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WELCOME to my colorful corner of the world! I write here about the things I make, in glass, fiber, metals, and whatever else I can find to play with!

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Friday, January 7, 2011

Back At It

I hope everyone has settled back into a good routine of things since the New Year and holiday celebrations. I've got one more party, tonight at my daughter's karate dojo, and my mom and her husband coming over Saturday for belated family Christmas, and then the holidays are officially over at my house. I love Christmas and the season, but I am happy to move on once everything is done. No year-round Christmas tree in this house! ;)

This week has afforded me some extra energy and tolerance for the freezing temps in my garage workshop. So, I have been able to work on some copper projects and ideas I've had kicking around in my head. I promised pictures of my etching work a while back and never got around to showing them, so here ya go!

Done with a cheapie rubber stamp and ferric chloride, this image is HUGE (2") and I LOVE it! I particularly adore the hammered look it has after I domed it on my leather sandbag that I covered with a piece of acrylic fleece. It's been pickled, but not patinated yet.

And this is what happens when you leave a piece out exposed to air that has been in contact with the ferric chloride. I love the green and copper, but it's a thick layer of dust, essentially, so I couldn't keep most of it. Must play around with this some more...


I mentioned in my last post (I think) about a silent auction fundraiser I am going to donate some work to. This is the preliminary work. Sawn copper leaves for a pendant and earrings that I etched (again with ferric chloride), and then formed. Also not patinated as yet in this photo.

Some foldforming experiments. Not my favorite, and I think I am not annealing things enough, or using too heavy a gauge sheet metal, but all in all, not terrible. Earrings, or some dangle charms here.

And finally, working on some valentine's and heart-themed stuff. Hand sawn, formed, embellished. Love!

So, what are you working on this year so far??

8 comments:

EB Bead and Metal Works, LLC said...

Wow - I love all the pieces. I especially love the etched copper tree and the leaves. Fantastic! I have been meaning to try etching again but I have not got around to it but I think I will add that to my to do list for this year. Thanks for sharing!

Pretty Things said...

Those leaves just rock the house! Are you just using ferric acid and not some fancy schmancy set up?

Unknown said...

You've been a busy bee...everything looks great! I love the colors of the "left out" piece of copper, too bad it couldn't be saved:( The leaves are totally cool! All the sawing...ugh! and the fold formed pieces look cool too. I've been experimenting with fold forming too, using 24 gauge. It's probably a little too heavy, as I'm having problems with the unfolding and then forming it. But it's all good:)

Anonymous said...

Love these pieces! Even the colorful "mistake"!!

On my way to a bead show so I'm hoping to find some yummies to use for Valentine's Day :)

Thanks for your sweet comments regarding my flood. So glad that's over with! I got stuff to make :)

Unknown said...

Beautiful, Christine. Just beautiful.

Anonymous said...

I'm really impressed at how you are growing in your art. I love the tree and the leaves. Are you going to enamel the heart?

Christine said...

Thanks, all, for your lovely comments!

@Lori: Yep, just a bottle of circuit board etchant and a little time and rubber gloves. Simple, doesn't etch silver, but I like it so far.

@Shelby: I love to saw, I've discovered. Very zen. I'm having the same problems as you with the foldforming. I've promised myself I'll buy the book on it soon as I can.

@Kitty: I would like to enamel the heart, but I used hairspray on a first attempt and it was awful. I need to get some Klyr-Fire. :)

Aquariart said...

I Love them all! They are fabulous. I can't wait to see the tree pendant with patina and then I think you need to sell it to me. I haven't fallen in love with something like that in at least a week. LOL. You are making me want to get out all my copper supplies and play too!
PS My word verification came up as "bitin" and yes I have been bittin by the copper bug! and PS again I really mean it- I want to buy to tree!!

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