How Do I Get This Cuff On?

It's been a very long time since I posted  a blog - long over due! To re-start I think I am going to pull from my now 10 years of jewelry making and problems I have encountered along the way. Some of these are the making itself, some getting correct sizing from customers to insure a proper fit of a ring, cuff or bangle. Today- the simple but lovely cuff and how to properly put it on and take it off so it maintains it's original shape and fit.

What's not to love- the cuff comes in all shapes, widths and sizes and even different metals, bronze, copper, sterling and even gold. Behold - the simple hammered sterling cuff. This one is 1 inch wide and a reasonable but light 1 mm thick- a good everyday choice for work or casual day out. Now- How do you get that darn thing on and off a bunch of times and still keep it looking like this nice C shape and not some sort of twisted mess? The opening is only 1 inch wide- isn't my arm bigger than that?

Anyone can latch a bracelet and it fits right? Sure, but what about a cuff? Can you get it on and have it keep it's shape? Not hurt going on or coming off? This little trick will keep all your cuffs in shape, springy and looking great for a long time to come!

A cuff bracelet is one that does not close on the wrist but simply rests on the wrist with a gap or open area on the inside of the wrist. Unlike bangles (closed circles) cuff bracelets are worn low on the wrist bone rather than pushed up the forearm. Hold the cuff like a C in your opposite hand with the opening facing the arm your are going to wear it on. You want to find that soft area on the inside of your arm about 1 – 1.5 inches above your wrist- between the 2 bones in your wrist. Gently roll the end of the bracelet over the arm from the thumb side and just roll it over your arm. Let it slide down your arm to rest there. To remove the cuff, reverse the above and roll it right off your arm above your wrist!

Don't hook the cuff on the outside of the wrist and pull it over the top of the wrist. This actually pulls the cuff out of shape and will loosen any set stones in or on top of the cuff. In time, you could break or crack the cuff due to metal fatigue. Always start on the inside of your wrist. Cuffs usually only need to be adjusted once and not bent each time.

To order the correct size cuff - measure around your wrist where the cuff will be worn, not too tight, this is the inside circumference of the cuff including the opening. When ordering a cuff, look to see how wide the opening is and subtract that to get the length you need.

Cuffs are normally formed on an oval shape bracelet mandrel. This shape conforms to most wrists. If you have a round arm/wrist and not flat on top, be sure to discuss this with the maker of your cuff. Your artisan jeweler can allow a slightly longer length and shape the cuff to be more rounded on top and still conform to the sides of your wrist for a more comfortable fit.

Cuffs come flat, anticlastic with a concave center and curves that go up on the sides and synclastic with a dome that curves down to the wrist. Each of these basic styles has many variations, but all can be properly fitted and remain lovely for many years with proper care - AND putting them on and taking them off so they stay in their original shape.

My hope is next time you think about putting on that cuff, you'll remember this blog and smile because you know how to get that cuff on!

If you'd like to take a look at some of my cuffs- visit my shop on Etsy by clicking this link or copy and paste it into your browser-  https://www.etsy.com/shop/PPennee

September Inspiration

September Synchroblog -- Inspiration

The Artists Synchroblog is a group of bloggers who post on the same topic on odd months and on even months we take on a Pinterest Challenge where we each take inspiration from a Pinterest picture, creating something (art, a meal, a DIY project, etc) and then posting about it.  

This month's topic: September
INSPIRATION/INFLUENCES
“My inspiration comes from…” 

Wow - what a loaded topic that is for me? Who knows, quien sabe, no lo se, and any other English or foreign phrase that says- most days, I have no clue what I'm going to do until I get to the bench and start. I could say I am inspired by nature and architecture because I love both and get loads of ideas while in my garden or on walks. Travel to other countries has opened up a whole world of texture and design for me that I love. BUT, I do not consider myself an artist - what I like to do is make things - I love the whole process of making the parts and watching them go together to make something beautiful and wearable.

As you can see from the two photos above- this was a construction conundrum! This was a huge piece of diamond rough, no real flat spot to make a normal cup for a setting and the customer wanted a specific side to show. I had so much fun working with my mentor to come up with a way to hold this stone and make it into a wearable ring. So maybe that's my inspiration- the challenge of designing so it works and still looks good?

My other inspiration is again a challenge. I love to try to learn a new technique as often as possible in between filling orders. My current challenge is learning to bead set. If you don't know what that is, it is drilling a hole to perfectly fit a stone inside, then instead of holding the stone by pushing the metal over the edges as in flush setting, you take a tool called a graver, which is a very sharp instrument and can do bodily harm if not used properly :) (ask me how I know). And you use the graver to cut through and push the metal up to the edge of the stone and create a small pile of metal. You then take another tool- a beading tool, and round that pile so you have just made very tiny prongs on 4 sides of the stone to hold it in place. All this is assuming you have done it correctly, not broken off one of the beads by pushing it to far or the graver has gone on it's own path and you have to start over again.

I do hope you've enjoyed my ramblings about what inspires me and I hope you will take some time to read some of the blogs below to see what inspires others in our Synchroblog group.

http://amyestellemetalworks.blogspot.com

http://www.islandgirlsinsights.blogspot.ca/

http://www.wrapturewirejewellery.on.ca/blog

www.elenorbuffington.blogspot.com

http://doxallodesigns.blogspot.com

http://lesliervillarreal.blogspot.com

http://www.journeyinjewelry.com/blog/My-Journey-in-Jewelry

http://simpledesignjewelry.blogspot.com

http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com/

http://marikach.blogspot.com/

www.createrecklessly.com

http://design.kcjewelbox.com

www.allwiredupjewelrydesigns.blogspot.com

http://shaktipajdesigns.com/blog/

http://silversmithblog.com/

http://stonezjewelry.com/blog/

www.beadsbythebay.blogspot.com

  

What Made Me Think I Could Become a Metalsmith?

When something grabs my interest and attention, I grab onto it with the passion of a terrier with a fresh new bone!  I had a friend who made very pretty wire wrapped jewelry, lots of baubles and shiny gems went into her every piece. I used to buy her work until one day she said, you can learn to do this yourself, let me teach you some basics. Well, that was the top of the whirlpool that drew me forever downward into the abyss. I had always made things, crafts were just something that were always in progress, but jewelry- who would have thought I could actually make that?

The lemon quartz and gold necklace above was the type of work I seemed to enjoy most. Lots of pretty stones and pearls and detail. Did I mdention I love stones and detail? What no one cold have explained to me as I was wrapping stones in wire was that every time I went somewhere to get more stones and wire and chain, I would see more stones and I would also see jewelry I loved that just couldn't be made with m limited wire wrapping skills.

Phase 2- I had to know how to set other stones, cabochons, faceted stones, rough odd shapes called to me. But where to learn? My same jewelry making friend suggested I look into Beadfest Philadelphia which always had classes and was not too unreasonably far from me. I found a class, not quite what I wanted, but it seemed like something a beginner could handle. Fusing silver wire taught by metal artist Anne Mitchell. The class was fun, wonderful and inspired me - look what I could do with wire when fire was involved!!!!

I made chains, and chain bracelets, chain dangle earrings, and links and more chains. Well, this wasn't what I was aiming for was it? I wanted to set stones! Around the same time, I decided I had way too much jewelry than I could ever wear so I started a shop on Etsy to try to sell some jewelry. My shop got stumbled on by the captain of the aspiring metalsmiths team and I joined up- knowing nothing but how to use a torch and fuse wire, I was prepared to look dumb and I was! I found some of the the most wonderful people on this team to help, lead, sympathize and teach me how to conquer all the pitfalls of learning to really hand fabricate jewelry and set stones.

So I fell in love with fire and hammers and pretty stones, I had to do something with that and I guess that's why I wanted to become a metalsmith and now, I feel like I'm about half way there. I can actually set most stones, make a decent ring, earrings and actually do some good custom work. I still have loads to learn, but I still have my team, I have found some good classes and I will continue plugging away since I firmly believe, you never stop learning when it comes to making artisan crafted jewelry.

I hope you will also take a peek and read about some of my wonderful teammates who have also got blogs on why they became a metalsmith and enjoy their stories also.

SilverBlueberry jewelry-by-silverblueberry.blogspot.se
SerpentsDance www.dancetothedoor.blogspot.com/
Marcus Berkner Jewelry berknerdesigns.blogspot.com/
Valerie @ LilyEmme Jewelry blog.lilyemmejewelry.com
Kalicat Jewelry Designs kalicatdesigns.blogspot.co.uk/
Kim Bell www.kimberlybelldesigns.blogspot.com
Beatriz Fortes www.beatrizfortes.blogspot.com

Adult Summer Camp - Common Ground on the Hill

I had no idea they had summer camp for adults! No clue that there were wonderful things that adults could sign up for for a week or even a full 2 weeks. You could be a "day camper" or you could make it "away camp" and stay in the dorms and be a full time camper taking as many classes as you can fit into the day!
Common Ground on the Hill  is just such a camp, right in my own back yard, which happens annually at McDaniel College. I know this isn't the only place that has these wonderful camps, I met loads of people who had been elsewhere or were going somewhere to do more summer camp!

The most wonderful thing about this camp is it is totally dedicated to art and artists of all kinds. From making native black clay into beautiful works of pottery art, making a gourd banjo, taking women's blues singing lessons and yes- metalwork classes! Click on the link above to see the myriad of classes available for all ages! Yes, there were 70 year old women taking beginning blacksmithing classes and there were high school students with scholarships taking piano for the first time. So much fun and so many wonderful new friends I met!

Of course I took a jewelry class! I have always wanted to take a class from Linda Van Hart of Tollhouse Studio. Linda is the director of the arts program for Common Ground and is also a full time professor of art at McDaniel, has a fabulous art studio and does shows all over the US. Her forte is chasing and repousse, but she is so gifted a teacher, she is able to teach all forms of metalwork to a class that includes rank beginners to those with experience and makes it fun, challenging and exciting for everyone.

This years class was Reticulation, along with demos for chasing and repousse, wire work and forging. Reticulation is the process of taking a piece of silver a bit different from sterling (sterling is .925, so only about 17% copper - reticulation silver is 20% copper), heating and coolong it many times, and rising the pure silver, then painting your design with a hot torch to make beautiful hills and valleys of swirled silver on the surface. No two pieces are ever alike.

This was my main project - a hydragea leaf from my garden, cut to shape then reticulated. Later I added the stem and created a neck wire to form the torque.

  The process of reticulation was 7 steps, usually mine take 10-12. She had us heat (no flux), air cool (I used to quench), pickle, scrub with a brass brush then scrub with pumice powder using the 3M sanding pads- fine grit. Do that 6 times- on the 7th time after pickle- no brass or pumice- just reticulate. Everyone in class got a perfect result first time- even total beginners that had never touched a torch. So the leaf shrug, and earrings were from reticulation silver- the cuff was from 18g sterling. I had to use a torch in each hand to keep it hot enough to reticulate, then she helped me holding one torch while I added my trash and treasure to fuse the sterling and gold. No solder anywhere.

After trying the process with reticulation silver, I wanted to see what effect and pattern I could get with sterling. Sterling is a bit less expensive (not much) and I have more of that- I had to order the reticulation silver for the class. I also wanted to try fusing sterling and gold to sterling- no soldering. The result is my Treasure Trash Cuff with bits and pieces of scrap sterling, some granulation balls I made with scrap in sterling and a few 14k gold balls also made from scrap.

With my left over scrap from my leaf, I was able to get 2 pair of earrings. The little circles were cut with a disk cutter, the aspen leaves were sawed from a traced aspen leaf from my neighbors tree!

I hope you enjoyed my little story about adult summer camp- and I really hope you will look into these wonderful programs for yourself or your kids to expand and grow their love of the arts!