Jewelry Making
Submitted by Solstice on Thu, 04/22/2004 - 8:49am.
I know that I have been only threatening to get one, but I finally went and did it. I bought a kiln (accordign to the book NOT pronounced with an N at the end much to the dismay of my buddy Mac). I found a used on and saved about $200.
I also bought a used tumbler...hardly used. I don't think it has been taken out of the box. Saved some on that too.
I still need a few things, but I am finally getting started. I found a box of very old (pre WWII) buttons that have been in my family for decades, and am making sculpey molds. Or trying to (Can't find the right baking temp).
I was wondering if anyone else here worked in this medium. I am thinking of going to the PMC conference this year. Am kind of hoping to find someone to go with then I can afford it.
Well, I better quit messing around and get to work. I have another 50 pr of earrings to make besides the PMC stuff for a "show" and sale. I would love to hear from anyone who makes jewelry.
BB,
Solstice
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First of all, my art teacher (and everyone else I've known around here who works with them) always called it a kiln with an "n", so :-P on that book! So there! :-D
Don't know what to tell you about getting the temp right for Sculpey in a kiln. (I'm assuming you're using the kiln for your Sculpey also - is that the case?) I use a toaster oven and a separate oven thermometer, and I had to spend an evening testing it before I could be certain I was really getting the right temp for my clay. I have it now, marked in pencil by my temp knob (I think all toaster ovens are built to be incorrect!) and I've been making some cool beads lately!
My projects this past week have involved an order for anklets made from pony/crow beads (you know, the big ones people sometimes wear in their hair). A friend from work whom I've made pieces for before asked me to make her a couple of new anklets for the summer, but with pony beads. She saw someone wearing them on a choker and got inspired by it. I'm glad I knew where to go to get some!
(I don't *do* plastic, if I can help it. I needed glass pony beads and was lucky to find a fairly good selection at a favorite bead store. For some reason, the cheap plastic ones are so much easier to locate than the nice glass ones!)
She needed two, and left the color schemes up to me, which is great! (At least, it is when you already know what someone will like! :-P ) She ended up with one in a transparent "capri" blue, clear AB and brass (real brass spacer beads, a little smaller than the ponys) and one with clear, black and burgundy, both in different patterns. I strung them on thick acrylic "stretchy" cord with a thick clasp and double-wide jump rings. They have a little weight to them, which was nice actually. She was quite pleased, and when I dropped them off, I got an order from another co-worker for one in pink....
Awww, that means I have to go back to the bead store! Darn! }:-)
I always wanted a rock tumbler - you'll have to let us know how that works for you. What kinds of materials do you plan on tumbling right now? Any specific stone?
Blessings
~Berkana
Get a taste of religion.
Lick a Witch!