bezel cups. Press
metal leaf into glue.

‰ The metal leaf will be covered up with
the sprinkles, so there is no need to be tidy
or exact — wrinkles are okay.

{Photo 6}

When glue has dried, remove

overhanging metal leaf from bezels.

‰

If you prefer,

just polish the interior of the

bezel cups instead of adding the metal leaf.
Either way, the final outcome is better if
the interior of the bezel cups are shiny.

Make 2 small balls of tacky clay. Mash balls
down into pancakes on a hard surface. Lay
earrings down on clay and press. Embed
earring backs into clay and level them. Fill
leveled bezels with sprinkles until flush
with top edge.

{Photo 7}

Apply resin. Wait a few sec-

onds to see if air bubbles surface. When
bubbles rise, wave flame of lighter close to
resin surface to pop them.

‰

If you’re using

two-part epoxy, follow the

manufacturer’s instructions very carefully
with regard to mixing or you’ll end up with
a sticky mess that will never harden. I use
a one-part epoxy UV resin that comes in a
bottle and is ready to go.

{Photo 8}

Put earrings (still attached to

hard surface with tacky clay) in sunlight.
Place drinking glass over them to shield
from dust. Leave in sunlight approximately
10 to 15 minutes. Rotate every 5 minutes
to allow light exposure to all parts of resin
— both the walls of bezel cup and sprinkles
will cast shadows.

‰

If you’re using

two-part epoxy resin, cure

it for 48 hours before bending the ear
wires.

{Photo 9}

When resin is fully cured, bend

wires over pen to create a “U” shape. With
flat nosed pliers, bend ends of wires to fin-
ish hooks.

eLeanore MacnISH

is a glass

beadmaker and silversmith living in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has been
making glass beads for 9 years and
doing silverwork for 1

⁄

years. Visit www.

emacnish.com to see more of her work.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

M a T E R I a l S

Faux Bone

22-gauge sterling sheet approxi-
mately 1” x 2

⁄

” (textured or

not)

13-15” 18-gauge round sterling
silver wire

Freshwater pearls (or other
beads, pearls, stones, etc.)

6mm round bead (or similar)

acrylic paint or similar

Brown (or other color)
shoe polish

Masking tape or similar

Cyanoacrylate glue

T O O l S

Jeweler’s saw; #1 and #2/0
blades

Bench pin

Drill; bits size

⁄

”, and #’s 54

and 60

Files; medium and fine

Silicon carbide sandpaper; grits
320, 400, 600

Scribe

Torch (small crème
brûlée torch is fine)

O P T I O N a l

Electric etcher

Triangular scraper

Checkering file

⁄

” drill bit

Countersink bit

s k i l l s

y o u

n e e d

m a t e r i a l s

a n d

t o o l s

y o u

n e e d

aux Bone™ is a new mate-
rial for artists that is easy
to use, affordable, and non-

toxic. In this project, I used Faux
Bone with sterling silver, pearls,
and a Chinese carnelian bead.
Owing to its basic indestructibil-
ity, all riveting, drilling, stamp-
ing, electric etching, and ham-
mering can be done without fear
of chipping or cracking — and
without the use of heat or spe-
cial treatment. This material can
be left pure white, or pigment
can be rubbed into stampings or
scratchings and finished with a
bit of shoe polish for a bonelike
look and feel. Faux Bone invites
experimentation and play — its
possibilities are as endless as
your imagination.

•

fabrication

•

drilling

•

riveting

pvC & sIlver BrooCh

Project

ROBERT DaNCIk

Project Photos: JIM LawSOn

F a u x b o n e — f a n t a s t i c p l a s t i c

f o r j e w e l r y w o r k

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 1}

Draw a 2

” x 1

” oval on sheet

of Faux Bone.

{Photo 2}

Using jeweler’s saw with #1

blade, cut out oval. File edges and sand
with 320-grit sandpaper. Sand two flat
sides and edges with 400-grit sandpaper.

{Photo 3}

Measure, mark, and drill bead

hole with a

” drill bit. My bead hole is

”

down, and

” to the right of the oval cen-

terline — with silver on the left.

{Photo 4}

Use countersink in drilled hole

to widen top. Bevel should not go deeper
than about

”.

{Photo 5}

Draw line on face of oval

perpendicular to centerline, which passes
through center of bead hole. Place oval in

vise vertically with edge of oval facing up.
Locate drill bit on edge, in line with guide-
line passing over bead hole. Drill slowly
through edge into bead hole and across
into other side of bead hole, keeping drill
turning as you retract it.

{Photo 6}

Countersink or use

” drill bit

to make slight well so ball on end of wire
will seat into edge of oval.

etter

tems

To make a nice, sharp point on the pin stem, file a shal-

low “V” groove into one leg of the bench pin or into a
block of wood. The groove should start perpendicular to
the edge of the block and be as deep as the thickness
of the wire, tapering away from the edge. The groove
should taper to flush with the block surface about 1” in
from the edge.

if the flattened end of the finished pin stem wire is too

wide to fit in its hole, file a bit from each edge of the
flat end so that it can just be forced into the hole. it is
very important to keep it flat to prevent it from spin-
ning in the hole.

To use the groove, place the wire in it with the end almost

at the shallow end of the groove. Using a medium file,
position it over the wire and flush with the surface of the
wood. File the end of the wire as you turn it — taking off
a bit of the end of the wire all the way around. Bring it to
a point. When filed evenly, progress through the sanding
grits to 600 and polish on a buff with compound, or by
hand with a buffing stick to prevent the pin stem from
snagging on the fibers of clothing.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 7}

Hold bead so hole is in line

with wire hole. Insert wire through side of
oval, through bead, and into other side of
hole. Measure trim amount for ball to seat
in well, retract wire, and trim accordingly.
Set bead and wire aside.

Hammer texture into silver, if desired.
Anneal if needed. Quench, pickle, and dry.

{Photo 8}

Place silver with texture side

up. Position oval on silver sheet so long,
square edge of oval lies next to long side
of silver. Trace outside edge of oval onto
sheet. Remove oval. Draw second line par-
allel to first at about

” inside. Draw any

design in space between lines — I used a
saw-tooth for this piece.

Saw out shape, file and sand edges of silver,
progressing through to 600-grit sandpaper.

Position strip on face of oval and secure
with tape. Mark silver strip with locations
of rivets. Remove strip and drill holes with
#60 drill bit. Replace strip on face of oval.
Tape into position.

{Photo 8}

Using drilled hole in strip as

guide, drill one hole through Faux Bone.
Insert 18ga wire into hole to secure. Repeat
for next rivet hole and remaining holes.

Draw a line along center of edge. Plan and
mark pearl placement for 8 pearls on side of
oval, ensuring they do not intersect with rivet
wires. Remove sterling strip and set aside.

{Photo 9}

Place oval in vise. Drill holes into

edge for pearls about

” deep, keeping bit

perpendicular to edge. Make a well to seat
pearls in top of each drilled hole. On back of
oval, create wells where rivet wires exit.

Cut 8 lengths of 18ga wire, each

” long. Ball

one end of each wire with torch by holding each
wire vertically at the top end in crosslock twee-
zers. Dip end to be balled into paste flux. Heat
wire about

” above bottom end with torch.

Flame should be small and pulled away as soon
as metal begins to ball up wire. Quench, pickle,
and brass-brush wires. Set aside.

Cut 18ga wire 2” long for pin stem. With
hammer, flatten one end to about

”. File

tapered point on other end. With round
nosed pliers, grasp wire

” above flat-

tened end and wrap long end around pliers
tip

turns. Wire should point at 90° angle

to flattened end. Set aside.

Cut 18ga wire to

” for catch. With ham-

mer, flatten one end to about

”. Grasp

nonflattened end and twist to form a
number 9 shape. Offset end of wire until it
looks like beginning of a spiral.

{Photo 10}

Measure on back of oval

”

” from each end to position pin stem

and catch. Use #54 drill to drill hole at each
mark. Holes should be

”-

” deep.

Insert flat end of pin stem into hole near top
of piece, filing edges as needed for fit. Dip
flat end into glue and insert into hole with
pin stem lined up with centerline of the oval.

Repeat for catch.

{Photo 11}

Texture oval, coloring as desired.

iveting

tips

it’s important to plan the placement

of the rivets to hold the silver strip
and the pins to secure the pearls —
so that they don’t intersect. Start by
deciding were the rivets will go to
hold the silver, keeping in mind that
you will need at least 3 rivets — one
at each end and one in the middle.
You may want to use more for design
purposes, but 3 is the minimum.

When positioning the silver strip

on the oval for riveting, it is
important to drill only one hole
at a time and insert the wires
before drilling the next hole,
because positioning the parts
is nearly impossible unless the
wires are inserted one at a time.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

i usually cut a smaller piece of Faux Bone from the

larger sheet for ease of handling.

One way of creating an oval is to use a bracelet (usu-

ally about 2

⁄

” in diameter) or something similar as a

template to trace the two sides of the oval. draw a line
2

⁄

” long and place the bracelet atop the line; slide it

until the inside edge of the bracelet intersects the ends
of the line. Trace the inside curve of the bracelet and
repeat for the other side of the oval.

Any bead or other object can be inserted into the hole

in the oval using the same wiring process. The only dif-
ference lies in the size of the hole and its location on the
oval.

To protect the surface of the oval, you may want to

cover it with masking tape to prevent scratches.

depending on the curve of the oval, it may be easier

to sand the outside edge of the silver strip after it is
attached to the oval. The silver strip may be pickled
and brass-brushed or oxidized in liver of sulfur prior to
riveting it to the Faux Bone.

The sandpaper used is for wet sanding — all sanding

should be done with lots of water.

if the holes in the pearls or beads or whatever you are

using are too small for 18ga wire, it may also be neces-
sary to redrill them with a #60 drill bit. if so, hold the
pearls in padded pliers, and use a lubricant such as Bur
life on the bit while drilling.

To ensure that you don’t drill too deeply, wrap a piece

of tape at the proper distance from the end of the drill
bit and drill just until the tape touches the surface.

aBriCation

ips

{Photo 12}

Position strip on oval by lin-

ing up rivet holes. Insert all wires into their
holes; secure with tape. Trim protruding
wire to about 1mm above surface on back
of oval. Square end of wire with file. Rivet
in place with round faced hammer. Rivet
will fill countersunk well. Repeat with
remaining rivet wires.

{Photo 13}

Thread balled wires into each

pearl. Insert into pearl holes, trimming as
needed. Pearls should seat into counter-

sunk wells. Squeeze out a small bead of
glue. Retract each wire, dip end into glue,
and reinsert wire into oval.

Using tip of craft knife blade or thin wire,
place small amount of glue inside hole for
bead wire. Insert wire through edge of
oval, through bead, and into glue of inside
hole. Tap balled end of wire to seat into
well in edge of oval.

Give piece final buffing.

robert dancIK

has been an artist/

teacher for over 30 years. He presently
teaches and exhibits his jewelry and
sculpture in the U.S., Europe, the UK, and
Australia, and is the originator of Faux
Bone

™

. He lives and works in Connecticut

and can be reached through his Web sites:
www.robertdancik.com and www.faux-
bone.com, which also offer a complete set
of instructions and potential sheets for
Faux Bone.

alternate designs

The versatility and
ease of using Faux Bone
allows for many design
possibilities

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

There are an almost infinite number of surface

treatments for the Faux Bone oval. The project
piece is scratched with a scribe, etched with an elec-
tric etcher, stamped cold with metal stamps, and
has parallel lines made with a checkering file.

To affect a final “polish” on the surface, turn the

600-grit sandpaper over to the paper side and rub
vigorously until it takes on a soft sheen. Fine “hair-
line cracks” and age lines are put in by drawing the
sharp edge of a craft-knife blade over the surface
with no pressure except for the weight of the knife.
These will be further revealed when the piece is
rubbed with a bit of brown shoe polish — the last
step in the finishing. Allow the polish to set for an
hour or so and then rub vigorously with a soft cloth
— or buff it with a clean, unsewn muslin wheel on a
flex shaft or polishing machine.

if small burrs are raised on the surface of the piece,

you may wish to leave them, or sand with 600-grit
sandpaper until smooth. To color the piece, rub
with acrylic paints, which are allowed to dry, then
sand once more to remove as much of the paint as
desired.

inishing

aux

one

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

Let us inspire

the artist in you!

With

Jewelry Artist you’ll ﬁ nd great

jewelry and gem projects in an

easy-to-follow format, columns on

trends and gems, a showcase of

jewelry designs, and a spotlight on a

different jewelry artist in every issue.

PLUS you will:

•

Discover in-depth explanations

on using materials and applying

techniques

•

See innovative designs that stimulate your creativity

•

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•

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•

Learn about cool tools and add to your store of hip tips

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jewelryartistmagazine.com

or call (800) 676-4336

2100161-CLSF-090117.pdf Processed by DG June 15, 2009

roject

ColorFul resIn earrIngs

P r e t e n d p l i q u e - à - j o u r e n a m e l

friend’s new pendant immediately
caught our eye. At first glance we
thought it was a piece of enamel

— but then she explained that she had
recently created it in a

resin workshop.

She had added some glitter to the
resin to create the enamel effect.
We were so intrigued that we had
to give it a try.

Working with resin wasn’t as easy

as we’d initially thought. We experi-
mented with several resin systems
and colorants before deciding on this
project, a pair of earrings that give
the impression of plique-à-jour enamel
(open on both sides), using transpar-
ent resin in place of enamel. The resin
holds the wire design in place once
it cures. The addition of fine glitter
creates a stained glass effect with
the open back letting the light shine
through. Best of all, no kilns
necessary!

•

SKILL S you n eed

MaterIaL S an d to o L S you n eed

M a T E R I a l S

24-gauge sterling silver strip:
.020” x .125”

28-gauge fine silver bezel wire:
.013” x .125”

Sterling silver seamless tubing:
.188” OD x .156” ID

18-gauge sterling silver round wire

Double-sided carpet tape

Five-minute, two-part epoxy

ICE Resin and Hardener (we chose
this product because of its ability
to produce a glistening dome finish)

assorted colors of fine glitter

Renaissance Wax

T O O l S

Hand tools: assorted pliers; as-
sorted files, jeweler’s gram scale,
tube cutting jig; jeweler’s saw and
blades, flush cutter, cup bur

Layout tools: pencil, paper

Finishing tools: beeswax, vibratory
tumbler

Other tools: disposable mixing
cups, spatula, micro-spatula,
eye dropper, wooden toothpicks,
acetone

Soldering tools: torch and tips,
striker, flux, easy solder, soldering
block, quench and pickle

S O u R C E S :

Tools & Materials: Most of the tools
and materials for this project will be
available from well stocked jewelry
supply vendors.

ICE Resin: www.objectsand
elements.com

TOM & kay BENHaM

Opening Photo: JIM LawSOn

Project Photos: TOM & kaY benHaM

fabrication

soldering

resin

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

Once we agreed on our design, we used
tracing paper to create our pattern.

{Photo 1}

Use pattern as a guide. With

fingers and assortment of forming
pliers, create frames of earrings from
lengths of sterling silver strip, similar to
forming a bezel. Mark and cut strips, then
file ends square.

{Photo 2}

Solder outer frames using easy

solder. Quench, pickle, rinse. File and sand
solder joint smooth.

{Photo 3}

Again using fingers and

assortment of forming pliers, this time with
lengths of fine silver bezel wire, form each
partition piece to fit pattern. Take time to
adjust and readjust each partition until
satisfied that it fits pattern snugly.

{Photo 4}

Use tube cutting jig to cut four

.125" lengths of sterling silver tubing.

➤

Two tubing lengths will create the open-

ings for the ear wires; the second set to cre-
ate 2 teardrop shapes — which we formed
with our small needle-nose pliers.

{Photo 5}

Mix up small batch of five-

minute, two-part epoxy to secure each
intersection with outer frame. Apply epoxy
to each joint with tip of wooden toothpick,
then place assemblies under work lamp to
allow a proper cure.

➤

We did not bond the teardrop shapes or

the ear wire openings at this time.

{Photo 6}

Place a strip of double-sided

carpet tape to a sheet of paper, then re-
move release strip from top side of carpet
tape. Carefully press each assembly onto
tape to seal bottom of assembly so it
won’t leak when liquid resin is poured into
each cavity. Press small teardrop shapes
and pieces of tubing for ear wires onto
carpet tape according to the pattern.

{Photo 7}

Carefully weigh equal amounts

of resin and hardener with jeweler’s gram
scale.

{Photo 8}

Mix resin with spatula

for two minutes per manufacturer’s
recommendation. Because we wanted our
earrings to match, we mixed a batch large
enough so that we could fill comparable par-
titions in both earrings in one application.

{Photo 9}

Add glitter in small amounts

using a micro-spatula. Add glitter in
several small batches, rather than adding
too much to avoid having to mix up another
batch. Mix glitter thoroughly into resin after
each addition.

Success with resin is
dependant upon careful
measurement. You must
be sure the proportions
of resin and catalyst are
mixed according to the
package directions, and
that molds, mixing imple-
ments, and inclusions are
clean, dry, and free of
potential contaminants.

tIp

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 10}

Using dropper, add each batch

of resin in appropriate cavities. Fill cavities
only

full to allow for final doming layer of

clear resin. Clean eye dropper with acetone
between each resin batch.

{Photo 11}

Allow resin to cure at room

temperature for one hour according to di-
rections. Place assemblies under work light
for 24 hours. Then turn light off and allow
resin to cool to room temperature before
proceeding.

{Photo 12}

Mix a large enough batch to

dome both earrings at same time. Again,
with eye dropper, add resin slowly and care-
fully so it domes up. Don’t allow resin to
flow over sides. Allow resin to cure at room

temperature for one hour, and then place
under work light for 24 hours. Remove from
light and allow to cool to room temperature
before removing tape from back.

➤

Avoid touching the resin surface as

it can acquire fingerprints for several days
before it is fully cured.

Create ear wires with 20ga sterling
silver round wire. Round each end with the
cup burr lubricated with beeswax before
shaping.

➤

We placed the ear wires into a

vibratory tumbler for a couple of
hours to work-harden them.

Before attaching earrings to wires,
apply a coat of Renaissance Wax to
protect resin surface.

toM & Kay benHaM

are teachers

of both metalsmithing and lapidary, are
members of The Florida Society of Gold-
smiths and The Central Florida Mineral &
Gem Society, and have been Contribut-
ing Editors for this magazine for 7 years.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

Learn how to create artistic and long-lasting connections PLUS make two

distinctive pendants using wire rivets, screw rivets & tube rivets.

Combine found objects, metal shapes and frames, and other unique

elements in one-of-a-kind designer pendants using one of the strongest

cold connections in metalworking: rivets.

Jewelry design superstar, Susan Lenart Kazmer gives you step-by-step

instructions along with helpful tutorials on the tools you will use to make

the pendants.

$24.99

Approximately 60 minutes

interweavestore.com

WATCH – LEARN – CREATE!

Riveting!

2112982-LPJF-090808.pdf Processed by DG June 5, 2009

roject

MultI teChnIque

enaMeled pendant

C o m b i n e m e t a l c l a y, c l o i s o n n é , e tc h i n g ,

s to n e s e t t i n g , a n d c h a i n m a k i n g i n o n e d e s i g n

CyNTHIa alDERDICE

& lOIS MaNSFIElD

Opening Photo: JIM LawSOn

Project Photos: aaGPa eDITIOnS

ur design, called “Alchemic Synthesis,”
combines cloisonné enamel with textured
22K gold sheet, metal clay, the design and

creation of custom etching plates, keumboo, and
setting faceted and cabochon gemstones. It was
created to explore and combine several advanced
and specialized jewelry making techniques into a
beautiful but challenging piece.

First, we’ll create the etching plates,

etch them, and create the textured
metal clay pendant backing. After fir-
ing, we’ll use the “tear away” tech-
nique — developed by Celie Fago
for metal clay surface design

— to transfer the same texture
to gold. Our original designs
for the etching and tear-away
plates were developed on
the computer, and we used
Adobe Illustrator to create
positive and negative images,
but you could use any imag-
ing software to do the same
thing. The etching plates were
used to impress patterns on the
PMC base. Additional texture was
achieved by traditional roll print-
ing in a mill.

Then, we’ll create the cloisonné,

fabricate the pendant, and create the
handmade chain for the necklace. We like the
way the colorful cloisonné enameling enhances
the overall design.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

M a T E R I a l S

22k gold sheet: .012" to 1/

" high

18-gauge round 22k gold wire

24k gold foil for keumboo

22k gold sheet: .013"

19-gauge fine silver sheet

20-gauge fine silver sheet

12-gauge brass sheet: 3" x 5"

18-gauge round fine silver wire

Fine silver PMC

PMC+ Clay

Sculpey III Polymer Clay

24k gold cloisonné wire

18k gold solder

14k gold solder

Medium silver solder

Ferric chloride

Mineral spirits, paper towels

Styrofoam block

Duct tape

Ninomiya enamels

klyr-Fire

liver of sulfur

Two 6mm cabochon stones

One 8mm x 10mm faceted stone:
about 3 carats

T O O l S

Hand tools: calipers, oval mandrel,
round nose pliers, bezel pusher,
burnisher

Other tools: rolling mill, Thermo-
Fax thermal copier, photo silk
screen and resist, silk screen
plastic frame, computer with imag-
ing software, bookbinding press, 2
pressed wood boards (MDF)

Metal clay tools: plastic roller for
PMC, Teflon sheet, pin tool, oval
template, distilled water in spray
bottle, textured etching plates

•

fabrication

•

stone setting

•

enameling

•

etching

•

soldering metal clay

Positive plate

negative plate

••

SKILL S you n eed

MaterIaL S an d to o L S you n eed

two IMageS For etcHIng

For the PMc process, you’ll need both a positive and negative
of your final design. Our pendant used these images.

{Photo 3}

Enlarge pattern to fit 3” x 5” brass

etching plates. Print both positive and nega-
tive images using laser printer.

{Photo 2}

Create pattern using component

parts of design.

{Photo 1}

Plan design using Illustrator

or other computer drawing program.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 4}

Place printed image under

presensitized thermal screen, sandwiched
between backing paper and transparency
film. Run through Thermo-Fax thermal
copier.

{Photo 5}

Peel silk screen mask from

thermal printed image.

{Photo 6}

Transfer peeled image to

screen. Mount screen to plastic frame.

{Photo 7}

Apply acid resist to top of frame

and squeegee to bottom of frame.

➤

The image is transferred to the brass

plate as the acid resist passes through the
silk of the open areas of the mask. You’ll
need to create another mask and frame to
create a negative image plate by following
the same procedure.

{Photo 8}

Mount etching plates to foam

block with duct tape and float on surface of
ferric chloride etchant solution.

➤

We use 3 parts acid to 2 parts water for

our etchant recipe, but follow the specific
directions for your chosen brand. reminder:
always add acid to water, not water to acid.

Etching times may vary depending upon
the complexity of the design. Check plate
every hour. Our plates took 6 hours to etch
fully. Rinse plates under running water for
several minutes to wash away etchant. Neu-
tralize plates from any lingering etchant
in a solution of baking soda and water and
dry.

{Photo 9}

Remove resist from plates with

mineral spirits and paper towels. Rinse and
dry. On backs of plates, indicate direction
of top of design and negative (N) or positive
(P) with Sharpie.

negative plate prior to etching

Positive plate prior to etching

How SILKScreen worKS

Silkscreen printing is used to transfer an image to a
sheet of paper, cloth, posterboard, or other materi-
als — in this case a brass plate — by way of a cut
stencil that is adhered to a piece of evenly woven
silk that has been stretched in a frame.

The uncut areas of the stencil prevent ink from
passing through the screen, and the open areas of
the stencil allow the ink to pass through the screen
onto whatever surface lies below the frame.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 10}

Oil etching plates and all tools

for PMC +.

(Photo 11}

Roll PMC to desired thickness.

Our design is 14 cards thick.

{Photo 12}

Sandwich rolled clay between

positive and negative plates.

{Photo 13}

Position plates in center of 2

pressed wood boards.

{Photo 14}

Place boards in center of book-

binding press to achieve even pressure.

➤

If you don’t have a bookbinding press,

you can carefully roll the sandwiched clay
and plates between the wood boards after
inserting risers of the desired thickness on
either side of the plates and clay. A wooden
rolling pin will work for this method.

{Photo 15}

Carefully remove top plate to

reveal pressed clay image.

{Photo 16}

Cut desired pendant shape

with pin tool, allowing for clay shrinkage.

{Photo 17}

Peel excess clay from cut shape.

{Photo 18}

Dry at least 24 hours. Sand

and refine edges. Fire in kiln for 2 hours at
1650º.

{Photo 19}

Create a “tear away” texture

plate. Anneal 22K gold sheet and then
pickle in Sparex acid. Roll print tear-away
design onto annealed and pickled 22K gold
sheet. Clay paper can be used only once for
this procedure.

➤

You can roll any texture onto the gold

sheet, but if you’d like the patterns to
match exactly, the “tear away” technique is
the best method for achieving this.

{Photo 20}

Saw out design shape.

➤

Use the tracing paper shape from the de-

sign as a “view finder” to aid in placement
of the pattern on the gold sheet.

{Photo 21}

Create design layout with

enamel and test color chips.

{Photo 22}

Make drawing and pattern

for placement of 24K gold cloisonné wire
shapes. Form wire shapes according to
design. Run textured brass plate and .020

fine silver sheet through rolling mill. Saw
out design using tracing paper pattern as
guide. Clean textured silver with Comet
cleanser and toothbrush to remove all
grease. Rinse and dry well. Spray 50/50
solution of Klyr-Fire and distilled water on
back of piece. Carefully sift Soyer Enamels
#3 flux on back. Repeat twice.

{Photo 23}

Repeat flux and sift procedure

on piece front. Handle carefully and place
back side down on mica sheet.

{Photo 24}

Dry in front of kiln, then place

on ceramic shard on top of kiln to dry
further. Fire approximately 1-2 minutes in
small enameling kiln. Dip cloisonné wires in
Klyr-Fire and place on surface. Fuse small
cloisons, fill with selected colors, and fire
separately on mica. Arrange these shapes
and add additional wires to complete
design. Fire again.

{Photo 25}

Fill cloisons with chosen

colors. It may be necessary to fill and fire
as many as 10 or 11 times. Fill top layers with
finishing flux N-1 Ninomiya.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 26}

Adhere wooden dowel to

reverse side of enamel using dop wax.

Sand underwater, starting with 220
wet-dry sandpaper and progressing to
1,000 grit.

{Photo 27}

Form outer bezel from .013

22K gold

" high joined with 20K gold

solder. Solder gold bezel to 19ga fine
silver sheet using 14K gold solder. Trim
and sand. Solder bezel unit to PMC +
base using medium silver solder. Bezel
for stone is .013 22K gold sheet

" high.

Solder stone setting to fine silver base
with 14K gold solder. Line up carefully
to center of piece and solder unit using
medium silver solder.

Solder textured gold to 20ga fine silver
base with 14K gold solder for strength.
Inner bezels (which are different
heights) to accommodate enamel piece
and 22K gold textured element must
butt together evenly. Set enamel and
gold unit using bezel roller and bur-
nisher. Set stone in same manner.

{Photo 28}

Anneal fine silver wire. In-

sert one end of 18ga round wire in vise,
the other around

" wooden dowel.

Wind wire tightly and keep even ten-
sion. Remove from dowel and anneal.
Place back on dowel and tighten.

The back of the pendant
is embellished with 2
citrine cabochons and
finished with keumboo and
liver of sulfur patination.

Best of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Volume 4

10 Mixed Media Jewelry Projects

{Photo 29}

Cut links using Joyce Chen

scissors.

➤

As visible in the final piece, 18ga 22K gold

and fine silver links may be interspersed
throughout the chain.

{Photo 30}

Fuse links on ceramic or

charcoal block. Cool.

{Photo 31}

Spread link with round

nose pliers.

{Photo 32}

Form bow-tie shape.

{Photo 33}

Bend links in U shape.

{Photo 34}

Place

" dowel upright

in vise. Slip one link over dowel. Joint should
be on small looped end. Place

" dowel perpendicular to other dowel.

Pinch link between 2 dowels vertically
and horizontally with round nose pliers.

{Photo 35}

Open each link as shown and

planish each link from inside surface on pol-
ished steel block. Anneal and reshape.

{Photo 36}

Spread link to enable next link

to go through. Continue until chain is desired
length. Anneal and repinch with pliers. Ad-
just and realign each link.

Attach chain to back of pendant.

aLderdIce & ManSFIeLd

are col-

laborating art jewelers who design and
fabricate classical and cross-cultural one
of a kind and limited edition pieces in
22K and 24K gold, fine silver, gemstones,
pearls, and enamels. They are inspired
by world culture and their classical edu-
cation at the Kulicke-Stark Academy of
Jewelry is reflected in their work.

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