Monday, September 2, 2013

WOW! 59 POSTS...59 MEMBERS!

I want to thank everyone for following my blog and lending your support.  
I just noticed that I have 59 posts and 59 wonderful followers!!!  
I just love it when things of coincidence happen...like matching numbers.
I feel like the whole universe is going to open up and shower me with riches.  
The bells go off and the confetti falls...like I won the lottery or something...lol!  
Anyway, in honor of this serendipitous moment, I think that I will switch it 
up a bit and give you a peek at what I have been working on lately.  
TIN JEWELRY!


These are earrings made from a recycled tin box.  The kind that cookies come in at Christmas time.  Would you like to know how it was done?  Well...I completely cut the tin box apart using a metal shears that I purchased from the jewelry supply store, drew the shape with a Sharpie pen (on the back) and then cut it out with the metal shears.  To finish the edge of the earrings (the tin is sharp), I filed the rough edges with a metal file and then went over the entire edge with a fine grit metal sandpaper.  I also used a dap mold and dap tool to hammer a curved shape....although, this is not necessary.  Lastly, I used acrylic paint pens or enamel nail polish to paint the design, punched a hole in the top with a metal punch or drill and then added the earring wires.

Clockwise: Hammer, metal punch, metal shears, file, cut tin, dap tool and wooden dap block
Hope that you enjoyed this tutorial and that I have inspired you to try your hand at some simple metal forging.  It's challenging but FUN!

Until next time!
Hugs,
Ginny