Archive for March, 2011

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How to use heat to patina brass charms and filigrees

Thursday, March 31st, 2011
bee charms, raw and with heat patina

One before and two after applying heat patina. Check out the rainbows on the middle bee!

Ah, brass. Beautiful brass. I love everything about using brass in my handmade jewelry … except its raw brassiness.  Brass is affordable, easy to work with and available in all kinds of fun charms and filigrees. And while giving raw brass an antique patina with an oxidizing solution such as Win-Ox really is not difficult, my favorite method of coloring brass is the torch! It tones down that brash brassiness to a beautiful warm glow that is infinitely more appealing to my eye.

bee charm torch

Torching the bee charm only took a few seconds.

Applying heat to give metal a patina is so easy – and clean! No chemicals, no rinsing, no waiting! Sometimes you can even get shimmery rainbows to appear by holding the heat on a few extra seconds.

Heat patina raw brass filigree

Raw brass filigree, before and after meeting the torch flame.

You all know to set up a heat proof work area before firing up your torch. This can be as simple as a cookie sheet. Tie back your hair, wear safety glasses and just plain BE SAFE. Do your homework before you start. A great book that explains all the necessities for working with a torch is Soldering Made Simple by Joe Silvera.

Butane is widely available at hardware stores.

Don’t feel fired up to experiment? You can buy Vintaj natural brass jewelry components, which have already undergone a chemical-free process to give them their rich color. Plated brass filigrees are also available. But I encourage you to try heat patina. It is the safest way to let your inner pyromaniac out to play!

Velvet ribbon adds a luxurious feel to this brass bracelet.

Here is a gorgeous brass jewelry example by Mollie to inspire you! She soldered a raw brass bee to a Vintaj connector to make this bracelet, and used both heat and Win-Ox to patina the pieces. Full parts list and instructions for Blue Honey are available in our design gallery. ~ Cindy

PS: here are some handy links to some other how-to’s in the Rings & Things blog!

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Posted in Designing Jewelry, Featured Findings, Fun, guest blogger, Jewelry Tools, Projects, Tutorials, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Can you spot it?

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

What do these 3 designs have in common?
Create this lush mixed media look with a filigree, silk ribbon, glass bezel and more!
“Love Letters” Necklace		 Showcase an image with a glass bezel & rhinestone chain in this fun finger ring project.
“Southern Cross” Ring		 Interlace waxed linen and Wirelace with chain to complement this romantic glass bezel pendant.
“Devotion” Necklace
Here’s a totally transparent hint!
Glass bezel cups

Glass bezel cups:
exclusively at Rings & Things!

How will you use them?

Posted in Featured bead/finding, New products | 1 Comment »

Airship Isabella at the Houston bead show

Monday, March 28th, 2011

Some neat new friends, met at our Houston bead show
(we got the best photo we could with our camera)

Steampunk in person

The crew of the Airship Isabella paid us a visit!

We love meeting our Bead Fans at our bead shows, and seeing how creative you all are.

Come see us this spring, we’re on the road to your town right now!
WILL WE SEE YOU THERE?

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Posted in Community, Rings & Things Bead Shows, Trendspotting | 1 Comment »

How to make interchangeable magnetic jewelry with 1″ buttons

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

bottle cap magnet button pendant

Handmade magnetic bottle cap necklace with assorted buttons

Mollie has been borderline obsessed with one particular item lately. It’s not a pretty gemstone bead or sparkly crystal pendant. It isn’t even new. No, Mollie is obsessed with plain old sticky dots. Almost daily, she’d ask me, “Oooh, have you tried the sticky dot?” and I’d just roll my eyes. But now I’m a convert too.

Sticky dots are just that – self-stick little glue pads. Easy to use, strong, zero mess, no fuss, no cure time, no smell. This is true instant gratification!

Round sticky dots fit perfectly under our magnets!

Two of Mollie’s recent designs use the sticky dot: the interchangeable magnet ring and the interchangeable magnet bottle cap pendant. Like many of you crafty people, Mollie has a button making machine. The little 1″ buttons are particularly adorable, and since they are made of steel, naturally they are magnetic. I don’t have a button machine myself, but I buy lots of buttons – and now I can wear them instead of leaving them on my bulletin board!

 

Here's the magnet

Here's the pendant - so cute!

Rings & Things’ wholesale price breaks makes it really affordable to make a whole bunch of these necklaces. For about $50 (before shipping and tax, if applicable) you can get everything (except the buttons) to make 70 necklaces – with supplies leftover! If you don’t already have one, add a pair of EuroPunch pliers to make holes in the caps.

1 spool of ball chain (makes 70 17″ necklaces) $18-25 ~ 100 ball chain clasps $2  ~ 1 oz. jump rings $5-6  ~ 100 bottle caps $7-10  ~ 144 adhesive dots $6  ~ two packs of 35 magnets $12-14

The adhesive dot is completely hidden by the ring and magnet.

1" buttons make perfect rings!

The same value applies to the magnetic ring design – and absolutely no tools are required to make these!

72 adjustable flat-pad ring blanks $42-62, depending on color (we do sell a less expensive ring blank if you prefer, but the style and comfort of this style is worth the added cost)  ~  144 adhesive dots $6  ~ two packs of 35 magnets $12-14

At these quantities, the necklaces cost less than a dollar and the rings about $1.20 to 1.50 each to make. Buy more and the cost per is even lower. Ah, the genius of good design!  ~ Cindy

“Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.”
~ Albert Einstein

PS: here are some handy links to some other how-to’s in the Rings & Things blog!

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Posted in Designing Jewelry, Featured bead/finding, Fun, guest blogger, multipurposing, New products, Projects, Rings & Things Products, Tutorials | 13 Comments »

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